The Junkyard Wonders

Polacco, Patricia. The Junkyard Wonders. Philomel Books, a division of Penguin Young Readers Group. 2010. ISBN: 3780399250781

In The Junkyard Wonders, Patricia Polacco recounts her experiences of being put in a class for special needs as a child and meeting Mrs. Peterson, the class' teacher. In an incredibly touching tribute to both her former teacher and her fellow "tribe" members, Polacco combines text and colorful, pencil-lined drawings to indicate how bullies affected her life and how Mrs. Peterson and her classmates helped recognize Trisha's potential and inner-genius. The ending is incredibly heart-warming and will have many reaching for tissues.

The Junkyard Wonders is slightly text-heavy, but it would be a great read-and-discuss book for any child. The pictures are done roughly, but provide bright color and illustrate each scene incredibly well.

Kellie Tilton, BGSU Librarian

One Too Many : A Seek & Find Counting Book

Marino, Gianna. One Too Many: A Seek and Find Counting Book. Chronicle Books LLC. 2010. ISBN: 9780811869089

One Too Many is a beautifully illustrated book that encourages visual learning and counting techniques. We begin on page one with 1 flea and with every turn of the page another group of animals joins our flea in the barnyard. The illustrations of each animal are similar in coloring, forcing readers to hunt for each new animal as they join the gathering group of barnyard cronies. The ending also is surprising and funny, which is always great to see in education-based books.

There is little text on each page, usually just a number in the upper-right corner. The final spread does have a bit of text, however, as it provides the answer for the seek and find game and suggests more difficult seeking games to play throughout the book for fun re-reads.

Kellie Tilton, BGSU Librarian

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen

Furman, Simon. Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen. IDW Publishing. 2009. ISBN: 9781600104558.

My book is about a Decpticon named Wheelie who was tortured. Then he was led to see a Seeker named Jetfire. Jetfire teleported everyone to Cairo, Egypt. The final battle was going to assault the Decepticons in New Jersey. Optimus Prime was brought in to negotiate. Sam was heading to the Star Harvester. The twins started to fight in the tomb. Optimus joined the fight. Sam put the Matrix dust in his sock. A portal opened and the Ancient Decepticon appeared. For the illustrations, I did not think all the Primes matched the movie. Their forms and weapons are different. I really liked the comic book illustrations though. I think they look like a big kid version of Transformers and that's what I like.

J.K., Homeschooled Group, 3rd grade.

Chicken and Cat Clean Up

Varon, Sarah. Chicken and Cat Clean Up. Scholastic Press. 2009. ISBN: 9780439634083.

The lesson in my book is about Chicken and Cat's cleaning service and how Cat couldn't do anything right. So Cat got kicked out! When he was outside a wanted mouse stole something. So, Cat caught the mouse and turned him in. For doing that Cat got a reward and bought a turtle. In the end, Cat found the one thing he was good at and now it's Chicken and Cat's Cleaning and Mouse Catching Services. The art in this book is cartoonish. My opinion on this book is that if I were babysitting a child ages 1-3, I would LOVE to show and this book to him/her.

M.T., Homeschooled Group, 5-6 Grade.

Errol and His Extraordinary Nose

Conway, David. Errol and His Extraordinary Nose. Holiday House. 2010. ISBN: 9780823422623.

This book is about a little elephant who is trying to find a special talent that he has. There is a talent show coming up at his school. Everyone else has talent and he doesn't. The lesson could be that everyone is special in their own way. Everyone has something unique that they can do. The artwork is cartoonish and brightly colored. It is also expressive in showing what the character is feeling. It is very big and easy to see. The pictures also show the mood and time of day it is. I liked the book because it shows a good lesson that everyone is special in their own way. It is also very colorful and illustrated in a way that is very attractive. The page where the chameleon brothers sing the song, "Sing a Rainbow". I really like it because it says their best talent is making friends, which is a good way to end the book. I think that younger kids would enjoy it. Kids 3-7 years old would benefit and enjoy it especially. Any age group would enjoy it but I think this is the age group it is focused on.

J.D., Homeschooled Group, Upper Grades.

Ten in the Bed

Didion, Griffin. Ten in the Bed. Holiday House. 2006. ISBN: 9780823420278.

This book is about animals falling out of bed and imagining they are someone else. The pictures are very bright and the animals are friendly looking. My favorite part was when the animals were dressed as pirates. It made me laugh. I would recommend this book to newborns to 4 years old.

G.D., Homeschooled Group, 2nd grade.

