Title: The Magician’s Elephant
Author: Kate DiCamillo
Publisher: Candlewick
Copyright: 2009
Number of Pages: 208
Age Level: 9-12
Genre: Fantasy, Fairytale
Award: Newbery
Summary: This is a tale of peter Augustus Duchene, a ten-year-old orphan who receives an unbelievable piece of information from the fortuneteller. Peter learns that his fate is tied to an elephant that has inexplicably fallen from the sky when a magician’s trick goes terribly wrong. Read this to find out what happens!
Reaction: I enjoyed The Magician's Elephant, but as a piece of children's literature, I was quite disappointed in it. While this is a relatively short book, it is dense to say the least. The themes of loneliness, truth, and forgiveness are a bit heavy for a children's book. The whole atmosphere of the book is bleak, and it is populated by characters lost in their own despair. While the last chapter does offer hope, the entire rest of the book is quite dismal. On top of this, the book doesn’t have much action.
Recommendations: While there may be a few children out there who may enjoy this book, I believe the majority will not. If any it may be younger boys that do. This book is dark, but seems to have a hopeful tale that demonstrates that when answers to life’s big questions aren’t answered, it is okay.
Potential Problems/Conflicts: This book has dark portions and is a bit disappointing because there is not as much action as you would perceive.
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Title: One Crazy Summer
Author: Rita Williams- Garcia
Publisher: Amistad
Copyright: 2010
Number of Pages: 224
Age Level: 9-12
Genre:
Summary: It is 1968, and three black sisters from Brooklyn have been put on a California-bound plane by their father to spend a month with their mother, a poet who ran off years before and is living in Oakland Oakland
Reaction: I think that this was an interesting book and had most all emotions shown and shared within it. It immerses you into a time and place in history that has a lot of culture and ethnic things. This book is worth reading.
Recommendations: I would recommend that a history teacher use this book to study this specific era in history and allow students to identify the challenges of the time.
Potential Problems/Conflicts: Racism and things of the revolution.
Title: When You Reach Me
Author: Rebecca Stead
Publisher: Wendy Lab Books
Copyright Date: 2009
Number of Pages: 208
Age Level: 9-12
Genre: Fantasy
Summary: Based in 1979 in New York
Reaction: I thought that this book was well written, and it is told in a way that does not feel preachy at all. Once you solve the mystery it makes you want to go back and re-read it again so you can put the pieces together better.
Recommendation: This is a great book for anyone ages 10 and up. It would be okay for younger kids, but those readers have so many choices that I would save "When You Reach Me" for age 10, because in my experience it's harder to find good books for that age. Also, the point of view of the story is a bit tricky, as Miranda writes to her mystery correspondent, which could be confusing for younger readers but an interesting challenge for older kids.
Potential Problems/Conflicts: This can be a difficult read for those under the age of 10. There are many different relationships viewed.
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Title: Number the Stars
Author: Lois Lowry
Publisher: Laurel Leaf
Copyright Date: 1998
Number of Pages: 136
Age Level: 9-12
Genre: Historical Fiction
Summary: This story is set in Denmark Denmark Denmark Denmark
Reaction: I really enjoyed this book. It was very moving, suspenseful, and sad. Once I started reading it, I could not put it down. I highly recommend reading this book.
Recommendation: This is great for history classes studying World War II. This book allows children to see the things that happened through the life and eyes of 10-year-old Annemarie Johannesen and how important friendship is.
Potential Problems/ Conflicts: World War II themed, so war and death.
Author: Laura Amy Schlitz
Publisher: Candlewick
Copyright Date: 2010
Number of Pages: 9-12
Age Level: 9-12
Genre: Fantasy, Fairytale
Summary: "Flory was a night fairy." Was, I'm afraid. Like others of her kind she was perfectly content to flit about at night. Unfortunately Flory was born with lovely luminous wings so pretty that one night a bat crunches them by mistake, and Flory finds herself wingless. Alone and hurt in a strange garden, she becomes determined to be a day fairy and sets about taking care of herself. She befriends a hungry squirrel and the two help one another out. She makes herself a home in a birdhouse In the midst of all of this, however, she still longs to fly again. One day she sees a hummingbird and becomes determined to tame and ride it. Such plans, however, hit a wall when Flory discovers that wanting something and then actually getting what you want are two very different matters.
