Lucky Ducklings

Moore, Eva, and Nancy Carpenter. Lucky Ducklings. New York: Orchard Books, 2013.
ISBN: 9780439448611

How a mama duck takes care of her ducklings, the author relates that to how enforcement take care of others too. Showing that caring for others is important through this story about a mama duck and her ducklings. The author keeps the story entertaining, saying many times, "that could have been the end." Then finally, at the end stating that the end of the story has actually came to an end. They illustrations are very real life and colorful. Great facial expressions in many of the people in the story. Overall, they were excellent. I would recommend to use this book with smaller children when talking about how law enforcement is helpful. Relating this to how kind the mama duck was in showing children that police and others are nice people. Age ranges to which this book would appeal: first grade to third grade.

Reviewer: Mara Siegel

You Make Me Smile

Marlow, Layn. You Make Me Smile. Holiday House Inc., 2013.
ISBN: 9780823429226

This book is about a little boy making a snowman. The book tells all the steps the boy makes to make the snowman and in the end he adds a smile. The author has made this book an easy read. It keeps the readers guessing on what the little boy will add next to the snowman. The illustrations go right along with the words and are very creative with adding little things to the pictures such as birds and leaves. The pictures were mainly made with watercolor. I would recommend this book because it is an easy read and something mainly preschool through first grade would find interesting. 

Reviewer: Ellie McMahon

Freaks

Larwood, Kieran. Freaks. New York: Chicken House/Scholastic, 2013.
ISBN: 9780545474245

In Victorian London, children have been mysteriously disappearing. Sheba and the other freaks of Plimpscuttle's Peculiar decide to take matters into their own hands and save the missing children before it's too late. Writing from Sheba's perspective  Kieran Larwood's descriptive style shows the sights, sounds, and smells of Victorian London. A few portraits at the end of the book, created by the author, show how the cast of characters look. I truly enjoyed this book and recommend it to anyone. For those who like to see misfits band together to do good or enjoy a mystery or adventure, Freaks is a very good read. Age range to which this book would appeal: 10 to 25.

Reviewer: Alissa Zapiecki

Since You Asked

Goo, Maurene. Since You Asked. New York, N.Y: Scholastic Press, 2013. 
ISBN: 9780545448215


This story is about Holly, a Korean-American teenager with spunk and a "bad attitude." The tagline, "High School. So funny I forgot to laugh," is perfectly fitting. Holly enjoys writing and what a fake article about the tortures of high school is published  her high school social life goes to chaos. She battles her overprotective mom and the mean girls of high school along side her three best friends, attempting to survive the "best years of her life." The author writes in first person, and sounds like the words are coming straight from a 15 year-old girl's mind. "Our school was basically a brick prison surrounding a giant courtyard ..." (pg. 4). Maurene Goo does an exceptional job at writing like an annoyed 15 year old teen. The only illustration from the book are Holly's columns and love notes from her secret admirer. While there aren't colorful, detailed illustrations, they break the story up and make it more interesting to read. I enjoyed the book and think it would be an enjoyable and relatable novel for teenage girls. It was an easy read for me, and I found some parts quite funny. I would not, however, recommend this to anyone under the age of 13, due to the language. Age range to which this book would appeal: 14 to 17.

Reviewer: Jessica Wright

Prairie Chicken Little

Hopkins, Jackie Mims. Prairie Chicken Little. Peachtree Publishers. 2013.  ISBN: 9781561456949  

This story is about a group of feathery friends trying to run away from a stampede.  They run into the sneaky fox on their way to Cowboy Stan and Red Dog Dan.  The author introduces characters and constantly repeats their names so readers remember who they are.  She conveys a dialect in this book as well as fun slang and rhyming such as "lickety-split!"  The illustrations are all set in a similar place-the country.  There is a lot of greenery and earthy tones.  The shapes and facial expressions of the animals are unique!  I would recommend this book as part of a lesson plan for teaching about the "west. I think any first or second grade class would enjoy the story and the punchline at the end! Age ranges to which this book would appeal: 5 to 8.

