Two Must Reads

Stolen Child - Marsha Forchuk Skrypuch
Publisher:  Scholastic Canada          Pages 161
Source:  Review Copy from publisher    
Genre:  Middle Grade Historical Fiction

Imagine coming to a new country with someone who tells you to claim she is your mother.  After all she did save your life.  Imagine you don't really know who you are.  Nadia is in Canada with Marusia and Ivan pretending to be their daughter.  Her nightmares lead her to believe she is a Nazi.  How does she find out the truth?  This was a wonderful book.  I'd not heard of the Lebensborn children so now I can look for more information on this subject.  This is a book I will definitely recommend to my students.  I think it should be on our 8th grade reading list.

Island Sting - Bonnie J. Doerr
Publisher:  Leap Books         Pages:  280
Source:  Received review copy from publisher       Genre:  Middle Grade Realistic Fiction

Kenzie has only been in the Keys a few hours when she finds herself in a canal rescuing what turns out to be a deer.  Her rescuer turns out to be the good looking Angelo.  She learns that someone is killing the key deer, an endangered species that live in the Florida Keys.  She and her new friends set out to clean up the environment and secretly try to find the poacher responsible for the butchered deer.  This book reminded me of Carl Hiaasen's "Hoot"  and "Flush".  I was please to read the first chapter of the next book at the end of this one.  This is a book to be placed on my shelf.  Since we just finished reading Flush as a class I am sure this one will be quickly picked up.

(The opinions expressed here are mine and not those of the other panalists)

Weekend Reading Marathon

I came home from work last night and immediately after dinner began to read.  I figured I could fit two or three books in before bed.  I also figured I would sleep in until 7 AM and then start again.  This had all been planned in advance and my family was made aware it was a reading marathon day for me.  Little did I know I would be rudely awakened by my cat at 5:30 AM.  He saw another cat in our backyard, went berserk trying to track the other cat.  The neighbor's cat likes to jump on our hot tub and walk along the edges.  Said hot tub sits outside my office window.  My cat jumped up on my desk, slipping and sliding around on the books that cover it and began knocking things off of the desk as he desperately tried to get through my now broken blinds to get to the cat on the other side of the window.  Everyone slept through this except me.  I was unable to go back to sleep and so I began my reading marathon shortly thereafter.  Here are four reviews for books I have read so far this morning.

Big Nate:  In a Class By Himself - Lincoln Pierce
Publisher:  HarperCollins     Pages:   224
Source:  Purchased               Genre:  Middle Grade Humor

This is another book along the lines of the Wimpy Kids Series.  A lot of kids will identify with Nate.  He is kind of squirrely, (I can think of one student like him right now), constantly finding himself unprepared and often in trouble.  Nate things he's going to have a really great day but it turns out you can't always trust what is on that little slip of paper in a fortune cookie.  I've been teaching my students about foreshadowing.  I believe the beginning of this book would be great for teaching that concept.

Orphan - John Weber
Publisher:  Westside Books           Pages:  266
Source:  Review Copy from publisher           Genre:  Middle Grade Historical Fiction

It is the 1930's and on his 13th birthday Homer learns he was adopted.  He and his best friend Jamie set out to find his "real" family in New York.  They mode of travel is to hop aboard a train and travel like the hobo's.  They quickly learn how dangerous this can be.  They are taken under the Wing of Smiling Jack, a hobo and taught all about the code and culture of the hobo.  In my opinion, although I was not born during that time this was a very accurate depiction of the 1930's.  I believe this will be a great addition to my library at school and a book I will definitely promote.  However, having said this I believe that parents should be warned there is some violence and references to sexual content so I would not give it to an upper elementary kid.

The Dog in the Wood - Monika Schroeder
Publisher:  Front Street             Pages: 162
Source:  Received review copy from publisher       Genre:  Middle Grade Historical Fiction

Based on events in the life of the author's grandfather, "The dog in the Wood" is just one story of what happened after the Russians occupied Eastern Germany.  This is a topic most students know little about. Fritz his mother and sister live on his grandparents farm.  The grandparents take their own lives after learning the Nazis have lost because they were strong supporters of the Nazis.  When the Russians come, they take what they want including the farm.  Then the mother is accused of a crime and hauled off.  The courage Fritz finds to help his mother is amazing.  I have several students who have recently worked on research projects about the events that took place after WWII in Germany.  I believe they will enjoy this book as much as I have.  Not all of my students will understand it.   It is definitely not a book for those who are very sensitive.

