The Thing About Georgie

This was an upbeat and informational book for kids about a character who is a dwarf. I was unsure about the book at first, but ended up loving Georgie so much!! At only 42 inches tall, Georgie probably won't grow much taller. He will soon have a little brother and can't cope with the fact that his little baby brother will someday be bigger than him and be able to do things that he can't do. In the end, the book shows the reader that the things you can't do are not important... you should focus on the things you can do and use your talents rather than focus on your limitations.  Although Georgie will never be a guitar player, he sure can act!! It's a feel good book that can make you feel special no matter what!

**One of my students, who is a dwarf, had never heard of this book. She read it, loved it, and is not sharing it with others**

Love That Dog

This book really hit close to home because I recently taught a poetry unit in my 5th grade class. The girls were thrilled and the boys hated it (at first)! My boys said the exact same thing as the boys in the novel, "Boys don't write poetry, girls do." After Jack, the main character, hears the works of great male poets, he is inspired to write in a voice he never knew he had. This is a cleverly written book that I will share next time I have a unit on poetry. I'm sure my kids will love it as much as I did :)

How to Steal a Dog

It's hard to imagine having a home one day and being homeless the next. When Georgina's father leaves their family, they are forced to live out of their car. Mom is working two jobs to make enough money to rent a place but it just isn't that easy. One day after seeing a poster for a reward for a lost dog, Georgina gets an idea... She decides to steal a dog in order to collect the "reward" to help her family out. When the plan doesn't quite work out, she realizes that is isn't the "right" thing to do.

The book made me really sad when I started thinking about all the people out in the world who really are homeless and living in their cars. It was sad to think of Georgina and her brother washing up in public places or gas stations, and doing their homework in the car with a flashlight. The story was very real and brought both smiles and tears to my face as I read.

The Wednesday Wars

Wednesdays were really bad for poor Holling Hoodhood. While everyone in his entire class is either Jewish or Catholic, he is the only Protestant. So, while everyone else attends religious classes on Wednesday afternoons, he is stuck with Mrs. Baker who he thinks HATES him!! Together, they study Shakespeare and he'd rather be dead. The book is full of laughs and pranks and left me wanting more!! It was very enjoyable and wonderful to see how a great writer of the past, Shakespeare, could shape Holling into someone he never thought he could be.

Penny from Heaven

This wasn't at all what I expected. From the cover, It looked like it was going to be set in the past and that it was. Set in the 1950's, it is a wonderful story about family. Poor Penny is the main character who is torn between her very American mother and her deceased father's Italian-American family. I would say that this is a coming of age story where the character is finding out who she really is.  The Italian family made me laugh with all their quirks. Overall, a great book.

Rules

Having worked with Autistic children in my own classroom, this book was extremely interesting to me. Catherine is a 12 year old girl who struggles with her 8 year old autistic brother, David. She is at an age where she cares sooooo much about what other people think about her and is especially embarrassed by the actions of her brother David. She makes so many rules for him to follow (each chapter opens up with a new rule from Catherine to David) and this causes even more confusion for David. This is a great story that teaches the acceptance of others, regardless of disabilities. It also shows how other people can have an influence on who we are as people. I have already shared this book with many of my special education teacher friends. It is definitely a must read!!

Almost to Freedom

Slavery is a very hard topic to understand as a young child. This book does a great job of showing young children what slave life was like and gives insight into the thoughts and feelings of those who were forced to work on plantations. This story is about a family who escapes one night on the Underground railroad to find freedom in the north. The adventure is exciting and also very sad! The illustrations are solemn in tones of browns and purples that goes very well with the feelings in the book.

To Kill a Mockingbird

Author Harper Lee does an amazing job bringing the reader to Alabama in the 1930's. During a time of racism and prejudice, you feel as if you were actually a part of this story. I remember reading it in school and it was just as "classic" as I remember it. I can see why it is a challenged book, but I think people need to get over it!! This is an incredible story that teaches to stand up for what you believe in. Although it was written 50 years ago, issues like these still stand today. A classic story and one that must be read by all.

Tales from a Not-So-Popular Party Girl

In a few words, I would describe this book at Diary of a Wimpy Kid for girls.

It is written in diary format on lined paper and has illustrations. This is the second in the series (and I didn't read the first), but I didn't have trouble figuring out the characters. It is a typical girlie book full of friends, drama and lots of fun. Vocabulary was pretty advanced in my opinion but I think the 5th graders in my class would really enjoy it. A story about fighting over a boy... gotta love it!!

