family
A book about experiencing math
I enjoyed this graphic novel (for the younger set) about Frankie who is finding mathematics challenging. Unknown to him, over a weekend, his parents set up some situations for him in which he is actually learning about the concepts of math, hands-on. Because of this he has a better understanding of mathematical equations. Very well done, this is a book kids can relate to.
If we could read a dog's mind...
From the point of view of Spunky we learn how he feels to be part of a family and how much he is attached to Huey. The plot thickens half way through the book when a cat, Fiona, is introduced. Very fun! I have always loved the Julian and Huey books by this author (nine before this one) so I was so glad to see an addition to the series!
The perfect Valentine's Day title
I adore all Todd's books and this is no exception. Simple text accompanies bright bold pictures. Thanks to Kelly for introducing this one to me that somehow missed my radar!
Funny Newbery
This year's Newbery Award winner, Dead End in Norvelt, by Jack Gantos, is witty, quirky and downright funny. Autobiographical, Jack tells story after story connecting readers to the people who make up Norvelt, PA (a town started by Eleanor Roosevelt). This book was similar to Richard Peck's Long Way From Chicago and Year Down Yonder as I could imagine it a perfect read aloud for classroom reading. This will have definite appeal to boys - lots of action, guns, planes, blood, etc.
How To Steal A Dog
Georgina and her family suddenly find themselves homeless. Living out of a car with her mother and little brother while her mother works two jobs makes Georgina think about what she can do to help the situation. She comes up with a wild idea to steal a dog and claim reward money after the owner posts reward signs for the lost dog. As the story unfolds, Georgina and the reader grow fond of a mysterious man named Mookie, an old woman named Carmella, and a little dog named Willy. Sometimes, the best lessons happen in the worst of times. Although the topic is sad, the story is told in a loving way that keeps the reader engaged throughout.
I recommend it for both boys and girls, grades 5-7.
Morpurgo Does It Again!
Imagine your family in World War II Germany, missing your father who is fighting the Russians, and fearing the day you know is coming when the Allied Forces will bomb your city. Add in a young elephant who is dependent on your mother... now the story gets intriguing!! Terrific multi-generational story told as a remembering from an elderly confined woman to a young boy and his mother, this book will keep you engaged from page one to the end. I really enjoy historical fiction that has strong ties to particular events, and this story, while the location has been adapted from Belfast, Ireland to Dresen, Germany, is a great example of how to learn history through fiction. Pair it with Number the Stars by Lois Lowry and Snow Treasure by Marie McSwigan.
Maze of Bones
Orphans Amy and Dan Cahill are shocked when their jet-setting grandmother Grace Cahill passes away, but even more shocked during the Will reading when they are offered either a million dollars or one of thirty-nine clues. The clue hunt will take them all over the world in search of a secret that will make its finder the most powerful person in the world. The Maze of Bones is only the first of eleven books in the 39 Clues series. The audiobook is fantastically read by David Pittu. A great series to start for long car rides.
5th - 7th grade
Middle School: The Worst Years of My Life
This is really a unique book for James Patterson. It's not a graphic novel, by definition, but it is full of sketches and doodles that add a graphic novel quality to the book. This is a story about a boy named Rafe who is starting middle school and seems to only be noticed by the school bully, "Miller the Killer." After the first school assembly, Rafe makes a promise to break all the rules in the student handbook (without hurting anyone) by the end of the school year. While the story deals with some heavy issues, it does it with great humor and fun drawings along the way.
I highly recommend this book to students from grade 6-8. It's a great pick for reluctant readers too.
Jake
Imagine this….
You are ten years old and it is just days before Christmas. You and your mom are out running a few last minute Christmas errands. You load the groceries in the car and call out to mom about your next stop. There is no answer…she was right there on the other side of the car. What is going on? Mom? Mom? You dance across the ice to the other side of the car. Then you see it; your mom is lying partway under the car. She is white, almost like the ice, her face pinched in a way you have never seen.
Who do you call for help? Your dad died when you were young, you have no family close by, no one to call. Who will take care of mom? Who will take care of you?
The Magic Half
The middle child between two sets of twins, Miri feels overlooked and out of place even in her own family. Not only that, but, unlike most of her friends, she still likes to play pretend games and still wants to believe that magic is real even though nothing magical has ever happened to her. Miri and family have just moved into an old house, and her small bedroom, with its worn and ugly wallpaper, seems strange to her. Sent to her bedroom after hitting her brother, Miri discovers a glasses lens taped to one of the walls. Looking through the lens, she is suddenly pulled back in time to the house as it was in the year 1935, and discovers Molly, a girl very much like her, who longs for magic to save her from her abusive relatives. Upon meeting, the girls share a moment of joy when they realize magic is indeed real. But the magical twists and turns of events have created problems for both of them. Will Miri be able to get back to her own time? Will she ever see her family again? Will she be able to help Molly escape from her horrible cousin Horst? Is Horst a thief? A killer?
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