Milo:  Sticky Notes and Brain Freeze - Alan Silberberg
Publisher:  Aladdin            Pages:  288
Source:  Received review copy from publisher         Genre:  Realistic Fiction

How does a kid come to grips with the death of their mother?  That is exactly what this book is about.  The fact the author has found a humorous way to help deal with the tough topic of the death of a parent is amazing in itself.  This book is a creative look through Milo's eyes at his life since his mother's death.  The added benefits of reading this book, its healing effects are just gravy on top.  I think with the recent death of one of our teachers this may give some students still dealing with that a little better perspective.

(The opinions expressed here are mine and not those of the other panalists)

This Means War - Ellen Wittlinger

Publisher:  Simon & Schuster
Pages:  211
Source: Review Copy from publisher
Genre:  Middle Grade, Historical Fiction

Juliet has been friends with Lowell for years.  Now things seem to be changing.  He seems to have drawn a line that says boys can do things girls can't and they can do them better.  Juliet is hurt because they never seemed to have that problem before.  Then she meets the new air force brat, Patsy.  Patsy befriends her and together they have their own adventure until Juliet and the girls are told to get lost.  Patsy lets the boys know that girls can do anything they can do only better.  Led by the town bully the boys propose a series of tests to prove the girls wrong.  This eventually becomes a "war" between them.  The fact that the time period is when the  U.S. is watching Russia and there are rumors of War, only heighten the war between the kids.  How far will the kids to go to win?

This was a wonderful book about growing up and fears and how kids often handle them.  It sets the time period wonderfully.  Kids get a history lesson about the time period without being bombarded with a lot of historical facts in a dry way.  I believe this is a book many students will be able to relate to on some level.


(The opinions expressed here are mine and not those of the other panalists)

Blessing's Bead by Debby Dahl Edwardson

Publisher:  Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Pages:  192
Source:  Library
Genre:  Middle Grades Historical Fiction

This is the story of Nutaaq a young Inupiaq girl who watches as her sister leaves the trading camp as a married woman.  Sickness comes and wipes out most of Nutaaq's mother's village, including her parents.  An English speaking man comes and gathers the survivors and pairs them for marriage.  The second part of the book deals with Nutaaq's great-grand-daughter.  Seventy-two years have gone by and Blessing, whose Inupiaq's name is Nutaaq, and her brother Tupaaq, named after his great-grandfather find themselves on a planed leaving Anchorage, Alaska.  They have been removed from their home and their alcoholic mother and sent to live with their great-grandmother.  Here they learn about family and their Inupiaq culture.


(The opinions expressed here are mine and not those of the other panalists)

Seaglass Summer by Anjali Banerjee

Publisher:  Wendy Lamb Books
Pages:  176
Source:  Library
Genre:  Middle Grade Historical Fiction

Eleven year old Poppy Ray decides she's not going to India with her parents this year.  She wants to spend the summer with her veterinarian uncle Sanjay.  Poppy wants to be a veterinarian.  Once on the island with her uncle, she learns all about her uncle's job the good, the bad, and the ugly truth.  This book is very realistic and one any animal lover will enjoy.  The story talks of reaching for your dream when family doesn't agree due to a difference in cultures.  I enjoyed this book very much.



(The opinions expressed here are mine and not those of the other panalists)

Year of the Tiger by Alison Lloyd

Publisher:  Holiday House
Pages:  194
Source:  Library
Genre:  Middle Grade Historical Fiction

This story takes place during the Han Dynasty.  I thought back to the lessons we taught a few years ago on the building of the Great Wall of China and how excited those kids were to learn about it.  I believe they would really love this book.  The story is told in alternating chapters between Hu, a peasant boy and Ren a commander's son.  It shows the difference in the life of the privileged and the poor.  Hu's family has been performing for a living for years.  Money has been tight.  When soldiers enter their city to inspect and repair the breach in the Great Wall several things happen.  First of all Hu's father is taken to help repair the wall.  The commander who came with his son Ren has decided to hold an archer competition.  Hu wants to enter so that he can win the prize and help out the family.  Fate steps in and Ren and Hu meet.  Ren sees Hu practicing and wants him to help him learn to shoot better so he can enter the competition to try to earn his father's respect.  Ren overhears an evil plot and through a course of events both he and Hu find themselves in trouble they never expected.  Although the characters were not real the time period was.  There was a lot to learn about that time period.  It seems so elusive.

