Parent's Guide to Children's Books

Louisiana's Way Home

noreply@blogger.com (Julie) — Wed, 01 Jul 2020 20:35:00 +0000

Written by: Kate DiCamillo

Interest Level: Grades 4-6

AR Level: 4.5 (Worth 5 pts)

Lexile Level: 630

Summary: Louisiana Elefante doesn't know why she is in a moving vehicle, in the middle of the night, crossing the border from Florida into Georgia. All she knows is Granny woke her declaring, "The day of reckoning has arrived." Granny's plan, whatever it is, seems to go awry when she is suddenly overcome with a toothache so painful she cannot drive. Twelve-year-old Louisiana takes the wheel and hilariously exits the interstate into a small southern Georgia town where a dentist finds it's not a tooth that is the problem, it's all of them! The terrible situation leaves Granny with no teeth and Louisiana forced to fend for herself, which she seems to be accustomed to anyway. As Granny heals in a motel bed, Louisiana looks for a way to get back home. But things go from bad to worse when Granny suddenly disappears leaving only a letter full of secrets behind and Louisiana feeling more lost than ever.

Review: Kate DiCamillo, among the best children's writers of all time, tells the story of Louisiana, a character from her book Raymie Nightingale. Written in first person, Louisiana narrates her sad and tragic story with spunk, heart, and humor. DiCamillo flawlessly weaves together the many layers of Louisiana's life, both past and present, into a delightful and exciting read. Louisiana's Way Home is a funny and touching story of a girl lost, both physically and emotionally, but with the help of good adults and great friends, finds her way back home (sort of). This is the second book in a series of three: Raymie Nightingale, Louisiana's Way Home, and Beverly, Right Here.

Profanity:

None

Potentially Inappropriate References:

None

Potentially Inappropriate Behaviors:

Granny leaves Louisiana in Georgia

Burk steals items from hotel vending machine

Burk stands on roof of motel

Burk and Louisiana climb motel sign

Burk skips school

The reverend smokes a pipe

Louisiana lies

Parental Concern Rating:

0 out of 5

Front Desk book review

noreply@blogger.com (Julie) — Sat, 16 Nov 2019 01:08:00 +0000

Written by Kelly Yang

Awards and Recognition:
Asian/Pacific American Award for Children's Literature
Parents' Choice Gold Medal Fiction Award Winner
NPR Best Books of the Year
Kirkus Reviews Best Books of the Year
Publishers Weekly Best Books of the Year
Washington Post Best Books of the Year
Amazon Best Books of the Year
School Library Journal Best Books of the Year
Bookpage Best Books of the Year
New York Public Library Best Books of the Year
Chicago Public Library Best Books of the Year
Top Ten Debut Novels 2018 - ALA Booklist

Interest Level: Grades 3-7
AR Level: 4.5 (worth 9 pts.)
Lexile Level: 640

Summary: Ten year old Mia Tang is a Chinese immigrant living at the Calivista Motel with her parents who are the motel's new managers. Promised a $150 a night paycheck, Mia and her family think their American dream, to live in a house, have a dog, and eat unlimited hamburgers, is about to come true. Unfortunately, the unscrupulous motel owner, Mr Yao, changes the agreement, paying her parents half as much and making them work around the clock to keep the motel going. While her parents clean rooms all day, Mia manages the front desk where she meets a wide range of characters including a businessman, a drunk, the weeklies, and a few thugs. Life at the Calivista is difficult, and Mia desperately wants to change her family's circumstances. She has a plan to make it happen, but with so many obstacles in her way, it seems like an awfully long shot.

Review: Front Desk is a relevant, realistic fiction story about the harsh reality of the immigrant experience in America. Based on author Kelly Yang's childhood, the book features a large and lively group of diverse characters. Though not a dark story, it does highlight the mistreatment of immigrants, racism, and has some minor violence. Readers will be inspired by the ever-persistent Mia who never gives up and always keeps a positive attitude. Parents, teachers, and librarians may find it hard to recommend to younger readers because, although the reading level is 4th grade and the main character is 10, the subject matter is more suitable for grades 6-8.

Profanity:
Hell
Damn

Things to be concerned about:

Mia steals her dad's coin collection and sells it (for a noble reason).
Uncle Zhang is treated like a slave.
Mr. Yao cheats the Tangs.
Mia goes to a stranger's house.
Mia's mom is assaulted by thugs.
Mr. Yao is racist.
Mia is grabbed by a drunk man.

Troubling references:
Racist remarks about Hank, a black man.

Parental Concern: 3 out of 5

The Very Cranky Bear Book Review

noreply@blogger.com (Julie) — Fri, 09 Feb 2018 01:18:00 +0000

Written by: Nick Bland

Illustrated by: Nick Bland

Book Review: Four furry friends, Zebra, Lion, Moose, and Sheep, escape the rain and cold by ducking into a cave to play. Unfortunately, the cave is already occupied by a cranky bear! When the friends wake the cranky bear, he scares them back outside. Zebra, Lion, and Moose (leaving Sheep out) hatch a crazy plan to cheer up the cranky bear in hopes he'll let them come back in. The comical outcome doesn't get the response the friends were hoping for, but sheep has a better plan that saves the day. Written in rhyme, Nick Bland's The Very Cranky Bear is one of a series. The artwork is filled with soft, neutral colors. Each page is engaging and portrays friendly animal characters with expressive faces that young readers are sure to enjoy.