The Longest Night

Bauer, Marion Dane. The Longest Night. Holiday House. 2009. ISBN: 9780823420544.

The story was about a moose, crow, and fox trying to get the sun back because it is winter and they're tired of the cold. This little chickadee is tired of the cold too. The moose and fox say they can bring the sun back because they are big and strong. The crow says it can bring the sun back because it can fly better. But, the wind says they are not the right ones to awake the sun. The chickadee is really small but the wind says it was the right one to awaken the sun. The lesson is no matter how small you are, you can always do it. The illustrator really put his time in it because it was really detailed. It was with dark colors but it was still really cool. My favorite part was at the end when the wind said that the chickadee could awaken the sun. I definitely recommend this book to other kids. I would reccommend it to smaller kids because the chickadee was small and could still awaken the sun and to kids who are interested in nature.

M.C., Homeschooled Group, 5-6 Grade.

The Underground Gators

Casey, Tina. The Underground Gators. Dutton Juvenile. 2009. ISBN: 9780525472131.

This book tells you the opinion of what the kid is thinking about, which is, what the alligators do in the city. The art is descriptive and humorous. It has some what cartoonish illustrations. I think this would be a good book for kids 2-6 years old.

W.D., Homeschooled Group, 5-6 Grade.

Star Wars: The Clone Wars

Gilroy, Henry. Star Wars: The Clone Wars. Dark Horse. 2009. ISBN: 9781595823496.

This book is about Anakin, Obi-Wan, R2-D2, and Ahsoka. They went to a ship to see if any slaves were on it. They didn't find them. So, they are going to go to an auction to find them in the next book. The pictures are darker colors. They are comic pictures because it is a graphic novel book. My favorite part was the middle because they were fighting the bad guys on the ship. I would recommend this book to people who like Star Wars.

D., Homeschooled Group, 2nd grade.

Love That Puppy

Jarka, Jeff. Love That Puppy. Henry Holt and Co. 2009. ISBN: 9780805087413.

This book is about a little boy who decided he wanted to be a dog. The lesson is just be happy with who you are. The colors of the illustrations described feelings. It was creative, comic, cartoon art. It was a fun family book. My favorite part is when Peter told the teacher he ate his home work. I would recommend this book for families with kids 3-9 years old.

H.C., Homeschooled Group, 4th grade.

Winnie Finn, Worm Farmer

Brendler, Carol. Winnie Finn, Worm Farmer. Farrar, Straus and Giroux. 2009. ISBN: 9780374384401.

This book was about a girl named Winnie Finn who loved to care for worms. It was a creative book with more realistic pictures. I loved how expressive Winnie's cat was. It's hilarious! The lesson was that something little doesn't always do little things. It can do big things too. I love this book because she cares so much for something most people find disgusting. I like when everyone wins first place and Winnie gets a new wagon. I would reccomend this book to kids 5-10 years old. I thought it was fun!

A.C., Homeschooled Group, Upper Grades.

Every Cowgirl Needs a Horse

Janni, Rebecca. Every Cowgirl Needs a Horse. Dutton Juvenile . 2010. ISBN: 9780525421641.

This book is about a cowgirl who wanted a horse. The pictures are friendly. My favorite part was the end because she got a horse. I would recommend this book to 4-6 year olds.

M., Homeschooled Group, 2nd grade.

Tough Chicks

Meng, Cece. Tough Chicks. Clarion Books. Illustrated by Melissa Suber. 2009. ISBN: 9780618824151.

This book is about 3 chicks; Penny, Polly, and Molly. They are very tough and do not act like normal chickens. It was a very cartoony book with nice fictional, colorful pictures. I thought it was very cute. It teaches that some people are not as bad as you think. You might like them anyway. I thought it was cute and funny. I liked how they always went over and beyond on everything they did. I liked how they kept tinkering with the farmer's tractor. Funny! I think lots of kids would like this book, probably ages 5-9. I loved it!

A.C., Homeschooled Group, Upper Grades.

The Jellybeans and the Big Book Bonanza

Numeroff, Laura. The Jellybeans and the Big Book Bonanza. Abrams Books for Young Readers. 2010. ISBN: 9780810984127.

This book is about girls who had to write a book report on something they liked. Only Anna wanted to do this. But she got her friends in the library, and then they liked it. But, Anna got scared when she gave her report. Her friends helped her. We should always stick with our friends. The pictures are pretty. I like the colorful jellybeans. The animals looked furry and soft even though I can't really touch them.

L.K., Homeschooled Group, 2nd grade.

