Keating, Frank. Theodore. Illustrated by Mike Wimmer. Simon and Schuster: 2006. Ages 9 to 15.
My story is the life of Theodore Roosevelt. It starts with his birth and ends with his death. It has informational pages that are packed full of events throughout his life, even when Mount Rushmore was built. His thoughts, beliefs, and even dreams are mentioned in this book. I think anyone would enjoy it because it is informational and entertaining! This book has paintings. The paintings go right along with the words on the page. These spectacular paintings are beautifully done and very understandable. My favorite picture is when he is a young kid reading in bed with the war going on in the background. That picture is very interesting! I loved this book. I usually do not like any kind of biography/informational books, but this one was amazing! I would recommend it for ages 9 to 15 and anyone who loves spectacular and entertaining books, while learning new facts! I really enjoyed reading this book!
Reviewed by D. F., 5th grade, Hilfiker Elementary.
Friday, June 08, 2007
How Do Birds Fly?
Stewart, Melissa. How Do Birds Fly?. Illustrated by the author. Marshall Cavendish: 2007. Ages 5 to 20.
It is about how birds fly and how to land. This book is also about how bird's feathers and everything stay on the body. The photographs go with the book because it is talking about birds and how they fly. They write and draw about it on each page. I think this is a pretty good book because it is about birds and I like birds a lot. I would recommend this book for my cousin because he likes birds a lot.
Reviewed by L. H., 5th grade, Hilfiker Elementary.
It is about how birds fly and how to land. This book is also about how bird's feathers and everything stay on the body. The photographs go with the book because it is talking about birds and how they fly. They write and draw about it on each page. I think this is a pretty good book because it is about birds and I like birds a lot. I would recommend this book for my cousin because he likes birds a lot.
Reviewed by L. H., 5th grade, Hilfiker Elementary.
Skunks
Mason, Adrienne. Skunks. Illustrated by Nancy Gray Ogle. Kids Can Press: 2006. Ages 9 and up.
The story Skunks is about where they live and how they react to predators and people. Skunks is a book that also tells how they grow up and have babies. Also, it shows different kinds of skunks and what country or continent they live on. It also talk about what skunks live where. In the book, Skunks, the art is spectacular. It shows skunks doing terrific stuff. Skunks is a tremendous book. I think kids would like it and would laugh. I think people 9 and up would enjoy it because skunks smell and people will laugh a lot.
Reviewed by A. C., 5th grade, Hilfiker Elementary.
The story Skunks is about where they live and how they react to predators and people. Skunks is a book that also tells how they grow up and have babies. Also, it shows different kinds of skunks and what country or continent they live on. It also talk about what skunks live where. In the book, Skunks, the art is spectacular. It shows skunks doing terrific stuff. Skunks is a tremendous book. I think kids would like it and would laugh. I think people 9 and up would enjoy it because skunks smell and people will laugh a lot.
Reviewed by A. C., 5th grade, Hilfiker Elementary.
Hawaii
Gill, Shelly. Hawaii. Illustrated by Scott Goto. Charlesbridges: 2006. Ages 11 to 20.
The book, Hawaii, is a fantastic book. This book tells about ancient history of Hawaii. This book is very informational. The art in this book is interesting. I think this book is great. I recommend this book for other kids ages 11 to 20.
Reviewed by L. O., 5th grade, Hilfiker Elementary.
The book, Hawaii, is a fantastic book. This book tells about ancient history of Hawaii. This book is very informational. The art in this book is interesting. I think this book is great. I recommend this book for other kids ages 11 to 20.
Reviewed by L. O., 5th grade, Hilfiker Elementary.
Not Afraid of Dogs
Pitzer, Susanna. Not Afraid of Dogs. Illustrated by Larry Day. Walker and Company: 2006. Ages 5-11.
Not Afraid of Dogs, is about a boy named Daniel. He says he's not afraid of anything not even dogs. His sister Jenny knows he is. When Daniel gets home his mom is holding a dog. He says he will be in his room. Then during the night he has to go to the restroom. So he goes and the dog is there. He figures out that the dog isn't harmful. The art work was excellent. The pictures were brightened up. The colors were bright not dull. The pictures were great. I do recommend this book to other kids. I recommend this book because it's hilarious. I also know a lot of kids could relate to this book. This book was superb.
Reviewed by D. S., 5th grade, Hilfiker Elementary.
Not Afraid of Dogs, is about a boy named Daniel. He says he's not afraid of anything not even dogs. His sister Jenny knows he is. When Daniel gets home his mom is holding a dog. He says he will be in his room. Then during the night he has to go to the restroom. So he goes and the dog is there. He figures out that the dog isn't harmful. The art work was excellent. The pictures were brightened up. The colors were bright not dull. The pictures were great. I do recommend this book to other kids. I recommend this book because it's hilarious. I also know a lot of kids could relate to this book. This book was superb.
Reviewed by D. S., 5th grade, Hilfiker Elementary.
Inventions
Robinson, James. Inventions. Illustrated by James Dyson. Kingfisher: 2006. Ages 10-40.
My book is about technology and how it has advanced over the years. This book has very amazing photographs that go with the print. I think that this book is a million times better and more than adequate. It was one of the most amazing and informational books that I have ever read.
Reviewed by T. K., 5th grade, Hilfiker Elementary.
My book is about technology and how it has advanced over the years. This book has very amazing photographs that go with the print. I think that this book is a million times better and more than adequate. It was one of the most amazing and informational books that I have ever read.
Reviewed by T. K., 5th grade, Hilfiker Elementary.
Weather
Harris, Caroline. Weather. Kingfisher: 2006. Ages 8 to 15.
My story is about weather and different kinds of weather. It also tells what season it is in other countries when it is summer in the North then it is winter in the south. When it is spring in the north it is fall in the south. The photographs are great because it really describes what the author is saying. The art is also very colorful. I thought this book was intresting because I learned more about weather. I recommend it to other kids. For ages 8 to 15 because they can learn more about weather and if they are studying weather in science it would be a great study book.
Reviewed by C. R., 5th grade, Hilfiker Elementary.
My story is about weather and different kinds of weather. It also tells what season it is in other countries when it is summer in the North then it is winter in the south. When it is spring in the north it is fall in the south. The photographs are great because it really describes what the author is saying. The art is also very colorful. I thought this book was intresting because I learned more about weather. I recommend it to other kids. For ages 8 to 15 because they can learn more about weather and if they are studying weather in science it would be a great study book.
Reviewed by C. R., 5th grade, Hilfiker Elementary.
Winston the Book Wolf
McGee, Marni. Winston the Book Wolf. Illustrated by Ian Beck. Walker and Company: 2006. Ages 3-12.
My short story was about Winston a wolf who loves to chew on books. The librarian yells at him a lot for coming to the library to chew on books. Then the librarian had to chase Winston because he went in the library. After that a girl came and took Winston away to teach him how to read. The art work was awesome, I loved the art work. All of the art went along with the entire book. It was the best art. I loved this book I think that this book will encourage the other kids to read. I am 11 and I thought it was a very good book.
Reviewed by S.H., 5th grade, Hilfiker Elementary.
My short story was about Winston a wolf who loves to chew on books. The librarian yells at him a lot for coming to the library to chew on books. Then the librarian had to chase Winston because he went in the library. After that a girl came and took Winston away to teach him how to read. The art work was awesome, I loved the art work. All of the art went along with the entire book. It was the best art. I loved this book I think that this book will encourage the other kids to read. I am 11 and I thought it was a very good book.
Reviewed by S.H., 5th grade, Hilfiker Elementary.
Extreme Mountain Biking
MacAulay, Kelly, Kalman, Bobbie. Extreme Mountain Biking. Crabtree Company: 2006. Ages 10-30.
My story is where people ride bikes on mountains, dirt, hills, roads, and more. They do stunts like front flips and back can cans. There were photographs like going down a big hill doing back flips and can cans. They raced on dirt roads and trails, sand too. My opinion of this book is good. The book would probably go to my brother because he likes to do cool stunts on his bike. I like to do backflips on my dirt bike so I wanted to learn more.
Reviewed by J. S., 5th grade, Hilfiker Elementary.
My story is where people ride bikes on mountains, dirt, hills, roads, and more. They do stunts like front flips and back can cans. There were photographs like going down a big hill doing back flips and can cans. They raced on dirt roads and trails, sand too. My opinion of this book is good. The book would probably go to my brother because he likes to do cool stunts on his bike. I like to do backflips on my dirt bike so I wanted to learn more.
Reviewed by J. S., 5th grade, Hilfiker Elementary.
Ice Cream the Full Scoop
Gibbons, Gail. Ice Cream the Full Scoop. Holiday House: 2006. Ages 8 - 14.
This book is about how ice cream is made. The art looks tasty because of all the ice cream pictures. I think this book was informational and tasty because it explained about how it was made before our time. I would recommend this book to other kids. This book would be for kids only.
Reviewed by S. H., 5th grade, Hilfiker Elementary.
This book is about how ice cream is made. The art looks tasty because of all the ice cream pictures. I think this book was informational and tasty because it explained about how it was made before our time. I would recommend this book to other kids. This book would be for kids only.
Reviewed by S. H., 5th grade, Hilfiker Elementary.
Thursday, June 07, 2007
The Extinct Files: My Science Project
Edwards, Wallace. The Extinct Files: My Science Project. Kids Can Press: 2006. Ages 6-10.
This boy named Wally writes a report that he says dinosaurs are not extinct. Wally uses pictures and words to say that they are not dead. He uses his imagination. The photographs feel like you can actually see them in real life. This was a good book because it is interesting. I would recommend it to other kids that like to learn about dinosaurs.
Reviewed by S. M., 5th grade, Hilfiker Elementary.
This boy named Wally writes a report that he says dinosaurs are not extinct. Wally uses pictures and words to say that they are not dead. He uses his imagination. The photographs feel like you can actually see them in real life. This was a good book because it is interesting. I would recommend it to other kids that like to learn about dinosaurs.
Reviewed by S. M., 5th grade, Hilfiker Elementary.
Transportation Disaster Alert
Walker, Niki. Transportation Disaster Alert. Crabtree Publishing Company: 2006. Ages 7 and up.
This book is about the most common transportation disasters. The photos in this book are pretty neat. I would like to recommend this book because of the detailed sentences and the neat photos. It would be good for the age 7 or 8 year old or maybe a little bit higher age.
Reviewed by A. S., 5th grade, Hilfiker Elementary.
This book is about the most common transportation disasters. The photos in this book are pretty neat. I would like to recommend this book because of the detailed sentences and the neat photos. It would be good for the age 7 or 8 year old or maybe a little bit higher age.
Reviewed by A. S., 5th grade, Hilfiker Elementary.
Street Cred
Zronk, John. Street Cred. Crabtree Publishing Company 2007. Ages 7 to any age.
My story is about cars and how they became Nascar's and drag racing cars. The photographs show things that people do to their cars, like rims and hydro lifts. I loved this book it was very good. I do recommend this book for other kids. I would recommend it for kids who like cars. I think kids 7 and up should read it, its the best book ever. It showed you good pictures and it told you about how people made the street cars and their low riders and their racing cars.
Reviewed by A. L., 5th grade, Hilfiker Elementary.
My story is about cars and how they became Nascar's and drag racing cars. The photographs show things that people do to their cars, like rims and hydro lifts. I loved this book it was very good. I do recommend this book for other kids. I would recommend it for kids who like cars. I think kids 7 and up should read it, its the best book ever. It showed you good pictures and it told you about how people made the street cars and their low riders and their racing cars.
Reviewed by A. L., 5th grade, Hilfiker Elementary.
Tsuname Alert!
Walker, Niki. Tsunami Alert. Crabtree Publishing Company: 2006. Ages 10-13.
This book is about tsunamis and their devastating effects. It is also very informational. The photographs are sad and informational. I recommend this book for someone who is doing a report on disasters.
Reviewed by A. W., 5th grade, Hilfiker Elementary.
This book is about tsunamis and their devastating effects. It is also very informational. The photographs are sad and informational. I recommend this book for someone who is doing a report on disasters.
Reviewed by A. W., 5th grade, Hilfiker Elementary.
Jurassic Poop
Berkowitz, Jacob. Jurassic Poop. Illustrated by Steve Mack. Kids Can Press: 2006. Ages 12 and up.
This story is about what dinosaurs left behind. Like their urination that scientists have found. Both illustrations and photographs were pretty sickening. I really did not enjoy this book because it was gross. I like gross stuff but this is just too far for me. I would recommend it to kids who like stuff like this. It might not interest anyone but probably 15 year olds.
Reviewed by T. E., 5th grade, Hilfiker Elementary.
This story is about what dinosaurs left behind. Like their urination that scientists have found. Both illustrations and photographs were pretty sickening. I really did not enjoy this book because it was gross. I like gross stuff but this is just too far for me. I would recommend it to kids who like stuff like this. It might not interest anyone but probably 15 year olds.
Reviewed by T. E., 5th grade, Hilfiker Elementary.
Miss Malarkey Leaves No Reader Behind
O'Malley, Kevin. Miss Malarkey Leaves No Reader Behind Walker and Company: 2006. Ages 8-11.
A boy does not like to read but his school is doing the "Everybody Reads in America" program. His teacher finally finds a book that he likes and he reads the book. The photographs in this book are great. The colors are bright and the book is very colorful. I would recommend this book to others. The book was OK. It was not the best book and it was not the worst book. The age would probably be 8-10. The grade I would recommend would be third grade.
Reviewed by M. S., 5th grade, Hilfiker Elementary
A boy does not like to read but his school is doing the "Everybody Reads in America" program. His teacher finally finds a book that he likes and he reads the book. The photographs in this book are great. The colors are bright and the book is very colorful. I would recommend this book to others. The book was OK. It was not the best book and it was not the worst book. The age would probably be 8-10. The grade I would recommend would be third grade.
Reviewed by M. S., 5th grade, Hilfiker Elementary
Teammates
Barber, Tiki, and Barber, Ronde. Teammates. Illustrated by Barry Root. Simon and Schuster Publisher: 2006. Ages 6 to 10.
My story was about when Tiki fumbled a ball in a crushal game. They lost so he and Ronde practiced holding on to the ball and they ended up beating their teams arch rival. The art in this book went along with the book because the illustrator made the background look dusty or faded. Most of the story was on a football field and most football fields are dusty. I thought that Teammates was a good book. Also, I do recommend it to other kids who are interested in football or like playing it.
Reviewed by S.K., 5th grade, Hilfiker Elementary.