Pictures of Hollis Woods

I can't imagine what it feels like to know you were abandoned at birth. Everyone wants to belong to something and to know exactly where we came from. Hollis Woods can only dream and wish for the family she has never actually had.  Hollis tells her story of being thrown from foster home to foster home when things didn't work out for her. When she finally finds one that feels good, something goes wrong. Hollis just wants to be loved and you can't help but fall in love with her. This book made me cry so much!! I definitely could not have read it aloud to my class.

Lon Po Po

This is one book where I can actually SEE why it won a Caldecott medal. The pictures are amazing!! You can see the Chinese roots in the style of the pictures by Ed Young. This is a fairytale like no other. I couldn't believe that the girls would trick the wolf and kill it. The wolf does NOT win in this story which was a nice rendition on the classic story.

How to Eat Fried Worms

Another book I read way back when I was in elementary school!! It still disgusts me today thinking of eating worms for $50. I guess as a child, that amount of money seems like a million dollars!! No matter what condiment you put it in, no matter how you cook it, a worm is a worm! YUCK!! Author Thomas Rockwell does a great job using rhymes and chants to involve the readers and become a part of the audience watching Billy eat the worms. It was just as enjoyable as I remembered it, yet still grossed me out!

Mirette on the High Wire

I loved that this story had a strong and inspiring female character (girls need more books like that).Mirette is full of determination when she attempts to learn to walk on the high rope and eventually becomes an expert. This is a great book that teaches, "If at first you don't succeed, try, try again". Pictures are beautiful as well. Overall, a very nice book.

Verdi

No one likes to get old... not even snakes! Verdi, the main character in the book, is a snake who was born yellow and trying to delay the inevitable of turning green like the rest of the adult snakes around. He does anything and everything to keep from turning green because he does not want to be lazy or boring like the other adult snakes he knows.  He finally realizes that he can't stop the aging process and that his green skin won't keep him from being a fun and young at heart snake! The illustrations in the book are amazing!! Kids will have a blast trying to find Verdi in the trees when he becomes green and camouflaged.

Forever

Every teenager goes though it. First love...

I can remember reading this in 9th grade. Everybody wanted to read it because of its sexual reference. I thought it was such a huge deal back then, but now, I don't think it is very bad considering some of the other books our kids are reading!! I remember feeling like Katherine once. Thinking that I was in love and being so young and naive.  Blume does a great job in this book as with all her books of risky topics. These are the books kids want to read to help them with subjects they are going though themselves.  

Alphabet City

This wordless picture book does an amazing job of illustrating the alphabet though photographs of real objects and places. The cover of the book displays a construction sawhorse showing a letter A. My 3 year old was amazed at how she could find letters in buildings, bridges and more. After we read the book, she has been looking for letter everywhere we go!! It is definitely inspirational to early readers and those learning their letters. This is a book that both young and old children could enjoy. I know I did.

City Dog, Country Frog

Mo Willems is one of my favorites and this is one of his new books I do not own (yet). It is a beautiful story about the friendship of two very different animals (a dog and a frog). The two go through the story building on their new friendship and pass the seasons as they change from spring, to summer, to fall and then winter. The book's illustrations are beautifully done. My daughter loved it and was surprised that two animals that are so different could have so much fun together.

It's Perfectly Normal

Sex is always a touchy subject with both the young and old. This book is great at informing adolescence about the changes that will be happening to their bodies during puberty. The book treats the subject very seriously and I think kids will laugh (at first) before realizing that it is very informative. Pictures are very detailed (I couldn't believe they included soooo much) and everything included in the book is factual. I can definitely see WHY it is a challenged book but sex education is a reality that we must deal with. Why not do it with a book?

Ramona Quimby, Age 8

We all know someone like poor little Ramona Quimby. To me, this was my little sister growing up. I felt so much like Beezus looking down upon my mischievous little sister. The Quimby family is so likeable and believable. Beverly Cleary does a great job of letting the reader truly understand the thoughts and emotions of the characters. I loved the Beverly Cleary books growing up and loved it even more now as an adult. Definitely timeless to me- I hope one day my daughter will want to read them too!!

