Seven More Picture Books

A Song of Four Seasons by Helen H. Wu
I love books about the changing seasons. Living in Florida that is the one thing I miss after we moved from Indiana. My two most favorite seasons were and still are Spring and Fall. In this wonderfully illustrated book we see the four bears and their activities as they take us through the four seasons and the activities associate with each season. A wonderful book to read with the littlest reader or great for that early reader. Wonderful, lyrical sing-song writing.

African Animal Facts For Kids by Deborah Bradley 
This book is about 26 African Animals. There is one for each letter of the alphabet with just enough facts about each sprinkled in to hold the youngest child’s attention. The facts are not your common facts. They are very unique like a lot of the animals she listed. Wonderful book for young and old alike.

Get the Poop! The Diary of a Dung Beetle by Damiano Bernardo
I received a copy to facilitate my review. The opinions expressed here are my own. This was a cute book about a dung beetle who is out to get a ball of elephant poop so his mom can lay her eggs. Things don't go quite as planned. This was a cute story. The gross factor is definitely there for younger kids. The talk of eating, drinking and bathing in poop will cause children to giggle and gag.

Giggly Bear’s Fun Trip in the Yellow Bus by Kelly Santana-Banks
Giggly Bear is going on a trip to the funfair. He is riding a big yellow bus. There are my rules he must learn and obey while riding the bus. A great book to teac children about riding a bus and bus safety.

How the Movies Were Invented by Gerald Ewing
An absolutely wonderful book. The book is written in wonderful rhyme. This is a book young and old will read over and over again. There is so much packed into one little book. There is so much to discuss. You have the time period, the the idea of how pictures were taken compared to today. Most importantly you learn how still pictures morphed into moving pictures. I learned something I'd always wondered about. Such a wonderful way to teach something without the child realizing they are learning. I would definitely read more by this author.

Let’s Explore Austria by Baby Professor
The pictures are stunning in this book. Once again I felt that it stopped abruptly. It is almost like someone is showing you their vacation pictures and when they get to the last one they just put them away without saying anything. With so much potential I hope that the author will add more to this such as maps, a glossary and fix the ending of the books. I would still purchase these and recommend them.

Let’s Explore Germany by Baby Professor
Another book full of beautiful pictures. Once again I felt it could have used a map or a little more info. Since I am one of those people who would look things up to learn more. Maybe that is what the author was hoping the child would want to do.

Seven Picture Books by Various Authors

Peaceful Night Poetry by Píaras Ó Cíonnaoíth

Peaceful, calming poems relax the mind and comfort the soul. These are all ingredients needed to help one sleep. In this book the author has taken familiar thing to a child; teddy bears, fairies, animals and more. The poetry is soothing. It carries themes of friendship, dreams, being happy. The poems were thoughtful, and like the author said, ‘for ages 3-103’.  The illustrations are simple yet beautiful. I definitely recommend this book.  

99 Bitcoins and an Elephant by Vincent Chen
A young girl with special glasses that allow her to interact with games and worlds she creates accidently breaks them. Her mom takes her to get her glasses repaired. When they are returned there is a bitcoin wallet that pops up. The repairman had used a hard drive from an old discarded pair of glasses to repair them. The little girl uses the bitcoins to show kindness to others.

Elphie Meets the End of the World by Hagit R. Oron & Or Oron Misgav
Elphie is playing hide and seek with his best friend. His best friend’s brother comes in and tells them he heard on the news that the world was ending. Elphie runs home to hide. His parents decide to throw and “End of the World Party”. Elphie learns it was fake news, but more importantly Elphie learns that there is nothing to fear when the family sticks together. It also teaches children to live each day to the fullest. With all that is going on in our world today this is a book to read to children to reassure them that they are safe.

I'm Just Like You by Sharon Cramer

Two orphaned cougar cubs go out one day and meet a stranger who claims to be just like them. He doesn't look like them. But the three of them have fun playing together all day. At the end of the day, they learn that you can have friends who look different from you.

Adventures of the Little Tiger and His Friends by Renate Logina

Little Tiger has always played by himself. As he grows older he wants friends to play with. Everything turns out disastrous. One day he sees an anteater. A boulder has fallen on his tail. Little tiger removes the boulder then plays with it. Unfortunately, it ruins the fun and gets broken. The anteater helps Little Tiger to find friends.