Interest Level: Grades Pre-K-2
AR Level: 2.9 (worth .5 pts.)
Lexile Level: 710

Profanity:
None

Potentially Inappropriate Behavior:
None

Potentially Inappropriate References:
None

Parental Concern Rating:
0 out of 5

Counting by 7s

noreply@blogger.com (Julie) — Thu, 09 Nov 2017 00:10:00 +0000

Written by: Holly Goldberg Sloan

AR Level: 5.6 (worth 10pts)
Lexile Level: 770
Interest Level: Grades 5-8

Book Summary: Twelve-year old Willow is a "highly gifted" girl who loves nature, studying diseases, and counting by 7s. "Almost everything interests me," she says. She has no friends and starts middle school outside her district to get a fresh start. Things are not going well at Sequoia Middle. Willow earns a perfect score on a standardized test and is accused of cheating. Instead of worrying her parents, she takes the punishment, which includes counseling every week. Dell Duke, the school counselor is unprofessional and unfit for his job. He knows it. Willow knows it, too. At counseling she meets Mai, the sister of a Quang Ha who is a fellow counselee. Just when things are looking up, everything falls apart. Willow's loving and supportive parents suddenly die in a car accident. She has no next of kin. Mai begs her mother to take Willow in. Mai's mother, Pattie, reluctantly agrees but insists its only temporary until the state can find suitable foster parents for Willow. Stunned and empty, Willow wades through the grief and getting back to a new normal. She no longer counts by 7s or focuses on the dangers of germs and disease. Willow's living situation could change at any second, but while she waits for a foster family, she makes the best of an uncomfortable situation.

Book Review: Though 378 pages, Counting by 7s is a quick read. The story moves rapidly and readers will get invested in the interesting and mysterious characters. The tragedy and sadness experienced by the main character, Willow, are dealt with in a tasteful and appropriate way. Counting by 7s depicts an unlikely family (a single mom, her two teens, an inept school counselor, and a heartbroken, orphaned tween) who, whether they realize it or not, somehow make each others lives better.

Profanity: None

Potentially Inappropriate Behaviors:
Willow keeps secrets from her parents.
Willow runs away.
Dell and Quang Ha channel surf for shows with violence ("a cartoon man gets stabbed in the eye with an ice pick") or "appealing females" a.k.a. "hot girls."

Potentially Inappropriate References: None

Parental Concern:
1 out of 5

Ribbit Book Review

noreply@blogger.com (Julie) — Wed, 01 Nov 2017 10:08:00 +0000

Written by: Rodrigo Folgueira

Illustrated by: Poly Bernatene

Book Summary: A family of frogs find a pig in their pond who only says, "Ribbit," so they seek the advice of a wise old beetle who suggests that maybe the pig wants to be friends.

Book Review: When a large family of frogs wake to find a "surprise visitor" in their pond, they are confused. Their confusion grows when they try to speak to the pig, but pig's only reply is, "Ribbit!" Forest friends find the situation funny, but the frogs are feeling angry. The chief frog steps in and exclaims, "We're not getting anywhere by fighting! We must go and find the wise old beetle. He'll know what to do." The wise old beetle helps the frogs see the solution is simple and leaves it up to them to fix their pig problem. Ribbit is rich in engaging dialogue and uses varying font sizes to convey the emotions of the characters. The watercolor illustrations in Ribbit are colorful and fresh. The background of each page is filled with Earth tones and a texture similar to a woven blanket. Pay special attention to the forests animals, whose eyes and mouths are perfectly expressive and humorous.

Interest Level: Grades Pre-K-2
AR Level: 2.1 (worth .5 pts.)
Lexile Level: AD500L

Profanity:
None

Potentially Inappropriate Behavior:
None

Potentially Inappropriate References:
None

Parental Concern Rating:
0 out of 5

The War that Saved My Life

noreply@blogger.com (Julie) — Sat, 07 Oct 2017 23:22:00 +0000

Author: Kimberly Brubaker Bradley

AR Level: 4.1 (worth 9 pts.)
Lexile Level: 500
Interest Level: Grades 6-8

Book Summary: Ada has never left the London flat where she lives with her mother and brother, Jamie. Ada is not allowed to leave; her abusive mother doesn't want anyone to see her "crippled" daughter. In the summer of 1939, when World War II could begin at any second, parents are sending their kids to the English countryside to escape the impending bombing of city. Jamie is going, but Ada's mother, Mam, refuses to let Ada go. "They're sending kids to live with nice people. Who'd want you? Nobody, that's who. Nice people don't want to look at that foot," says her mother. Ada's will is stronger than her disability and on the morning her brother is to leave, she sneaks out early with him, boards the train and rides off into a new life. Things are better with Susan, their reluctant guardian, but even though Ada has escaped her mother, she can't escape the trauma of her past.

Book Review: Bradley weaves fascinating historical facts into an already engaging story of an abused girl who shows herself and the world that she is as valuable as any "normal person." Readers will find Ada relatable and inspiring. Though some of the details of Ada's life with her "mam" are disturbing, the author moves passed the rough subjects quickly and appropriately.