Big Nate: In a Class by Himself

You can't help but love Nate!! I actually got a copy of this book at ALA this summer. I had never seen it but someone in line compared it to the "Wimpy Kid" series. I would definitely put it in the same category as The Diary of a Wimpy Kid and I'm sure Lincoln Peirce was definitely trying to cash in on the comical funny books for reluctant readers. We have all had bad days like Nate in this story. But why not make the most of our bad days and laugh about it. This book was enjoyable (and my 5th grade boys have loved it too) and it made me laugh out loud!!

Hitler Youth: Growing up in Hitler's Shadow

The facts and information in this book make this a compelling book about Hitler's plan for Germany and the youth of Germany. It was so sad to read the experiences of young people who were victims of his rule. The best feature of the book were the amazing photographs and pictures of propaganda used during this time. It was a very emotional book that reminded me of the emotions I felt a the Holocaust Museum in Washington D.C.

Coyote School News

This is a great historical fiction book showing children what it was like growing up in the late 1930's in the deep south. The main character, Monchi Ramirez, narrates about his home and school life. In the book, there are full pages of the school newspaper. The newspaper articles give great information and insight to the historical time. The book uses some Spanish words but it provides a Spanish list for translations. It is a very wordy book though. I would recommend it to older elementary school children for its beautiful pictures and historical content.

The Tarantula Scientist

The photographs in this book are amazing!!! I'm not a fan of spiders (much less tarantulas). I think it is a great book for children who want careers as scientists because the scientist in this book is very enthusiastic about his job. This book is very informative and leaves me wanting to see the rest of the series.

The Road to Paris

A home... One of our basic needs and something we take for granted everyday. Paris, the main character in this story, really made me feel appreciation for my family and friends. It can't be fun or easy to be a foster child separated from family. When I was growing up, I had a close friend who was a foster child and got placed with an amazing foster family (like Paris did). The book made me remember what a great family can do for a person's soul and how powerful God can be!! A book I would have never picked up off the shelf, but a GREAT read!!

Aliens for Breakfast

Somehow, all these years later, this book just didn't do it for me. Although it was a quick read, it was a little slow. I guess I was easier to please in 5th grade. Today a little tiny alien jumping out of a cereal box just isn't quite that interesting to me. Aric the alien did make me laugh from time to time with his wisecracks and quirkiness. I don't have any desire to see what happens in the sequels.

The Day Jimmy's Boa Ate the Wash

Noble, Trinka Hakes (1980). The Day Jimmy's Boa Ate the Wash. New York, NY: Dial Books for Young Readers.

A young girl is telling her mother the whole story of her class trip to the farm. The little girl leave no detail untold. She tells her that Jimmy took his pet boa constrictor without the teachers permission and this lead to a whole swarm of far fetched events. Each thing she says seems more silly and made up. Each thing happened because of this boa constrictor (including eating the farmers wife's wash!) In the end, becasue of all these crazy events, they had to get back on the bus in a hurry. Unfortunately, Jimmy left his boa constrictor behind. Fortunately, a pig from the farm got onto the bus so now Jimmy can have a pet pig instead. (Note: A great book for cause/effect)

The illustrations are good. It seems a little dated to me (or maybe because I realized the book is older than me). There are many details in the book but they don't seem to catch my attention. The best picture in the book for me was a picture of the class in the bus on the way home from the farm. With a pig sitting next to Jimmy, the teacher is plugging her nose and the bus driver looks confused.

The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales

Scieszka, Jon and Lane Smith (1992). The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales. New York, NY: Penguin Books.

The cleaver authors have successfully turned many classic "fairy tales" into fairly stupid tales. Stories include their funny variations of: Little Red Running Shorts (Little Red Riding Hood) where the little girl actually beats the world to grandmother's house, and the Really Ugly Duckling (The Ugly Duckling) where the duckling actually grows up to be an ugly duckling- not a beautiful swan. The stories are so funny and extremely silly! I can remember reading these as 5th grade student (around when the book came out). After re-reading them, I still found myself laughing out loud! These fairy tales are teaching no lessons and morals, simply making us laugh.

The illustrations are great (like all by the Scieszka/Smith duo). Each page is filled with great detail. Some pages might even be a little overdone.  Text and pictures are done in collage like form. The characters might be a little awkward and scary to a younger reader.

Henry's Freedom Box

Levine, Ellen (2007). Henry's Freedom Box. New York, NY: Scholastic Inc.

