Blogroll

Other Children's Lit Blogs I have checked out:

• Miss Rumphius Effect http://missrumphiuseffect.blogspot.com/

• Poetry For Children: http://poetryforchildren.blogspot.com/

• Educating Alic: http://medinger.wordpress.com
  

Picture Book 1- 1 2 3 A Child's First Counting Book

Author: Alison Jay
Title: 1 2 3 A Child's First Counting Book
Publisher: The Templar Company
Date: 1-26-09

Age Level: PreK

Summary: 1 2 3 is a book that is a whimsical book that is designed to help children learn their numbers 1 through 10. The illustrations are done using scenes from ten favorite fairy tales.

Strengths: The best part of this book in my opinion is that it is a counting book that teaches children how to count, but does so by having each number correspond and allude to a well known fairytale. This is especially fun for children because they can try and figure out what fairy tale is in each picture.
At the back of the book is a key that tells each child which fairy tale was mentioned.

Concerns: My only concern regarding this book is that the pictures go from 1 to 10 and then begin to go in reverse order 9,8,7 etc. back to 1. I was thrown off and a bit confused while reading it and I obviously have a good grasp on counting so I wonder if it might confuse a child a bit and throw them off during their first read through.

Classroom use/Other comments:
Despite the possible concern over the unusual counting strategy, I feel that this would be an enjoyable read-a-loud for a teacher to read to her preschool or even kindergarten students.

Picture Book 2- Alfie's ABC

Author: Shirley Hughes
Title: Alfie's ABC
Publisher: Lothrop, Lee & Shepard Books
Date: 1-26-09

Age Level: PreK

Summary: Alfie’s ABC is an alphabet book filled with fun and stories about his four-year-old antics.

Strengths: The pictures were beautifully done and corresponded well with the pictures. I felt this book was most appropriate for children in the PreK range because the content related to their day to day lives best. In addition, the pictures were done so well because they were detailed enough that a child who could not yet read could look through and get an idea of what was going on.


Concerns:
My only concern for this book is that it is written so much around the life of this boy Alfie and young children who do not share many of the same characteristics as him, for example having neighbors named the McNallys or a cat named Boots, may become slightly uninterested because they cannot relate to the story. However, one can argue that the details truly bring the character to life so it depends on the reader.
Classroom use/Other comments:
I thought this was a good example of an ABC concept book for young children. However, it may not be one that a teacher should read aloud to the class, as it may be better for her to choose a broader one. But overall, it was a charming story with adorable pictures.

Picture Book 3- Flotsam

Author: David Wiesner
Title: Flotsam
Publisher: Clarion Books
Date: February 1st, 2009

Age Level: Pre K- Upper

Summary: A wordless picture book about the adventures of a boy when he finds a treasure washed up on the beach.

Strengths: Despite the fact that this book contains no text, it is perhaps one of the most descriptive children’s books I have ever read. The illustrations are absolutely gorgeous and are detailed enough for the reader to draw intimate conclusions about the main character through reading it only once. The creativity shown in the pictures is also impressive.

Concerns: I truly could find little that I did not like about this book. My only piece of advice after reading it would be that although I think it can be read by all ages because it is a wordless book, I also think that older children might appreciate the story more because the ending might be easier to understand if one was older.

Classroom use/Other comments: I think this book would be wonderful to use in the classroom. Perhaps it can be used as a writing activity in the older grades, if the teacher were to have the students write text for each page in the book. Another idea would be if the teacher was doing a unit on the beach or ocean.


Picture Book 4- Frog and Toad
Author: Arnold Lobel
Title: Frog and Toad Are Friends
Publisher: HarperCollins
Date: February 3rd 2009

Age Level: Pre K- Primary

Strengths: This book is absolutely perfect for a beginning reader. The chapters are short and the words are mostly familiar but not without a challenge throw in from time to time. The adventures that Frog and Toad get into are funny and silly enough to keep the attention of the reader and also sweet enough to have them want to read more. The text is also big and double spaced making it easy for a beginning reader to read or to follow if it is read to them aloud.


Concerns: Although the storyline is cute and poignant, I feel that the pictures could be a bit more colorful to add to the story. Most look the same because the same colors are used throughout.

Classroom use/Other comments: This would be a great book to use in a reading group and to check assessment because there is a good deal of content within the text.


Picture Book 5- Grace For President

Author: Kelly DiPucchio
Title: Grace For President
Publisher: Hyperion
Date: February 3rd, 2009
Multicultural

Age Level: Elementary

Summary: When Grace’s teacher reveals that the United States has never had a female president, Grace decides to be the first. She starts off her political career as a candidate in the school’s mock election.

Strengths: This book had very cool illustrations throughout that were different almost on every page. Some were full page spreads, while others were small spot pictures. The illustrations made the characters appear equally cartoon and real like. The story itself was inspirational and brought up the much needed issue or need for women in politics. The main character also happened to be black so it was a fitting book to go with current events- a black, woman president- perhaps the next step in progression.


Concerns: One major concern I had with the book, is that the author tried hard to give the reader an brief introduction to the American electoral system and fails in doing so. The text has gotten so bogged down with definitions and facts about electoral votes and representatives that it loses some of the sense of character- especially for the main character, Grace- the person that the reader is supposed to be rooting for.

Classroom use/Other comments: This book would have been a perfect read-aloud this fall/winter because of current events. This book can also be read in the classroom to provide an example of what hard work, courage and independent thought can lead to.