EmKAsh

Honesty

Hicks, Kelli. Honesty (part of the Little World Social Skills series). Rourke Educational Media. 2013. ISBN: 9781618101327

This story revolves around honesty and describes real life scenarios in which people can choose to be honest.  The author's writing style is simple and her tone is encouraging and caring.  You can tell through her writing that this book is geared for children-specifically preschoolers-because it is setting the groundwork of right versus wrong for them to follow.  The illustrations are family-friendly and make this story credible.  The pictures are of real kids in settings kids are  at everyday-at school, with family, at home, with friends, and at the playground.  This book is perfect for preschoolers and Kindergarteners and could even affect toddlers.  The author does a good job of explaining good and moral behavior in every day life and in social interactions with others.

EmKAsh

Asian Animals:Tigers

Murray, Julie. Tigers, ABDO Publishing Company. 2013.
ISBN: 978-1-61783-558-2


This book is about tigers and explains where they live, what they eat, and all characteristics and habits pertaining to tigers.
The author is very informative, but includes many side "fun facts" about tigers.  The author enforces the most important information on tigers and it's easily to see she did her research!
The illustrations are helpful and are greatly beneficial for visual learners.  The book is colorful, but not distracting.
This book was very informative! I learned facts about tigers myself that I hadn't previously known.  It's a great book to incorporate for social studies or geography lesson in the elementary grades!                          

Reviewer: EmkAsh

Beavers

Gibbons, Gail. Beavers. New York: Holiday House. 2013.
ISBN: 9780823424122

This book is all about beavers, from what they eat to how they make their dams to how they are physically built.
The author's writing style is very insightful.  There is a lot of accurate and valuable information that is described in depth.
The illustrations are helpful for visualizing the beaver's life.  The colors are cohesive to nature and the drawings are unique in that they aren't perfect or ordinary.  They are different and portray the text especially well.
I would recommend this book to a teacher that is in need of a book to incorporate into a lesson on wetlands.  It's a good book for elementary aged students and potentially middle schoolers with the valuable information presented.

This book would appeal to 6-12 year olds.                                                 Reviewer: EmkAsh

TJ Zaps the One-Upper: Stopping One-Upping and Cell Phone Bullying

Mullarkey, Lisa.  TJ Zaps the One-Upper: Stopping One-Upping and Cell Phone Bullying. Magic Wagon-ABDO Publishing. 2013.  ISBN: 9781616419066.

This fictional story is about a boy (T.J.) who is constantly getting one-upped by his best friend, Danny.  Danny starts to bully T.J. and he has to decide how to handle Danny.  Lisa Mullarkey write in the first person narrative.  The bullying terms are bold faced and defined in the back of the book.  The illustrations are sporatic throughout the book.  They are simplistic and in black and white.  I liked this book.  It gave a good representation of what bullying looks like and how kids can help each other in a fun and entertaining way.  This book would be good for ages 9-12 (3rd-5th grade).

M. Majeroni, BGSU student

Look!

Lewin, Ted. Look! Holiday House. 2013. ISBN: 9780823426072

This book is about different animals and what they do in their life, including a little boy.  The author uses simple words and the illustrations are kind of realistic and in my opinion, the best part of the book.  Since the words are so simple, the pictures are what really tell the story.  I would not recommend this to kids who are 8 and older.  It would be better for kids 4 and under.

Sebastien Nyiri, age 8

The Wing Wing Brothers: Carnival De Math

Long, Ethan. The Wing Wing Brothers: Carnival De Math. New York: Holiday House, 2013.
ISBN:9780823426041
This story is about a group of brother ducks at a carnival. Through several carnival activities, the mathematical concepts of addition and subtraction are addressed.

The author includes a lot of onomatopoeia words like "crash" and "Wham" and alliterations. All the brother's names start with a W, as well as many of the words throughout the story like "way" and "wait".
The illustrations are all of the same color scheme with a very "carnival feel". The entire book is covered with pictures, with hardly any white space; many scenes are shown.
I think this book is helpful for adding and subtracting numbers by ten. It would be appropriate for first and second grade students. It would be a good book to incorporate into a carnival or festival unit. However; I didn't like the confusion between each of the brother's names. I do think kids would find the book humorous.

Reviewer: EmkAsh

Pterosaur Trouble

          Loxton, Daniel. Pterosaur Trouble. Kids Can Press. 2013. ISBN: 9781554536320.

In this book, a bird flies to a stream to get a drink then tiny dinosaurs attack it and it gets away!  The author's writing style is difficult.  There are some hard names to pronounce but I think he did this to try to make the story more interesting.  In the illustrations, the background was realistic looking and the bird looked like computer animation.  I would recommend this book to 7 or 8 year olds and kids who are interested in dinoaurs should definitely read this book!

