Books like The Seventeenth Swap

I read this book I-don't-know-how-many times as a kid, and loved it every time. For this year's reading challenge, I wanted to see if this simple 150-page story held up as well as I remembered, and guess what? It did!This book is just so . . . satisfying. I love watching all the little pieces of the puzzle slide perfectly into place. The network of swaps that Eric orchestrates to reach his goal is fascinating and impressive, but never unbelievable. The author does a great job setting everything up well in advance so that the payoff (for a person like me, anyway) is immensely rewarding. None of the characters are probably going to stick with you for days after the book concludes, but they brim with life and personality nonetheless.Also, props to Eloise McGraw for doing such an excellent job with narration. The prose itself is nothing to write home about, but the simple, straightforward character voice draws you into Eric's head and never lets you out for even a moment, despite the 3rd-person perspective. She uses so many deft turns of phrase that perfectly communicate while maintaining the sparse description of a 6th-grader.This book is like a well-made sandwich. Nothing here is particularly exotic, thrilling, or surprising. But the flawless layering and evenly placed ingredients still make every bite a pleasant, comforting experience. Sometimes you don't want curry chicken, you know? Sometimes you just want a well-made sandwich.