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July 02
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Tasha
gave  to:
The Dunderheads (Hardcover)
by
Paul Fleischman
bookshelves:
childrens-books,
picture-books
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my rating:
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read in July, 2009
Tasha said:
"Miss Breakbone hates children. She is harsh, rude, and cruel. But worst of all, she is also a teacher. She calls her class Dunderheads, and one day goes too far in taking away a broken cat from one of the children. His nickname was Junkyard and h...more
Miss Breakbone hates children. She is harsh, rude, and cruel. But worst of all, she is also a teacher. She calls her class Dunderheads, and one day goes too far in taking away a broken cat from one of the children. His nickname was Junkyard and he had found it in the trash, a perfect gift for his feline-loving mother. When Miss Breakbone basically dared Junkyard to try to get it back, the class turned to Einstein, a boy with a brilliant mind for figuring things out and the narrator of the story. The children all had talents that they are nicknamed for. Together they formed the perfect set of skills to break into Miss Breakbone’s castle of a house and retrieve the cat.
This book is a marvelous mix of impossible mission intrigue and school misfits. Fleischman has created characters that are unique, strange and great fun. His text is simple, perfect for readers in first and second grades who want a book with pizzazz but are more comfortable with lots of illustrations. Roberts’ illustrations are a large part of the book. Much of it is done with panels like a graphic novel, enhancing the feel that the book is for slightly older children than most picture books. Roberts illustrations are dramatic, silly, and suit the subject perfectly. His towering and glowering Miss Breakbone is a frightening figure indeed. The danger is heightened by his illustrations rather than diminished, much to the delight of readers.
Highly recommended, this book fits a niche for picture books that will be of great interest to newly independent readers. It is also a wonderful read aloud, filled with tension, drama and humor galore. Appropriate for ages 5-6 as a read aloud, but also appropriate for ages 6-8 as a self-read.(less)
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Tasha
gave to:
That's Why We Don't Eat Animals: A Book About Vegans, Vegetarians, and All Living Things (Hardcover)
by
Ruby Roth
bookshelves:
nonfiction
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my rating:
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read in July, 2009
Tasha said:
"A friendly introduction to veganism and vegetarianism for elementary-age children, this book focuses more on the evils of factory farming than eating animals. This slant makes it more appropriate for the young audience. The animals are portrayed as...more
A friendly introduction to veganism and vegetarianism for elementary-age children, this book focuses more on the evils of factory farming than eating animals. This slant makes it more appropriate for the young audience. The animals are portrayed as whimsical characters. The pigs have huge nostrils, the chickens stay round as an egg, and the cows are lanky with long-lashed eyes. Animals are shown in family groups, demonstrating what their natural lives would be like. This is contrasted with the misery they find on factory farms combined with the environmental toll as well. The book makes a sound, green argument for reducing animal consumption as well as eliminating factory farms.
This book deserves a place in most public libraries alongside all of those farm animal books. It offers another perspective that is missing from children’s sections in libraries. As adults learn that vegetarian and vegan diets are healthier for people as well as animals, parents will turn to libraries to help explain this to their children. It is a pleasure to find such a well-done book on the subject that provides information without the shocking images that would be too much for children.
Roth has done an admirable job of creating a book on a subject that could easily confuse and upset young readers. This book instead talks about nature, the importance of kindness, and gives children a way to make a difference right now. Her illustrations help to keep the subject from being too bleak with their cartoony feel.
Highly recommended for all public library collections, this book will be appreciated by vegetarians, vegans and others who are exploring their eating options. Appropriate for ages 8-12.
(less)
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June 30
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Tasha
gave  to:
The Little Yellow Leaf (Hardcover)
by
Carin Berger
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my rating:
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Tasha
gave to:
OK Go (Hardcover)
by
Carin Berger
bookshelves:
picture-books
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my rating:
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read in June, 2009
Tasha said:
"This whimsical tribute to recycling and the environment is perfect for toddlers and young children. The book shouts Go! immediately and readers are off following bright red sports cars as they race across the page, each filled with strange pointy no...more
This whimsical tribute to recycling and the environment is perfect for toddlers and young children. The book shouts Go! immediately and readers are off following bright red sports cars as they race across the page, each filled with strange pointy nosed or beaked creatures. Turn the pages and they get more crowded with vehicles, all clever and funny, but all pouring out exhaust. Eventually the page is simply filled with the word “go” repeating over and over again. Then come the dark clouds of smog, filling the page and a declaration to Stop! The little creatures figure out many ways that they can help the environment and still get around.