My story was about when Tiki fumbled a ball in a crushal game. They lost so he and Ronde practiced holding on to the ball and they ended up beating their teams arch rival. The art in this book went along with the book because the illustrator made the background look dusty or faded. Most of the story was on a football field and most football fields are dusty. I thought that Teammates was a good book. Also, I do recommend it to other kids who are interested in football or like playing it.
Reviewed by S.K., 5th grade, Hilfiker Elementary.
LeBron James
Wheeler C., Jill. LeBron James. ABDO Publishing Company: 2007. Ages 8 and up.
The story is about LeBron James and his younger life. It is about how he began to be a basketball player. It was a very interesting book. I would recommend it to everyone that reads this book. The book had photographs that were amazing. Whoever took them did a great job. I really enjoyed learning about this book. It had very nice photographs and good details about LeBron James when he was younger and now. I think this book would interest anyone, but I would say more of an 8 year old and up. I would recommend this book definitely.
Reviewed by A. M., 5th grade, Hilfiker Elementary.
The story is about LeBron James and his younger life. It is about how he began to be a basketball player. It was a very interesting book. I would recommend it to everyone that reads this book. The book had photographs that were amazing. Whoever took them did a great job. I really enjoyed learning about this book. It had very nice photographs and good details about LeBron James when he was younger and now. I think this book would interest anyone, but I would say more of an 8 year old and up. I would recommend this book definitely.
Reviewed by A. M., 5th grade, Hilfiker Elementary.
Cocker Spaniels
MacAulay, Kelley, and Kalman, Bobbie. Cocker Spaniels. Photographs by Marc Crabtree. Crabtree Publishing: 2007. Ages 8 to 18.
My book was about Cocker Spaniels. They are dogs that come in many different colors. I thought the pictures were great! I felt like the dogs were actually there. It was very colorful, bright, and cheery! I think that many kids would like this book. The dog on Page 6 looks like my dog, Lady, but she is a Springer Spaniel. The pictures in this book were bright, cheery, and colorful. Yes, I would recommend it to people who like dogs! But, if you do not like dogs, do not read it.
Reviewed by A. R., 5th grade, Hilfiker Elementary.
My book was about Cocker Spaniels. They are dogs that come in many different colors. I thought the pictures were great! I felt like the dogs were actually there. It was very colorful, bright, and cheery! I think that many kids would like this book. The dog on Page 6 looks like my dog, Lady, but she is a Springer Spaniel. The pictures in this book were bright, cheery, and colorful. Yes, I would recommend it to people who like dogs! But, if you do not like dogs, do not read it.
Reviewed by A. R., 5th grade, Hilfiker Elementary.
The Life Cycle of a Crayfish
Kalman, Bobbie. The Life Cycle of a Crayfish. Crabtree: 2007. Ages 6 and up.
The Life Cycle of a Crayfish is about the life and experiences of a crayfish. The photos in the book fit the main purpose of the book. They are great photographs. I, myself, give this book five stars because it gives a lot of information on crayfish and their lives. I do recommend this book for 6 and up.
Reviewed by K. F., 5th grade, Hilfiker Elementary.
The Life Cycle of a Crayfish is about the life and experiences of a crayfish. The photos in the book fit the main purpose of the book. They are great photographs. I, myself, give this book five stars because it gives a lot of information on crayfish and their lives. I do recommend this book for 6 and up.
Reviewed by K. F., 5th grade, Hilfiker Elementary.
A Drop of Water
Morrison, Gordon. A Drop of Water. Illustrated by author. Houghton Mifflin Company: 2006. Ages 8 to 11.
This story is about a little boy who got his finger wet by a brook. The clouds were drifting away because it had just rained. The art is beautiful, especially the pencil sketching. I think the book is relaxing. I recommend this book for 8 to 11 year olds.
Reviewed by J. W., 5th grade, Hilfiker Elementary.
This story is about a little boy who got his finger wet by a brook. The clouds were drifting away because it had just rained. The art is beautiful, especially the pencil sketching. I think the book is relaxing. I recommend this book for 8 to 11 year olds.
Reviewed by J. W., 5th grade, Hilfiker Elementary.
The U.S. Constitution
Pearl, Norman. The U.S. Constitution. Illustrated by Matthew Skeens. Picture Window Books: 2007. Ages 6 to 9.
My story is about the Constitution and tells the readers about their rights. Some pictures show the White House, Supreme Court, and the Capitol. Another picture shows George Washington signing the Constitution. My book had art. The illustrator put dark spots on the paper for the book to look older than it is. I did not like that the author did not show more of the rights that we have. That was the only thing that I did not like. I liked the rest of the book.
Reviewed by J. M., 5th grade, Hilfiker Elementary.
My story is about the Constitution and tells the readers about their rights. Some pictures show the White House, Supreme Court, and the Capitol. Another picture shows George Washington signing the Constitution. My book had art. The illustrator put dark spots on the paper for the book to look older than it is. I did not like that the author did not show more of the rights that we have. That was the only thing that I did not like. I liked the rest of the book.
Reviewed by J. M., 5th grade, Hilfiker Elementary.
Dancing with Katya
Chaconas, Dori. Dancing with Katya. Illustrated by Constance R. Bergum. Peachtree Publishers: 2006. Ages 9 to 12.
Dancing with Katya is about a young girl named Katya who loved to dance with her sister. When Katya gets sick, she becomes crippled. She has a struggle trying to walk. How will she ever learn to dance when she can not walk? Even though there are drawings, it feels like you are in the book. The art is done in water colors which makes it look beautiful. I loved the book. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves to enjoy a good story. I would recommend this book for ages 9 to 12.
Reviewed by M. M., 5th grade, Hilfiker Elementary.
Dancing with Katya is about a young girl named Katya who loved to dance with her sister. When Katya gets sick, she becomes crippled. She has a struggle trying to walk. How will she ever learn to dance when she can not walk? Even though there are drawings, it feels like you are in the book. The art is done in water colors which makes it look beautiful. I loved the book. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves to enjoy a good story. I would recommend this book for ages 9 to 12.
Reviewed by M. M., 5th grade, Hilfiker Elementary.
Wednesday, June 06, 2007
Penguins
Stefoff, Rebecca. Penguins. Benchmark Books: 2006. Ages 10 to 20.
The book, Penguins, is about all kids of penguins. It is about what they eat and how they care for their babies. There is a penguin called a Rock Hopper Penguin because it can hop and it lives in the rocky area. There were three pictures that I loved. One was a picture of an older penguin holding a fish in it's mouth. The other was a penguin blending in with tree bark. The last picture was a penguin that looks very evil and is found on a small island. They are called Fiordland Penguins. I think this book would be awesome for other kids because you learn so many great and wonderful things about penguins. I learned how they care for their babies, what they eat, and how good they can swim. Sometimes, penguins can swim very fast and do tricks.
Reviewed by S. F., 5th grade, Hilfiker Elementary.
The book, Penguins, is about all kids of penguins. It is about what they eat and how they care for their babies. There is a penguin called a Rock Hopper Penguin because it can hop and it lives in the rocky area. There were three pictures that I loved. One was a picture of an older penguin holding a fish in it's mouth. The other was a penguin blending in with tree bark. The last picture was a penguin that looks very evil and is found on a small island. They are called Fiordland Penguins. I think this book would be awesome for other kids because you learn so many great and wonderful things about penguins. I learned how they care for their babies, what they eat, and how good they can swim. Sometimes, penguins can swim very fast and do tricks.
Reviewed by S. F., 5th grade, Hilfiker Elementary.
No Room for Napoleon
Meserve, Adria. No Room for Napoleon. Illustrated by author. Farrar Straus Giroux: 2006. ages 6 to 11.
The story is about friendship and how you should not make your friends do things just because you tell them to. In the story, Napoleon does that to his new friends. Towards the end, Napoleon's friends go to a new island. Napoleon goes over there with his friends they do not let him on the island. So, that is why you do not want to boss your friends around. You will have no room on the island for them and they will do it to you. The art is amazing. I like how the art is colorful and bright. It really goes with the story. My opinion on this book is great. I really liked it. It was amazing what kind of things you can do to break a friendship up. Yes, I would recommend this book to other kids. I would recommend it to third graders. I really enjoyed the book.
Reviewed by F. M., 5th grade, Hilfiker Elementary.
The story is about friendship and how you should not make your friends do things just because you tell them to. In the story, Napoleon does that to his new friends. Towards the end, Napoleon's friends go to a new island. Napoleon goes over there with his friends they do not let him on the island. So, that is why you do not want to boss your friends around. You will have no room on the island for them and they will do it to you. The art is amazing. I like how the art is colorful and bright. It really goes with the story. My opinion on this book is great. I really liked it. It was amazing what kind of things you can do to break a friendship up. Yes, I would recommend this book to other kids. I would recommend it to third graders. I really enjoyed the book.
Reviewed by F. M., 5th grade, Hilfiker Elementary.
Robot Voyagers
Jefferis, David. Robot Voyagers. Crabtree Publishing Company: 2007. Ages 9 to 14.
Robot Voyagers was an okay book. It told me about what our robots today are capable of. It was a little boring but I liked the photos. The photos were fascinating pictures of robots. They look like photos from the future! This book was not as exciting as some books, but it had great photos and information. Robot Voyagers should be for older kids, instead of young children.
Reviewed by J. G., 5th grade, Hilfiker Elementary
Robot Voyagers was an okay book. It told me about what our robots today are capable of. It was a little boring but I liked the photos. The photos were fascinating pictures of robots. They look like photos from the future! This book was not as exciting as some books, but it had great photos and information. Robot Voyagers should be for older kids, instead of young children.
Reviewed by J. G., 5th grade, Hilfiker Elementary
Monsters are Afraid of the Moon
Satrapi, Marjane. Monsters are Afraid of the Moon. Illustrated by author. Bloomsbury Children's Books: 2006. Ages 3 to 8.
Marie brought the Moon into her room which scared away the monsters. It also caused many more problems for her. The art is very basic and plain because it did not go into any detail. There is also no background in the artwork. I would suggest that this book is for 3 to 8 year olds and would recommend it to any child in that age group.
Reviewed by D. B., 5th grade, Hilfiker Elementary.
Marie brought the Moon into her room which scared away the monsters. It also caused many more problems for her. The art is very basic and plain because it did not go into any detail. There is also no background in the artwork. I would suggest that this book is for 3 to 8 year olds and would recommend it to any child in that age group.
Reviewed by D. B., 5th grade, Hilfiker Elementary.
Steal Back the Mona Lisa
McCarthy, Meghan. Steal Back the Mona Lisa. Illustrated by the author. Harcourt Incorporated: 2006. Ages 4 to 12.
As Jack was lying in his bed, he knew something was wrong. After he got up and got ready, he got into his secret car. He drove until he got onto a plane. When he arrived, they told him that some crooked crooks were stealing the Mona Lisa. On his way to save it, he was kidnapped. Even though he was delayed, Jack still got the crooked crooks before they put a mustache on the Mona Lisa. The art was very kid like. At the same time, the pictures were still historical. I really enjoyed the art. I believe that it was a very funny, child-friendly book. This book is for ages 4 years to any age that can read an enjoyable book.
Reviewed by K. E., 5th grade, Hilfiker Elementary.
As Jack was lying in his bed, he knew something was wrong. After he got up and got ready, he got into his secret car. He drove until he got onto a plane. When he arrived, they told him that some crooked crooks were stealing the Mona Lisa. On his way to save it, he was kidnapped. Even though he was delayed, Jack still got the crooked crooks before they put a mustache on the Mona Lisa. The art was very kid like. At the same time, the pictures were still historical. I really enjoyed the art. I believe that it was a very funny, child-friendly book. This book is for ages 4 years to any age that can read an enjoyable book.
Reviewed by K. E., 5th grade, Hilfiker Elementary.
Slippery, Slimy Baby Frogs
Markle, Sandra. Slippery, Slimy Baby Frogs. Walker and Company: 2006. Ages 8 to 20.
This story is about different types of frogs as tadpoles. Also, how they are as tadpoles and eggs. The story talks about the baby frogs and unique features about them. The photographs had great shots of the frogs. They had pictures of the eggs of frogs and them as tadpoles. I really enjoyed the story. I'd recommend it to children and adults if they would like to learn more about tadpoles, eggs, and baby frogs. I recommend the story for ages 8 and older.
Reviewed by G. S., 5th grade, Hilfiker Elementary
This story is about different types of frogs as tadpoles. Also, how they are as tadpoles and eggs. The story talks about the baby frogs and unique features about them. The photographs had great shots of the frogs. They had pictures of the eggs of frogs and them as tadpoles. I really enjoyed the story. I'd recommend it to children and adults if they would like to learn more about tadpoles, eggs, and baby frogs. I recommend the story for ages 8 and older.
Reviewed by G. S., 5th grade, Hilfiker Elementary
Robot Brains
Jefferis, David. Robot Brains. Crabtree Publishing Company: 2007. Ages 5 to 18.
This story is about robots from history to present day. The photographs fit the context very well and are very informational. I would be proud if I wrote this book. It appeals to me very much. I would recommend this book to other children because of its informational content and interesting photographs. He is a very great author.
Reviewed by M. L., 5th grade, Hilfiker Elementary.
Guinea Pigs and Other Rodents
Kalman, Bobbie. Guinea Pigs and Other Rodents. Illustrated by Reagan Miller. Crabtree Publishing: 2006. Ages 6 to 11.
This story was about guinea pigs and other rodents. It is about where they live, what they eat, and if they hibernate or not. Also, about how to take care of rodents. The pictures are very cute and creative. The drawings are very good, neat, and different. I recommend this book for other kids because they can have information about guinea pigs and other rodents.
Reviewed by G. C., 5th grade, Hilfiker Elementary
This story was about guinea pigs and other rodents. It is about where they live, what they eat, and if they hibernate or not. Also, about how to take care of rodents. The pictures are very cute and creative. The drawings are very good, neat, and different. I recommend this book for other kids because they can have information about guinea pigs and other rodents.
Reviewed by G. C., 5th grade, Hilfiker Elementary
The Life Cycle of an Emperor Penguin
Kalman, Bobbie and Robin Johnson. The Life Cycle of an Emperor Penguin. Crabtree Publishing Company: 2007. Ages 7-18.
The Life Cycle of an Emperor Penguin is about how a baby penguin grows up and how it has to find it's own food when it gets to be 1 or two years old. The book is also about how penguins are warm blooded. The art was really great. Basically, the photos were a little big compared to the paragraphs. The Life Cycle of an Emperor Penguin is a book that 7 to 18 year olds would like read. The book tells all about Emperor Penguins.
