false 92 1664 718 true 5623365 read 2 true 448113 currently-reading 945 true 448112 to-read 746 false 1003684 young-adult-and-adolescent-lit 414 false 1203211 multicultural-kid-and-ya-lit 355 false 1203190 picture-books 313 false 1006365 fantasy 296 false 2897148 z-to-be-reviewed 194 false 2812309 realistic-or-urban-kid-and-ya-lit 184 false 2812184 strong-girls-and-women 174 false 1003656 teacher-resources 170 false 1203201 black-kid-and-ya-lit 165 false 1003696 childrens-lit-chapter-books 146 false 2676587 adult-books 135 false 1776162 lgbtq-kid-and-ya-lit 133 false 1006371 science-fiction 131 false 1134264 historical-fiction 112 false 1203286 latino-or-hispanic-kid-and-ya-lit 98 false 1006387 horror-supernatural 80 false 2812286 romance-ya-and-adolescent-lit 74 false 1134263 non-fiction 71 false 1003687 graphic-novels 69 false 1925595 alternate-format-fiction 62 false 1925293 fairy-tales-and-folk-lore 47 false 1925133 the-arts-in-kid-and-ya-lit 47 false 1846910 asian-kid-and-ya-lit 44 false 2676726 nyra-2010-books 42 false 2812849 printz-award-winners 41 false 2110302 nature-and-environmental-kid-and-ya 39 false 2110286 sports-kid-and-ya-lit 32 false 1897703 christian-kid-and-ya-lit 29 false 1897771 muslim-and-arab-kid-and-ya-lit 28 false 1421442 nyra-2009-books 24 false 1203197 favorite-young-adult-books 22 false 2812447 laugh-out-loud-funny 21 false 2812284 mental-illness-kid-and-ya-lit 21 false 1897770 jewish-kid-and-ya-lit 20 false 1846913 native-american-kid-and-ya-lit 19 false 2897152 disability-kid-and-ya-lit 17 false 1925128 math-kid-and-ya-lit 15 false 2812365 white-allies-in-kid-and-ya-lit 12 false 1925132 science-kid-and-ya-lit 12 false 4783367 bilingual-kids-and-ya-lit 10 false 2812181 wordless-books 9 false 1897642 buddhist-kids-and-ya-lit 1 false 4783244 adoption-kid-and-ya-lit http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/75524785 to: Moonlight: The Halloween Cat (Paperback) by Cynthia Rylant
bookshelves: picture-books
This is a very simple picture book about a cat who loves Halloween. We follow the cat as she skulks about on Halloween night and finds some candy. even though the text is sparse and the story simple, there is something endearing about Moonlight that makes you forget all of the bad stereotypes about black cats.

The acrylic and colored pencil illustrations are beautiful done in large bold strokes that brighten the nighttime setting. ]]> http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/18330697 to: Skippyjon Jones in the Doghouse (Paperback) by Judy Schachner
bookshelves: picture-books
The second adventure of the tempestuous Siamese kitty who thinks he is a Chihuahua version of Zorro, is a fun story of an overactive imagination. When the hyperactive, misunderstood Skippyjon Jones gets in trouble and has to spend dinner time in his closet, he goes on an adventure that lands him in the dog house where he must defeat a dreaded bobble head.

But, the writing is not as strong as the first book. The songs seem forced and there is a random encounter with a bean-spitting ancient chihuahua that is never explained and very out of place. Also, my concerns about lingualism and stereotyping still persist (see my review of the first book in the series).

Schachner’s colorful and exciting illustrations of the adorable, big-eared Skippy are half the fun of the story and, I am convinced, why the kids love the books as read alouds. ]]> http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/75522940 to: The Deaf Musicians (Hardcover) by Pete Seeger
bookshelves: disability-kid-and-ya-lit, multicultural-kid-and-ya-lit, realistic-or-urban-kid-and-ya-lit, the-arts-in-kid-and-ya-lit
This is a good story, but I think it could have been better written and described. The message of overcoming adversity and participating in institutions that are closed off to you because of a disability--in this case, deaf people learning to be musicians--is inspiring. The story centers around Lee who is a jazz piano player who steadily goes deaf and can't keep up with the other musicians. He thinks that music is over for him, but he learns sign language and with some of his deaf friends begins to make music through sign language. At least I think the band operates through sign language, that is never made clear.