Picture Book 6- White Is For Blueberry


Author: George Shannon
Title: White Is For Blueberry
Publisher: Greenwillow
Date: February 5th, 2009

Age Level: PreK

Summary: White Is For Blueberry is a picture book based on color and interesting facts that young children will love.

Strengths: I absolutely fell in love with the pictures of this book. The illustrator does such a beautiful job making the colors pop it is hard to turn the page…except of course you want to find out what is on the next. I really liked this book a lot and think it is a great book to read to young children especially those who are learning their colors because they will enjoy learning all the fun facts along with you.


Concerns: My only concern is that this book might be slightly confusing for young readers to read alone because of the confusion on color so I would definitely recommend that a parent read along with their child but if done I think that any kid would love it.

Classroom use/Other comments: This would be a great book to read aloud in class…it has similar qualities as Brown Bear, Brown Bear.


Traditional Book 1- Stockings of Buttermilk
Author: Edited by Neil Philip
Title: Stockings of Buttermilk, American Folktales
Publisher: Clarion Books
Date: February 5th 2009

Age Level: Upper

Summary: Stockings of Buttermilk is a collection of American Folktales told in a number of different states. The stories are organized in a table of contents with the title of each piece and the state in which it can be traced back to, beside it.

Strengths: Many of the stories included in the book are different versions of well known stories such as Cinderella and the story A Stepchild That Was Treated Mighty Bad, traced from Kentucky. The unique thing about these folktales is that they are all written using language that is common to the area in which they are told. The words that are used are simple and often make the reader feel as if they are sitting in someone’s living room listening to the intimate story being told aloud.

Concerns: Some of the content included in the stories may be a bit too mature for young readers. Some of the stories included violence and language that is borderline inappropriate, however, in doing so it depicts an unedited example of perhaps the way some people live their lives in the areas in which the stories originate.

Classroom use/Other comments: I do not know that I would necessarily use this book within the classroom simply because I could find it a bit controversial. Perhaps, if one was studying folktales and how they differed from region to region, state to state, country to country it would be a good source. This book could also be a good example of American folktales in school, as long as the reader was old enough and familiar enough with proper grammar to realize that the text is written informally as if it were a dialogue rather than a formal piece of literature.


Traditional Book 2- Beauty and the Beast
Author: Retold and Illustrated- Warwick Hutton
Title: Beauty and the Beast
Publisher: McClelland & Stewart, Ltd.
Date: February 10tht, 2009

Age Level: Elementary- Upper

Summary: Through her great capacity to love, a kind and beautiful maid releases a handsome prince from the spell which has made him an ugly beast.

Strengths: This version of Beauty and the Beast was different from any other version I had read before and for that reason I found it intriguing as I read through it. The pictures were also beautiful to look at and went well with the text.


Concerns: My main concern for this book is how aggressive the Beast was towards Beauty. He does not allow her to do so many things include go home at first to see her sick father but then the story immediately switches, evoking sympathy from the reader and having him suddenly turn into this sweet, caring person. This confused me. Is the author insinuating that good character is directly proportional to how good looking one is? I am concerned that younger readers may become confused by this idea.

Classroom use/Other comments: I do not think that I would necessarily use this in the classroom and would probably look to other versions of Beauty in the Beast instead.

Traditional Book 3- Red Thread

Author: Ed Young
Title: Red Thread
Publisher: Philomel Books
Date: February 10th, 2009
Multicultural

Age Level: Elementary- Upper

Summary: Early one morning Wei Gu meets an old man from the spirit world who tells the young bachelor about his future bride and their life together.

Strengths: This was a very unique folktale from China that allowed me a peek into ancient Chinese culture that I otherwise know little about. The watercolors are more detailed that any I have ever seen before.

Concerns: The storyline itself is too sinister to allow me to enjoy the book for what it is. Perhaps it is the culture gap that cannot be crossed that made me dislike this story so much but the vocabulary used to help tell the story bothered me almost as much. It is definitely a folktale that I was not familiar with prior to reading the story and it was hard for me to find a point to the ominous story.

Classroom use/Other comments: I would not choose to use this book within the classroom. Although I think it is extremely important to be culturally aware and to teach my students to be tolerant of people and of cultures that are different from themselves, I feel completely uncomfortable with the idea of killing babies because they are “ugly.”

Traditional Book 4- The Man In the Moon
Author: Alta Jablow and Carl Withers
Title: The Man in the Moon, Sky Tales from Many Lands
Publisher: Holt, Rinehart and Winston
Date: February 12th, 2009

Age Level: Upper

Summary: This book is a collection of folktales from many different places. The stories are presented exactly as they were found or with slight adaptation, keeping the original style and content.

Strengths: This book was written in 1969, so many of the stories are outdated by today’s standards. However, that is exactly part of the charm of this book. The stories are simple and easy to read and are also short enough to read a few in one sitting. The stories all help with ones scientific understanding of the moon and are all based on around this central theme.

Concerns: I did not have many concerns for this book. It was a bit dry at times and I was unable to read more than a few stories at each sitting. It is a book primarily for those who are interested in the subject and therefore might be hard to get into if you did not pick it up with a purpose.

Classroom use/Other comments: If one was doing a lesson on the moon or astrology or space this book might be a great place to start to share some of the views and ideas of different cultures at different times about the moon.

Traditional Book 5- Back in the Beforetime
Author: Jane Louise Curry
Title: Back in the Beforetime
Publisher: Macmillan Publishing
Date: February 12th, 2009

Age Level: Upper

Summary: A retelling of twenty-two legends about the creation of the world from a variety of California Indian tribes.