(The opinions expressed here are mine and not those of the other panalists)

Student Saturday: A Single Shard by Linda Sue Park

Publisher:  Yearling, 2003
Pages:  192
Genre:  Middle Grade, Historical Fiction

This review is by my student Chandler and is posted as he wrote it.

A Single Shard was a good story to read.  It was about Tree-ear, an orphan that lived in Vietnam.  He loved to watch Min, a sculptor make art work.  One day Min catches Tree-ear spying on him and asks from him to do work for him.  Tree-ear agrees and works and works for hours a day.  All of the village heard about the Commissary Kim was coming to give commissions to the potters.  Min was given one and soon Tree-ear was off to go give the Commissary the art work.  half way through the trip Tree-ear was stopped by two men.  Later he realized that they were robbers!  The two men beat Tree-ear up and has his food taken.  But the worst thing is they trow the vases over the cliff!  Tree-ear is devastated and rushes to the river below.  All that is left is a single shard.

Will the journey end here?  Will tree ear continue?  If he does will the Commissary like the broken art?  Read this book to find out.

Warriors in the Crossfire by Nancy Bo Flood

Publisher:  Boyds Mills Press

Pages:  142

Source:  Library

Genre:  Middle Grade Historical Fiction

What happens when war breaks out and you find yourself and  your country caught in the middle between two warring nations?  This book is based on actual historical events.  The characters are made up.  The setting was unfamiliar to me which is great.  It meant research to learn more about the island of Saipan.  Joseph lives on this island which has fallen under Japanese control  The Japanese encroach on these native people believing many of them are spies for the Americans.  Joseph is instructed by his father to hide the people in a cave so that they may survive.  A tough decision but one he follows.  No child should have to witness the atrocities of war like Joseph has, yet we know that children present and past live this life all the time.  This is a book that will stay with me for a long time.  It is also a book that I will recommend to our history teachers.


(The opinions expressed here are mine and not of the Cybils panelists)

One Crazy Summer by Rita Williams-Garcia

Publisher:  Amistad
Pages:  224
Source:  Library
Genre:  Middle Grade Historical Fiction

Eleven year old Delphine, nine year old Vonetta, and seven year old Fern find themselves on an airplane headed to Oakland, California.  Their father has decided it is time they spend some time with the mother who left them shortly after ferns birth.  What they find is a mother who lets them know she didn't ask for them to come.  She sends them out for take-out for supper and makes them eat on the floor in the livingroom. She won't allow them in her kitchen at all.  In the morning she sends them to the community center for lunch and for the summer camp where they are to be taught by a group of Black Panthers.  Delphine has decided it is her job to protect her sisters like always.  She wants nothing to do with her mother or the black panthers.   This book was a look at the events surrounding the Black Panthers as told through the eyes of a young girl.  I loved this story.  I thought it was awesome the way the author showed how much the characters changed and how important that little bit of change was.  I can't wait to recommend this book to my school.

(The opinions expressed here are mine and not those of the other panalists)

Alchemy and Meggy Swann by Karen Cushman

Publisher:  Clarion Books, 2010
Pages:  167
Source:  I received an ARC from The Picnic-Basket for review
Genre:  Historical Fiction
All opinions expressed in this review are mine and are in no way represent the opinions of the publisher or The Picnic Basket.

I guess I am a sucker for good Historical Fiction. Karen Cushman has created a character, Meggy Swann that you must feel sorry for, annoyed at and love all at the same time. Born a cripple in 1573 England, Meggy has more problems than two legs that won't work. Her mother doesn't want her and thrust her upon her grandmother. When her grandmother dies and her father, whom she has never known sends for "his child", her mother is happy to get rid of her. She considers her a curse on her business. Meggy leaves the countryside along with her only friend a goose named Louise and is dropped at the door to her father's place, an alchemist. When he realizes she is a girl, and crippled he leaves her standing in the door. Like her mother, he also considers her useless. Hungry she soon learns she will have to overcome a lot and transform herself into someone she never knew she could become. She demands her father let her help him and asks questions to try to understand what he is doing. For the first time in her life she has made some friends. Then she finds out her father has a dark side and she must decide what to do about it. Meggy transforms from a despised girl who had to rely on others, to a young lady who finds her real strength. This is an excellent book for those who love the Elizabethan period in history. I will whole-heartedly recommend this book to my students.


So much can be done with this book. Students can discuss the sanitation of that time period. They don't realize that things such as throw your food scraps and emptying the chamber pot into a ditch right outside the door caused so much disease. The historical aspects as well as comparing the caring and treatment of people with disabilities back then to today. This was a wonderful book.