Reviewed by S. H., 5th grade, Hilfiker Elementary
The Life Cycle of an Emperor Penguin is about how a baby penguin grows up and how it has to find it's own food when it gets to be 1 or two years old. The book is also about how penguins are warm blooded. The art was really great. Basically, the photos were a little big compared to the paragraphs. The Life Cycle of an Emperor Penguin is a book that 7 to 18 year olds would like read. The book tells all about Emperor Penguins.
Reviewed by S. H., 5th grade, Hilfiker Elementary
Moi and Marie Antoinette
Cullen, Lynn. Moi and Marie Antoinette. Illustrated by Amy Young. Bloomsbury Children's Books: 2006. Ages 8-16.
This story is about a young girl who discovers what life is like to be a queen. When she asks her daughter the same question her mother asked her. She says no because she has Moi!! The pictures are outstanding and beautiful! Lynn, I think you went for glamor for this story. My opinion for this book is, it is wonderful! I really recommend this book to glamor girls or girls who need to learn true beauty of being a child and not growing up too fast!
Reviewed by S. R., 5th grade, Hilfiker Elementary.
This story is about a young girl who discovers what life is like to be a queen. When she asks her daughter the same question her mother asked her. She says no because she has Moi!! The pictures are outstanding and beautiful! Lynn, I think you went for glamor for this story. My opinion for this book is, it is wonderful! I really recommend this book to glamor girls or girls who need to learn true beauty of being a child and not growing up too fast!
Reviewed by S. R., 5th grade, Hilfiker Elementary.
What Athletes are Made of
Piven, Hanoch. What Athletes are Made of. Atheneum Books for Young Readers: 2006. Ages 8-20.
This is a very intresting story for me because it is about a lot of intresting athletes and facts I never knew about. I thought the art was very artistic. Since I like to draw myself, I thought they were original. I think anybody who is a sports lover would love this book because I like sports.
Reviewed by C. F., 5th grade, Hilfiker Elementary.
This is a very intresting story for me because it is about a lot of intresting athletes and facts I never knew about. I thought the art was very artistic. Since I like to draw myself, I thought they were original. I think anybody who is a sports lover would love this book because I like sports.
Reviewed by C. F., 5th grade, Hilfiker Elementary.
Of Numbers and Stars
Loue, D. Anne. Of Numbers and Stars. Illustrated by Pam Pararone. Holiday House: 2006. Ages 12 and up.
This is a story about a girl named Hypatia who lived in Alexandria. Her father wanted to teach Hypatia everything he knew because in Alexandria women weren't educated so thats why Hypatia's father taught her everything he knew. Hypatia's father was a professor at a University. I loved the art in the story because the art was very detailed. I thought the art made the story intresting to read. I would recommend this story to kids that are older because the story had some higher words for kids younger than ten years old. I thought the story was very educational about the life of Hypatia and how she learned from her father and became very smart.
Reviewed by A. W., 5th grade, Hilfiker Elementary
This is a story about a girl named Hypatia who lived in Alexandria. Her father wanted to teach Hypatia everything he knew because in Alexandria women weren't educated so thats why Hypatia's father taught her everything he knew. Hypatia's father was a professor at a University. I loved the art in the story because the art was very detailed. I thought the art made the story intresting to read. I would recommend this story to kids that are older because the story had some higher words for kids younger than ten years old. I thought the story was very educational about the life of Hypatia and how she learned from her father and became very smart.
Reviewed by A. W., 5th grade, Hilfiker Elementary
Labrador Retrievers
MacAulay, Kelley and Bobbie Kalman. Labrador Retrievers. Crabtree Publishing Company: 2007. Ages 6 and up.
This story is about labrador retrievers. It tells you how to take care and how to train your lab. The photographs showed what the paragraph or sentence was talking about or explaning. The pictures always had a caption or two so I knew what it was or what it was showing. I would recommend this book to people seven and up who like labs or any other kind of dog. It was a very informational and detailed book. I enjoyed it very much.
Reviewed by M. S., 5th grade, Hilfiker Elementary
This story is about labrador retrievers. It tells you how to take care and how to train your lab. The photographs showed what the paragraph or sentence was talking about or explaning. The pictures always had a caption or two so I knew what it was or what it was showing. I would recommend this book to people seven and up who like labs or any other kind of dog. It was a very informational and detailed book. I enjoyed it very much.
Reviewed by M. S., 5th grade, Hilfiker Elementary
Jackie's Bat
Lorbiecki, Marybeth. Jackie's Bat. Illustrated by Brian Pinkney. Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers: 2006. Ages 7 - 12.
My story is about a baseball team named the Brooklyn Dodgers. Their team has all white players until one day a black man came to play for the Dodgers. The other men didn't like him. Their bat boy's dad was the owner of the team. His dad said to stay away from Jackie. Until one day a kid gave the bat boy a bat and card to give to Jackie. The boy gave it to Jackie but no card. He lied about the gift, it was a bat. Then he was scared, then he gave him the card. Jackie made black history. The illustrations were very good, creative. This book was very informational and I would recommend it for other kids because it is about black history. I think ages seven to twelve would like it.
Reviewed by B. A., 5th grade, Hilfiker Elementary
My story is about a baseball team named the Brooklyn Dodgers. Their team has all white players until one day a black man came to play for the Dodgers. The other men didn't like him. Their bat boy's dad was the owner of the team. His dad said to stay away from Jackie. Until one day a kid gave the bat boy a bat and card to give to Jackie. The boy gave it to Jackie but no card. He lied about the gift, it was a bat. Then he was scared, then he gave him the card. Jackie made black history. The illustrations were very good, creative. This book was very informational and I would recommend it for other kids because it is about black history. I think ages seven to twelve would like it.
Reviewed by B. A., 5th grade, Hilfiker Elementary
Rock, Brock, and Saving Shock
Bair, Sheila. Rock, Brock, and Savings Shock. Illustrated by Barry Gott. Albert Whitman and Company: 2006. Ages 5 to 5th grade.
My book is about a tale about Rock and Brock. Rock was clean and Brock was messy. Rock studies, Brock watched t.v. Rock woke up at dawn and Brock woke up at 3:00! Rock was perfect but he loved to buy. Brock lived like a slob but saved his money for a long time. Everyday if they did a chore his grandpa would give them money. When he did Rock went and bought something Brock saved his. The illustrations are very colorful. Ages seven to fifteen would like it. It shows pictures when they were very young. I think this book is awesome. I would recommend this book for a lot of other kids, everyone in school.
Reviewed by K. S., 5th grade, Hilfiker Elementary
My book is about a tale about Rock and Brock. Rock was clean and Brock was messy. Rock studies, Brock watched t.v. Rock woke up at dawn and Brock woke up at 3:00! Rock was perfect but he loved to buy. Brock lived like a slob but saved his money for a long time. Everyday if they did a chore his grandpa would give them money. When he did Rock went and bought something Brock saved his. The illustrations are very colorful. Ages seven to fifteen would like it. It shows pictures when they were very young. I think this book is awesome. I would recommend this book for a lot of other kids, everyone in school.
Reviewed by K. S., 5th grade, Hilfiker Elementary
Maggie's Amerikay
Russell, Barbara Timberlake. Maggie's Amerikay. Illustrated by Jim Burke. Farrar, Straus and Giroux: 2006. Ages 11 to 15.
Maggie and Da set sail for America heading for New Orleans. Some people would laugh at her. Black people would sometimes stare at her because she was white. Some people made their money gambling. At the end they are free to choose who they will be! The illustrations for this book were good. The clothing was old fashioned. On some pages the colors were a little brighter. The lights they used were old. I would recommend this book to other kids because this book is very good. It taught me how important freedom was back then.
Reviewed by D. S., 5th grade, Hilfiker Elementary
Maggie and Da set sail for America heading for New Orleans. Some people would laugh at her. Black people would sometimes stare at her because she was white. Some people made their money gambling. At the end they are free to choose who they will be! The illustrations for this book were good. The clothing was old fashioned. On some pages the colors were a little brighter. The lights they used were old. I would recommend this book to other kids because this book is very good. It taught me how important freedom was back then.
Reviewed by D. S., 5th grade, Hilfiker Elementary
Muscle Cars
Bailey, Katharine. Muscle Cars. Crabtree: 2007. Ages 6 and up.
My story was about muscle cars. The main muscle car in this book is Mustangs. It was also about what some parts of cars have. One of the main parts is the Hemi engine. This book has photographs on every page. Most of the photographs showed Mustangs and some of their main parts. The pictures also showed other muscle cars. My opinion about this book is that it is a very great book. The book gave me a lot of information I did not know. I would recommend this book to my eight year old brother because he really likes muscle cars.
Reviewed by B. V., 5th grade, Hilfiker Elementary
My story was about muscle cars. The main muscle car in this book is Mustangs. It was also about what some parts of cars have. One of the main parts is the Hemi engine. This book has photographs on every page. Most of the photographs showed Mustangs and some of their main parts. The pictures also showed other muscle cars. My opinion about this book is that it is a very great book. The book gave me a lot of information I did not know. I would recommend this book to my eight year old brother because he really likes muscle cars.
Reviewed by B. V., 5th grade, Hilfiker Elementary
The President and Mom's Apple Pie
Garland, Michael. The President and Mom's Apple Pie. Illustrated by the Author. Dutton Children's Books: 2002. Ages 7 and up.
This story is about a president coming to town and that president is William Howard Taft. President Taft comes to town on a train. When he got there, there was a good smell in the air. Then a boy named Michael lead the way down the street to the Italian Villa, but that wasn't what he smelled. Then he went down to a ribs place that's not it either. After that he went to Mrs. Wong's but that wasn't it either. Then he followed his nose. They ended up at the boy's place and that is what he smelled, his mom's apple pie. The art in this book looked bold, colorful, and funny. The way it looked funny was because the way the people looked. They had red cheeks, big heads, small hands, feet and bodies. Overall I thought this book was funny. I would recommend this book to other kids. I would recommend it to younger kids and maybe to older kids too. I think seven year olds to any age might like this book, but I know one thing is that I do like this book!
Reviewed by M. B., 5th grade, Hilfiker Elementary
This story is about a president coming to town and that president is William Howard Taft. President Taft comes to town on a train. When he got there, there was a good smell in the air. Then a boy named Michael lead the way down the street to the Italian Villa, but that wasn't what he smelled. Then he went down to a ribs place that's not it either. After that he went to Mrs. Wong's but that wasn't it either. Then he followed his nose. They ended up at the boy's place and that is what he smelled, his mom's apple pie. The art in this book looked bold, colorful, and funny. The way it looked funny was because the way the people looked. They had red cheeks, big heads, small hands, feet and bodies. Overall I thought this book was funny. I would recommend this book to other kids. I would recommend it to younger kids and maybe to older kids too. I think seven year olds to any age might like this book, but I know one thing is that I do like this book!
Reviewed by M. B., 5th grade, Hilfiker Elementary
Tuesday, May 29, 2007
Blackbeard
Hamilton, Sue. Blackbeard. Illustrated by Don Maitz. Abdo: 2007. ISBN: 9781599287584. Ages 10 and up.
This book is informational and teaches about Blackbeard's life and his history. It is factual and is a good book for getting information about Blackbeard. This book is non-fiction and has interesting and unusual facts about Blackbeard. Sue Hamilton makes the book interesting with vivid details and pictures of pirates and Blackbeard. The style of the headings grabs your attention. The words look old and handwritten. The pictures are both photographs and drawings. Many are of Blackbeard and they explain how terrifying Blackbeard was. The book is informational and not for younger children.
Reviewed by E. H., 6th grade, Van Buren Middle School
This book is informational and teaches about Blackbeard's life and his history. It is factual and is a good book for getting information about Blackbeard. This book is non-fiction and has interesting and unusual facts about Blackbeard. Sue Hamilton makes the book interesting with vivid details and pictures of pirates and Blackbeard. The style of the headings grabs your attention. The words look old and handwritten. The pictures are both photographs and drawings. Many are of Blackbeard and they explain how terrifying Blackbeard was. The book is informational and not for younger children.
Reviewed by E. H., 6th grade, Van Buren Middle School
Science Frontiers Micro Machines: Ultra Small World of Nanotechnology
Jefferis, David. Science Frontiers Micro Machines: Ultra-Small World of Nanotechnology. Crabtree: 2006. ISBN: 0778728595.
In the non-fiction book Science Frontiers Micro-Machines: Ultra-Small World of Nanotechnology tells about present and future nanotechnology. It explains what nanotechnology is, how it it's used, and many types of it. The author uses good examples of how nanotechnology is used. He provides many pictures and captions to help as well. The book is informative, interesting, and good at providing visual information. It's like a science textbook with all the photos, captions, and bold words. This book would be good to inform you on nanotechnology, and it would be good to help you on reports. This book would be better suited for older kids, like junior high. It does have some confusing words but uses photos that help you understand the words and their meanings.
Reviewed by Z.K., 6th grader, Van Buren Middle School
In the non-fiction book Science Frontiers Micro-Machines: Ultra-Small World of Nanotechnology tells about present and future nanotechnology. It explains what nanotechnology is, how it it's used, and many types of it. The author uses good examples of how nanotechnology is used. He provides many pictures and captions to help as well. The book is informative, interesting, and good at providing visual information. It's like a science textbook with all the photos, captions, and bold words. This book would be good to inform you on nanotechnology, and it would be good to help you on reports. This book would be better suited for older kids, like junior high. It does have some confusing words but uses photos that help you understand the words and their meanings.
Reviewed by Z.K., 6th grader, Van Buren Middle School
Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue
Celenza, Anna Harwell. Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue. Illustrated by JoAnn E. Kitchel. Charlesbridge: 2006. ISBN: 9781570915567. Ages 12 and up.
Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue is about when Gershwin finds out that he has to write a jazz concerto in a newspaper for his friend Paul. Paul doesn't have any ideas on what the concerto should be about until he discovers all the sounds around him and uses them in his concerto. The crowd loves the concerto when it is played. Anna Harwell Celenza uses exclamation marks and capital letters to express what the characters are saying. She uses strong adjectives so you can imagine it without the pictures. The illustrations are done in watercolor and ink. JoAnn E. Kitchel really focused on the illustrations and details in them. She made the characters and surroundings look real. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves music or is interested in music.
