Darkstalker: Wings of Fire: Legends #1 by Tui T. Sutherland

Interest Level: 3-6
Reading Level: 5.6
Lexile: 750L
Genre: Fantasy

Alright, let me start by saying, 'I love dragons.' That being said, I was less than thrilled to read this book. First off it has 366 pages and I read very slowly. In the 9 days before starting this book, I had read 2 books. That has got to be a record for me. So, I was afraid of how long this book would take me to read. Then after the first 20 pages, I was already lost. Struggling to keep the characters and their tribes straight. Frustrated, I put it aside, started another book, and put the audio version of "Darkstalker" on hold. With a long vacation drive, I started to listen to the book and follow along with the paperback.

The dragons of Pyrrhia fight to be the ruler of all of Pyrrhia. Some dragons are magical. Darkstalker is a magical hybrid of the nightwings and the icewings. Some dragons believe that every time a dragon uses their magical it kills a bit of their soul. Darkstalker will change the kingdom forever. This book is a prequel to the "Wings of Fire" series.

The Librarian of Auschwitz by Antonio Iturbe

Interest Level: YA
Reading Level: 7.2
Lexile: 940L
Genre: Historical Fiction

Based on real person, Dita Kraus, this tale is powerful and realistic. This 14 year old girl is one of the many prisoners of the concentration camp of Auschwitz in Poland during Word War II. She us asked to be the librarian of the 8 precious volumes the prisoners have managed to sneak into the camp. Iturbe does not sugarcoat the horrors of the holocaust. This book is a must read. I highly recommend that you read the postscripts as well. A compelling novel about a time that the human race should never forget.