November Middle Grade Challenge

Here is the list of books read in November for the Middle Grades Book Challenge. I have included a link to the ongoing final list with links to my reviews.

1. Born to Fly - Michael Ferrari
2. The Brooklyn Nine - Alan Gratz
3. Bull Rider - Suzanne Morgan Williams
4. Captain Nobody - Dean Pitchford
5. Opertion Yes - Sarah Lewis Holmes
6. Bobby vs. Girls (Accidently) - Lisa Yee
7. A Recipe 4 Robbery - Marybeth Kelsey
8. Faith, Hope and Ivy June - Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
9. Carolina Harmony - Marilyn Taylor McDowell
10. A Season of Gifts - Richard Peck
11. Take the Mummy and Run - Mary Amato
12. Extra Credit - Andrew Clements
13. The Kind of Friends We Used to Be - Frances O'Roark Dowell
14. Piper Reed Gets a Job - Kimberly Willis Holt
15. Scat - Carl Hiassen
16. The Brilliant Fall of Gianna Z. - Kate Messner
17. Standing for Socks - Elisse Brent Weismean
18. Solving Zoe - Barbara Dee
19. Chains - Laurie Halse Anderson
20. The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate - Jacqueline Kelly
21. Journey of Dreams - Marge Pellegrino
22. Brushing Mom's Hair - Andrea Cheng
23. Mudville - Kurtis Scaletta
24. Lucky Breaks - Susan Patron
25. Diary of a Wimpy Kid - Jeff Kinney
26. Storm Chaser - Chris Platt
27. I Am Jack - Susanne Gervay
28. Ruby Flips for Attention - Derrick Barnes
29. Angel Cake - Cathy Cassidy
30. Operation Redwood - S. Terrell French
31. N.E.R.D.S. - Michael Buckley
32. Leaving the Bellweathers - Kristin Clark Venuti
33. The Mostly True Adventures of Homer P. Figg - Rodman Philbrick
34. The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Prisoner's Dilemma - Trenton Lee Stewart
35. Paris pan Takes the Dare - Cynthea Liu
36. Red, White and True Blue Mallory - Laurie Friedman
37. Touchdown Trouble - Fred Bowen
38. Beyond the Station Lies the Sea - Jutta Richter
39. Alibi Junior High - Greg Logsted
40. Dear Pen Pal - Heather Vogel Frederick
41. Dani Noir - Nova Ren Suma
42. The Year of the Bomb - Ronald Kidd
43. Confetti Girl - Diana Lopez
44. Wild things - Clay Carmichael
45. My Life in Pink and Green - Lisa Greenwald
46. Black Angels - Linda Beatrice Brown
47. Newsgirl - Liza Ketchum
48. Sahwira an African Friendship - Carolyn Marsden
49. When the Whistle Blows - Fran Cannon Slayton
50. Road to Tater Hill - Edit M. Hemingway
51. Secrets of a Lab Rat: No Girls Allowed (Dogs Okay) - Trudi Trueit
52. Liberty Porter First Daughter - Julia Devilliers
53. Rescuing Seneca Crane - Susan Runholt
54. Anna's World - Wim Coleman
55. The Beef Princess of Practical County - Michelle Houts
56. Bystander - James Preller
57. Kip Campbell's Gift - Coleen Murtagh Paratore

Cybil Books Read and Reviewed over Thanksgiving Break

One thing I want to make clear up front. I received review copies from the publishers as a Cybils middle grade book panelist. This in no way, shape, or form had any influence on my reviews. As always the opinions expressed in the reviews below are mine alone. Just because I read and reviewed a book did not mean I always liked it. What you have below are my own honest opinions and do not belong in any way to anyone affiliated with the Cybils Awards, Publishers or authors. I take full responsibility for them.

Alibi Junior High – Greg Logsted
Publisher: Aladdin
Pages: 244
Source: Review Copy from Publisher

For fans of the Alex Rider series I recommend this book. Cody Saron is comfortable teaming up with his CIA father, traveling the world and helping track down bad guys. His father has prepared him for just about any situation. He speaks five languages; he knows how to get out of dangerous situations. He is used to facing death. When Cody and his father barely escape an explosion in France Cody finds him being shipped to his aunt’s house. Unfortunately as prepared as he is to deal with the dangerous lifestyle he has always lived, his is just as unprepared to live the life of a normal junior high teen. He has run INS with his teachers, his principal and other students.
This was a very fun book to read. I have no doubt that I won’t be able to keep it on my shelves at school. I am hoping this will become a series. I would definitely purchase them for my shelves.

Dear Pen Pal – Heather Vogel Frederick

Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Pages: 406
Source: Review Copy from publisher

This is the third book in the Mother-Daughter Book Club Series. I had not read the other three. I will tell you up front that it was a “cute” book but not one I really enjoyed. The four main characters Megan, Jess, Cassidy and Emma are starting eighth grade. Just like my eighth graders there were new changes for them to face. Not all of them were pleasant or easy to handle. Amidst all of the situations the girls decide to become pen-pals with another book club in Wyoming. This is where I knew I would lose my students. I teach struggling readers. I fight to get them to read 10 – 30 minutes each day and for a large number of them they choose books that deal with issues they face, gangs, teen pregnancy, etc. They idea flowing throughout this book was that as long as you had a group of good friends and a good book then everything would work out. I will put it on my shelves but I can think off hand of only three students that would maybe enjoy this book. They are already readers with some skill problem areas.

Dani Noir – Nova Ren Suma
Publisher: Aladdin
Pages: 266
Source: Review copy from publisher

I have several students who would identify with some of Dani’s problems. The one problem that seemed to set the tone for this book was the fact that Dani’s parents are divorced, she lives with mom and is forced to spend some time with her father and his soon to be wife. She lives in a small town that is for all purposes, uninteresting. The most exciting thing for her is watching old movies in the old movie theater. She loves the old black and white films that feature her heroine Rita Hayworth. Dani lives these lives as she watches the film. It is no wonder then that she take s on their persona. I pictured a black and white character that was a bit crass in the way she handled her real life friends who were in color. This is the mood I picked up from the book. Reading this book was like trying to blend two time periods as Dani set out to solve her own town’s mystery. I think students will be able to identify with her in several ways in the book. I even have the first student in mind to recommend this book to because she and her mother sit and watch movies on the nostalgia channel and she loves them.

The Year of the Bomb – Ronald Kidd

Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Pages: 202
Source: Review copy from publisher

Talk with kids today about the “red-scare”, Russian spies, black-listing of actors and actresses and see what kind of reaction you get. We had a conversation regarding the red scare a few weeks ago and my students looked at me with blank faces. They had never heard of such a thing. The characters in this book have grown up with the “red-scare, bomb shelters and horror movies. They believe these things are all made up until….
This is one of those books you need to read. I really like it. Maybe it is because I grew up during the red scare and horror movies like “Invasion of the Body Snatchers”. I remember where I was the first time I saw it. I don’t think I would go to the extremes the kids in this book went. They had quite the adventure. I am hoping my enthusiasm for this book will carry over to some of my students and that they will like it as much as I did.

Confetti Girl – Diana Lopez
Publisher: Little Brown and Company
Pages: 194
Source: Review copy from publisher

The first thing I noticed as did several of my students was the cover. I have a seventh grade student who wears socks similar to the ones on the cover. She keeps the pant legs rolled up so everyone can view her unusual socks each day. Lina could be one of my students. I have a young girl whose father is fluent in English and expects so much from her. She struggles with the English and gets frustrated. It is as if her father just doesn’t get it. Lina sees her father as hiding in the books he reads as an escape from the pain and grief of losing his wife. This is a crucial time in Lina’s life. A time when life changes, friendships change and a girl needs to know how to deal with these changes. I can think of at least five girls I will recommend this book to. It is very important to me to put books in their hands with characters they can identify with.

Wild Things – Clay Carmichael

Publisher: Front Street
Pages: 240
Source: Review copy from publisher

Zoe, eleven and self-sufficient is sent to live with her Uncle Henry after her mother dies. Her mother had not really been much of a mother. Zoe had to fend for herself most of her growing up life. For this reason Zoe is slow to put her trust in people including her uncle. She is so afraid that people will fail her again. Throughout the book Zoe meets many people along the way that she calls friends and eventually realizes they are like family. This includes the wild boy who lives in the woods. She discovers there are many levels of trust. This book is definitely character driven. I would read more by this author.

