Johnny Appleseed: My Storyby David L. Harrison

If you are looking for a basic book for young children about John Chapman (aka Johnny Appleseed) look no further. My children and I have read plenty of different versions and I have to say that despite being a Practice Reader, David Harrison's "Johnny Appleseed: My Story" does as fine a job as any book we've read thus far in teaching about the man's life.

The book begins with Johnny's (grantedly fictional) arrival on a farm. Everyone is excited to see John again and they invite him to dinner. The two children, Will and Beth, want John to tell them one of his stories, and he says 'sure', but not before he helps dad with the wood splitting.

When they do all settle down after dinner, Johnny tells of his own boisterous childhood. How he found relief from the noise of ten siblings! in the woods, and how the woods became a second home to him.

John then goes on to describe how he set off from Massachusetts to go west, and how he fell into apple planting by accident when a cider mill gave him free apple seeds.

The book covers the harsh winters in Pennsylvania and how John planted seeds there and in Indiana and Ohio too. (It does not talk about his death.)

Talking Points:::
Five Stars. Very Good read-aloud.

"Johnny Appleseed: My Story" provides a basic history and explanation of how-and-why Johnny ended up traveling the wilderness. In addition to covering the facts in a kid-friendly manner, the book points out -- in a fun non-condemning way-- that many of the stories told about John are more myth than truth.

Here's some sample text. If you want to see more, including drawings, click on the See-a-Sample link below.

"I sold sprouts to folks
heading west in their wagons.
I sold sprouts to settlers living in log cabins.
One sprout cost
six and a half cents.

"Sometimes I traded sprouts
for clothes or food.
Some folks were too poor
to trade.
I game them sprouts for free.
I knew how it felt
To be poor.


Pam T
Somewhere in the X-burbs


Johnny Appleseed: My Story

• Accelerated Reading level : 2.4
  
• Paperback: 48 pages
• Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers (2001)
• ISBN-10: 0375812474
• See-a-Sample
  

The Prince Won’t Go To Bed! By Dayle Ann Dodds, Pictures by Kyrsten Brooker

The setting may be the royal palace, but the story is all too familiar, the stubborn toddler prince refuses to go to sleep, no matter what. The castle staff tries different methods for getting the youngster to sleep, from singing songs to giving him a fluffy pillow, to finding a soft mattress. But the only thing that finally works is when his sister comes in and gives him his good night kiss. After that, he finally goes to sleep. It’s a tried and true plotline that’s seen its share of picture books.

What makes this particular book stand out is the text that weaves the tale. Dayle Ann Dodds pens a rhyming text that reads easily aloud, and has comfortable patterns of repetition that the listener will be quick to notice. With each offered solution to get the prince to sleep, the same pattern repeats. For instance “they rub-dubbed through the castle/ they rub-dubbed through the hall/head to toe in bubbles/ Lord and Prince and all.” The pictures add to the hilarity of the scenes. Kyrsten Brooker’s style may take some getting used to, as she plays with perspective and mediums for her work, but the results are delightful. As the story plays out, it’s quite clear that the prince may be refusing to go to sleep, but he is quite delighted at the antics of his staff that are trying to coax him to sleep. The prince’s own plaint of “Waa! Waa! Waa! I will not go to bed!” becomes part of the artwork, popping off the page in vivid color, making it clear what a noise he’s making.

Brooker’s artistic style may be a bit difficult for younger viewers or large audiences to follow, given that it’s unusual and there is quite a bit of detail in the illustrations that might not be seen at a distance. But other than that that, this is a great interactive bedtime book, that children and their parents will enjoy. For other books featuring recalcitrant royalty, try King Bidgood’s in the Bathtub by Audrey Wood. And for books featuring fussy bedtimes, try Papa’s Song by Kate McMullen.

Happy Reading! ^_^ Shanshad


The Prince Won't Go to Bed!

• Accelerated Reading level : 2.6
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR) (October 16, 2007)
• ISBN-10: 0374361088

Once Upon a Cool Motorcycle Dude by Kevin O'Malley

So here I am wondering what to read to my jaded fifth graders. They don't go in for the ultra serious, they yawn through the books beloved of second and third graders. They groan when I mention poetry or nonfiction. And then this book falls into my lap. One read through and I'm hooked--and so is my fifth grade audience! Kevin O'Malley has brilliantly joined artistic forces with Carol Heyer and Scott Goto to create a book that is a commentary on story telling, the battle of the sexes, and a great graphic novel picture book yarn!

