CANADA SENDS 1500 AMERICANS HOME

So I was reading the news last week and saw the headline: 1500 Americans Wash Up In Canada!

Hmmm, I think. Have the (fill in the blank with Trump or Hillary) ______ supporters decided their candidate is losing this far in advance of November? After all, what other reason could Americans have to brave the waters to get to Canada?

Reading on, the truth emerged. The people were engaging in an annual floating event in Michigan when high winds caught them and pushed them--yes, forced them--to the Canadian side of the St. Clair river.

Likely story. I'll bet they took advantage of the annual flotilla to hightail it out of the country.

In any event, they didn't get to claim asylum in Canada. These Canadians were on the ball, and the raft people were quickly met and deported.

Guess the (fill in the blank with Trump or Hillary) ______ supporters will have to think of a better excuse next time they try sneaking out of the country!

Having to spend all that money rescuing fleeing Americans did not endear us to Canada, I'm sure!

DUST

Excellent MG story. Eleven-year-old Robert is the only one who suspects the stranger in town is...not what he seems.
This story by Arthur Slade takes place in the Canada, during their Dust Bowl of the 1930s. I could almost taste the dust from Slade's descriptive writing. One day Robert's younger brother Matthew sets off to walk to town with his parents to follow a few minutes later. Matthew never reaches town. He's gone.

That same day a stranger appears who promises he can make rain. Only Robert and his Uncle Alden are skeptical. Robert's parents fall into line with the rest of the town and in the process seem to forget entirely about the missing Matthew and two other missing children. Then strange things begin happening...

Eerie, fascinating, compelling.

An easy read for adults and middle graders should enjoy it as well.