Henry is a slave boy in this story. He is owned by a white man and would love nothing more than to be FREE. As a boy, he was separated from his mother and had to go live elsewhere. He falls in love with another slave and they get married with the permission of their separate owners. They soon have several children who are also "owned" by their mother's master. One day, Henry's world is turned upside down when his wife and children are sold at the slave market. An abolitionist white doctor helps Henry who wants to mail himself to a free state. He is put inside a box (literally) and mailed to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania where he could be free. Enduring being packed and squished inside a wooden crate he finally makes it to his destination. He was now FREE!!

The illustrator, Kadir Nelson, did an amazing job with the illustrations.  They are extremely powerful and left me in tears. Reading about a man being packed into a crate is one thing... Seeing a picture of it is quite another! Wow!! Character's faces gave us every emotion we needed to feel.

Where the Wild Things Are

Sendak, Maurice (1963). Where the Wild Things Are. New York, NY: Harper & Row.

The story opens with Max dressed in a wolf costume in his bedroom. He is a naughty little boy who is being sent to bed without supper. All alone, he uses his imagination and his room is transformed into a forest and sea. He sails to the land of the wild things and he becomes their king.  The wild things are ferocious looking monsters but Max conquers them all. At the end of all the monster fun, Max becomes very sad and lonely. He misses home and wants to return. Once he is back in his room, he is surprised to see his hot supper waiting for him.

The illustrations in the book are very appealing. It was amazing to see how Max imagined his room turning into a forest and sea. Beautiful and lush greens filled the room. The monsters (including Max) are both humorous and scary. The illustrations take us to Max's magical land of the wild things.

Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!

Willems, Mo (2003). Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!. New York, NY: Hyperion Books for Children.

After the driver of the bus leaves for a while, he asks the readers for one thing: "Don't let the pigeon drive the bus!" But the pigeon REALLY wants to drive. He's so desperate that he will settle for just sitting in the bus and steering. He finally gets fed up and looses his temper and yells, "LET ME DRIVE THE BUS!!!" A preschooler could definitely relate to the tantrum pigeon throws :)

The pictures are simple and funny. Line drawings of the pigeon are the only image on most of the pages. Pages are of a neutral tone and subtle. Overall, it is well illustrated and gives ALL the attention to the attention seeking pigeon!

The Tequila Worm

Canales, Viola (2005). The Tequila Worm. New York, NY: Wendy Lamb Books.

Sofia is a 14 year old Mexican-American girl growing up in McAllen, Texas (Hey! I live in McAllen). Like most hispanics in south Texas, she is extremely close to her family and somewhat sheltered from the world outside her barrio. Sofia is a fantastic student and a great soccer player. Because of this, she is offered a schoarship to a prestigious and elite private school in Austin, Texas. The problem is, she doesn't know if her parents will let her go. For that matter, she doesn't know if she is ready to leave. This struggle makes her stronger and she realizes that family will be family no matter what happens.  She knows that she will be the same person with the same family values even though she will be hundreds of miles away.

The author definitely uses language and vocabulary as a strong literary device. She uses many Mexican words to show the strong influence in the area Sofia lives. Dialogue between characters definitely let the reader sense how close the family was and how much the characters loved one another.

Owen

Henkes, Kevin (1993). Owen. New York, NY: Greenwillow Books.

Little Owen carried his fuzzy yellow blanket everywhere he went. It was old, dirty and ragged but he didn't care one bit! One day their next door neighbor, Mrs. Tweezers, suggests some ways to get rid of the blanket to Owen's parents. She suggests using the blanket fairy or putting some vinegar on it. Neither of these things worked!! But when it was time for Owen to go to school, mother decided to cut up his blanket into small little hankies that he could use to remind him of his blanket and dry his tears if needed. The plan works out great and now Owen can carry a little piece of the blankey everywhere he goes.

The illustrations are beautiful. As always, Kevin Henkes does a great job with detailed pictures in beautiful eye-catching colors. I could spend hours staring at the details in the pictures. Characters express so much emotion in their little mouse faces in each and every picture.

Duck! Rabbit!

Rosenthal, Amy Krouse & Tom Lichtenheld (2009). Duck! Rabbit!. San Francisco, CA: Chronicle Books.

This is a delightful book of two characters (unseen by the reader) arguing back and forth about what the animal in this book is. One is arguing that it is a duck, the other one says a rabbit. It is a great book to teach kids about perspective and point of view. Either way, duck or rabbit, you almost have to choose a side!! (I said duck and my 3 year old daughter said rabbit).

The illustrations are very nice with bold black lines and bright colors. I would like to say that the visual is even more appealing than the text in this book. I think the pictures might inspire kids to draw their own pictures that could be "more than one thing".