Wolf Camp

McKy, Katie. Wolf Camp. Tanglewood Press. 2009. ISBN: 9781933718217.

A girl named Maddie asks her mom if she can go to camp: wolf camp. When she got back she acted strange. She only ate meat, she scratched her head with her foot, and growled at the dog! Is Maddie turning into a wolf?! The artwork was pretty good. I think the expression was very accurate. The way the illustrator made Maddie look with the torn jeans, stuff in her hair, and other things like that helped me to imagine Maddie really acting the way she did. It was a very good book. I really loved it. My favorite part was when she was playing tug-o-war with the dog. It was a cute book. I recommend this to children ages 4+ and children who like animals.

R.C., Homeschooled Group, 5-6 grade

Drag Racing

Kelley, K.C. Drag Racing. Marshall Cavendish. 2010. ISBN: 9780761443841.

Overall, the book Drag Racing is astonishing. It hands out facts everywhere. It really keeps the readers into the book. I think the inside stories were really awesome, too. The pictures really catch the readers eyes. There is one where the Mustang is exploding with fire like a bomb. For the benefit of kids across America, I would recommend this book to 4th graders. If they like drag racing, they will like this book.

J.N., St. Pius X School, 7th Grade

Monster Trucks

Gigliotti, Jim. Monster Trucks. Marshall Cavendish. 2010. ISBN:978-0-7614-4385-8 .


Monster Trucks is about how monster trucks came into sports. Many monster trucks are just normal trucks with big tires. It also shows what is in the monster trucks. I liked this book because it was very interesting, and the photos were really cool. I would recommend this book to grade 5th through freshmen.


F.B., St. Pius X School, 7th grade

The Spartan Hoplites

Park, Louise and Timothy Love. The Spartan Hoplites. Marshall Cavendish. 2010. ISBN: 978-0-7614-4449-7.

The Spartan Hoplites is an informational story on the rise and tragic fall of the once great city- state of Sparta. It tells of the life style of a boy from his day of birth to his day in battle. They were raised in a hard life style of training to make them strong. They would train for years, so they could fight for their leaders. The Spartans were a strong force, but when Persia was going to take power, 300 men were ready to die fighting for their leaders. Although they were defeated, they took a large number of the Persian men. I think that this book is a wonderful informational story. It is fascinating because it goes into detail anf is great for people who really like history. It is overall a great book to read. I think this book is great for ages 8 and up because you have to be a little bit older to understand it, but I would recommend this book to everyone because I really enjoyed it.

P.S., St. Puis X School, 7th grade

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's The Adventure of the Empty House

Goodwin, Vincent. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's The Adventure of the Empty House. Magic Wagon. 2010. ISBN:9781602707245.

The Adventure of the Empty House is basically another adventure of the infamous Sherlock Holmes. In another murder thriller, Holmes along with his partner, Dr. John Watson, tries to catch a criminal that has been crafty enough to escape the fantastic mind of Sherlock Holmes. But not for long. The team of detectives came face to face at a waterfall somewhere in a remote area in Switzerland. The criminal then pulls a gun and there is a struggle. Both tumble and fall off of the cliff while leaving Watson up on the falls above. Will Holmes survive? At first, this book was sort of interesting. I thought that this book was extremely under my reading level, thus it was hard to follow. I also don't really like comic-type books. Otherwise, it was great!

This book would be great for people from the ages of early sixth grade down to the ending of fourth grade. I think they would really like it.

J.S. St. Pius X School, 7th grade

Revolution in Computers

Jackson, Cari. Revolution in Computers. Marshall Cavendish Benchmark. 2010. ISBN:9780761443759.

I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to know more about computers. It begins with taking you back to the first "real" computers, known as the "Mark I". The book also gives a biography about Howard Aiken and how the Mark I worked. The author proceeds to explain how sharing music is illegal. Then she introduces Grace Murray Hopper. This book teached you about the Binary code, and gives a biography on Ms. Hopper. This book also tells you about PC's and a programming software called Net Logo.

We then go into the world of chips and the Microprocessor. We are introduced to Jack Kilby, Robert Noyce and the age old struggle between Apple and Microsoft. This book teaches us about the operating system (OS), and we see Mr. Bill Gates and Steve Jobs. To wrap it up, we take a quick look at Tim Berners-Lee, and Jaron Lanier. Who are they? Well, Tim made the internet and Jaron invented virual reality!

I like this book mainly because I am a computer person. I think it teaches basic facts and maybe a thing or two extra. I would recommend this book to kids who want to learn about computers. Not too young of kids though, but around the 4th grade level. The cute, comical pictures should help them to get through it.