Babaroo the Alien Learns About Bullies by Kate Melton

Babaroo the alien leaves the gray planet and visits Earth. He meets a fox and skunk who make fun of him and his looks. Babaroo feels bad about himself until a snail tells him how to handle bullies. The first rule is to never believe what they say. The snail introduces him to some of his friends. They welcome him. He has fun playing. When Babaroo returns to his planet he knows how to handle bullies.

A Friendship Story: Heart & mind by Nishi Singhal

This is a story that teaches the role the heart and mind plays in our lives.  The lesson these two teach is that you need both to be balanced. You need heart to help you learn to focus on all kinds of things. You need mind to show you how to do it. It illustrates this through two friends, "heart" and "mind". When mind tries to do things apart from heart he finds he has accomplished little.

A Bevy of Books by Michael Gordon

I am starting this week off with a group of picture books by one of my favorite picture book authors Michael Gordon.  Every day this week I will review picture books. I have acquired so many of them to review and put them on the back burner to read middle grade and young adult books. I usually collect picture books on my Kindle to read with my grandchildren. Due to Covid-19 I could not see my grandchildren this year. So I decided to read them for my own pleasure. I want to share the wonderful picture books I read with those parents who may not know what to pick for their children.

When I Get Upset

Another wonderful book to help young kids recognize and deal with their emotions. Younger kids often don’t know how to explain their emotions and therefore can’t deal with them. In schools and pre-schools they are seen as being rude, obnoxious or bratty. Maybe they need to sit with that child and read them one of Michael’s books to help them out. 

You Are Kind                                                                           

Josh’s mom tells him they can’t go to the park to play because she has a lot of errands. On the way he asks what kindness is and if it is something you be or do. His mom demonstrates throughout the day what kindness is in all it forms. One of the most important lessons was when mom told him that he has to be kind to himself and learn to forgive himself when he falls short of the person he is trying to be. Parents need these messages as much as the children. As adults I believe we often forget some of these lessons. 

When I Am Worried 
Everyone worries. For children they often wake up feeling strange. It may be about something they know will happen that day. In the case of this story Josh had to get a shot. The fear of the unknown is what causes those worries to grow. This books shows Josh sharing those feeling with his parents so they can help him understand them.

The Way I Am by Michael Gordon
This is one of my favorite books by this author. I teach middle school and think every middle school student AND teacher should read this book. It seems that by the time kids reach middle school they forget who they are. They try to do what others do to fit in. Josh learns this lesson on the very first day of school. He bows to peer pressure and doesn’t enjoy himself. That is because he isn’t staying true to who he is. This book has a lesson that everyone of every age should learn.

Listening to My Feelings by Michael Gordon
Josh gets upset when his sister plays with one of his toys. He can’t control his feelings so he hits and shoves his sister. His mom explain to him why it isn’t right to do what he did. Then she and his dad explain some things he can try to help him when he feels like he is going to explode.

I Am Mindful by Michael Gordon
Understanding your feelings is the first step to dealing with them. For children they know they feel funny but don’t always know why or how to help themselves. This book shows several different feelings and how to deal with them. Although many of his books are similar I know that while one may not reach a child another might.

Today I Am Brave by Michael Gordon
Bravery comes in all forms. In this book we see James being brave in many ways. He accidently breaks a plate and tells his mom and apologizes. He stands and speaks in class even when he is scared. He stops kids from being mean to a new kid, he keeps trying at something he’s not very good at. He asks questions in class when he doesn’t understand. He learns that being brave isn’t easy, but it is the right thing to do.

When I Feel Frustrated by Michael Gordon
I believe children feel most frustrated at a young age when they see other kids do things they can’t yet do. In this book Josh can’t win a race against his older sister. His dad says that being a winner isn’t always about winning. Being a winner is about the trying. He tells him that one day he will be older and stronger and that things will even out and he will win. He learns that sometimes fear holds us back and sometimes we need to focus and push on if we are going to succeed. I love these books that teach such life affirming lessons.

