The Boy on the Bridge

The Boy on the Bridge
By Natalie Standiford
New York : Scholastic Press, 2013, Ages: 8th grade to High School age

In this book, Laura, an American college student, decides to spend a semester aboard, studying Russian in the Soviet Union. She is faced with many unique obstacles and meeting Alyosha, a native who changes her experience.

The writing style was definitely for older students because there are bigger words. Some knowledge about Would War II and the Soviet Russia is also assumed to be known.

There are no illustrations in the book aside from the front cover, which shows an accurate scene from the book.

I liked the book a lot. It kelp me on my toes, curiously anticipating what would happen next. I wouldn't recommend it for younger middle school students though because of the love interest and the rule breaking in the book.

Reviewer: N.W., BGSU Student   

Psych-out!

Psych-out!
By Kenny Abdo, illustrated by Bob Doucet
Edina, Minn. : Magic Wagon, c2014

In Edwin West Elementary fourth grader Jon Gummyshoes is the main detective.  If anyone can solve mysteries, it is Jon!  Jon does not seem like he has a clue of what he is doing until it clicks with him solving cheating and stealing mysteries.

The author used an interesting writing style that kept me engaged.  It was mysterious, so I did not always see what was coming.  It was also quite adventurous for me to read.

I thought the illustrations were great.  They were exactly what I pictured while reading the text.  It was nice getting a visual every so often.

I thought this was a great book to read and I enjoyed it.  It was engaging, but some parts got boring.  I do recommend this book, but more specifically to 7-8 graders who are interested in crime and solving problems.

Reviewed by Billy Fial

43 Old Cemetery Road: Book Five- Hollywood, Dead Ahead

Hollywood, Dead Ahead
By Kate Klise
Boston: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2013

This story is about a trio leaving Ghastly for Hollywood in California for an opportunity at stardom. Once these three get there, they realize how quickly the big world changes them. One person, Olive, has been kicked out of a script. So Olive comes up with a way to scare the director badly! The author's writing style is suspenseful and compelling. She did a wonderful job making me want to read more. The suspenseful way she left things, just made me want to read more! The illustrations were actually awesome! It was like I was reading and looking at a newspaper at times. This book had a unique layout which I had never seen before. I even loved the text font! I really enjoyed this book and did not experience any boredom while reading it. I wanted to flip to the next page quickly to see what would happen next. I recommend this book to any student, grades 5 through 7 who are interested in anything! Every student will love to get their hands on this book, particularly theater students!

Reviewed by Billy Fial

Wyatt Burp Rides Again

Wyatt Burp Rides Again
By Greg Trine, illustrated by Frank W. Dormer
New York:  Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2012, Ages 6-9

This is a story about a girl detective who is bored because there are no crimes to fight. To fix this problem, Jo builds a time traveling machine to go back and catch Wyatt Burp. Wyatt is a strange character who can blow bank doors off with his burps.

The story had great voice and is easily understandable.

 The illustrations support the text very well. The primary medium is pencil. Although they are simple, they help to tell the story.

I really liked the book. I think other kids would enjoy it especially the ones who like numerous stories. I definitely think this book is more designed for boys who like adventure and humor. But definitely a good read for all.

--Reviewed by A. Baker

Adele: Grammy-Winning Singer & Songwriter

Adele:  Grammy-Winning Singer & Songwriter
By Lisa Owings
Minneapolis:  ABDO, 2013, Ages 10-14

This story is a biography about the challenges faced by a young singer/songwriter, the accomplishments and relationships she had. The book also identifies significant life events of Adele during her career and lifetime up until 2012.

The verbs "extensive," "crushed" and "cultivating her own unique sound" are words and phrases that grabbed my attention while reading this book. The style in particular is more straight forward, using some forms of metaphors and humor to entertain the reader.

There were pictures illustrating the text that portrayed the progression of Adele's life. The primary medium is pictures with vibrant colors. The illustration that I believe is the most effective was of her singing on page 72. This describes the emotion and passion Adele displays and wants others to see.