B.C. St. Pius X School, 7th grade

Every Cowgirl Needs a Horse

Janni, Rebecca. Every Cowgirl Needs a Horse. Illustrated by Lynne Avril. Dutton Children's Books: 2010. ISBN: 9780525421641.

I like the water color paintings in Every Cowgirl Needs a Horse. They are very well-painted and exciting. This book is about a little girl who thinks she needs a horse for everything. So for her birthday she receives a "horse" but she soon realizes it will be harder taming her horse than she thought. I think this book would be good for younger girls because of all the pink, pretty, and horse themed ideas in the story. I think girls from ages 4-7 would most enjoy this book.

B.S. St. Pius X School, 7th Grade

Xtreme Sports: Base Jumping

Hamilton, S. Xtreme Sports: Base Jumping. ABDO Publishing Company: 2010. ISBN: 9781616130015.

Base jumping is about people going beyond skydiving. They jump off buildings, antennas and objects world wide. A lot of people have died from doing this. I did not like this book because I didn't find it interesting. I don't think it's a safe activity because people have died from it. I would recommend this book for ages 8-12 or anyone who is interested in extreme sports.

N.W. St. Pius X School, 7th Grade

Sylvia Jean, Scout Supreme

Ernest, Lisa. Sylvia Jean, Scout Supreme. Dutton Children's Books: 2010. ISBN: 9780525478737.

Sylvia Jean is a pig scout who is trying to earn her good-deed badge. Her plan is to help her neighbor Mrs. Van Hooven who had broken her ankle, but Sylvia is banned from visiting her neighbor. So she thinks of an idea to dress up and secretly visit Mrs. Van Hooven. This book shows dedication to achieving goals. The pictures in this book are full of color. I liked this book because it shows how you can set your goals and even if something gets in your way you can achieve them. If you are not of younger age you would lose interest fast. I think more of younger kids would enjoy this book around the ages of 5-8.

K.B. St. Pius X School, 7th Grade

Big Cats

Hamilton, S.L. Big Cats. Abdo Publishing. 2010. ISBN: 478-1-50453-991-2.

This book Big Cats is about lions, cougars, and black cats. The pictures in this book show what they eat, how far they can jump; like a cougar can jump 30 feet from a stand still. I liked this book because of all the interesting stuff in this book, like cougars sharpen their claws on trees and cheetahs are the fastest land animal. I would recommend this book to those who are eight years old and up.

Q.M., St. Pius X School, 7th grade

Over at the Castle

Ashburn, Boni. Over at the Castle. Illustrated by Kelly Murphy. Abrams Books for Young Readers: 2010. ISBN: 9780810984141.

The setting is a kingdom in Medieval times. It tells about the different kinds of people and the types of jobs that they have. There are also two mischievous dragons and the soldiers are assigned to keep an eye on them in case of any unexpected tricks. The illustrations were done by Kelly Murphy, in bright paint, and were interesting to look at. This book had colorful pictures and fun, rhyming dialogue, therefore I enjoyed reading it. The paintings were nicely done and also comical, which I particularly liked a lot. The book has a promising storyboard for young children. I recommend this book for preschoolers through first graders. The pictures and rhyming are definitely best for young readers. I'm sure they would mostly enjoy the fun paintings.

M.L. St. Pius X School, 7th Grade

Errol and His Extraordinary Nose

Conway, Errol. Errol and His Extraordinary Nose. Illustrated by Roberta Angaramo. Holiday House: 2010. ISBN: 9780823422623.

This book is about Errol the elephant. All of the animals in his school have special talents except Errol. Then the principal announces that there will be a talent show at school. Errol becomes sad because he thinks he doesn't have a talent. This book is about Errol's quest to find his talent. The illustrations in this book were wonderful. They fit the story perfectly. This is a very good book because it is entertaining to little kids while teaching them important lessons. I think this book is best fit for first grade and under. It teachers that everyone has a talent and that everyone is unique.

Q.W. St. Pius X School, 7th Grade.

Transformers: Revenge of The Fallen

Furman, Simon. Transformers: Revenge of The Fallen. Spotlight: 2010. ISBN: 9781599617282

This book is about a group of autobots who are good and they try to stop the threat of the decepticons with a group of kids helping. There is not much to say about a comic book but I did like the story line although the illustrations were not the best. I think that grades 1-3 would enjoy this the most.

