Chasing Vermeer

Most Recently Read Book:

Chasing Vermeer

By Blue Balliett

This is the first book in this mystery series by Blue Balliett.  I didn't realize this was a series and I listened to The Wright Three first, so now I had to go back and listen to Chasing Vermeer.  I like this series about young kids who live in Hyde Park in Chicago and get involved in solving mysteries about art, in this case the Vermeer painting called A Lady Writing.  It's amazing all the thinking that Blue Balliett has to put into her writing.  She incorporates art, puzzles, writing and exploring.  Now that I have read Chasing Vermeer and The Wright Three I have to go read the third book in this series, The Calder Game, which was recently released!  

The Wright Three

Most Recently Read Book:

The Wright Three

By Blue Balliett

I didn't realize this book was the second in a series...but it didn't really matter that I read it out of order.  This is a historical fiction book, which means parts are based on true facts or part of history.  This books happens to be about three kids who help to save a house that was designed and built by Frank Lloyd Wright, a very famous architect.  There are plans to tear down the house but the kids find a way to save it.  They have a mystery to solve because they think they see someone in the house.  This book was a very fun adventure mixed in with the history part and even some math and art things, too!  Plus, this book is set in Chicago.  I love to read books that are written in Chicago.  I can't wait to go back and read the first book in this series, Chasing Vermeer.  

The Thief of Always

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The Thief of Always

By Clive Barker

This book was recommended by one of my students!  His name is Jose and he thought I would like this book and let me borrow it.  This book is a combination of mystery and fantasy.  The main character, Harvey, is bored with life when a man named Rictus comes along and tells him he can take him somewhere that isn't boring.  He convinces Harvey it's kind of like a vacation and takes him to a place called Holiday House.  Harvey loves being there until he realizes some things there are a little too strange and tries to go home...at first he can't escape, but when he does he finds out for every day he was at Holiday House, one year of his life went by.  The only thing he can do is go back and try to figure out who is controlling everything at the house and find a way to get his "years" back!  

Half Moon Investigations

Most Recently Read Book:

Half Moon Investigations

By Eoin Colfer

This was a great young adult mystery!  I haven't read a mystery book in a while and this one was really fun!  I was also new to reading Eoin Colfer's writing but I love it!  I noticed that he uses a lot of similes when he is describing.  Similes are one of my favorite literary elements.  He also has a great collection of characters.  Fletcher Moon is the main character, he's a kid who went to school online to become a detective.  There is a theft at school and the kids call in Fletcher, known as Half Moon because he is short, to solve the crime.  When he tries to help solve the crime he ends up becoming a suspect, that means, people think he may be the criminal.  He has to figure out the mystery before he ends up in big trouble!  

What Are You Reading Good? (10/03/08)

So...what are you reading good this week? REMEMBER..tell me the title, the author, what the book is about right now. Try to really be more specific than just saying it is interesting or it is fun. Make me want to read the book! Or...really support why I shouldn't read the book, if you don't like it.



I am currently reading Half Moon Investigations by Eoin Colfer. I have never read any books by this author. I know he is the author of the Artemis Fowl series. This book is way funnier than the cover suggests. It is a mystery and Fletcher Moon is a kid-detective who finds himself in the middle of his own investigation. So far, there are lots of crazy characters and the writing is really fun. This author seems to use a lot of similes, which I think are really fun. I can't wait to read more!