Strengths: This book was really cool because not only was it about folktales but it also gave the reader a closer look into the culture of Californian Indians. The imagery within some of the stories is so well done I often times felt I was in them.

Concerns: The only main concern I had about this book was that some of the folktales contradicted each other. This does not bother me so much as it just makes me think that it would be important for the reader to understand that a folktale is not necessarily truth but rather a story passed down that can differ from people to people.

Classroom use/Other comments: I might use this in the classroom if I were doing a lesson on American Indians particularly from California to illustrate how many different tribes there were and how their view points all differed on certain things.

Traditional Book 6- Ugly

Author: Donna Jo Napoli
Title: Ugly
Publisher: Hyperion
Date: February 12th, 2009

Age Level: Elementary

Summary: This is a take on the classic story of the ugly duckling but told in the duckling’s point of view and set in Tasmania.

Strengths: This book is beautifully written and is a different take on the traditional tale of The Ugly Duckling. The adventures that the duckling goes through are unique to the setting and I think children might like the change of scenery and the different kinds of animals that can be found within it.


Concerns: My concern for this book is that it might be a bit too scary or violent for young readers. Initially at first glance you may look at this book and think it is a perfect story to read to your child before they go to sleep but I am not sure it is the best option because they may be scared. However, it goes back to that argument again of adults being more scared of the content than the children themselves.

Classroom use/Other comments: I might recommend this book to a parent who enjoys collecting traditional tales to read to their children because it offers them a new take on an old standby.

Realistic Fiction 1- Miss Nelson is Missing
Author: Harry Allard, James Marshall
Title: Miss Nelson is Missing
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Company
Date: February 15th, 2009

Age Level: Elementary
Summary: The kinds in room 207 take advantage of their teacher’s good nature until she disappears and they are faced with a vile substitute.

Strengths: For me, this book was a touchstone book that I remember from childhood. Growing up I had this book in my classroom almost every year. The storyline is cute and works well with the pictures to provide enough detail to the reader to have them believe that they too could be a part of Miss Nelson’s class. The book also teaches a lesson that any teacher would appreciate but is not overly preachy.


Concerns: My only concern for this book is that although it could be read aloud and certainly enjoyed to younger children, it may be easier for older children to understand the twist of the story on page 31, where the clues as to the mystery of Miss Viola Swamp are revealed. The clues are in the picture however and are not explicitly said within the text so it may be easier for an older reader to understand.

Classroom use/Other comments: This book would be excellent to read in the classroom when talking about good behavior. It would be nice to be able to reference Miss Viola Swamp as well when the class gets rowdy.

Realistic Fiction 2- Big Win

Author: Coleen Murtagh Paratore
Title: Mack McGinn’s Big Win
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books For Young Readers
Date: February 22nd 2009

Age Level: Upper

Summary: Whether the prize is a soccer trophy or the esteem of Danville’s elite, the McGinn family believes in winning, but while striving to prove he can be the best at something, sixth-grader Mack in advertently demonstrates to his parents and older brother what really matters most.

Strengths: This book would be very good for a hesitant reader who perhaps is interested in sports, particularly soccer. The storyline is simple and contains a main character with a problem who solves it on his own and then teaches his family what he has learned. Within that simple storyline the reader might be able to relate to the problems that the eleven year old faces in the book such as bullies, tests of friendship and finding a balance between fun and hard work. Another thing that I enjoyed about the book was that at the beginning of each chapter there was a sports related joke. I looked forward to reading them throughout.

Concerns: One concern I had was that the characters names in the book were pretty unique and I got confused several times trying to remember who was who. For the most part however, the book was easy to read.

Classroom use/Other comments: I might assign or offer this book to a student that had an interest in sports for their enjoyment.

Realistic Fiction 3- Blubber

Author: Judy Blume
Title: Blubber
Publisher: Atheneum Books for Young Readers
Date: February 22nd, 2009
Multicultural

Age Level: Upper
Summary: Blubber is a book set in the eyes of the protagonist, Jill Brenner and follows her through her fifth grade year where she gets involved in making fun of a classmate with some other girls. The bullying continues until Jill herself is turned on by her so called “friends,” and she has to find a way to make it right all by herself.

Strengths: Like other Judy Blume books that I have read, the storyline was controversial enough to make me want to keep reading. The characters and situations that occurred in the fifth grade classroom seemed realistic enough from what I remember, and so I feel that many girls around this age could probably relate and find themselves somewhere in the list of characters.


Concerns: Like other Judy Blume books, this book includes some language that might be inappropriate for young readers. At one point in the book, a racial slur is even used. As far as allowing young children to read it, I think it should be a decision for each students parents.

Classroom use/Other comments: I do not think I would suggest this book to be used in the classroom because of the controversial language and situations. Although possibly realistic, I think that it should not be something that should be taught in school but something that should be taught at home if parents so choose.

Realistic Fiction 4- Just Juice

Author: Karen Hesse
Title: Just Juice
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Date: February 23rd, 2009

Age Level: Upper

Summary: Realizing that her father’s lack of work has endangered her family, nine-year-old Juice decides that she must return to school and learn to read in order to help their chances of surviving and keeping their house.

Strengths: I found this book endearing and sweet. The main character is very likeable and faces conflicts that although are overlooked as possibly being too mature for a nine-year-old may be very realistic. Juice, is a very smart, perceptive young girl. Like other nine-year-olds she recognizes that there is a problem without being told and wants to help. I think this book is great for children around that age to read because it shows that they can play just as an important a role as their parents within their family.

