Fiction Friday: Chapter 7

It's already time for another installment of Fiction Friday, which means another week of summer has come and gone.  I'm convinced time actually moves faster after July 4th and summer just sails away.

Today, I'm excited to share two more books from the 2016-2017 Texas Bluebonnet Nominee List.

Both books have beautiful inviting covers, but more importantly both books have incredibly unique, creative, enjoyable story lines. 

The Fog Diver

by Joel Ross

The Fog Diver is a futuristic novel set hundreds of years in the future, a deadly white mist has covered the Earth and all of humanity is living on the highest peaks and sky ships. The unequal distribution of wealth has become even more magnified. Most people are poor, living in the rumbling junkyards which is basically the slums, desperate to survive. All the wealth is tied up with five families ruling over the masses and one evil Lord Kodoc who rules it all.

The story follows one particular salvage crew who fly the skies and send their tether boy, Chess, through the fog to scavenge anything of value left over from another time. This salvage crew has a unique set of skills, but Chess is more special than anyone knows.  He was born in the fog.  He thrives in the fog. He is the ultimate fog diver. And Lord Kodoc wants him! As the crew sets out to outrun and outsmart Lord Kodoc they find themselves involved in the adventure of a lifetime involving pirates, diamonds, and secrets.

This was a great adventure novel! One chapter ended and you immediately wanted to dive into the next one. This well-written story unfolded at a proper pace that kept the reader engaged but still curious. Beautifully crafted imagery helps the story come alive and the constant misuse of current of "old" words  makes the lead characters all the more endearing.

This novel is totally purple and 100% unique! I can't wait to share this gem with my 4th graders this upcoming year.

Book Information:

• Science-Fiction
• 328 pages
• Grades 3-7 

Nightmares!

by Jason Segel & Kristin Miller

Yes, Forgetting Sarah Marshall  wrote a book.  A children's book. And ya'll, it's really good. I'm not sure what I was expecting when I read Nightmares! but it certainly wasn't too enjoy it as much as a did.

Charlie Laird has just a few big problems: His mother died. He father has remarried. He is convinced his step-mother is a witch. He's living in a super creepy purple mansion.  And, he is having nightmares! Terrible terrible nightmares! From the moment he moved into the mansion, Charlie's nightmares have been getting worse. As Charlie's fear grows, so do his nightmares. Each night they become more and more real, until finally they cross over into his world and become a reality only to lure him back into the dreamworld for good. He's no longer sleeping his nightmare. Charlie Laird is living it. He must find the courage to face his fears to save himself, his friends, and ultimately his town.

This book is so much more than a spooky mystery. It is about what motivates us to overcome our fears and power of love, friendship, and family. It's true. We are all scared of something. But one can not move past that fear, without facing it. It is about having the courage to conquer your fears and the strength you gain from those you love.

Very well done. Very unique. Very fun. Another great start to a new series.

This quote is the PERFECT way to describe this book -

"Coraline meets Monsters, Inc. in this delightfully entertaining offering from actor [Jason] Segel and co-author [Kirsten] Miller."—Publishers Weekly

Book Information:

• Fantasy
• 355 pages
• Grades 3-7
• Lexile Level 670L
• Guided Reading Level U 

 *****

And that's it for Fiction Friday: Chapter 7.  

Just another wonderful week in the world of Children's Literature.

Have you read any of the books above? I would love to know your take . Please share your thoughts, comments, and recommendations below.

Link up to share your own Children's Lit discoveries this summer and don't forget to click through all the links below for more great recommendations.

And as always, thank you for joining us for Fiction Friday!

When linking up, please remember to grab the Fiction Friday button and link back to my blog. Also, please choose an image of a book you blogged about for the link.

Thank You & Happy Reading!

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