VVMBookBlog

Getting Air by Dan Gutman

“Don’t judge a book by its cover.” Once again this statement played through my head as I read this book. Although it looks like a book about skateboarding, it’s more of a survival or adventure story. Skateboarders will be a bit disappointed, but most adolescents will not be disappointed. Three skaters are on their way to the XGames with a plane full of “blue hairs” when terrorists take over the plane. The sister of one of these skaters, the flight attendant, and the skaters must find a way to stop the terrorists from crashing the plane and killing everyone on board.

Getting Air is an easier read (age 8-12), but is full of humor and adventure. When I realized it was more about a plane take over and survival, I was less than excited. As I continued to read, I did enjoy the book. Even skaters will find humor, adventure, and a little skating in this book. Give it a try.

M is for Magic by Neil Gaiman

I think books of short stories are wondeful for reluctant readers because if they don’t like a story, they can skip and go onto the next story. This is a book of short stories by Neil Gaiman the author of Coraline. Gaimon is known for his eerie story telling, and this book is no different. The first story, with favorites from fairy tales as the characters, is a bit of a mystery. Stories range from stories about a jack-in-a-box to stories from the grave yard. Readers will learn how to sell a bridge and how to talk to girls although neither story will leave the reader with good or usable advice. Each story is unique with a sense of strangeness. Many readers will find these stories weird and want to read more which may take them to Gaiman’s other books.