Concerns: I was slightly concerned with the fact that at points within the story, Juice is so down on school that she says how happy she is at times to not have to attend because she feels like a “failure.” When she later learns that in order to help her family she must learn to read and attend school she sees it as an important step to take. My concern is that the author is portraying school as something of a chore rather than a privilege or something that should be appreciated.

Classroom use/Other comments: This would be a great chapter book for beginning readers. I might assign it during individualized reading time.

Realistic Fiction 5- I Remember Miss Perry

Author: Pat Brisson
Title: I Remember Miss Perry
Publisher: Dial Books For Young Readers
Date: February 22nd, 2009

Age Level: Elementary

Strengths: The illustrations within this book were absolutely incredible. The illustrator brought such life to the characters and the author brought so much life to the characters, especially Miss Perry. After reading the first few pages I felt like a student in Miss Perry’s class and I already was growing fond of her. The sensitive topic of death was addressed in my opinion tastefully and simply enough for young readers to understand, even those who have not yet experienced losing a loved one or someone close to them.

Concerns: I had little concerns regarding this book. The topic of death may be too controversial to have in the classroom for young readers to pick up and read on their own but may be very helpful to explain death if read with an adult.

Classroom use/Other comments: I would not necessarily keep this book in the classroom unless something happened where a staff member died and I felt it could better explain the situation to my students but besides that I do not think it would be appropriate although I loved it.

Realistic Fiction 6- Boy Toy

Author: Barry Lyga
Title: Boy Toy
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin
Date: February 22nd, 2009

Age Level: Fourteen and up

Summary: This is a story told be 18 year old Josh, in the present with flashbacks to his past. The flashbacks involve the memories of Josh being seduced when he was twelve by his twenty-four year old teacher, Eve.

Strengths: This book was not at all what I expected. Some reviews say that it is appropriate for ages fourteen and up but I might suggest that it is mostly appropriate for those in their late teens. The sex scenes were very livid and although it made Josh’s struggle that much more real to the reader.


Concerns: My major concern for this book is just its appropriateness level for younger teens. My other concern is that the ending was too neat and it came to a close too quickly. Josh is a character with so many problems and the ending has him resolving them all too quickly in my opinion.

Classroom use/Other comments: I probably would not suggest this on a reading list for my students simply because it contains too much sex and I feel it is something that can be read at home or under the supervision of a parent or guardian.


Historical Fiction 1- My Secret Camera

Author: Frank Dabba Smith
Title: My Secret Camera
Publisher: Frances Lincoln
Date: February 23rd 2009

Age Level: Upper

Summary: This is a book about life in the Lodz Ghetto in Natzi Germany where many Jewish people young and old were forced to live in containment. The photographs that are included in the book were taken by Mendel Grossman, a man that secretly photographed the place where he lived for a portion of his life but was later killed in a concentration camp.

Strengths: The photographs that are included in this book feauture so much emotion within the faces of the people shown that as the reader, you feel as if you could jump into the picture and feel what the other person is feeling. The text is simple enough and goes well with the photographs, telling the story of the thousands of people who poured into the Ghetto everyday.


Concerns: Because the photographs are real and feature people in extremely disheartening conditions the book might be inappropriate for extremely young children but because they are real, should be shown to older children so that they can learn about history from these amazing primary sources.

Classroom use/Other comments: I would absolutely use this book in my classroom if I were doing a unit on life in the Ghettos of Natzi Germany.

Historical Fiction 2- Silent Movie

Author: Avi
Title: Silent Movie
Publisher: Atheneum Books for Young Readers
Date: February 23rd 2009

Age Level: Elementary- Upper

Summary: This is a book containing black-and-white images that feature the story of an immigrant family alone in a big city in the United States. There is limited text but the illustrations feature a great deal of emotion.

Strengths: This book is truly unique in that, it is the story of a young immigrant boy who comes to America and has little money for his family. One day this boy happens to find himself in the middle of a street where they are filming a silent movie. The director sees him and feels that he would be perfect for a part and so he begins to star in them himself. The book itself however, is designed in a way to look as if it itself is a silent movie with limited text. The creativity of the book layout is enough but the emotional illustration included only add to the books quality.


Concerns: Because the book has limited text and is done in only black and white it may be appreciated more by older readers but it very nicely done overall.

Classroom use/Other comments: This is a great book to emphasize the idea that opportunity always exists in America, something that many immigrants believed at the time that the story within the book took place.

Historical Fiction 3- Saving Grace

Author: Priscilla Cummings
Title: Saving Grace
Publisher: Dutton Children’s Books
Date: February 23rd, 2009

Age Level: Upper

Summary: When Grace’s family is evicted from their Washington D.C. apartment, just before Christmas 1932, and she and her younger brothers are sent to a mission, Grace wonders what will become of her sick older brother, her pregnant mother and her out-of-work father.

Strengths: Saving Grace is a story that exists during the time of the Great Depression in the United States. Grace, the main character, is a strong and independent young girl who works to solve the many conflicts that she faces. She is a good role model at a time in history when the future looked bleak. She is someone that I think young girls especially might enjoy reading about and look to for inspiration when faced with problems in their own lives.


Concerns: Some of the language that is used within the story I found myself unfamiliar with. This may be due to the fact that it was written in the language that was spoken and common in 1932 but nevertheless I feel that it may be hard for some readers.

Classroom use/Other comments: This book would be great for more advanced readers perhaps in middle school, 6th-8th grade to learn about life during the Great Depression.