Awards and Recognitions:
Newberry Honor Book
Sunshine State Young Readers Award 2017-2018

Profanity:
Slut
Hell (written in dialect as "'ell")

Potentially Inappropriate References:
None

Potentially Inappropriate Behaviors:
Mam slaps Ada
Mam locks Ada in a cupboard
Ada ties up Jamie briefly, but immediately feels sorry.
Mam is emotionally, verbally, and physically abusive.
A teacher ties Jamie's left hand to his chair (he's left handed and the teacher insists he write with his right hand).

Parental Concern: 2 out of 5

The Summer I Saved the World in 65 Days

noreply@blogger.com (Julie) — Sun, 04 Sep 2016 02:26:00 +0000

Author: Michele Weber Hurwitz

AR Level: 3.5
Lexile Level: 530L
Interest Level: 6th to 8th grade

Awards and Recognition: Sunshine State Young Readers Award nominee 2016-2017

Book Summary: Thirteen year old, Nina, still mourning her beloved grandmother's death, is inspired by her grandmother's "Simple Truths" theory that good things happen when they are supposed to. This, combined with her 8th grade teacher's last words before summer, "It's the ordinary things that go unnoticed that end up making a difference," convinces Nina the time for good things to happen is now. Her goal is to perform 65 good deeds before summer's end without anyone knowing. While Nina is busy fixing everyone else's problems, her problems seem to be piling up. Her parents are never available, her brother is always M.I.A., the neighbors are getting suspicious, and her best friend Jorie only has time for her when the more popular kids aren't around. But worst of all, Jorie has a mission of her own: Score a date with Nina's secret crush, Eli, for homecoming.

Book Review: The Summer I Saved the World in 65 Days has little to object to. It's a story of a good kid doing good things, while managing her own teen relatable problems. The language is clean, the actions of most the kids are reasonable, and the only things parents might be uncomfortable with are two kisses between 13 year olds.

Profanity: None

Potentially Inappropriate Behaviors:
Kissing in the park
Kissing in the street
Teens break into a vacant house to hang out.
Nina lies to her parents.

Potentially Inappropriate References: None

Parental Concern:
1 out of 5

A Big Guy Took My Ball!

noreply@blogger.com (Julie) — Sun, 15 Sep 2013 00:14:00 +0000

Author: Mo Willems

AR Level: 0.5
Lexile Level: AD270L
Interest Level: Pre-K - 2

Book Summary: In A Big Guy Took My Ball!, Gerald is outraged when Piggie tells him some big guy took the ball Piggie just found. "What makes those big guys think they are so big?! Well, I am big too! I will get your big ball from that big guy," exclaims Gerald the elephant. Things are not what they seem, though, and Gerald and Piggie both learn a lesson about what it's like to be the "big guy."

Book Review: In his usual style of simple pictures, minimal words and lovable characters, Mo Willems delivers another entertaining edition to the Elephant and Piggie Book series. Readers will laugh while learning that sometimes first impressions are all wrong.

Profanity: NONE

Potentially Inappropriate Behaviors: NONE

Potentially Inappropriate References: NONE

Parental Concern Rating: 0 out of 5 (0 = no concern, 5 = major concern)

Nerd Girls - The Rise of the Dorkasaurus

noreply@blogger.com (Julie) — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 21:24:00 +0000

Author: Alan Lawrence Sitomer

AR Level: 4.7 (worth 7pts)

Lexile Level: 660

Interest Level: Grades 6-8

Book Summary: Standing up to the ThreePees (a group of popular girls) is never a good idea. But Maureen is fed up with their cruelty and decides to do something about it. Unfortunately, her attempt to stop a prank ends up on YouTube where she comes off as a total loser, definitely not heroic. One good thing does come out of Maureen's selfless act. She gains two new friends.

Maureen (AKA: Mo), Alice (AKA Allergy Alice, Q), and Barbara (AKA: Beanpole), are three self-described middle school nerds. Maureen is the fat one. Alice is the quiet one. Barbara is the clumsy one. The ThreePees taunt and harass the "Nerd Girls" on a daily basis. Tired of the tormenting and sick of seeing the ThreePees win the annual talent show year after year, the three girls band together to win the talent show and knock the ThreePees down to size. However, there are several problems with their plan, the biggest being that they don't have a talent. The "Nerd Girls" begin a mission to find a talent, overcome their fears, and win!

Book Review: Reading Nerd Girls is like running track, it seems like you're going somewhere, but in the end, you are right back where you started. I love a good underdog story, but these underdogs don't make any progress! The characters are stereotypical of nerd girl teenage comedy movies. (Like Clueless and Mean Girls.) Allergy Alice is so awkward and weird that she often takes insults as jokes and her only response is a clueless, "You're funny." She says this a lot. And Barbara (Beanpole) is a klutz who, annoyingly, runs into and trips over everything, repeatedly. She always follows with, "I'm okay, I'm okay." Another character is portrayed as hopelessly stupid. Why would anyone write about girls this way? There is quite a bit of trashy talk in Nerd Girls, all of it sexual. The girls talk about "tongue kissing," several times. Sometimes, it borders on vulgar, if not completely stepping over the line. At least it's all talk, though, and no action.

Profanity:
None

Potentially Inappropriate Behaviors:
Bullying
Name calling
Intimidation
Lying
Destruction of another's property

Potentially Inappropriate References:
"Lick its crouch." This is in reference to the robot and what it can be programmed to do.
"Tongue Jason." This is in reference to kissing a boy, which never actually happens.
"They see those, both of them." This is in reference to large breasts and the reasons why boys like mean girls.
"Tongue kissing."

