4. The Enormous Crocodile by Roald Dahl

I was on a role so I decided to read another Dahl book. This book is hilarious. It's all about a crocodile who wants to go and eat some children. Unfortunately for him, he brags about his super clever plans to all the animals in the forest. That comes back to foil his plans later. It's a really cute little book and very funny. The illustrations are wonderful too. I'd recommend it to anyone.

3. The Vicar of Nibbleswicke by Roald Dahl

I have to say upfront that I really don't like movies based on Roald Dahl's books. They just always seem a little wierd to me. Whenever I see them, it makes me think that I really don't like him as an author. But then, every once in a while, I pick up one of his books and am completely impressed and fascinated. He is such a great writer and his books are always laugh-out-loud funny. This book is about a vicar who has a bad case of dyslexia. He realizes he has this problem as a child and seems to conquer it as he goes through school. But when he is appointed vicar of his hometown, he gets so nervous that his brain freaks out and he starts saying lots of words backwards. He doesn't realize that he's doing it, and the townspeople aren't sure what to think. It makes for a lot of really funny situations. It's a great book to talk about the problems of dyslexia and just a short, funny read. Roald Dahl actually wrote it near the end of his life and donated the copyright and all rights to the Dyslexia Institute (in London). He also talked his longtime illustrator Quentin Blake into doing the pictures. It's definitely worth reading.

2. Seven Kisses in a Row by Patricia MacLachlan

I picked up this book because the author, Patricia MacLachlan, wrote the Sarah, Plain and Tall series. It's one of my favorites. This is a really cute book about a little girl who's aunt and uncle come to babysit while her parents take a trip. At first she hates it, because she doesn't think her aunt and uncle know anything about kids. But as she teaches them what parents do, they teach her about different perspectives. By the end of the week, she almost doesn't want her parents to come back. This would be a great book to read with kids who are staying with someone else while parents go away. It's a great, funny story and would be a great read-aloud for any family. I loved it.

1. Mr. Tucket by Gary Paulsen

I forget how much I like historical fiction until I read it again. This is great historical fiction. Mr. Tucket is the first in a series of books that Kate recommended to me. She read them last year and really liked them. I think one of her teachers read her class this book and then she read the rest in the series by herself. And Gary Paulsen is one of the great young adult writers around. His most famous book is probably Hatchet which is a classic. When I was teaching middle school English, Hatchet was the go-to book to recommend to young teenage boys who were reluctant readers. They always loved it. This book is just as good. He tells the story of a 14 year-old boy who is kidnapped by indians from his wagon train while traveling with his family on the Oregon trail. He then is rescued by a mountain man, Mr. Grimes, who proceeds to teach him how to live in the wild. It is a really fun, fast, exciting read. Westerns are great when they are well done and this is well done. I loved it!