Up From Jericho Tel

Up From Jericho Tel

E. L. Konigsburg 

Quick stats: 

Page Count: 178

Age Range: 10 and up

Year:1986

Genre: Adventure, Humor, Mystery

Uninterested in the “clones” her age, perceptive 6th grader Jeanmarie Troxell befriends Malcolm Soo as they find dead animals to bury at a site they name Jericho Tel. One day, as they are digging a hole big enough for a dead Dalmation, they fall into a magical underground dimension. There they meet Tallulah, the spirit of an actress, who send them on missions of justice. The two 6th graders bond over this empowering and mysterious adventure that is all their own.

I highly recommend this book for anyone who enjoys adventures filled with peculiar, yet real and witty characters. The magic and strangeness of the mystery balances the smart use of language and genuine insights.

Ms. Allie

(George)

(George)

E. L. Konigsburg

Quick Stats:

Page Count: 152

Age Range: 8 and up

Year: 1970

Genre: Mystery

Benjamin Carr is an intelligent 6th grader who is more than what he at first seems. George, his internal self, has always been there for Ben, as both company and reason. However, when Ben and George have a dispute about what’s going on in the science lab, George becomes silent and seems to disappear. By the time Ben figures it out for himself, will George still be there for him?

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a little mystery and can understand the internal struggle between listening to and accepting your whole self and wanting to fit in.

Ms. A

 

The View from Saturday

The View from Saturday

E. L. Konigsburg

Much nicer than the view from Tuesday, don’t you think?

Quick Stats:

Page Count: 176
Age Range: 8 and up
Year: 1996
Genre: Realistic

Noah is snarky, Nadia is stubborn, Ethan is quiet, and Julian is a mystery, but somehow these four sixth graders come together to make quite a team. The View from Saturday traces their journeys as they find themselves and each other, then their surprising trip together to the New York State Academic Bowl championship.

This is a quiet, thoughtful book with moments of hilarity and many, many layers.  If you enjoy sucking the marrow out of a book full of implication, read this one. If you love trivia or people and their relationships, this is also a good book for you. It’s my favorite book of all time.

-Miss Barter