There's a Boy in the Girls' Bathroom

Sachar, Louis (1987). There's a Boy in the Girls' Bathroom. New York, NY: Bullseye Books.

You can't help but feel for the main character in this story, Bradley Chalkers. Even though he is a bright and nice kid inside, he will NOT show it (especially at school!) Kids at school hate him because he is a bully. The only real friends in his life are the animals in his collection of porcelain figurines he speaks to on a daily basis. When a new kid (Jeff) ends up in his classroom, they become friends (sort of). Both Bradley and Jeff start seeing the new counselor (Carla) and begin to build a bond with her. At first, Bradley thinks she is weird but in the end he really ends up loving her. With the counselor's support, Bradley attempts to make a 180 and change his attitude completely. He even earns his first gold star from his teacher Mrs. Ebbel. Unfortunately, Carla the counselor has to leave the school because parents in the school do not like her giving their children advice. In the end, Bradley starts to see what Carla saw in him all along. He COULD be a great kid if he just tried and believed in himself. She did and it was enough to make him try!
The author uses personification in the story by making his porcelain and ceramic figures embody his "friends". They had conversations with him on a daily basis and were his only real friends for most of the book. Sachar also used understatement by not telling us that Bradley was truly a good kid inside. We knew he acted differently outside of school but were never told why he ever started acting this way. 
(I can remember reading this book in 5th grade!!! As I re-read it, I recalled a boy named Bobby who reminded me so much of Bradley. I wonder if Bobby is still as mean and ruthless as I remember him?)

Esperanza Rising

Ryan, Pam Munoz (2000). Esperanza Rising. New York, NY: Scholastic.

Esperanza Ortega is growing up in Mexico in the 1920's on a vineyard her family owns. She is used to living a nice lifestyle, being wealthy and having elaborate functions & parties. This all comes crashing down when her father is murdered by bandits and their home is taken away by the bank. Faced with no other choice, Esperanza's mother decides that they will move to the United States to work in California's agricultural industry with the former foreman of the farm (Alfonzo) and his family. It is a very hard adjustment for Esperanza who must now embark on a new way of life and live as a worker. They easily find work because of they are Mexican workers and get paid less money. It is very hard work that they are not used to. Some time later, Esperanza becomes very ill and is no longer able to work. Esperanza decides to work extra hard to earn money to bring her Grandma from Mexico to care for her mother. The climax in the story comes when a new friend, Miguel, steals all of Esperanza's savings and leaves. Deeply saddened because she cannot help her mother, Esperanza becomes depressed and realizes there is more to life than being rich. A surprise to the reader (unexpected insight) is that Miguel took the money to bring Abuela to the US as a surprise to Esperanza.

Pam Munoz Ryan does a great job using language to show the cultural differences Esperanza faces moving from Mexico to the United States. 

How Rocket Learned to Read

Hills, Tad (2010). How Rocket Learned to Read. New York, NY: Random House, Inc.

Rocket is a dog who meets a little yellow bird while he is trying to take a nap under a tree. The little yellow bird is a teacher and her "class" meets under the tree. When he tells her he was just there to take a nap, she insists on teaching him all about the "wondrous, mighty, gorgeous alphabet." After a little apprehensiveness, he decides to join her and listens to stories and learns the letters of the alphabet.  Before he knows it, he has learned to spell and read!!

The illustrations are very well done. Pages are filled with rich greens and blues of nature as well as the cute black and white puppy Rocket and the little yellow bird. The pages are very appealing to young children. My daughter loved the book and was excited to see familiar letters spelling familiar decodable words built into the illustrations.

Dog Loves Books

Yates, Louise (2010). Dog Loves Books. New York, NY: Alfred A. Knopf.

This book is about a dog who loves BOOKS!! I love dogs and I love books so this was a great one for me :) The dog in the book loves books so much that he decides to open up his own bookstore. He gets everything ready and opens up his store. Nobody comes in :( After waiting and waiting, he finally gets two customers who go into the store on accident. One day while he is waiting for a customer, he decides to open a book and suddenly forgets that he is lonely and that he has no customers. He is taken to many places in his books and makes many new friends inside each and every book he opens. When he FINALLY does get a customer in his bookstore, he knows EXACTLY which books to recommend!!

Louise Yates does a great job with the illustrations. Pictures are done in a watercolor fashion and are just beautiful. Dog is a very happy looking creature who shows exactly how he is feeling (usually happy) with his facial expressions.

