The Toy Brother

The Toy Brother
By: William Steig

I think all of us have tried to take on more than we could handle at one point in our lives. Little Yorick Bede definitely tries to do so when he invades his fathers alchem lab. He creates a potion and drinks it. The next thing he knows, he is a little person. With his parents out of town, it is up to his little brother Charles to figure out how to change him back. He builds him a house, feeds him dinner, and tries to make his brother as comfortable as possible. Day after day passes and the two boys can't figure out how they are going to change little Yorick back. Finally his parents are home and they must fess up and tell the truth about what happened. Will father be able to change him back? Will he be in big trouble? I loved how this book took me away into another world and left me wondering what it would be like if it were me in this position. It was fun to read about something that I knew deep down was impossible. I enjoyed reading this story very much. I will be using this book in my classroom when talking to my students about fantasy books!

April and Esme: Tooth Fairies

April and Esme: Tooth Fairies
By: Bob Graham

At one point in our lives, we all probably remember our parents telling us about the tooth fairy. I remember growing up as a kid, I would get so excited to lose a tooth because I knew that I would have money soon. I always remember wishing my teeth would fall out faster so that I could buy a new barbie doll or another toy I just had to have. Bob Graham brings the story of tooth fairies alive with this incredible book. April and Esme are little fairies. I like to think of them as fairies in training. When Daniel loses his tooth, the sisters set out on an adventure to make sure they collect his tooth and give him his money right on time. Their parents are worried because they are so young. What if they get lost? What if Daniel wakes up? There is so much to worry and think about. I loved this book because I felt it was very entertaining and funny. My favorite part was when April and Esme texted their mother after waking up Daniel. It was elements like that which made the story enjoyable. I will definitely be using this book in my classroom.

Anything but Typical

Anything but Typical 
By: Nora Raleigh Baskin

Out of every book I've ever read in my entire life, this has to be one of my favorite ones. Jason is a twelve year old struggling with autism. He feels like no one understands him. He feels like the world is a messed up place full of lies and deceit. He is trying to find himself and live the most normal life that he can. He doesn't fit in at school, or anywhere really. Except online. Where he blogs and writes stories. He meets a girl named Rebecca online. In a way that Rebecca will never come to know, she changes Jason's life. She brings his closer to his mother and helps him realize that he's okay just the way he is. This story was very inspirational and amazing to read. It made me want to learn more about autism. Before this story, I knew next to nothing about the disorder. It allowed me to remember that there may be kids in my classroom that have a disorder similar to this. It made me want to respect those around me more because they may be fighting an inner battle I know nothing about. This would be a great book for children to read if they wanted to see what it might be like to be autistic.

Ruby Lu: Star of the Show

Ruby Lu: Star of the Show
By: Lenore Look
Illustrated by: Stef Choi

This book was one of the funniest books I have ever read. Thinking back to how my life was in the third grade, I'm sure it was very similar to little Ruby's. Ruby feels like she has it rough. For a third grader, she does. After her father loses his job, Ruby feels it is up to her to find a way to provide money. Her mother has to begin working full time and is constantly stressed out. To make matters worse, Ruby had to give up her dog because someone finally claimed him! She is even struggling in school and doesn't like her teacher Mr. Yu very much. With her friends on 20th Avenue South, Ruby comes up with plans to fix everything going on. Although many of them fail, she begins to realize that everything is going to be okay. Following along with her story had me in tears from laughing at her cute ideas and fun spirit. I liked this book very much. I think this would be a fun quick read for any classroom.

The Giver

The Giver
By: Lois Lowry

I was very surprised by this book. Lois Lowry has always been one of my favorite authors. I didn't enjoy this book as much as I thought I would. I found it very difficult to grasp what was going on with Jonas and his story of the "The Ceremony of Twelve." I thought the story to be kind of odd. I also found this to be hard to follow along with and I feel that it would be very confusing for children. I know that this is a series of books and that this is only the first, but I could barely follow along with the events told in the first. It made me not want to read the others in the series. I would still put this book in my library so that I would have a variety of literature. I feel that it would be a good book to give to someone who maybe has never considered this type of story. You could learn a lot about what you like and don't like in literature. It just takes the right book to make you realize this. On the other hand, I do know there are children that greatly enjoy these kinds of stories. I think this is a book that you read and either love or highly dislike. Unfortunately, it just wasn't a book for me.

The Silent Boy

The Silent Boy
By: Lois Lowry

The story of Katy Thatcher and Jacob Stoltz is a very interesting one. Jacob Stoltz is living on his family's farm. His sister Peggy works for the Thatcher family. Katy's dad is the town doctor. Everyone knows everyone in this small community. Everyone knows that Jacob Stoltz is 'touched'. He is very different. People tend to stay away from him. The more Katy begins to come around him, the more she begins to understand about life. Their type of friendship is more of a silent one. Hardly any words are needed, as Jacob has his own means of communicating. Katy beings to learn more than she ever thought possible from a boy with nothing to say. The story tends to evoke many emotions. That is what I loved about it. It was heartbreaking, funny, and a joy to follow along with. The thing I loved most was the unexpected ending. This book was worth every second of reading and I would definitely have my students read this story in hopes that they would pass it on as well.

Number the Stars

Number the Stars
By: Lois Lowry

Reading about the Holocaust has always interested me. I will never be able to understand why it happened. Reading this book changed my life. I've read it twice now, and have pulled something new from it each time. One of the best things that it did for me was make me stop and appreciate all that I have. Sometimes getting caught up in everyday things makes me fall off the track. This book allowed me to jump back on. Annemarie Johansen is only ten years old. She is growing up in Denmark. She is trying to live her life, go to school, spend time with her family, and have fun with her best friend Ellen Rosen. There is only one problem. The Nazi soldiers have completely taken over everything. It seems everywhere she turns it is getting much worse. Pretty soon Annemarie has to grow up much faster than she planned. She has to be the one to help save her best friend and many others. A lot has been put on her shoulders. Watching all that Annemarie sacrifices made me have a lot of respect for her. It also made me have respect for others like her who were willing to help the Jews during this terrible time. This book is an absolute must read!