Aubrey Nyiri, age 10

Come Back, Ben

Hassett, Ann & John. Come Back, Ben. Holiday House. 2013. ISBN: 9780823425990

The story is about imagination and levels through Earth and space.  It is a fun way to learn where in the atmosphere each object is, although the story is, in fact, fictional.  The author's style is repetitive in order to keep young children connected to the story.  The illustrations are simple but eye grabbing.  Each picture centers in on the object the text is focused on.  The objects look like cut outs placed together.  I believe the book would be a fun read for preschoolers, Kindergarteners, or even first graders.  It is a good way to keep their imagination alive.

Katherine McPhillips, BGSU student

Tallulah's Toe Shoes

Singer, Marilyn. Tallulah's Toe Shoes. Clarion Books. 2013. ISBN: 9780547482231
  Tallulah wants so badly to be able to dance on pointe.  She tries and tries until the ballet just becomes too hard.  Through her journey she learns through hard work and time, she will become a beautiful pointe dancer.  There is no need to rush.
  Marilyn Singer did an excellent job grasping the emotions of Tallulah and other characters in the story.  The story had a beginning, middle, and great ending with excellent morals and lessons.  The illustrations are very vivid and appealing to the reader.  They go beautifully with the story.
  I loved the book.  I would recommend it to young girls who have dreams to become a dancer.  Tallulah is a great inspiration to these girls.  Ages 4 to 10.

Sydney Brinsky, BGSU student

See Me Dig

Meisel, Paul. See Me Dig. Holiday House. 2013. ISBN: 9780823427437.

This story is about a group of dogs who enjoy digging and are searching for the best place to dig together.  The author's writing style is easy to understand, yet still uses fun surprises.  The illustrations in this book are vibrant and very creative with many different animals.  I liked this book.  It was very cute and would be a fun book for beginning readers to start with.  This book would appeal to children ages 3 to 7. 

Leslie McGriff, BGSU student

What a Party!

Machado, Ana Maria. What a Party! Groundwood Books. 2013. ISBN: 9781554981687 

 
The story is about a boy whose birthday is coming up and his mother suggests that he invite a friend over.  He then decides to ask his friends by writing an invitation to come over for his birthday.  The language is relatively simple but would be easier to read aloud since there are multicultural words used.  The illustrations caught my eye because they are very bright and colorful.  The illustrations helped make the book whole as they show multiculturalism throughout the book, which I liked.  I really enjoyed the book and would recommend it be read to children ages 5 to 10.

Paige Ricker, BGSU student

Krull, Kathleen.  The Beatles Were Fab (and They Were Funny). Harcourt Children's Books. 2013. ISBN: 9780547509914

This book is about the legendary band, the Beatles-how they came up with their name, how they used their sense of humor to keep going, how their first record was produced, and how they got their nickname, etc.  The author's writing style is simple and straightforward and included a lot of interesting facts.  The illustrations are impressionistic in style with nice color and with caricature-type people.  I would recommend this for practically any age group.  I'm 45 and I enjoyed it because I remember a little about the Beatles.  This gave me some interesting little tidbits about them that I wasn't aware of.


Bonnie Kimpling-Kelly, BGSU student

The Beatitudes

Boston, Carole. The Beatitudes. Eerdman's Books. 2010. ISBN: 978-0-8028-5352-3.

This book was about slavery and civil rights. African Americans drew on the same faith during the segregation era as they did in the time of slavery. The Beatitudes tells a sad story in a hopeful way. The illustrator used water colors. I like it because they showed the presidents. I recommend this book. My favorite part was the civil rights where there is a poem across the bottom.

D.C. 4th Grade, Lagrange Elementary.

Monster Trucks

Gigliotti, Jim. Monster Trucks. Marshall Cavendish. 2010. ISBN: 9780761443858.

Monster Trucks are one of dozens of super-sized machines that thrill me. I like the photos when Bigfoot was on top of the cars. I liked the wheelie photos too. My favorite part was when the car was jumping over the airplane.

D.U. 4th Grade, Lagrange Elementary.

The Boy in the Garden

Say, Allen. The Boy in the Garden. Houghton Mifflin. 2010. ISBN: 9780547214108.

