MotherReader: The Fourth Annual 48 Hour Book Challenge

Two years ago I was reading an article about blogs written by Liz Burns in School Library Journal. I decided that I needed to explore the blogs she recommended and just happened to do it the weekend a reading challenge was taking place. It seemed as though every blog I was looking at was participating in this challenge, and I wanted to play too! There were two problems: I didn't have a blog, and the challenge had already started.

Last year I had too many conflicts. This year? Conflicts, but I'm going to work around them. My sweet wonderful husband has booked us a hotel room for two days where I can read and blog to my heart's content. I still have a few things I'll have to do, and I've never been one to go without sleep, but I'm going to see exactly how many books I can get read in a 48 hour period, and I cannot wait!

MotherReader: The Fourth Annual 48 Hour Book Challenge

Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life

Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life

Wendy Mass

When Jeremy Fink was 8 years old, his father died in an automobile accident. To many this was not a surprise. After all, a fortune-teller had predicted his death by the age of 40 and he was 39 when he died. Jeremy is now almost 13 and he has never stopped missing his dad. One day he and his best friend Lizzy are hanging out on the steps of their apartment building when the mailman delivers a package addressed to his mother. Beset with curiosity, they open the package to discover a letter and a strange, locked wooden box engraved with the words "THE MEANING OF LIFE: FOR JEREMY FINK TO OPEN ON HIS 13TH BIRTHDAY." The letter explains that the box was entrusted to a lawyer until Jeremy turned 13, but unfortunately the lawyer had lost the keys. Jeremy and Lizzy soon discover that the keys to the box will be unique and the box cannot possibly be opened without them. So the adventure begins as they search for some keys that might fit. Throughout the summer they will almost get arrested, they will turn long-lost items to their owners, and they might just find out the meaning of life. I really enjoyed this one. It's got adventure, but most of all it has heart. The ending was neat, but oh so satisfying. I think Jeremy Fink will appeal to many students in my school.