When I Am Angry by Michael Gordon
This book depicts Josh when he is angry. The tantrums he throws when he is angry reminded me of my children when they were young and my grandchildren now. The problem is that a lot of times parents get angry at their children’s anger and this just escalates the situation. This book show the parents remaining calm and talking with Josh. It also show practical ways they can help him deal with his anger. These are books that every new parent should be given when their first child is born. It will be there for them to help guide them when their children start expressing their feelings.

The Dead Girl Under the Bleachers by Donna M. Zadunajsky

Genre: Young Adult, Mystery

Source: I received a copy to facilitate my review. The opinions I expressed here are my own.

I sat and read this book in one sitting. The opening chapter hooks you. It starts from the perspective of a girl who is being attacked. The books is written from three unique perspectives. You have Scarlet, the queen bee of her school, Rachel who hangs with Scarlet, and Laura, Rachel's one time best friend. Although the author put the name of the character with the chapter number the reader quickly learns the voice of each character.

Scarlet is a snarky rich girl who loves taking people down. She has a boyfriend named Kyle who is just as mean. They are the type who plans whose life they will ruin.

Rachel comes from a loving family. She follows Scarlet because she likes her, the popularity, and because she doesn't want to be on the receiving end of Scarlet's meanness.

Laura is a nobody. She and Rachel were at one time best friends. She tries to stay hidden at school. She wants to stay off of Scarlet's radar. Scarlet has decided that she will be her next target. Laura has learned to trust no one. After the death of father and brother in an accident, she learns she can't even trust her own mother. Things change after Scarlet and Rachel go to Laura's house to study. Things get worse at home. Rachel and Laura reconnect their friendship and this makes Scarlet mad. But things aren't always what they seem.  This book is full of secrets and lies. Can you really justify murder?  I would definitely read more by this author.

I'm Not Dying With You Tonight by Kimberly Jones and Gilly Segal

Genre: Young Adult, Realistic Fiction

Source: Purchased

What amazes me about this book is that it came out in August of 2019. This could have been ripped from recent headlines.  This story has so many layers to it. It is told in alternating perspectives. We have Lena, an African American and Campbell a white teen.  Campbell has moved in with her dad because her mother moved to Venezuela. She hasn't spent much time with him over the years. A few months into her new school year she has been guilted into running the concession stand at the football game. Her dad is letting the teacher in charge take her home so that he can get to his weekend fishing cabin before nightfall. Things take a disastrous turn when a fight breaks out between the two teams. Lena has gone to the concession stand to get a soda while she waits for her overaged boyfriend to pick her up. When things turn violent she finds herself inside the concession stand with Campbell. As they try to leave and get to safety they realize they have to rely on each other. What made this so wonderful was the preconceived ideas that both of them had about each other. Lena kept calling Campbell a rich white girl because her father owned a hardware store. Campbell makes statements out of ignorance.

I could really identify with her because I came from an all-white school in Indiana my sophomore year. We moved to Florida. I was told when we moved down that the school I would attend had just had a race riot. This terrified me. I was use to talking to and playing with people who were different. My parents never let me believe there were differences. I always assumed that the reason some games in Junior High were held earlier in the day was because they had to come so far. I didn't know it was because the town had a rule not allowing African Americans in town after sundown.  Sometimes I think I was blessed living out in the country. We went camping every year and a kid was a kid, not a skin color. So I didn't understand prejudice. At the same time I was afraid I would say something out of ignorance that would offend someone. My best friend from day one was a girl with whom I rode the bus. My answers to her questions were so short she thought I was being rude. I told her I didn't mean it that way I just didn't want to say something stupid that might get me killed. I thought she was going to stop breathing she was laughing so hard. She took me under her wing.  

Lena and Campbell both had to  learn that a lot of what they  thought about the other race was false.  Some of the language was a bit more than I usually put on my school shelves. However, I will put a warning on the front and place it there because the message is one that is so important. Maybe this book will start a conversation among students. Conversations, not violence is what we need today.  I read the book in a little under two hours because I couldn't put it down. I highly recommend this book.