My Life in Pink and Green
Publisher: Amulet Books
Pages: 267
Source: Review copy from publisher

As a teacher in an IB school the first thing I thought was that every girl in the school should read this book. It demonstrated problem solving, working on a real world problem that was at first a local family problem. It demonstrated how our children can work toward solving future problems now. I loved the fact that Lucy was a great role model for the readers. I believe that a similar book for boys could be written that would go over just as well. My mind kept going back to the town of Greensburg that was wiped out by a tornado and how the efforts of a few teens inspired the town to rebuild green. What a fun way to get such an important message out to our young people while demonstrating problem solving techniques.


Black Angels - Linda Beatrice Brown

Publisher: G.P. Putnam’s Songs
Pages: 260
Source: Review copy from publisher

For those who love stories set in the Civil War period, this is the book for you. This story transcends race. Black Angels is the story of Luke, a runaway slave, Daylily a slave whose master set her free and Caswell the white son of a plantation. These three children find themselves thrust together. Luke finds Daylily wandering around and Caswell joins them after the rebels burn their plantation. The three set off for the north hoping to find what they are each looking for. However, they learn that things in the north are not a whole lot different than things in the south when it comes to the color of your skin. I have read a lot of emotionally charged books lately and this one that I want my students to read. I am hoping that I can use the emotions I felt while reading this book to interest my students into picking it up.

Newsgirl – Liza Ketchum
Publisher: Viking
Pages: 324
Source: Review copy from publisher

This is historical fiction at its best. Amelia Forrester is a twelve year old girl who has moved with her mother and a family friend from Boston to San Francisco. Her mother has plans to make men’s clothing. Amelia, trying to sell the Boston newspapers they had packed all their belongings in has found it is a man's world. Combat this issue she cuts her hair and dresses like a boy. Kids have an opportunity to learn a lot of period history including how women fought for equal rights. I believe the plot is exciting enough to keep my reluctant readers reading.


Sahwira an African Friendship – Carolyn Marsden

Publisher: Candlewick Press
Pages: 189
Source: Review copy from publisher

Racial tension is not limited to the United States. In this book, Blessing is a Shona boy and the son of the pastor of their church. He attends the mission school for black Africans. His best friend is Evan, the white son of a Methodist minister. Evan attends an all white school. The friendship between these two becomes difficult when a white farmer is supposedly killed by a black rebel group. The headmaster in Evan’s school is training the students to go against the blacks. Most of the students side with the whites. Evan wants to fit in but that would mean giving up his friendship with his friend Blessing. He has many hard decisions to make. These decisions would have a lasting impact. For my students who read the Bluford series that deals with inner-city problems, I believe they will like this book. Although they take place on opposite sides of the world the problems are still the same. They would recognize that fact that the choices w make today can have a long term effect on our future. I thought this was a great book.

When the Whistle Blows – Fran Cannon Slayton
Publisher: Philomel Books
Pages: 162
Source: Review copy from publisher

This book focused on the life of Jimmy Cannon and the things that happened to him on Halloween night for several years. This young man from West Virginia loves the railroad and wants to follow in his dad’s footsteps. His dad wants much more for his son. This book touches on change in a young boys life, change in a town and country. I believe the book will be loved by both the young and old alike. I think the boys in my class will like it and maybe even a few of my girls. Once again it touches on an area of history our kids know nothing about. I can’t wait to recommend it to my students.

Road to Tater Hill – Edith M. Hemingway

Publisher: Delacorte Press,
Pages: 210
Source: Review copy from publisher

The first thing this book reminded me of was the book “Getting Near to Baby” by Audrey Couloumbis. Maybe it is because I have an affinity to the hills and mountains of Tennessee and the Carolinas that I love a story like this. The fears of losing her mother to the depression that has engulfed her after the premature birth and death of her baby has left Annie afraid/ Her father is away in the Air Force and she is afraid to tell him of her fears. If she voices them they might come true. Helping her through her own grief is an outcast rumored to be a murderer. Annie is not sure who to trust but she puts her trust in this old woman. Once again another emotional read. I really enjoyed it. I felt it started a little slow and for that reason I am afraid my reluctant readers might give up too quickly. However, I look forward to sharing it with my students.

Secrets of a Lab Rat: No Girls Allowed (Dogs Okay) – Trudi Trueit
Publisher: Aladdin
Pages: 118
Source: Review copy from publisher

I laughed and laughed at this book. I believe it is geared more for the elementary kids. Since I have reluctant readers, the tips, pictures and large print will appeal to some of them. Scab McNally is gross. This is the first thing that will hook my readers, the name and the fact that the character is gross. He wants a dog and tries to get his twin sister Isabelle to help take his parents into getting them one. She refuses. He decides to earn money to get his own dog and get even with his sister at the same time. He creates a vile smelling concoction he sells to his friend as a “sister-repellent”. This was a quick read and one I know I’ll be able to get the most reluctant student to read.


Liberty Porter First Daughter – Julia Devillers

Publisher: Aladdin
Pages: 166
Source: Review copy from publisher

First, I have to say that this is the first book I have read by this author. For the age I teach I believe they will find most of it immature. However, I can think of one or two students who are still immature enough to like it. Libby’s father has just become President and she sees this as an adventure that she must live up to. She is definitely not dull. At times I felt she was too over the top. Once you accept the fact that this was written more for the fourth grader than the sixth through eighth grader I teach it wasn’t such a bad book. I just don’t think my students will buy in to it.

Rescuing Seneca Crane – Susan Runholt
Publisher: Viking
Pages: 276
Source: Review copy from publisher

My students who say they love reading a mystery will love this book. Kari and her best friend Lucas are off on the adventure of a lifetime to Edinburgh, Scotland. Kari’s mother has the pleasure of interviewing the child piano prodigy Seneca Crane, for the magazine she works for. Kari and Lucas had gone to see Seneca when she play with the Minnesota Orchestra. They learn several things about Seneca. First her parents are domineering, second she is very lonely, and third, she can seem to fit their friendship into her very busy schedule. They become very good friends. When Seneca is suddenly kidnapped, Kari and Lucas start looking at the clues in hopes of rescuing their new friends. This was a first read of this author for me. I will definitely look into her other works.


Anna’s World – Wim Coleman

Publisher: Chiron Books
Pages: 277
Source: I purchased

Set in the 1840’s Anna’s home is destroyed along with her town and her father’s store by a flood. In addition to all of this she is recovering from typhoid fever. She has been sent to live with the Shakers while her father tries to rebuild their life. The reader of this book gets a good look at the life and belief system of the Shakers. Through them Anna learns that all the things a big city can offer aren’t always the best things. It is the story of change and choices. I can guarantee you some of my students have never heard of the Shakers. The historical look at this book is well worth the read.

The Beef Princess of Practical County – Michelle Houts
Publisher: Delacourt Press
Pages: 226
Source: Review copy from publisher

For anyone who ever grew up in a farming town this book may just be a trip down memory lane. Growing up on a farm I named all of our animals, even when I knew they were to be sold or butchered. I therefore identified with Libby Ryan. She grew up in the shadow of her brother and for me it was an older sister. There comes a time when parents have to let you learn by making some of your own mistakes. This is what Libby’s parents finally do. She learns to believe in herself and work hard for her dreams. In the end she influences an enemy for the good. I loved this book and hope that many of my students will as well. It is often hard to sell work set in this setting because many of my students can’t identify. I think the underlying messages will overshadow this problem.

Bystander by James Preller

Publisher: Feiwel & Friends, 2009
Pages: 240
Source: I purchased

Sometimes making friends in town can be difficult. Especially when the most popular kid turns out to be a monster. Eric just wants to be part of the in crowd. Griffin seems to want him in his crowd. Things change. One day Eric is Griffin's friend and the next he is his target. I see see the problem of bullying in my school everyday. Sometimes it takes the form of a kid saying something mean to another. Sometimes it is a child saying something nasty about the other kids parents. All of it is a form of bullying. However, most kids don't realize that just standing around saying nothing, doing nothing, when they witness bullying is just as bad. This was an awesome book and one I look forward to placing on my shelves at school. I know the message is good for all of my students but it is even better for those that I have seen bullying others. I think I need to give a copy to our guidance officers as a resource.

