One for the Guys, One for the Girls

One for the guys...
Star Jumper: Journal of a Cardboard Genius
by Frank Asch

Alex is a genius who can build anything from cardboard boxes and everyday household materials. His goal is to get as far away as possible from his younger pesky brother, Jonathan. So he builds a spaceship. I know what you're thinking - It's all in his mind, right? He's a kid with a great imagination, right? Wrong. He actually builds a spaceship out of cardboard boxes. But it's not as simple as that. As Alex prepares for his journey across the univers, he encounters some obstacles. He continually has to create new inventions (out of cardboard boxes) to overcome these hurdles. This book was different from any other book I've read. Not just the content, but the style of writing. It's not really told step-by-step like many others. It gives us Alex's thoughts as he writes them down in his journal (or really...his writer's notebook). There are lots of cool sketches throughout the book, and I love how the story is told in Alex's own voice. This is the first book in the series - there are three in all. Boys - I think you will like this one.

One for the girls...
Paint the Wind
by Pam Munoz Ryan

Usually I am NOT tempted to pick up books about horses. I have never read any of Marguerite Henry's books, and I have never really wanted to. They just don't appeal to guys! But I love Pam Munoz Ryan. She wrote Becoming Naomi Leon, which I thought was an incredible read. So, with all my trust in Pam, I decided to read this book. I was not disappointed. Maya's parents passed away when she was five years old. Since then, she's been living with her overly protective grandmother. When the grandmother dies unexpectantly, Maya goes to live with her family on her mother's side. She spends the summer living in a teepee on the shores of the Sweet River (in Wyoming). I love this story became Maya goes through some incredible changes. AND there's plenty of action and humor to go along with it (which I was a little surprised about...I didn't know horse stories would be this good). Don't be intimidated by the size of this book. It's 316 pages, but there are BIG spaces between each line and the margins are wide, too - it's not a long book. You don't have like horses to enjoy this book. Trust me.