The Bletchley Riddle

The Bletchley Riddle by Ruta Sepetys and Steve Sheinkin Fourteen-year-old Lizzie is supposed to be on her way to America from England. It’s 1940, World War II is raging on. Her father died long ago, her mother went missing, her brother is off at school.  Her nineteen-year-old brother, Jakob, hasn’t answered any of Lizzie’s letters. … More The Bletchley Riddle

All He Knew

All He Knew by Helen Frost Four out of Five Magical Coffee Cups A young boy, Henry, loses his hearing due to an illness, and his family is convinced that sending him to a home for the “unteachable” is their best option. His parents don’t really want to do this, but they want to do … More All He Knew

The Lost Apothecary

The Lost Apothecary by Sarah Penner 5 out of 5 magical coffee cups There was a lot going on in this book, and it was told from three different points of view: Nella (1791), the apothecary owner; Eliza (1791), a twelve-year-old hanging around Nella; and Caroline (present-day), a woman who stumbled upon one of Nella’s … More The Lost Apothecary