The premise of this tale is easy to absorb; two characters, a boy and a girl (probably classmates at school) are telling the readers their own made up fairy tale. Each takes a turn at the story, and offers commentary on their partner's part of the tale. The girl starts off with a flowery story of a princess and her ponies and the giant that comes and steals the ponies away. No prince seems up to the challenge. At this point, our male narrator has become heartily sick of the way the story is being told and takes over the narrative. No prince may be up to beating the giant, but a motorcycle-riding Dude with a sword just might be able to win the day. The boy continues on with his tale of action and adventure and finishes off the tale--leaving the princess doing nothing but spinning gold thread. The female narrator has her own idea of how the story should end, and it takes some work for the two to come together on an ending that satisfies them both and delights listeners. The narrative is broken into actual story text, and dialog bubbles, combining traditional picture book style with graphic novel sensibilities. This book will most likely appeal to readers already familiar with comics and graphic novels and who will be delighted to find a picture book in the same format. While this break up of text can be challenging to read aloud, older readers will have no problem following the story on their own.

But the text is hardly the whole story. The pictures are what make this book so delightful, and hysterical. A veteran artist and illustrator of over 25 children's books, Kevin O'Malley's flair is found in the cartoon style boy and girl that speak in dialog bubbles that appear throughout the main fairy tale, offering extra commentary. Mr. O'Malley's characters speak directly to the audience, breaking the fourth wall and pulling the readers/listeners into the story crafting experience. Carol Heyer is an award winning fantasy artist who has illustrated several fairy tale books for children and her talent shines through in gorgeous romanticized images of a lovely princess and her ponies. Everything is in royal hues shaded to pinks and purples. The pictures are lovely, but very "girl" and extremely saccharine--which the readers will figure out fast enough. The menacing giant doesn't look all that mean or foreboding, and the princess inhabits that "magical fairyland" quality that would be at home in most "girl-centric" advertising. Carol Heyer knows just how to play this up without making the pictures themselves comical or caricatures--they're lovely, but funny as hell when added to the text. Scott Goto also has a fantasy background to his art, but his style is bold, sweeping over the whole page and defining itself with strong colors. His Dude has a modern touch that hints of world wrestling while still managing to capture a more Conan-like spirit in the battle. Goto's giant is monstrous and hideous--in keeping with the male narrative of grossness. "And his breath smelled like rotten, moldy, stinky wet feet!" The combination of these styles as our narrators battle for control of the story highlights the differences and encourages the laughter, while giving some great artwork for the reader to enjoy. Some of this stuff would be at home in any high fantasy collection!

This book manages to highlight what could be considered traditional differences in the way male and female narratives are handled. The girl's narrative focuses on emotions and names of the ponies and more descriptive elements of the text while the boy focuses on action and big events without necessarily finishing the narrative tale. It takes both of them working together and taking elements from the other's story to come to the conclusion. Of course nothing remains in agreement for long! I will be the first to admit it is a hard book to read aloud. If you're really good at voices and humor however, this book is the perfect read for older, more cynical listeners. It took me several tries to get it to read well, but now it's the book that all my kids request. They love hearing it as much as I love telling it!

Those who enjoy this book might want to take a look at the Captain Raptor series also by Mr. O'Malley. Likewise, "Mars Needs Moms" by Berkely Breathed may appeal with its similar whimsy and powerful illustrations. And don't miss "Superhero ABC" by Bob Macleod. This comic-book style art alphabet book is sure to please those with a love of action heroes and humor.

Happy Reading! ^_^ Shanshad

Once Upon a Cool Motorcycle Dude

• Accelerated Reading level : 3.1
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Walker Books for Young Readers
  
• ISBN-10: 0802789471
• amazon

Technical Stuff
Word Count: 654
Reading Level: 3.1
Interest Level: elementary
Accelerated Reader: reading level: 3.1 / points: 0.5
AR quiz: 103997
Lexile: 550L

For books about Princesses click here!

