Aiden and Maddy are starving to death on their Kansas farm when Jefferson J. Jackson finds them.  Jackson agrees to transport the siblings to Washington.  In return, Aiden will pay off the debt once they reach Washington, by working as a lumberjack.  In the middle of their trip, Aiden befriends some Nez Perce Indians who save his life.  When the Nez Perce find Aidan again in Washington, and ask for his help in obtaining the precious smallpox vaccine to bring back to their people, Aidan must decide if he will risk his life to help.

This was an excellent book and possibly one of my favorite pioneer books of all times.  From the opening pages, I was hooked on Aidan and Maddy’s story.  And although most Oregon Trail fiction ends with the first glimpses of the Williamette Valley, McKernan continues her story beyond the Oregon Trail.  The Devil’s Paintbox is rich with historical details, ranging from the Civil War, to drought in the midwest, the development of the smallpox vaccine, relations between the Native Americans and the pioneers, lumberjacking and much more.  I learned a lot while enjoying this incredible story.

I love David Morrell, but he should NOT try to write feel-good Christmas stories.  This book was just a disaster.  Paul Kagan is a double agent on the run.  He’s trying to protect a baby on Christmas Eve, and, with the baby, seeks shelter with a battered woman and her son.  There are so many things wrong with this story, I don’t know where to begin–An opening chase scene that goes on for 51 pages; a retelling of the Christmas story, casting the wise men as double agents and Mary and Joseph as revolutionaries plotting to overthrow Herod; a wife-beating husband that reforms in an evening; spies who use traditional wisemen names as their code names and the list goes on.

If you’re a David Morrell fan, do yourself a favor.  Re-read First Blood and skip this book altogether.

I read it.  It was fine.  It got better as it went along, but never really drew me in.  I probably won’t remember much about it in a few weeks.

Moon and his Pap have been living in the Alabama wilderness for as long as Moon can remember.  They are completely self-sufficient and trust no one.  When Moon’s Pap dies, Moon is determined to carry out his father’s last wishes, and travel to Alaska.  But before Moon can begin his trip, he is taken into state custody and locked up in a boy’s home.  Moon quickly makes both friends and enemies in his quest to flee to Alaska and find a place where he belongs.  An excellent book. Would be great for late elementary/middle school reluctant readers.

It starts out as a simple story.  Owen is being bullied at school because of his weight, and can’t figure out how to make it stop.  Just when you think you’ve got the story all figured out, Potter gradually begins revealing little tidbits about Owen’s life, and her novel becomes something else altogether.  This was an excellent book.  It took me by surprise at every turn, and left me completely satisfied at the end.

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