Anne Frank: Child of the Holocaust

Anne Frank: Child of the Holocaust
By: Gene Brown

Out of all of the biographies I read, this was probably the one I didn't enjoy as much. I felt that this biography was very vague and distant from what Anne Frank was really about. Everything I have ever read about Anne Frank has been the same thing time after time. This book wasn't any different from things I had previously read. I wanted to read more about Anne Frank and the life she lived before the Holocaust. I wanted to learn something different and new. Also, the book skipped around a lot with information. One minute I was reading about her life and the next quotes from her diary were thrown in. Some of the information was also not pertinent to anything in my opinion. However, I enjoyed the many pictures in the book. They did a great job of furthering my understanding of what the situation she was in looked like through her eyes. I also liked how there was vocabulary terms at the back of the book for children to understand. I probably wouldn't use this in my classroom unless it was for leisure reading.

Helen Keller: Her Life In Pictures

Helen Keller: Her Life In Pictures
By: George Sullivan

This was probably one of my favorite biographies I've ever picked up. I am a huge Helen Keller fan because I respect her and look up to her for all that she accomplished while being blind and deaf. I always found myself wondering what she looked like. Did she look different from the rest of us? What kinds of things did she do? Not only did I get to read about her life from beginning to end, I got to see pictures that went along with it. Not illustrations of any sort, but real life pictures. There were pictures of her meeting the presidents, Mark Twain, and even with her teacher Annie. This made the story come to life. This biography also contained a lot of information about Helen Keller that I had no idea about prior to reading this book. Every question I ever had about her life was answered within the pages. The book contained quotes that Helen used throughout her life and I really liked that. It let you get a feel for her personality rather than just reading a boring series of events about her life. I think children will read this and become knowledgeable about Helen Keller. Not only that, but I feel as though they will become truly inspired. After all, Helen Keller lead one of the most inspiring lives I've ever heard about.

John Brown: His Fight For Freedom

John Brown: His Fight For Freedom
By: John Hendrix

I had only briefly touched on John Brown and who he was in history class before picking up this biography. John Brown was a remarkable white man, who believed slavery should come to an end. He even helped slaves escape through the Underground Railroad. He met with great leaders such as Harriet Tubman and Frederick Douglass. They were able to help him out as much as he could. The one thing I loved about this biography was that the illustrations were amazing. They went along with the story perfectly. Each illustration showed a facial expression on John's face that allowed me to think about what he could of been thinking during that point in time. John Brown risked his life to save the slaves and to stick up for what was right. This book allowed me to find a new respect for him and to want to read further on. I think the book had plenty of information without going overboard. It was also a fun biography to read. The author's note about John Brown definitely helped me see why this man was important. It also allowed to get inside the author's head and see why he chose to write this biography. I think this would be an excellent biography to use in your classroom when talking about times of slavery.

America's Champion Swimmer: Gertrude Ederle

America's Champion Swimmer: Gertrude Ederle 
By: David A. Alder
Illustrated by: Terry Widener

I picked this particular biography to read because I had never heard of Gertrude Ederle. I had no idea who she was or what she did that allowed her to have a biography published about her. It turns out, she was the first female to swim across the English Channel. This allowed for a better reputation for women. It also allowed others to know that anything is possible. Not only that, but Gertrude had the drive and ambition unlike anyone I've ever read about. Her story, actions, and words were very inspiring. This woman was a true athlete. She accomplished several other things in her life. It was all because of her love and true passion for swimming. This was a great biography. I especially enjoyed the note from the author at the end that gave you more background information. Since I had never heard of her, I feel like when studying biographies in my classroom someday this would be a good one to pull out and use. I think kids would enjoy this book because it's not the same old story. This is about a woman who truly was remarkable. They could learn a lot from it and also have the pleasure of hearing about the life of someone new.

Lousia: The Life of Lousia May Alcott

Lousia: The Life of Lousia May Alcott
By: Yona Zeldis McDonough
Illustrated by: Bethanne Anderson

Louisa May Alcott is one of my favorite authors. After reading her novel Little Women, I was hooked. To read a biography about her brought an answer to the many questions I had about this famous author. One thing I really enjoyed about this particular biography was that it was a full one. It contained information from the very beginning of her life until her death in 1888. The pictures brought the story to life and it was very easy to understand. Another thing I enjoyed was the section in the back entitled: The World According to Louisa May Alcott. This is where she had direct quotes on certain things in life. Also included in the book were a couple poems she wrote and a timeline. Even a recipe and interesting facts page was included. I feel that this would definitely be a biography I would be interested in using with my children. It was fun to read but also contained a great deal of information..

Hearts of Iron

Hearts of Iron
By: Kathleen Benner Duble

The year is 1820. Imagine living in an 'iron' community. Everyone in town knows your name. Everyone knows your business. Despite this you love where you live. You're only a teenager. You are trying to find yourself, do chores, work, and help out your community all at the same time. You think you've fallen in love with your best friend but you aren't sure. Life can be stressful. At least that's the way it is for Lucy Pettee. Not only does Lucy have all of the above going on, but her father has just informed her that she is to marry someone and move back to Boston where they are originally from. Lucy can't imagine leaving her best friend Jesse, her father, or the mountains. Everyone is busy preparing to work at the forge for the summer months. When Jesse's brother gets into an accident, things start to fall apart. Jesse wants to leave the mountains. Lucy wants to stay. Suddenly they become distant. Everything Lucy has every known is rearranged. Will Lucy and Jesse become more than friends? Will she marry Samuel? What is the forge? You'll have to read this inspiring story to find out.

Reading this story inspired me and actually made me feel like I was inside the story. I could relate with Lucy in several ways even though our lives are totally different. One thing I enjoyed was that this was the first time I had ever heard of an 'iron community'. Learning what life was like around this time and in these communities was very interesting to me. This is definitely a book I won't forget.

