The Unintentional Adventures of the Bland Sisters: The Jolly Regina by Kara LaReau
available as an ebook and eaudiobook through Hoopla
The Bland Sisters, Jaundice and Kale, are exactly that; there’s nothing unusual about them except for the fact that they live alone in a cottage by the sea, having no clue where their parents have disappeared to. For Jaundice and Kale, each day consists of keeping the house running—darning other peoples’ socks to make a living, picking up a weekly order of groceries, and tidying up. The two sisters despise excitement, so when a real life pirate knocks on their door and tells them she knows where their parents are, they have no choice but to follow her to the Jolly Regina. Mysteries abound, including the location of the island on which the Bland sisters’ parents were last seen. But the pirates have problems of their own and it is up to Jaundice and Kale to help the ship’s crew regain a sense of teamwork.
If you like Lemony Snicket or Roald Dahl’s stories, you’ll be thrilled by the vibrant vocabulary and zany antics in the first book of the Unintentional Adventures of the Bland Sisters.
Read (or listen to) all The Unintentional Adventures of the Bland Sisters on Hoopla:
The Uncanny Express
Flight of the Bluebird
Recommended by Caitlin Bockman | Children's Room Associate
From the outside, this family might look normal. But, from the inside, we see parents who wish they had no children and children who are not particularly fond of their parents. When these parents hire a nanny and leave on a trip, the children's lives become an adventure that ultimately transforms them.
In this parody, children will be delighted with the comical silliness. They will be eager to see what could possibly happen next. Meanwhile, adults will appreciate the subtle humor, expansion of vocabulary, and the wacky extremes. Young and old will be transfixed from the first page until the last.
*The Willoughbys Return will be published later this year.
Recommended by Paula Coonce | Children's Room Associate
House of Robots by James Patterson and Chris Grabenstein
In this first-in-the-series novel, we meet Sammy Hayes-Rodriguez, a regular kid just trying to fit in. Unfortunately, fitting in will be harder than usual this year when his inventor mother insists he bring her newest creation to school with him. Known only as ‘E’ (E for ‘Error,’ according to Sammy), the robot thinks it is Sammy’s brother and lacks any social cues that might prove otherwise. After nearly getting them both suspended on the first day of school, Sammy is sure things will only go downhill. Will Sammy survive the fifth grade? Or will ‘E’ help Sammy learn more about what’s important in his life?
This hilarious book is great for late elementary school readers and can even be read aloud to younger children. No matter the audience, they’ll be laughing out loud as the matter-of-fact robot and awkward ten-year-old try to navigate life in the fifth grade.
Want more Robots? Read (or listen to) the rest of the series on Overdrive:
Robots Go Wild
Robot Revolution
Recommended by Caitlin Bockman | Children's Room Associate
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