Cody has always had a special friend named Paul Brightfield. Cody's family and friends feel he spends too much time with Paul, they sense that Paul is not quite what he seems. Paul is special because he is not human even if he can look human. Paul is a magical being, older than time itself. One night an ancient evil, The Woman, awakens in Wilde Park. Cody, his sister and two of their friends are the only humans left who can save humanity. The Woman has decided to remake the world to her liking. The children embark on a strange adventure where time ceases to exist as we know it. They experience fear, betrayal, hope and joy as they search for the Stardust Kid, their only hope in defeating The Woman. Will The Stardust Kid help restore order to the world, or is he going to transform the earth into something else entirely? What is Paul Brightfield's connection to The Woman? The story is exciting and very well-written. The illustrations are fantastic! (See the slide show below for examples of the interior). Appropriate for any age, but does involve a fair amount of reading so I would recommend it for fifth grade and above.
Faker By Gordon Korman New York: Scholastic Press, 2024. Fiction. 214 pages. 12-year-old Trey is used to starting over at a new school -- he has the routine perfectly memorized: make new friends, introduce his dad to the wealthy parents of his new friends, and "Houdini" themselves out of there before they get caught running their latest scam. Trey's dad is a master con artist, and Trey has just been promoted to full-partner. Their new scheme for the next big score brings them to the affluent suburb of Boxelder, TN where Trey's dad has cooked up a fake electric car company for investors to buy into. The only problem is that Trey is starting to grow tired of moving around and never putting down roots, especially after forming a fast friendship with Logan and developing a crush on Kaylee, a socially conscious girl in his class. As Trey longs for a normal life, is there any way he can convince his dad to get out of the family business? Gordon Korman is a perennial favorit...
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