A Reluctant Queen by Joan Wolf

Genre: Adult, Christian, Historical Fiction

Source: I received a copy to facilitate my review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

In simplest terms this is a creative retelling of the story of Esther from the Bible. The author has taken some creative liberties that do not destroy, but enhance the original story. We see Esther as a woman who reluctantly marries a man she never would have because of their differences in beliefs. The author took this opportunity to explore the love between Esther and the King. This is important because during that period in history we know that the King had many wives. Yet we see how much he loved Esther.  The author also shows the king as a wise man and a kind man.  Haman is a man with a hate for Jews and a grudge against a Jew the King likes named Mordecai. Mordecai is the uncle of Esther. In this book Mordecai is shown in a different light. His reasons for Esther’s marriage to the king come across as self-serving. The Bible shows him as a calm and peaceful man who is very loyal to the king. If I had one complaint that would be it. However, this was not enough to take away from the book. It is well written  and I really enjoyed it.

Three Books By Sarah Read

Often children don’t know how to handle emotions. Sarah Read has come up with books that discuss several emotions. If you have been reading my blog for a while you know that lately I have posted reviews of several books dealing with emotions. This seems to be a time when we need it the most. With the recent quarantines, schools and daycares being closed down, children have had problems expressing their emotions. I know my middle school students at the end of the school year expressed how stressed they were. This was often added to by them having to take care of younger siblings and they didn’t know how to deal with the younger child’s fears and emotions. Books like these would have helped. These are simple reads that anyone can use when dealing with a child who doesn’t know how to handle or understand a new emotion they are feeling. I highly recommend this author’s books.

The Impatient Dinosaur by Sarah Read
Genre: Children’s Picture Book
Source: I received a copy to facilitate my review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

Danny the dinosaur is like a lot of young children. They don’t want to wait for anything. They want everything now. They get upset and frustrated when they are told they have to wait. Danny is the same way. He has a birthday coming up and his parents tell him he will have to wait for a big surprise. He tells them that they know he hates waiting. Will he learn to be patient and wait for his surprise?  I love the book and its message. The illustrations are wonderful. I have a grandson who loves dinosaurs and is a lot like Danny. This is a book I know he will love.

 

The Moody Monster
Genre: Children’s Picture Book
Source: Purchased

When Monster wakes up after a bad dream he finds himself mad. He doesn’t understand why. To make matters worse his mom isn’t home. His aunt fixes him a breakfast he doesn’t want and he decides he’s not going to school. When his mom comes home he tells her about his dream and the way he feels. His mom helps him learn to calm himself to make himself feel better.

 

The Worry Unicorn by Sarah Read
Genre: Children’s Picture Book
Source: Purchased

When Lily has to start at a new school she worries about all of the things that could go wrong. She worries about it so much that she can’t sleep. When she tells her parents about her feelings her mom talks to her about the positive side. She reassures her that her feelings are normal and that she will do just fine.

Mythical Girls by Alex McGilvery

Genre: Young Adult, Adult, Fantasy

Source: I received a copy to facilitate my review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

I really enjoyed this anthology. All of the stories are about girls who find a magical object. I found it interesting that two of these stories had characters that found an object that was a version of Excalibur.  One of my favorites was a world where magic had been outlawed. When the young girl finds a magical bracelet and is found out, the bracelet is to be destroyed. Fortunately, it isn’t and the girl has to use it to help save her land.

One of my favorites was “An Unexpected Weapon” by Kandi J. Wyatt. Kandi has long been one of my favorite authors. Her story resonated with me for several reasons. Her main character had previously gone through a tornado that destroys everything she loved. Her character and her behavior when a storm comes up reminded me of a former student. Mallory had gone through a tornado over the summer while visiting relatives up north. The terror haunted her. Since we get a lot of storms in Florida she lived in constant fear. She needed to sit facing a window to watch the sky. I would have to have my students pull out a book to read and then sit and talk with her until she calmed down. Kandi’s character Karli reminded me of my student Mallory. Both of them had to face their fear to overcome it.

Each of these stories empower girls. Each of them has a relic of magic. There is a wonderful look at different cultures and beliefs through this book. I really loved how these authors demonstrated both the good and bad sides of magic. I highly recommend this book to all fantasy lovers.

