Studyplans

This is a marvelous book for fifth/sixth grade students who live in New York City or are going to visit it, especially around the time of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade. 
In the story, the mice have a spy agency and fight against the rats.  Two children are the mice's allies.  These children are also bullied by two boys in their class.  The mice to to New York City from their home in the Spy Museum in Washington, D.C.  The children happen to be going also.  The action takes place in various areas of New York City which might make the reader look at those places in a new light. 

I enjoy period books so this book that takes place in November 1974 in Atalanta, Georgia was a great read for me. It begins with a map showing the neighborhoods of Atlanta in 1975.  It follows a violent week that is Kate Murphy's first week as a new police officer and her experienced partner, Maggie Lawson.  A serial killer of police officers is loose in the city making everyone on edge.  Kate is not sure she will make it to become a police officer, Maggie is abused by her police officer uncle, and Maggie's brother, Jimmy, is trying to hide his homosexuality. Besides violence, there is also some sexually explicit content. The book portrays a time when acceptance of different races, religions, and life styles were difficult for some people.