Four good books

Hi Kids,
I just got back from spending a week in New Hampshire with my family. I went kayaking and swimming, I ate lots of good food, and I went to a science center and saw real bears and a mountain lion. Mostly though, I read books--at least one book every day! There are four that I read that I would recommend:
The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick is not really like any other book I can think of. It looks enormous, but that is because more than half the pages are illustrations that also tell part of the story. The words and pictures work together to tell the story of a little boy in France who becomes involved in a mystery around a robot, a toy store, and one of the world's first movie makers.
The Higher Power of Lucky by Susan Patron won the Newbery Prize for best novel this year. It is a story about a girl named Lucky living in a desert town in California. After her mother dies, her father doesn't come to care for her--his first wife Brigette comes instead, all the way from France. Lucky and Brigette are funny together and care for one another, but Lucky is not sure Brigette will stay.
Bella at Midnight by Diane Stanley is another good twist on the Cinderella story. In this version, "Bella" has a stepmother, and stepsisters and goes to a ball with a prince. She also stops a war and she lives happily ever.
The Journey that Saved Curious George by Louise Borden is a nonfiction book about Margaret and H.A. Rey, the couple that created Curious George. It tells a fascinating story of their escape from France during World War II when their lives were in danger. You will be interested to hear that their first idea for their famous books was the story of "Curious Fifi" the monkey.

Let me know if you read something good too!
Ms. Paradis