S.O.S. Titanic

S.O.S. Titanic 
By: Eve Bunting

Barry has just boarded the Titanic. Famous because she was said to be unsinkable, the Titanic leads Barry on a journey he will never forget. First he has to leave his grandparents and his home to go live with his parents. He barely knows his parents and is dreading the arrival. He has a chaperon that won't let Barry out of his sight. To top it all off, the awful Flynn family has even boarded the Titanic in search of a better life. Barry soon learns that everything is not what it seems. He begins to mature, grow up, and feel things he has never felt before. He starts to like the Flynn girl. He even begins to enjoy himself on this long journey to New York. Then disaster strikes.

From this point on, the famous story of Titanic comes about. With it comes a remarkable story of brains, hope, struggle, and survival. I really enjoyed the fact that this book was educational and fun to read. We have all heard what happened on the ship the night she sank. To have it put in story form was an excellent way of capturing the attention of a reader. I feel that this would be a great book to use in the classroom and can think of several activities that could be used to go along with it.

A Chilling Story: How Things Cool Down

A Chilling Story: How Things Cool Down
By: Eve and Albert Stwertka
Illustrated by: Mena Dolobowsky

This was probably one of my least favorite books that I've read. It was hard to stay awake when reading it. The illustrations I felt were very blah. Black and white makes a book almost feel like any old textbook as opposed to a good book. The information was kind of dry and explained in a way that wasn't very appealing to readers. The one thing I did like about this book was how it had important terms in bold. It then went on to explain what these terms mean. The book also contains a glossary in the back that was helpful. I wouldn't recommend this book for useful information. This would be a book that I consider to be more for leisure reading than anything. I feel that children might get bored very easily with this book.

Food Rules

Food Rules
By: Bill Haduch
Illustrated by: Rick Stromoski

Out of every informational book I've ever read, this has to be my favorite. I couldn't stop laughing and having fun when reading this book. The best thing a book can do is allow you to lose yourself in it and teach you something at the same thing. That's exactly what Bill Haduch and Rick Stromoski made happen. The pictures went along with the chapters really well. I liked how they had random facts and jokes along the inside of every page. It helped speed the process of reading along. I learned a lot from this book about food and nutrition that I didn't know before. This book contains a lot of information not just about food/nutrition, but about everything associated with it. This would be a great book to have younger children read in a Health class or just for fun. It's important to know about this kind of stuff so that you can remain healthy and be the best you can be.

Mission to Mars

Mission to Mars
By: Franklyn M. Branley
Illustrated by: True Kelley

This book is awesome! The solar system is one of my favorite things to learn/teach about. I just am blown away by all of the amazing things going on in space. This book has awesome illustrations that really allow for those interested in this topic to become even more interested. The illustrations are very detailed. The book also contains real life pictures which help make it more fun. There was a lot of information contained in this book that made me stop and think. I learned a lot about Mars that I didn't know. I think children will really enjoy this book. It's a quick, fun, and easy read. If you aren't interested in Mars, pick up this book and I promise you'll change your mind.

When Mommy Is Sick

When Mommy Is Sick
By: Ferne Sherkin-Langer
Illustrated by: Kay Life

I absolutely adored this book! This book made me feel many emotions. In this book, a little girl has a very hard time understanding why her mommy is sick all the time. She feels that it is unfair that all her friends have moms that are healthy. Luckily, her father teaches her a lot about what is going on. By the end of the book mother is well again. This is a great book to help children understand what is going on if they have a sick parent. Often times, children will not understand why their parents are sick. They feel helpless. Some even feel like it is their fault. Books like this can help eliminate those feelings and give a child some knowledge on what to do if they are ever faced with this situation. They can also help pass on this information to others they know suffering through the hard time of a parent being ill.

The Magic School Bus Explores the Senses

The Magic School Bus Explores the Senses
By: Joanna Cole
Illustrated by: Bruce Degen

This was the very first informational children's book that I have ever picked up. I enjoyed the fun aspect of the book. I thought the illustrations were fun and would be very appealing to younger audiences. The complaint I have about this book is that there was way too much going on when it came to the pages. Each page was jam packed with more information than I knew what to do with. It was hard for my eyes to know where to go. Once they found a spot they had a tendency to jump around. By the time I finished each page I hadn't learned much because I was too focused on a lot of things as opposed to just one. I feel that this wouldn't be a very good book to use with children for information. It is too distracting and they wouldn't know where to start. I haven't read any other books from this series, but I assume they are all written and illustrated the same way. While I know that understanding the five senses requires gaining a lot of knowledge about them, this book definitely overworked my eyes!

One Voice, Please

One Voice, Please
By: Sam McBratney
Illustrated by: Russell Ayto

This was probably one of my favorite books that I have stumbled across in a long time. Before this book, I hadn't read many fables. I had only heard of some of them and read a few here and there. This book is full of favorite short stories that one could consider fables. These stories were hilarious. I was laughing at each and every story. I loved that when reading these stories I felt like I was actually in them and could even relate to several of them. Many of them were very clever and got me thinking about how I live my own life. Almost every short story in here had a moral to it. I find that very neat. It would be great to read a short story out of this book at the end of every school day to your children. You could leave them with a 'Moral of the Day' each day. This book is even just a good read to use as bedtime stories. It's such an enjoyable book full of great things!

The Famous Adventures of Jack

The Famous Adventures of Jack
By: Berlie Doherty 

Having read the book Jack and the Beanstalk when I was younger, I thought I knew everything there was to know about the adventures little Jack went through. This story begins with young Jill who is told by a storyteller that it's time she met her Jack. When Jill meets Mother Greenwood, strange things begin to happen. Jill gets sucked into her many interesting stories. The only problem with finding Jack, is that there are so many of them. Every single Jack has a different story to tell. These stories captivate Jill and only further her drive for finding 'her' Jack. Each story gets more and more intense. Finally Jill finds herself in the middle of a story. She meets her Jack and several adventures are shared between the two of them. She finds herself wondering many things about the situations she finds herself in. But how long will this last? Why are all these strange events happening? Why has she never heard these stories before? Is this a dream? I guess you'll have to read the story to find out. The only thing this book proved to me is that I truly, honestly, completely don't know Jack!

