Eddie's War by carol Fisher Saller

 

Genre: Young Adult, Historical Fiction
Source: I won a copy from LibraryThing's Early Reviewers. The opinions expressed here are my own.

Lately it seems I am reading a lot of books about World War II.  Maybe it is because I teach literature that deals with it.  The first thing I like was that this book was written in verse. This story covers ten years. Eddie is a young boy who befriends Jozef Mirga, a Polish Gypsy. He reads the newspaper at the local library looking for information about the Nazis and Poland. This is where Jozef’s wife and son are. When Eddie’s brother goes off to war he is very proud of him. The story is full of life lessons Eddie learns as he grows up.  I highly recommend this book. It has quickly become one of my favorites of the year.

The Magic Sea Turtle by Kathleen Welton

Genre: Children's Picture Book

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

Myrtle is a young girl who dreams of being a queen one day. Then she falls from the sky to the ocean below. She meets Max the sea turtle and other animals from the sea. After spending a day with them she has one more wish to make. What will it be? A cute book for the youngest child. Every child has dreams of being more than they are. As they get older those dreams change. But, dreams must start somewhere and the best place is in the heart and mind of the youngest child.

Student Saturday” “One Last Word” by: Nikki Grimes

Genre: Middle Grade, Poetry
Student Reviewer: Susan T. 

This collection of poems is truly meaningful and inspiring. The deep, powerful meanings behind every single one of these poems are thought-provoking and filled with wisdom. These are poems that show people what poetry is about. A few of my favorites are ‘Emergency Measures’, ‘Lessons’, and ‘Through the Eyes of Artists’. The meanings behind these three poems stood out to me the most. I recommend this book to most people. The perspectives in this book are realistic and meaningful, I would read it again.