Reaction: I don't know where this notion that fairies are insipid came from. I guess there's a feeling that a lot of them just sort of flutter about for no apparent reason. In light of this, Flory may have to become a spokeswoman for anti-fairy defamers because she turns out to be a great fairy that knows exactly what she wants. This book was written nicely and the illustrations are warm and charming.
Recommendations: Typically fairies are considered girly territory, but there's nothing about Flory that a boy wouldn't also enjoy. She's feisty, a fighter, and she knows what she wants. This takes you back to the day when fairytales were amazing as a child, but it expresses the same feeling in an older way.
Potential Problems/ Conflicts: Flory does not have wings and this is the main conflict throughout.
Title: Willow
Author: Denise Brennan-Nelson
Publisher: Sleeping Bear Press
Copyright Date: 2008
Number of Pages: 30
Age Level: 4-8
Genre: Picture Book
Summary: It’s about a little girl named Willow Willow remains undaunted by the continuous pressure to conform throughout the book and in the process she enlightens her teacher, Ms. Hawthorne, who finally learns to “doodle” The whole class benefits from the generosity and enthusiasm of Willow
Reaction: This book addressed a problem that is so prevalent in education and that is stifling the natural creative impulse. I think that the illustrations are colorful and exquisite.
Recommendations: I highly recommend that this book be read to younger children by a parent or teacher, or if able to, they can read it. This can help open up their eyes into creativeness again.
Potential Problems/ Conflict’s: If you are not for creativity and only for conformity this is not for you.
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Reaction: I’ve always loved this story. It is so cute and teaches some good things such as, first, a person must be responsible and keep one’s promise. Secondly, no matter how small one is in this big world, she is important. Thirdly, there comes a time one must do something to help oneself. And last of all, every citizen in a community is important for the town’s well-being.
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Potential Problems/ Conflicts: I feel that there are no problems.
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Title: Green Eggs and Ham
Author: Dr. Seuss
Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers
Copyright: 1960
Number of Pages: 72
Age Level: 4-8
Genre: Children's Literature
Summary: Throughout the book, Sam tries to encourage another character (unnamed) to try green eggs and ham, though he meets with little success. The unnamed character refuses to taste the dish, insisting that he would not like it. Sam then goes through an assortment of locations such as a house, car, tree, train, box, and boat and dines with the fox, goat, and mouse trying to persuade the character to eat. In the end the character is standing in shallow water after a boat sinks, surrounded by various people and beasts and then he finally gives in and tries the green eggs and ham on the condition that Sam leaves him alone. He realizes that he does like green eggs and ham.
Reaction: The story is told through images and rhyming dialogue. There is no descriptive narrative or analysis. This book is mainly for rhyming and to see the interesting illustrations and colors throughout it. Dr. Seuss is a great author and this book is very much a classic. There are fun phrases, great illustrations, and lively characters with good messages. This is a great teaching tool for learning the process of reading and recognizing written language.
Recommendations: I would highly recommend this book for elementary school teachers. When the teacher reads, children are able to follow along and can recall rhyming words when you might skip them. All children seem to love this book which is a positive sign of reading readiness and they become aware of letters as symbols for sounds. This is a good book for them to mimic and interpret. This is a great tool for learning about the initial processes of reading and recognizing written language.
Potential Problems/Conflicts: Viewed throughout the story, Sam is seen as a protagonist.
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Title: Diary of A Wimpy Kid
Author: Jeff Kinney
Publisher: Amulet Books
Copyright: 2007
Number of Pages: 224
Age Level: 9-12
Genre: Novel
Summary: Gregory Heffley receives a diary from his mother, which he refers to as a "journal" to make it sound less girly and in it records the course of his first year of middle school. The book begins with him introducing "The Cheese Touch." It is very similar to the Cooties .Greg Heffley is the main character, and the narrator. Greg tries to take advantage of his best friend Rowley Jefferson Greg views Rowley as dumb, childish, and ignorant. They go through a roller coaster together in wrestling, trick or treating, and making comic strips for the school news paper. One scene is a large fight between Greg and Rowley which ends their friendship for a few months. At the end of the book they become friends again.