Milkweed by Jerry Spinelli

Publisher:  Scholastic, 2003
Pages:  208
Source:  My shelves
Genre:  Middle Grades Historical Fiction

The year is 1939 and the Nazis' have marched into Warsaw, Poland. It is a period when orphans must steal to survive. This is the story of a nameless boy who only knows his name as Stopthief. When he runs into another thief and orphan Uri he is taken under Uri's wing. Uri sees him as senseless. He creates a name and a history for him. This is how he becomes Misha. Misah goes everywhere Uri goes. He sees Uri giving food and coal to an orphanage and he does the same. Then he steal a couple of tomatoes from a yard and finds the young girl who lives there. He starts leaving food for her and her family. When they are relocated to a ghetto he finds them and tries to help. Helping gets him into trouble where Uri must once again bail him out. This is a story of home and survival. It is no wonder that it has won so many awards. It should be a must read for every child studying the Holocaust.

The Devil's Arithmetic by Jane Yolen

Publisher:  1988
Pages:  170
Source:  My shelves
Genre:  Middle Grade Historical Fiction

Hannah  and her family are celebrating a Jewish Holiday.  Hannah really doesn't want to go.  Her mother tells her that Passover just happens to fall on the same day as Easter and it isn't about the food it's about remembering.  Hannah is aware of that. She understands that all Jewish holidays are about remembering and comments she is tired of remembering.  At one point in the celebration one member of the family is to go to the door and open it for the prophet Elijah.  Hannah is chosen for this task.  When she opens the door, instead of seeing the apartment hallway she sees a man walking across a meadow.  As she turns to ask how her family did this the scene behind her has changed.  She has traveled back in time and finds herself being called by her Hebrew name.  She discovers she is living with her aunt and uncle due to her parent's death and her miraculous escape from death.  She remembers her life as Hannah in the future and is confused in this world into which she has been thrust.  The next day is her uncle's wedding day and they day life changes.  They are rounded up and herded into cattle cars for re-location.  As Hannah she understands what is happening.  She has learned all about the Holocaust in school.  As Chaya she can't make anyone believe they are headed to a place that could possibly kill them all.  How will she survive in this new world and how can she possibly find her way back to the future?
I love reading about this time period.  I also love time travel books.  This was a great book to read.  Historically accurate and the characters were very believable.  The message of remembering was one that all students need to hear.  They need to always remember the past events no matter how horrible so that they do not repeat the pattern of evil and mistakes.  This was a book our school has had class sets of and I've had on my shelf for quite some time.  I am glad I finally took time to read it.

Leaving Gee's Bend - Irene Latham

First book down and check in.  Still not feeling well but wanted to get first review done.  It is 11:45 and I am headed to bed to hopefully get a fresh start in the morning.

Publisher:  G.P. Putnam, 2010
Pages:  230
Genre:  Historical Fiction
Ages:  YA
Source:  Won a copy from Teaching Authors

Leaving Gee's Bend was a book I really enjoyed.  It had everything I love in a book.  It had a character that at first glance seems weak and then shows how strong a character they are.  It has the history part that I loved.  To top all of this off they merged all of this with one  of my favorite things, quilting. 
Leaving Gee's Bend is the story of Ludelphia Bennett, a ten year old black girl who must seek medical help for her mother.  Her mother was pregnant and had been having terrible coughing fits.  The baby comes early and Ludelphia with the help of her friend Etta Mae they deliver the baby.  When Ludelphia's mother begins to cough up blood, Ludelphia decides to travel 40 miles out of Gees Bend to get a doctor for her mother.  Little does she know that the help she finds there will be her towns saving grace.  As Ludelphia is telling her story she is using the making of a quilt for her mother to help tell that story.  As quilters we take every piece of fabric and we choose to place it where we do to tell a story, our own story.  Ludelphia is able to tell her mother the story of her quilt after she is well.  I had read several reviews that were not as enthusiastic as I felt about the book.  I can only believe it is because maybe the reader was not a quilter who looked at the history of quilting and the stories they tell.  I connected with this book because over the years I have taught the history of quilting in my classroom at school, used it to teach Geography and American History.  I used it as projects to accompany novels we read.  We've made baby quilts for pregnancy centers for community service.  Maybe that is why this will have a prominent place on my shelves at school and will be another way I can pass on a love of quilting.