Historical Fiction 4- Dear Emma

Author: Johanna Hurwitz
Title: Dear Emma
Publisher: Harper Collins
Date: February 23rd, 2009

Age Level: Upper

Summary: In her letters to a Vermont friend, eighth grader Dossi, a Russian, Jewish immigrant living in the Lower East Side of New York City in 1910, shares her thoughts about her new brother-in-law and other things that affect her life.

Strengths: This book is a coming of age story and for that it is a good book to read for the age group it is intended for because this is perfect for that age group. One cool thing included in the book is that there are pictures of things that Emma and Dossi supposedly sent each other whether it be photographs or postcards.

Concerns: The book focused on two events in history that I found that I was unfamiliar with prior to reading this book, the diphtheria epidemic and the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire within the main character, Dossi’s characters to her friend Emma. These two events may be too obscure, although important to the main character during the time in which the book is written, they are too insignificant for have an impact on my own life as the reader. I felt that it was hard to relate to the main character at all.


Classroom use/Other comments: I do not think I would recommend this book for the classroom simply because I found it too obscure. However, it would be a good example of a book written in letter form.

Historical Fiction 5- Show Way
Author: Jacqueline Woodson
Title: Show Way
Publisher: Putnam
Date: February 23rd
Multicultural

Age Level: Upper

Summary: Soonie tells the tale of her great-grandmother and how she made quilts to show directions and messages within the thread during the time of slavery.

Strengths: The artwork in this book are truly amazing. It is a beautiful story of family, generations and tradition. The idea of the women in Soonie’s family, doing their part to make a difference during the time of slavery is inspirational especially for young girls.


Concerns: I had few concerns regarding this book. I can definitely see why it was a Newbury Honor Book.

Classroom use/Other comments: I would definitely consider using this book when teaching my class about the history of slavery in the United States because I think it shines a light on the contributions of females during the time, something that is often overlooked.


Science Fiction/Fantasy 1-Book Eating Boy

Author: Oliver Jeffers
Title: The Incredible Book Eating Boy
Publisher: Philomel Books
Date: March 15th, 2009

Age Level: Elementary (3-4)

Summary: This book is about a young boy named Henry, who finds that he truly enjoys eating books. He finds that the more books he eats, the smarter he becomes until one day when he begins to get ill. However, he soon finds another love for books, reading.

Strengths: I thought this book was so unique in that the background of each page was actually pages of other books. It was even done in such a way that the text from the background pages did not compete with the actual text of the book. The layout itself was just so interesting and the pictures were the perfect mix of cartoon and realistic. I think that people of all ages would enjoy this book but I chose the elementary grades as the target audience because the clever plot is unique yet simple because it follows a classic format of introduction, problem, resolution.


Concerns: I had few concerns regarding this book and would say that a teacher might even be silly to not have this book in her classroom because it is the kind of book that so many kids would enjoy and that really encourages reading.

Classroom use/Other comments: I would definitely consider having this book in my classroom when I am teaching because I think that it is a book kids would enjoy reading over and over.

Science Fiction/Fantasy 2- It Came From Outer Space

Author: Tony Bradman
Title: It Came From Outer Space
Publisher: Dial Books for Young Readers
Date: March 15th, 2009

Age Level: Primary (K-2)

Summary: It was just another day at school until…the spaceship crashed through the roof! Suddenly an entire class and their teacher find themselves face-to-face with an alien.

Strengths: This book uses vocabulary that is simple enough for a beginning reader to decipher and the sentences are short and easy to read.


Concerns: Although, the idea of the scary, horrible monster being human and the children being aliens is cute and a good surprise, I felt that some of the language used might be inappropriate for the classroom. Not in the sense that there was any curse words that were used but by calling the monster “ugly,” and “too horrible to look at,” it may be using descriptions that some children are not allowed to use at home and therefore maybe should not be present in the classroom.

Classroom use/Other comments: I might recommend this book to a student in my classroom to read who may be a struggling reader but who has an interest in science fiction or fantasy because I think that this is a book that can be liked, especially on its first read because of the surprise ending. However, I do not think that this is a book I would feel a great need to have stocked in my classroom and I do not think I would incorporate it into a lesson.

Science Fiction/Fantasy 3- Wizard of Oz

Author: L. Frank Baum
Title: The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
Publisher: Sterling
Date: March 15th, 2009

Age Level: Primary-Upper, but Upper based on reading ability

Summary: This book is what the author calls, “a modern fairy tale, in which the wonderment and joy are retained and the heartache and nightmares left out.”

Strengths: This is an absolutely beautiful example of the classic take of the Wizard of Oz. The book is organized into chapters so that it is a great book to read over a long period of time or as a bedtime story.


Concerns: I had few concerns regarding this book. I feel that reading this book to a child prior to them watching the film would be a wonderful thing. The characters within this book are brought out in a bit of a different light than in the movie and my only concern is that a child be able to form the characters in their head before watching such a popular movie.

Classroom use/Other comments: I think this would be a great classroom read, if the teacher decides to read a portion of it, each day or each week. The chapters end on suspenseful parts and I think that most children would be able to get into the work enough to pay attention for each installment.

Science Fiction/Fantasy 4- Prydain

Author: Lloyd Alexander
Title: The Chronicles of Prydain- Taran Wanderer
Publisher: Henry Holt and Company
Date: March 15th, 2009

Age Level: Upper (5-6)

Summary: The fourth book of the Prydain cycle tells of the adventures that befell Taran when he went in search of his birthright and the truth about himself.

Strengths: Although, I have little background knowledge or experience reading fantasy works, I actually found this book surprisingly easy to get into. This means even more because when I chose this book I did not realize that it is the fourth in a series of five books. The protagonist, Taran is a boy who the reader can look up to and believe in similarly to the way many root for Harry Potter.