Author: Dr. Seuss
Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers
Copyright: 1960
Number of Pages: 72
Age Level: 4-8
Genre: Children's Literature
Summary: Throughout the book, Sam tries to encourage another character (unnamed) to try green eggs and ham, though he meets with little success. The unnamed character refuses to taste the dish, insisting that he would not like it. Sam then goes through an assortment of locations such as a house, car, tree, train, box, and boat and dines with the fox, goat, and mouse trying to persuade the character to eat. In the end the character is standing in shallow water after a boat sinks, surrounded by various people and beasts and then he finally gives in and tries the green eggs and ham on the condition that Sam leaves him alone. He realizes that he does like green eggs and ham.
Reaction: The story is told through images and rhyming dialogue. There is no descriptive narrative or analysis. This book is mainly for rhyming and to see the interesting illustrations and colors throughout it. Dr. Seuss is a great author and this book is very much a classic. There are fun phrases, great illustrations, and lively characters with good messages. This is a great teaching tool for learning the process of reading and recognizing written language.
Recommendations: I would highly recommend this book for elementary school teachers. When the teacher reads, children are able to follow along and can recall rhyming words when you might skip them. All children seem to love this book which is a positive sign of reading readiness and they become aware of letters as symbols for sounds. This is a good book for them to mimic and interpret. This is a great tool for learning about the initial processes of reading and recognizing written language.
Potential Problems/Conflicts: Viewed throughout the story, Sam is seen as a protagonist.
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Title: Diary of A Wimpy Kid
Author: Jeff Kinney
Publisher: Amulet Books
Copyright: 2007
Number of Pages: 224
Age Level: 9-12
Genre: Novel
Summary: Gregory Heffley receives a diary from his mother, which he refers to as a "journal" to make it sound less girly and in it records the course of his first year of middle school. The book begins with him introducing "The Cheese Touch." It is very similar to the Cooties .Greg Heffley is the main character, and the narrator. Greg tries to take advantage of his best friend Rowley Jefferson Greg views Rowley as dumb, childish, and ignorant. They go through a roller coaster together in wrestling, trick or treating, and making comic strips for the school news paper. One scene is a large fight between Greg and Rowley which ends their friendship for a few months. At the end of the book they become friends again.
Reaction: This book is pretty humorous and has a movie that was just made that is based off this and it hilarious! I enjoyed the joking and the writing was really good because it portrays middle school students first year in the middle school and all of the problems and complications that occur.
Recommendations: It's possibly not suited well for children who actually take actions portrayed in a work of fiction and let them have an impact on their actual life in and out of school. The example of this kind of children leads grown-ups like parents, teachers and grandparents to mouthing their worries on the topic of moral issues handled right in Diary of a Wimpy Kid, which they are not. But the assumption that all of us children will love these books only because of Greg's habit to call people around him names, lie and cheat, which we find to be role-modeling, is just plain wrong. If there are kids who lack of this insight this looks just like an appropriate situation when parents can talk to their children about morals to me.
Potential Problems/ Conflicts: If the child likes to act out books then this probably wouldn't be good for them. There are also words and some language that occurs that may not be suitable.
Title: A Sick Day for Amos McGee
Author: Philip C. Stead
Publisher: Roaring Brook Press
Copyright: 2010
Number of Pages: 32
Reading Level: 4-8
Genre: Childrens Literature
Award: Caldecott
Summary: Amos McGee is an older gentleman who lives in a little house sandwiched between two high-rise apartment buildings. Each morning after a bit of oatmeal and tea, Amos heads out in a fresh-pressed uniform to begin his workday at the City Zoo. It is clear from the first glimpse that this zoo is atypical: outside the gate, sitting high in a branch of a tree on the sidewalk, sits a monkey as comfortable as can be; inside the gate we can see a giraffe frolicking on the wide lawn. It doesn't appear that these animals reside in the usual enclosures. Indeed, the animals seem to enjoy a life more akin to a fancy retirement community. You discover that Amos spends his days playing chess with the elephant, running races with the tortoise, sitting quietly with the shy penguin, soothing the rhino's runny nose, and reading bedtime tales to the owl. It only makes sense that when Amos comes down with a bad cold and cannot make it to work, his animal friends hop on the bus and take care of him in the same gentle, loving way.