This book is about a little boy in the garden playing with a grateful crane but the bird is scared. It would not come near anybody unless it really liked them, because all birds are afraid of people. They would probably bite you or peck you, but some kinds of birds are kind.The paintings are pretty colors and they are good for the book. I would recommend this book to ages two through six. My favorite part is when the snowstorm stopped.

M.R.P. 4th Grade, Lagrange Elementary.

Up and Down

Jeffers, Oliver. Up and Down. Philomel. 2010. ISBN:9780399255458.

Once there were two friends who always did everything together until the day the penguin decided he wanted to do something by himself: he wanted to fly. He had wings after all although they didn't seem to work very well. But that didn't stop the penguin from trying, but nothing worked and it wasn't long before he began to run out of ideas. The boy even offered him a ride in his plane, but it wasn't the same as flying and the penguin wanted to do it by himself. I like the characters of the book called The Lost and Found and I like the little legs of the boy and the trees looked like balloons and the boys feet look like sticks. I like this book so much that I read it four times and I like the characters of the book.

Y.A. 4th Grade, Lagrange Elementary.

My Friend has ADHD

Tourville, Amanda. My Friend Has ADHD. Picture Window Books. 2010. ISBN:9781404857490

My story is called My Friend Has ADHD. It is about two kids named Marcus and Robby. Robby has ADHD which is attention-deficit-hyperactivity disorder. I really like this book. I hope the author writes some more books like this so kids can know what ADHD is. This book has good drawings and I like the colors. I will read this book to other kids and I hope they like it too.

J.H. 4th Grade, Lagrange Elementary.

Big Cats

Hamilton. S.L. Big Cats. ABDO. 2010. ISBN: 9781604539912.

The black panther is one of the big cats in this book. Cheetahs can run up to 70 miles per hour. The photograph I loved was the one where you see a cat sharpening its teeth. My favorite cat is the black panther because they blend into the dark and I like the cheetah because they can run up to 70 miles per hour.

L.A. 4th Grade, Lagrange Elementary.

The Easter Egg

Brett, Jan. The Easter Egg. Putnam. 2010. ISBN:9780399252389.

This book was so awesome to me. I like the pictures of decorated eggs in the book. I love the art in this book. It is so pretty and so colorful. Some pictures are happy and some are sad. My favorite part is when Hoppi dreams about helping the Easter Bunny all year long.


K.W. 5th Grade, Lagrange Elementary.

Football

Gifford, Clive. Football. Marshall Cavendish. 2010. ISBN: 9780761444565.

My book is about how to play football and some real football players. This book is full of action photographs. The photos helped me learn more about football. I really care about this book because football is one of my favorite sports. My favorite part of the book was when the author talked about the real life football players. I do recommend this book for other kids, because I liked it and I am only in the fifth grade. I recommend this for grades second through eighth.

V.M. III. 5th Grade, Lagrange Elementary.

The Junkyard Wonders

Polacco, Patricia. The Junkyard Wonders. Philomel Books. 2010. ISBN: 9780399250781.

The Junkyard Wonders is about a little girl who wants to stay with her dad for the school year because she got picked on with her mom. After she went to school she found out that she got put in a class with other kids just like her. What I mean about that is that she got put in a special class and it was called the junkyard, because they all had something wrong with them. The art in this book is very nice. The pictures are all perfect for this story. I couldn't think of any better pictures for this book. My opinion for this book is that it is great and I enjoyed reading it. The best part was when she started to feel comfortable with the other children. I think other kids should read this book. Also, I think people of all ages would love this book. I think it is great for everyone.

I.B. 5th Grade, Lagrange Elementary.

Grandma's Gift

Velasquez, Eric. Grandma's Gift. 2010. New York: Walker & Company. ISBN: 9780802720825.

Grandma's Gift is about a Grandma and her grandson going shopping for ingredients and gifts, so they can make "pasteks" for the traditional Christmas dish for Puerto Ricans.The illustrations in my book are pretty because they look real on some of the pages. My opinion of theis story is that anybody would love to have Grandma's Gift because Grandma made a Christmas dish for Puerto Ricans. And she wasn't a grandma who didn't cook or do anything.

L.T., 5th Grade, Lagrange Elementary

Basketball

Gifford, Clive. Basketball. Marshall Cavendish. 2010. ISBN: 9780761444558.