The book meets my expectations. I only wish the book had more failures of Adele in her music career, this would add more validity to the author's argument of Adele being so successful. I would recommend this to other kids because it is enjoyable and not too in-depth reading. Kids or young adults from about 10-14 would be interested in this biography.

--Reviewed by S. F.

Charlie Bumpers vs. The Teacher of the Year

Charlie Bumpers vs. The Teacher of the Year
By Bill Harley, illustrator by Adam Gustavson
Atlanta, Ga. : Peachtree Publishers, 2013, Age 8-11

Charlie is the main character who causes a lot of mischief at home and at school.  His is going into the fourth grade and gets the teacher Mrs. Burke, who he doesn't want. Throughout the book, he gets to know his teacher and decides that he likes her.  Charlie has a lot of mishaps throughout the book, which makes it very comical.

The book is written through Charlie's point of view. which adds to the silliness of the book because we hear his internal dialogue.  Most of the book is dialogue that Charlie has with other characters which engages the reader.

The illustrations are black and white and are prevalent throughout the story, not pictures on every page, but they are there when important things happen in the story.  I really enjoy the illustrations because they are well done and give the reader something to look at while reading.

I think that this a fun book that many students would enjoy.  I would say that is directed towards middle school age students, and maybe younger because it is a pretty easy read.

Reviewer: M.L.

Radio Girl

Brendler, Carol. Radio Girl. Holiday House: New York, 2013.

This book is about Cece Maloney, a young girl with dreams of being a radio star. When she breaks the rules and gets a radio job, she realizes there is a lot more to it than she thought. Taking the job also left her with more problems to solve the she started with.

This book is written in the style of a middle school student, which I think would make it enjoyable from them to read. The book is easy to follow along with and there are not too many big words.

There were no illustrations inside the book, but the front cover is a perfect resemblance of the books inside content. The photo on the cover looks like it was taken in the 30s, but it fits the story.

I liked the book a lot! It had issues that many young kids deal with such as boys and relationships, arguments with parents, and many more. I would definitely recommend this book to school kids in 5th or 6th grade. 

Reviewer: NW, BGSU student

Hiding Phil

Barclay, Eric. Hiding Phil. New York: Scholastic Press, 2013.

This story is about a two children who meet an elephant named Phil. They become friends and want to keep Phil. The children decide to hide Phil from their parents. When the parents find the elephant, they want to make him leave, but after getting to know him, they decide to let their children keep Phil.

The author's writing style is fun and short. The author's tell the story through think bubbles, which makes it easy to tell who is talking throughout the story.

I think the illustrations are great. They are very cute, and I think you can almost tell the story just through the illustrations.

I would recommend this book for young readers or for a preschool story time. It has great pictures and has a fun story young students could relate to about wanting pets.

Age range to which this book would appeal Pre-K to K

Reviewer: Stephanie, BGSU Student

Danny, Who fell in a Hole

Danny, Who Fell in a Hole
By Cary Fagan, illustrated by Milan Pavlovic
Toronto : Groundwood Books/House of Anansi Press, 2013, Age 7-10

Danny was going through some tough times when his parents decide to split. Hearing the news about getting rid of their dog, Danny decides to run away. Danny falls into a construction site hole where he meets a delightful mole who helps him with the changes that are taking place in his life.

Short and sweet. The author really got to the point while being successful.

The primary medium is detailed pencil. There is not a lot of illustration, but enough to help tell the story.

I really enjoyed reading this book. I not only recommend it to kids, but also adults. Even though being so simple, it shows that there is always a light at the end of the tunnel...or hole. Definitely a GREAT read!

--Reviewed by A. Baker

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

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

By Lisa Mullarkey, Illustrated by Gary LaCoste

Minneapolis, MN: Magic Wagon, 2013

A young boy who is eagerly waiting for his old friend to move back to town is shocked that the friend has changed! Upon moving to town, the friend emerges as a bully. The author's writing style relies heavily on quotes and did not use many colorful words for describing things. There was one line used frequently throughout the text, which was" of course he did." The illustrations were done in black and white and appeared to be done in pencil. They were a bit cartoony but did a good job capturing movement and actions. I would recommend this book to students starting middle school. Not only is it an entertaining read, but also teaches a good lesson throughout.