Lousy Rotten Stinkin' Grapes

Lousy Rotten Stinkin' Grapes
By: Margie Palatini
Illustrated by: Barry Moser

What I love about this book is that the two authors who collaborated on this story, gave a little twist to the famous Aesop's Fable "The Fox and the Grapes." This fox really wanted some grapes that were dangling atop a tree. Having tried to reach them himself several times, he gives up and starts calling on his animal friends for help. Each animal tries to give Fox a suggestion on how they could get the grapes down but he responds each time with the following: "Ta-ta-ta-ta-ta. After all, I'm the fox. Sly. Clever. Smart. I know how to get grapes." Finally after several failed attempts Fox gives up. His animal friends however, proceed to tell him the many ways they could have gotten the grapes down. Fox replies angrily asking why none of them told him this to begin with. Finally, Fox walks away leaving the other animals with the grapes. By the end of the story, he doesn't want any lousy, rotten, stinkin' grapes anyway.
This book had me laughing the entire time and wondering why this Fox was so self absorbed. I had never before read the Aesop's Fable tale or this one. It was interesting to see how the story played out and there was definitely a lesson of morality to learn here. I will definitely share this book with my future students.

Diary of a Wimpy Kid Series (6 books)

Diary of a Wimpy Kid
By: Jeff Kinney

Book 1: Diary of a Wimpy Kid
From beginning to end this book had me laughing hysterically. Greg Heffley reminds us all that it's okay to be an awkward middle school kid. As we all know, starting middle school isn't easy. You have new teachers to meet and new friends to make. You have to actually move around the school each class period. We all know that the homework amount will put us on overload once we reach middle school.

Greg feels like the outcast in his school. It seems that good things are happening for everyone else, even his best friend Rowley. After all, Greg loses his safety patrol spot, has his cartoon taken out of the newspaper, and even takes the blame for the dreaded _ _ _ _ _ _ incident. Little does Greg know, he is like everyone else. He feels awkward and has overprotective parents. He has an older brother who just loves to embarrass him. He even has a younger brother who seems to get his way no matter what he does. The first book in this series leaves me wondering if Greg will ever feel like he belongs!

*You will have to read the book to understand the _ _ _ _ _ _ incident :)

Book 2: Rodrick Rules 

The only thing Greg wants to do is have a normal year at school. For once, he is ready to start fresh and forget about everything from the past. He especially wants to make sure his "secret" from the summer is kept. The only person who knows is his brother Rodrick. Rodrick begins to hold this "secret" over Greg's head. Greg will do almost anything to make sure his secret doesn't get out.

To top that all off, he is becoming busier and busier. Trying to make his baby brother Manny happy, his parents happy, write a pen pal, practice for the talent show (since he broke Rowley's toe), and keep up with school work becomes a struggle for him. I found myself fighting the battle of prioritizing with Greg. Greg's character is absolutely hilarious in this sequel. I couldn't stop laughing at the hilarious ways this kid comes up with coping with everyday life. I have a feeling these books are just going to keep getting better. 

*You will have to read the book to know the 'secret' :)

Book 3: The Last Straw 

Well, Jeff Kinney has done it again! As if Greg's life couldn't get any more hectic or unfair, he is somewhat forced to grow up in this book. The story begins with Greg's Christmas. Once again, he receives nothing he likes. He watched Manny squeal in delight at all of the wonderful things he has been given. When Uncle Charlie gives Greg a laundry hoop, life begins to spiral out of control. Mom and Dad think it's time for Greg to grow up. Mom wants Greg to do his own laundry and dad wants to send him to military school. All thanks to a stupid Christmas present and Lenwood Heath. Greg does just about everything to prove to his father that he doesn't belong in military school.

And as always, the embarrassing moments continue to happen. Greg is still trying to impress Holly, while having to deal with sitting on Manny's chocolate candy on the way to church. The outcome of that happening was probably one of the funniest things I've read in a while.

And then there's Trista....

*You will have to read the book to find out about little Miss Trista!

Book 4: Dog Days 

We all know what it's like when school gets out. It's summertime and we all just want to have fun! That's exactly what Greg's main focus is in this book. He would rather stay inside and play video games all summer than go outside and do something productive. His mother on the other hand, has a different idea. She just wants to have a nice family vacation. After telling Greg and the kids they won't be able to afford to go to the beach this summer, Greg knows it's about to be a crazy summer. They try to go on one family vacation, but as soon as they get there they get rained out.

Luckily, Rowley's family takes Greg to the beach with them. When they arrive, Greg is disappointed. He realized the cabin they are staying in is far from the beach, has no television or video games, and he even has to sleep in the same bed as Rowley. Well, they end up coming back a few days early from vacation, but that's a different story for a different day.

Finally though, Greg realizes the lovely Heather Hills is the lifeguard at the town pool. While he hates going there, he loves being her sidekick and doing things for her. He refills her water glass when she needs it, stands next to her and helps discipline those who are not following pool rules, and even tries to take a picture with her. After realizing that maybe Heather Hills isn't the one for him, Greg begins to wonder if his life is ever going to take a turn for the better!

*You will have to read the book to find out why the Johnson Family (plus Greg) vacation was cut short!

Book 5: The Ugly Truth

We all feel different about change. Some of us like and embrace change. Others of us run from it and wish that things could always stay the same. Well in the final book in this series, Greg is finally learning that change is inevitable. He is learning that he is about to hit puberty, schoolwork is getting harder, boy/girl parties are happening, and he even has to do his own laundry! Even him and Rowley don't speak to each other for the longest time. Greg thinks he has it really rough.