Mister Monday (Keys to the Kingdom, Book 1) by Garth Nix

 3.76 STARS from 20,923 GoodReaders

Arthur Penhalion isn't supposed to be alive, let alone be the chosen heir for a remarkable Key and a dangerous quest. Yet, due to a set of remarkable circumstances, and a destiny that insists on being realized, this contemporary teenager finds himself given items of power he can hardly understand, and taking part in a quest he never volunteered for. Because, if he fails, friends and family may pay the price. Mister Monday is the first book in Garth Nix's new Keys to the Kingdom seven-book series.

Garth Nix's fast-paced new fantasy series for teens opens with a bang. Readers are introduced to the fact that things have gone horribly wrong in the universe. The Will, a document, and a force of some power, has been broken up and locked away by the Seven Trustees. But one piece has escaped, and it's determined to set things right again. Things move along very quickly as Arthur inherits half the key to the house of Monday. But in order to gain the full key and save his friends and family, Arthur must enter another world entirely and find a way to avoid the clutches of Mr. Monday and gain the second half of the key.

The author has created a book that rarely stops to take a breath and certainly never drags or bogs down in narrative. If this were a different kind of book, for a different audience, I might have more of a problem with the pace. But for a teen adventure fantasy story that will be seven books long? It works remarkably well. Character development may be light, but Nix is allowing seven books to completely create his characters. And while there may not be a great deal of time spent on narrative description, there's enough worldbuilding and imagination to create the kingdom of the House vividly enough. Nix pulls in more than a few of his own monsters, giving the story a fresh feel, and keeping things interesting.

On it's own, this is a delightful read with vivid characters and nonstop action. As the first book in the septet, it's a great kick-off and made me hungry to read the second. It's been a bit of a wait for the series conclusion, but I've managed it with Harry Potter, I can manage it with this series. The quest and adventure themselves are not incredibly new--most of the themes covered in this story have been touched on in fantasy before. An unlikely hero transformed, a multifaceted quest to retrieve magical items and embody a written destiny, good vs. evil, unusual allies and dangerous enemies. What makes it all work again is Nix's ability at storytelling and imaginative new spin. I have to admit, I had my doubts about picking up this author again after Lirael and Abhorsen, but this book has renewed my interest in Garth Nix as an author.

Any fantasy fan, and especially young readers who cut their teeth on Harry Potter will likely enjoy this adventure series.

Happy Reading! ^_^ Shanshad


MISTER MONDAY
(Scholastic)
(Keys to the Kingdom #1)

Reading Information:

Word Count: 74,016

Page Count:  368

Accelerated Reader: 5.9 / points: 12.0 

AR quiz: 70137

Lexile: 800L
--sample pages available
--other reviews available
--audio version available

updated by Pam
updated July 2014 

The Tortoise and the Hare by Betty Miles

This little Ready-to-Read book tells the classic story of the tortoise and the hare. (If you aren't familiar with the tale, here's the Wikipedia entry.)

The book is a primer and Betty Miles does a nice job of simplifying the story so that the message is still clear, even to very young readers. The sentences are short and there is plenty of repetition so new readers get plenty of easy practice that will build their skills and confidence.

Here's a sample of what you'll find:

Hey! Look at me!
Look at me run.

I can run faster than you, Squirrel.
Faster than you, Fox.

Faster than you, Bear.
Faster than you, Mouse.
I can run faster than anyone.

As for as artwork, Paul Meisel's illustrations are kid-friendly and appealing.

Considerations:::
All-in-all this book is good choice for a primer as it provides a message as well as reading practice.

The publisher describes this book as one for children who are "Starting to Read". The Accelerated Reading folks are more precise and have determined that this version of The Tortoise and the Hare is at the 1.0 level. Essentially it is a book meant for entering first graders.

The book is a Good Read-aloud version of the classic story. Consider getting it at the library or for the home shelves if there is hand-me-down potential.

Susan B. Anthony by Martha E.H. Rustad

If you have children in public school, you probably have noticed that they have expanded the history curriculum to be more inclusive of people who aren't male and white. As a result there are quite a few books in recent years that have been published on historic figures such as Booker T. Washington, George Carver, and Ms. Anthony. At our home, we've been reading off and on about these important individuals, but lately my daughter has become curious about Susan B. and we've looked at several books about her. I hope to review more of these books so you can compare them and figure out what might fit best into your own home curriculum, but here at least are my thoughts on Susan B. Anthony by Martha E.H. Rustad.