The Case of the Christmas Counterfeiters by Mike Mains

Genre: Middle Grade, Mystery

Source: Purchased

Jeffrey and his friends are in big-time trouble. Their last case finding a treasure almost got them killed. Jeffrey’s parents have grounded him for life.  Jeffrey’s parents really believe he thinks he is smarter than anyone and therefore goes looking for trouble. To tell the truth Jeffrey does believe he is smarter than most people and his friends agree. It is only a few days before Christmas and Jeffrey and his best friend Pablo are raking an elderly neighbor’s yard. When they uncover a body covered in the leaves and discover he is still alive they call the police.  But, that is never enough for this pair. They go to the hospital to see if they can find out more. Here they are witnesses to the person who they believe finished killing the man they had discovered. Once again by calling the police and speaking with them they are in trouble with their parents.

This is another case of Jeffrey and his friends getting themselves into trouble trying to do the right thing. In this book the danger is much stronger. There is stronger cases of violence so this is not recommended for elementary kids who have a higher reading level. This book touches on not only the mystery at hand but a class of cultures and cultural beliefs including religious beliefs.  All the way through I kept wondering how they were going to get out of the situation.  This is another wonderful mystery that I highly recommend.

The Case of the Dead Man’s Treasure by Mike Mains

 

Genre:  Middle Grade, Mystery

Source: Purchased

 

When I read the first book in this series I was immediately taken back to my childhood and reading Nancy Drew and Hardy Boy mysteries.  As an adult reading these books I am drawn to books by Max Elliot Anderson and Tim Shoemaker. The reason is simple; these are books that are not only a great mystery but also carry a faith-based message.

 In book number two we find Jeffrey Jones and his friend Pablo are on another case and this time they are being paid. When their teacher is injured in a hit-and-run accident, he pays them to track down the car. The police don’t seem to have any interest in it, saying that there are way too many cars to be able to find this one. He has faith that this genius boy who was able to take him down in class in a game of logic will solve this case.  What he couldn’t see coming was  Jeffrey and his friends stumbling on a case that may just cost them their lives.

 I have to say that my response to Jeffrey besting his teacher through logic was not what most people would expect. As a teacher, I have taught kids from all over the world. If any of them could explain why they wrote something the way they did and it was logical then I gave them credit for it and then taught them the correct way. Sometimes perspective really does matter. Jeffrey has earned his first-ever “F”. He asks the teacher why and the teacher proceeds to read the question, tell him the correct answer, then read Jeffrey’s answer to the whole class. Unfortunately, Jeffrey’s answers are correct based on his logic.  It didn’t help that Jeffrey keeps badgering his teacher about the unfairness of the situation and how it did matter because it would affect his permanent record.  The flustered teacher gives him a riddle with the understanding that Jeffrey has only 60 seconds to solve it. If he is successful, he will change Jeffrey’s grade to an “A”.  I was cheering Jeffrey along. I have come across too many teachers who believe they are always right and students are always wrong.

 This kept me on the edge of my seat as I tried to figure out the clues. Needless to say, all these years of reading mysteries I am not much better. Out of all of the clues I was able to get only one of them correct and only a part of it.  My students are going to love these books.

The Wicked Tree by Kristin Thorsness

Genre: Middle Grade, Mystery, Horror

Source: I won a copy from LibraryThing. The opinions expressed here are my own

Tav and his mom have moved back to her old home estate due to finances. Four years before, Tav's father died in a fire and Tav feels responsible. When they move back to the old family estate he decides his great-grandmother is not very likable and his cousin Millie is nuts. She keeps talking about an old book and the woods. Mrs. Green the housekeeper and her daughter Harper also lives in the estate. She has forbidden her daughter from going into the woods.  Tav's mother thinks it is okay for Tav to go into the woods. Tav begins having dreams about an old tree, then he sees a boy in one of the cabins he discovered in the woods. Harper is drug into the mystery because she wants to help Edward, the boy whose picture is in the photo album Millie showed him. Somehow this kid has been on the property for over a hundred years. 

This story is full of creepy mystery with an undercurrent of Tav wanting to do the right thing, the brave thing to hopefully find forgiveness. It would be so easy to get excited and write spoilers so I will stop here and just say that you really need to read this book. 