Reviewed by Steven Brooks

A Brave New Mouse: Ellis Island Approved Immigrant

Horender, Philip M, and Guy Wolek. A Brave New Mouse: Ellis Island Approved Immigrant. Minneapolis, Minn: Magic Wagon, 2014.

This book told the story of a time traveling mouse, named Maximilian, who is trying to get back home. On his journey, he meets a new friend, Ashling, who is traveling from her home in Ireland to the great country of America.
The author uses detailed sentences and colorful language to grab the attention of the readers.

The illustrations are detailed and portray the story well.

I enjoyed reading this book.  I would recommend it for social studies classes and for students who are interested in history books that have extra excitement in them.

This book would appeal to ages 8-12 year olds

Publisher: Magic Wagon

Reviewer: Lyndsey Jones

Surfing Safari

McKenzie, Precious, and Marc Mones. Surfing Safari. Vero Beach, FL: Rourke Educational Media, 2013. 

In this story the children go on a surfing adventure.  When they start paddling out to sea, they notice what look to be fins.  As they paddle closer they make a surprising discovery.
The author has a lot of commentary between the camp advisor and the children.
The illustrations are very bright and colorful.  They are also cartoon-like and children love them.
I do recommend it to kids because it was funny and seemed like a real-life situation so kids will love it.  The illustrations grab your attention so that will attract the children.  The text is very easy to read so first - fourth grade would be perfect.
This book would appeal to ages 6-9

Reviewer: BA

A Brave New Mouse: Ellis Island Approved Immigrant

A Brave New Mouse: Ellis Island Approved Immigrant

By Philip Horender, Illustrated by Guy Wolek
Minneapolis, MN: Magic Wagon, 2014

A time-traveling mouse, who is trying to locate a new home for his family, finds himself aboard a ship heading for America. On this ship he meets a little girl whose family is looking for a new home as well. The author uses lots of descriptive and colorful adjectives to really add feeling and meaning to the story. This comes into play primarily when the author is describing the mouse and the little girl's emotions. The illustrations in the book were all done with what appeared to be black and white. They were all fairly realistic looking and added more meaning to the story, especially the Statue of Liberty. I was not a huge fan of this book, although it was written very well. It just wasn't for me. I would recommend it to 6th or 7th grade students who want something to read.

Reviewed by Steven Brooks

TJ Zaps the One-Upper...

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

By Lisa Mullarkey, Illustrated by Gary LaCoste

Minneapolis, MN: Magic Wagon, 2013

This is a story about a 4th grade boy named TJ who is bullied by someone who he believed to be his friend- Danny. The story is all about what TJ does to stop Danny from one-upping and cell phone bullying. The author uses simple terminology and easy to understand phrasing to make the story fun and enjoyable for everyone. The illustrations are simple yet eye-catching and tell the story well. I enjoyed this book and would recommend it for children who are entering into the middle grades. It would be a good tool to use to help them understand bullying, its effects, and how to take action against bullying.

Reviewed by Lyndsey Jones

Animal Classification

Animal Classification
By Jenny Fretland VanVoorst
Minneapolis, MN: ABDO Publishing Company, 2014

In this book, the author discusses how animals are classified and includes history and even tips for ways to remember the information that is included. She uses brief sentences and clear examples so readers can better
understand the information. The pictures of the animals are very colorful and there are also charts included throughout the book. This title would work well for children ages 9-13. It is educational and full of helpful tips. In addition, I love that the author provides websites with applicable games.

Reviewed by Christie Burkett

Climate and Weather

Climate and Weather
By Carla Mooney
Vero Beach, Florida: Rourke Educational Media, 2013

In this book, the author discusses factors that influence weather and climate. She uses simple sentences and the vocabulary words are made bold. These vocabulary words are then defined in a glossary at the end of

the book. The illustrations consist of photographs, diagrams, and charts. I think this book would be good for children ages 8-12. Also, the book would be great for those interested in science and weather. This title was educational and the information was useful in relation to the topic.