Kip Campbell's Gift - Coleen murtagh Paratore
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Pages: 145
Source: Review Copy from publisher
Kip Cambell has a gift that comes in handy with the family business. What is the family business you ask? His father owns and runs a funeral home. They live above it. Kip uses his gift to help the deceased and their families. He helps them so they can get to "Good". He also helps them because he struck a deal with someone. What is the deal? You'll have to read the book to find out. Read and find out how Kip helps a kid he really doesn't like. This was a simple yet fun book that gives the reader of what it would be like to be the kid who lives above a funeral home.

New Award: Over the Top

J. Kaye at J. Kaye's Book Blog has passed on the coolest of awards called Over the Top. Fitting isn't it? (lol) The award comes with a little work.

Here are the rules:

Answer the following questions using single word answers. Then pass the award to 5 other people and let them know.

Your cell phone? black
Your hair? short
Your mother? caring
Your father? deceased
Your favorite food? chicken
Your dream last night? frustrating
Your favorite drink? water
Your dream/goal? author
What room are you in? office
Your hobby? crafts
Your fear? heights
Where do you want to be in 6 years? published
Where were you last night? bed
Something that you aren't? skinny
Muffins? blueberry
Wish list item? house
Where did you grow up? Indiana
Last thing you did? read
What are you wearing? pajamas
Your TV? unwatched
Your Pets? cat
Friends? global
Your life? tiring
Your mood? rested
Missing someone? Haylee
Vehicle? Thunderbird
Something you're not wearing? jewelry
Your favorite store? Amazon
Your favorite color? pink
When was the last time you laughed? yesterday
Last time you cried? yesterday
Your best friend? husband
One place that you go to over and over? bathroom
Facebook? no
Favorite place to eat? Popeyes

5 bloggers to pass it to:

Book Dragon's Lair
The Story Siren
Caribousmom

The Lateiner Gang

Confessions of a Misplaced Southern Belle

2010 YA Reading Challenge Posts

This is where I will post my list of books read for J. Kaye's YA Reading Challenge and a link to their review. I have chosen to complete the Super Size Me YA Reading Challenge where I must read 75 Young Adult novels.

1.  The Victor - Marlayne Giron 

2.  Tidings of Great Boys - Shelley Adina

3.  Marked - P.C. Cast review

4.  Look For Me By Moonlight - Mary Downing Hahn

5.  The Baboon King - Anton Quintana

6.  Winter's Child- Cameron Dokey

7.  Schooled - Paul Langan

8.  The Last Thing I Remember - Andrew Klavan

9.  The Long Way Home - Andrew Klavan

10. Ponga Boy - Phil lebherz & Philip Reed
11. The Compound - S.A. Bodeen

2010 Support Your Local Library Challenge Posts

I have chosen to participate in J. Kaye's "Support Your Local Library Challenge". I will be completing the mini challenge. This requires me to Check out and read 25 library books. I have five shelves full of my own books to read first so I can add in at least 25 books from the library. If I finish all of them then I can always upgrade to the next level. This is where I will post my list of books and their reviews.

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Post For 2010 100+ Reading Challenge

This is where I will be posting my books for J. Kaye's "100 + Reading Challenge " with a link to my reviews.

1.  Tidings of Great Boys - Shelley Adina

2.  Yesterday's Embers - Deborah Raney

3.  Emmy's Equal - Marcia Gruver

4.  It's In the Eyes - Charles N. Toftoy

5.  Embellish - R.L. Sloan

6.  Marked - P.C. Cast

7.  Sworn to Silence - Linda Castill0o

8.  Through the Triangel - c.P. Stewart

9.  The Doll in the Garden - Mary Downing Hahn

10.Time for Andrew - Mary Downing Hahn

11. Look For Me By Moonlight - Mary Downing Hahn

12. The Green Bronze Mirror - Lynne Ellison

13. Spellbinder - helen Stringer

14. Secrets of a Christmas Box - Steven Hornby

15. Primative - Mark Nyakanen

16. Making Toast - Roger Rosenblatt

17. Embrace the Struggle -Zig Ziglar

18. Dirty Little angels - Chris Tusa

19. Texas Roads - Cathy Bryant

20.  100 Cupboards - N.D. Wilson

21.  Dandelion Fire - N.D. Wilson
22.  The View From Brindley Mountain - C. Eugene Scruggs
23.  Small Kingdoms - Anastasia Hobbet
24.  The Last Thing I Remember - Andrew Klavan
25.  The Long Way Home - Andrew Klavan
26.  The Baboon King - Anton Quintana
27.  Winter's Child - Cameron Dokey
28.  Code of Destiny - Sara Enochs
29.  Code of Dignity - Sara Enochs
30.  The Quilt - Gary Paulsen
31.  Schooled - Gordon Korman
32.  Schooled - Paul Langan
33.   Ponga Boy - Phil Lebherz & Philip Reed
34.   We the children (Keepers of the School) - andrew Clements
35.   Alice I Have Been - Melanie Benjamin
36.   The compound - S.A. Bodeen
37.   Facing Terror - Carrier McDonnell

J. Kaye's 2010 Reading Challenges a

2010 YA Reading Challenge

Anyone can join. You don't need a blog to participate.

There are four levels:

--The Mini YA Reading Challenge – Read 12 Young Adult novels.

--Just My Size YA Reading Challenge – Read 25 Young Adult novels.

--Stepping It Up YA Reading Challenge – Read 50 Young Adult novels.

--Super Size Me YA Reading Challenge – Read 75 Young Adult novels.

Audio, eBooks, paper all count.

No need to list your books in advance. You may select books as you go. Even if you list them now, you can change the list if needed.

Challenge begins January 1st thru December, 2010.






Support Your Local Library Challenge

There are four levels:

--The Mini – Check out and read 25 library books.

--Just My Size – Check out and read 50 library books.

--Stepping It Up – Check out and read 75 library books.

--Super Size Me – Check out and read 100 library books.

(Aim high. As long as you read 25 by the end of 2010, you are a winner.)

Audio, Re-reads, eBooks, YA, Young Reader – any book as long as it is checked out from the library count. Checked out like with a library card, not purchased at a library sale.

No need to list your books in advance. You may select books as you go. Even if you list them now, you can change the list if needed.
Crossovers from other reading challenges count.

Challenge begins January 1st thru December, 2010.




100 + Reading Challenge Here are the rules for this challenge. Hop on over to J. Kayes Book Blog to find our more or sign up.

The goal is to read 100 or more books. Anyone can join. You don't need a blog to participate.

Audio, Re-reads, eBooks, YA, Library books, Young Reader, Nonfiction – as long as the book has an ISBN or equivalent or can be purchased as such, the book counts.

No need to list your books in advance. You may select books as you go. Even if you list them now, you can change the list if needed.

Crossovers from other reading challenges count.

Challenge begins January 1st thru December, 2010. Books started before the 1st do not count.

Colorful Reading Challenge

Rebecca at Lost in Books is hosting the Colorful Reading Challenge". I found it too late this year to join and decided I would give it a shot in 2010. Hop on over to her site and sign up. Add some color and diversity to your reading.

The challenge asks you to read 9 books but I plan on reading the twelve books in Melody Carlson's Truecolors Novels series. The list is below. I will add a link to my reviews as I read them.

Dark Blue: Color Me Lonely
Deep Green: Color Me Jealous
Torch Red: Color Me Torn
Pitch Black: Color Me Lost
Burnt Orange: Color Me Wasted
Fool's Gold: Color Me Consumed
Blade Silver: Color Me Scarred
Bitter Rose: Color Me Crushed
Faded Denim: Color Me Trapped
Bright Purple: Color Me Confused
Moon White: Color Me Enchanted
Harsh Pink: Color Me Burned

2010 Reading Through the Seasons Challenge

Book Dragon's Lair has done it again with the Reading Through the Seasons Challenge. The rules are simple.