Reviewed by B. H., 6th grader, Van Buren Middle School
Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue is about when Gershwin finds out that he has to write a jazz concerto in a newspaper for his friend Paul. Paul doesn't have any ideas on what the concerto should be about until he discovers all the sounds around him and uses them in his concerto. The crowd loves the concerto when it is played. Anna Harwell Celenza uses exclamation marks and capital letters to express what the characters are saying. She uses strong adjectives so you can imagine it without the pictures. The illustrations are done in watercolor and ink. JoAnn E. Kitchel really focused on the illustrations and details in them. She made the characters and surroundings look real. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves music or is interested in music.
Reviewed by B. H., 6th grader, Van Buren Middle School
Why Do Dogs Have Wet Noses
Coren, Stanley. Why Do Dogs Have Wet Noses? Kids Can Press: 2006. ISBN: 1553376579. Ages 8 and up.
Why Do Dogs Have Wet Noses? is a non-fiction book about dogs. The author wrote this book to inform the reader about many things to know about dogs. Stanley Coren, the author, made this book interesting by telling a lot of facts that are surprising and also funny, like the largest dog in the world is 343 pounds. Coren uses a lot of adjectives in Why Do Dogs Have Wet Noses ? like colors, sizes, feelings, taste, smell, and visual-like words. Stanley Coren didn't draw the pictures in this book, he just used photographs. I thought Why Do Dogs Have Wet Noses? was a good informational book about dogs. I would recommend this book for ages 8 and up.
Reviewed by A. E., 6th grade, Van Buren Middle School
Why Do Dogs Have Wet Noses? is a non-fiction book about dogs. The author wrote this book to inform the reader about many things to know about dogs. Stanley Coren, the author, made this book interesting by telling a lot of facts that are surprising and also funny, like the largest dog in the world is 343 pounds. Coren uses a lot of adjectives in Why Do Dogs Have Wet Noses ? like colors, sizes, feelings, taste, smell, and visual-like words. Stanley Coren didn't draw the pictures in this book, he just used photographs. I thought Why Do Dogs Have Wet Noses? was a good informational book about dogs. I would recommend this book for ages 8 and up.
Reviewed by A. E., 6th grade, Van Buren Middle School
Extreme Structures: Mega-Constructions of the 21st Century
Jefferis, David. Extreme Structures: Mega-Constructions of the 21st Century. Crabtree: 2006. ISBN: 0778728587. Ages 8- 14.
David Jefferis uses intriguing photographs to illustrate some of the largest structures in the world. He uses captions with every picture to keep the reader interested. The photos keep the readers hooked as they learn about the largest structures known to mankind. It also keeps the readers interested by describing how things operate or how they benefit us in great detail. The pictures can relate greatly to whatever topic David Jefferis is referring to. It actually makes the reader want to find out more on that topic so they keep reading on. I personally liked the book because the author did a great job describing the structures and even gave a hint on what may be coming next. I would recommend this book to anyone between the ages 8 to 14 to read this if they would like to learn about huge structures and how they have been influenced in the modern world.
Reviewed by A. C., 7th grade, Van Buren Middle School
David Jefferis uses intriguing photographs to illustrate some of the largest structures in the world. He uses captions with every picture to keep the reader interested. The photos keep the readers hooked as they learn about the largest structures known to mankind. It also keeps the readers interested by describing how things operate or how they benefit us in great detail. The pictures can relate greatly to whatever topic David Jefferis is referring to. It actually makes the reader want to find out more on that topic so they keep reading on. I personally liked the book because the author did a great job describing the structures and even gave a hint on what may be coming next. I would recommend this book to anyone between the ages 8 to 14 to read this if they would like to learn about huge structures and how they have been influenced in the modern world.
Reviewed by A. C., 7th grade, Van Buren Middle School
Tuesday, May 15, 2007
Peary and Henson: The Race to the North Pole
Bedesky, Baron. Peary and Henson: The Race to the North Pole. Crabtree Publishing Company: 2006. ISBN: 0778724263. Ages 9-14.
Peary and Henson: The Race to the North Pole tells the tale of how Robert Peary and Matthew Henson were American explorers who gained fame for their many quests to the North Pole. The book is not humorous, but it neatly presents information making it easier to read. There are a few words that are bolded and explained in the glossary. Pictures and photographs are continuously used to represent information and they help readers understand the difficult concepts, such as where the people in the Arctic lived. I would recommend this book for children ages 9-14 because the information is well presented and understandable.
Reviewed by S.S., 7th grade, Van Buren Middle School
Peary and Henson: The Race to the North Pole tells the tale of how Robert Peary and Matthew Henson were American explorers who gained fame for their many quests to the North Pole. The book is not humorous, but it neatly presents information making it easier to read. There are a few words that are bolded and explained in the glossary. Pictures and photographs are continuously used to represent information and they help readers understand the difficult concepts, such as where the people in the Arctic lived. I would recommend this book for children ages 9-14 because the information is well presented and understandable.
Reviewed by S.S., 7th grade, Van Buren Middle School
Skyscrapers
Oxlade, Chris. Skyscrapers. Firefly Books: 2006. ISBN 1554071364. Ages 9-15.
This book is about skyscrapers through the years and different skyscrapers today. Chris Oxlade uses a number of pictures and some overlays to keep the reader's attention and to show what he is talking about. He uses a lot of description and a fairly simple vocabulary. He doesn't use very many things to keep your attention except for the pictures and overlays. He uses real and illustrated pictures of the buildings along with overlays. I would recommend this book for people that want to either learn about skyscrapers or people who really like skyscrapers.
Reviewed by D.R., 7th grade, Van Buren Middle School
This book is about skyscrapers through the years and different skyscrapers today. Chris Oxlade uses a number of pictures and some overlays to keep the reader's attention and to show what he is talking about. He uses a lot of description and a fairly simple vocabulary. He doesn't use very many things to keep your attention except for the pictures and overlays. He uses real and illustrated pictures of the buildings along with overlays. I would recommend this book for people that want to either learn about skyscrapers or people who really like skyscrapers.
Reviewed by D.R., 7th grade, Van Buren Middle School
Clever Ali
Farmer, Nancy. Clever Ali. Illustrated by Gail De Marcken. Orchard Books: 2006. ISBN:0439370140. Ages 8-11.
When Ali, a seven year old boy, is given a responsibility everything goes wrong: his father's life is almost lost, his greedy pigeon tries to cheat his majesty, and Ali's life is put in jeopardy. Farmer keeps the reader on the edge of his seat by having events go horribly wrong. The author makes it easy to understand and it feels like you are right there with the story. The illustrations are very bright and catch your attention, which helps you get into the story. I enjoyed this story a lot, but would have enjoyed it more in my younger years. I would recommend this to elementary students.
Reviewed by A.B., 7th grade, Van Buren Middle School
When Ali, a seven year old boy, is given a responsibility everything goes wrong: his father's life is almost lost, his greedy pigeon tries to cheat his majesty, and Ali's life is put in jeopardy. Farmer keeps the reader on the edge of his seat by having events go horribly wrong. The author makes it easy to understand and it feels like you are right there with the story. The illustrations are very bright and catch your attention, which helps you get into the story. I enjoyed this story a lot, but would have enjoyed it more in my younger years. I would recommend this to elementary students.
Reviewed by A.B., 7th grade, Van Buren Middle School
Landed
Lee, Milly. Landed. Illustrated by Yangsook Choi. Frances Foster Books: 2006. ISBN: 0374343144. Ages 7-11.
Sun is a twelve year old boy from Southeastern China who is moving to America. Before arriving, he has to study and is held and interrogated on Angel Island. Milly Lee has a lot of valuable information in the book that makes it easier to understand. She is descriptive and serious about everything that is required to go through a move to another country. Yangsook Choi has created beautiful pictures that look like they are made with pastels, colored pencils, and ink. Choi didn't use extremely bright colors, which makes you think of what the events were really like. I would recommend this book to anyone that enjoys different cultures and to anyone within the ages of 7-11.
Reviewed by K.E., 7th grade, Van Buren Middle School
Sun is a twelve year old boy from Southeastern China who is moving to America. Before arriving, he has to study and is held and interrogated on Angel Island. Milly Lee has a lot of valuable information in the book that makes it easier to understand. She is descriptive and serious about everything that is required to go through a move to another country. Yangsook Choi has created beautiful pictures that look like they are made with pastels, colored pencils, and ink. Choi didn't use extremely bright colors, which makes you think of what the events were really like. I would recommend this book to anyone that enjoys different cultures and to anyone within the ages of 7-11.
Reviewed by K.E., 7th grade, Van Buren Middle School
Thursday, May 10, 2007
James Cook: The Pacific Coast and Beyond
Beales, R. A. James Cook: The Pacific Coast and Beyond. Crabtree: 2006. ISBN: 0-7787-2415-8. Ages 9-13.
Beales created this book to teach children about James Cook who made three voyages throughout the Pacific and charted the Pacific. Beales makes this book more interesting and entertaining by using pictures and photographs to help explain the setting or help kids look and follow the journeys by showing maps. Beales writing style is informative and did not get into much depth as in vivid action words and such. He did have his work very organized and well planned out, though. The pictures really help the reader get a feel for the setting and gives examples to help the reader understand what is being read. I would only recommend this book to someone if they were doing a report or liked history a lot. It was just mainly boring unless you got really interested in it.
Reviewed by M.M., 7th grade, Van Buren Middle School
Beales created this book to teach children about James Cook who made three voyages throughout the Pacific and charted the Pacific. Beales makes this book more interesting and entertaining by using pictures and photographs to help explain the setting or help kids look and follow the journeys by showing maps. Beales writing style is informative and did not get into much depth as in vivid action words and such. He did have his work very organized and well planned out, though. The pictures really help the reader get a feel for the setting and gives examples to help the reader understand what is being read. I would only recommend this book to someone if they were doing a report or liked history a lot. It was just mainly boring unless you got really interested in it.
Reviewed by M.M., 7th grade, Van Buren Middle School
Wednesday, May 09, 2007
Team Moon: How 400,000 People Landed Apollo 11 on the Moon
Thimmesh, Catherine. Team Moon: How 400,000 People Landed Apollo 11 On The Moon. Houghton Mifflin: 2006. ISBN: 978-0618-50757-3. Ages 10-14.
Team Moon is the story about all the people who didn't get credit for landing astronauts on the moon. These 400,000 people worked tirelessly behind computers at NASA. Every situation the astronauts encountered, it was the men and women behind the computers guiding them safely out of situations. Thimmesh attracts readers' attention by using actual quotes from the workers and the way she creates suspense by telling how each worker reacted to a certain situation. She also made me want to turn the page when I read "Bam!" as they were trying to land the lunar module. Thimmesh also provided great pictures. She describes each picture in full detail and makes sure it matches what is one the page. Not only did she provide great pictures, she also provides information about where she got the pictures and other information. I would recommend this book to many people, but only ones that are older than me and are doing a report on it. Some of the vocabulary is hard to understand and Thimmesh didn't explain all the quotes. It was like reading a different language at times; I didn't know what it meant. I prefer reading fiction most of the time, but for a non-fiction book it wasn't that bad.
Reviewed by T. F., 7th grade, Van Buren Middle School
Team Moon is the story about all the people who didn't get credit for landing astronauts on the moon. These 400,000 people worked tirelessly behind computers at NASA. Every situation the astronauts encountered, it was the men and women behind the computers guiding them safely out of situations. Thimmesh attracts readers' attention by using actual quotes from the workers and the way she creates suspense by telling how each worker reacted to a certain situation. She also made me want to turn the page when I read "Bam!" as they were trying to land the lunar module. Thimmesh also provided great pictures. She describes each picture in full detail and makes sure it matches what is one the page. Not only did she provide great pictures, she also provides information about where she got the pictures and other information. I would recommend this book to many people, but only ones that are older than me and are doing a report on it. Some of the vocabulary is hard to understand and Thimmesh didn't explain all the quotes. It was like reading a different language at times; I didn't know what it meant. I prefer reading fiction most of the time, but for a non-fiction book it wasn't that bad.
Reviewed by T. F., 7th grade, Van Buren Middle School
Cowries, Coins, Credit: The History of Money
Bailey, Gerry and Felicia Law. Cowries, Coins, Credit: The History of Money. Illustrated by Mike Phillips and Rosie Brooks. Compass Point Books: 2006. ISBN: 0-7565-1676-5. Ages 11 to 15.
The book Cowries, Coins, Credit: The History of Money is a book about money and it's origination. It tells about the first form of money and how other coins and payment evolved. This book doesn't have very many words or phrases that are entertaining. Although the book doesn't have great words that grab your attention, it does have great facts and reference. The illustrations have some cartoons and some actual pictures. The illustrations are brightly colored and go along with the text. Some of the illustrations seem to be painted. I would recommend this book to people writing a paper or just interested in the origin of money.
Reviewed by J. E., 7th grade, Van Buren Middle School
The book Cowries, Coins, Credit: The History of Money is a book about money and it's origination. It tells about the first form of money and how other coins and payment evolved. This book doesn't have very many words or phrases that are entertaining. Although the book doesn't have great words that grab your attention, it does have great facts and reference. The illustrations have some cartoons and some actual pictures. The illustrations are brightly colored and go along with the text. Some of the illustrations seem to be painted. I would recommend this book to people writing a paper or just interested in the origin of money.
Reviewed by J. E., 7th grade, Van Buren Middle School
The World of Flight
Graham, Ian. The World of Flight. Kingfisher: 2006. ISBN:0-7534-6008-4. Ages 9-12.
The world of flight is a nonfiction book about how planes and helicopters changed through many stages. This book could probably be used to teach people about flight. Illustrations easily grab attention with explanations. There are good descriptions of the planes and detail on how everything is made. The pictures easily grab the reader's attention. The historical photos really allow the reader to see what it was like. The drawings made for the book also helped. The diagrams on pages 54 and 55 are confusing. I recommend this book for ages 9-12.
Reviewed by B. D., 7th grade, Van Buren Middle School
The world of flight is a nonfiction book about how planes and helicopters changed through many stages. This book could probably be used to teach people about flight. Illustrations easily grab attention with explanations. There are good descriptions of the planes and detail on how everything is made. The pictures easily grab the reader's attention. The historical photos really allow the reader to see what it was like. The drawings made for the book also helped. The diagrams on pages 54 and 55 are confusing. I recommend this book for ages 9-12.
Reviewed by B. D., 7th grade, Van Buren Middle School
Ferdinand Magellan: Circumnavigating the World
Bailey, Katharine. Ferdinand Magellan: Circumnavigating the World. Crabtree: 2006. ISBN: 0-7787-2416-6. Ages 9-14.