The Proper Way to Meet a Hedgehog and Other How-To Poems by Paul B. Janeczko

Genre: Children's Poetry Book

Source: Purchased

        Paul B. Janeczko has collected a group of poems that are cute and in some cases just fun. One of my favorite poems came near the end of the book. It is called How to Catch a Poem by Irene Latham. One of the biggest complaints I hear each year when I tell students we are going to write poetry is, "I don't know how to write a poem".  This year when I did my unit I asked students to sit outside or near a window and observe and make a list of things to write about. It was funny because when they submitted poems they often said it just came to them.  Irene's poem will definitely be read to them before we start the unit this next year.

        Another poem I enjoyed was one that taught me something. I can never remember which camel has one hump and which has two. J. Patrick Lewis took the guessing out by giving us a visual with just two letters. If you turn a D and a B on it's back you have the first letter and the number of humps for each type of camel a dromedary has one hump and a Bactrian has two.  I love it when visuals help me remember something.

        Finally, there were the poems that took me back to my childhood. I grew up in the country in Indiana. Playin' Jacks by Anna E. Jordan took me back to a time when my sisters and I  would sit on the kitchen floor playing jacks. The Swing by Robert Louis Stevenson reminded me of the swing my father put up for us attached to one of the largest branches. It brought back memories of trying to swing so high we could touch the leaves. How to Bird-Watch by Margarita Engle took me back to sitting or laying on a blanket in the yard watching the birds in the tree. I sit in my yard swing now and still do that. Irene Latham's How to Be a Tree in Winter was such a visual I could see the bare branches reaching for the sky. Ralph Fletcher wrote How to Make a Snow Angel. My sisters and I would wait each year for the snow to be deep enough to make snow angels. I remember doing this at school as well when we went outside for recess.  Helen Frost, who has been a favorite author of mine for several years wrote Best Friends which brought back memories of calling across the field to our cousins who lived down the road from us. I felt as if someone had followed me through my childhood and taken pictures of my life and written about them in this book.  

        I want to have my students sit with their eyes closed as I read these poems. I don't want them to analyze these poems because to me that ruins them. I want them to tell me what pictures popped into their head. Could they see themselves in any of them? So many teachers of middle and high school students find it strange that I will use picture books in my classroom. Why not? Simple books like this are both simple and complex at the same time. I am proud to put this book on my shelf this next year. I am proud to share these with my students. I hope you will pick up a copy and share it with your children or grandchildren and teach them how to enjoy poetry.

Chronicles of a Nuclear World First Post-Apocalyptic Journal: “ Under the Ground” by Radislav Borr

This book will be available July 12^th.

Genre: Young Adult, Adult, Science Fiction

Source: I received a copy from Booksprout to facilitate my review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

I really enjoyed this book.  In the beginning, I felt it started a little slow. The more I read the longer I read. I sat up until three in the morning finishing this book. A book has to be extremely good for me to stay up that late.  This book is written as the journal of Robert Williams a fourteen-year-old when World War III started.

Robert Williams was one of the lucky ones or was he. When World War III became imminent he and his mom were flown to an underground bunker. Why were they one of the lucky ones?  His father’s position in the Department of Defense gave them a spot in the bunker.   His grandfather on his dad’s side is in a leadership position as well. From the very beginning, we see what led up to WWIII and what life might be like is you were lucky enough to be one of the chosen to survive in a bunker. But this book did something that most dystopian, futuristic books have never done. Instead of focusing on the survivors on the outside, it focused on the survivors on the inside. We get a look through Robert’s eyes of what life like that would possibly be like. I honestly believe that this is probably the most realistic outlook of what that life could be like.

Our main character grows up and becomes a man in this book. He sees his mentor in charge of the library die. What he learned from that man is what turned him into the person he became. There is so much I could say about this book, but this is one that I want to not give away any plot points. Think about what you think life would be like living in a bunker underground. Then read this book and get a new perspective, a fresh look. How do you think you would stack up to all of it?  I will definitely shout the praises of this book to everyone I know.

Author bio: I am a Ukrainian citizen who served as an airborne trooper and in the Security Service of Ukraine. For more than five years, I have been a digital artist in the field of video games development. I write under the pen name Radislav Borr.