Concerns: I cannot say that I have many concerns regarding this book because as I said before, I have little experience reading fantasy works. In my opinion, based on my little knowledge on it I thought that it was well written and the plot was exciting. One thing that I thought might be confusing for younger readers is that there is a good deal of sarcasm used within the dialogues and it may become an issue if you are not able to interpret it.

Classroom use/Other comments: I would again recommend this book to readers who have a specified interest in fantasy novels but I do not think I would use it together with a lesson in my classroom.

Science Fiction/Fantasy 5-Stinker

Author: Pamela F. Service
Title: Stinker From Space
Publisher: Charles Scribner’s Sons
Date: March 15th, 2009

Age Level: Upper (5-6)

Summary: An agent of the Sylon Confederacy, fleeing from enemy ships, crash lands on Earth, transfers his mind to the body of a skunk, and enlists the aid of two children in getting back to his home planet.

Strengths: I loved this book. I had never in my life read a fantasy novel as a child but I feel like I missed out on a huge genre of books that I would have loved. This book is not only creative and unique but also funny. Although, a random idea, having an alien be living in the body of a skunk on Earth is both imaginative and funny. I think that many kids could also relate to Karen and Jonathan, the two main human characters.


Concerns: The only thing doing this book injustice is the dated cover. If the book was redone with a more up-to-date cover, I think that children of all different interests would actually enjoy it.

Classroom use/Other comments: I might have this be one of the books I assign to my class or something like it to introduce my students to something different like fantasy.

Science Fiction/Fantasy 6- Hewitt Anderson

Author: Jerdine Nolen
Title: Hewitt Anderson’s Great Big Life
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Date: March 15th, 2009
Multicultural
Age Level: Elementary

Summary: This book is the story of Hewitt Anderson, a tiny boy, born into a family of giants.

Strengths: I thought this was a very cute story. I loved how the emphasis was on the family. The pictures were done in a way that truly took advantage of the difference in size between Hewitt and his parents and made it fun for the reader. I think many young children can find themselves in Hewitt in one way or another.


Concerns: My only concern for this book is that it was not all that suspenseful. It was cute and heart-warming but I think that older readers might get bored.

Classroom use/Other comments: I would still consider having this in my classroom or I might suggest purchasing it for a child who is struggling with something, physical or otherwise.


Informational/Nonfiction 1- Basketball

Author: John Hareas
Title: Eyewitness Basketball
Publisher: DK Publishing
Date: March 15th, 2009
Multicultural

Age Level: Elementary-Upper (3-6)

Summary: An informational book at the sport of basketball from the early beginning to today.

Strengths: This book is one in the series of Eyewitness books. I really like these books because there is always so much to look at in them. They are especially good for readers who cannot sit still for too long. Each page has varying pictures and facts about a particular theme within the topic of the book. For example, on one page of this book about basketball, the topic is Arenas. There is a small picture of a seating chart at a professional basketball stadium, another of what wooden basketball seats used to look like for fans until they switched to cushioned seats with cup holders and various other things.


Concerns: I have few concerns about this book. I thin it is not only informational but also fun and I think that most children that pick this book will already have an interest in the sport and will learn even more about what they already love.

Classroom use/Other comments: I think that the Eyewitness books series are great resources for the classroom for research projects in the lower grades because the students can learn a lot without getting bogged down with text.

Informational/Nonfiction 2- Daddy Longlegs

Author: Judy Hawes
Title: My Daddy Longlegs
Publisher: Thomas Y. Crowell Company
Date: March 15th, 2009

Age Level: Elementary (3-4)

Summary: This is an informational book all about daddy longlegs. It tells about why they look the way they do and how they hear, smell taste and get along in the world in which we live.

Strengths: I loved how this book was written. The author addressed the reader directly, in order to give out information. For example, “Can you hear with your legs? A daddy longlegs can. Can you smell or taste with your legs? A daddy longlegs can do that too. I also, love the color palate of the book and I thought the cover artwork was beautiful.


Concerns: I had few concerns regarding this book. I even love the way it ends, asking the reader to free their daddy longlegs outside.

Classroom use/Other comments: This is a wonderful example of an informational book. I would absolutely use it in my classroom along with a lesson on spiders.

Informational/Nonfiction 3- Sun

Author: Vicki Cobb
Title: Why Doesn’t The Sun Burn Out?
Publisher: Lodestar Books
Date: March 15th, 2009

Age Level: Upper (3-6)

Summary: This book presents nine questions on different kinds of energy, such as heat, kinetic, and chemical energy and their relation to matter.

Strengths/ Concerns: I think that this book is a bit deceiving because it contains cartoons which I like and I think entices younger children to be interested but the text itself, is a bit too sophisticated for the younger reader. If the text and the pictures worked together to present the information, than I think it would be easier to understand and still fun to read/look at.


Classroom use/Other comments: I suppose I might use this book if I was having my students look up specific answers to specific questions regarding the subject matter. I think that this kind of book is one that you would have to help guide students through reading however because it is so science based and most do not have the background knowledge that is sufficient.

Informational/Nonfiction 4- Wild West

Author: Tim Wood
Title: The Wild West
Publisher: Viking
Date: March 15th, 2009

Age Level: Elementary- Upper (3-6)

Summary: This is an informational book that is divided up by content area about the people, places and things of the Wild West.