Eventually things begin to get better, or so it seems. When his mother hires maid Isabella to clean their house, Greg thinks he is finally going to get out of a little bit of the 'change' going on in his household. That is until he learns she's been taking naps in his bed, eating their food, and it seems all she does is watch television. Eventually mom decides she's had enough of Isabella. The school even throws a lock-in party for the kids. Greg thinks there are going to be a lot of girls there so he gets excited. It turns out the lock-in was a total bust. Greg begins to wonder how much worse things are going to get, especially when his grandma gives him the "talk." It seems that Greg learns to embrace change by the end of the book and even starts to become friends with Rowley again. Overall, Greg decides his life really isn't that bad after all. Maybe change isn't so bad either.

*You will have to read the book to hear the famous "talk" from Gammie.

Book 6: Bonus: Diary of a Wimpy Kid Do-It-Yourself Book

I LOVED this book. It was very creative of Jeff Kinney to create a book where you could do your own thing. While it wasn't so much a book that you read, it was one you got to be involved in. I think kids would really enjoy this. You can write your own life-story in the book and there are even fun games to play. What kid wouldn't love that? We've heard all about Greg for five books, and now it's finally our turn!

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian
By: Sherman Alexie

When first reading this book, I had some concerns and issues with the language being used within it. Curse words, inappropriate phrases, and odd language are pretty much dispersed throughout the entire book. By the end, I realized that everything Sherman Alexie used in this book including his language choices, were for a reason. It helped me distinguish this book from any other one I have ever read.

I loved reading about Arnold Spirit and his awkward lifestyle. Arnold is an Indian. A Spokane Indian to be exact, living on the Spokane Indian reservation. He decides to venture away from the reservation and make something of himself. He attends a rich 'white' kid school. There he becomes a social outcast. He is made fun of, looked down upon, and treated like he doesn't even exist. Despite this, Arnold overcomes many trials and tribulations. He ventures through these like a champ! He has courage, determination, and drive unlike anyone I have ever seen.

Who can forget his friendship with Rowdy? Although this friendship is made out to be very strange in the book, I believe these two have a friendship that many people aren't fortunate enough to ever experience. They are very blunt and honest with one another. Even through fights, unhappiness with each other, and tough competition; they manage to pull through everything thrown their way.

Arnold learns to embrace his inner being and becomes proud of who he is. He realizes he doesn't have to be like everyone else and isn't ashamed to just be Arnold.

There is only one word for this book: INCREDIBLE.

Esperanza Rising

Esperanza Rising
By: Pam Munoz Ryan

I think each and every one of us struggles with finding who we are at one point in our life. There comes a time where we are unsure of the answers to the following questions: Who am I? Who do I want to be? What do I want out of life? Meeting Esperanza and following her story as she found out her very own answers to these questions was a journey I will never forget.
I can't imagine losing my father. I can't imagine having to pack up life as I know it, and start all over. Especially when my life was incredible and things came very easy to me. I also can't imagine having my mother fall very ill and not seeing my grandmother for a whole year. Despite all of her hardships, I enjoyed watching Esperanza learn how to adjust to camp life. I loved watching her grow into a beautiful young woman full of wisdom, laughter, and knowledge she would have never gained had nothing bad happened to her. She became appreciative of all she has and showed her true colors by the end of the novel.
From the second I picked up this book, I knew I was going to love it. This book was an absolute page turner.

Yellow Star

Yellow Star
By: Jennifer Roy

The Holocaust. Even writing the word makes me feel queasy. I used to think I already knew everything about the Holocaust and it's events, so there was no need to reiterate it as it makes me upset. The book Yellow Star has completely changed my life. I say that honestly and couldn't be more thankful that I was able to get my hands on this book.

From the second I picked up the book, I knew it was going to be one that I couldn't put down. The story is all about how the Germans invaded the town of Lodz in Poland in 1939. 270,000 Jews were forced to stay there in the so called 'ghetto'. Only 800 people survived. 12 of those people were children. The story is told by Syvia Perlmutter. She was one of the children who survived.

For six years, she endured hiding, starvation, illness, boredom, unfair treatment, and lived a life of an animal rather than a human. I can't even begin to imagine what her and the others placed in these ghettos had to go through. I'm not sure I would want to imagine. She is a true fighter. This is a true story of strength and courage unlike any other book I've read. I can honestly say it is officially my favorite book.

The Way A Door Closes

The Way A Door Closes
By: Hope Anita Smith
Illustrated by: Shane W. Evans

This story was the very first piece of poetry I have ever picked up voluntarily and read. I can honestly say that this story inspired me and moved me in a way that I didn't know was possible. You always think your life is so bad, until you read or hear about other things going on in the world. This story made me thankful for my life and everything in it.

C.J. is a 13 year old boy just trying to find his place in this world. He probably knows more hurt at 13 than someone at his age should. His father up and leaves his family, which causes a lot of stress, emotions, and tension. Despite this, C.J. manages to hold his head high and do what he knows is best for him and his family. He takes initiative and fills in for his father while he is gone. He learns to appreciate the little things in life and is thankful for everything that has happened to him good and bad.

C.J. even claims he can tell how good or bad things are going to be by the way a door closes. I love the symbolism in this book. I will be listening more intently next time a door near me closes.

Something About America

Something About America
By: Maria Testa

The first thing I love about this poetry book, is the fact that it is inspired by true events. True events that the author went through herself. The cover of the book is good at drawing your eye in and making you wonder just what the story is all about.

After war breaks out in Kosova, Yugoslavia, the character in this story moves to America with her family to escape the terrors of war. While there, her family endures hardships, financial struggles, emotional struggles, physical struggles, and tries to fit in. While she begins to feel like she is almost a true American, events keep happening that make her question whether or not America is really as great as it is said to be. Despite everything, she manages to stay true to herself and is proud of her beliefs and all she stands for.

