Amazing True Stories: 9

My 7th-grade son loved this book. It's an easy read, each story taking up just a few pages (in some cases just one page). The stories are so interesting that my son felt compelled to share many with me. He'd read a while, and then on his own he'd tell me about what he'd just read, opening the conversation with, "Hey Mom, did you hear the one about ..." There's a good assortment here, from the man who strapped 42 weather balloons to a lawn chair and "flew" off to visit his girlfriend miles away (he's lucky to be alive after that crazy stunt), to the "electric lady" whose charged presence caused light bulbs to explode and phones to ring wildly. Some stories are funny, some are just plain weird, and some have a strong element of drama. But all are perfect for enquiring pre-teens who enjoy reading about the wacky and the unexplainable. Fun reading and a great conversation starter! -- Graciela Sholander, (...)