The illustrations are bright and simple paints. ]]> http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/75522248 to: Somewhere in the World Right Now (Reading Rainbow Book) by Stacey Schuett
bookshelves: asian-kid-and-ya-lit, black-kid-and-ya-lit, latino-or-hispanic-kid-and-ya-lit, multicultural-kid-and-ya-lit, picture-books
Designed to be a bedtime story, the book also discusses the worldwide system of standard times and has a map at the beginning and end showing how time changes around the world in the 24 time zones.

But, the book is also a beatuiful lullaby about how people throughout the world are both different and similar. The repeated line, "somewhere in the world right now" serves as a guide through countless countries and across the United States looking at how people live at any one moment on the earth.

The pictures are all bordered by colorful maps that show where the action is taking place. The illustrations are detailed colored pencil and pastels in rich, earthy colors. Each page is intricate. ]]> http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/75521998 to: Cowboy and Octopus (Hardcover) by Jon Scieszka
bookshelves: picture-books
This is a strange book about an odd-couple friendship between a cowboy and an octopus. Told in short Vignettes, there are multiple stories in the book that don't really fit together other than the fact that they star Cowboy and Octopus. The humor is at times too subltle and at times obtuse. I am not sure many students would get it.

The illustrations are zany collages that student will find interesting--especially when Octopus is in a tut and has a wand and when there are real pictures of beans, beans, and more beans. ]]> http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/75521462 to: 10 Trick or Treaters (Hardcover) by Janet Schulman
bookshelves: math-kid-and-ya-lit, multicultural-kid-and-ya-lit, picture-books
A simple counting book that follows 10 trick-or-treaters throughout the night as one-by-one they are scared off by monsters. The book serves its purpose, getting students to practice counting. The last page is a counting page with pieces of candy to help count to 10.

The illustrations look computer generated with children who have giant round heads, a la South Park. There are a lot of pastel colors despite the spooky night's setting. ]]> http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/75520906 to: In November (Hardcover) by Cynthia Rylant
bookshelves: picture-books
A nice book to read about fall and Thanksgiving. The book starts talking about how animals are affected by the fall and ends with a family Thanksgiving get together. The text has strong rhythm and is very lyrical.

The illustrations are in oil and paper and create larger than life animals on bright autumn-colored backgrounds.
]]> http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/75520623 to: Henry and Mudge and the Bedtime Thumps (Henry & Mudge) by Cynthia Rylant
bookshelves: childrens-lit-chapter-books, picture-books
A simple chapter book where Henry and Mudge his dog go to Grandma's house. Henry is worried that Mudge will make a bad impression and be forced to sleep outside.

The pictures are cartoon, pastel, water color.

This is a simple story designed for early transitional readers. The love between the dog and boy are evident and may appeal to young animal lovers.

]]> http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/75519852 to: Seen Art? (Hardcover) by Jon Scieszka
bookshelves: alternate-format-fiction, multicultural-kid-and-ya-lit, picture-books, the-arts-in-kid-and-ya-lit
This is a unique and fun creation by partners-in-crime, Scieszka and Smith, all centered around the miscommunication of a small boy who is looking for his friend Art. But, when he asks adults "Have you seen Art?" Their misinterpretation of his question leads him across a grand tour of the Modern Museum of Art (MoMA). He gets a great art lesson along the way, real paintings are recreated on the page and described by a comical variety of MoMA patrons. All the while little Art remains flustered and frustrated until an epiphany moment at the end which is centered around a fantastic collage of modern art.

The illustrations are typical of Lane Smith's interesting collages of painting, pictures, and patterns.

I really like the sense of humor in this book and the multiple opportunities to bring in outside resources to study any of the pieces or artists discussed in the book. ]]> http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/26826847 to: Baloney (Henry P.) by Jon Scieszka
bookshelves: picture-books, science-fiction
Giant, Bold words fly accroos the pages of this sci fi story for kids. An alien is late to school and tells the teacher some tall tales about why he is late. The tales are filled with extra-terrestrial events and made up words but reflect similar stories told by human children.

It might be fun for older elementary students to work on guessing what the made up words mean in English or to make a Martian-English dictionary (even the verso is in partial Martian). But, younger kids or ELL students may be confused.

The illustrations are bright and whimsical, the alien boy cute. The collage style of the pictures allows for extra details that astute students will enjoy. ]]>