The story Basketball is about how to play, how many players, and that all ages can enjoy this sport. It is also about what basketball is, who plays it, and how they use their best effort to win at the end of the game. I really like the artwork because it is realistic and on the front page it's a boy in 3D. I think that is cool and on page 12 it shows the whole description of the court and where the audience sits during the game. My favorite part about the book was pages 6-27 because the whole story is great because it really gives details of basketball and that all ages can play. I do recommend it for other kids because from looking at the pictures ages 6-12 should be able to read this book.

J.H. 5th Grade, Lagrange Elementary.

The Famous Nini

Nethery, Mary. The Famous Nini. Clarion Books. 2010. ISBN: 9780618977697.

My story is about a stray cat named Nini and a poor woman named Nonna. Nonna was a poor woman and her stray car gives a famous composer a music note that makes the angry Pope smile, settles an argument, and makes a girl who doesn't talk speak.I think they made it out of pastels. The pictures overlap like most do. Although the pictures are cartoonish it looks real. I link this book because it is a mostly true story about a famous cat who blesses people. And it tells readers that you don't have to be a human to bless people. My favorite part is when the queen and king are arguing about which snack to make. I don't just recommend this book for kids, anyone could like it. I mostly recommend it for mothers and anyone ages five and up.

A.R. 5th Grade, Lagrange.

One More Acorn

Freeman, Don. One More Acorn. Viking. 2010. ISBN: 9780670010837.

My book is about a squirrel named Earl who was looking for acorns for his furry family. His older squirrel son is named Hickory and his younger squirrel son is named Filbert and his baby is named Hazel. The illustrations are cartoonish and show many pictures of the squirrel family. My favorite part is when the squirrel jumped over the people's heads and hands and when Earl was looking for acorns. I recommend this to young children.

H.R. 5th Grade, Lagrange Elementary.

Sea Monsters

Veitch, Catherine. Sea Monsters. Raintree. 2010. ISBN: 9781410937889.

My book is about sea monsters. There are many sea monsters such as a Crazy Kraken. The art is very nice and the graphics are sketched out and then colored in. This book is so good it should probably should have more book pages, at least 50 pages. I do like the book.

C.R. 5th Grade, Lagrange Elementary.

Jacques and de Beanstalk

Artell, Mike. Jacques and de Beanstalk. Dial Books. 2010. ISBN: 978080372165.

This story is about a little boy named Jacques who was poor and needed money to grow crops. Jacques went to town to sell a cow. A man traded Jacques some magic beans for the cow. The are looks both cartoonish and realistic. I think the book will be great for kids and some adults could read it to their children or child. My favorite part is when Jacques was running from the giant. I recommend this to my cousin Dear Marie, from me. I think this would be a good book for ages four through 9.

R.W. 5th Grade, Lagrange Elementary.

Off Like the Wind!

Spradlin, Michael. Off Like the Wind! Walker. 2010. ISBN: 9780802796523.

This story is about a new company called the Pony Express. A man named Johnny Fry has to carry mail from St. Joseph, Missouri to Sacramento, California. He had to go if it was raining, snowing, hailing, or sleeting, if it was winter, or summer, day or night. I liked the art work because if looked really realistic. The worlds, Native Americans and all the people, and the horses all looked real. He did a great, awesome job on the art work. My opinion on the book is that it is a real nonfiction book. It is really nice to read. My favorite part was all of it. I will share this book with my sister the next time I get to read it. I would recommend this to kids 8 and older.

S.C. 4th Grade, Lagrange Elementary.

Sleepover at Gramma's House

Joose, Barbara. Sleepover at Gramma's House. Philomel. 2010. ISBN:9780399252617.

This story is about the grandma and the granddaughter, and the granddaughter is going to stay over at the grandma's house for a couple of days. They are having fun together and the grandma plays as if she is a child and the granddaughter plays the grandma. My favorite part is when they start painting and get messy and paint goes every where. The illustrator of this book is a great painter. I hope I get to read another book from this library and the illustrator should paint more. My favorite part of this book is when they read stories to each other and the granddaughter said "I'm going to change into my pink warmily p.j.s".

R.J. 4th Grade, Lagrange Elementary.

Trixie and Jinx

Koontz, Dean. Trixie and Jinx. Putnam. 2010. ISBN:9780399251979.

It is about two best friends that do everything together. They go on a picnic and they play together. They play video games and read books together. Jinx says his family is leaving without Trixie and she has to find a new friend. The artist has tried to capture how someone is feeling. Its watery and beautiful. My favorite part was when her friend comes back so they can do the stuff they do. I recommend this book to kids cause when their friend goes away they can find a new one.