Parental Concern Rating:
3 out of 5 (0 = no concern, 5 = major concern)

Dying to Meet You

noreply@blogger.com (Julie) — Fri, 25 Nov 2011 23:13:00 +0000

Author: Kate Klise

Illustrator: M. Sarah Klise

AR Level: 4.9 (worth 2 pts.)
Lexile Level: 730

Interest Level: Grades 3-5

Book Summary: A grumpy old writer moves into a dilapidated mansion for the summer so he can complete the last book in his series: Ghost Tamers. Ignatius B. Gurmply quickly realizes he is not living in the Old Cemetery Road mansion alone. Eleven year old Seymour occupies the entire third floor and Olive, a ghost, occupies pretty much any part of the house she wants. With creaky floors, slamming doors, and falling chandeliers, Ignatius finds it hard to focus on his writing. But, help arrives in the most unusual way.

Book Review: Dying to Meet You is quirky and imaginative, not at all the scary ghost story its title would have you believe. Readers will find its format a fun change of pace. Each page is a letter from one character to another. No one really talks to each other, not even the characters who live a floor apart. The characters are interesting and surprisingly real, even the dead one. Illustrations are abundant, appealing to all types of readers.

Awards and Recognition:

Sunshine State Young Readers Award 2011-2012 (Florida)

Profanity:

None

Potentially Inappropriate References:

None

Potentially Inappropriate Behaviors:

Mild violence when Olive drops a chandelier on Ignatius

Parental Concern:

0 out of 5

Middle School: The Worst Years of My Life

noreply@blogger.com (Julie) — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 23:38:00 +0000

Author: James Patterson

Book Summary: Rafe Khatchadorian sees middle school as prison. He figures there's only two things you can do to survive: Make people think you are crazy so they don't bother you or keep your head down and try not to get noticed. In the past, Rafe's way was to lay low, but this year he's mixing things up. Rafe is on a mission to break all the rules from his middle school's boring code of conduct book. The only rule he follows is the one he made for himself: Nobody gets hurt. His best friend, Leonardo the Silent (he rarely speaks), has assigned points for each rule Rafe breaks. Being late for class scores him 10,000 points, destruction of school property gets him 35,000 points, and so on. The game is going well until the school bully finds the Operation R.A.F.E. (Rules Aren't For Everyone) plans and holds them for ransom - giving each page a price.

Book Review: Middle School: The Worst Years of My Life is definitely a must-read on the reluctant reader's list. It's told in first person, but talks directly to the reader at the same time. The main character, Rafe, does a lot of things parents would deem inappropriate (Hopefully our kids would, too!), but there is more going on than just a kid looking for attention. This story has depth. It addresses issues like bullying and abuse by adults, as well as by kids. It also covers death and the trauma it can cause to a child. For such deep subjects, Patterson keeps things light and doesn't dwell on anything too much for the reader to handle.

Interest Level: Grades 4 - 8
AR Level: 4.5 (worth 4 pts.)
Lexile Level: No listing

Profanity:
None

Potentially Inappropriate Behaviors:
Vandalism
Pulling the fire alarm
Chewing gum in class
Purposely breaking rules
Disrupts class
Fights

Potentially Inappropriate References:
None

Parental Concern Rating:
4 out of 5

Alvin Ho: Allergic to Girls, School, and Other Scary Things

noreply@blogger.com (Julie) — Wed, 27 Jul 2011 23:04:00 +0000

Author: Lenore Look
Illustrator: LeUyen Pham

Summary: Second grader, Alvin Ho is afraid of a lot of things: elevators, substitute teachers, wasabi, thunder, shots.... Sometimes Alvin is so afraid of things that he cannot speak. School is one of those things. "My voice works at home. It works in the car. It even works on the school bus. But as soon as I get to school...I'm as silent as a side of beef," says Alvin. Since Alvin is afraid of so many things, he considers himself allergic and carries his own PDK (Personal Disaster Kit.) The PDK includes things like a bandana to "prevent smoke inhalation" in case he starts a fire with the mirror and magnifying glass, also in his kit. It's hard to make friends when you don't speak at school, but Alvin is determined to find a way. Unfortunately, his bad decisions lead to disasters that not even the PDK can fix.

Review: Mishaps and misfortune fill the pages of Alvin Ho: Allergic to Girls, School, and Other Scary Things. It's just what reluctant readers crave. Kids will love the jams Alvin gets himself into. Alvin gets stuck upside down in a tree for hours, takes dad-mandated piano lessons from a scary old lady, gets in big trouble with his parents, insults his psychotherapist, and gets involved with a small time gang. Parents will like that the family is whole, with loving, supportive parents involved in their children's lives. Pictures are plentiful and so is the fun. (This is book 1 in a series of 3, so far.)

Interest Level: Grades 2-4
AR Level: 3.8 (worth 3 pts.)
Lexile Level: 600

Profanity:
None

Potentially Inappropriate References:
None

Potentially Inappropriate Behavior:
Alvin borrows things without asking
Alvin insults the psychotherapist with Shakespearean babble: "Get thee gone, thou beshibbering onion-eyed flap-dragon!"

