Alone by D.J. Brazier

I'm not sure what it is with me and survival stories. I absolutely love them in any form. This book reminded me of Gary Paulsen's "Hatchett" and also of the book I recently finished, "The Great Wide Sea by M.H. Herlong.

When the plane Sam and his Dad are on crashes, Same is forced to find a way to survive. It helps that he is befriended by a baby otter. He has to face the elements, animals, and bugs and the basic needs of survival, food, water, and shelter.  This is an on the edge of your seat read, the kind you just can't put down.  Highly recommended. Can't wait to talk this one up to my students.

The Girl Who Was Supposed to Die by April Henry

 

Genre: Middle Grade, Young Adult, Realistic Fiction, Mystery
Source: My own shelves

I absolutely love April Henry's books.  In this book the first chapter grabs you and reels you in. A young girl comes to unsure where she is, who she is or what has happened. The only thing she knows for sure is she just overheard two men talking about how she knows nothing and they need to kill her.  From here on out the story unfolds in layers. From her escape at the beginning of the story to finally remembering who she is, what happened to her, and finally to its awesome ending, this book will keep you sitting on the edge of your seat.  I read it in about three hours. I knew there was no way I could not finish the book. This has been on my shelves at school and many of my students have read it. The only reason I finally got my hands on it was it was turned back in and I immediately put it in my own bag to read.  I highly recommend this book.  The events are so realistic I found myself worried for the main character.  The reader finds themselves identifying with the character and wondering what they would do in a situation like that.  Go ahead start with this one and see if you don't have to read her other books.

Rodney the Rabbit Learns About Healthy Food by Janice Ford

 

 

Genre: Children's Picture Book
Source: I received a copy for review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

What a wonderful way to teach children about healthy eating. Children will love the cute characters and colorful pictures. The book is a series of short stories, almost like chapters that follow Rodney, a little white rabbit. Rodney, unlike his brother, sister and parents would rather eat candy. He had found candy in a human house. His mom tries to convince him that eating candy all the time is not healthy and will damage his teeth. After hurting his teeth Rodney sets out to find healthy foods that he will enjoy.  I love how the author spoke of fruit as nature's candy. That in itself will often entice children to eat more fruit.  This is a book that I think should be in most kindergarten classrooms. The younger the child, the earlier we want to teach them about healthy eating.