Rules:

1. Four books, one for each season.

2. Title must have a season, not holiday, winter, fall, autumn, spring, summer

3. Jan 1 to Dec 31

Come Join me. Click on the link above and sign up for this simple challenge.

Here are my lists. I am doing one that is adult books and one that is Young Adult books.

Adult
1. Once Upon a Summer - Janette Oke
2. The Winds of Autumn - Janette Oke
3. Winter is Not Forever - Janette Oke
4. Springs Gentle Promise - Janette Oke


Young Adult
1. Shadowed Summer - Sandra Mitchell
2. Carolina Autumn - Carol Lynch Williams
3. Winter's Child - Cameron Dokey  review
4. Come Next Spring - Alana White

Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

Publisher: Scholastic, 2009
Pages: 391
Source: I purchased

I have heard such great things from readers everywhere about this book. Katniss and Peeta return from the capitol victors for District 12. Katniss had no idea that when she held out the poisonous berries to Peeta and forced the game master to declare them victors that she had set into motion things that could not be undone. The hatred the President had for her was obvious from his visit to her house. He unlike the people of the other districts was not fooled into believing that she loved Peeta the way he loved her. This book kept me on the edge of my seat. The games were more brutal this time. By placing former winners in the arena again, the President himself set into motion a rebellion he could not begin to quell. I can't wait until the third book comes out. There were so many loose ends and cliff hangers that the third book is a must read. I had two other students who read it before me. I can't say no to a student who begs me. I will recommend it to any and all of my students.

Contest at Lateiner Gang

CONTEST! CONTEST! CONTEST!

The Lateiner Gang has ended their Mega Contest and begun anotyher. They have had two posts already featuring the book "Candor" by Pam Bachorz. They have also had an author interview. They will be giving away a signed ARC of "Candor". The contest will run from Saturday, November 21st, 2009 until 11:59 p.m. (est) on Saturday December 12, 2009.

Head on over and sign up for this fabulous contest and tell them that Sandra at Musings of a Book Addict sent you.

Last Chance at Mega Book Giveaway

Last two days to enter the Mega Book Giveaway at Lateiner Gang Book Review Blog. Please hop on over to their site and check out their reviews and sign up for their giveaway. Tell them Sandra from Musings of a Book Addict sent you. Not only do you get a great chance to win great books but you get great and informative reviews.

And the Winner Is......

Congratulations to: Alyssa Kirk @ Teens Read and Write, you are the winner of White Picket Fences by Susan Meissner. I have sent you an email and will await your reply with your address. Thanks to all who entered.

2 short quick reads for Cybils

Touchdown Trouble by Fred Bowen

Publisher: Peachtree

Pages: 123

Source: I purchased

Sam plays for the Cowboys and so far his team has been undefeated. His father loves the game so much and is proud his son plays. He video tapes each game. The night the Cowboys play the Giants is a night both teams will never forget. Both teams fight hard for a victory but the Cowboys come out ahead. They are now undefeated. As the team sits around in Sam's livingroom watching the video of the game Sam sees something that will change him in so many ways. The questions is what is he to do with the information he has? This is a book about integrity and doing the right thing. I can't wait for my students to read it. Sometimes they don't think about things like this until they read it in a book. I am glad it was one I had to review for the Cybils. Once again I was surprised that I enjoyed a book I thought I wouldn't like.

Beyond the Station Lies the Sea by Jutta Richter

Publisher: Milkweed

Pages: 81

Source: Review copy from publisher

What would you do without your guardian angel? What would you do to achieve your dream? Would you sell your guardian angel if it meant achieving your dream? Niner lives on the streets. He had been living there part time ever since his mother's new boyfriend moved in and began his abuse. He has been living there full time ever since he found his mother in a pool of blood and the ambulance took her away. All he wants is to go to the sea with his friend Cosmos. It takes money to get to the sea. All Niner has to offer to sell is his guardian angel.

This was a great book. It took me a little while to get in to the book but once I did I finished it very quickly. I would like to read more by this author.

The opinions expressed in these review are mine alone and do not represent the views of the panel.

Award to Pass On

Vicki from Reading at the Beach sent this my way with the following instructions:

The rules are simple for this. I need to list ten honest things about me and then pass the award on to ten other book bloggers. So here goes.

1. In addition to being a book addict I paint, quilt, sew and do various other crafts.
2. I have always loved cats and had 63 of them at one time on our farm.
3. I have 6 granddaughters and a grandson due in May.
4. I used to be so shy I could not look people in the eye.
5. I used to own a ceramic shop with 5 kilns and over 5000 molds. I am now down to 2 kilns and 200 molds.
6. I have an extreme fear of heights yet I have made it to the top of the Empire State Building and climbed the 214 steps of the St. Augustine Lighthouse and
walked around its top.
7. I had 5 eye surgeries last year to prevent the loss of my eyesight and finished my first ever reading challenge (the 48 hour reading challenge) 8 hours before seeing my doctor for my last eye surgery.
8. I used to do clowning for Special Olympics, my name was "Hearts".
9. I used to travel around to churches and do puppetry.
10. I completed my first book last year (still unpublished) because a student asked me the followiwng question, "With over 1,000 books on your shelf, and you always telling us what is good to read, why don't you start writing books and let us read them from your shelves?"

This was definitely a longer list, or more detailed than vicki's. I am sending this award on to the following people.

1. Katrina @ Callapidder Days
2. Abby @ Abby (the) Librarian

3. Becky @ Becky's Book Reviews

4. Melissa @ Book Nut

5. Allyssa @ Teens Read and Write

6. Pizza @ Pizza's Book Discussion

7. Linda Ellen @ Bambi Reads

8. Gina @ Book Dragon's Lair

9. Amanda @ A Patchwork of Bookooks
10. Mother Reader @ Mother Reader

Chill Baby, Chill Reading Challenge and List

Anyone who knows me, and already believes I am crazy for the number of books I read, and the number of challenges I participate in will probably say, "Here she goes again"!!! I love when I have advance notice of upcoming reading challenges. This one will be coming about the time I finish the Fall Into Reading Challenge, and starts the day after I get out of school for Christmas Break. I can think of no better way to begin my break than with a Reading Challenge.

Chill Baby, Chill December 21, 2009 to March 19, 2010The Book Dragon's Lair is hosting a winter challenge. Chill Baby Chill is all about chillin' out and reading what you like.

Rules:

1. Comment on the post about the challenge with a link to your POST about the
challenge .
2. Read at least six books.
3. Leave comment with links to your reviews (if you review).
4. You can read whatever you'd like or use this time to catch up on challenge books.
5. At the end of March do a wrap up post.



I will post my list of books I read for this challenge here with a link to its review.

1.Prodigal Sons – Sheldon Greene review
2.The Broken Road to Disaster Recovery – Keifer Bonvillain review
3. Yesterday's Embers - Deborah Raney review
4. Emmy's Equal - Marcia Gruver review
5. It's in the Eyes - Charles N. Toftoy review
6. The View From Brindley Mountain - C. Eugene Scruggs  review
7.  Small Kingdoms - Anastasia Hobbet - review

For Faithful Friends by Marilyn Randall

To check out her other books and bio you can got to www.marilynrandall.com

I received "For Faithful Friends" from the author because the review book I was to receive was delyaed. First of all I was impressed. I never know when I request books how soon they will arrive so I was surprised to receive a temporary replacement. Having read her book I will definitely look forward to receiving "Elmer, the Christmas Elf" to review. However, I have a new step-granddaughter that will be receiving this book for Christmas. It is the wonderful story of a turtle who has a dream but is so afraid to do anything to reach his dream. He has a friend who brings him corn each day and tries to encourage him. The turtle is so afraid of the meadow that he constantly warns all of the others. His friend, the field mouse explains that soon winter will be there and he won't be able to bring the turtle corn. He encourages him to put his faith and trust in God to get him across the meadow. The turtle really wants to but decides to wait. He sees his friend out in the meadow then suddenly he sees a hawk's shadow. He asks God to help him move quickly so that he can save his friend. Once he takes that first step of faith he is okay. He is able to move on to his dream. This was a wonderful book told in beautiful verse, The pictures were simple and lovely. The message is one of hope and trusting in God that is simple enough for children. However, the message is not lost on the adult as well. I look forward to sharing many more books by this author with my grandkids and my friend's children.