Two Books by Mark Restaino

Genre: children's Picture Book
Source: Purchased

My Bee's Keeper
Zach is playing in the park when he see a bee. He begins to swing at it when an older man stops him. He explains all about what bees do. They sit to each some honey sandwiches and the man learns that Zach lives in his car with his mom in the park. Zach helps the man every day and learns a lot about the bees. But one day the man tells Zach he is going to have to go away for a few days and he is leaving Zach to care for the bees. Is Zach up for the job? What about his mom? How long will they have to live in their car? I loved this book. They are definitely on target when they talk about bees. I know because my husband is a beekeeper. I loved the message of God's love and care.


The Fruit Tree
I am really loving this author's books. In this story we meet a gardener who plants a seed and waters it. The tree grows and produce fruit. The gardener loves the fruit. The fruit tree tries to teach the other
trees how to deliver fruit. They refuse. Then they become jealous and do everything they can to kill the fruit tree.  When the gardener returns and sees the dead tree he is sad. But he returns and soon he has a new tree growing. The other trees learn from the fruit tree.  This is an allegory of the life of Christ. It is a lesson of how we are to live, love and teach others about God. It is written in a manner that children will understand the lesson.

Three More Michael Gordon Books

Genre: Children's Picture Books
Source: Purchased

How to Accept No
Josh is not having a good day. At the grocery store, he and his mom are stuck in a long line. He gets mad and wants to go home. Mom explains that they can't. She shows Josh how to deal with his anger. When Josh and his dad go to the play center someone else has the toy he wants to play with. Dad shows him how to get rid of his anger. When they are done playing at the park, Josh doesn't want to leave. He gets angry and his mom has them play a game so they turn their frowns into a smile.








When I Am Stressed
Oh how I could relate to this book. Josh has just started school and so he no longer gets to take an afternoon nap. When he gets home he is tired but doesn't want to nap. He gets cranky and begins to snap at everyone making everyone else cranky. But dad has a plan. He explains that everyone needs time to relax.

When I Lose My Temper
Josh is like so many kids. When he gets upset he starts feeling bad and then loses his temper. His mom sees this and teaches him some breathing techniques. That evening he gets upset again and tries what his mom taught him and it didn't seem to help very much. Dad teaches him something else to add to it.  When he wants to play with his sister and her friend they won't let him. He can feel himself getting upset again. He tries the techniques several times to get himself under control. He has learned how to help himself.

Dragons and Monsters - Five Books by Michael Gordon

Genre: Children's Picture Books
Source: I purchased them.



Dragon's Breath
George has a pet dragon. Unfortunately, the pet dragon doesn't think it is important to brush his teeth. George has to find a way to get Joe to brush his teeth. I love Michael's books because they teach a lesson and they rhyme and this makes them interesting to children.









The Angry Dragon
George and his pet dragon are playing. George accidentally breaks Joe's favorite toy and Joe gets angry. Later on, when George is doing chores Joe wants him to stop and play with him. When George doesn't Joe gets angry.  Joe has got to learn to control his anger and learn that you don't always get your way.









The Bad Dragon

Blerks first day of school doesn't go the way he wanted. He is rude. He shoves people, refuses to sing, cuts in line. When it happens to him the next day he understands why. The new girl Nell wants a friend just like him.








Dragon's Fury
Ben has a pet dragon named Gronk. They love to play together. When Gronk doesn't get his way he gets angry and throws a tantrum. He melts the kitchen sink, He stomps his feet and screams and blows steam and flames out his snout. When Ben does the same they have to learn how to calm themselves.

The Tantrum Monster
Devy the monster had trouble controlling his emotions. When his sister was rewarded with a new toy for good behavior he became jealous and threw a tantrum.  When he and his sister played a game and his sister kept winning he lost his temper again and started to throw a tantrum. His mom gave him fruit for a snack and he wanted cheesecake. He started to throw a tantrum. Each time he had to learn to breathe. Devy learns that controlling his emotions can have great benefits.

Sophia Freeman and the Mysterious Fountain

Genre: Middle Grade, Fantasy
Source: I won a copy from LibraryThing. The opinions expressed here are my own.