Parental Concern Rating:
0 out of 5

Horton Halfpott: or The Fiendish Mystery of Smugerwick Manor or The Loosening of M'Lady Luggertuck's Corset

noreply@blogger.com (Julie) — Sat, 11 Jun 2011 18:50:00 +0000

Author: Tom Angleberger

Summary: M'Lady Luggertuck's servants notice something different, a curious loosening of the rules which coincidentally starts when M'Lady's loosens her corset. The usually controlled manor quickly gets out of control. Certain things start disappearing, including the Luggertuck's Lump (the world's biggest uncut diamond) and M'Lady's best wig. The situation gets crazier when inept Detective Portnoy St. Pomfrey is called in to catch the culprit. For his part, Horton Halfpott, an unlikely suspect, is a kitchen boy in the stuffy English manor. He works hard for nearly nothing. He never breaks the rules. But when M'Lady's evil son, Luther puts an evil plan in motion to kidnap Miss Sylvan-Smythe, Horton learns sometimes the rules have to be broken.

Review: Hotron Halfpott is not your average lowly servant in a stuffy castle book. Yes, there are deplorable conditions for the servants, a greedy, villainous son, and a little romance between an unlikely pair (though the author makes it a point not to dwell on that part). But author, Tom Angleberger breaks all the rules with Horton Halfpott. He writes in first and third person at the same time. He even speaks directly to the reader. "Plus, he asked himself with horror, what if he lost a week's wages or much worse, his job? Ah, yes Reader, I know what you are thinking." I can't leave out the curious capitalization of random words throughout the book. Or the 21 funny characters who infuse this mystery with comedy. Horton Halfpott is a light read with a good mystery, lots of comedy, and just a little romance.

Special Note: The audiobook version of Horton Halfpott is superbly narrated by Ron Keith whose use of a multitude of voices is nothing short of impressive, not to mention, highly entertaining.

Interest Level: Grades 3 - 6
AR Level: 5.8 (worth 5 pts.)
Lexile Level: 880

Profanity:
None

Potentially Inappropriate References:
None

Potentially Inappropriate Behaviors:
Stealing
Ms. Neversly hits Horton with a spoon
Kidnapping
Lying
Pirates force someone to walk the plank
Horton is pushed into a mud

Parental Concern Rating:
1 out of 5

The Kind of Friends We Used to Be

noreply@blogger.com (Julie) — Tue, 26 Apr 2011 20:47:00 +0000

Author: Frances O'Roark Dowell

Summary: Marylin and Kate used to be the closest of friends, but lately they can't find much in common. At the start of 7th grade, the two girls find they've both had a transformative summer. Kate is suddenly into guitars and songwriting. She wears black, clunky, combat boots and faded jeans. Marylin is on the cheerleading squad, is friends with the popular girls like "Meanest Cheerleader Ever," Mazie Calloway, and subscribes to fashion magazines. Plus, Kate hasn't been able to completely forget how Marylin treated her "like dirt," last year. As the school year progresses the two old friends head off in different directions, neither approving of the other's path. But the two girls come together when Marylin decides to run for Student Government Representative and Kate becomes her campaign manager, much to the annoyance of Mazie. The more they are together, the more they wonder if their friendship can ever go back to what it used to be.

Review: The Kind of Friends We Used to Be is a realistic story of junior high school girls who are drifting apart as they start to discover who they really are. Readers will find the characters familiar, if not entirely relatable. The content is appropriate for young girls 9 years and up. However, whether intentional advertising or artistic brand name placement, there are many references to specific companies and brands, like Food Lion, Target, Play Doh, Star Wars, etc... This is a slice of life type of book where the story picks up already in progress and ends much the same way. Don't expect any clear cut decisions to be made or for the story to neatly wrap up. The Kind of Friends We Used to Be ends without any resolutions to any part of the story which may leave some readers feeling cheated. Since this book is a sequel to The Secret Language of Girls, maybe we can assume the story was left hanging to make way for a third installment.

Interest Level: Grades 5 - 8
AR Level: 5.8 (worth 6 pts)
Lexile Level: 950

Profanity:
None

Potentially Inappropriate Behavior:
Kate watches shows she's not allowed to on MTV.
Name calling (mild)

Potentially Inappropriate References:
None

Parental Concern Rating:
0 out of 5

Children Make Terrible Pets

noreply@blogger.com (Julie) — Mon, 04 Apr 2011 21:08:00 +0000

Author: Peter Brown

Summary: When Lucy, the bear, finds "the cutest little critter in the whole forest," she can't resist taking it home. She names him Squeaker and promises she'll take care of him. Lucy's mother is unhappy to see that Lucy has brought home a child! She asks, "Don't you know children make terrible pets?" Lucy and Squeaker become fast friends, but the good times are short-lived when Lucy begins to discover her mother might be right.

Review: The roles are reversed in this clever tale of a bear named Lucy who finds a boy in the woods and wants to keep him as her pet. Just as people know bears don't make good pets, Lucy finds children aren't ideal pets either. They are messy and hard to control, and ultimately belong with their own kind. Brown's illustrations use warm colors that create a nostalgic feeling. The pictures are clean and uncluttered. Brown concentrates only on the action of the story and leaves the background blank on most the pages.