K.W. 4th Grade, Lagrange Elementary.

Portuguese Water Dogs

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

This book is about Portuguese Water dogs and what they are like. The feeding, the dog family, what they are like, coat and color, size, care, things they need, and puppies are all in this book. The photographs are real and show photos of real dogs and what they are like. My favorite part was when it told about puppies. Protuguese Water dogs have a litter up to six puppies. The puppies stay with tehir mother until they are 8-12 weeks old. then they can find a new home with a different family.

T.B. 4th Grade, Lagrange Elementary.

Clemente!

Perdomo, Willie. Clemente!. 2010. New York: Henry Holt and Company. ISBN: 9780805082241.

Clemente was a boy. His dad named him after his favorite baseball player named Roberto Clemente. His dad is the president of Clemente fan club. His uncle is another big Clemente fan. The boy at school is going to pick him to write about for hero day. He studies the baseball player, Roberto Clemente, who gets on an airplane. He is going to help people who lost their homes. The plane never got across the ocean; it was too heavy. Roberto disappeared. His family stands by the water and hoped he would come home. The art looks so real, and it does a good job. I love the book. My favorite part was when he said "En el dia mas grande de mi vida para los nenesme echen la bendicion." I think other kids will love it.

S.H., 4th Grade, Lagrange Elementary

All Star!: Honus Wagner and the Most Famous Baseball Card Ever

Yolen, Jane. All Star!: Honus Wagner and the Most Famous Baseball Card Ever. 2010. New York: Philomel Books. ISBN: 9780399246616.



At the beginning Honus Wagner was born, and he had legs like a hunting arrow. After sixth grade he worked in the mines with his dad. He could lift two tons, and he was stronger than some men. But on Sundays, he went to church and played baseball. When he was 16, he joined the Mansfield Semipro team. Then after that he joined the Pittsburgh Pirates and won championships in 1900, 1903, 1904, 1906, 1907, 1908, 1909, and 1911. Then he had two little girls and taught them how to play baseball. The art is done in paintings. The art was good and showed lots of action. The colors made them look like old fashion paintings, too. My favorite painting was on page 20 when the crowd was throwing bottles at the team. My opinion about it is it was good, but I don't like baseball. I like basketball. The book was still good. My favorite part was when Honus picked up the kid and carried him on his back because he was the slowest kid on the team.

D.M., 5th Grade, Lagrange Elementary

The Blue House Dog

Blumenthal, Deborah. The Blue House Dog. Peachtree. 2010. ISBN: 9781561455379.

There was a dog who was half German Shepard and something else. One eye was sapphire blue and the other was brown. He used to live with an old man until the man died. After the man died the dog was a stray. Then a boy tried to get him to come to him, but he wouldn't. He fed and watered the dog, but he still didn't come. The boy's dog got sick and died, so he wants the dog named Bones to be his.The pictures are very colorful and bright. They describe the words and show emotion. My opinion about the book is that it is very nicely done, but it need more description to grab the reader's attention. my favorite part was when the boy saves the dog from getting run over by the car. Yes, I recommend this book to kids. I think first through third graders would love this book. I definitely think that 5 to 7 years old is the perfect age group.

M.V. 5th Grade. Lagrange Elementary.

Alligator Wedding

Jewell, Nancy. Alligator Wedding. Holt and Co. 2010. ISBN:9780805068191.

My story is about a big alligator wedding, which makes it a fiction story. It has lots of illustrations with swamp animals and things which are real animals, but they have clothes and can walk and play instruments. I like the pictures and I like the neat words the author uses to write the story. I also like the front cover with its big letters that are crazy. I like this story because it is fiction and I love fiction stories. I wish it had more at the end of the story too, because it was a great story. I recommend this story to little kids and older kids too. But I know I like this story.

M.D. 5th Grade, Lagrange Elementary.

Shrek

Steig, William. Shrek. Farrar Straus Giroux. 2010. ISBN: 9780312384494.

This is a story about a boy named Shrek and he is uglier then his mother and father. Shrek's parents decided it was time for him to leave the black hole and Shrek went. He was walking down the road giving off his awful fumes going to find the princess so they could live happily ever after. The book says horribly ever after!The art in the book was okay, and I loved Shrek at the end with the princess. My opinion about the book was that I loved it, but some of the words I really didn't understand. Some words were there that didn't have anything to do with the pictures. I recommend this book to K-3rd grades and my favorite part was at the end when Shrek and princess were getting married.

