Fish in a Tree by Lynda Mullaly Hunt

Interest Level: 5-8

Reading Level: 4.2
Lexile: HL 550L
Genre: Realistic Fiction

Sixth grader, Ally Nickerson, has a new teacher, Mr. Daniels, who sees the bright, creative kid underneath the trouble maker. With his help, Ally learns not to be so hard on herself and that dyslexia is nothing to be ashamed of. As her confidence grows, Ally feels free to be herself and the world starts opening up with possibilities. She discovers that there’s a lot more to her—and to everyone—than a label, and that great minds don’t always think alike.

I really enjoyed this book. I liked the anti-bullying piece of the story. I felt invested in the characters. I found myself carrying the book around so that I could read a page or two whenever the opportunity presented itself. I highly recommend this book.

The Rains by Gregg Hurwitz

Interest Level: YA 
Reading Level: 5.7
Lexile: HL770L
Genre: Horror / Science Fiction

In one terrifying night, the peaceful community of Creek's Cause turns into a war zone. No one under the age of eighteen is safe. Chance Rain and his older brother, Patrick, have already fended off multiple attacks from infected adults by the time they arrive at the school where other young survivors are hiding. Most of the kids they know have been dragged away by once-trusted adults who are now ferocious, inhuman beings. The parasite that transformed them takes hold after people turn eighteen--and Patrick's birthday is only a few days away. Determined to save Patrick's life and the lives of the remaining kids, the brothers embark on a mission to uncover the truth about the parasites--and what they find is horrifying. Battling an enemy not of this earth, Chance and Patrick become humanity's only hope for salvation.

The ending was a cliff-hanger. I am now anxiously awaiting book two. I liked this book. I cared about the character. It was just a bit scary but not so scary that I wouldn't read the second book. If you like scary books, I would recommend this book. I would suggest that you may want to wait until the COVID-19 pandemic subsides.