Following the journey from start to finish in this story was a true pleasure. It gave me insight on something I knew nothing about before picking up this story.

There is a Flower at the Tip of My Nose Smelling Me

There is a Flower at the Tip of My Nose Smelling Me
By: Alice Walker
Illustrated by: Stefano Vitale

What first drew me to this book was the odd title it has. There is a Flower at the Tip of My Nose Smelling Me has to be the most unusual title I've ever seen a book have. The words within the pages are unusual too. Or are they? It seems that in this poetry book, nature and creativity take over the character rather than the character taking over those two things herself. The illustrations in this book are incredible and go along with the story line very well. I think this is a truly unique poetry book. Younger grades would enjoy it as well as older ones. The poems in here take you to another world and allow you to look at things from a different perspective, which I think is really neat!

Book to Movie Review: Jumanji

Kelsie Lomax

Book to Movie Review

          I chose the book Jumanji by Chris Van Allsburg and watched the movie to accompany it. When it came to the original story line, I think the producers pretty much stuck to the original. There were only a few differences. For instance, the producers kept the strange happenings involving animals the same. The book and the movie contained the parts where monkeys raided the kitchen. They also contained the lion appearing out of nowhere. Another similarity was keeping the original characters names of Judy and Peter. There were a few major differences. In the movie, they portray a boy caught in the game for 26 years. Judy and Peter suddenly bring him out of the game by rolling a five or an eight. The book mentions nothing of this. Another major difference is how in the movie, the children live with their aunt because their parents passed away. In the book the children are two kids with parents who are very much alive.

          I agree with the casting selections very much so. I feel that the people cast in the film did their very best to bring the book to life. Peter and Judy are played by people who even look like the children in the book. Although the illustrations are vague, you can definitely spot similarities. The cast also does a great job of reiterating most of what was said in the storyline. Animation is not used in the movie, which I think was the correct choice. Animation simply would not have sufficed here. The real people and good graphics used really helped keep one interested. Therefore, I wouldn’t change the cast that was chosen for this movie as I strongly feel each and every cast member chosen played the part very well.

          When it comes to the movie and the book, I prefer the movie. Normally I am a book person, as it takes me to another world when I read. However, Jumanji is a short book that didn’t contain enough information to keep me interested. The book is very vague and predictable. Also, I feel as though the book should have contained more detail. It was mostly a picture book. I found it to be quite boring. I like to be entertained and drawn into stories when reading a book. I simply didn’t get to experience that feeling when I had the actual story in my hands.  However, the movie picks up details that the book should have contained. Everything portrayed in the movie absolutely kept me hanging on. It brought the story to life and helped me get a better understanding of what Jumanji is really about. In the movie, more strange happenings occurred, the story was changed up a bit, and other characters were brought into the mix. This helped make things a bit more interesting.

          Last but not least, I would give the movie a (very) positive thumbs up. I have never before seen the movie before this project, so it was new to me. This was also the first time I had read the book. I think the movie is fun, upbeat, entertaining, detailed, explanatory, action packed, and unpredictable. I feel that those are all qualities that make a movie great and fun to watch. The producer obviously put a lot of thought into making this a great film and it was very much appreciated by me when viewing it. I think the book was made into a movie for many reasons. I think each and every reason has to do with entertainment purposes. Personally, I don’t find this movie to be educational or serve any educational purpose at all. It is fun to watch but that is about as far as it goes. I probably wouldn’t show this in my classroom unless we were taking a little ‘break’ from our studies.

         

Weedflower

Weedflower
By: Cynthia Kadohata

When first opening the book Weedflower, I really had no intention or thought that I would ever like it. It was something out of my element. It was definitely something I would have never looked at and picked up on my own terms. However after reading this powerful story, I can honestly say I adore the book.

Sumiko is a twelve year old Japanese girl. She lives a normal life with her family in California. However, on December 7, 1941, Pearl Harbor was bombed. For this reason, her family is uprooted and placed in a detainment camp in Arizona. Everyone begins to blame every Japanese person for being a spy. Everything her family has ever known is ripped away from them and she becomes very unhappy. The Japanese become targets of racism, segregation, and are blamed for everything associated with the happenings at Pearl Harbor. The Japanese were treated like animals during this time period, and that to me is heartbreaking.

Despite all of this, Sumiko stays strong. During her time at the camp, the friendship she develops with Frank is inspirational. She is a fighter, and one that never gives up. This story is very uplifting. Sumiko's story has inspired me to learn more about Japanese Americans at this time. It absolutely left me wanting more. I will always remember this book.

Smile

Smile
By: Raina Telgemeier

This was the very first graphic novel I have ever read. That being said, the whole story left me wanting more. The story is about a girl named Raina (which I find interesting considering the author's name is also Raina). Raina is in 6th grade and wants nothing more than to just fit it. It seems that when one thing goes wrong, her whole world comes crashing down with it. Between getting braces, dealing with her annoying siblings, drifting apart from friends and starting high-school, Raina wonders how she is ever going to make it through life.

Eventually, little by little things start to get better. She finds who she truly is despite all that has happened to her. She finds a new group of friends, stops worrying so much about boys, and even starts to get along better with her family.

I think this is an awesome book! I feel that children in middle school and even high school would enjoy this book. It is definitely set up with a story line that young adults can relate to. That is what made this book so enjoyable. It could let kids know they are never alone and can make it through anything that is thrown their way.

It's My School

It's My School
By: Sally Grindly
Illustrations by Margaret Chamberlain

I really enjoyed this cute little story. The story is about a little girl named Alice and her older brother Tom. Tom is upset because Alice is entering kindergarten at the same school he goes to. He is not happy about sharing his school with his baby sister. He argues with his parents and gets angry at the thought of Alice at HIS school.