The words here are so very simple and accessible. Older children will enjoy the fold-out page with its short rhymes about what to do to be more green. Younger children will enjoy the cars screeching across the page. Berger’s illustrations, all done in recycled materials, are very clever. Even the final tips on the last page are done in a friendly tone just right for children. Berger has taken a complex subject and made it clear, clever and concise.
A very successful green picture book, this could easily be incorporated into preschool units on nature and storytimes as well. Appropriate for ages 2-5.(less)
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Tasha
gave to:
Egg Drop (Paperback)
by
Mini Grey
bookshelves:
picture-books
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my rating:
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read in June, 2009
Tasha said:
"Grey returns with another fantastical tale about an inanimate object. This time it is an egg. An egg who would not wait. An egg who would not listen. The Egg wanted to fly – like a bird, like a helicopter, like a round brown blimp. But it did n...more
Grey returns with another fantastical tale about an inanimate object. This time it is an egg. An egg who would not wait. An egg who would not listen. The Egg wanted to fly – like a bird, like a helicopter, like a round brown blimp. But it did not understand aerodynamics, so it headed up a tower to soar. At first the egg thought it was flying. But it was falling instead. Don’t despair, it did not go to waste.
Grey is wonderfully quirky in all of her picture books. Mixing in Bernoulli’s principle and aerodynamics just adds to that strange surrealism in her picture books that make them both very different and very intriguing. Her illustrations are mix graph paper with flying eggs, what’s not to love! With this book, Grey has once again expanded what picture books can be about and what they can say.
A strange and interesting picture book that does not nicely fit into units or story times, but is wonderful nonetheless. Share this one with any quirky kids you know. Appropriate for ages 4-6.
(less)
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June 29
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Tasha
gave to:
The Goodbye Season (Hardcover)
by
Marian Hale
bookshelves:
teen
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my rating:
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read in June, 2009
Tasha said:
"This is Hale’s third historical novel. Set during the 1918 epidemic, it follows young Mercy. The member of a sharecropper’s family, she is so poor that her family is forced to send her away to work for someone ten miles from them just to have h...more
This is Hale’s third historical novel. Set during the 1918 epidemic, it follows young Mercy. The member of a sharecropper’s family, she is so poor that her family is forced to send her away to work for someone ten miles from them just to have her fed. Mercy works hard and soon bonds with the couple she serves and their two hired men. But after one trip to town, one hired man is dead and Mercy is sent away for her own safety. She returns home to her family, finding the house empty and her mother and three siblings buried near the house. Mercy is now alone and penniless. She finds a job taking care of a woman and her two small children. But something is strange about the family and Mercy finds herself drawn to the older stepson who may know the answer to the mystery.
An intricate tale of loss, grief, mystery, and love, this book is well plotted and filled with surprises. Mercy is a heroine who never despairs, works incredibly hard, and makes her own way. She is gentle, sweet and yet strong and resilient. At the same time, she is conflicted and unsure often. She is a character worth spending time with in her complexity. The 1918 epidemic will fascinate teens who are hearing about swine flu around them. The devastation of the epidemic is clearly evoked without becoming graphic or overwhelming.
One quibble I have is with the cover art. Why, why, why is Mercy wearing lipgloss and mascara?! Love the hair, the face, the look, the setting. But the makeup just doesn’t work.
An historical novel that is sure to please, this book while about a 17-year-old character would be appropriate for readers as young as 12.(less)
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Tasha
gave to:
Here Lies the Librarian (Hardcover)
by
Richard Peck
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my rating:
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Tasha
gave to:
The Teacher's Funeral : A Comedy in Three Parts (Hardcover)
by
Richard Peck
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my rating:
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Tasha
gave to:
A Long Way From Chicago (Puffin Modern Classics)
by
Richard Peck
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my rating:
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Tasha
gave to:
A Year Down Yonder (Paperback)
by
Richard Peck
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my rating:
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