Liar & Spy by Rebecca Stead

Published in 2012 by Wendy Lamb Books. 192 pages.

I absolutely loved this children's novel by the 2010 Newbery Award-winning author of When You Reach Me!

It's about bullying and about being afraid. It's about family and about friendship.

With a feel similar to Ellen Potter's Slob (which was one of my favorite reads of 2010), Liar & Spy is part coming-of-age story and part mystery, and it reminded me a bit of Harriet the Spy, a favorite from my childhood. I highly recommend Liar & Spy both for middle grade readers and for grown-ups who care about middle graders.

Lucinda Rosenfeld reviewed Liar & Spy for The New York Times here. Rebecca Stead's website has additional information about the book here. Other book bloggers who have reviewed Liar & Spy include the following:

• Confessions of a Book Habitué (August 9, 2012)
• Beth Fish Reads (October 2, 2012)
• Becky's Book Reviews (October 8, 2012)

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Fatally Flaky by Diane Mott Davidson

Published in 2009 by William Morrow & Company.

I started reading this culinary mystery series many years ago - and I found this fifteenth episode still a fun diversion. As my friend Linda says, Davidson weaves a good story - and I love all the talk of yummy food!

I've recently started borrowing some Kindle books from my local library. The system is not entirely user-friendly - but it is convenient having a book automatically downloaded to my Kindle and then removed on the due date. Fatally Flaky is one of those I borrowed.

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