Student Review Saturday

Review of The Surrender Tree by Margarita Engle

Jesse is an eighth grader and chose this book written in poetic form. The following is his review.

The book Surrender Tree was a book of poems that had to do with the Cuban War. The setting of the book is in Cuba. The war zone of Cuba is where it is really held. My favorite poem of the book is part one, The Names of the Flowers. The names of the flowers is about a girl named Rosa who is in the middle of the Cuban War. Rosa was a nurse that would help the sick and injured. The names of the flowers also talks about how it sounds when shots are fired and when the wind hits the leaves of trees when it gets quiet. I would recommend this book to my cousin. My cousin would really like this book because she likes poems and it has to do with a girl, so I think she would like it. The book didn't really live up to my expectations because I thought it would be a book about how Cuba took strike for freedom. But bow I know that they went to war for freedom. The connections I made for this book would be with the movie "Flag of our Fathers". The movie connects with the book because the U.S. Soldiers go to Japan to fight for Japan's freedom.

Twelve Cybil Book Reviews

Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days by Jeff Kinney
Publisher: Amulet Books
Pages: 218
Source: I purchased it.

Greg would love nothing better than to spend his summer inside the house. Especially since his parents have decided they can't afford to go to the beach this summer. Greg's mother on the other hand wants him outside. She comes up with all kinds of activities. She tries a book club and Greg ends up being the only one in it. He keeps getting in trouble with the parents of his best friend Rowley. It seems like the more Greg tries to have fun his way the more trouble finds him. Once again Jeff Kinney has created a book that the kids love. I actually had to purchase two copies so that I could read one of them. I had a deadline though since I have three other student names on the list to read it next. I definitely recommend the Diary of a Wimpy Kid Series to my students. The funny thing is I probably would not have picked it out. My dyslexic husband was with me at a book store when he saw it and told me if they'd had books like that when he was young and struggling he probably would have read more. I am so glad he was there to recommend it. I can't keep them on my shelves.

Storm Chaser by Chris Platt
Publisher: Peachtree
Pages: 160
Source: Review copy from publisher

Jessie is a thirteen year old girl who lives on Wild Hawk Ranch in Nevada. Her best friend Marybeth is two years younger than she is. When her brothers and friends bring in the herd of horses that have been roaming free on the range, Jessie spots a beautiful paint that she would love to have. Her horse Rusty is getting so old that she will soon have to stop riding him. She wants an opportunity to break the paint that she has named Storm Chaser but her father says she is still too young. Her brother Duncan doesn't agree with his father so he starts secretly helping her train Chase. When the barn burns down after a storm they have no choice but to open the ranch up as a tourist spot to help pay for what they lost. It is one of their first guests, Ariel, who turns out to be the person to take Chase away from Jessie.
I don't usually read books about horses. I grew up on a farm but didn't have horses. I identified with getting the hay in and feeding the animals and the myriad of chores that goes along with the farm. I did love this book. I found that it kept me waiting until the very end to see how it was going to turn out. I have several students who love horse books and will love the fact that I have added this to my shelves.

I Am Jack by Susanne Gervay
Publisher: Tricycle Press
Pages: 126
Source: Review copy from publisher

Jack is like any other middle school student except he has a bit problem. There is a gruop of bullies at his school. Now he is afraid to go to school. The teachers don't seem to see what is happening. His friends are beginning to ignore him and he just can't tell his mom. She has enough problems on her hands without this. Jack holds these secrets in for so long he gets physically sick. Everyone misses the signs. He finds ways to hide, even if it means getting into trouble. His grades are dropping and still no one seems to have a clue. Then one day his best friend and neighbor steps up and does the right thing. As a teacher I see bullying all the time. I have a "no put down, no bully" policy in and out of my classroom. If I see someone picking on another kid I step in and I even go as far as calling their home and talking with administration. I am not always the most popular teacher but I don't really care. My job is to create an environment in which students, all students can learn. One of the things I loved about the book was when Jack's teacher finally investigated and got involved, he didn't just discipline. He met with the main bully in the book and tried to figure out what was going on that caused him to be a bully. This was an excellent book and one that I am going to recommend to the administration and counselors at school. They need books that they can give to students to read like this. Books that let them know that adults understand what they are going through. This book is all that and more.

Ruby Flips for Attention by Derrick Barnes
Publisher: Scholastic
Pages: 129
Source: Review copy from publisher

Ruby wants to start a drill team and be important like her cousin Kee-Kee. She wants to hear people shout her name like they do her cousin. Ruby doesn't understand what Kee-Kee's drill team is all about. She is impatient and learns the hard way that you can't try something dangerous like flipping without the possibility of injury. When she gets her older brother to help her he tries to teach her how to do things slowly and safely. Her impatience causes an injury and makes her brother feel really bad. It isn't until her mother takes her to visit her cousin during a practice that she learns what her cousin's drill team is all about. This sets Ruby on the path toward the reputation she really wants. This was a great book. The message of doing for others was one that all kids need to see. Often times they see the glitz and glitter of their favorite star but don't know about the behind the scene things the stars do. I know a lot of kids that wold be interested in this book.


Angel Cake by Cathy Cassidy
Publisher: Puffin
Pages: 126
Source: Review Copy from publisher

Anya, her mother and sister Kazia have moved from their home in Poland to Liverpool, England. Her father had moved there three years before to help start a business give his family a better life. Anya finds it difficult in school. She is afraid to speak because her English is not real good. She is drawn to the school's bad boy Dan. Through her relationship with Dan she learns that things are not always what they seem. Her mom helps out Dan's mother in her shop and makes a new friend. Because of the kindness shown to Dan's mother, it seems that one miracle after another is answered. This is definitely a feel good story. In real life things don't always have a happily everafter ending. The ending of this story was not unbelievable. There were still problems that no one could solve and that is what made it realistic. I loved the book. This is the first time I had read anything by this author but I am sure I will be reading more.

Operation Redwood by S. Terrell French
Publisher: Amulet Books
Pages: 353
Source: Review copy from publisher

Julian Carter Li is miserable. While is mother is in China taking pictures of Buddhist Temples for a grant she was awarded, he is stuck with his rich aunt and uncle. All the money in the world doesn't matter if the people who have it are terrible. Julian can't seem to do anything right. To try and improve his behavior his aunt decides to set up a point system that rewards good behavior. Unfortunately for Julian, no matter how hard he tries his points keep going backwards and now they are in the negatives. While sick he is stuck at his uncles office and begins snooping around. He finds an email that was unopened and reads it. It is from someone named Robin who is upset because his uncle is going to clear-cut the redwoods in Big Tree Grove. Julian and his best friends write back in answer and find out the sender is a girl about their age. Together they hatch a plan to help save the redwoods. This book is great for getting kids to look at the larger issues in the world today. It shows them that no matter how young they are they can still take steps to help protect the world they will one day inherit. I am excited to share this book with my students.

N.E.R.D.S by Michael Buckley
Publisher: Amulet Books
Pages: 316
Source: Review copy from publisher

Okay, let me first start off by saying I loved the cover. When I saw it the song "Secret Agent Man" kept going through my head. The second think I though was that these characters looked an awful lot like characters I would find on Nikelodeon. Yes I do watch cartoons. I have to be able to discuss them with my students. That's my story and I'm sticking to it. When I first opened the book, the inside jacket flap had a list of characters. The fifth grade secret agent spies. These were all kids who were nerds and the governmetn helped them enhance their nerdiness to give them secret powers. Jackson "Braceface" Jones was never one of the nerds. That is until he got his braces and lost his friends. He was no longer a part of the popular crowd. Enter the nerds. The group he had always tormented was up to something and he wanted to know what. After following them he watched them duck into lockers and disappear. He follows them and that is when trouble starts. He has entered the world of spies. I loved this book. It was a lot of fun. I can see my students reading it and laughing out loud. I have read the entire Sister's Grimm series so I assumed I would like this one just as much and I was right. I will definitely recommend this book to my students.

