BOOK CLUB Brain Play AVERY’S PICK "STAR DAUGHTER"

AUTHOR: Shveta Thakrar

GENRE: Young Adult Fantasy

AGES: 11+

RATING: AAAAA

SYNOPSIS : If the night sky holds many secrets, it holds Sheetal Mistry's secret the closest. A secret that explains why her hair is the silver of starlight, or why some nights the stars call Sheetal by name - stars like her mother, who returned to her place in the constellation Pushya years ago. Since that day, Sheetal has been forced to hide. But as her 17th birthday draws near, the pull from the sky is growing stronger. So strong that Sheetal loses control, and a flare of starfire burns her human father—an injury only a full star's blood can heal. Sheetal has no choice but to answer the starsong and ascend to the sky. But her celestial family has summoned her for a reason: to act as their human champion in a competition to decide the next ruling house of heavens. Desperate to save her father, Sheetal agrees. But nothing could have prepared Sheetal to face the stars' dark history—or the forces that are working to shut the gate between the realms for good.

MY FAVORITE QUOTE FROM THIS BOOK IS: "What did she want? Adventures. Cupcakes and kulfi. To be star-bright and mortal-dark and make her own choices, too. To not be bound by other people’s expectations."

MY FAVORITE THING ABOUT THIS BOOK IS: The unique magic system! I’ve never read anything that incorporates both mythology and astrological inspiration so beautifully and in a way that invites exploration. I was always interested in learning more about Sheetal’s world.

MY FAVORITE CHARACTER IN THIS BOOK IS: Sheetal! Over the course of the story, she undergoes a large transformation in her personal disposition as well as how she views the world. I believe Sheetal’s story will resonate with many.

FANS OF THIS BOOK MAY ALSO LIKE: "Bone Crier’s Moon" by Kathryn Purdie, "Among the Beasts and Briars" by Ashley Poston, "Where Dreams Descend" by Janella Angele

Avery, 17, is an avid reader and book reviewer. When not reading, you can find her playing volleyball, hanging out with friends, or with one of her pets! Follow her on Instagram and TikTok at @readbyfin.

MANU’S SELECTIONS

“SLEUTH AND SOLVE SCIENCE”

AUTHOR: Victor Escandell

GENRE: Non-fiction

AGES: 8 -12

SYNOPSIS: This book has 20-plus cool, mind-twisting mysteries for you to solve. Yes, I said mysteries! Step one is you solve the mystery and when you are ready with your solution, to reveal the answer, you just lift a flap within the page. How do you solve these mysteries? By observing, asking questions, forming hypothesis, and reasoning to reveal the truth.

WHAT I LIKE ABOUT THIS BOOK IS: I like the cool mysteries that are related to science. There is a lot to learn from the book, my favorite is “The Archimedes Principle.”

“WOW IN THE WORLD: THE HOW AND WOW OF THE HUMAN BODY”

AUTHORS: Mindy Thomas and Guy Raz

GENRE: Non-fiction

AGES: 6 - 9

SYNOPSIS: In this book, the authors help you to better understand the human body, including learning about the different systems, organs, and more.

WHAT I LIKE ABOUT THIS BOOK IS: It’s funny but educational at the same time. The book is an adventure through the human body. I love the diagrams and illustrations.

“DIARY OF A WIMPY KID: HARD LUCK”

AUTHOR: Jeff Kinney

GENRE: Fiction

AGES: 6 - 9

SYNOPSIS: This book is about a boy named Greg Heffley who has lost many things. His best friend Rowley Jefferson has left him, and finding new friends in school is proving to be a difficult thing. One day he finds a toy under his elder brother’s bed. It is called a Magic 8 ball. Will Greg’s newfound toy help him? Or is this story going to be another hard luck one?

WHAT I LIKE ABOUT THIS BOOK IS: I like this book because it is not like other chapter books. It does not have chapters but has days, weeks, and months, and it’s more like a diary. Do you also write about your daily activities in a diary just like Greg? I do! I have a journal. Seven-year-old Manu is the proud owner of her very own book club, where stories come alive. Curious by nature, she explores both the world of books and the wonders of nature with equal zeal. Manu's empathy and kindness shine brightly, lighting up the lives of everyone she meets. Check more of her book recommendations on Instagram at @alwaysastorybook and book club at @md.book.club parts of Africa.

Why was the belt arrested?

What did the Dalmatian say after lunch?

The atmosphere of Venus is so dense that it would crush a human like a pancake.

The longest English word is pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis , which is 45 letters long and refers to a type of lung disease. If you’re including technical words, the longest English word— and longest word in the world—is the word for a chemical name for a protein that is 189,819 letters long. It takes three hours to say the whole thing and would take up more space than this 28-page publication.

Some fun, non-traditional 2023 November holidays include National Sandwich Day (November 3), National STEM/STEAM Day, (November 8) - celebrating science, technology, engineering, arts, and math, and National Pizza Day (November 12).

A group of flamingos is called a flamboyance.