Rustad's book is brief and so her focus is simple. She provides what is essentially an outline of Anthony's life, and the briefest of descriptions of the issues that concerned her. The book starts off, for example, with the year and place Susan was born (1820) and then a statement that she learned to read and write when she was 3 years old. It then jumps forwards in time to say her family moved to New York in 1826, and that a short time later she went to boarding school. The next leap takes us to her adult life when she became a teacher. And it is from there that the narrative branches out to talk about matters that were important to Susan. The book does not go into depth about slavery and alcohol, both of which she thought should be illegal, but rather discusses that at the meeting halls men would not let her speak because she was a woman. The author writes,

"In the 1800s, many women were not allowed to own property. They did not earn as much money as men did. Women also were not allowed to vote. Susan fought for women's rights."

And this sentence should give you an idea of what you might find on any particular page.

Considerations:::
This small book is a nice introduction to Susan B. Anthony. Written at the Second Grade level (AR =2.4) it has large print, and photos or drawings on every other page. The photos show everything from the homes in which Susan lived (which I'm afraid no child is really going to be interested in) to pictures of slaves working the fields, as well as photos of the stern Ms. Anthony at various stages of her life (of much greater interest). Drawings include the meeting halls were issues used to be debated before television and radio, as well as women strolling down the street protesting that they can't vote.

The timeline that flows from the bottom of one page to the next is especially useful in helping children to conceptualize the flow of history (the passage of years)

At the end of the book there are "Words to Know", suggested readings, and a list of internet sites. Words include: alcohol, amendment, constitution, earn, property, slave, suffrage, and vote.

All in all, I think this is a nice little book that you can zip through in a few minutes and which will serve as a good introduction to a variety of topics, such as slavery, Women's Rights, and alcohol abuse. An adult can discuss these things in depth, or not, as is appropriate to the age of the child.

Susan B. Anthony

• Paperback: 24 pages
• Publisher: Capstone Press (2000)
  
• ISBN-10: 0736894489
• amazon
  

Technical Stuff
Word Count: 241
Reading Level: 2.4
Accelerated Reader: reading level: 2.4 / points: 0.5 / quiz: 50994


For other books on important men and women in the Civil Rights movement, see our Index.

Twelve Terrible Things by Marty Kelley

I'd like to suggest this humorous book as a library possibility. It has fabulous art and ought to appeal to kids of any age (I include myself), although, of course, the older you are the fewer times you are likely to peruse it.

No. 1 on the list, to give you an idea of the types of 'terrible' we are talking about, is dropped ice cream. I mean who hasn't, as a kid, had your ice cream slide off your cone? The picture that accompanies "Oooopsie!" shows a larger than life kid-hand, two tennis shoes, a tightly gripped sugar cone and a blob of melting strawberry ice cream on the pavement. Arrgh. That is pretty terrible.

Another example is a dentist with his probe. And a mirror where a young boy is looking at the 'hair cut' his sister just gave him. LOL... unless it's you.

Honestly this is a pretty lightweight book, but it's so much fun I'm going to suggest that you pick it up at the library as soon as you can.

Considerations:::
Actually, if you are creative you can use some of the scenarios as conversation starters. The topics of monsters under the bed, and the dentist are two examples of issues for discussion.

The Accelerated Reading designation for 12 Terrible Things is a generic "4". This means that it's been determined to be at the 4th Grade level, but the exact month has yet to be calculated.

Opposites: Big and Little by Luana Mitten

Published in 2008, this 24 page book is part of Rourke Publishing's Concept series. Other books cover colors, numbers, and shapes, but the focus of this volume is big-and-little.

The book uses bright, kid-friendly photographs where the color runs from edge to edge. And while the first example is pretty standard -- a baby contrasted with an adult woman-- it should be noted that Big and Little doesn't rely on the same old examples. In one montage, for example, the author chooses to contrast a goldfish in a bowl with sharks, turtles, and fish in a giant aquarium. And in another instance we see a hornet emerging from a small hole in some wood with the image of a rather large rabbit lounging in the opening of a huge underground den.

