Fiction Friday: Chapter 9

Another Friday has come and almost gone AND it's officially August. I have one more week of summer vacation before I officially go back to start my teacher work week, but (of course) I have already been back in my classroom getting ready. I just can't help myself!

This week for Fiction Friday, I journey back into the world of chapter books.

This week I read...

The Lost Planet
by Rachel Searles

In The Lost Planet, Chase wakes up on a unknown planet surrounded by unknown people with a wound to the back of his head and his memory completely wiped. The only thing he knows is "Guide the star" but nobody (including Chase) knows what that means. He sets out on a great adventure to uncover his mysterious past and figure out who and what he is that makes him so special.  Chase is different and his strange gift may be exactly the thing that saves him.

Filled with tons of questions, creative alien worlds, and non-stop action, The Lost Planet is a true blue legit science fiction read for children. For students who can suspend reality and stick with a book even though they have a million questions, they will love how everything starts to fall into place in the end and builds beautifully towards the sequel, The Stolen Moon.

I was very impressed with the vocabulary in this book.  Lots of great words used and some repeated several times throughout the novel.  It didn't feel repetitive in any way, but it did give readers time to infer the meaning from context, practice the word, and learn the word. As a teacher, I love that!

I would recommend this book for grades 4-8. I enjoyed it and will be looking to pick up the sequel to add to my classroom collection. I can't wait to see what my 4th graders thing of this novel, because for many it will be unlike anything they have read before. :)

Book Information:

• 400 pages
• Science-Fiction
• 750 Lexile level
• Grade Level Equivalent - 4.6

Pickle
By Kim Baker & Tim Probert

Ben loves to pull a good prank and he's good at it too. He managed to sneak an entire set of indoor playground balls into his classroom through a window just for fun!  His class loved it! His teacher... not so much.  Ben's pranks are all in good fun and they make 6th grade so much more entertaining. That's why he starts the Pickle Club - a super secret prank club of Fountain Point Middle School and he's recruiting select members. The only problem is that Ben can't include his best friend in the club.  He's the principals grandson and would probably nark.  Together, the Pickle club brings an unlikely group of friends together and fills the school with laughter, but the one member they left out may be exactly the one member they need.

Pickle is hilarious and fun! It would make a great read aloud for grades three and up.  My students loved reading this book last year, so if you don't have a classroom copy go grab one. It is definitely teacher and student approved! I think it's going to make my classroom read aloud stack this year.

Book Information:

• 256 pages
• Realistic Fiction
• 700 Lexile Level

That's it for me today. Don't forget to click through all the links below to discover more awesome books and share your own favorite reads by commenting or linking up yourself. I've discovered so many great books this summer this way. And a huge thank you to all the bloggers that link up. Y'all rock!!

Happy Reading!

An InLinkz Link-up