In this nonfiction book, Katharine Bailey explains the life of Ferdinand Magellan and the voyage he takes to try to find a strait through South America in the Spice Islands. Fact after fact is given in the reading along with many pictures and illustrations. Throughout the pages bold words appear and can be defined in the glossary on the last page. Each section is titled to let you keep track of the topic being discussed. Almost every page has illustrations meant to look old-fashioned. Some pages even have extraordinary photographs. All pages have captions for the pictures. I recommend this book for people who enjoy history or need a book for research. It's harder reading, so ages 9 through 14 will best be suited for this book.
Reviewed by E. K., 7th grade, Van Buren Middle School
In this nonfiction book, Katharine Bailey explains the life of Ferdinand Magellan and the voyage he takes to try to find a strait through South America in the Spice Islands. Fact after fact is given in the reading along with many pictures and illustrations. Throughout the pages bold words appear and can be defined in the glossary on the last page. Each section is titled to let you keep track of the topic being discussed. Almost every page has illustrations meant to look old-fashioned. Some pages even have extraordinary photographs. All pages have captions for the pictures. I recommend this book for people who enjoy history or need a book for research. It's harder reading, so ages 9 through 14 will best be suited for this book.
Reviewed by E. K., 7th grade, Van Buren Middle School
Epidemics and Plagues
Walker, Richard. Epidemics and Plagues. Kingfisher Publications: 2006. ISBN-13: 978-0-7534-6035-1. Ages 10 and up.
Epidemics and Plagues tells about epidemics, diseases, plagues, and death causing sicknesses that have happened or are happening right now. It goes into detail on these things, such as describing the Black Death and how it affected Europe between 1347-1351. The author uses a very fluent and informative writing style to express to the reader about these medical problems. He includes many illustrations, such as maps, real-life photographs, and paintings to better help the reader understand the subject. I think this book was very informative, without going into too much detail, which is good for the age group in which it is directed toward. It had interesting pictures that helped give a visual of the information. Overall, I enjoyed reading this book.
Reviewed by S.T., 8th grade, Van Buren Middle School
Epidemics and Plagues tells about epidemics, diseases, plagues, and death causing sicknesses that have happened or are happening right now. It goes into detail on these things, such as describing the Black Death and how it affected Europe between 1347-1351. The author uses a very fluent and informative writing style to express to the reader about these medical problems. He includes many illustrations, such as maps, real-life photographs, and paintings to better help the reader understand the subject. I think this book was very informative, without going into too much detail, which is good for the age group in which it is directed toward. It had interesting pictures that helped give a visual of the information. Overall, I enjoyed reading this book.
Reviewed by S.T., 8th grade, Van Buren Middle School
Thursday, April 26, 2007
Unsolved History: Legends or Lies?
Blackwood, Gary L. Unsolved History: Legends or Lies? Marshall Cavendish: 2006. ISBN: 0761418911. Ages 12 and up.
This book takes old legends that have been told for many years and gives you historical facts that help you prove the story true or false. For example, the tale of Robin Hood isn't necessarily true or false. But, in the book, the author gives you historical facts to help you make a conclusion. The writing style of this book is historical fiction and informative. the author describes a legend, then takes people and facts from the past that could prove the legend true or false. The pictures in this book are portraits and paintings of historical people, places, and objects. They are placed throughout the book so you can get a visual picture of what is presented. For example, the author talks about the "Golden Man" and at the beginning of the chapter there is a picture of him. I think this book is very informative.I would refer this book to anyone who enjoys reading about history and loves drawing conclusions. It is packed full of information and the author did a good job of finding all the history that does or doesn't support the legends.
Reviewed by H.T., 8th grade, Van Buren Middle School
This book takes old legends that have been told for many years and gives you historical facts that help you prove the story true or false. For example, the tale of Robin Hood isn't necessarily true or false. But, in the book, the author gives you historical facts to help you make a conclusion. The writing style of this book is historical fiction and informative. the author describes a legend, then takes people and facts from the past that could prove the legend true or false. The pictures in this book are portraits and paintings of historical people, places, and objects. They are placed throughout the book so you can get a visual picture of what is presented. For example, the author talks about the "Golden Man" and at the beginning of the chapter there is a picture of him. I think this book is very informative.I would refer this book to anyone who enjoys reading about history and loves drawing conclusions. It is packed full of information and the author did a good job of finding all the history that does or doesn't support the legends.
Reviewed by H.T., 8th grade, Van Buren Middle School
Noah's Mittens
Lunge-Larson, Lise. Noah's Mittens. Illustrated by Matthew Trueman. Houghton Mifflin: 2006. ISBN: 9780618329502. Ages 3-9.
Lunge-Larson takes a creative view on the Bible story Noah's Ark. As the ark sails with two two of every animal, chaos occurs. All of the animals are going wild and they are getting very hot, mainly the sheep. When Noah checks on the sheep, he shaves them. But what should he do with the wool? Noah gets to use it when God introduces his newest creation, snow. The illustrations help paint a picture for the reader, but some were random and didn't flow with the book. This would be a very good story for late night at night stories to share with children who are learning about the Bible. It is a well written book.
Reviewed by R. M., 8th grade, Van Buren Middle School
Lunge-Larson takes a creative view on the Bible story Noah's Ark. As the ark sails with two two of every animal, chaos occurs. All of the animals are going wild and they are getting very hot, mainly the sheep. When Noah checks on the sheep, he shaves them. But what should he do with the wool? Noah gets to use it when God introduces his newest creation, snow. The illustrations help paint a picture for the reader, but some were random and didn't flow with the book. This would be a very good story for late night at night stories to share with children who are learning about the Bible. It is a well written book.
Reviewed by R. M., 8th grade, Van Buren Middle School
Inventions
Robinson, James. Inventions. Kingfisher: 2006. ISBN: 9780753459737. Ages 9 and up.
Inventions by James Robinson tells the history of everyday technology that we find around us today. Many of the greatest inventions started from humble beginnings and a small "Eureka!" Our sleek Mp3 players and cell phones started as brick sized objects, and the first digital computer took up an entire room. Robinson uses elaborate methods and excellent descriptions to present information so anyone can understand it. Larger than life photographs tell a story themselves and combine with detailed captions to support the text around them. Occasional cross-sections take important inventions apart piece by piece. Packing days of Discovery Channel into a single volume, Robinson combines history with science and a little bit of humor to produce a work both entertaining and informative. Who says history and science can't be fun?
Reviewed by M. L., 8th grade, Van Buren Elementary
Inventions by James Robinson tells the history of everyday technology that we find around us today. Many of the greatest inventions started from humble beginnings and a small "Eureka!" Our sleek Mp3 players and cell phones started as brick sized objects, and the first digital computer took up an entire room. Robinson uses elaborate methods and excellent descriptions to present information so anyone can understand it. Larger than life photographs tell a story themselves and combine with detailed captions to support the text around them. Occasional cross-sections take important inventions apart piece by piece. Packing days of Discovery Channel into a single volume, Robinson combines history with science and a little bit of humor to produce a work both entertaining and informative. Who says history and science can't be fun?
Reviewed by M. L., 8th grade, Van Buren Elementary
Wednesday, April 25, 2007
The Raven
Poe, Edgar, Allen. The Raven. Illustrated by Ryan Price. Kids Can Press: 2006. ISBN: 1553374738. Ages 12 and up.
The classic poem The Raven tells a very deep and dark story of a man's "descent into madness." It touches on the narrator's guilt for his wife's death and expresses a mixture of feelings in the reader. Edgar Allen Poe's poem is harder to comprehend for younger children. It includes numerous hidden meanings, as well as a lot of symbolism. He also uses repetition, alliteration, and rhyme to make his poems even more likable. Illustrator Ryan Price catches the meaning of the of the poem exactly, and his drypoint printmaking drawings compliment the poem along with showing a darkening effect. His drawings help explain the story within the poem. This book is without a doubt more reasonable for young adults to read rather than young children, as most wouldn't comprehend the whole meaning and significance of The Raven.
Reviewed by R. B., 8th grade, Van Buren Middle School
The classic poem The Raven tells a very deep and dark story of a man's "descent into madness." It touches on the narrator's guilt for his wife's death and expresses a mixture of feelings in the reader. Edgar Allen Poe's poem is harder to comprehend for younger children. It includes numerous hidden meanings, as well as a lot of symbolism. He also uses repetition, alliteration, and rhyme to make his poems even more likable. Illustrator Ryan Price catches the meaning of the of the poem exactly, and his drypoint printmaking drawings compliment the poem along with showing a darkening effect. His drawings help explain the story within the poem. This book is without a doubt more reasonable for young adults to read rather than young children, as most wouldn't comprehend the whole meaning and significance of The Raven.
Reviewed by R. B., 8th grade, Van Buren Middle School
Blackbeard's Last Fight
Kimmel, Eric. Blackbeard's Last Fight. Illustrated by Leonard Everett Fisher.Farrar, Straus and Giroux: 2006. ISBN: 0374307806. Ages 8-12.
This book is about young Jeremy Hobbs on his illegal adventure to capture the famous, dreaded Blackbeard the Pirate. Where, later on in battle, Jeremy realizes that Blackbeard the Pirate isn't the man he thought he was. The story is well written, in an informative and enjoyable way. The story is in an easy to read and follow format. Pictures, created by Leonard Everett Fisher, provide realistic images that compliment the text. All in all, I give this book two thumbs up. Not only are the facts approximately historically accurate, but they are organized in such a way that Blackbeard's Last Fight is pleasurable to read.
Reviewed by A. E., 8th grade, Van Buren Middle School
This book is about young Jeremy Hobbs on his illegal adventure to capture the famous, dreaded Blackbeard the Pirate. Where, later on in battle, Jeremy realizes that Blackbeard the Pirate isn't the man he thought he was. The story is well written, in an informative and enjoyable way. The story is in an easy to read and follow format. Pictures, created by Leonard Everett Fisher, provide realistic images that compliment the text. All in all, I give this book two thumbs up. Not only are the facts approximately historically accurate, but they are organized in such a way that Blackbeard's Last Fight is pleasurable to read.
Reviewed by A. E., 8th grade, Van Buren Middle School
The Biography of Chocolate
Morganelli, Adrianna. The Biography of Chocolate. Crabtree Publishing: 2006. ISBN: 9780778724816. Ages 12 and up.
This is an informational book about chocolate. It basically talks about the history of chocolate, from when the Aztecs discover it to when the British make it extremely popular, and up until the present day. There are pictures on every page which help people get a feel for what the text is about. The pictures are informative and are very crucial to the understanding of the book as a whole. This book has a very technical textbook style of writing; it flows in a historical sense but not a storyline sense. I believe this book was made to inform, not entertain, and it informs well, though would not appeal to a younger audience.
Reviewed by S.Y., 8th grade, Van Buren Middle School
This is an informational book about chocolate. It basically talks about the history of chocolate, from when the Aztecs discover it to when the British make it extremely popular, and up until the present day. There are pictures on every page which help people get a feel for what the text is about. The pictures are informative and are very crucial to the understanding of the book as a whole. This book has a very technical textbook style of writing; it flows in a historical sense but not a storyline sense. I believe this book was made to inform, not entertain, and it informs well, though would not appeal to a younger audience.
Reviewed by S.Y., 8th grade, Van Buren Middle School
Custer's Last Stand
Fradin, Dennis. Custer's Last Stand. Marshall Cavendish: 2007. Ages 8-12.
Custer's Last Stand takes an historic look at not only the battle, but also the reason for the battle and the public reaction to it. Overall, the book has very good information presented well in chronological order. The book is written in easy words, good quotes, and any words young people would not know are bolded and there is a glossary at the back. The sidebars are also very informative. The author does seem to disapprove of Custer's actions. Pictures are used well, a good combination of actual photographs and paintings. I would think that young people would enjoy this book because Custer's Last Stand is not too broad and doesn't include too many random details. they would learn a lot, and might even get very interested in history.
Reviewed by S. N., 8th grade, Van Buren Middle School
Custer's Last Stand takes an historic look at not only the battle, but also the reason for the battle and the public reaction to it. Overall, the book has very good information presented well in chronological order. The book is written in easy words, good quotes, and any words young people would not know are bolded and there is a glossary at the back. The sidebars are also very informative. The author does seem to disapprove of Custer's actions. Pictures are used well, a good combination of actual photographs and paintings. I would think that young people would enjoy this book because Custer's Last Stand is not too broad and doesn't include too many random details. they would learn a lot, and might even get very interested in history.
Reviewed by S. N., 8th grade, Van Buren Middle School
Epidemics and Plagues
Walker, Richard. Epidemics & Plagues. Kingfisher: 2006. ISBN: 9780753460351. Ages 11-15.
Epidemics and Plagues is a short, visual book with lots of pictures. Walker makes a pitiful attempt of giving information in short, large font paragraphs on each page. However the picture captions give lots of useful information that isn't obvious. The book's pictures were high quality, interesting, and well-described. I learned a decent amount of knowledge in this book but it is made for more of a research project reader. The book also includes ways of retrieving more information on websites and places one can go to learn more. The book makes me wish I had it on a a project about germs.
Reviewed by H. C., 8th grade, Van Buren Middle School
Epidemics and Plagues is a short, visual book with lots of pictures. Walker makes a pitiful attempt of giving information in short, large font paragraphs on each page. However the picture captions give lots of useful information that isn't obvious. The book's pictures were high quality, interesting, and well-described. I learned a decent amount of knowledge in this book but it is made for more of a research project reader. The book also includes ways of retrieving more information on websites and places one can go to learn more. The book makes me wish I had it on a a project about germs.
Reviewed by H. C., 8th grade, Van Buren Middle School
Friday, April 20, 2007
Say-Hey and the Babe: Two Mostly True Baseball Stories
Waldman, Neil. Say-Hey and the Babe: Two Mostly True Baseball Stories. Illustrated by the author. Holiday House: 2006. Ages 8-12.
This book is based on two true baseball events with a little twist. the kids aren't real people, but the events, players, and stadiums are. It is historical fiction and it informs and entertains the reader. The pictures are one of a kind. The monotone illustrations are rendered in pen and ink. The color illustrations are rendered in watercolor, acrylic, and graphite. Both types are on Arches hotpressed watercolor paper. The pictures, while they don't have much detail, are actually captivating. The dialogue uses great accents which help you get a feel for the story and how things were. The text is written with a leisurely pace. I thought the information was interesting and easy to follow. The pictures gave a sense of of when the events took place which made me feel like I was there. I would recommend this book for ages 8 to 12.