Reaction: The book is artful and it completely shows the beauty of the story and the characters. The author seems to add many layers of expression throughout the already detailed story. Even Stead's use of woodblock printing to add texture and a bit of color is thoughtful and well-used. It is apparent throughout the work that each pencil line, each color choice, each wrinkle in Amos' face or in the folds of the tortoises' knees, was deliberate and made with a careful eye. I would read this again!
Recommendations: Children will absolutely love this book. I would recommend all adults to read this to their children or introduce it in some way, either for the story or for the brilliant illustrations.
Potential Problems/ Conflicts: One thing is that the animals are seen doing human-like acts and this may confuse young children.
Title: Horton Hears a Who!
Author: Dr. Seuss
Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers
Copyright: 1954
Number of Pages: 72
Age Level: 4-8
Genre: Children’s Literature
Summary: Horton is the average elephant who lives in an average forest. One day, he comes upon a speck of dust. And, to his amazement, he discovers a world of small creatures. They are Whos. He converses with the mayor of Who-ville. The mayor evokes a promise from Horton. Horton will keep the minuscule community safe and sound. Horton places the speck of dust on a clover. Unfortunately, the other animals in the forest cannot hear the Whos. The Kangaroo and the others believe Horton is batty. They tie up Horton and steal the Who-ville clover. An eagle flies away with it and drops it in a field of clover.Horton chases the animals and the soaring eagle. He tracks the eagle day and night. Exhausted, he reaches the field of clover. Horton takes his responsibility seriously and searches millions of clovers until finding the Who-ville clover. Throughout his chase and search, Horton repeats, “A person is a person. No matter how small.”Again, the kangaroo, monkeys and the other forest animals reach Horton and his clover. They still believe Horton has lost his marbles. The animals threaten to destroy the clover because they do not hear or see this Who-ville.Horton urges the mayor of Who-ville to have the citizens make a sound so loud the other animals will hear them. The adults and kids of Who-ville must rally together to make this sound and save themselves. The citizens rally and create quite a ruckus. Yet, the forest animals hear not a squeak. The mayor of Who-ville races about town urging the people to make any sound. He discovers a little Who who is not participating. The little Who with encouragement joins the shouting and the forest animals hear the citizens of Who-ville. Who-ville is saved!
Reaction: I’ve always loved this story. It is so cute and teaches some good things such as, first, a person must be responsible and keep one’s promise. Secondly, no matter how small one is in this big world, she is important. Thirdly, there comes a time one must do something to help oneself. And last of all, every citizen in a community is important for the town’s well-being.
Recommendations: This book is a good emphasis on the need to protect different ways of life and we can teach children this value by teaching, “a person’s a person, no matter how small” and just like the Who’s, we are all “people, regardless of race, creed or size!” It’s a wonderful book to encourage tolerance and appreciation for differences. This is great for readers of all ages!
Potential Problems/Conflicts: Wonderful story with a great message, but can scare younger kids with Horton being tied up by the monkeys and them threatening to throw the clover into hot beezle nut oil.
Title: Interrupting Chicken
Author: David Ezra Stein
Publisher: Candlewick
Copyright: 2010
Number of Pages: 40
Age Level: 4-8
Genre: Children’s Literature
Summary: It is about The Little Read Chicken who cannot help but interrupt Papa when he reads a bedtime story each night. As Papa reads, the little chicken knows the characters, whether Hansel and Gretel or Little Red Riding Hood, are about to get into trouble, so she shouts out and interrupts the story never allowing Papa to finish. Little Red Chicken gets so excited keeping the story characters out of trouble, that she still isn't asleep. It's frustrating for Papa, so Little Red Chicken offers to read him a story instead, and before long she puts him to sleep.