Harvesting Hope: The Story of Cesar Chavez

Krull, Kathhleen (2003). Harvesting Hope: The Story of Cesar Chavez. Orlando, FL: Harcourt, Inc.

This book is an amazing account of the life of Cesar Chavez. Until the age of ten, Cesar lived happily with his family on their ranch in Arizona. When drought conditions became very bad, they were forced to loose their ranch and move to California to become farm workers. They were treated unfairly and Cesar became disturbed by the conditions he and the other farmworkers were having to live in. Although he dropped out of school after the eighth grade (to help support his family financially), he was very smart. As he grew up into an adult, he decided to speak up and stand up for the rights they deserved as human beings. At age 38, he organized and lead a peaceful protest and organized the National Farm Workers Association to get the rights and wages the workers deserved!

Illustrations by Yuyi Morales were beautiful and eye-catching. Earth and jewel tones fill each entire page. Text is dedicated to one side of the open book and the other side is filled with gorgeous paintings. There is so much emotion in the illustrations (both pain and happiness). A very well illustrated book! 

Math Curse

Scieszka, Jon (1995). Math Curse. New York, NY: Penguin Books USA Inc.

One day after the teacher announces, "You know, you can think of almost everything as a math problem," the narrator is hit with the MATH CURSE. Completely consumed by this statement, he cannot think of anything else except math from the time he wakes up and it continues on through the day. A great book for students who love addition, subtraction, measurement and probability. This a definitely a book to keep your brain going non-stop!! Every page is filled with boxes of numbered problems that the narrator would like to figure out. Some are simple and some are strange (like "if an M&M is about one centimeter long and the Mississippi River is about 4000 kilometers long, how many M&Ms would it take to measure the length of the river?)

Illustrations by Lane Smith are very interesting and fun. The book is well illustrated and filled with color and images to catch your attention. Smith uses collage like pictures on most of the pages and even brings in some familiar pictures and characters from books previously illustrated by him. 

Knuffle Bunny Too: A Case of Mistaken Identity

Willems, Mo (2007). Knuffle Bunny Too: A Case of Mistaken Identity. New York, NY: Hyperion Books for Children.

Trixie is so happy to have her bunny back in part 2 of the Knuffle Bunny series. She is taking her Knuffle Bunny with her to school and is happy as could be until she notices a girl named Sonja with the exact same bunny!! After the two girls argue which of the bunnies is better, the teacher confiscates them and puts them away. When school is over, each of the girls is given back what they "think" is their Knuffle Bunny. It isn't until 2:30 am that the girls realize that they are sleeping with the WRONG bunnies. Trixie and Sonja's dads meet in the city to exchange bunnies and the girls are happy again. Actually, they are now best friends :)

The artwork in the book is amazing!! The backgrounds to the pictures are beautiful black and white photos of New York City streets, schools, and houses. On top of these great photographs, Mo Willems has drawn great cartoon like color characters for the story. Word bubbles are drawn above the character to show dialogue.

I Have To Go!!

Munsch, Robert N. (1987). I Have To Go. Buffalo, NY: Annick Press Ltd.

Every time Andrew's parents ask him if he needs to go pee, he answers "NO,NO,NO" Each and every time he says no, he has to go shortly after. His family gets annoyed, as anyone would, because of the inconvenience Andrew causes. One night, he goes to bed without going pee first and has an accident and wets the bed. The next night, instead of asking his Grandpa to take him pee, he asks his Grandpa, "Grandpa, do you have to go pee?" When his grandpa says yes, Andrew responds, "Well, so do I". From then on, Andrew never had an accident or wet his bed.

Full color illustrations are very attractive. Pictures in the book look a little exaggerated (people's expression) but add to the urgency noted in the book.

Bunnicula: A Rabbit-Tale of Mystery

Howe, Deborah and James Howe (1979). Bunnicula: A Rabbit-Tale of Mystery. Massachusetts: McClelland & Stewart Ltd.

The story takes place in the home of the Monroe family. In their home live two very interesting and vocal animals- Harold the dog and Chester the cat. One day, the Monroe family goes to watch Dracula at the Movies. At the theatre, they find a baby bunny wrapped in a bundle and decide to take it home. When the family arrives with the bunny, Harold and Chester are a little apprehensive at first. Harold, the narrator, doesn't seem to mind the bunny much. Chester, on the other hand, seems to think that the bunny is a rabbit because of his black and white coloring and vampire like teeth. Chester want to get rid of the bunny, which the family named Bunnicula (because he was found while watching Dracula). He even reads a book on vampires to see how to kill him (with all attempts failed). Chester's attempts to kill Bunnicula include garlic around his cage and getting him with a steak (instead of a stake)! After all the animals begin to act strange, the Monroe's take them ALL to the vet. In the end, after much therapy from the psychiatrist, Chester learns to express himself and communicate well with others. At this point, Harold is over Chester and his games and Bunnicula is a regular member of their family.