K.K. St. Pius X School, 7th Grade

The Little Red Hen and the Passover Matzah

Kimmelman, Leslie. The Little Red Hen and The Passover Matzah. Illustrated by Paul Meisel. Holiday House. 2010. ISBN:978-0-8234-1952-4.

The book The Little Red Hen and the Passover Matzah is about a Jewish hen who plans to get ready for the Passover. The hen needs help with making the Matzah and asks her friends for help, but they don't help at all. The hen had to do all the work. I liked this book because it tells about the hard work Jewish families go through to get ready for seder meal. I read this book to my little sister, and she enjoyed the book as well. The artwork looks like it is painted. I like the way the different colors of paint come together. People who would enjoy this story would be the lower grades like 1st through 3rd grades. This book is good to tell about the Passover meal and Jewish traditions.

M.B., St. Pius X School, 7th grade

Biggest Animals, That's Wild!: a Look at Animals

Murray, Julie. Biggest Animals, That's Wild!: A Look at Animals. ABDO Consulting Group Inc. 2010. ISBN: 978-1-60453-976-9.

Biggest Animals, That's Wild!: A Look at Animals is very factual. It has beautiful photographs, showing the facts about the biggest animals in the world. This book shows the wonder of animals. I liked this book because I like animals, and I liked learning all the facts about them. I would suggest this book to any grade from kindergarten to fifth grade because it has many facts about animals.

A.E., St Pius School, 7th grade

The Song of Francis

DePaola, Tomie. The Song of Francis. G.P. Putnam's Sons. 2009. ISBN: 978-0399-25210-5.

The Song of Francis is a fiction book. As you can probably tell by the title, Francis sings a song. In this song, he tells about how God loves you. This is a very colorful book, and the pictures are very eye catching. I like this book because it does show that God loves everything and everyone. All the pictures grab your attention. I appreciate how the book ties in God. In addition to that, it tells us that we should admire the Lord. I think that people in kindergarten and first grade would benefit most from this book. The words are at a good reading level for younger kids.

M.J., St. Pius X School, 7th grade

Once Upon a Baby Brother

Sullivan, Sarah. Once Upon a Baby Brother. Illustrated by Trisha TusaFarrar, Straus and Giroux. 2010. ISBN: 978-0-374-34635-5.

Ever since Lizzie was very little, she loved to tell stories. She told them to everyone she could. When her parents had her baby brother Marvin, no one at home had time to hear her stories. At least her teacher Mrs. Pennyroyal loved to hear her stories. Everyday when she got time to write at school, Lizzie wrote all she could. Then one day when she sat down to write, she couldn't think of anything. Will she be able to write a story again? I though this book was very good. It is exciting to read for almost any age. When Lizzie goes to school, it is an exciting part to read. I also thought that the strengths of the book were high. I would recommend this book to kids from ages 1 to 10. I liked it and think other kids will too. They will enjoy the book and will realize that even if you don't like something in the beginning, you may end up liking it after all.

E.G., St. Pius X School, 7th Grade

Tutus Aren't My Style

Skeers, Linda. Tutus Aren't My Style. Illustrated by Anne Wilsdorf. The Penguin Group. 2010. ISBN: 978-0-8037-3212-4.

The book Tutus Aren't My Style is about when Emma gets a special package from her uncle and finds out it's a ballerina costume. Is she up to the challange to be a ballerina? Or will she crash and tumble through disaster? I think this is a really good book and tells you that you can make your own rules if other people tell you different. I enjoyed the creativeness in how the author thought of ways to show how Emma and her friends think of ways for her to become a ballerina. I would recommend this book to younger girl readers because girls will be able to understand why Emma would be having trouble being a ballerina and how she feels when she can make up her own rules for being a ballerina.

A.F., St. Pius. X School, 7th grade

How Big is your Water Footprint?

Mason, Paul. How Big is your Water Footprint? Marshall Cavendish Benchmark. 2010. ISBN: 978-0-7614-4417-6.

How Big is your Water Footprint? is about how much we are use water. It talks about ways we can conserve water in the garden, outside, and anything else in our everyday lives. It tells you how more and more people are using water, and leaving "heavy footprints" on the Earth. Also, it lists ways to leave a lighter water footprint on the Earth, and what could happen if we don't. The pictures in this book are all photos, relating to the ways to conserve our water. I personally like this book because it showed me many ways that I am overusing water that I could fix. It shows the effects we will someday have on Earth if we keep using so much water, which makes me want to save the Earth's water even more. I don't think there is any definite age group for this book, but it would probably be most interesting/helpful to grade school kids. It lists ways we overuse the water that are most common, so in a way, we can relate, even if it is just telling our parents about how much water to use when they wash the dishes, take a shower, or do the laundry.