Reviewed by C.S., 8th grade, Van Buren Middle School
This book is based on two true baseball events with a little twist. the kids aren't real people, but the events, players, and stadiums are. It is historical fiction and it informs and entertains the reader. The pictures are one of a kind. The monotone illustrations are rendered in pen and ink. The color illustrations are rendered in watercolor, acrylic, and graphite. Both types are on Arches hotpressed watercolor paper. The pictures, while they don't have much detail, are actually captivating. The dialogue uses great accents which help you get a feel for the story and how things were. The text is written with a leisurely pace. I thought the information was interesting and easy to follow. The pictures gave a sense of of when the events took place which made me feel like I was there. I would recommend this book for ages 8 to 12.
Reviewed by C.S., 8th grade, Van Buren Middle School
Robot Warriors
Jeffers, David. Robot Warriors. Crabtree: 2006. ISBN: 9780778728870. Ages 9 and up.
Robot Warriors shows the use of robots and how they are helpful in everyday life. For example, it shows how robots are used in the armed services by disabling bombs and looking for sunken ships. It helps show the history of robots and what's to come in the near future. This book is very informative and loaded with factual content. Every page is accompanied with a picture. The pictures are actual photographs that help show the proportions of each robot and what they are used for. Robot Warriors is an excellent choice for someone with an imaginative mind or for someone who is looking for useful information.
Reviewed by M. E., 8th grade, Van Buren Middle School
Robot Warriors shows the use of robots and how they are helpful in everyday life. For example, it shows how robots are used in the armed services by disabling bombs and looking for sunken ships. It helps show the history of robots and what's to come in the near future. This book is very informative and loaded with factual content. Every page is accompanied with a picture. The pictures are actual photographs that help show the proportions of each robot and what they are used for. Robot Warriors is an excellent choice for someone with an imaginative mind or for someone who is looking for useful information.
Reviewed by M. E., 8th grade, Van Buren Middle School
Quiet Hero: The Ira Hayes Story
Nelson, S.D. Quiet Hero: The Ira Hayes Story. Illustrated by the author. Lee & Low Books: 2006. Ages 7 and up.
Nelson's Quiet Hero is the story of the humble Pima Indian who raised the second flag at Iwo Jima. This flag raising was turned into an award winning photograph, which guided construction of the Iwo Jima Memorial. Nelson's writing is very informative, with his information and facts suiting the illustration of the page. The phenominal illustrations with a "cracked" look draws you into the aged time period. The drawings are extremely detailed. Quiet Hero is a great recollection of Ira Haye's life given in an interesting and informative format.
Reviewed by J.P., 8th grade, Van Buren Middle School
Nelson's Quiet Hero is the story of the humble Pima Indian who raised the second flag at Iwo Jima. This flag raising was turned into an award winning photograph, which guided construction of the Iwo Jima Memorial. Nelson's writing is very informative, with his information and facts suiting the illustration of the page. The phenominal illustrations with a "cracked" look draws you into the aged time period. The drawings are extremely detailed. Quiet Hero is a great recollection of Ira Haye's life given in an interesting and informative format.
Reviewed by J.P., 8th grade, Van Buren Middle School
Muti's Necklace: The Oldest Story in the World
Hawes, Louise. Muti's Necklace: The Oldest Story in the World. Illustrated by Rebecca Guay. Houghton Mifflin: 2006. Ages 8-12.
The fiction story, Muti's Necklace by Louise Hawes entertains while you get a life lesson out of the whole thing. The main female character receives a necklace from her father as a young girl. It is very precious to her and when one day it falls overboard as she was rowing for the king she stops rowing. The king offers Muti many more jewels and she refuses them all ("No thank you, I prefer my own necklace to any other. No matter how beautiful."). The king sends for a magician who moves apart the water so Muti can retrieve her necklace. Hawes does a fine job of making a strong, confident female character who female characters will love. She even turns down the king when he asks her to be his queen. There is a graceful flow to the book with fantasy hand sketched illustrations. I suggest this book to girls between the ages of 8 and 12.
Reviewed by R. A., 8th grade, Van Buren Middle School
The fiction story, Muti's Necklace by Louise Hawes entertains while you get a life lesson out of the whole thing. The main female character receives a necklace from her father as a young girl. It is very precious to her and when one day it falls overboard as she was rowing for the king she stops rowing. The king offers Muti many more jewels and she refuses them all ("No thank you, I prefer my own necklace to any other. No matter how beautiful."). The king sends for a magician who moves apart the water so Muti can retrieve her necklace. Hawes does a fine job of making a strong, confident female character who female characters will love. She even turns down the king when he asks her to be his queen. There is a graceful flow to the book with fantasy hand sketched illustrations. I suggest this book to girls between the ages of 8 and 12.
Reviewed by R. A., 8th grade, Van Buren Middle School
The Biography of Bananas
Eagen, Rachel. The Biography of Bananas. Crabtree Publishing Company: 2006. Ages 7-11.
This book is greatly informative to all. In it the author describes almost everything there is to know about bananas, such as the genetics of a banana, its origin, its becoming a commodity, and hazards of bananas. The Biography of Bananas also contains many pictures that help children understand the book as well as interest them. It also features an index and glossary to help with more difficult terms as well as find things easily. In my opinion the book is a great read for the ever curious child and will teach them a great deal about bananas.
Reviewed by Z. H., 8th grade, Van Buren Middle School
This book is greatly informative to all. In it the author describes almost everything there is to know about bananas, such as the genetics of a banana, its origin, its becoming a commodity, and hazards of bananas. The Biography of Bananas also contains many pictures that help children understand the book as well as interest them. It also features an index and glossary to help with more difficult terms as well as find things easily. In my opinion the book is a great read for the ever curious child and will teach them a great deal about bananas.
Reviewed by Z. H., 8th grade, Van Buren Middle School
Friday, April 06, 2007
A Drop of Water
Morrison, Gordon. A Drop of Water. Houghton Mifflin,2006. ISBN 0-618-58557-5 $16.00. Ages 4-8.
In A Drop of Water, Gordon Morrison inspires his readers to think about what we miss out on in life. This book is non-fiction and is recommended to all readers who will enjoy this book because Morrison expresses nature vividly through movement, perspective and size. This is a great book for all readers because Morrison is able to take something so simple as “a drop of water” and make it into an adventure that goes beyond ordinary thinking. In another book by Gordon Morrison, Bald Eagle, he also uses perspective and size to tell another story about nature. The ending of A Drop of Water will lead readers thinking even more about the simple things that we regularly miss out on in life.
Erin Gruss, BGSU student
In A Drop of Water, Gordon Morrison inspires his readers to think about what we miss out on in life. This book is non-fiction and is recommended to all readers who will enjoy this book because Morrison expresses nature vividly through movement, perspective and size. This is a great book for all readers because Morrison is able to take something so simple as “a drop of water” and make it into an adventure that goes beyond ordinary thinking. In another book by Gordon Morrison, Bald Eagle, he also uses perspective and size to tell another story about nature. The ending of A Drop of Water will lead readers thinking even more about the simple things that we regularly miss out on in life.
Erin Gruss, BGSU student
Wednesday, April 04, 2007
The Whale in the Water
Rau, Dana Meachen. The Whale in the Water. Marshall Cavendish, 2007. ISBN 0761423079. Ages 5-6.
My name is D. I read the book The Whale in the Water by Dana Meachen Rau. This is a non-fiction book about whales. I liked this book because my mom read it to me five times. My favorite part is when there was a picture of a whale with water in his nose. I would recommend this book to my friends because I liked it and it was good.
Reviewed by D. in Mrs. Kale's first grade class, Milton Elementary
My name is D. I read the book The Whale in the Water by Dana Meachen Rau. This is a non-fiction book about whales. I liked this book because my mom read it to me five times. My favorite part is when there was a picture of a whale with water in his nose. I would recommend this book to my friends because I liked it and it was good.
Reviewed by D. in Mrs. Kale's first grade class, Milton Elementary
A is for Astronaut
Todd, Traci N. A is for Astronaut. Chronicle Books, 2007. ISBN 0811854620. Ages 3-8.
My name is J. and I read the book A is for Astronaut. This book was written by Traci N. Todd. This is a non-fiction book. I really liked this book because it has real pictures of space and I like space. My favorite part was when it told me about the first person that walked on the moon. His name was Neil Armstrong. I would recommend this book to a friend because it was a very, very, very good book.
Reviewed by J. in Mrs. Kale's first grade class, Milton Elementary
My name is J. and I read the book A is for Astronaut. This book was written by Traci N. Todd. This is a non-fiction book. I really liked this book because it has real pictures of space and I like space. My favorite part was when it told me about the first person that walked on the moon. His name was Neil Armstrong. I would recommend this book to a friend because it was a very, very, very good book.
Reviewed by J. in Mrs. Kale's first grade class, Milton Elementary
Frisky Ferrets
Dounda, Kelly. Frisky Ferrets. Abdo, 2006. ISBN 9781599287485. Ages 5-8.
My name is L and I read the book Frisky Ferrets. The author is Kelly Dounda. This is a non-fiction book about ferrets. I liked this book because I liked looking at the pictures of ferrets. My favorite part in the book was when I learned about the ferrets. I learned that they sleep 18 hours a day. I would recommend this book to my friends because it helps you know what to do with ferrets.
Reviewed by L. in Mrs. Kale's first grade class, Milton Elementary
My name is L and I read the book Frisky Ferrets. The author is Kelly Dounda. This is a non-fiction book about ferrets. I liked this book because I liked looking at the pictures of ferrets. My favorite part in the book was when I learned about the ferrets. I learned that they sleep 18 hours a day. I would recommend this book to my friends because it helps you know what to do with ferrets.
Reviewed by L. in Mrs. Kale's first grade class, Milton Elementary
Peekaboo Panda and Other Animals
Inns, Chris. Peekaboo Panda and Other Animals. Kingfisher, 2006, $5.95, ISBN 978-0753405951-5.
My name is M. I read the book Peekaboo Panda and Other Animals by Chris Inns. This is a non-fiction book about animals. I liked this book because it teaches about animals. My favorite part is when they showed the panda because pandas are my favorite animals. I would recommend this book to my friends because it has real animals in it.
Reviewed by M in Mrs. Kale's first grade class, Milton Elementary
My name is M. I read the book Peekaboo Panda and Other Animals by Chris Inns. This is a non-fiction book about animals. I liked this book because it teaches about animals. My favorite part is when they showed the panda because pandas are my favorite animals. I would recommend this book to my friends because it has real animals in it.
Reviewed by M in Mrs. Kale's first grade class, Milton Elementary
Henry and Mudge and the Big Sleep Over
Rylant, Cynthia. Henry and Mudge and the Big Sleep Over. Illustrated by Sucie Stevenson. Simon and Schuster, 2007. ISBN 0689834519. Ages 5-7.
My name is L. and I read the book Henry and Mudge and the Big Sleep Over. This book is written by Cynthia Rylant. This is a fiction book about a boy named Henry and his dog Mudge. My favorite part of this book is when Henry is at the sleepover. I would recommend this book to a friend because Henry and Mudge are friends.
Reviewed by L in Mrs. Kale's first grade class, Milton Elementary
My name is L. and I read the book Henry and Mudge and the Big Sleep Over. This book is written by Cynthia Rylant. This is a fiction book about a boy named Henry and his dog Mudge. My favorite part of this book is when Henry is at the sleepover. I would recommend this book to a friend because Henry and Mudge are friends.
Reviewed by L in Mrs. Kale's first grade class, Milton Elementary
Guess Who Grabs
Gordon, Sharon. Guess Who Grabs. Marshall Cavendish, 2004. ISBN 0761415572. Ages 5-6.
My name is K. I read the book Guess Who Grabs by Sharon Gordon. This is a non-fiction book. I liked this book because it had Spanish and English words. My favorite part is when the mom octopus had the baby octopus and the book showed it. I would recommend this book to my friends because you could learn Spanish and English, and it is cool!
Reviewed by K in Mrs. Kale's first grade class, Milton Elementary
My name is K. I read the book Guess Who Grabs by Sharon Gordon. This is a non-fiction book. I liked this book because it had Spanish and English words. My favorite part is when the mom octopus had the baby octopus and the book showed it. I would recommend this book to my friends because you could learn Spanish and English, and it is cool!
Reviewed by K in Mrs. Kale's first grade class, Milton Elementary
The Frog in the Pond
Rau, Dana Meachen. The Frog in the Pond. Marshall Cavendish, 2007. ISBN 0761423109. Ages 5-6.
My name is J. and I read the book The Frog in the Pond. This book was written by Dana Meachen Rau. This book was non-fiction and had English and Spanish words. I liked this book because of the real pictures. My favorite part is the real picture of the duck and ducklings. I would recommend this book to a friend because it had nice pictures about real animals.
Reviewed by J. in Mrs. Kale's first grade class, Milton Elementary
My name is J. and I read the book The Frog in the Pond. This book was written by Dana Meachen Rau. This book was non-fiction and had English and Spanish words. I liked this book because of the real pictures. My favorite part is the real picture of the duck and ducklings. I would recommend this book to a friend because it had nice pictures about real animals.
Reviewed by J. in Mrs. Kale's first grade class, Milton Elementary
Tuesday, April 03, 2007
Oops!
Geisert, Arthur. Oops! Illustrated by the author. Houghton Mifflin, 2006. ISBN 0618609040. Ages 5-8.
My name is M. I read a book called Oops! This book was written by Arthur Geisert. I liked this book because it was cool; it didn't have any words, just pictures. My favorite part is on the last page when the house got broken, oops! I would recommend this book to my friends because it was good.
Reviewed by M, a student in Mrs. Kale's first grade class, Milton Elementary
My name is M. I read a book called Oops! This book was written by Arthur Geisert. I liked this book because it was cool; it didn't have any words, just pictures. My favorite part is on the last page when the house got broken, oops! I would recommend this book to my friends because it was good.
Reviewed by M, a student in Mrs. Kale's first grade class, Milton Elementary
Stanley Goes Fishing
Frazier, Craig. Stanley Goes Fishing. Illustrated by the author. Chronicle Books, 2006. ISBN 081185244. Ages 4-8.
My name is T and I read a book called Stanley Goes Fishing. The author is Craig Frazier. This book is fiction. I like this book because the fisherman caught a boot instead of a fish. I thought that this was really funny. I would recommend this book to my friends because it is funny!
Reviewed by T, a student in Mrs. Kale's first grade class, Milton Elementary
My name is T and I read a book called Stanley Goes Fishing. The author is Craig Frazier. This book is fiction. I like this book because the fisherman caught a boot instead of a fish. I thought that this was really funny. I would recommend this book to my friends because it is funny!
