By the Grace of Todd by Louise Galveston...

How I Heard About It:  I actually didn't hear about this book, but saw it at the book store on my own.  I love when I just happen to stumble upon a new title, read it, and thoroughly enjoy it.  This turned out to be a great book that I believe is going to be the first in a new series. 

What It Is About:   Todd is your typical middle-school boy with the "world's messiest" bedroom according to his mother.  She has had enough, has sent him to his room to clean it, and told him not to come out until it is.  As Todd begins to make some sense of his room, he notices a spark coming from under his bed and from a dirty sock that has been there since; well he isn't quite sure.  With the help of his "smartypants" neighbor girl Lucy, they find there is a complete civilization of little people living on Todd's sock.  Todd and Lucy can not believe what they have found and aren't sure what to do with this information.  Life gets very complicated when Max (the class bully) finds out about the Toddlians living on the sock and decides to become partners with Todd for an upcoming science project.  Todd is faced with many hard decisions including ones that involve his old "dorky" friends, his new "cool" friends, his neighbor friend Lucy, and of course saving all of the Toddlians. 

What I Thought Of It:  This was a great surprise of a find and I'm so excited about this new title in my classroom collection.  The story moved along at a quick pace that kept me completely engaged in the story from the first page to the last page.  The fantasy aspect of the story with the "Toddlians" was only part of the story.  The author also wove in the issues that all of our students face at school including how to balance doing the right thing and fitting in with the gang.   

Who Should Read It:  Right before spring break I announced this title as our newest "Breakfast with Books" book club selection.  As soon as I finished this book, I knew it would make a terrific read for my fourth graders.  If a student were to read this book on their own, I think they should be a strong third grade reader or above.  The book would also make for an excellent read aloud for any class from third to sixth grade.  Each chapter ends with a cliff hanger and leaves the reader and/or listener wanting more.  Happy Reading! 

Rating:  5 STARS out of 5 Stars