Go Eat Worms! (Goosebumps #21) by R.L. Stine

 Go Eat Worms! (Goosebumps #21) by R.L. Stine-122 pages

⭐⭐⭐

Obsessed with worms? That's putting it mildly. Todd is so fascinated with worms, he keeps a worm farm in his basement! Most of all, Todd loves torturing his sister and her best friend with worms. Dropping them in their hair. Down their backs.
Until one day, after cutting a worm in half, Todd notices something strange. The rest of the worms seems to be staring at him! Suddenly worms start showing up in the worst places for Todd. In his bed. In his homework. Even in his spaghetti!
What's a worm lover to do when his own worms are starting to gross him out?

Thoughts: This was alright. It wasn't my favorite Goosebumps book, but not bad. It's definitely one of the least scary (although none are too scary). I'm not mad that I read it, though. 

Wildflower Emily: A Story About Young Emily Dickinson by Lydia Corry

 Wildflower Emily: A Story About Young Emily Dickinson by Lydia Corry (112 Pages)

Summary: Emily Dickinson is one of America’s greatest and most original poets of all time. When you hear her name, you may imagine the famous recluse whose withdrawal from society became legendary. But it’s time to meet a new side of Emily, one that is powerful, adventurous, and joyful. Follow along as we delve into Emily Dickinson’s childhood, revealing a young girl desperate to go out exploring―to meet the flowers in their own homes. Wade through tall grasses to gather butterfly weed and goldenrod, the air alive with the “buccaneers of buzz.” And, don’t forget to keep a hot potato in your pocket to keep your fingers warm. This is Emily Dickinson as you’ve never seen her before, embarking on an unforgettable journey in her hometown of Amherst, Massachusetts, with her trusty four-legged companion, Carlo.

Opinion: This is a children's non-fiction (and a bit fiction) book told mostly through graphic novel format which made the read a lot more fun. I really enjoyed the illustration style and getting to learn more about her home life. Throughout the story a few of her poems are sprinkled in which I enjoyed as Emily Dickinson is one of my favorite poets. I also really enjoyed reading the facts about her at the end of the book. 

Hummingbird by Natalie Lloyd

 Hummingbird by Natalie Lloyd (368 pages)

Synopsis: Twelve-year-old homeschooled Olive is tired of being seen as “fragile” just because she has osteogenesis imperfecta (otherwise known as brittle bone disease) so she’s thrilled when she finally convinces her parents to let her attend Macklemore Elementary. Olive can’t wait to go to a traditional school and make the friends she’s always longed for, until a disastrous first day dashes her hopes of ever fitting in.

Then Olive hears whispers about a magical, wish-granting hummingbird that supposedly lives near Macklemore. It’ll be the solution to all her problems! If she can find the bird and prove herself worthy, the creature will make her most desperate, secret wish come true.

When it becomes clear that she can’t solve the mystery on her own, Olive teams up with some unlikely allies who help her learn the truth about the bird. And on the way, she just might learn that our fragile places lead us to the most wonderful magic of all . . .

Opinion: This is a Mark Twain Award Nominee. I enjoyed this chapter book a lot. It made me smile and cry multiple times. I do wish I could've seen how the Hummingbird impacted the characters a few weeks or months down the line after its arrival. But I really appreciate how all of the characters were written. Even characters that sometimes oppose Olive are humanized which is nice. 

Perfectly Peculiar Plants by Chris Thorogood

Perfectly Peculiar Plants by Chris Thorogood -- 64 pages

I read this book in preparation for a Kids Learn class I'm going to teach.  I was drawn to the illustrations as they are very bright and colorful.  I had high hopes for the book but I was a little disappointed.  Several of the plants mentioned were already familiar to me and most of them were very similar which in my mind doesn't make them that "peculiar".  Still, the books were informative and would be good for kids wanting to learn more about plants around the world.
 

