Oggie Cooder by Sarah Weeks

Weeks, Sarah. Oggie Cooder. New York : Scholastic Press, 2008. ISBN 0439927919

Have you ever charved? What?! You have never even heard of charving? Well- charving is a combination of chewing and carving slices of cheese into shapes, and fourth grader Oggie Cooder happens to be an expert charver. At school everybody picks on Oggie, just because he dresses and acts a little differently. After he wins a spot on a popular television talent show for his charving ability everyone wants to be just like him. However, when his manager, popular classmate Donnica Perfecto, begins trying to change Oggie to make him even more of a hit with potential viewers, charving and popularity starts to lose their appeal.

Recommended for grades 4 and up.

Author's Website

Check out these cool cheese carvings....

Cheese on the cob!

Photo from http://www.onmilwaukee.com/

This Cheesosaurus didn't go extinct...he melted!

Photo from www.fooddesigns.blogspot.com

Do you think a princess made of cheese lives in this Cheese Castle?

Photo from www.icewonder.com

The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan

Riordan, Rick. The Lightning Thief. New York : Miramax Books, 2005. ISBN 0-78683565-5

Percy Jackson has always experienced weird things, but he always figured it was either his dyslexia, or maybe even is ADHD. Bullied and outcast, he bounces from school to school until he gets to Yancy Academy, and for the first time makes a real friend, Grover. He even has a teacher, Mr. Brunner, who truly believes in him. Until one day when he overhears Grover and Mr. Brunner talking about him, and about how they must make sure he stays alive until next fall. Could the reason Percy is excelling in Greek mythology be linked to his father that he has never met? Could Percy be someone special after all?

Recommended grades 5 and up.

Author's website

The Higher Power of Lucky by Susan Patron

Patron, Susan. The Higher Power of Lucky. New York, NY : Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2006. ISBN : 978-1-4169-0194-5

Lucky just knows she is about to be abandoned again. Brigitte, Lucky's guardian since her mother died and her father decided he didn't want her, has been acting funny. She misses her family in France and Lucky caught her applying to a French culinary school. When Lucky finds Brigitte's suitcase and passport all packed, she decides it is finally time to put her plan into action. She packs up her survival-kit backpack and heads out to her secret cave in the desert. But will her plan to make Brigitte realize how much she loves Lucky work, or will it be foiled by a dust storm and a five year old boy?

Recommended for grades 4 and up.

Check out this video from Amazon.com