Strengths: Each double-page spread is divided up and is devoted to a specific content area. Within each content area, the information is organized into small paragraphs next to various pictures. Some of the pictures are paintings, others are drawings and still others are photographs. This organization results in a fun to look at book. I think that children like these kinds of books because they can sit down and read it for hours but somehow not get tired of reading.


Concerns: My only concern for this book is that some of the vocabulary might be a bit too sophisticated.

Classroom use/Other comments: Another great book to have in the classroom as a resource for a research project.

Informational/Nonfiction 5- Pledge

Author: Bill Martin Jr and Michael Sampson
Title: I pledge allegiance
Publisher: Candlewick Press
Date: March 15th, 2009

Age Level: Primary (K-2)

Summary: A picture book that breaks down the pledge of allegiance and all of the vocabulary within it to younger readers.

Strengths: I loved this book! Each page contains a word in the pledge of allegiance, in order and at the bottom the word is defined in easy to understand, small print. The illustrations are also, awesome and unique. They are done with scraps of construction paper and watercolor.


Concerns: I have no concerns regarding this book- I loved everything about it!

Classroom use/Other comments: I would absolutely use this book in my classroom. Knowing and memorizing the pledge of allegiance is one of the Virginia standards or learning and this book would absolutely help the children to understand the meaning behind what they are saying. Plus the book comes with a free poster! What is not to love?

Information/Nonfiction 6-War

Author: Wilborn Hampton
Title: War In the Middle East, A Reporter’s Story: Black September and the Yom Kippur War
Publisher: Candlewick
Date: March 15th, 2009

Age Level: Upper

Summary: This is a book written by a reporter of his experiences on Black September and Yom Kippur through the US wire service.

Strengths: This book makes insight about the continuing conflicts in the Middle East available to an age group that otherwise might be left in the dark. I think it is widely accepted that older kids and young teens are not interested in what is going on outside of their homes or country but I think that it is a common misconception. Older kids and young teens can truly appreciate this honest, fact based book.


Classroom use/Other comments: I think this is a great way to introduce current events to students, especially in a social studies classroom.


Poetry 1- Popcorn

Author: James Stevenson
Title: Popcorn
Publisher: Greenwillow Books
Date: March 15th, 2009

Age Level: Elementary-Upper (3-6)

Summary: This book is a collection of poems written by the author, about everyday things that most people encounter that he has written in the form of a poem.

Strengths: I loved how the content that the author chose to write his poems about are things that almost everyone can relate to (picnics, dogs, popcorn). The poems are also good examples of poetry that does not have to rhyme to be appealing. This is a concept that is hard for many young children to understand because many are brought up on the idea that good poetry rhymes. This book however, proves that this is not only the case.


Concerns: Because these poems are perhaps a bit more abstract than rhyming poems, the proper target audience might be a little older than the author anticipated.

Classroom use/Other comments: I might use some of the authors poems if I were doing a poetry unit with my student.

Poetry 2- Sad Underwear

Author: Judith Viorst
Title: Sad Underwear and Other Complications
Publisher: Atheneum Books For Young Readers
Date: March 15th, 2009

Age Level: Upper (5-6)

Summary: This is a book of poems that address many of the questions that young children ask as they are growing up and learning about the world.

Strengths: I like that the content of the book is so varied. In that respect there is something for everyone to like. I also, like how the poems are organized into chapters by categories.


Concerns: I do not particularly like the style of writing of this collection of poems. I feel that some of them are not very tasteful. I understand that the poet may be using certain language because she is trying to appeal to children but I also, think that authors should not “dumb down,” their work because they are targeting children. In that respect, children are often not challenged enough.

Classroom use/Other comments: I might have this book in my classroom to reference if we were doing a poetry unit but I feel that there are better examples of poetry for children to be exposed to.

Poetry 3-Salting the Ocean

Author: Selected by Naomi Shihab Nye, Poems written by Young Poets
Title: Salting the Ocean- 100 Poems By Young Poets
Publisher: Greenwillow Books
Date: March 15th, 2009
Multicultural

Age Level: Elementary (3-4)

Summary: This book is a collection of poems written by young people about various things and written in various ways.

Strengths: This is a truly wonderful collection of poems written by young people that I think other young budding poets would enjoy. The poems are diverse and all beautiful. The paintings that are included spontaneously throughout the book also, only add to the book.


Concerns:
I have very few concerns regarding this book. I feel that is a great resource for young children to gain inspiration for their own poems.
Classroom use/Other comments: I would absolutely have this book in my classroom when I am a teacher both to help my students learn about poetry and also, for them simply to enjoy.

Poetry 4- Read-Aloud

Author: Selected by Jack Prelutsky
Title: Read-Aloud Rhymes For the Very Young
Publisher: Random House
Date: March 15th, 2009

Age Level: PreK-Primary (K-2)

Summary: A collection of more than 200 short poems by both known and anonymous American and English authors.

Strengths: I absolutely loved how the poems on each page were incorporated within the illustration. It is the perfect format to be able to read to very young children who cannot yet read for themselves. They can enjoy the picture while you simultaneously read them the poem.


Concerns: My only concern regarding this book is that I wish each poem would be able to have its own page and illustration. On most of the pages more than one poem are sharing the space and the two differing illustrations are competing for the reader’s attention. I wish that because of the quality of the poems, they could be given the space they deserve. But overall, I truly enjoyed reading through this book.

Classroom use/Other comments: If not in the classroom, I would absolutely have this book at home for my own children to read before bed or to look through on their own.