Reviewed by Christie Burkett

Horrid Henry

Horrid Henry
By Francesca Simon, illustrated by Tony Ross
Minneapolis, MN : Spotlight, 2013, Ages 6-9

This story is about Horrid Henry and different stories about his life. The main characters are horrid Henry and his brother Perfect Peter. The first story is about Henry trying to be perfect for the day. The other stories are about Henry being horrid while is brother is being perfect and how Henry tries to get his way.

The author uses alliterations to describe every person in the book who has a name:  Horrid Henry, Perfect Peter, Lazy Linda and Moody Margaret. The first line of the book illustrates the use of alliterations, "Henry was Horrid." And when his mother says, "Why can't you be perfect like Peter?"

The pictures in the book are done in pencil and are fun sketches. Pages 2 and 3 depict Henry and Peter perfectly. The pictures on those pages really help develop our imagination of what Peter and Henry would look like and how horrid Henry really is.

When I read this book I put myself in the mind of a fourth grader, and loved it! The book may have been fairly easy for a fourth grader to read, although it is still a book I would read to my students if I was teaching about alliterations. Henry is around the readers' ages and the readers should be able to understand not being perfect if they have a younger sibling. The readers may relate to doing an activity they do not like but are forced to go to, just like Henry. I cannot wait to read a few of the stories to my class to teach about alliterations.

--Reviewed by M.K.B.

Daisy's Defining Day

Daisy's Defining Day
By Sandra V. Feder, illustrated by Susan Mitchell
Toronto : Kids Can Press, 2013, Ages 7-10

Daisy's Defining Day is a story about a young girl who loves words. She loves to write new and fun words in a journal. One day a younger boy begins calling her Lazy Daisy. this upsets Daisy and she starts on a journey to create a new name using an alliteration, which is what she is learning about in school.

Sandra Feder uses alliteration and rhyming to catch the reader's attention. She also uses verbs like "groaned," "stomped" and "chanting" to help the reader visualize the action in the story. When Daisy was upset about being called "lazy," the author used this opportunity to again show the reader how amazing words can be and to use alliteration to engage the reader. One example is when she wrote:

To make herself feel better, Daisy turned to her favorite things--words. She thought about alliteration and tried to come up with words that not only started with the same letter or sound but also fit well together. Soon she had a list called "Perfectly Paired Words." "Bouncy Balls" and "Chunky Chocolate" were on the list along with "flying flags" and "summer sun."

I enjoyed reading this book. I believe it would be a good choice for students learning about alliteration. It could also be used to discuss inappropriate name-calling or even positive self-image. I believe that it showed Daisy as an empowered young girl who chose to not listen to the negative speech, but find her own positive words to describe herself. This would be a good book for children in 3-5th grade when many of these types of behaviors can be prevalent.

--Review by M.K.B.

Look on the Bright Side

Reed, Cristie. Look on the Bright Side. Vero Beach, Fla: Rourke Educational Media, 2013.

The story is about being happy and looking on the bright side during difficult situations.It explained what some feelings may be and why.

They make it so the child can think and relate to situations they have had and how they should feel or could feel.

Most of the illustrations are of children in various places looking happy. The children seem to be staying positive during activities.

This could be a great book for a student who has difficulties is certain situations. I would recommend this book for any young student  who may have depression or just needs a pick-me-up.

Age ranges to which his book would appeal: K to 3rd grade

Review: Stephanie, BGSU Student

Kevin's Big Book of Emotions

Slegers, Liesbet. Kevin's Big Book of Emotions. Clavis, 2013.

This story is about a boy named Kevin who explains his emotions. It is a very relatable book for young kids and kids with intensive disabilities.

The author's writing style is excellent for young students or older students with disabilities. 

The illustrations are very appealing and thoroughly explain what emotions look like in terms of body language. 

This book would be great to teach social skills to young children and children with a k-z cognitive ablities. I would teach this book with a bigger lesson on social skills and talking about how to treat others.

HK, BGSU student