Everything changes the first day she is there when Tom hears a cry on the playground and realizes the cry came from Alice. Some child took away Alice's teddy bear and Tom saves the day. He even gives his baby sister a kiss. After this, he is proud to have her at school and she feels that she is going to be just fine at her new school with her awesome older brother. They can honestly say they had a great first day of school together.

I think this book would be great to use with younger students. Those who are expecting younger siblings would especially benefit from this and realize it's not the end of the world to have someone else brought into the mix. I also think it is an enjoyable story to read just for fun.

The Boss Baby

The Boss Baby
By: Marla Frazee

Hands down one of the most genius books I have ever read. I am an adult who enjoyed this book probably more than most kids would. The story tells of a hilarious little baby boy who is the 'boss' and he knows it. This boss baby sets up office right in the middle of his home, makes his mother and father work round-the-clock, and makes many, many demands. As the "boss" this baby truly lives the high life. From daily trips to the spa (his bathtub) to trips in his private jet (his bungee jumper), this is truly one bossy baby.

My favorite thing about this book was the illustrations. They are hilarious! They truly bring the emotions of the baby and his parents out. You can tell when the boss is frustrated, happy, or even downright angry. This book is a great read. Keep in mind while reading that there is a boss, and ONE boss only.

Kiss Good Night

Kiss Good Night
By: Amy Hest
Illustrated by Anita Jeram

Although I have only recently started reading picture books, I believe this is one of the best I have stumbled upon illustration wise. The illustrations truly bring this story to life. Each and every picture goes with the words on the page. The pictures definitely stand out more than the text. This allows for imagination to run wild with children.

The book tells of a little bear named Sam who just wants a kiss goodnight so that he may finally go to bed. While it takes a while for Mrs. Bear to figure out what is missing from the bedtime routine, it is very adorable when she finally does. Kindergarten would especially enjoy this book.

The Baby on The Way

The Baby on The Way
By: Karen English
Pictures by Sean Qualls

Every child at some point in their life wonders about babies. They wonder where they come from, how they got here, and many other things. This story does a beautiful job of explaining the amazing story of birth. Without going into too much detail, it allows children to see what it is like in the world of a mother.

This would be a great book to use if a child in your classroom was expecting a little brother or sister. It would also allow for a good discussion. The children could be given an assignment to go home and ask their parents about their "baby" story. They could then share them with the class. I think this would be an awesome book to read and have activities to go along with it.

The Bee

The Bee
By: Lisa Campbell Ernst
Illustrated by Lee Ernst

This awesome picture book allows one to follow along on the journey of one busy bee! This bee leaves his hive to fly high in the sky! He stops to look at the flowers, visit his dog friend, and even toughs out the rain. This short picture book contains so much information that would be great to use with pre-readers.

I think this book would be really great to use when learning colors. The colors are spelled out and even illustrated throughout the book. As the bee progresses throughout his journey, he is shown new colors. With so few words, this story leaves a lot of room for imagination. This would be great to do a discussion with. You could ask the students several questions. What is the bee thinking? Where is he going? What else do you think he saw? What other colors do you think he saw?

Take this bee-utiful journey and find out!

Leon's Story

Leon's Story
By: Leon Walter Tillage, Susan L. Roth

When I first heard of this book, I figured it was going to be like every other book about slavery that I had read. I almost had a stand-offish attitude toward the story. I thought I already knew everything there was to know about this subject. I was ready to read something different. Within the first few turns of just a few pages, I realized how little I actually knew.

You always hear about what some blacks had to go through during these times. You hear of hard work, hard labor, being taken away from your family, starvation, disease, and a little about the KKK. Leon's Story brought these issues to life due to the fact that it is an actual account of something a real life person had to go through.

 I can't even begin to imagine what life would have been like. I can't imagine spending my whole life building something, for nothing. I can't imagine spending my life working for next to nothing and knowing I was never going to be free from debt. I can't imagine losing family members or watching my loved ones suffer. All because the color of my skin.

This story brought out emotions in me that I wasn't aware I had. I was laughing. I was crying. I was angry. I was frustrated. I could feel the pain that the main character felt. What a journey this story took me on! I encourage all of you to take the same journey and to really brace yourself for one story you'll never forget.

Who's Scared? Not Me!

Who's Scared? Not Me!
By: Judith St. George

Being a child that had to move and pack up her whole life for something as simple as a job, I found this story very easy to relate to. Micki Unger moves to New York City for the summer because her younger sister Beth needs surgery. Her mother barely has time for her because she is busy taking care of Beth. It seems the only person who even gives Micki the time of day anymore is her dog. That being said, this gives Micki many opportunities to explore and get herself into trouble.

One day, while walking with her dog (Jiggs), she stumbles across a strange lady. It's funny, but this lady seems to only be visible to Micki.  Micki soon realizes that she has become part of a mystery and it is up to her to solve it. She may have to give up more than she bargained for to do so.

While this wasn't one of my favorite books, I tried to be open minded. I feel that the mystery was very predictable. It didn't leave room for imagination, throw out twists and turns, or keep me on the edge of my seat. I was able to follow along with the story and guess what came next. A good mystery should be exactly that. That being said, this is not to say that children won't enjoy this book. I think that they will as I find it is an easy read.

The Princess Test

The Princess Test
By: Gail Carson Levine

At one point in our lives I think we all have realized that there are things we are good at. Then there are things we realize we aren't so good at. Lorelei is nothing but a mere blacksmith's daughter. She also happens to be terrible at almost everything she does. She can't sew, clean, cook, do laundry, and is always sick. She even has to have someone look after her and take care of her at all times!

Even though Lorelei is no princess, Prince Nicholas falls in love with her. He wants nothing more than to marry her. First, she must pass the 'princess test.' The series of tests are designed by his parents to single out fake princesses so that Prince Nicholas will truly marry someone worth of his love. Join Lorelei on her journey to becoming a true princess!

Louise, The Adventures of a Chicken

Louise, The Adventures of a Chicken
By: Kate DiCamillo, Harry Bliss (Illustrator)


Louise is one chicken who just can't seem to stay out of trouble. All she wants is a little adventure. I mean, come on! We all want to have some kind of adventure in our lives. Some of us are just more into taking risks than others.

