Usually I avoid books with pink covers, especially if it also has a peppy-looking, tiara-wearing cheerleader on it. However, as a fan of Betty G. Birney, I decided to look past the cover and give The Princess and the Peabodys a chance. I am so glad I did. This was a very entertaining book that had me laughing out loud on more than one occasion. Casey Peabody and her grandmother regularly go to garage and estate sales looking for treasure. They got more than they bargained for one Saturday morning when they bought an old rusted-shut box. The box was much heavier than it appeared and their dog Duke was frightened of it. When Casey's father finally managed to open it, out stepped Princess Eglantine, soon to be known as Egg. She has spent over 700 years trapped in the box thanks to her bungling court wizard, Alaric. Now she has to adapt to life in the 21st century while Alaric, who has traveled through time, tries to find the correct spell to send her home. Obviously Casey is not thrilled to have a new "cousin" sharing her room, her friends and her family. This book has lots of magic, a little romance and even some cheerleading. There is also a very important message about being true to yourself no matter what other people say.
Intermediate Mystery books are a gold mine. High-low books refer to titles that are of high interest to readers, but contain low level vocabulary. These titles are clever, action-packed, and have several books in the series to keep the mystery alive. These intermediate mystery books are the first in their series and are sure to appease any mystery loving reader. The Ghost Tree Written by Natasha Deen Illustrated by Lissy Marlin New York: Random House Children's Books, 2022. Intermediate. 95 pages. With a dash of paranormal mixed with mystery, this book introduces Asim, a Guyanese American fourth grader who moves to a new town. After a visit to a graveyard, an evil spirit is unleashed. Asim works with new friends, Rokshar and Max, to save their town. With scarily cool illustrations to accompany this text, this book is great for any amateur sleuths who love a touch of creepy. Detective Duck: The Case of the Strange Splash Written by Henry Winkler and Lin Oliver Illustrated by Dan San
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