Interest Level: Grades K-2
AR Level: 1.8 (worth .5 pts.)
Lexile Level: Not listed

Profanity:
None

Potentially Inappropriate Behavior:
Child ruins furniture (as a pet might)
Child swings from chandeiler

Potentially Inappropriate References:
None

Parental Concern Rating:
0 out of 5

Turtle in Paradise

noreply@blogger.com (Julie) — Fri, 18 Feb 2011 19:15:00 +0000

Author: Jennifer L. Holm

Summary: Set in 1935, Turtle in Paradise is about a young girl who is sent to live with her Aunt Minnie in impoverished Key West, Florida. The story picks up at the "height of the Depression," which has left most of the island's inhabitants on "public relief." Aunt Minnie isn't expecting Turtle and neither are Turtle's three cousins, Kermit, Beans, and Buddy. Kermit and Buddy welcome Turtle, but Beans is a little less inviting.The boys are part of the Diaper Gang, a group of boys who babysit babies for candy, and although no girls are allowed, Kermit convinces them to let Turtle tag along. The Diaper Gang quickly teaches Turtle about Key West and its residents, most of which are Turtle's family - even a grandmother Turtle was told had died years before. At her grandmother's house, Turtle finds a map to hidden pirate gold on an island nearby. She shares it with the Diaper Gang. They borrow a boat (without telling anyone) to go look for the gold, but one of the boys forgets to throw in the anchor and the boat drifts away. The kids are stuck on a island and no one knows where they are. To make matters worse, a hurricane is coming.

Review: Turtle in Paradise is an entertaining work of historical fiction and a Newberry Honor book. Holm adds interesting facutal details of life in Key West before tourism took over, like having to shake out shoes to look for scorpions and rum running. Key West's oldest famous resident, Ernest Hemingway, even has a part. Turtle in Paradise packs several surprises and some twists the reader will likely never see coming. Aside from an elaborate prank on a few enemies of the Diaper Gang and some fights among friends, there really isn't much to object to. Readers will learn a little history while being thoroughly entertained.

Interest Level - Grades 3-6
AR Level - 3.7 (worth 4pts)
Lexile Level - 610

Profanity:
None

Potentially Inappropriate References:
None

Potentially Inappropriate Behaviors:
Two boys fighting
Pulling pranks - Boys use a rock on string to scrape across people's roofs to make the people think it's a ghost.
Taking a boat without asking
Tricking the ice cream man out of money

Parental Concern Rating: 0 out of 5

Bink & Gollie

noreply@blogger.com (Julie) — Thu, 27 Jan 2011 23:56:00 +0000

Authors: Kate DiCamillo & Alison McGhee
Illustrator: Tony Fucile

Book Summary: There's Bink: short, messy, laces untied, clothes sometimes matching, hair never combed. Then there's Gollie: Tall, clean, laces tied, clothes always matching, hair mostly combed. These two friends have a lot of differences, but somehow they stay the best of friends. Bink and Gollie, is made up of three short stories. The first follows Bink and Gollie rollerskating into a store where Bink buys colorful striped socks that she loves, but Gollies hates. In the second story, Gollie is on a great imaginary hiking adventure inside her house, while Bink is outside the door trying to get Gollie to let her in. In the third story Bink gets a fish, but Gollie is jealous and afraid the fish will replace her.

Book Review: The Odd Couple for kids; that's how I'd describe Bink and Gollie to parents. The pictures make the book with bright colors and sketches that bring the story alive. The dynamics between Bink and Gollie are depicted with great humor. "The problem with Gollie," said Bink, "is that it's either Gollie's way or the highway. My socks and I have chosen the highway." This book is good, clean fun.

Interest Level: Grades K-2
AR Level: 2.5 (worth .5 pts)
Lexile Level: 310

Profanity:
None

Potentially Inappropriate References:
None

Potentially Inappropriate Behavior:
None

Parental Concern Rating: 0 out of 5

The Mailbox

noreply@blogger.com (Julie) — Sun, 23 Jan 2011 22:53:00 +0000

Author: Audrey Shafer

Book Summary: In The Mailbox, Gabe Pace comes home on his first day of 6th grade to find his Uncle Vernon dead on the floor. Afraid of being sent back to foster care, Gabe does nothing. He goes to school the next day as if nothing has happened, but when he returns home he finds Uncle Vernon's body is gone and a note in the mailbox that says: "I have a secret. Do not be afraid." Next, the mystery letter writer leaves Gabe a dog, named Guppy, a bag of dog food, and another note that says, "I want to help you." In the days that follow, Gabe finds that he can manage pretty well on his own. He takes care of the house, the dog, and gets himself to school. No one suspects a thing. That is, until Uncle Vernon's body is discovered.

Book Review: The Mailbox is a captivating story of survival and mystery. The truth is revealed a little at a time and the story comes to a satisfying end. Some parents may be uncomfortable with the way the Gabe finds his grandfather and that he sleeps next to his grandfather's body the first night. Watered down depictions of violence during the Vietnam War may concern some parents, as well. Overall, the story is told with realism, but also with thoughtfulness. Nothing in the book is too harsh for readers 12 years and up.

Interest Level: Grades 6 - 8
AR Level: 5.0 (worth 6 pts.)
Lexile Level: 790

Profanity:
None

Potentially Inappropriate References:
"His nuts were cut off." Janet defines what makes a horse a gelding.

