I love Scholastic. Who doesn’t remember the eagerness with which we awaited the Scholastic flyers, the joys of all the latest titles at prices affordable even for those with sporadic babysitting money? I suspect that all readers of this site can relate, at least all who grew up in the US. I myself mostly grew up in Canada, and I still remember vividly my first year in an American junior high, and the incredulity with which I hurried home and showed my parents all these lovely books for only $1.
My kids grew up going to French schools in Africa. This is our first year in American schools. Like me, they hurried home to show me the flyer filled with all those enticing books. My twins are in Grade 8 this year, and both are avid readers with very different tastes. Abel likes comics, adventures, and action; Ilsa likes drama and romance and humor. Scholastic’s offerings amply cover their divergent likes and more! Does your child enjoy non-fiction books of creepy animals or historic customs? The latest paranormal YA vampires and witches and Greek mythology come to life? Books from movies? Graphic novels? Classics? Whatever it is, you will find it on the brightly-colored pages of the Scholastic flyers.
So what do the kids themselves think about it? Here are their thoughts on their latest selections from Scholastic:
“In brightest day, in blackest night, no evil shall escape my sight; let those who worship evil’s might beware my power—Green Lantern’s light!” When Hal Jordan takes this oath to become a Green Lantern on the Planet of Oa, he leaves behind the life of a pilot and becomes the Green Lantern of Space Sector 2814.
This book describes how Hal becomes the Green Lantern and his training and first fights on planet Earth. He deals with his dad’s death as a child and it really affects him. He grows up and becomes a pilot, but he keeps wrecking planes and losing jobs. He is mysteriously called to a crash in the desert and is given the ring to become a Green Lantern. This is the first book. It should be a series.
Ruined is a book about a girl named Rebecca Brown who moves to New Orleans. At her girls-only school, as the new girl, she has trouble fitting in with the popular crowd. Only Anthon Grey, the popular equivalent at the neighbor boys’ school seems to honestly want to be her friend. The only one except Lisette. But Lisette is a ghost with a dark past and as Rebecca learns more about her, she discovers her own past.
I thought this was a very good book. It was well written and gripping. It was a little scary (not that much but I mean there is a ghost in it) with a very creative plot and a little romance. It takes you to the time and place of the characters and you experience their emotions.
Although she sometimes misses her life overseas, Elizabeth has to admit she’s pretty happy to be in the land of easily-accessible books! Read more of her life at her blog Planet Nomad.