L.P. 5th Grade, Lagrange Elementary.

Soccer

Gifford, Clive. Soccer. 2010. New York: Marshall Cavendish Benchmark. ISBN: 9780761444602.

This story is mostly about how to play soccer. It shows how you are supposed to pass the ball, and they also show lots of positions and interesting pictures. You are also supposed to read the words that are under the pictures because you can understand it a lot better. The photographs are very interesting, and they capture pictures that you never thought photography could capture. They show action and lots of other stuff. My favorite part is when the pictures show famous soccer players. I do recommend this to other kids like my little brother. He is 10 years old. All ages interested in soccer would enjoy this book.

A.B., 5th Grade, Lagrange Elementary

Blast of Gas: the Secrets of Breathing, Burping, and Passing Gas

Stewart, Melissa. Blast of Gas: the Secrets of Breathing, Burping, and Passing Gas. 2010. New York: Marshall Cavendish Benchmark. ISBN: 9780761441557.

This book is about breathing, burping, and passing gas. I liked it because it tells how you make yourself burp. (You are supposed to suck in air down your throat.) I learned from the book what gases are in the air: nitrogen, oxygen, and carbon dioxide. I learned the people can hold their breathe in for a minute. A world record is 15 minutes and 2 seconds. The book had both artwork and photographs. I like the pictures. They are real and neat. It shows a lot of art also. I would recommend this book to ages 5 to 17.

D.M., 4th Grade, Lagrange Elementary

Mimi's Dada Catifesto.

Jackson, Shelley. Mimi's Dada Catifesto. 2010. Boston: Clarion Books.

My book is about a cat that is homeless, but the cat gets in big trouble and destroys something that belonged to an artist. The cat wrote a letter to the artist, and the cat got a home. I say the art is great. I just love the art; it is so good. The book is great because that cat gets to go everywhere. I would recommend this book to ages 8 to 12.

W.B., 4th Grade, Lagrange Elementary

The Sandwich Swap

Abdullah, Queen Rania Al. The Sandwich Swap. 2010. New York: Disney-Hyperion Books. ISBN: 9781423124849.

I knew what the book was going to be about. The title is The Sandwich Swap. I knew it was going to be about sandwiches. It's about two girls who were friends. One friend had a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, and the other friend had a hummus sandwich.The illustrations took up the whole page. I would recommend this book for ages 7 to 10.

N.A., 5th Grade, Lagrange Elementary

The Monster Princess

MacHale, D.J. The Monster Princess. Aladdin 2010. ISBN: 9781416948094.

"Deep in a cave there is a story it seems, of a sweet little monster with very big dream. She wished she was pretty. She wished she could dance. She wished to be special and this was her chance." This is how the Monster Princess begins. The princess pretends to be her friend but really tricked her, and they played a horrible joke that broke Lala's heart and spoiled her dreams. Then she saved them from a monster and they tried to be her friend. The End. The illustrations are great art. They shows a lot of action, feelings and color. I like the part when the girls first see the monster princess and they almost faint.

D.M. 4th Grade, Lagrange Elementary.

Naked Mole Rats

Petrie, Kristin. Naked Mole Rats. Abdo. 2010. ISBN: 978-1-60453-738-3.

This story is about naked mole rats. It is about when a queen makes baby mole rats they stay with her for ten weeks. The queen can have 300 to 800 little rats. In Africa some people call the naked mole rats "sand puppies". Naked mole rats live happily in zoos and even in several national parks in Kenya. Some photographs have little puppies eating and some have where they live, where they sleep, and what they look like. This book also explains where they can be found. My favorite part is when it tells about the babies.

K.K. 4th Grade, Lagrange Elementary.

Recording

Witmer, Scott. Recording. Abdo. 2010. ISBN: 978-1-60453-6942.

My book is about how music is recorded. It tells about equipment, music studios and home recording. This book has many photographs. This book was ok. I would recommend it to kids that are into music.

D. 4th Grade, Lagrange Elementary.

Chinchillas

Handford, Tom. Chinchillas. Heinemann. 2010. ISBN:9781432938529.

