The Moffats

Growing up, I spent a lot of my time reading. I read books my parents
bought me, books I checked out from the library, books I borrowed from
my friends, and even some books I bought for myself when my small
allowance allowed. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve shied away from reading more
and more, which is a shame. Recently however, I’ve been reading more,

 whether by myself, with both of my parents, or just with my mom over lunch.
One of the books that my mom and I just finished is The Moffats, by Eleanor
Estes. This book is one of the solid cornerstones of my childhood reading
experience, and it was a treat to be able to read again.

The Moffats is a book about a small family living in Cranbury, Connecticut, 
who are trying to make it by without much but each other. The book explores
the lives of Mama, Sylvie, Joey, Janey, and Rufus Moffat as they go about their
daily lives living in the Little Yellow House. My favorite part of the book is how
well Estes puts you into the thoughts of whichever Moffat is narrating the story
at the time, especially Janey’s perspective. Janey just has this unusual and very
amusing way of looking at the world that reminds me of the way I used to think
of things as a little kid.

The Moffats is a book full of great lessons about family, sharing, and all sorts
of other good-old-fashioned values. This is one of those books that’s great for
all ages. It gives you a great sense of nostalgia, joy, and a desire to go for a nice
Sunday ride with the Salvation Army Man!

The Other Side of the Island

    The cover of this book was actually the thing that caught my eye.  I mean, you look at it and you could imagine the story going a bunch of different ways.  I never would've guessed the way it actually went.
    In The Other Side of the Island, by Allegra Goodman, a girl named Honor moves from the North with her mother and father to Island 365.  Island 365 is very different than the North.  For example, the sky is artificially colored a different color for every hour of the day.  Honor can't go out after dark, and in school she learns all about the Earth Mother, who supposedly is protecting everyone on Island 365.  The Earth Mother keeps them safe with The Enclosure, an invisible shield that surrounds all the islands.
    In school, Honor also becomes friends with a boy her age, named Helix.  The class that is most difficult for Honor, is geography.  In geography, she studies maps of the many islands in the Tranquil Sea.                                                            After a while, Honor realizes that her family is different from the rest of the inhabitants of the island in many ways.  "Different" islanders "disappear."
    Honor must decide what is more important; being true to herself and saving her family, or fitting in with the others on the island.
    I loved this book.  It is suspenseful, it is mysterious... it clearly describes a world that very well may become our future.  I recommend this book to anyone who loves a mystery, and who likes stories about alternate realities; possibly in the future.