This would be a great book to read to younger audiences. It's a hilarious read, that children will find enjoyable. Especially because younger audiences will be able to relate. Every child wants adventure in their life. They love wandering into the unknown and dreaming about what could be in their adorable little lives. Louise can help them understand what it's like to really live life on the edge!

Bud, Not Buddy

Bud, Not Buddy
By: Christopher Paul Curtis

Until reading this story, I had a hard time relating to characters within books. Although Bud and I have not gone through the same trials and tribulations in life, we share one common trait: determination. With Bud being an orphan and trying to find his place here in this "big" world, the story becomes very easy to relate to. At one point in time, we all fight to find our place in the world. We have all felt like an orphan, that is 'alone' in some sense.

It also shows what life was like back in the time period of depression. It's a great book to give children insight on exactly what was going on. While Bud and his story are not based on facts, they are based on similar stories. That in itself is very interesting.
This is honestly one book you can't put down. You can't help falling in love with this story.

Because of Winn-Dixie

Because of Winn-Dixie
By: Kate DiCamillo

You can describe this wonderful story in two words: amazing and inspirational. From beginning to end, this story of friendship is incredibly inspiring. It was enjoyable. I found myself laughing, crying, and praying that Winn-Dixie would keep himself out of trouble with each turn of the page.

I believe that each and every one of us has that one special friend that we can rely on to help us through anything. That friend could be the person who has been in your life since kindergarten, a stuffed animal, an actual animal, and adult, a teacher. The possibilities are endless. What's important is the way we can relate to that friend unlike we are able to relate to anyone else. Winn-Dixie is a prime example of that friend.

This remarkable read should be used in classrooms worldwide. Many life lessons can be seen from this book.

A Sick Day for Amos McGee

A Sick Day for Amos McGee
By: Philip C. Stead

We all know what it's like to be sick. Your head is pounding. Your body is aching. Your nose is stuffy. All you want to do is sleep all day. Amos McGee knows better than anyone just how it feels to be cooped up and sick.

Amos McGee was a zookeeper. He was a very friendly one. Each and every day he would take time out to visit with his animal friends. His animal friends were the elephant, the tortoise, the penguin, the rhinoceros, and the owl. Each animal had a special thing they did with Amos McGee every day.

One day, Amos McGee didn't come to work because he fell very ill. He felt like he needed to stay in bed all day and catch up on rest. His animal friends were very sad. Who would play chess with the elephant? Who would read to the owl? Eventually the animal friends became very tired of waiting around for Amos McGee. They all decided to visit him at his home. They did just that. They took very good care of Amos McGee and they all had a great time. They were even able to make him feel better.

This story is an excellent one, especially for younger audiences. A Sick Day for Amos McGee illustrates/depicts the perfect picture of true friendship. We all depend on our friends and in our times of need, they will always be there to cheer us up! What a wonderful life lesson for anyone.

Powerless

Powerless
By: Matthew Cody

At some point in time, I'm sure each and every one of us has felt 'powerless' in a sense. If not, I hate to break it to you but your time will come. That's exactly how twelve-year-old Daniel Corrigan feels when his family has to relocate to a new town because his grandmother is very ill. Right away, Daniel realizes everyone in Noble's Green is very odd. He doesn't realize how odd until he finds himself involved with a very unique group of friends.

Daniel develops friendships with other children who can fly, turn invisible, and even control electricity. The big mystery is why the special "superheroes" of Noble's Green seem to lose their powers at the age of thirteen. The friends come together to fight an evil memory/power stealing villain. In the process of figuring out this so called mystery, the friends learn just what being a true friend is all about.

This book was truly a great read. I honestly couldn't put the book down and was disappointed when it ended. This story goes to show that you don't have to have superpowers to be a true superhero. Anything is possible if you put your mind to it.

Panda Kindergarten

Panda Kindergarten
By: Joanne Ryder

This children's book is about sixteen young giant panda cubs who are at the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda at the Wolong Nature Preserve. I would use the term "children's" very lightly. As an adult reading this story, I found myself falling in love with the story of these adorable cubs from cover to cover.

These panda cubs are shown being raised together and playing together. We are shown different skills they acquire over time to help them to be able to survive in the wild. The cubs have grown up together in this anything but 'ordinary' kindergarten class.

This book is a great read containing lots of factual information and incredible pictures that really bring the story of these incredible cubs to live. Thanks to the staff at the Wolong Nature Preserve, these cubs finally have a true chance of survival. This is the story of their journey toward a better life.

I think younger audiences will definitely enjoy this book. It would be great for teaching younger children about the different kinds of animals and the lifestyles they live.

Extra Credit

Extra Credit
By: Andrew Clements

Imagine you've just been told you are failing school. Your parents are angry with you, you might not move to the next grade with your friends you have known forever, and your teachers are constantly assigning more and more homework. Just when you think things at school can't get any worse, you are told that in order to pass you will have to pass every test/homework assignment given to you from this point on. You also have to complete a huge extra credit project that is going to take lots of careful planning and time.

Luckily for Abby Carson, (who happens to be the failing student) her extra credit project turns out to be one of the best things to ever happen to her. Sadeed Bayat becomes her pen pal. At first, things were very rocky and unstable. Abby and Sadeed manage to overcome several obstacles that are thrown their way while being pen pals. The courage, determination, and positive attitude these two individuals demonstrate make this a great read for children.

Children will want to read this book without ever putting it down. Not only it is a quick read, but the cultural information contained within the book is very interesting. One can't help but falling in love with the story of Abby and Sadeed's friendship. It's inspirational and very easy to relate to.

I think this would also be a very good book to do a pen pal project with your own group of students. They could each find a pen pal in another country and do exactly what Abby Carson does. There are so many different paths you could take project wise for this awesome book!