Lunch Lady 2-for-1 Special: The First Helping by Jarrett Krosoczka

Lunch Lady: The First Helping by Jarrett Krosoczka
     Lunch Lady and the Cyborg Substitute - 97 pages
     Lunch Lady and the League of Librarians - 96 pages

Did you ever wonder what the school lunch ladies did on their time off?  At Hector, Terrence, and Dee's school, they fight crime.  

This audio contains the first two books in the Lunch Lady graphic novel series.  I really enjoyed listening to it on audio.  You didn't miss the graphics as the full cast (with sound effects) narration filled the listener in on everything happening.  I would recommend this to fans of superheroes, humor, and action stories.

 

Who Was? (Author Biographies)

Who Was Roald Dahl? by True Kelley - 102 pages
Who Is Jeff Kinney? by Patrick Kinney - 103 pages
Who Is J.K. Rowling? by Pam Pollack & Meg Belviso - 105 pages
Who Was Maurice Sendak? by Janet B. Pascal - 105 pages
Who Was Dr. Seuss? by Janet B. Pascal - 112 pages
Who Was Laura Ingalls Wilder? by Patricia Brennan Demuth - 106 pages

Since I am driving a little more again I've decided to start listening to audio books again.  I decided to start with children's book as they are shorter and it wouldn't take me an entire month to listen to one book.  

These books were interesting.  As they are for children, it wasn't surprising that they didn't address any of the controversies with the various authors.  What truly surprised me is that the book about the newest author with the least books -- Jeff Kinney -- was just as long as those whose lives covered much more time and events.  I can see why kids enjoy these books though.

A Big Day for Baseball (Magic Tree House #29) by Mary Pope Osborne

A Big Day for Baseball (Magic Tree House #29) by Mary Pope Osborne-75 pages

I intended to read this for last month's challenge, but I ran out of time. I read this a couple of years ago, but it's a good book. Jack and Annie are sent back to April 15, 1947 to Ebbets Field in Brooklyn, New York. At first, they don't realize why they're there, but realize later that it was Opening Day for Major League Baseball and Jackie Robinson was making his debut as the first African-American player. I really enjoy the history and the adventure in the Magic Tree House books and this was a momentous day not just for baseball, but for the country as a whole.

Why I'm Afraid of Bees (Goosebumps #17) by R.L. Stine

Why I'm Afraid of Bees (Goosebumps #17) by R.L. Stine-115 pages

Gary Lutz isn't very good at sports and is kind of a klutz. In fact, he's been called "Lutz the Klutz" before. He's picked on and always picked last for sports teams. His own family laughs at him sometimes and he's very afraid of bees. He's miserable and the only good thing is his computer. One day, when playing games on his computer he sees an ad for a business that provides week-long vacations. You can switch bodies with another person for a week and vacation from your own body. Gary decides he's going to check it out. He decides to go through with it. However, he ends up being switched out with a bee and his brain is in a bee's body. Will he be able to switch back to his old body or will he be a honey bee until he dies? This was a pretty entertaining read.

The Beast from the East (Goosebumps #43) by R.L. Stine

The Beast from the East (Goosebumps #43) by R.L. Stine-118 pages

Ginger and her identical twin brothers, Nat and Pat, go on a camping trip with their parents. However, they get separated from their parents and get lost in the nearby woods. Soon after, big, blue, furry beasts find them and one of them named Fleg tags Ginger and says she's It. She's the Beast from the East, who is the loser. She has until sundown to tag one of the several beasts or she will be eaten because that's what happens to the Beast from the East. Will Ginger tag one of the beasts before it's too late or will she and her brothers get eaten? This one has another abrupt, signature Goosebumps ending. I have enjoyed reading Goosebumps this month.