Leaving the Bellweathers by Kristin clark Venuti
Publisher: Egmont
Pages: 242
Source: Review copy from publisher

Tristan Benway is the victim of an ancestors pledge that he and his decendants will serve teh Bellweathers for two centuries. Benway has been counting down the time he has left. He has also been writing a Tell All book about his adventures or misadventures, depending on how you wish to look at it. He thinks about the challenges ahead for his replacement. He knows that whoever steps into his shoes will have their hands full with this family. First there are the three mischievious triplets. They seem to find trouble everywhere. Then there is Spider who likes to collect dangerous and endangered animals of all kinds. Ninda thinks she can fix the world or at least her little corner of it. She keeps taking in those that she believes have been exploited. Then of course there are the parents. Dr. Bellweather is an inventor who tends to fly off the handle when interrupted. His wife can't seem to get enough of painting and repainting the walls inside their lighthouse. Eventhough Benway has looked forward to leaving he is finding this decision difficult. He is the glue that holds the family together. I will highly recommend this book to my students. The only area I see as a possible problem for them is some of the vocabulary for reluctant or intensive reading students this is some times a drawback. I am hoping the story line will keep them reading.

The Mostly True Adventures of Homer P. Figg by Rodman Philbrick
Publisher: Scholastic
Source: Review copy from publisher

Homer P. Figg is a story teller, as in fibs. The way he embellishes a story made me think of Tom Sawyer. His story takes place during the Civil War. He and his brother Harold live with their uncle because their mother is dead. He works them hard and feeds them little. Then the worst thing happens. He sells Harold to serve in the Union Army in the place of a rich mans son. Homer runs away determined to find and rescue his brother. Along the way he has several adventures. He ends up with a group who have decided to use his story telling abilities to uncover an underground railroad station. Homer is smart enough to use the stories to thwart their plans. For all of the humor found in the story it is tempered with the horrors he witnesses of the war. This was a good book that will have a place on my shelves. A good way to teach students some historical facts.

The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Prisoner's Dilemma by Trenton Lee Stewart
Publisher: Little, Brown and Company
Source: Review copy from the publisher

Tfhe Mysterious Benedict Society is made up of four kids with special skills and led by Mr. Benedict. the four kids, Reynie, Sticky, Kate and Constance are constantly trying to prevent Mr. Curtin, who just happens to be Mr. Benedict's evil twin brother, from trying to take over the world. Mr. Benedict has been hiding the kids from his brother. They are captured and taken prisoner. Together they use their skills to escape and prevent Mr. Curtain from carring out his evil plans. I think my students who really like action will like this book. I have not read books one and two in the series so I will need to purchase them for my shelves as well.

Paris Pan Takes the Dare by Cynthea Liu
Publisher: G.P. Putnam & Sons
Source: Review Copy from Publisher

This was my kind of book. It was mysterious enough and light enough to make it a fun read. Paris Pan has a dysfunction family in many ways. Her father builds a house, moves the family into it then goes off to build their next house. The longest Paris has stayed anywhere is eight months. She talks about her school transcripts being longer than a Harry Potter book. When she moves to her newest town she is told there is a right of passage for all seventh grade girls. She wants to fit in but she is not real crazy about the dare. She is expected to spend the night in the creepy woods. It doesn't help that she has learned that a girl mysteriously died near her house while taking the dare, or that she has been hearing strange things. However, through this whole experience she learns what true friendship is. I can't wait for my students to read this book.

Red, White & True Blue Mallory by Laurie Friedman
Pages: 183
Source: Review copy from publisher

This is book number 11 in the Mallory series. I had never heard of them before this book. In thsi book, Mallory takes a class trip to Washington, D.C. She is so excited to be sharing this trip with her best friend Mary Ann. However, she finds that Mary Ann is spending the trip with her new boyfriend. Mallory is supposed to keep a journal of her trip and all of her experiences. This was an okay book with some okay historical information. I couldn't really get into it because I kept thinking that elementary kids could relate to it better. I am recommending it to a friend who teaches fourth grade. I think her kids will really like it.

The opinions expressed in these review are mine alone and do not represent the views of the panel.

Read and Share: The Story of Christmas by Gwen Ellis

Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Source: Review copy from publisher in exchange for my review.

I look forward to sharing the story of Christmas with my grandchildren, the way I shared it with my own children. “Read and Share The Story of Christmas” by Gwen Ellis has just made this a little bit easier for me. Not only were the pictures simple and wonderful, but a DVD is included. The stories are told in a simple language that my three year old will be able to understand. They are short enough to keep her engaged. I think what I really enjoyed was placing myself in the shoes of a child reading the book and watching the DVD and knowing how much I enjoyed it. This Christmas.

I really enjoy receiving a book from Thomas Nelson Publishing for the purpose of reviewing it and blogging about it .

3 More Books for Cybils

Brushing Mom’s Hair – Andrea Cheng
Publisher: Wordsong
Pages: 59
Source: Review Copy from publisher

This is a simple yet beautiful book about the way a young girl deals with her mother’s breast cancer. It is written in a series of poems. Each poem expresses what is happening at that time with her mother or else with her own emotions. The reader can feel the emotions and the helplessness in the voice of them poems. She handles her worries by dancing and making pottery. Through these two creative outlets she can let out her frustrations and deal with not only the everyday things a girl of fifteen must deal with, but put into perspective her mom’s cancer. Wonderfully written with a great message.

Mudville – Kurtis Scaletta
Publisher Knopf
Pages: 267
Source: Library

Roy McGuire is like a lot of twelve year old boys, he loves baseball. Unlike a lot of twelve year olds he has to go to a neighboring town if he wants to play. It has rained every day in Moundville for twenty-two years straight. Some people think the town has a curse on it. Roy believes it all boils down to statistics. Roy goes away to baseball camp and when he returns he finds a foster kid living in his house. It had always been just he and his father. His mother was always jet setting around the world. Sturgis Nye has his own parental problems. He likes Roy’s dad. He always laughs at his jokes and seems to love his dad’s weird food concoctions. The one thing they have in common is baseball. Roy is a great catcher and Sturgis is a great pitcher. The day after Sturgis arrived the rain stopped. They go to the ball park to get it straightened up. They can play baseball now. Unfortunately the end of the rain means the end of Roy’s father’s business. His job was rainproofing houses. Things go along great until Sturgis decides to join the opposing team.

I will be the first to say that I don’t care a whole lot for baseball. I played it some as a child but have never been to a professional game. I probably would not have read this book had it not been on the Cybils list. I am so glad it was. This was a great book. It was full of baseball lore yet I didn’t feel like I was reading all about baseball. The plot was so much deeper. Part of this was a coming of age story. I think this is one I will definitely purchase for my shelves. I will recommend this to all of my students and will be checking out some of this authors other books.

Lucky Breaks – Susan Patron
Publisher: Atheneum Books
Pages: 176
Source: Library

Lucky Trimble believes that at age 11 she is so much more grown up. Her word for it is intrepid. This prompts her to do things she would not have done at age 10. She is surrounded by an eclectic group of kids. Lincoln is becoming known for his knot tying ability, and miles is a six year old genius. The lady who is Lucky’s guardian runs a French Restaurant. Then there is Lucky. If she just had a best girl friend everything would be alright. Enter Paloma. Lucky invites Paloma to spend the weekend with her. Her parents agree as long as Lucky acts responsibly. Lucky has all of the great plans and they start going wrong putting people in danger. There are a lot of lessons to be learned here about friendship and growing up. It wasn’t preachy about these topics in any way. This was a sequel to the book “The Higher Power of Lucky”. Since I had not read it I must now go out and find it and read it.

The opinions expressed in these review are mine alone and do not represent the views of the panel.

Blog Tour/Book Giveaway: White Picket Fences by Susan Meissner

Publisher: Waterbrook Press
Pages: 358
Source: Publisher's Review Copy
This book can be purchased at Random House

The Publisher has graciously provided a copy of White Picket Fences to be given away. To enter this giveaway please leave a comment in the comment section. Please leave your email address so that I will be able to contact the winner. On the 20th I will use the Random number generator to pick the winner. Enjoy the review and good luck to all!