L.P., St. Pius X Scholl, 7th grade

The JellyBeans and the Big Book Bonanza

Numeroff, Laura, and Nate Evans. The JellyBeans and the Big Book Bonanza. Illustrated by Lynn Munsinger. Abrams Book for Young Readers. 2010. ISBN: 9780810984127.

The book The JellyBeans and the Big Book Bonanza is about Anna and her best friends. It shows and talks about how much Anna likes to read and where she reads. Anna always wanted her friends to go to the library with her. One day, their teacher assigned a book report. Each student had to read a book about something they loved then write a report on it. So Anna and her friends went to the library but had problems finding their own books. What I liked most about this book was how close Anna was to her friends. I also liked how much Anna loved to read. One of the things that will catch the readers eye on every page is the illustrations. They are fantastic! The illustrations are water colors. The words are also amazing. Kids will definitely want to keep reading. I would recommend The JellyBeans and the Big Book Bonanza to kindergartens through fourth graders. They will love this book because of the words and because of the colorful and fun pictures.

E.C., St. Pius X School, 7th grade

Motorcross

Stealey, Bryan. Motocross. Marshall Cavendish Benchmark: 2010 ISBN: 9780761443865.



The book I read was about motocross. Motocross is a popular and extreme sport. You race on dirt bikes against other people on a narrow track. There is another type of racing in which contestants compete on a four-wheeled ATV. In this book you will find out about two different bikes, the 450 class and 250 class. You will also find what you need to wear to be safe. There are also a couple different tracks to race on. You will also read about some "Motocross Heroes". There is also a women's motorcross, it is not just a guy's sport. I liked this book a lot, I did not know any thing about motocross before. This book was a great book for me to read when I had no idea what motocross was. There was nothing that I disliked about the book. I would recommend this book to children who like motocross and also to children who want to get to know about motocross, around 4th to 7th graders.



S.R. St Pius X School, 7th Grade

The Taming of Lola: A Shrew Story

Weiss, Ellen and Jerry Smath. The Taming of Lola: A Shrew Story. Illustrated by jerry Smith. Abrams Books for Young Readers. 2010. ISBN: 9780810940666

The Taming of Lola: A Shrew Story is about Lola a shrew who lived at the edge of West Meadow. Everytime Lola didn't want something that her parents did want, she had a fit. Lola always got her way because her parents did not want to fight with her. One day at dinner, Lola's parents made an announcement that her cousin Lester from the East Meadow was going to stay with them for awhile. Lola had four hundred and twenty-three cousins but had never met Lester. Eventually, she gave in. Lester was just like Lola, if he didnt want something such as spider pie, he would not eat it. Both Lola and Lester got into a screaming fight because Lola said that she was the only one that could talk like that in her family. After awhile their voices began to get tired although they began to fight again over which bed to sleep in and what to do the next day. The family then left them at the house to go on a picnic. Lola and Lester started to get hungry and Lola began to realize something very important. I really enjoyed reading the book The Taming of Lola: A Shrew Story because it takes me back to when my brother and I constantly fought about silly things. The story also has a very important point to it saying that its not fun to fight and you miss out on some very important things. Plus the story had GREAT pictures! That really brought the whole book together. The age that would benefit from the story The Taming of Lola: A Shrew Story would be seven year olds. The story teaches them how to not fight because you can miss some important things in life. Starting out young is the best way for kids not to be so selfish and learn that peace is better than fighting.

S.C., St. Pius X School, 7th grade

The Easter Egg

Brett, Jan. The Easter Egg. The Penguin Group. 2010 ISBN: 9780399252389.

The Easter Egg is about a little bunny named Hoppi who wants to win the best Easter egg. Hoppi goes around his neighborhood hoping to get some ideas. As he looks at each egg, he grows more and more sad. When Hoppi gets to the woods, he finds a blue robin's egg. Hoppi promises the mother he will take good care of her baby and that he does. The artwork in this story is awesome! The pictures are extremely detailed and I would like to see more of this artwork again. I did not like this book, I loved it! The artwork is amazing and it must take a lot of time to make. The story has a beautiful ending. I would like to read more of the author's books. I would recomend the book The Easter Egg to anyone because this book has a great meaning.