Considerations :::
This is a clever book that stands out from the other opposite books currently on the market. It's creative and unusual examples should especially appeal to young children who still need to do some work with "opposites" but who have grown bored with the standard sets of contrasts.

Because toddlers and preschoolers soon outgrow the need for 'comparison' books, I suggest Big and Little as a library acquisition-- unless there are other children in the family that will be able to use the book later on.

It should be noted that the "Concept" series is also available in Spanish and that the Accelerated Reading Level for this book is "1".

The Pout-Pout Fish by Deborah Diesen

I'm a pout-pout fish
with a pout-pout face
So I spread the dreary-wearies
all over the place

Well, spreading the dreary-wearies is fortunately not all that happens in this fun book and I highly recommend it as a Good Read-aloud and good story.

As for artwork, you can see that Dan Hanna's drawings are bright, whimsical, and kid-friendly. And look at our hero . Bless his heart, as soon as I saw him sitting on the library shelf, I knew I needed to take him home to see if the text lived up to the artwork. It surely does.

The story, btw, is about our really glum looking buddy. You see, despite all the efforts of his friends to shake him out of his doldrums, nothing seemed to work. That is, until someone special came along. It's down-right amazing how a kiss can change everything.

Considerations:::
This is classic sort of book which should be considered for the home shelves. With good artwork, good rhyme and lots to talk about, The Pout-Pout Fish ought to appeal to kids as old as 9. Certainly my 7 and 9 year olds enjoyed it.

The Accelerated Reading Level for Pout-Pout is 3.0. Younger children should be able to read the refrain though with some practice.

What's There to Talk About
Folks that read my reviews on a regular basis know I love books that have lots to talk about, and which are rich in language. In Pout-Pout there are many things to discuss. For very young children there are colors and expressions to point out. For older children they are the sea critters to discuss -- clams, jellyfish, crabs, squid, octopuses, starfish, urchins, and puffer fish for examples.

For all children there are the marvelous rhythms and rhymes, and a rich vocabulary. New words might include aghast, statue, astounded, kaleidoscope (of mope), and scowl, amongst others.

One of the benefits of all this syllabic play is that children will be exposed to a variety of letter sounds and phonemes. All of which has been shown to increase reading and language skills.


Check this out at the library. I'd be surprised if you don't end up buying a copy. An excellent choice for a gift.


Destined to be a new classic, The Pout-Pout Fish has delightful illustrations and great rhymes.

The End is Near! a review of Chicken Cheeks by Michael Ian Black

Chicken cheeks...

Turkey tushie... 

Duck-billed platypus gluteus maximus!

CHICKEN CHEEKS is a goofy pleasure and the type of book whose principal merit is that it is a quick read that provides some chuckles.

The artwork by Kevin Hawkes is great. You might know him from "The Librarian Who Measured the Earth", "Weslandia", and "Velma Gratch". He provides equally wonderful drawings in CHICKEN CHEEKS, and he and Mr. Black sure had my kids chuckling.

Five Star art. Three Star concept. This is an entertaining book, but to be truthful it doesn't have what I think of as 'longevity'. That is, its not a book to read over and over for years to come, so I suggest you check it out at the library before considering it as a purchase.

Pam~

CHICKEN CHEEKS
by Michael Ian Black
Illustrations by Kevin Hawkes

Page Count:  40
no AR information
Lexile: 1080L


updated August 2013

Knuffle Bunny Too: A Case of Mistaken Identity by Mo Willems

Arrgh--Somehow we managed to miss the publication of Knuffle Bunny Too. (And it came out in 2007!!)

Like so many families, we love Knuffle Bunny, and we would have snatched KB2 off the shelves if only we had known about it. Fortunately, this situation was rectified last week when we were introduced to an older Trixie with her still adorable buddy.

The story begins with Trixie and her dad walking to her preschool. It's Show-and-Tell day and Trixie is all excited about bringing Knuffle Bunny . She cheerfully chatters about who she is going to introduce him to. The day, however, doesn't go exactly as planned and..., and as much as I would love to tell you about what happened, I won't. Principally because it would spoil the fun for any of you moms and other adult-readers-to-small-ones who haven't read it yet. (If you want more info, look at the first comment. I'll spill the beans there.)

