KIDS IN UNUSUAL SITUATIONS

I still have a few of my summer reading books to tell you about so I will start this school year's blog with two of them. In Wendy Mass's book The Candymakers, four children visit a local candy factory as contestants in a candy making contest. Logan grew up in the candy factory because he is the candymaker's son. Miles is a shy boy whose parents hope this contest will make him forget a tragic event in his past. Daisy is fascinated by the factory, but often disappears --why? And finally, Philip comes dressed in a suit and is always scribbling in his notebook -- what's that all about? Yet somehow these four children are intertwined, become friends, and solve a mystery. There are many descriptions of delicious-sounding candies that will make your mouth water for a taste.

Gordon Korman's Ungifted is a 2015 Caudill nominee. In Korman's usual style he combines realistic situations with humorous twists. Donovan is the ungifted student who through a twist of fate escapes serious trouble at school by getting transferred to the Academy of Scholastic Distinction, a special school for gifted and talented students. Donovan knows he is in the wrong school but terrible discipline awaits him if he returns to his old school. The other students in his class soon figure out that he doesn't belong, too, but they recognize that his coming from a regular school allows them to learn about real life. Finally the teachers realize that Donovan is in the wrong school and they begin the process to send him back. Despite all this confusion, Donovan makes friends, helps the gifted students with their robotic competition, and learns that he needs to change his ways. You will smile and chuckle as you follow Donovan's adventures.