Book Tastings- hook, chapter 1 reading, read aloud, circle time, picture books, YA Fiction, YA Books, classic books, relevant books - Episode 2: ”City Spies” By: James Ponti- Fiction

Episode 2: ”City Spies” By: James Ponti- Fiction

07/12/23 • 16 min

Book Tastings- hook, chapter 1 reading, read aloud, circle time, picture books, YA Fiction, YA Books, classic books, relevant books

Hey there teachers, in the classroom and those at home, need someone to help you get the kids into reading? Join me in this week's episode while I read aloud the first chapter of "City Spies" by: James Ponti. Sara Martinez is a hacker. She recently broke into the New York City foster care system to expose her foster parents as cheats and lawbreakers. However, instead of being hailed as a hero, Sara finds herself facing years in a juvenile detention facility and banned from using computers for the same stretch of time. Enter Mother, a British spy who not only gets Sara released from jail but also offers her a chance to make a home for herself within a secret MI6 agency.
Operating out of a base in Scotland, the City Spies are five kids from various parts of the world. When they’re not attending the local boarding school, they’re honing their unique skills, such as sleight of hand, breaking and entering, observation, and explosives. All of these allow them to go places in the world of espionage where adults can’t.
Before she knows what she’s doing, Sara is heading to Paris for an international youth summit, hacking into a rival school’s computer to prevent them from winning a million euros, dangling thirty feet off the side of a building, and trying to stop a villain...all while navigating the complex dynamics of her new team.
No one said saving the world was easy... If you enjoyed this first chapter please screenshot today's episode and share it on your IG stories and tag me City Spies. Loved this book and interested in seeing what else this author has written follow this link to their website, James Ponti. Enjoy, Anne

Previous Episode

Episode 1: ”Brave Like That” By: Lindsey Stoddard- Fiction

Hey there teachers, in the classroom and those at home, need someone to help you get the kids into reading? Join me in this week's episode while I read aloud the first chapter of "Brave Like That" by: Lindsey Stoddard.

Cyrus Olson’s dad is a hero—Northfield’s former football star and now one of their finest firefighters. Everyone expects Cyrus to follow in his dad’s record-breaking footsteps, and he wishes they were right—except he’s never been brave like that. But this year, with the help of a stray dog, a few new friends, a little bit of rhythm, and a lot of nerve, he may just discover that actually...he is.

If you enjoyed this first chapter please screenshot today's episode and share it on your IG stories and tag me Brave Like That. Loved this book and interested in seeing what else this author has written follow this link to their website, Lindsey Stoddard. Enjoy, Anne

Next Episode

Episode 3: ”Finally Seen” By: Kelly Yang- Fiction

Hey there teachers, in the classroom and those at home, need someone to help you get the kids into reading? Join me in this week's episode while I read aloud the first chapter of "Finally Seen" by: Kelly Yang. My sister got to grow up with my parents. Me? I grew up with postcards from my parents.
When ten-year-old Lina Gao steps off the plane in Los Angeles, it’s her first time in America and the first time seeing her parents and her little sister in five years! She’s been waiting for this moment every day while she lived with her grandmother in Beijing, getting teased by kids at school who called her “left behind girl.” Finally, her parents are ready for her to join their fabulous life in America! Except, it’s not exactly like in the postcards:
1. School’s a lot harder than she thought. When she mispronounces some words in English on the first day, she decides she simply won’t talk. Ever again.
2. Her chatty little sister has no problem with English. And seems to do everything better than Lina, including knowing exactly the way to her parents’ hearts.
3. They live in an apartment, not a house like in Mom’s letters, and they owe a lot of back rent from the pandemic. And Mom’s plan to pay it back sounds more like a hobby than a moneymaker.
As she reckons with her hurt, Lina tries to keep a lid on her feelings, both at home and at school. When her teacher starts facing challenges for her latest book selection, a book that deeply resonates with Lina, it will take all of Lina’s courage and resilience to get over her fear and choose a future where she’s finally seen. If you enjoyed this first chapter please screenshot today's episode and share it on your IG stories and tag me Finally Seen Loved this book and interested in seeing what else this author has written follow this link to their website. Kelly Yang. Enjoy, Anne