J.T., St. Pius X School, 7th grade

My Friends the Flowers

Lach, William, Doug Kennedy. My Friends the Flowers. Illustrated by Doug Kennedy. Abrams Books for Young Readers. 2010. ISBN: 9780810983977

Have you ever thought about how many friends a bee would have? Well in the book My Friends the Flowers, you will discover all of a bee's friends. From flowers to cactus's, a bee always has someone to hang out with. The art work in this story is very bold and bright. To a kid, these pictures would catch their eye and they would want to keep reading! However, of you don't really like the story in this book, you can look in the back. The back of the book is filled with different types of flowers and information on how to grow them. This book would be a great book for younger children. In the book My Friends the Flowers, I personally liked the pictures in the book. The pictures were very fine and bright. It always kept me going to see what picture was going to come next. Although the book was a little young for me, I very much enjoyed it. The first page in the book really caught my attention. It was very bright and beautiful. It really brought you into the story and kept you wanting to read. I think kids between the ages of 4 and 7 would enjoy the book My Friends the Flowers. I think girls would like this book. Young ages would like this book as well for the pictures and the older ages would like this book for the interesting facts at the end.

C.K., St. Pius X School, 7th grade

The Scandinavian Vikings

Love, Timothy, and Louise Park. The Scandinavian Vikings. Marshall Cavendish Benchmark Books:2009. ISBN: 9780761444459.

My book was about the Vikings who terrorized Europe for many years. Vikings sailed on ships called long ships. They carried swords, battle axes, spears and daggers. They believed in Norse mythology. Some of those Gods are Oden, Thor and Loki. Today Vikings do not exist, but their legend will live on forever. I liked this book. It taught me many things about Vikings I did not know like where Vikings started out at and when they were defeated. Another thing that I didn't know was that the first European to touch North America was a Viking. The one weakness in this book is that some people will find it boring. The people who would most enjoy this book is people who want to learn about Vikings and people who want to learn about history. The age group who would enjoy this is middle school.

A.W., St. Pius X School, 7th Grade

Portugese Water Dogs

Wheeler, Jill. Portuguese Water Dogs. ABDO: 2010. ISBN: 9781604537840.


This book is about Portuguese water dogs. Why this particular breed of dog you might ask. I think it's because they are so popular right now since the president has one. The book tells you what the type of dog is like and how to take care of them. It says to me "this dog would make a good dog for you". I think this is a very informative and interesting book. It tells you what having a Portuguese water dog is like without being boring. I feel the book talks to you about the dog instead of just telling you. I think I might get one of these dogs. I think this book would be good for anyone who can read because it's informative, but not so informative it overwhelms you and bores you.

A. St. Pius X School, 7th Grade

Green Wilma, Frog in Space

Arnold, Tedd. Green Wilma, Frog in Space. Dial Books for Young Readers. 2009. ISBN: 9780803726987.

My book is about a spaceship landing on Earth and leaving with a frog instead of their alien child. The aliens thought the frog was ill because he wasn't blue like them. All kinds of crazy things went wrong in the spaceship. They went back to Earth and kicked out the frog and picked up Blooger, their kid. The illustrations are colorful and cartoonish. The pictures are in colored pencils and ink pen. My favorite picture was when the aliens booted Wilma out the door. It was a purple spaceship with yellow lights. The drawings were funny. My favorite part was when they picked up the wrong alien. It was funny when they picked up a green frog instead of a blue alien. I would recommend this book to a 3 year old because they would like the blue aliens, the frog, and the spaceship. The story has cartoonish aliens and a frog taking a dip.

D.Y., Kenwood School, 3rd grade

All God's Critters

Staines, Bill. All God's Critters. Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers. 2009. ISBN: 9780689869594.

My book is about all the animals noises. It rhymes but not every word. The song is all music. It's about animals in an animal choir. The book has all animal characters. The illustrations are watercolors. Some pictures are bright and some are darker. My favorite part was the whole thing because I love animals! I would recommend this book to any person who loves animals because the book is full of them. Also for people who like to sing and to second graders.

M.S., Kenwood School, 3rd Grade

Killer Ants

Nirgiotis, Nicholas. Killer Ants. Holiday House. 2009. ISBN: 9780823420346.

My book is about killer ants. Killer ants sometimes have to eat their eggs to survive. All killer ants develop from four different stages. They go get food in an army. It shows what the major worker looks like, how the ants work underground, and how fire ants stand guard to keep away enemies. The illustrations are fabulous. When I saw the illustrations I was astonished. The illustrations look shiny with the color brown. The illustrations are colorfully bright. They look so real like you took the pictures.

T.C., Kenwood School, 3rd grade

Looking Like Me

Myers, Walter Dean. Looking Like Me. Egmont USA. 2009. ISBN: 9781606840016.

