Arlie finds a black dragonfly pendant and that’s when the craziness really takes off. The pendant turns out to have an odd power – it turns inanimate objects into living, breathing things. Pretty soon lawn ornaments and other objects all over town are awake and wandering around. Arlie, Ty, and Mr. Boots have their work cut out for them trying to get everything back to normal.
I found NIGHT OF THE LIVING LAWN ORNAMENTS to be even funnier than her last book, BOOTS AND PIECES. The characters were engaging and hilarious. Kids, teens, and even adults will laugh out loud while reading this book. -Reviewed by: Breia “The Brain” Brickey
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Napoli, Donna Jo. Alligator Bayou. Random House / Knopf. 2009
From School Library Journal
Grade 8 Up—Building on her extensive research conducted after reading a newspaper article about the lynching of Sicilian grocers in Tallulah, LA, in 1899, Napoli presents a moving, sobering story about an aspect of American immigration that is probably unknown to most readers. After his mother’s death, 14-year-old Calogero leaves his bustling Sicilian home for the sleepy southern town to help his uncles and younger cousin run their grocery store. White customers expect to be served before blacks and make their displeasure angrily apparent when the Sicilians fail to do so. Barred from the white school and unaware that he can attend the black school, Calogero learns English from a tutor who also tries to help him comprehend Southern American behavior. The cousins meet some African American boys who take them on a terrifying alligator hunt that firmly cements their friendship.