April 2025 Book Recommendations
Baseball, Mysteries, Historical Fiction and More!
Happy April! Here in South Carolina, we only have 6 1/2 weeks until summer break (and Spring Break is one of those weeks!) so I have already started thinking about summer reading. But until then, here’s a little spring reading for you! As a reminder, if you are looking for specific book recommendations for the 8-12 year-old reader in your life, let me know and I’d love to help out!
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My goal is simple: Provide book recommendations you can trust so your 8-12 year-old reader can find their next right book.
Fowl Play
(Mystery) Chloe Alvarez has never been to the reading of a last will and testament before, but she hopes it is just like the movies. The reading of her Uncle Will’s will is standard, until he announces his gift for Chloe: his African grey parrot, Charlie. The parrot has a vast vocabulary, and soon Chloe hears her say something odd: It was murder, followed by homicide and cyanide. Chloe becomes convinced her uncle Will’s death was foul play. With the help of her family, Chloe begins the investigation to uncover Uncle Will’s murderer.
Get it from Amazon
The Night War
(Historical Fiction) It’s 1942. German Nazis occupy much of France. And twelve-year-old Miriam, who is Jewish, is not safe. With help and quick thinking, Miri is saved from the roundup that takes her entire Jewish neighborhood. She escapes Paris, landing in a small French village. The village looks like a fairy tale, but Miri’s life is no fairy tale. One night she is called upon to undertake a deadly task. This is her chance to escape—hopefully to find her parents. But will she take it?
Get it from Amazon
Ready, Set, Dough!
(Realistic Fiction) Zoe is determined to be the top cookie-dough seller at school because she desperately wants to win the laptop. But what if she’s so focused on winning that it hurts her relationships with her best friend and family? How important is it to win?
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The Sherlock Society
(Mystery) Four kids, one grandfather, a dead alligator. What could go wrong? Siblings Alex and Zoe Sherlock invite their friends Lina and Yadi to join their detective agency for the summer. Alex and Zoe’s grandfather offers to help them and provide transportation while they’re solving mysteries. Their first mission is to find long-lost treasure with ties to famed gangster Al Capone, but will they be able to find the treasure before they’re caught snooping around?
Get it from Amazon
Wildoak
(Historical Fiction) An absolutely beautiful story that feels like reading a classic. Step back in time to the English countryside and meet Maggie, an exotic snow leopard, and an ancient forest. Maggie has been sent to live with her grandfather as a last ditch effort to “fix” her stuttering. There she fights to save a snow leopard and a forest. One of my favorite quotes from the book, "Everybody has something about themselves they want to change, Maggie. Whether it's the way they look, the way they sound, where they're from, what they own or what they don't own. Some of us feel it more than others. But the truth is, and I believe this with all my heart, there's room in this beautiful, complicated world of ours for all of us. Just as we are. In fact, there is a need for it."
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Year of the Meatball
(Realistic Fiction) Joey Marconi loved his life in the Bronx. But when his family moves to the country, Joey slides into a major slump. Then he meets Bobbi, a fellow baseball lover. They make a strong team, but when Bobbi buckles under the weight of being teased, Joey must decide where his true loyalties lie-with his new friend, or the biggest baseball game of his life.
Get it from Amazon
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Wonderful recommendations! Thank you for sharing!
My daughter and I are listening to The Night War based on your recommendation. It’s fantastic! I’m excited to follow your other recommendations. Listening together was a good way for me to get a feel for this higher level of story than she’s used to. She’s totally ready.