The authors use understatement as a literary element by exposing the characters to us and letting us judge them and draw conclusions about them. For example,they never say that Chester is "dumb" or an "airhead", but he doesn't quite get things. It also added a lot of humor to the storyline.  The dialogue between the characters was also VERY funny!! Harold was a great narrator who added lots of laughs throughout the book. 

Shiloh

Naylor, Phyllis Reynolds (1991). Shiloh. New York, NY: Atheneum.

One day 11 year old Marty Preson comes upon a stray beagle near his home in West Virginia. After many attempts to loose the dog, he continues to follow Marty. Against his morals and ethical views, he decides to keep the dog because he knows the dog is abused and mistreated. He names him Shiloh. When his family says "NO" to keeping the dog, Marty decides to keep the dog hidden, hoping that the dog's owner Judd won't find him. Judd eventually finds out that he has his dog and demands him back. Marty asks to keep the dog (so he can keep him safe) and Judd says no. One day, Marty catches Judd doing some illegal deer hunting and decides to use that to blackmail him into letting him keep the dog. Judd makes and agreement that if Marty helps with manual labor around his house, he will let him keep the dog. After a lot of hard work, Judd does not keep his word and tells Marty no again. With much struggle and some bonding, Judd decides to let Marty keep the dog because he "EARNED" him. Marty is so happy in the end because he saved Shiloh and learned so much in the end.

The Author uses dialogue to show the connections between the characters very well. Marty, as the narrator,opens up and shows us what a great child he is and he is driven to do good. A very unexpected insight by the author was Judd giving in and giving Marty the dog on the last page of the book. 

Because of Winn-Dixie

DiCamillo, Kate (2000). Because of Winn-Dixie. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Candlewick Press.

10 year old India (Opal) Buloni has just moved to a small town in Florida where she knows no one. She is sad and lonely because the only person she really knows (there) is her father. One day, while Opal is at the local Winn-Dixie supermarket, she finds an old dog and decides to claim him so that he won't end up in the pound. She names him Winn-Dixie. Opal really connects with the stray dog because she knows what it feels like to be abandoned. Opal's mother has been gone her whole life. The dog acts as an inspiration to Opal throughout the story. It is because of Winn-Dixie that she is brave enough to ask her father about her mother, and make friends with some of the town's oddest people and outcasts (That is an unexpected insight given to the reader by the author). She even has a party where she invites all the new friends she has made. The author does a great job of making us feel so much love for little Opal. We really know that is all she needs :) The dialogue in the story helps the reader connect to the characters and the bonds that they build with one another.

Twilight

Meyer, Stephanie (2005). Twilight. New York, NY: Little, Brown and Company.

The book opens with Bella Swan moving to live with her dad in a small (and very rain) town named Forks in Washington. It has been years since she has been with her dad, but has decided to make the move because her mom will be busy traveling with her new baseball player husband. As acqward as it could be moving to a new high school, Bella is greeted and welcomed by all. She is especially intrigued by a boy, Edward Cullen, who seems very standoffish towards her. This makes her even more interested in him. As the plot progresses and unfolds, Bella learns that Edward and his family are actually vampires although they do not hurt humans. Bella falls deeply in love with Edward and it doesn't matter what comes her way, she wants to be with him. When a group of visting vampires comes into town and they attempt to attack Bella, Edward and his family come to her rescue hoping she will not remember the attack. 

The author definitely does a great job using dialogue to allow the reader to feel how deeply Bella and Edward care for each other. The book opens with beautiful language with the following: "I'd never given much thought to how I would die-- though I'd had reason enough in the last few months-- but if I had, I would not have imagined it like this." 

The City of Ember

DuPrau, Jeanne (2003). The City of Ember. New York: Random House.

