gr 5-8 256 pgsWillowbank, NJ, 1968. 13 year old Lyza is tired of bad news. And 1968 was full of bad news: her mother leaves, young men from her neighborhood die in Vietnam, her best friend's older brother gets drafted, and her grandfather dies. When she finds an envelope full of maps that her grandfather left for her, Lyza is determined to find where they lead.I would recommend this book to readers who enjoyed Wendy Mass' "Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life". The story contained details of life in 1968, but the focus of the book of the search for Captain Kidd's treasure. Set in South Jersey. Novel in Verse.I think one of my students read it quite a few years back, then I know one read it last spring, in Methods. His take on it definitely was positive and made me want to read it... Finally picked it up. It's a little denser than some of the super quick read novels in verse, but still pretty easy and fast. Set in the 60s, there is mystery, history, a cool set of kids on a quest. Music and Vietnam mixed in. A missing mom (as in - she chose to bail, similar, sort of, to the mom in One Crazy Summer...). A loving but overwhelmed dad. Loved the main character, and following their adventure was fun.Alden read it after me, and I think he liked it too.
What do You think about Kaleidoscope Eyes Kaleidoscope Eyes (2009)?
I loved this book. It had a very slow climax but once you get there you won't be sorry.
—danab
Awesome! I think I'm going to read it aloud in the spring!
—Cathy