Reviewed by T, a student in Mrs. Kale's first grade class, Milton Elementary
A Particular Cow
Fox, Mem. A Particular Cow. Illustrated by Terry Denton. Harcourt, 2006. ISBN 9780152002503. Ages 3-7.
My name is J and I read a really good book called A Particular Cow. The author is Mem Fox. This book is fiction. I liked this book because it was about a cow and it was really funny. My favorite part is when the cow had bloomers on his head. Bloomers are underwear. I would recommend this book to a friend because it was very funny!
Reviewed by J, a student in Mrs. Kale's first grade class at Milton Elementary.
My name is J and I read a really good book called A Particular Cow. The author is Mem Fox. This book is fiction. I liked this book because it was about a cow and it was really funny. My favorite part is when the cow had bloomers on his head. Bloomers are underwear. I would recommend this book to a friend because it was very funny!
Reviewed by J, a student in Mrs. Kale's first grade class at Milton Elementary.
Sam at the Seaside
Labatt, Mary. Sam at the Seaside. Illustrated by Marisol Sarrazin. Kids Can Press, 2006. ISBN 1553378768, $14.95. Ages 5-6.
My name is E. I read the book Sam at the Seaside by Mary Labatt. This book was fiction. I really liked this book because the puppy in it was cute! My favorite part was when the puppy got hit by the big wave at the beach. I would recommend this book to my friends because it was really good.
Reviewed by E, a student in Mrs. Kale's first grade class at Milton Elementary
My name is E. I read the book Sam at the Seaside by Mary Labatt. This book was fiction. I really liked this book because the puppy in it was cute! My favorite part was when the puppy got hit by the big wave at the beach. I would recommend this book to my friends because it was really good.
Reviewed by E, a student in Mrs. Kale's first grade class at Milton Elementary
Tuesday, March 27, 2007
Driving
Rau, Dana Meachen. Driving. Marshall Cavendish, 2007. ISBN 0761423168, 2007. Ages 4-6.
My name is R. and I read the book Driving. The author of this book is Dana Meachen Rau. This book is non-fiction. I liked this book because there are real cars and trucks in it. My favorite part of this book is when there are pictures of people driving. I can't wait until I can drive. I would recommend this book to a friend because you can learn a lot about driving.
Reviewed by R. in Mrs. Kale's first grade class, Milton Elementary
My name is R. and I read the book Driving. The author of this book is Dana Meachen Rau. This book is non-fiction. I liked this book because there are real cars and trucks in it. My favorite part of this book is when there are pictures of people driving. I can't wait until I can drive. I would recommend this book to a friend because you can learn a lot about driving.
Reviewed by R. in Mrs. Kale's first grade class, Milton Elementary
Monday, March 26, 2007
Guess Who Changes
Gordon, Sharon. Guess Who Changes. Benchmark Books, 2006. ISBN 0761415580, $22.79. Ages 4-7.
My name is J. I read the book Guess Who Changes by Sharon Gordon. This book was non-fiction, which means that it is real. I liked this book because I liked it when the caterpillar became a butterfly. I also liked this book because it had Spanish and English words in it. My favorite part of the book was when the caterpillar turned into a pupa. I would recommend this book to my friends because you can learn Spanish and English in it.
Reviewed by J. in Mrs. Kale's first grade class, Milton Elementary School
My name is J. I read the book Guess Who Changes by Sharon Gordon. This book was non-fiction, which means that it is real. I liked this book because I liked it when the caterpillar became a butterfly. I also liked this book because it had Spanish and English words in it. My favorite part of the book was when the caterpillar turned into a pupa. I would recommend this book to my friends because you can learn Spanish and English in it.
Reviewed by J. in Mrs. Kale's first grade class, Milton Elementary School
Ugly Fish
LaReau, Kara. Ugly Fish. Illustrated by Scott Magoon. Harcourt Books, 2006. ISBN 978-152050825 $16.00. Ages 3-7.
My name is A. and I read the book Ugly Fish by Kara LaReau. This book was fiction and I liked it! I liked this book because at the end the big fish ate all of the other fish. My favorite part of this book was when the shiney fish ate the other fish. I would recommend this book to my friends because it was really funny.
Reviewed by A. in Mrs. Kale's 1st grade class, Milton Elementary School
My name is A. and I read the book Ugly Fish by Kara LaReau. This book was fiction and I liked it! I liked this book because at the end the big fish ate all of the other fish. My favorite part of this book was when the shiney fish ate the other fish. I would recommend this book to my friends because it was really funny.
Reviewed by A. in Mrs. Kale's 1st grade class, Milton Elementary School
When Sheep Sleep
Numeroff, Laura. When Sheep Sleep; Illustrated by David McPhail. Abrams Books for Young Readers, 2006. ISBN 0-8109-5469-9 $15.95. Ages 3-7.
Numeroff describes the wonderful imagination of a child when he or she is unable to fall asleep. When Sheep Sleep is different from the other books that Numeroff has written; it is more peaceful without a whole lot of action. The result is a very soothing night time story for young children. McPhail's colors are very warm, and the pictures help expand the story. This book is meant for a young child, thus the font is large and the pictures are also close up. McPahail creates a fantastic image of what goes on when a child is trying to sleep.
Nikole Kosier, BGSU student
Numeroff describes the wonderful imagination of a child when he or she is unable to fall asleep. When Sheep Sleep is different from the other books that Numeroff has written; it is more peaceful without a whole lot of action. The result is a very soothing night time story for young children. McPhail's colors are very warm, and the pictures help expand the story. This book is meant for a young child, thus the font is large and the pictures are also close up. McPahail creates a fantastic image of what goes on when a child is trying to sleep.
Nikole Kosier, BGSU student
Wednesday, March 21, 2007
Welcome to Third Grade, Gus!
Williams, Jacklyn. Welcome to Third Grade, Gus! Illustrated by Doug Cushman. Picture Window Books, 2007. ISBN 978-1-4048-2714-1$14.95. Ages 5-8.
Welcome to Third Grade, Gus! by Jacklyn Williams and illustrated by Doug Cushman is a very sweet book meant for readers as they conclude the end of the primary grades. Many parents will be able to relate to the book because they have felt the same anxiety that many of their children feel. Additionally as the book is very accurate with the sometimes stressful feelings that many children experience in their young age. The story line of the book is very simple and almost is too simple for third graders and would not qualify as an intermediate book. Gus goes through much anxiety of starting a new year and a new grade, which is very realistic, but the wording of the characters seems very out of place. “Come on Gus everything is going to be okay. You worry too much” (15). The illustrations are very cute and colorful. Cushman uses shape throughout the book with the shadows on the wall and the different animal characters. All in all the content of the book was slightly boring however the illustrations were very stimulating and made the book much more interesting.
Julia Doubrava, BGSU student
Welcome to Third Grade, Gus! by Jacklyn Williams and illustrated by Doug Cushman is a very sweet book meant for readers as they conclude the end of the primary grades. Many parents will be able to relate to the book because they have felt the same anxiety that many of their children feel. Additionally as the book is very accurate with the sometimes stressful feelings that many children experience in their young age. The story line of the book is very simple and almost is too simple for third graders and would not qualify as an intermediate book. Gus goes through much anxiety of starting a new year and a new grade, which is very realistic, but the wording of the characters seems very out of place. “Come on Gus everything is going to be okay. You worry too much” (15). The illustrations are very cute and colorful. Cushman uses shape throughout the book with the shadows on the wall and the different animal characters. All in all the content of the book was slightly boring however the illustrations were very stimulating and made the book much more interesting.
Julia Doubrava, BGSU student
Tuesday, March 20, 2007
Pumpkin Town! Or, Nothing Is Better and Worse Than Pumpkins
McKy, Katie. Pumpkin Town! Or Nothing Is Better and Worse Than Pumpkins! Illustrated by Pablo Bernasconi. Houghton Mifflin
Company, 2006. ISBN 978-0618-60569-9 $16.00. (Primary)
Pumpkin Town! Or Nothing Is Better and Worse Than Pumpkins, written by Katie McKy and illustrated by Pablo Bernasconi, is a story about Jose and his brothers. They accidentally send pumpkin seeds into a nearby town and then have to deal with the extreme consequences of their actions. A young reader would be drawn into the text, and excited to see what would happen next. The words McKy uses are simple such as; “the biggest, brightest seeds” which would helpyoung children understand important details. The collaged artwork gives the illustrations depth and gives interest to the characters. In addition, there are bright colors covering every page, which would captivate a young reader. Bernasconi’s creative collage artwork is similar to his artwork in other children’s books. Readers will like this book because the artwork is distinctive and the story teaches children to take responsibility for their actions in a fun and exciting way.
Angela Arnold, BGSU student
Company, 2006. ISBN 978-0618-60569-9 $16.00. (Primary)
Pumpkin Town! Or Nothing Is Better and Worse Than Pumpkins, written by Katie McKy and illustrated by Pablo Bernasconi, is a story about Jose and his brothers. They accidentally send pumpkin seeds into a nearby town and then have to deal with the extreme consequences of their actions. A young reader would be drawn into the text, and excited to see what would happen next. The words McKy uses are simple such as; “the biggest, brightest seeds” which would helpyoung children understand important details. The collaged artwork gives the illustrations depth and gives interest to the characters. In addition, there are bright colors covering every page, which would captivate a young reader. Bernasconi’s creative collage artwork is similar to his artwork in other children’s books. Readers will like this book because the artwork is distinctive and the story teaches children to take responsibility for their actions in a fun and exciting way.
Angela Arnold, BGSU student
The Chimpanzees of Happytown
Giles, Andreae. The Chimpanzees of Happytown. Illustrated by Guy Parker-Rees. Orchard Books, 2006. ISBN 0-439-83768-5 $16.99. Ages 2-4.
This energetic and lively fictional story follows a happy-go-lucky monkey named Chutney through his quest to bring happiness to Drabsville. Chutney’s determination to bring joy to the town is brought about by his return from traveling, where he found a seed to plant. The expressive pictures in the double page spreads allow the reader to be entranced by the vibrant colors and noticeable expressions on the characters’ faces. The in-depth illustrations that Parker-Reese uses entice the reader to look deeper into the active scenes. Andreae’s use of rhythmic text carries through the book, allowing the reader to easily read and follow the story. Andreae also uses the same rhythmic pattern in his book Giraffes Can’t Dance, where he teaches readers to embrace their differences.
Emily Bodart, BGSU student
This energetic and lively fictional story follows a happy-go-lucky monkey named Chutney through his quest to bring happiness to Drabsville. Chutney’s determination to bring joy to the town is brought about by his return from traveling, where he found a seed to plant. The expressive pictures in the double page spreads allow the reader to be entranced by the vibrant colors and noticeable expressions on the characters’ faces. The in-depth illustrations that Parker-Reese uses entice the reader to look deeper into the active scenes. Andreae’s use of rhythmic text carries through the book, allowing the reader to easily read and follow the story. Andreae also uses the same rhythmic pattern in his book Giraffes Can’t Dance, where he teaches readers to embrace their differences.
Emily Bodart, BGSU student
Don't Let the Pigeons Stay Up Late!
Willems, Mo. Don’t Let The Pigeon Stay Up Late! Illustrated by Mo Willems. Hyperion, 2006. ISBN 078683746-2 $12.99. Ages 3-5.
“First of all, I’m not even tired!” Once again Mo Willems has written and illustrated another wonderful book staring his famous pigeon. In this companion to Don’t Let The Pigeon Drive The Bus! readers are bombarded with reasons given by the tired pigeon to stay up late. With excuses like what shows to watch on TV to asking about the reader’s day, the pigeon finds any reason to stay up late and eventually tires him self out. Each illustration creatively matches the pigeon’s enormous personality. This bed time book is wonderful to read to any child who, like the pigeon wants to stay up late.
Amanda Myers, BGSU student
“First of all, I’m not even tired!” Once again Mo Willems has written and illustrated another wonderful book staring his famous pigeon. In this companion to Don’t Let The Pigeon Drive The Bus! readers are bombarded with reasons given by the tired pigeon to stay up late. With excuses like what shows to watch on TV to asking about the reader’s day, the pigeon finds any reason to stay up late and eventually tires him self out. Each illustration creatively matches the pigeon’s enormous personality. This bed time book is wonderful to read to any child who, like the pigeon wants to stay up late.
Amanda Myers, BGSU student
Friday, March 16, 2007
Who is Melvin Bubble?
Bruel, Nick. Who is Melvin Bubble? Illustrated by the author. Roaring Book Press, 2006. ISBN 1-59643-116-4 $16.95 (Primary)
“Who is Melvin Bubble? Well that depends on who you ask.” His mother, his father and even his teddy bear have an opinion about Melvin. Bruel’s third picture book inspires the minds of old and young alike. As author and illustrator, Bruel knows how to choose fonts and colors that keeps the readers attention until the very last page. Bright, warm colors contrast with cool colors to get the reader wanting to learn more about Melvin. The use of extra large font throughout the story produces excitement in each of the characters “voices” as they tell about their relationships with Melvin. Seeing how others see Melvin is a wonderful look into the minds of young readers today.
Emily Harris, BGSU student
“Who is Melvin Bubble? Well that depends on who you ask.” His mother, his father and even his teddy bear have an opinion about Melvin. Bruel’s third picture book inspires the minds of old and young alike. As author and illustrator, Bruel knows how to choose fonts and colors that keeps the readers attention until the very last page. Bright, warm colors contrast with cool colors to get the reader wanting to learn more about Melvin. The use of extra large font throughout the story produces excitement in each of the characters “voices” as they tell about their relationships with Melvin. Seeing how others see Melvin is a wonderful look into the minds of young readers today.
Emily Harris, BGSU student
One More Sheep
Kelly, Mij. One More Sheep. Illustrated by Russell Ayto. Peachtree, 2006 ISBN 1-56145-378-1 $16.95. (Primary)
Silly Sam, the farmer, has gotten himself into another drowsy mess. In the book One More Sheep, Sam the farmer has ten sheep that he must keep safe from the ever-famous “Big Bad Wolf”. Mij Kelly, (Where’s my Darling Daughter?, William and the Night Train, and I Hate Everyone) brings the ten little sheep to life using fantastic rhyming words that allow the story to flow from the pages into the imagination. Russell Ayto’s pen and ink illustrations show a great understanding of pattern and depth in color. As the story progresses the audience is on a roller coaster of vocabulary. The deep rich colors of the illustrations emphasize and go beyond the beautiful detail of the written word. Both author and illustrator really capture the idea of a child’s imagination. The reader should be wary of falling asleep, because the sheep counting is out of this farmyard.
