POOP FOUNTAIN!

Lyle is a middle- schooler who lives in a trailer park with his loving parents.  His days are predictable and somewhat boring.  When one of the middle-schoolers, Miranda, moves into the trailer park community and when his friend Dave comes to visits them, things change for the better.  Lyle and his new friends quickly become inseparable and decide to name their trio The Qwikpick Adventure Society.  What could their first adventure be? 

When school resumes, the trio learns that the waste water treatment facility in their area is about to undergo a major sewage upgrade: the dated "sludge fountain" is scheduled to be replaced with new equipment.  Eager to see the fountain in action, the kids make plans to check it out on Christmas Day, while Lyle's parents are working.  With a new camera in hand, they journey to the treatment facility.  Along the way they become increasingly aware of the happenings in their community and they realize what a larger treatment facility truly means; those with less means will need to make way for the coming developments. 

The Qwikpick Paper Poop Fountain was mountains of fun and is a quick read.  The trio learn to have fun without handheld, electronic devices as part of their time together- a lesson that many parents will appreciate.  Tom Angleberger's inclusion of visiting a sewage treatment facility is unique, and including the economic effects of land development gives the book more depth than expected.  The colorful descriptions of the treatment facility are not for the faint of heart.

For 4th grade and up.

NOT READY FOR ROMANCE

At 13, life is full of changes and challenges. 

What started out as a one time deal to help out a guy as well as making a bit of money at the same time became a part time job unlike any other. Through word of mouth, Quentin became known as the the Heartbreak Messenger, whose job it was break tell some poor unfortunate high schooler that their relationship was over.  Call the breakee scaredy cat, cowardly or whatever you want, but he figures he's serving a purpose and helping out his mom at the same time.  Meanwhile his own relationship with his best friends, especially Abby is changing and he's having a hard time figuring out why.  

Heartbreak Messenger by Alexander Vance is a fun fast-pace anti - romance from a guy's point of view.  

For readers in 6th-8th grade.  

MINE! MINE! ALL MINE!

From Vivian, Children's Librarian at the Casa Verdugo Branch Library:

Betty Bunny Wants Everything by Michael B. Kaplan

Mother Rabbit allows each of her children to select one toy from the toy shop but things don’t go as planned.  Betty Bunny decides to fill a cart with toys and have a wild tantrum at the store.  Mother Rabbit doesn’t tolerate Betty’s behavior and takes her young one home without any toys.  Mother and Father Bunny must devise a plan to help their tantrum-throwing child make responsible choices about saving or spending money.  A nice story that introduces the importance of budgeting money and the value of modeling patience and understanding.

A PAULSEN PAIR

Two companion stories by Gary Paulsen, Liar, Liar: The Theory, Practice and Destructive Properties of Deception and Flat Broke: The Theory, Practice and Destructive Properties of Greed, tell the story of Kevin who tell a pile of lies in order to win the heart of a girl. He lies to everyone: his family, his best friends, his acquaintances. He couldn't lie to a little boy though and that's when the pile of lies came tumbling down. If you like Liar Liar, then you must read Flat Broke.

Two very short novels for readers in 6th-8th grade about the questionable act of lying and making amends in order to win back everyone's trusts and friendships.

THE MONEY BUSH

What's a girl to do when she finds a huge wad of cash in the bushes? After an internal ethical struggle, she spends it of course. A little for Grandma, a little on herself, something for a few friends. Before Sammy gets to spend it all, suspicious things start to happen.

Another great mystery where Sammy learns a lesson- money doesn't grown in bushes. Sammy Keyes and the Cold Hard Cash by Wendelin Van Draanen is perfect for readers in 6th & up.

IT'S AUGUST AND YOU STILL HAVEN'T READ ANYTHING YET...

Here's another list of summer themed books for the older readers.

If you start now, you'll have plenty of time to read before you go back to school.

Lawn Boy by Gary Paulsen - A boy gets an old lawnmower for a present and makes a ton of money mowing lawns. If you like making money, you'll enjoy this book. A very funny and short read for mature 6th - 8th graders.

The One Where the Kid Nearly Jumps to His Death and Lands in California by Mary Hershey - A one legged kid has to spend the summer in California with his dad and new wife who's super rich. He also learns how to swim to impress a girl he has a crush on. Note: this boy has a lot of anger issues. Fast read for mature 6th -8th graders.

My Almost Epic Summer by Adele Griffin - This girl fantasizes about having a hair salon based on her literary heroines during a boring summer of babysitting. But, the boring summer turns into a one of intrigue when she finds herself featured in the online journal of a pretty but self absorbed lifeguard. Also for mature mature 6th -8th .

Gilda Joyce: Psychic Investigator by Jennifer Allison - A girl figures out a way to get a free trip to San Francisco by using her psychic ability to solve her distant cousin's ghostly mystery. Not so scary but good for mystery lovers. 6th - 8th.

Deep Dark and Dangerous: A Ghost Story by Mary Downing Hahn- During a summer stay at the family cabin, the sisters discover an old family secret at the bottom of the lake. If you like being scared, then this is a great book with one angry and spooky ghost. 6th-8th .

LAWN BOY

Lawn Boy
Gary Paulsen

He’s bored. He’s flat broke. His friends are away at summer camp. His bike doesn’t work. And worst of all, his grandmother just gave him his "big" present for his 12th birthday. A lawn mower. An old one that used to belong to his grandfather. So without much else to do, he rides around his lawn on his new set of wheels. Soon he’s hired to mow a neighbor’s lawn and then another and another. He is starting to develop a nice small lawn mowing business when he takes on a new client named Arnold. Arnold is a stockbroker with a cash flow problem. So he pays our lawn boy by investing in stocks for him. Within a month, lawn boy has more than 12 employees, a financial manager, and a pretty good stock portfolio. From that point on, things get a little crazy. Lawn boy has to deal with a hostile takeover, a stockbroker held for ransom, and a professional boxer. You'll have to read this book to find out Lawn Boy's surprising fate!

WHAT TO DO WITH YOUR SATURDAY

THE SATURDAYS by Elizabeth Enright can give you some great ideas! Every week the Melendy family, Miranda, Oliver, Mona, and Rush, gets their allowance. Separately, there's not much to do with it except save up for something big. However, the four come up with a great plan to pool their money. Each week, on Saturday, one of the siblings gets to go on their very own adventure with all the money they've pooled. Each brother and sister has a unique and exciting excursion. Even though this book was written a long time ago, the kids do things on their adventures that you can still do today! For 3rd grade and older.