When Tally's father disappears she is welcomed into the home of her aunt Amanda. She feels like she really belongs there and they believe that they will be able to help her overcome so many things. None of them expect things to turn out the way they did. Instead of helping Tally, they find that old memories and secrets they have let lie are surfacing. As much as they try to shove them away there comes a time when they must be faced. There had been signs all along. Amanda sees her son is troubled and tries to talk with her son about it. Her husband makes excuses for the strange behavior and dismisses his wife's concerns.

When Tally, Chase and his best friend prepare to do their project on the holocaust they decide to interview two old men at a nursing home that Chase has met before. As Chase is talking about the opening scene of their video, he lets it be known that to personalize it they will be using Tally's father, who is in Europe looking for relatives who died in the Holocaust. Tally is against this. She won't tell them the real reason that her father is there. These were just a few of the subplots throughout the book. I found it easy to keep all of them separate and at the same time they all tied together.

I loved this book. It was all about secrets and how sometimes holding them in and not talking about the issues will eat away at us until there is nothing left. It is also a book of hope that shows there can be forgiveness and healing. I have really fallen in love with the work of Susan Meissner and look forward to reading many more of her books.

Check out Word Vessel for her review of this book

Two cute children's books

Stop It! By Sally O. Lee
Publisher: Lee Publishing
Source: Review copy from publisher

What do you do with a bully? Do you run? Do you cry? Anabel loves to dress up in her mother's clothes and dance around the house with her cat Lulubell. George is her brother and he is a bully. When George is mean to Lulubell, Anabel steps in and stops the bullying. She doesn't stop there, she goes the next step to make George feel good about himself. What wonderful lessons to be taught to our children. Sally O. Lee has done it again. She has given us a simple book with a valuable message tied up so our youngest can understand and learn from it.



Jack’s Dreams Come to Life
Publisher: Booksurge
Source: Review copy from publisher

Jack is no longer a puppy. Instead of playing with the puppies on the ranch he lays down for a nap. He dreams he is chasing a squirrel. As he is trying to dig the squirrel out of its hole the hole gets bigger and so does the squirrel. He runs away only to fall down a hole and land in his box of squeak toys. All of his toys start moving and growing. When Jack escapes from his toys he wakes up and checks his toys to make sure they are all normal sized. This kind of reminded me of an Alice in Wonderland for dogs. read it to my grand-daughter who is 3 1/2. She was not frightened like I thought she might be. Instead she said the animals got big because he was mean to them. I can see that it might be scary for some. My grand-daughter kind of looks at things different than most kids. I thoroughly enjoyed the book and sharing it with Haylee and I know she did as well.

A Weekend of Reading

Take the Mummy and Run – Mary Amato
Publisher: Holiday House, 2009
Pages: 226
Source: Library

Wilbur and Orville love making up games and having an adventure each day. When they are told their cousin Amelia will be visiting them for awhile they decide to see what kind of person she is. She turns the tables on their jokes and they like her immediately. They set out to solve mysteries and have fun from the beginning to the end of this book. I had a hard time getting into this book. Maybe if I were much younger I would have enjoyed it.


Extra Credit – Andrew Clements
Publisher: Atheneum
Pages: 192
Source: Library

Abby Carson is flunking sixth grade. She loves P.E. because they do rock climbing, so that’s all she focuses on. When her guidance counselor sends a letter home saying she will be retained she decides to do whatever it takes to pass. She must meet “B’s” the rest of the year in all subjects and do a special project for Language Arts. Her project involves writing to a pen pal in Afghanistan. Sadeed is the best student in his village. When the letter arrives from America it is decided he will secretly help his sister write letters to Abby as it would be inappropriate for a young boy to write a young girl. Little do they know that these letters will cause controversy on both sides of the ocean. This was a great book. It gave a glimpse into the culture of those in Afghanistan. Highly recommend this to my students.


The Kind of Friends We Used to Be – Frances O’Roark Dowell
Publisher: Atheneum
Pages: 234
Source: Library

Kate and Marilyn had always been friends. When they hit seventh grade things changed,. Marilyn was a cheerleader and Kate was learning to play the guitar. This is a story about true friendship and change. In this story both girls get a peek at what they really are, what they want to be and learn that even though they both change, they can still be friends.

Piper Reed Gets a Job – Kimberly Willis Holt
Publisher: Henry Holt
Pages: 149
Source: Library

Piper Reed and the Gypsy Club need a clubhouse. Unfortunately it will cost close to $2000. Piper decides to get a job. She puts a sign in her front yard that says she designs party planner. She decides to help her younger sister by illustrating her book and when her older sister needs someone to cover her babysitting job she takes on that task as well. Add to all of this her school project and you have a disaster in the making. This was an easy and wuick book to read, and a lot of fun.

Scat – Carl Hiaasen
Publisher: Knopf Books fro Young Readers
Pages: 384
Source: Library

Once again Carl Hiaasen has given us an environmental story that keeps us on the edge of our seat. There are several mysteries to be solved in this book. Hiaasen does an excellent job of tying everything together. This story takes place in Naples, Florida. I live only an hour from there. Mrs. Starch the Biology teacher has taken her class on a field trip into the Everglades. When a fire breaks out, the trip is cut short. When everyone their teacher is missing. Hiaasen throws in a weirdo substitute teacher named Wendell Waxmo, a suspect named Duane who has a history of setting fire, an oil company trying to find a way to drill in the Everglades and a couple of kids who try to solve it all. My students who have read and loved Hoot and Flush will enjoy this one just as much. I enjoyed it because the Everglades is a place my husband and I try to go to every year. It is worth saving.

The Brilliant Fall of Gianna Z by Kate Messner
Publisher: Walker Books
Page: 208
Source: Review Copy from publisher

This story will definitely resonate with middle schoolers. Gianna Z. needs to turn in the science project to compete with the track team. She has a habit of leaving things until the last minute. For the project she has to collect and classify 24 different leaves. Throw in to this mess typical changes that occur in middle school and you have a great story. Gianna’s childhood friend has started looking at her through a “boys” eyes. Her grandmother Nona lives with them and she loves doing things with her. She has started getting forgetful. As she collects the leaves she starts looking at those around her and comparing them to certain leaves. There is a lot of coming of age in this book. I think it will make a great read aloud to my class.



Standing for Socks – Elissa Brent Weissman
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Pages: 200
Source: Library
Fara Ross accidently wears two different socks to school. Everyone takes it to mean she is expressing her individuality. She starts a whole trend she wasn’t trying to start. She has become very popular and believes if she runs for Student council president she stands a chance of winning. Inadvertently she closes out her best friend. Suddenly everyone is becoming more focused on her socks and not on her issues such as recycling. Fara learned some valuable lessons through the experience. This was a fun book full of “sock jokes and puns”. I think my students will really enjoy it.

Solving Zoe – Barbara Dee
Publisher: Margaret K.. McElderry
Pages: 240
Source: Library

This has a theme similar to so many I have recently read. Zoe starts middle school and realizes things change. Boys become interested in girls. What made this book so different from my other recent reads is that Zoe loves breaking codes. This was an okay book for me but not something I would re-read. It was well witten but not a topic I could really sink my teeth into. I will recommend this to my ESOL class because we just finished a couple of stories that involved codes.

Chains – Laurie Halse Anderson
Publisher: Atheneum
Pages: 336
Source: I own it.

One thing I love about Laurie’s books is her ability to bring her characters and settings to life. You don’t just read their story, you live it. When I read her books I often feel like the boy in the movie “The Neverending Story”. He is seeing the story unfold as he reads it. The story is alive.
Isabel is a slave during the Revolutionary War. She is only thirteen so I know my middles school students will be able to relate that way. Through Isabel we see the hardships, pain and evil inflicted on slaves. She set her story in the north which is the opposite of where we usually associate slavery. It was well researched and though out. It is not for those who want a quick. Light read. This book takes the reader into depths of slavery. I think all American History teachers should have a copy in their classrooms.

The Evolutions of Calpurnia Tate – Jacqueline Kelly
Publisher: Henry Holt & Co.
Pages: 352
Source: I own it.