Hannah Martin, BGSU student
Silly Sam, the farmer, has gotten himself into another drowsy mess. In the book One More Sheep, Sam the farmer has ten sheep that he must keep safe from the ever-famous “Big Bad Wolf”. Mij Kelly, (Where’s my Darling Daughter?, William and the Night Train, and I Hate Everyone) brings the ten little sheep to life using fantastic rhyming words that allow the story to flow from the pages into the imagination. Russell Ayto’s pen and ink illustrations show a great understanding of pattern and depth in color. As the story progresses the audience is on a roller coaster of vocabulary. The deep rich colors of the illustrations emphasize and go beyond the beautiful detail of the written word. Both author and illustrator really capture the idea of a child’s imagination. The reader should be wary of falling asleep, because the sheep counting is out of this farmyard.
Hannah Martin, BGSU student
Plenty of Petals
Dahl, Michael. Plenty of Petals. Illustrated by Zachary Trover. Picture Window Books 2006. ISBN 1-4048-1317-9 $7.95. Ages 4-8
This fun story with numbers hidden in the images sends readers on a quest guessing where the next number is hiding. Finn, a young bear starts his exciting journey home from the hospital with “ONE HUNDRED petals in the vase” and counts down by tens giving them away. Trover uses digitally created illustrations to show the texture and color of the ONE HUNDRED petals along with each of the characters fur, compelling the reader to reach out and touch the pictures. Trover does a superior job arranging this story in repetition for young students, along with his use of quirky vocabulary to keep their interest. As the story comes to an end, and Finn gives away his last daisy, he realizes that “From now on, I’ll only skateboard outside.”
Britnie Allen, BGSU student
This fun story with numbers hidden in the images sends readers on a quest guessing where the next number is hiding. Finn, a young bear starts his exciting journey home from the hospital with “ONE HUNDRED petals in the vase” and counts down by tens giving them away. Trover uses digitally created illustrations to show the texture and color of the ONE HUNDRED petals along with each of the characters fur, compelling the reader to reach out and touch the pictures. Trover does a superior job arranging this story in repetition for young students, along with his use of quirky vocabulary to keep their interest. As the story comes to an end, and Finn gives away his last daisy, he realizes that “From now on, I’ll only skateboard outside.”
Britnie Allen, BGSU student
An Egg is Quiet
Aston, Dianna. An Egg is Quiet Illustrated by Sylvia Long. Chronicle Books, 2006. ISBN 0-8118-4428-5. $16.95. Ages 9-12.
An Egg is Quiet is a non-fiction piece for children ages 9-12. It describes the process that an egg goes through until it hatches, giving the physical features, geographic locations and various types. Aston uses attention-grabbing adjectives to describe the egg while also providing factual information. Aston and Long’s text and illustrations blend seamlessly together in a clever and creative fashion. The font, a larger sized cursive, is written at varying angles across the page, allowing the reader’s eye to move seamlessly across. Similar to Long’s Waddle, Waddle, Quack, Quack, Quack the painted illustrations are intense, extremely detailed and patterned. Her illustrations are inspired by being in the outdoors and are quite realistic because of this. This story is informative and delightful. An Egg is Quiet provides a wonderful addition to any library and is educational but still fun; the perfect combination.
Courtney Watson, BGSU student
An Egg is Quiet is a non-fiction piece for children ages 9-12. It describes the process that an egg goes through until it hatches, giving the physical features, geographic locations and various types. Aston uses attention-grabbing adjectives to describe the egg while also providing factual information. Aston and Long’s text and illustrations blend seamlessly together in a clever and creative fashion. The font, a larger sized cursive, is written at varying angles across the page, allowing the reader’s eye to move seamlessly across. Similar to Long’s Waddle, Waddle, Quack, Quack, Quack the painted illustrations are intense, extremely detailed and patterned. Her illustrations are inspired by being in the outdoors and are quite realistic because of this. This story is informative and delightful. An Egg is Quiet provides a wonderful addition to any library and is educational but still fun; the perfect combination.
Courtney Watson, BGSU student
I Am I
Fitzpatrick, Marie-Louise. I Am I. Roaring Brook Press, 2006. ISBN 1-59643-054-0 $16.95. Ages 5-10.
I Am I, by Marie-Louise Fitzpatrick, is a wonderful, colorful book about two young boys who are competing to be king of the world! In this exciting book, Fitzpatrick effortlessly presents the concepts of warring, and the consequences of one’s actions along with beauty, and the power of an apology in a flawless context for young readers. Through earth tone acrylics, and powerful texture, Fitzpatrick creates images of a wide, vast, natural world, untouched by man (or boy!) and ripe for the taking. The text and artwork cooperate in every page. Fitzpatrick’s imaginative use of rough-sketchy font not only expresses emotions, shapes, sizes, and volume, but she creatively turns the boys’ words into images which represent the meaning and effect their words have on each other and the world they are fighting for.
Maria Spiess, BGSU student
I Am I, by Marie-Louise Fitzpatrick, is a wonderful, colorful book about two young boys who are competing to be king of the world! In this exciting book, Fitzpatrick effortlessly presents the concepts of warring, and the consequences of one’s actions along with beauty, and the power of an apology in a flawless context for young readers. Through earth tone acrylics, and powerful texture, Fitzpatrick creates images of a wide, vast, natural world, untouched by man (or boy!) and ripe for the taking. The text and artwork cooperate in every page. Fitzpatrick’s imaginative use of rough-sketchy font not only expresses emotions, shapes, sizes, and volume, but she creatively turns the boys’ words into images which represent the meaning and effect their words have on each other and the world they are fighting for.
Maria Spiess, BGSU student
The Mouse Who Braved Bedtime
Baum, Louis. The Mouse Who Braved Bedtime Illustrated byy Sue Hellard. Bloomsbury Children’s Books, 2006 ISBN 1-58234-691-7 $16.95. Ages
Hellard complementes her collection of animal picture books by adding a delightful and heroic story about Milo the Mouse, who would do anything to have just one peaceful night’s rest. Like many young children around the world, Milo has repeating nightmares of dark shadowy shapes and scary monsters. No matter what soothing method Milo tries, he cannot get these creepy aberrations out of his dreams. Hellard uses a brilliant application of texture, warm colors, and complementary colors to give each illustration a comforting and approachable feel. However, when the story reaches the point of Milo falling asleep, the illustrations make a 180 turn. Hellard’s illustrations drastically become a blend of cool colors that will draw any reader into the horrifying significance and quasi-reality sphere of these nightmares. With the dual levels of colorful entertainment and meaningful rationality, this childhood story is a wonderful addition to any child’s bookcase.
Amy Overman, BGSU student
Hellard complementes her collection of animal picture books by adding a delightful and heroic story about Milo the Mouse, who would do anything to have just one peaceful night’s rest. Like many young children around the world, Milo has repeating nightmares of dark shadowy shapes and scary monsters. No matter what soothing method Milo tries, he cannot get these creepy aberrations out of his dreams. Hellard uses a brilliant application of texture, warm colors, and complementary colors to give each illustration a comforting and approachable feel. However, when the story reaches the point of Milo falling asleep, the illustrations make a 180 turn. Hellard’s illustrations drastically become a blend of cool colors that will draw any reader into the horrifying significance and quasi-reality sphere of these nightmares. With the dual levels of colorful entertainment and meaningful rationality, this childhood story is a wonderful addition to any child’s bookcase.
Amy Overman, BGSU student
Thursday, March 15, 2007
My Very Big Little World
Reynolds, Peter H. My Very Big Little World. Illustrated by the author. Atheneum Books, 2006. ISBN-13: 978-0-689-87621-9. Ages 3-7.
Reynolds invites his readers to come play with a creative, imaginative girl named Sugar Loaf, whose spunky personality allows her to express herself by sharing what she likes to do with her family and her neighborhood. Throughout the story, readers learn about Sugar Loaf’s hobbies through the pictures that are done in warm water colors. Reynolds also incorporates font by emphasing specific words that allow readers to connect to the storyline. This use of color and font can be found in the previous picture books such as The Dot and Ish. Reynolds is able to make his pictures pop off the white background by outlining in black ink. Finally, Reynolds is able to put Sugar Loaf’s world into perspective which allows his readers to make a connection with their own lives.
Lauren Hoffman, BGSU student
Reynolds invites his readers to come play with a creative, imaginative girl named Sugar Loaf, whose spunky personality allows her to express herself by sharing what she likes to do with her family and her neighborhood. Throughout the story, readers learn about Sugar Loaf’s hobbies through the pictures that are done in warm water colors. Reynolds also incorporates font by emphasing specific words that allow readers to connect to the storyline. This use of color and font can be found in the previous picture books such as The Dot and Ish. Reynolds is able to make his pictures pop off the white background by outlining in black ink. Finally, Reynolds is able to put Sugar Loaf’s world into perspective which allows his readers to make a connection with their own lives.
Lauren Hoffman, BGSU student
Wednesday, March 14, 2007
The Secret Science Project That Almost Ate the School
Sierra, Judy. The Secret Science Project That Almost Ate the School. Illustrated by Stephen Gammell. Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2006. ISBN 1416911758 $ 16.05.
Sierra’s playful use of language and rhyme bring to life yet another children’s story. She is an expert at weaving rhyme into her story plot. This time, readers will enjoy finding out what happens when you buy a science project off of the Internet. Gammell’s masterful use of watercolors and colored pencils only enhance the tale by incorporating the text making the story almost jump off the page and into your lap. Young and old readers alike are sure to love this cautionary tale about a science project.
Nicole Bolden, BGSU student
Sierra’s playful use of language and rhyme bring to life yet another children’s story. She is an expert at weaving rhyme into her story plot. This time, readers will enjoy finding out what happens when you buy a science project off of the Internet. Gammell’s masterful use of watercolors and colored pencils only enhance the tale by incorporating the text making the story almost jump off the page and into your lap. Young and old readers alike are sure to love this cautionary tale about a science project.
Nicole Bolden, BGSU student
Tuesday, March 13, 2007
No Dessert Forever!
Lyon, George Ella. No Dessert Forever! Illustrated by Peter Catalanotto. Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2006. ISBN 978-1-4169-0385-7 $16.95. Ages 5-9.
The complexities of a young child’s life come alive in this vividly illustrated work of literature. Lyon’s use of warm fiery colors and delicate watercolor strokes allow the preschool audience to relate with the frustration resulting from being constantly antagonized by an annoying older sibling. Initially communicating to the reader through pictures, the story intensifies as the girl’s emotions come alive as she imagines herself an adult and her doll a child. In control, she disciplines the doll with heated emotions animated through precise captions and vibrant images. This enables the reader to explore her mind, as her physical size and anger increase at the same rate then subside after her emotions settle. Children identify with the character and explore the process of understanding independence and acceptance, more-so then similar books at this level, such as Catalanotto’s Matthew ABC, which puts emphasis on humor to highlight values.
Reviewed by Sherry Zajec, BGSU student
The complexities of a young child’s life come alive in this vividly illustrated work of literature. Lyon’s use of warm fiery colors and delicate watercolor strokes allow the preschool audience to relate with the frustration resulting from being constantly antagonized by an annoying older sibling. Initially communicating to the reader through pictures, the story intensifies as the girl’s emotions come alive as she imagines herself an adult and her doll a child. In control, she disciplines the doll with heated emotions animated through precise captions and vibrant images. This enables the reader to explore her mind, as her physical size and anger increase at the same rate then subside after her emotions settle. Children identify with the character and explore the process of understanding independence and acceptance, more-so then similar books at this level, such as Catalanotto’s Matthew ABC, which puts emphasis on humor to highlight values.
Reviewed by Sherry Zajec, BGSU student
Monday, March 12, 2007
The New Girl...And Me
Robbins,Jacqui. The New Girl… And Me. Illustrated by Matt Phelan. Atheneum/Richard Jackson Books, 2006 ISBN – 13: 978-0-689-86468-1$16.95. Ages 4-7.
This engaging story of a typical kindergartener highlights the conflict behind making new friends. Mia, who tells her story through the first person, has many doubts about becoming acquainted with the new girl in school. She finally realizes that even though it may be hard or scary to get to know someone new, it is worth it in the end. Phelan’s use of watercolor helps to create a cartoon-like image that is charming and enjoyable to read. Creative pictures allow readers to feel involved in the story, and the text is nicely incorporated into the white space. The New Girl… And Me is Robbins debut book, and demonstrates the potential for more great pieces of writing in the future. Although this book is for younger children, it makes a wonderful addition to any book collection because of its well written style and the lesson within.
Aimee Calevch, BGSU student
This engaging story of a typical kindergartener highlights the conflict behind making new friends. Mia, who tells her story through the first person, has many doubts about becoming acquainted with the new girl in school. She finally realizes that even though it may be hard or scary to get to know someone new, it is worth it in the end. Phelan’s use of watercolor helps to create a cartoon-like image that is charming and enjoyable to read. Creative pictures allow readers to feel involved in the story, and the text is nicely incorporated into the white space. The New Girl… And Me is Robbins debut book, and demonstrates the potential for more great pieces of writing in the future. Although this book is for younger children, it makes a wonderful addition to any book collection because of its well written style and the lesson within.
Aimee Calevch, BGSU student
Thursday, March 08, 2007
Sleepyhead
Karma Wilson and John Segal. Sleepyhead. Illustrated by John Segal. McElderry Books, 2006. ISBN 1-4169-1241-X $15.95. Ages 3-7.
Wilson and Segal capture the innocence of the sweet struggle between parent and child preparing for bedtime. The story covers all of the excuses a young one can come up with for just one more moment awake. Simple phrases play into the soft, subtle illustrations, creating a flowing movement of words and dreamlike pictures. These same components are found in Wilson and Segal’s other picture books, such as Bear Snores On, which also incorporates a balance between playful text and pleasant illustrations. Readers will relate to the charming bedtime contest between parent and child while young readers will enjoy the imaginative pictures as they drift off to dream.
Sara Mowcomber, BGSU student
Wilson and Segal capture the innocence of the sweet struggle between parent and child preparing for bedtime. The story covers all of the excuses a young one can come up with for just one more moment awake. Simple phrases play into the soft, subtle illustrations, creating a flowing movement of words and dreamlike pictures. These same components are found in Wilson and Segal’s other picture books, such as Bear Snores On, which also incorporates a balance between playful text and pleasant illustrations. Readers will relate to the charming bedtime contest between parent and child while young readers will enjoy the imaginative pictures as they drift off to dream.
Sara Mowcomber, BGSU student
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