Reaction: The colors and illustrations are fabulous and whimsical and the story is very cute for both children and parents. Interrupting Chicken is a social skills go to for listening, waiting your turn to talk, and learning to raise your hand. Most kids interrupt because they haven't had proper guidance on how to be social thinkers. Interrupting Chicken will help students be better listeners and figure out when it's the appropriate time to use their words. It is cute, adorable, and funny.
Recommendations: This is the perfect story to teach little ones manners and the concept that it is rude to interrupt.
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Title: The Foot Book
Author: Dr. Seuss
Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers
Copyright:1990
Number of Pages: 24
Age Level: Infant- Preschool
Genre: Children's Literature
Summary: Dr. Seuss takes feet on an extended walk through the land of opposites: "Wet foot / Dry foot / Low foot / High foot." Sprouting from a variety of Seussian animals are "Slow feet / Quick feet / Trick feet / Sick feet."
Reaction: The illustrations are wonderful and classic Dr. Seuss style; but the real draw here is the information the books imparts to young readers and children learning to read. The lines of the book teach adjectives and nouns as they relate to, well, feet. (Well, mostly as they relate to feet.) Children are taught the words and the differences between left and right; morning and night; wet and dry; high and low; front and back; slow and quick; up and down--and much more. It's all very well done. The book has a page near the very front so that the child can write their name in it to personalize this book; that's sweet and a very clever idea to draw the child into the book all the more.
Recommendations: I highly recommend this book for young children. It is very educational and fun for them at the same time. Just don't tell them they're learning--as long as they think this is all in fun they'll gobble up this information faster than anything! The Foot Book teaches children adjectives and nouns to describe and name things; this educational read will be a lot of fun for your young child just learning to read. This book is perfect for adults to introduce to children while reading it to them; and gradually the child can be encouraged to read it more and more independently.
Recommendations: I highly recommend this book for young children. It is very educational and fun for them at the same time. Just don't tell them they're learning--as long as they think this is all in fun they'll gobble up this information faster than anything! The Foot Book teaches children adjectives and nouns to describe and name things; this educational read will be a lot of fun for your young child just learning to read. This book is perfect for adults to introduce to children while reading it to them; and gradually the child can be encouraged to read it more and more independently.
Potential Problems/ Conflicts: No issues.
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Title: Turtle in Paradise
Author: Jennifer L. Holm
Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers
Copyright: 2010
Number of Pages: 208
Age Level: 9-12
Genre: Young Adult Novel
Summary: Eleven year old Turtle doesn't like kids 'cause they are nothing like Shirley Temple (and Turtle doesn't like HER either). See, Turtle's had some bad experiences with the children of her mother's various employers. No kid is nice to the housekeeper's kid. When Mama's new employer Mrs. Budnick shares Turtle's low opinion of children and refuses to let Turtle stay in her house, Mama sends Turtle to Key West and the home of an aunt and far too many boy cousins none of whom Turtle's ever met. New environment, new culture, new family, new rules.
Her eleven-year-old cousin Beans runs the Diaper Gang, a babysitting service with a secret weapon against diaper rash & they have a rule: no girls allowed. Turtle usually tags along anyway because despite the colorful locals ( there isn't much to do on the island. Her mother may have Hollywood dreams, but turtle is down to earth. She views life as more like the story of the three little pigs: you just set up a new house & a big bad wolf comes to blow it down...but Archie could be different...but the two of them are up in New Jersey--while Turtle's stuck in the mud and the heat.
Her eleven-year-old cousin Beans runs the Diaper Gang, a babysitting service with a secret weapon against diaper rash & they have a rule: no girls allowed. Turtle usually tags along anyway because despite the colorful locals ( there isn't much to do on the island. Her mother may have Hollywood dreams, but turtle is down to earth. She views life as more like the story of the three little pigs: you just set up a new house & a big bad wolf comes to blow it down...but Archie could be different...but the two of them are up in New Jersey--while Turtle's stuck in the mud and the heat.