In the story, Calpurnia is torn between her love of Science and all her grandfather can teacher her and the world her mother thinks is appropriate for females. You know the one, cooking, cleaning, doing needlework. Calpurnia dutifully does her mother’s bidding as is appropriate. She is torn between what is expected of her and what her true passion is. Her family is wealthy and therefore has an image to uphold. One thing that I had a problem with is that Calpurnia was too adult like. Very few of my students could relate to this book in any way. Most of them would consider it dry and too long. Most of my students live at or below the poverty level.

Journey of Dreams –Marge Pellegrino
Publisher: Frances Lincoln Children’s Books
Pages: 256
Source: I own it.

This was an emotional read for me. I have taught ESOL students for years. I’ve had students from all over the world who have had to flee because of political and religious reasons. This is the story of Tomasa and her family’s struggle for survival. When a plane sprays chemicals over their fields and people begin to get sick Tomasa’s mother speaks out. This begins the threats against their family. Her mother and older brother are the first to flee to keep him from being drafted. When soldiers come to their village to relocate them, Tomasa, her younger brother and sister and their father flee. They make their way to Mexico and finally to America. Most of our students or American children today would not be able to survive. Tomasa had to grow up so fast. This is an excellent book. I look forward to putting it on my shelves for my students.

The opinions expressed in these review are mine alone and do not represent the views of the panel.

More Cybil Reviews

Operation Yes by Sarah Lewis Holmes
Publisher: Arthur a. Levine Books
Pages: 234
Source: I purchased it.

I’m not really sure what I expected from this book when I got it but I definitely loved it. I could relate to this on some levels. I have had three nephews and a brother in Iraq. I had a student whose mother was sent to Korea and she was sent to live with her grandmother for a year and attended my school. Last year one of our teachers was called back up and deployed to Iraq. I have had students who seemed excited they were going to another country and some who were upset because they were moving again. I know the fear these students face wondering about the safety of their loved one. I am have been put on alert twice by my son. I am one of the lucky ones, his deployment has be put on hold for the time being. That is why I related to this book.

Ms. Loupe is not your average sixth grade teaches. She has a tattoo on her back. Of all things her students think her class is fun. Her first day, she took attendance while taping a large rectangle onto the floor. She then proceeded to step into it and ask questions that made her students question her sanity. They learn all kinds of things as they take turns in the Taped Space. Her dream is to create an improve theater. Students learn that she had been in the Air Force Academy but dropped out. Her brother is currently serving in Afghanistan. Bo has been in trouble in years past but now his cousin Gari is coming to stay with his family while her mother, a nurse is shipped to Iraq.

The Taped space allowed the kids an outlet for facing uncertainties and fears. She teaches her students to look at things from different angles to better understand them. This is a great inquiry technique. When something happens to her own brother her students step up to help her.

This book was to be put on the bottom of my Cybils stack to be read. One of my students picked it up from my desk the day I received it. He is one of my reluctant readers. He asked me if I was finished with it because it looked like a book he would really enjoy reading. I told him I had not started it and he asked me, “Do you think you could have it done by tomorrow?” I read the book during my first two periods so that I could give it to him during my 5th period. As I handed it to him I thanked him and told him I had it on the bottom of my list until he asked for it, which forced me to read it early. I told him I really enjoyed it and knew that he would too.



Bobby vs. Girls (Accidently) by Lisa Yee

Publisher: Scholastic
Pages: 172
Source: I purchased

I thought this was the cutest book. When I told my students about it they were telling me similar stories that had happened to them in elementary school. Bobby and Holly grew up best friends. When they reached fourth grade Bobby realized that Holly had started hanging out with someone new. Now it was no longer cool for the girls to be seen talking to the boys and the boys talking to the girls. Bobby ends up with a fish named Rover, and comes home each afternoon and tells his problems to the fish. Throughout the book you read one embarrassing thing after another about Bobby and you find out how true friendship comes through to make things work out. I love having students read a book and discuss it with me and I know this will be one of those books.

A Recipe 4 Robbery by Marybeth Kelsey
Publisher: Greenwillow Books, 2009
Pages: 282
Source: Library

Lindy wants to attend band camp with her best friend Margaret. The problem is her parents have had a run of bad luck. House repairs, her brother needs glasses, and other financial problems. Lindy’s luck may have changed. She is at their annual Bloomsberry Cucumber Festival with Margaret and they are looking for food. She gets caught in front of a dish made Granny Goose. It looks and smells foul. Granny puts an extra-large helping on her plate. Her mother insists she eat it. When she goes to take her first bite she finds something shiny. It is a gold locket. She learns that there has been a robbery in the neighborhood and Granny Goose is the prime suspect. She and her two friends set out to catch the culprit so that they can get the reward money. There were a lot of twists and turns in this. I honestly didn’t suspect the culprit until they revealed the thief. This was a very easy read and one I think will keep my students engaged.



Faith, Hope and Ivy June by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
Publisher: Delacorte Press, 2009
Pages: 280
Source: Library

Well, Phyllis Reynolds Naylor has done it again. She writes stories that pull you right in and make you feel as if you are one of the characters. One of the first things I liked about this book was the teacher. She had the students brainstorming ideas about the unknown. This is the story of two girls from two totally different backgrounds. They will each spend two weeks in each other’s home. Ivy June comes from the poor, coal mining section of Kentucky while Catherine comes from a wealthier area. The teachers wanted Ivy June and Catherine to write down any preconceived ideas they had about the other person’s lifestyle. There were so many connections to make with this book. My father-in-law grew up in the hills of Tennessee and I had spent some time in my childhood living in Lexington, Kentucky. I personally love the mountains. Another connection I made with this book was the ideas they and their friends had about each other. In eighth grade one of my best friends was a girl people talked about because they lived in a very run down house. The love and friendship in her home was not much different than those friends we shared who had lots of money. In the story both girls learn that prejudice can raise it ugly head in all forms. When tough times came they both relied on their friendship to get them through. They both came away learning something about each other’s world and realizing that change can only happen if we open our eyes to the possibilities without judging first. I absolutely loved this book. I cried when each of them faced their own challenge. I laughed when they described taking a bath in the big round tub one after the other. Yes I could relate to a lot of this. It is definitely a book for my shelves.

Carolina Harmony
Marilyn Taylor McDowell
Publisher: Delacorte Press, 2009
Pages: 322
Source: Library

Carolina Harmony lost her parents and baby brother in a terrible accident when she was only nine. She went to live with her Aunt Shen. Aunt Shen had raised her father but was not his biological mother. His mother had been her best friend. Carolina lives in the mountains and loves its simple ways. When Aunt Shen has a stroke some well meaning women from the church step in and she is shipped of to a foster home. She promptly runs away and then is taken to a second foster home. It seems to be worse than the first. She runs away from that one as well and end up at Harmony Farms. She is loved by the whole family. When she tries to help a kid from her former foster home disaster strikes and Carolina finds out what jealousy can do. Once again she runs away only to learn that you can’t keep running. Sometimes the only way you find peace is by telling the truth. This had a great ending. It reminded me a lot of the book “Pictures of Hollis woods”. I have read a lot of books recently with a setting of mountains in them and it makes me hurt. I have not been back to Tennessee since shortly before my Father-in-law passed away and I miss it. I hope to go back this summer. Like Carolina Harmony, that is where I find peace.


A Season of Gifts by Richard Peck

Publisher: Dial Books
Pages: 164
Source: Library

Richard Peck has done it again. Mrs. Dowdel is a formidable character that you just have to love. When the new preacher and his family move next door to her, she reaches out and helps them, even when they don’t think they need her help. Bobby’s first encounter with her is when a group of bullies kidnap him, strip him of his clothes, tie him up with fishing line and throw him in the lake. They then parade him back in then nude and string him up in Grandma Dowdel’s outhouse. She helps him out and acts as if it is nothing new to see a stark naked boy strung up there. She is rough on the outside yet loving and caring on the inside. She is not a church woman, yet she can quote her Bible. It is a story of neighbor helping neighbor, even when pride gets in the way. I will add this to my shelves because I think kids need to learn about this time period. If they can learn and have a great chuckle, then all the better.

The opinions expressed in these review are mine alone and do not represent the views of the panel.