The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan

 

The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan - 387 pages

Percy Jackson is about to be kicked out of boarding school... again. And that's the least of his troubles. Lately, mythological monsters and the gods of Mount Olympus seem to be walking straight out of the pages of Percy's Greek mythology textbook and into his life. And worse, he's angered a few of them. Zeus' master lightning bolt has been stolen, and Percy is the prime suspect.

Now Percy and his friends have just ten days to find and return Zeus' stolen property and bring peace to a warring Mount Olympus. But to succeed on his quest, Percy will have to do more than catch the true thief: he must come to terms with the father who abandoned him; solve the riddle of the Oracle, which warns him of betrayal by a friend; and unravel a treachery more powerful than the gods themselves.

I really like this series, it's a fun, easy read.  This is actually the book that got me back into reading, and honestly my daughter as well.  I really enjoyed re-reading it!

ICELAND by Blastoff Discovery

 

ICELAND by Blastoff Discovery - 32 pages

Great youth book about Iceland.   The book is small but has lots of information about Iceland in easy to ready content.  Iceland was one of the first countries to give women the right to vote, and the first nation to elect a woman president.   You can find snow, glaciers, volcanos, waterfalls and heated pools on Iceland.  The people of Iceland are typically very friendly and upbeat.  I would recommend the book for anyone interested in learning the basic fact and seeing some great images of Iceland.

Grand Canyon National Park - by Blastoff Discovery

 

Grand Canyon National Park by Blastoff Discovery - 32 pages

Did you know that the Grand Canyon began forming over 2 million years age..(wow). Five to Six million years ago, the Colorado River began carving the canyon out.  The Grand Canyon is in Arizona.  It is 277 miles long, 18 miles wide, and more than 1 mile deep in spots.  The Grand Canyon Park is 1,878 square miles.  This is a great book.  The book is small but full of information on one our our amazing National Parks.

A Child Called "It" by Dave Pelzer

 

A Child Called "It" by Dave Pelzer - 184 pages

This book chronicles the unforgettable account of one of the most severe child abuse cases in California history. It is the story of Dave Pelzer, who was brutally beaten and starved by his emotionally unstable, alcoholic mother: a mother who played tortuous, unpredictable games—games that left him nearly dead. He had to learn how to play his mother's games in order to survive because she no longer considered him a son, but a slave; and no longer a boy, but an "it." Dave's bed was an old army cot in the basement, and his clothes were torn and raunchy. When his mother allowed him the luxury of food, it was nothing more than spoiled scraps that even the dogs refused to eat. The outside world knew nothing of his living nightmare. He had nothing or no one to turn to, but his dreams kept him alive—dreams of someone taking care of him, loving him and calling him their son.

It's been a while since I first read this one; I'd forgotten how incredibly cruel David's mother was.  I found myself ebbing between sadness for David and anger towards his mother and especially his father.  Why didn't his father protect him?  This is a heart breaking story.

Horimiya, v. 15 & 16 by Hero

Horimiya, v.15 by Hero - 194 pages
Horimiya, v. 16 by Hero - 192 pages

These are the final two volumes in the Horimiya manga series.  The series ends with Hori, Miyamura, and their friends graduating high school.  It also includes a couple short stories about Hori's younger brother and friend.  
I had previously read these volumes when they first came out and was a little disappointed with them.  I decided to re-read them and see if I had a better reaction with a little time.  Unfortunately, I was still left wanting.  I wanted a better ending with more information about what they might do in the future.