Potentially Inappropriate Behavior:
A veteran recounts a story of another soldier who shot an armed Vietnamese boy during the Vietnam War.
Two people imply a veteran shot himself in the head, possibly trying to kill himself.
Lying

Parental Concern Rating: 2 out of 5

Crash

noreply@blogger.com (Julie) — Fri, 21 Jan 2011 22:13:00 +0000

Author: Jerry Spinelli

Book Summary: John "Crash" Coogan, freshman football hero, is a bully. His favorite victim: "The happy little accident," from down the street, Penn Webb. The thing about Webb is he doesn't seem to notice or even care about the pranks Crash pulls on him. Being obnoxious and playing football is all Crash really cares about until Crash's grandfather, Scooter, comes to live with Crash and his family. When Scooter suffers a stroke, Crash begins to make a transformation that no one expected, least of all himself.

Book Review: Crash is a hard character to like. He's obnoxious, rude, and plain mean. He buries his mother's pansies at 5 years old. He torments his neighbor, Penn Webb, for 10 years. He never passes up an opportunity to humiliate another student. He fills Webb's shoes with mustard in school. Three quarters of the book he is an angry, selfish, arrogant, bully. Crash rarely suffers any consequences for his actions. If Spinelli is trying to teach kids a lesson, he fails. Crash becomes a good guy in the end, but his transformation happens so fast that it leaves no time to explain why.

Interest Level: Grades 4 - 6
AR Level: 3.6 (worth 4 pts.)
Lexile Level: 560

Profanity:
Damn

Potentially Inappropriate References:
Damkauf (translates to dumb head in German)

Potentially Inappropriate Behavior:
Lying
Bullying
Hitting
Fighting
Stealing
Threatening

Parental Concern Rating: 4 out of 5

The Strange Case of Origami Yoda

noreply@blogger.com (Julie) — Fri, 14 Jan 2011 02:53:00 +0000

Author: Tom Angleberger

Book Summary: In The Strange Case of Origami Yoda,Tommy can't decide if the origami Yoda Dwight made is clairvoyant or a really good prank. If it is a prank, wonders Tommy, how does a total loser like Dwight pull it off? Origami Yoda is giving solutions to hard problems like how be liked by classmates, and it's working. Dwight, who digs holes in his backyard and then sits in them for no apparent reason, can't be smart enough to know the answers to life's toughest tween-age questions. Tommy starts a file of incidents involving Origami Yoda's advice and then analyzes them. He asks his friends to do it, too. He makes comments on each case, as does his skeptical friend Harvey. In fact, fed up with Origami Yoda and his faithful followers, Harvey makes his own Origami Yoda and gives opposite advice. Both Yodas give Tommy advice about Sara, the girl he likes. Dwight's Yoda say, "Likes you, she does." Harvey's Yoda says, "Hates you, she does." Tommy has to figure out which one is right before he makes a move that could pay off big time or end in complete humiliation.

Book Review: The Strange Case of Origami Yoda is written with the same appeal as the Diary of a Wimpy Kid books. It uses a variety of fonts, small sketches, and humor. It doesn't linger too long on any one event. The pace is quick. The Strange Case of Origami Yoda also adds alternate views with engaging, sometimes hilarious, character narratives. This book will be another favorite of reluctant readers.

Interest Level: 3 - 6 grade
AR Level: 4.7 (worth 3pts)
Lexile Level: 760

Profanity:
None

Potentially Inappropriate References:
Pee - "It's not pee, it just looks exactly like pee."

Potentially Inappropriate Behavior:
Cheating on a test - the kids hear from Origami Yoda that they should study for a pop quiz.
Kids consider Dwight to be "clueless," and a "loser."

Parental Concern Rating:
1 out of 5

We Are in a Book! Book Review

noreply@blogger.com (Julie) — Sun, 02 Jan 2011 00:56:00 +0000

Author and Illustrator: Mo Willems

Book Summary: When Elephant gets a sneaking suspicion he and Piggie are being watched, Piggie takes a closer look and discovers us, the reader! Once Elephant's shock wears off, he and Piggie decide to have a little fun by making the reader say a certain fruity word. It's all fun and games until they discover the book will end in 10 pages. Quick thinking brings a satisfying end to all.

Book Review: They're on to us! We readers, that is. The latest installment of the Elephant and Piggie books, We're in a Book!, is perhaps the funniest one so far. Readers will feel part of the story as Elephant and Piggie control what they read and say, and even ask a favor at the end. Mo Willems captures surprise, delight, fear and happiness in each sketched depiction of his clever characters. Willems is the best at taking a limited vocabulary (suitable even for kindergartners) and creating an engaging and unique story. This is not an easy thing to do! Every beginning reader should have Elephant and Piggie books to practice with.

Interest Level:
Pre-K - 1st grade

AR:
Not listed

Lexile: 200L

Profanity:
None

Potential Inappropriate References:
None

Potential Inappropriate Behavior:
None

Parental Concern Rating: 0 out of 5

Olivia Goes to Venice

noreply@blogger.com (Julie) — Wed, 29 Dec 2010 22:49:00 +0000

Author/Illustrator: Ian Falconer

Book Summary: Olivia and her family take a vacation to Venice, Italy. After spending a few adventurous days taking in the historical sights, riding a gondola, feeding pigeons and eating lots of gelato, Olivia wants to get a souvenir. She considers a mask and perfume, but decides they are just not her. Just before it's time to leave, Olivia settles on a rock from the bell tower in the Piazzo San Marco, which leaves a lasting impression on Venice.