I loved this magical book. When Sophia's dad tells her they will spend the next day together to explore the island he had just purchased she was excited. Since her mother died she and her father spent very little time together.  I absolutely detested Sophia's dad because of his status attitude. Snobby is what you call it. Sophia spent most of her days at home with the housekeeper, even eating in her room alone. I was really hoping her that time on the island would help her and her dad bond.  When she chases a creature into the woods away from her dad and meets a light guardian her troubles begin. A dark guardian wants her dead. The quake on the island sends her dad running. She makes it to the beach in time to see her dad's boat fleeing.  She must make friends with strange creatures on the island if she is to survive. Loved the island, characters and how much Sophia changes and grows. Can't wait for my students to read this one. I'm sure they will enjoy this as much as I did.

Rodent by Lisa J. Lawrence

Genre: Young Adult, Realistic Fiction

Source: I received a copy to facilitate my review.  The opinions expressed here are my own.

This story could have been pulled from the lives of many of the students I teach.  Like Isabelle, I have many students who have had to deal with an alcoholic parent. In Isabelle’s case, it is her mother.  I have many students who have had to take care, raise their younger siblings. Isabelle has a younger brother and sister to take care of.  On top of all of this, she has a part-time job and is going to school.  She is in a vicious cycle. She has the weight of the world on her shoulders and she is afraid to try to remove that weight because of the consequences to the lives of her siblings. As I read this and saw her pain I wanted so much to take that pain from her.  It hit too close to home. I had a student, a young man who lived this life with his younger brother. His mom was a drug addict. He’d had enough teachers show support that he finally took a leap of faith, left his mom in another state and moved back to Florida with his younger brother. He arrived a few days before turning 18,  with the help of one of his high school teachers he was able to go to court to get custody of his brother.

Unlike my former student, Isabelle doesn’t want anyone knowing what is going on in her life and therefore, getting help for her and helping her deal with things is made more difficult. This is definitely a book I will recommend and it is a book I will put on my shelves at school. I see this as a book that may just help that one child who is like Isabelle and needs some encouragement to get help.  Well worth the read.

Notes to Self by Avery Sawyer

Genre: Young Adult, Realistic Fiction

Source: I received a copy to facilitate my review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

This was such an emotional read. Robin and Emily have been best friends. One day Robin’s adventurous friend Emily decide to climb to the top of a theme park ride. Robin doesn’t really like heights.  The next thing Robin remembers is waking up in a hospital. She is told that she and Emily were found beside a Waffle House. Unfortunately her best friend has not awakened.  Imagine not knowing exactly what happened. Then you go back to school where you are tormented and teased and blamed for your friend’s condition. You can’t do anything about it because you don’t really remember what happened. Robin starts writing notes to herself as she remembers things.   Through this story line we see the same teen angst we would see in teens today.  That is what makes this story so believable and makes those connections to the reader.  This is so much more than a book about an accident. It is a book about finding answers. Yes we know Robin needs to know  what happened that night and why it happened.  One of the messages that came across reminded me of a time in my senior year in high school. I was admiring a student’s car. He had three vehicles. I told him I would love to have just one. His response was that he would love to have parents that he knew loved him.  Robin realizes that even though she has always seen Emily as so lucky and outgoing, she learns through her flashbacks that she and Emily really aren’t so different.   This is definitely a book I recommend. Once you pick it up you won’t be able to put it down.

Road Whiz – Darcy Pattison

Genre: Middle Grade, Young Adult, Realistic Fiction

Source: I received a copy to facilitate my review. The opinion expressed here are my own.

Your freshman year in high school is always an adjustment. But what if your height suddenly shot up. Being one of the tallest kids can sometimes cause bullying in the form of teasing. Jamie is dealing with this as well as trying to help his mom. His dad is out of the country on business and will be most of the year so it is up to Jamie to help his mom not feel so sad. Jamie has not really been into sports. However, Jamie and his mom have started running and realize they really enjoy it. They enter a marathon and learn that this is something that they want to continue. Jamie’s training takes a turn when he convinces his mom to adopt Road Whiz a retired greyhound. In some ways Jamie and Road Whiz are just what each other need.   This is a positive way to deal with realistic issues Jamie faces.  I have known many people who have adopted retired greyhounds. My husband used to raise greyhounds. They are one of his favorite dogs. That was one reason I wanted to read this book. The main reason is that I have read almost every book Darcy Pattison has written. I love her writing. It is concise and realistic. Kids can relate to her books.  I highly recommend this book.