This is a nonfiction story and it tells about the life of chinchillas and how their bodies work. It also tells how they use their feet and what happens when they eat. It tells us what colors they are and what happens if they nip or scratch someone. I think they used photographs to illustrate this book. I like the photographs because chinchillas are adorable and small. My favorite part is when the baby chinchilla is drinking milk from the mom chinchilla. I recommend it to my sister because I know she would like it. I think kids 9 and up would really enjoy this book.

K.D. 4th Grade. Lagrange Elementary.

Rain School

Rumford, James. Rain School. Houghton Mifflin. 2010. ISBN:9780547243078.

Rain School is about the first day at school in Chad, Africa and the students have to build their own school. They did not know how at first, but it did not take long and they were happy when they got to sit inside and learn. Well I think it is a very good book and I think children would love it very much in many way. Rain School has very good art in it. I love that there is white in the color because it looks nice. I love it so much and others will too. I recommend Rain School to young girls and boys that love the outside and school. I think a lot of people will love this. It is great in many ways.

T.M. 4th Grade, Lagrange Elementary.

I Repeat, Don't Cheat

Cuyler, Margery. I Repeat, Don't Cheat. 2010. Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing. ISBN: 9781416971672.

This story is about a girl named Jessica who was worried about everything: like falling off of her bike, seeing aliens in the backyard, and getting bit by a spider and feeding her dog Wiggles. The art is colorful and cartoonish and the colors are bright. I didn't really care for this book because they did not spell things right and the pictures were bad because of the lines in the hair and stuff but besides that it was good. I recommend this to my sister because she would like it.

A. W., 5th grade, Lagrange Elementary

The Rooster Prince of Bestov

Stampler, Ann R., The Rooster Prince of Bestov. Clarion Books. 2010. ISBN: 9780618989744.

My book, The Rooster Prince of Brestov, is about a prince who had more than he wanted. The prince is in the middle of a lavish lunch when he jumped out of his chair, ripped off his clothes and shoes, and squatted on the marble floor and said buck-buck-buck. He clucked scratching the marble floor with his toes and pecking at crumbs. My book has a lot of colors in it and has a lot of designs in it with the colors. I like the book I reviewed. It was a very nice book to read and I think it would be nice if my cousin Kayla would read it.

K.S. 4th grade, Lagrange Elementary.

Elephants

Schwabacher, Martin. Elephants. 2010. New York: Marshall Cavendish. ISBN: 9780761443438.

My book was about elephants, and it was interesting. Elephants are the largest living land animals on earth. Elephants are so big, they can grow taller than one whole school bus. Plus I like that they compared African elephants and Asian elephants, and I see thay are complete opposites. I don't really have much to say about page 17. I hate the people who killed them. I would recommend this book to animal lovers.

H.R., 4th grade, Lagrange Elementary

Sneezenesia

Lucke, Deb. Sneezenesia. 2010. Boston: Clarion Books. ISBN: 9780547330068.

Sneezenesia is about a boy who sneezed so hard he forgot a lot of stuff, like his own name. He also forgot what his mom looked like. He sneezed so hard he forgot where he was and how he got there. He sneezed so hard that things he learned came out of his nose like an "eight," then a "six" and then a "two." He sneezed Pilgrims planting corn and a hanky's worth of Presidents. He sneezed all of his thoughts out, but how will he get them all back in? The illustrations are mostly on black backgrounds and some of it rhymes. I can't pick one favorite part because I liked it all.

T. L., 4th grade, Lagrange Elementary

Once Upon a Royal Superbaby

O'Malley, Kevin. Once Upon a Royal Superbaby. Illustrated by Kevin O'Malley, Carol Heyer, and Scott Goto. New York: Walker & Company. 2010. ISBN: 9780802721648.

This book has three stories in one. First, two little kids, who we don't know their names, are told by their teacher to write a story together. The other story is about a royal superbaby who helps save people. The third story is about a queen, Tenderheart, who got married. The baby has superpowers and can talk to birds. Eventually the superbaby saves his mom and dad, the queen and king, by swooping in on the queen's unicorn and rescuing them and the family was finally together. The art in this book is a cartoon and I recommend this for anyone to read. It doesn't matter if you are old or young. I think this was a good book and I like books with cartoon characters. My favorite part was when the superbaby was saving people from things like the cyclops and my favortie picture is the one where the superbaby was on the motorcycle looking cool with everyone around him.

S.S. 5th grade, Lagrange Elementary