Reaction: I thought the story was fairly well written but the cover has nothing to do with the book and because of that it is very misleading to readers. I was pretty excited to read this book, but after I started it, I was shocked. I think that some things could have been better explained in chapters.
Recommendation: I would definitely recommend this one. I think it would make a great read aloud. It's got heart, humor, and adventure! Girls will most likely enjoy this novel the most.
Potential Problems/Conflicts: The novel sometimes felt a bit forced and some things didn't ring true, but the notes at that were very interesting and illuminating.
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Title: Roses are Pink, Your Feet Really Stink
Author: Diane Degroat
Publisher: HarperCollins
Copyright: 1997
Number of Pages: 32
Age Level: 4-8
Genre: Picturebook
Summary: Gilbert has a real dilemma. He's writing poems on his Valentine cards, for his classmates, but doesn't want to write something nice to Lewis and Margaret. Lewis tweaked his nose and made it red and Margaret said mean things about him in front of the class. So he decides to write each an unkind poem and instead of signing his own name, since he's afraid they'll be angry, he signs Lewis's name to Margaret's card and Margaret's name to Lewis's Valentine. It doesn't take long before Margaret and Lewis figure out who really gave them these mean cards and they, along with the rest of the class won't have anything to do with Gilbert. First he has to eat lunch all alone, no one will sit with him and at then at recess, no one will play with him. As soon as he gets back to class, Gilbert gets to work making new cards for Lewis and Margaret and apologizing for his unkindness. As the class party begins all is forgiven and Lewis, Margaret and Gilbert are friends again.
Reaction: The story is charming and the text is gentle. The watercolor illustrations capture the small hurts and slights kids experience and the positive, uplifting ending and solution is wonderful.
Recommendation: Diane De Groat has written a simple, charming story with a powerful message about the importance of second chances, that youngsters 4-8 will easily understand.
Potential Problems/ Conflicts: No issues.
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Title:Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse
Author: Kevin Henkes
Publisher: Greenwillow Books
Copyright:1996
Number of Pages: 32
Age Level: 4-8
Genre: Children's Literature
Summary:Lilly is mightily pleased with her life at the moment. She loves school and she adores her teacher Mr. Slinger. Mr. Slinger is the coolest professor in the world. He wears crazy colored ties, refers to his students as "rodents", provides yummy tasty snacks, and has a penchant for patterned shirts. Lilly is determined to someday be a teacher all thanks to Mr. Slinger. Unfortunately, Lilly's Slinger-love takes a downturn when she brings her new purple plastic purse to class. Noisily displaying it at an inappropriate time, Slinger confiscates the item until the end of the day. In anger, Lilly draws a mean portrait of her teacher and hides it in his book bag. But when the young girl opens her returned purse outside of school, she finds a note reading, "Today was a difficult day. Tomorrow will be better", and some yummy snacks are included. Suddenly wracked with guilt, Lilly decides to make up with her teacher and by the end the two have reconciled joyfully.
Reaction: Kevin Henkes's tangible genius for word crafting is just something that I like. His characters are always so real and human and delightfully much their own selves, as evidenced by the freshness of their thoughts that permeates the narrative of every story that he writes. I really like this story, and I think that readers of all ages will continue to treasure this slim but excellent volume for unforseeable years into the future. The feelings and actions of Lilly are always stark and clear and easy to sympathize with, and I think that this is the forte of Kevin Henkes.
Recommendation: This is a book that adults will appreciate as much as children. Pay close attention to all that's happening in the illustrations. You can't help but love Lilly, she means well but like any of us she finds herself in trouble. Mr. Slinger, Lilly's teacher is a hero. This is a must read for all kids. Makes a great gift, look for a purple plastic purse and movie star sunglasses to go a long with it! After reading this book you'll find yourself looking for and falling in love with all of Kevin Henkes' books!
Potential Problems/Conflicts: Lilly misbehaves during class and retaliates when she is disciplined, but she redeems herself.
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