This story takes place in an underground city called Ember. Days and nights are dark. The only light the city sees comes from floodlamps run by a generator that is failing after 241 years running. Lina and Doon, two twelve year olds from Ember, have just finished school and started their "jobs" as a messenger and pipeworker respectively. Both curious to find out if there is life and light outside of the city of Ember, they search for ways to make the city better. One day, Lina's baby sister Poppy, finds a piece of paper in a box in their home. After her baby sister nearly ruins it, Lina and Doon try to decipher the message and realize that it is instructions to escape from the city. They go into the underground river and find boats to use that eventually lead them OUT of the city to above ground (they never knew they lived underground!)

The author uses a lot of unexpected insights in the story. I read the book as a read-aloud to my 5th graders this first six weeks and we were all in shock as we discovered that they were living underground. DuPrau also uses precise vocabulary that made for great discussions in my class.

Junie B. Jones and the Stupid Smelly Bus

Park, Barbara (1992). Junie B. Jones and the Stupid Smelly Bus. New York: Random House.

Junie B. Jones is a hard character to NOT fall in love with! (My kindergarten kids always loved this series as a read-aloud). Junie is a sweet yet feisty kindergarten student who is faced with a big problem. She does NOT want to ride the school bus home on her first day of school. She hates everything about the bus and is scared even more about her afternoon bus ride when her best friend Lucille tells her that meanie kids will pour chocolate milk on her head on the way home. Junie B. solves her problem by hiding from everyone after school so she doesn't have to get on the bus. After some adventures in the school, she realizes she might have made a bad choice. She gets even more worried when the police and firefighters show up at the school to look for her!!

The book is written in first person by Junie B. Jones herself. Author Barbara Park does a great job making it sound so realistic and uses vocabulary like a real kindergarten kid would! Kids can relate so well because many of them have felt the way Junie B. feels (and expresses) in her books. I know I have!!

Magic Tree House- #9 Dolphins at Daybreak

Osborne, Mary Pope (1997). Dolphins at Daybreak (Magic Tree House, No.9). New York: Random House.

This was my first read in the Magic Tree House series and I really enjoyed it!! I loved how the author uses adventure, fiction to engage the reader. I also love how the book was filled with great science info (great tie of fiction and non-fiction).

Jack and Annie are called to the magic tree house to solve a riddle. After going to the beach, they find a mysterious submarine and turned it on. The are transformed into the ocean to begin their adventure.  After they find a leak in the sub, they solve the problem by swimming out into the open water.  In the ocean, they find amazing ocean animals such as hungry sharks, a friendly octopus and life saving dolphins.

Diary of a Wimpy Kid

Kinney, Jeff (2007). Diary of a Wimpy Kid. New York: Amulet Books.

(I absolutely had to see what all the fuss was all about. My 5th graders got a kick out of seeing this book in my bag!!)

Greg Huffley is a middle school kid struggling to be himself. The story is told in diary format (which was his mother's idea only he asked for a "journal"). Greg and his goofy friend Rowley have a great time trying to be cool and trying to be everything everyone else expects them to be. Although Greg would much rather have a cooler best friend, it isn't until he looses him to a new kid at school, Collin, that he realizes how much he misses him.  One day Greg lies to save Rowley's repulation (because he touched the stinky cheese)  

and they are friends AGAIN :)

Although it is a chapter book, it has some great illustrations that made me LAUGH OUT LOUD!! The book is full of humor and now I can't wait to see how it was adapted to a movie.

The Hunger Games

Collins, Suzanne (2008). The Hunger Games. New York: New York Scholastic.

Wow is the first word that comes to me after reading this book!! I can't remember the last book I read that makes me feel the way this book did. I honestly neglected my home and family for a couple of days because I couldn't get my head out of the book.

Katniss Everdeen steps up to the plate and takes here little sister's place in Panem's annual Hunger Games. Every year, each of the 12 districts must pick one boy and one girl to represent their district in the "fight for your life" games. Each of the 24 participants (tributes) must do what they can to be the last one to survive and be named the "winner" of the games. In turn, they will take prizes and fortune to their district. Luckily, Katniss is a skilled hunter and able to hold her own. The book is packed with emotion and is quite realistic (considering it is set in future time). I expected a lot more blood and guts, but the Author did such as great job of providing imagery without being too gory. The characters had to overcome cold nights and hot days, hunting and eating anything and everything they could find, and missing their families they may never see again.  In the end, when all is said and done, district 12 comes out victorious- and both Katniss and Peetra (the boy from district 12) are able to outsmart their competition.

I can't wait to continue with the trilogy!! (Of course, I've got a lot more reading to do for class- so this will have to wait.)