Fenway and Hattie by Victoria J. Coe

You need to meet Fenway!  As an un-dog person for 40+ years I think I finally became one.  In fact, my son begs us almost daily for one, and after reading Fenway and Hattie by Victoria J. Coe, I might be convinced...

Written from Fenway's point of view, you really get in the mind of a dog who has moved from the city to the suburbs and how all those changes affect him.  Hattie, his best buddy, changed with the move, too, and it is hard for Fenway to understand.  The "ladies" (dogs) next door try to warn him but Fenway just doesn't get it. Doesn't want to get it.  So many times you want to just bark and explain to Fenway all that is happening.  Your heart aches.  Your eyes well up with tears.  "Please FEN-way listen to me, the reader.  It will all be ok if you just relax a little and let me break it all down for you on what's going on."  Fortunately, with time, Fenway does get it.  Just not after a rising blood pressure and anxiety on the part of the reader, especially when Fenway is working on the "Easiest Job Ever."  Oh, Fenway...

I don't know how Coe did it.  The noises (the ice cream truck), the observations (the UPS truck). The squirrels. The white ball in the glove.  The evil floor.  Either she speaks "dog" or her dog speaks human, because those observations were spot on.

After reading Fenway and Hattie a dog really may be in our future sooner than I ever imagined.  Just don't tell my son I said that!

ps-I just noticed a "1" on the spine.  Could this be a first in a series?  My student dog lovers (and I) will be leaping!

The Key to Extraordinary by Natalie Lloyd

I knew Natalie Lloyd was special after reading and sharing A Snicker of Magic with all my students last year. I just didn't realize how extraordinary she is. Now I do. And if I were you I would move "lickety-split fast (p.35) to your nearest bookstore on Tuesday, February 23, to pick up a copy of her newest book, The Key to Extraordinary so you, too, could be inspired and dazzled by Natalie's magical way with words.

12 year old Emma is waiting for her Destiny Dream to happen. When she does have it, she's hoping it will be clear what her destiny will be.  This may not be as easy as it sounds.  Women in her family for generations and generations have done extraordinary things so there is quite a lot of pressure on Emma to live up to her own destiny. Even when she has the special dream, things become a bit more complicated.  

To make matters worse, Warren Steele is threatening to come to town and tear down Emma's beloved family owned Boneyard Cafe.  Emma's got to find the treasure, knowing that if she does, she will be able to stop Mr. Steele.  Or will she?  What could possibly be in that treasure that could save her family and her town? Needless to say, Emma is determined.  She will "save [her] town's heartbeat--the Boneyard Cafe." (p.85)

There is so much in this novel to love.  The language for one.  The morning after Emma has her dream she is so nervous that she wonders, "Is it possible to be so nervous your brain coughs up words you didn't even know it'd stored?" (p.60) or "Everything wonderful is possible." (p.149) or "When life gets heavy, sometimes your heart needs to cut loose." (p.163) or....and I could go on and on.

I love all the characters and want to enjoy a long mug of Boneyard Brew with each and every one of them. Well, maybe not Warren Steele or Beretta Simpson.  But everyone else, of course! And believe me, you can taste and smell that delicious, undeniably unique Boneyard Brew through the pages. Are they making books now with "smell-i-vision" or "taste-i-vision"?  If so, this one has it! It's that special ingredient for sure.

And then there's the music!  There are obvious music references and other more subtle ones, like the crow named, "Penny Lane."  Some you didn't think fit in but they actually did, like Emma listening to "White Stripes."  I know I was happy when Patsy Cline was mentioned.

I'll tell you what, we don't have to think twice about what Natalie Lloyd's Destiny Dream was--It's writing these incredibly magical lovely middle grade novels, with fun loving characters who you want to become BFFs with, join their Club Pancake. Seriously, although this is not a sequel or even a companion novel to Snicker, but Felicity's way of seeing words has certainly rubbed off on Natalie through Emma Pearl Casey's voice.  

ps-I have to thank Victoria Coe, author of the next book on my TBR pile, Fenway and Hattie,  for sending me her ARC after reading a tweet of mine on how I tried to reserve a copy from the library  only realizing it was not out yet!  Victoria went that morning to the post office and mailed me her copy!  The #kidlit world is amazing all around!  I owe her a cup of Boneyard Brew for sure!