Legend of the Lost Legend (Goosebumps #47) by R.L. Stine

Legend of the Lost Legend (Goosebumps #47) by R.L. Stine-122 pages

Honestly, this has been my least favorite Goosebumps that I have read. It isn't bad, but it isn't as good as the others I have read. Marissa and Justin are with their dad on a trip to Brovania, a fictional country in Europe, to find the Lost Legend. Justin and Marissa get separated from their dad while following a white dog named Silverdog along the way and must pass a survival test to get the silver chest that will supposedly contain what they seek. Everything is not what it seems in this forest Justin and Marissa are lost in. Will they pass the survival test or will they be forever lost in this strange forest? Will they indeed find the Lost Legend (and do they really want to)?

A Night in Terror Tower (Goosebumps #27) by R.L. Stine

A Night in Terror Tower (Goosebumps #27) by R.L. Stine-129 pages

In "A Night in Terror Tower," Sue and Eddie are on a sight-seeing tour in London, England while their parents are at a meeting at the Barclay Hotel. They convince their tour guide, Mr. Starkes, to take their tour to Terror Tower, where hundreds (if not more) of people have been tortured in the past. However, after making it to the very top of the tower and being told a story about the Prince and Princess of York being brought to the top to be executed by the King (their uncle), Sue and Eddie lose their tour group. Soon, they are chased by a tall, burly man in a black cape and black wide-brimmed hat. Who is this man and why is he chasing them?

Welcome to Camp Nightmare (Goosebumps #9) by R.L. Stine

Welcome to Camp Nightmare (Goosebumps #9) by R.L. Stine-136 pages

This one has some interesting, strange twists and turns. Billy is going to summer camp at Camp Nightmoon. Strange things begin to happen even on the bus ride to camp. Things get even stranger and scarier as the days go by and campers start disappearing. Billy wonders what is really going on here at Camp Nightmoon. The ending is not what I expected. The story takes an unexpected turn at the very end.

Monster Blood (Goosebumps #3) by R.L. Stine

Monster Blood (Goosebumps #3) by R.L. Stine-128 pages

Evan Ross is dropped off to stay with his weird Great-Aunt Kathryn because his parents are going to Atlanta to start the process of finding a house to move into. Evan makes a new friend Andrea (Andy) and they go to an eclectic, old toy store in the small town near their neighborhood. Evan and Andy find a hidden back room (what is it with hidden back rooms in Goosebumps stories, as an aside). Inside the room, they find a small blue can labelled "Monster Blood." They convince the store owner to sell it to them for $2, although he is reluctant to sell it. After a couple of days, Evan and Andy notice that the Monster Blood seems to be growing. Is it alive? Find out how the story ends for yourself! I am enjoying reading these for our monthly children's books challenge. I am planning to read a few more, even.

Night of the Living Dummy (Goosebumps #7) by R.L. Stine

Night of the Living Dummy (Goosebumps #7) by R.L. Stine-132 pages

Kris and Lindy are twin sisters who compete at anything and everything. When they find an old, intact dummy in the dumpster next door Lindy decides she wants to be a ventriloquist and named the dummy Slappy. Kris is immediately jealous and wants a dummy of her own. Their dad buys Kris a dummy of her own named Mr. Wood. Lindy plays a practical joke on Kris making her think that Mr. Wood is alive. Later, Kris finds a note with a few ancient words and recites them. Mr. Wood seems to come alive again and this time it might be for real! Kris and Lindy's parents don't believe them because of previous mishaps (and, besides, who would believe a dummy is alive).

One Day at HorrorLand (Goosebumps #16) by R.L. Stine

One Day at HorrorLand (Goosebumps #16) by R.L. Stine-123 pages

I am enjoying reading the Goosebumps series for this month's challenge. In this one, Lizzy, Luke, Clay and their parents are traveling to Zoo Gardens Theme Park. However, they get lost along the way and forgot to pack a map. After hours of being lost, they stumble upon a menacing sign that reads "Welcome to HorrorLand: Where Nightmares Come to Life." The kids persuaded their parents to go to the park since they couldn't find Zoo Gardens. As soon as they park in the parking lot and get out of their car, their car explodes. The family all soon realizes that the park is very scary and it could be evil. While in the park, Lizzy, Clay, and Luke ride the Doom Slide, visit the House of Mirrors, and go through the Bat Barn among other things. Although, as they find out, these aren't your normal rides and attractions! Horrors attend the park and seem like very real monsters. Signs (and the Horrors) say that one never escapes HorrorLand. Are the signs a joke or does no one really ever leave? Will they escape HorrorLand?!