My book is about a boy who lists all of the things he is. The illustrations are kind of weird because there is a picture of someone jumping into the boy. I'm pretty sure it's a collage. My favorite part is when heads are sticking out of other heads. I would recommend this book to little kids because it is really easy to read.

S.G., Kenwood School, 3rd grade

Amy's Light

Nutt, Robert. Amy's Light. Dawn Publication. 2010. ISBN: 9781584691280.

My book is about a little girl named Amy who wishes that it was daytime. She goes outside and catches fireflies in a jar. She takes them to her room but the lights dim. She lets them go and they light up again. The illustrations are nice because they look like somebody's real house. I think that Robert Nutt did a very good job illustrating this book. I love looking at Amy's face on the front cover and all the other illustration in the book. My favorite part was when Amy let the fireflies out of the jar and they lit up again because Amy learned something. I think it is cool that the fireflies would not light up in the jar, only outside of the jar. I would recommend Amy's Light to little kids because they might understand how Amy feels and it might make them want to catch fireflies and see if they dim their lights.

I.B., Kenwood School, Third Grade

14 Cows For America

Deedy, Carmen Agra. 14 Cows for America. Peachtree Publishers. 2009.

ISBN: 9781561454907.

My book is about a tribe that loves their cows.

J.H., Kenwood School, 3rd grade

Tractors

Becker, Ann. Tractors. Marshall Cavendish Benchmark. 2010. ISBN: 9780761444060.

My book is about tractors. It tells you about all sorts of tractors, like a tedder, a tiller tract, and a cutter tractor. The illustrations are photographs because the pictures are all zoomed in on the tractors.

C.G., Kenwood School, 3rd grade

In the Belly of an Ox: the Unexpected Photographic Adventures of Richard and Cherry Kearton

Bond, Rebecca. In the Belly of an Ox: the Unexpected Photographic Adventures of Richard and Cherry Kearton. Houghton Mifflin Books for Children. 2009. ISBN: 9780547076751.

My book is about two people who love nature and photograph it. The illustrations are water colors, pen, and ink. My favorite picture is the one where Richard has his apartment window and a cat is coming in his apartment because I like cats. My favorite part is when they get in the belly of an ox because it's silly to be in the belly of an ox. I would recommend this book to everyone because it is silly and it also has history.

K.K., Kenwood School, 3rd Grade

The Banshee

Bunting, Eve. The Banshee. Clarion Books. 2009. ISBN: 9780618821624.

My book is about a boy who talks about a ghost and he gives a feather to the banshee but it is all in his head. The illustrations are very good because they have lots of detail to them. There are different shadings to the illustrations. My favorite part is when the young boy tells about his friend Colin who saw the banshee and when Mr. Caffery was very sick. After Colin saw the banshee, Mr. Caffery died. The boy thought the banshee killed him. I would recommend this book to 7-10 year olds because it is kind of scary and they would enjoy the story like I did. It is exciting but sad. I would recommend it to 6 year olds too but the banshee would be over-rated.

M.S., Kenwood School, 3rd Grade

Happy Birthday Bad Kitty

Bruel, Nick. Happy Birthday Bad Kitty. Roaring Brook. 2009. ISBN: 9781596433427.

My book is about a cat that likes to sleep and it was the cat's birthday. The owner made the cat's favorite food and he ate it all. Then he went back to his bed and he burped out loud and got his first present.

D.V., Kenwood School, 3rd Grade

The Marshmallow Incident

Barrett, Judi. The Marshmallow Incident. Scholastic Press. 2009. ISBN: 9780545046534.

My book is about two towns and each town thought it was the best. A right-handed person crossed the yellow line. Then they started to throw the marshmallows at him. They shot with catapults full of marshmallows. They even used sling shots. My favorite part was when the knights started throwing marshmallows at people. I would recommend this book to everybody because it's really funny.

J.B., Kenwood School, 3rd Grade

Elephants

Schwabacher, Martin. Elephants. Marshall Cavendish Benchmark 2010. ISBN:9780761443438.

This non-fiction book is about elephants living large in the first chapter. In the second chapter, it's about elephant families. In chapter 3, it's about the last giants. The illustrations are photos of elephants painting, eating, and mating (which means they're finding their mate). My favorite part is when the book shows the baby elephant and the mama elephants finding a water hole. I would recommend this book to 6th graders because it gives a lot of information. I would say that this is a great book.

S.P. Kenwood School, 3rd grade.