Poetry 5- Lunch Money

Author: Carol Diggory Shields
Title: Lunch Money And Other Poems About School
Publisher: Dutton Children’s Books
Date: March 15th, 2009

Age Level: Elementary-Upper (3-6)

Summary: A collection of twenty-four humorous poems about school.

Strengths: I love the style of these poems. My favorite was Pledge, a poem integrating the Pledge of Allegiance and things you might hear from students while it is being said (ex. I pledge allegance to the Vanessa, stop pushing!)


Concerns: I have concerns about this book. The poems are great, humorous and easy to read and the pictures are awesome and go with each poem really well.

Classroom use/Other comments: I would without a doubt have this book in my classroom because not only is it about school, which would be extremely relevant but it is funny and cute.

Poetry 6- A Kick In the Head

Author: Paul B. Janeczko
Title: A Kick In the Head: An Everyday Guide to Poetic Forms
Publisher: Candlewick
Date: March 15th, 2009

Age Level: Upper

Summary: A guide to writing 29 well-known poetry forms.

Strengths: This book was perfect for a lesson plan I am doing on poetry for my practicum classroom. What a great reference for teachers or for kids who love to write. Poetry is something that for some reason, intimidates so many of us, but this book really helps to break it down and make it seem like less of a feat.


Concerns: I think there is a lot going on in this book. Perhaps too much. If the author divides the content in this book in half and makes two books out of it I feel that he would easily sell twice as much.

Classroom use/Other comments: As I said, I already referenced this book for a lesson I am doing on poetry. I would definitely recommend this book to teachers to help them introduce poetry to their students. My only advice would be to start small and focus on one thing because there is so much included in the text

Graphic Novels 1- Amelia Rules

Author: Jimmy Gownly
Title: Amelia Rules
Publisher: I Books
Date: March 15th, 2009

Age Level: Upper

Summary: This is a cartoon portraying the everyday happenings of Amelia, the main character and her three friends.

Strengths: I liked how this cartoon dealt with so many emotions that older kids deal with on a day to day basis, like jealousy. It was honest and fun to read.


Concerns: I didn’t really a have any concerns regarding this graphic novel.

Classroom use/Other comments: I would recommend this book to younger girls or tweens. It is a fun read and went fairly quick.

Graphic Novels 2- The Babysitters Club- Kristy’s Great Idea


Author: Ann M. Martin
Title: The Babysitter’s Club- Kristy’s Great Idea
Publisher: Apple
Date: March 15th, 2009

Age Level: Upper

Summary: Kristy and her friends decide to start up a babysitters club to make money but they find that it is much harder than they originally thought.

Strengths: I remember reading the Babysitter’s Club when I was younger so it was fun to give it another go. The story was a little dull because it was built around a strict format as so many of the books in the series are but the characters were somewhat believable. It was different reading it now that I have surpassed the age of the characters in the book. Maybe because of this, I like the characters but felt for them because of the awkward situations they sometimes found themselves in.


Classroom use/Other comments: I do not think I would include this book in the classroom but I would encourage my students who had a specific interest to try reading it outside of class.
Graphic Novels 3-The Princess and the Frog

Author: Will Eisner
Title: The Princess and the Frog
Publisher: Nantier Beall Minoustchine Publishing
Date: March 15th, 2009

Age Level: PreK

Summary: A good prince, turned into a frog by a spiteful wizard, exacts from a princess a promise which she is reluctant to fulfill, despite his kindness and her desire not to hurt him.

Strengths: This is a wonderful fairy tale with a twist. Although the pictures may be a little out dated they go along well with the text and the language used. Children may like it as an alternative to the typical Disney classics.


Concerns: As always with fairytales that are not remade by Disney, the story is slightly rough around the edges and it does not have that warm, fuzzy feel to it that others like it do. Some of the illustrations of the characters, particularly the evil ones are a bit scary as well.

Classroom use/Other comments: I might include this graphic novel as a choice in addition to a traditional fairy tale in my classroom if I were doing a lesson on traditional literature.

Graphic Novels 4- Archie


Author: Various
Title: Archie- The Love Showdown Collection
Publisher: Archie Americana Series
Date: March 15th, 2009

Age Level: Upper

Summary: Archie finally has to decide between Betty and Veronica once and for all!

Strengths: I grew up reading Archie comics and was thrilled to see that it was included in the Sidekicks section. I love how consistent the characters are throughout the comics and how there is always so much to look at within the pictures.


Concerns: These comics are really just fun reads but my only concern is that the characters are extremely stereotypically and often times a younger audience finds themselves reading about relationships between the teenage characters in the comics and may think that all girls fight over boys as Betty and Veronica do or that all teenage boys are happy so long as they have a girl of the moment, as Archie is.

Classroom use/Other comments: I wouldn’t use this in my classroom but I always think any reading is good reading so I might suggest it for fun to my students to do outside of the classroom.

Graphic Novels 5- Sidekicks

Author: J. Torres
Title: Sidekicks- The Transfer Student
Publisher: Oni Press
Date: March 15th, 2009
Multicultural

Age Level: Upper

Summary: Sidekicks turns the superhero genre on its head, following powered kids who would rather start food fights than fist fights and are more worried about what to do on a Friday night than the next contrived evil plot.

Strengths: This graphic novel had an interesting plot. I could even see it being a successful movie one day. I think that young readers can relate to the school aspect of the stories and be intrigued by the superhero aspect as well.


Concerns: I didn’t really have many concerns regarding this graphic novel except that some parts of the plot were slow and borderline boring but the overall concept was interesting and has potential.

Classroom use/Other comments: I might recommend this graphic novel or I might not. It didn’t really leave a significant impact on me either way.