Say Cheese and Die! (Goosebumps #4) by R.L. Stine

Say Cheese and Die! (Goosebumps #4) by R.L. Stine-136 pages

Greg and his three friends, Shari, Bird, and Michael find an old camera in the basement of the scary old Coffman House near their neighborhood. They start taking pictures with it, but the pictures don't turn out right. The pictures seem to show the future because whatever they show seems to happen soon after the pictures are taken. For instance, Greg takes a photo of his family's new car and it shows the car wrecked, totaled. The day after the photo is taken, Greg's dad is in a bad wreck and totals the new car. Other similar strange occurrences happen, also. Greg and his friends begin to wonder if the camera simply shows the future or if it is something more sinister, more evil. Perhaps the camera itself is evil and causing these tragedies! One must read the book, as I did, to find out!

Welcome to Dead House (Goosebumps #1) by R.L. Stine

Welcome to Dead House (Goosebumps #1) by R.L. Stine-126 pages

Josh and Amanda Benson are moving to a large, creepy old house in a different neighborhood/town called Dark Falls because their parents got this house for free from their Great Uncle (supposedly). However, Josh and Amanda quickly realize everything is not as it seems in this house or in this town. Something is strange about the kids (and adults) in their neighborhood and Josh and Amanda's dog, Petey, won't stop growling and barking at them. I enjoyed reading this one, especially because the ending leaves the reader room to interpret what it means.

The Haunted Mask (Goosebumps #11) by R. L. Stine

The Haunted Mask (Goosebumps #11) by R. L. Stine-121 pages

Eleven-year-old Carly Beth Caldwell wants a really scary mask for Halloween. She has been laughed at and made fun of for being a scaredy-cat at school. Specifically, she wants to get back at Steve and Chuck, her friends, for all the times they've scared her. Carly Beth wants to really scare them for all the times they've scared her. She decides to go to the new party store down the street, but it appears closed. However, the peculiar looking owner allows her to enter the store and choose a mask even though the store is closed. She roams around the store and finds a door slightly ajar leading to a back room with terrifying life-like "masks." Carly Beth really wants one of these and begs the store owner to allow her to purchase it. The owner relents but warns her that she will be sorry. Carly Beth now has the terrifying mask she desired, but soon finds out that it might not come back off! She might have to live with this hideous "mask" as her face forever! Will she be able to get if off? Read the book to find out!

Pirates Past Noon (Magic Tree House #4) by Mary Pope Osborne

Pirates Past Noon (Magic Tree House #4) by Mary Pope Osborne-67 pages

I read this previously, but I wanted to read it again for the monthly challenge. I enjoy Magic Tree House books and I enjoy stories involving pirates. In this book, Jack and Annie run into Cap'n Bones who is searching for Captain Kidd's lost treasure. They also find out who the mysterious M is (Morgan le Fay).

Dingoes at Dinnertime (Magic Tree House #20) by Mary Pope Osborne

Dingoes at Dinnertime (Magic Tree House #20) by Mary Pope Osborne-72 pages

Jack and Annie are whisked off to Australia to find the last gift to free Teddy, which is a gift from a kangaroo. They save a koala and a Joey (baby kangaroo) from a wildfire. They also meet emus, dingoes, and a kookaburra on their adventure. Jack and Annie return the Joey to its mom after the wildfire. I always enjoy reading a Magic Tree House book!