Book Review: Olivia fans will love her latest adventure in Olivia Goes to Venice which takes her across the ocean to Italy. The adorable, spunky pig takes delight in all her experiences. She is "very pleased" to be searched for weapons at the airport. She is both excited and relieved to find out there is no shortage of pizza and ice cream in Italy. Seeing the Grand Canal is so "life-changing" that she needs several gelatos to recover. Ian Falconer fills the pages with photos (some digitally enhanced) of Venetian landmarks and plenty of comic relief.

Interest Level: Pre-K - 1st grade
AR Level: 2.7 (worth .5 points)
Lexile Level: 520

Profanity:
None

Potentially Inappropriate References:
None

Potentially Inappropriate Behavior:
None

Parental Concern Rating: 0 out of 5

Diary of a Wimpy Kid - The Ugly Truth

noreply@blogger.com (Julie) — Tue, 28 Dec 2010 18:57:00 +0000

By Jeff Kinney

Book Summary: Growing up is hard and Greg Heffley is about to find out just how hard. The baby egg experiment, boy/girl parties, the "talk" from grandma, stinky pits and P.E. showers are all a part of Greg's junior high life in the newest edition of the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series. The only thing missing is Rowley, who for some unknown reason is not speaking to Greg anymore. Greg can't even remember why, but that's Rowley's problem because Greg is determined to replace his best friend and get through the school year without him.

Book Review: No one does slices of tween-age life better than Jeff Kinney. Kinney covers it all in the fifth Diary of a Wimpy Kid, this time revealing the ugly truth, growing up stinks. Avid readers of this book series will not be disappointed as, true to Wimpy Kid style, this edition has no shortage of butts, pimples, and farts. However, parents may pause over the edgier content, which lightly covers puberty. Greg and his classmate have to endure "Advanced Health," and the same sex ed video he's sure his dad watched thirty years ago. "I'm not going to describe everything that they showed in the video, because it was actually pretty disgusting. If you ask me, some of that stuff doesn't belong in a classroom," writes Greg. The good news is, if your child doesn't know anything about sex, he won't learn it from this book, and if he does, well, he won't learn anything new.

Interest Level: Grades 3 - 8
AR: 5.5 (worth 3 points)
Lexile: 1000

Profanity:
None

Potentially Inappropriate References:
Farts
Butts
Puberty

Potentially Inappropriate Behaviors:
Farting
Rioting in the classroom

Parental Concern Rating: 3 out of 5

The Curious Garden Book Review

noreply@blogger.com (Julie) — Sat, 27 Nov 2010 23:47:00 +0000

By Peter Brown

Book Summary: Liam lives in a gloomy, depressing city where nothing grows, and people stay inside. Liam finds a patch of wildflowers high above the city on an abandoned railway during his daily walk. "When he took a closer look, it became clear that the plants were dying. They needed a gardener." Liam decides he can help. "The flowers nearly drowned and he had a few pruning problems, but the plants patiently waited while Liam found better ways of gardening." As wildflowers often do, they begin to spread. They transform the dreary city into a beautiful city of color.

Book Review: The Curious Garden starts out much like the garden itself, dying for light and happiness. It doesn't take long to find hope in the little patch of dying wildflowers. Excitement follows as Liam learns to grow the garden. The painted pictures highlight the transformation from dreary to cheery. Dark, muted pictures depict a sad city and a bored Liam. As the garden grows, so does the color. Liam's gray coat is replaced by bright shirts. The hazy gray sky becomes blue. This is a beautiful story that, without preaching, shows children what can be accomplished with a little effort.

Interest Level: Pre-K - 3
AR Level: 4.4 (.5 points)
Lexile Level: AD840L

Profanity:
None

Potentially Inappropriate References:
None

Potentially Inappropriate Behaviors:
None

Parental Concern Rating:
0 (scale 0-5)

One Crazy Summer

noreply@blogger.com (Julie) — Sun, 07 Nov 2010 00:03:00 +0000

By Rita Williams-Garcia

Summary: Eleven-year-old, Delphine and her younger sisters, Vonetta and Fern, travel from New York to California to spend 28 days with the mother that abandoned them. The girls are disappointed to find that their mother, Cecil, doesn't want them there. Cecil sends the girls out each morning to get a free breakfast from the Black Panthers (a group of mostly black people who are fighting for their rights in the 60's) and tells them not to come back till sunset. With nothing better to do, the girls stay for the Black Panther Summer Camp after breakfast. It's not so bad, so they keep coming back. Delphine, Vonetta, and Fern make new friends, go on a few adventures, and learn new things about their mother.

Review: One Crazy Summer is not exactly what the title implies. The title gives the impression that the story will be fun and humorous. It is neither. It is well-written, though. One Crazy Summer shares details of life as a black person in the 60's, and, in greater detail, the life of three young black girls surviving in an unstable and unsafe environment. Rita Williams-Garcia has created characters that are so thoroughly developed that you will think you actually know them. It is the kind of story that readers will not want to wait to finish.

Interst Level: 3-6
AR Level: 4.6 (worth 7 pts.)
Lexile Level: 750

Profanity:
None

Potentially Inappropriate References:
None

Potentially Inappropriate Behavior:
None

Parental Concern Rating:
0