Considerations:::
Suffice it to say that KB2 was just as enjoyable as the original, and this mom was glad to watch the story unfold without any idea of where it was going.

**Good enough to consider purchasing for the home shelves.

The Accelerated Reading designation (wiki) for KB2 is 2.4; which means that the "average" 2nd Grader in the 4th month of school should be able to read it without becoming frustrated by the vocabulary.

Pam
Somewhere in the X-burbs

related posts:

Elephant and Piggie

• Pigs Make Me Sneeze!
• Elephants Cannot Dance!
• Watch Me Throw the Ball!
• Are You Ready To Play Outside?
• Today I Will Fly!

Pigeon

• Pigeon Wants a Puppy!
• The Pigeon Loves Things That Go!
• The Pigeon Finds a Hot Dog!

Other

• Naked Mole Rat Gets Dressed

Posy by Linda Newbery and Catherine Rayner

Linda Newbery likes cats. In fact, she has written at least 4 other books about cats that I know of (Cat Tales). Posy is her 5th and it is geared towards the youngest cat fanciers.

Written at the 2nd Grade level
the prose is lyrical and fun:


POSY!
She's a
whisker wiper,
crayon swiper.

Playful wrangler,
knitting tangler.

The artwork by Catherine Rayner is warm and appealing-- although I must add the caveat that with it's muted colors and abstract style it is not going to appeal to every child. (The last drawing in the book is particularly puzzling. It took us a while to figure out that it was Momma-cat cuddled up with her babies. And no, the picture to the right is not that picture :)

Considerations :::
Published in December of 2008, Posy has been given a preliminary Accelerated Reading number of "2". Which means that the book's rating will eventually be somewhere on the 2nd Grade level-- 2.0 thru 2.9.

Meant for toddlers and preschoolers, Posy is going to best appeal to children who are familiar with cat behavior since that is the focus. You should also consider how your child will react to the color palette and art style: My two older children (6 and 8) cooed over the drawings, but I have concerns that some primary-color-liking toddlers might not. The same concern applies to the mildly abstract style.

Thomas and the Great Discovery (A Golden Classic)

Yeah! Another great Thomas book.

What a gorgeous book. Granted, the copy we got from the library has one of those shiny clear covers on it, which adds to the glamour, but this is really a very nice book. [My son declared that it was "awesome".]

Besides Tommy Stubbs great drawings --which I prefer over the pictures snatched from the television show-- this book introduces a new character and some new places. The character is Stanley, and the places are Great Waterton and the mysterious Morgan's Mine.

For those of you who may not have seen the movie, in the Great Discovery Thomas stumbles upon the boarded up township of Great Waterton. Sir Topham Hatt is so delighted that he puts Thomas in charge of the repair work. Thomas' boiler almost bursts with pride, but then the unthinkable happens and he gets injured and has to go to The Works. While he is gone, Sir Hatt puts Stanley in charge, and that doesn't change when Thomas returns.

Well, as you can all imagine Thomas' funnel is deflated by this situation. But in an un-Thomas-like move, our plucky hero doesn't pout too much, but does struggles forwards, working hard to show everyone that he is really useful. Unfortunately, in doing so, Thomas ends up getting stuck in Morgan's Mine.

But don't worry, it all ends up okay in the end, as Stanley and Thomas become friends.

Considerations:::
If you, or your Steamie loving buddy(s), have seen the movie, you will note that there are some differences between it and the book. For one thing, there is no 'wild' water ride. And for another, Thomas doesn't pout as much. These differences didn't seem to be a concern with my own in-house crew.

Besides the artwork, which I've already commented on, I liked the positive themes that are in this book. There isn't the dreaded 'hate' word, nor really any sort of name calling. In addition, it's very nice that the two 'opponents' (Thomas and Stanley) end as friends. From a mom's point of view, this is just an excellent Thomas book. Highly recommend it.

Pam T
Somewhere in the X-burbs


Thomas and the Great Discovery

Reading Information:
Word Count: 1,492
Page Count: 32
Accelerated Reading Level: 3.2 / points: 0.5
AR quiz: 125779

• Publisher: Golden Books
  
• ISBN-10: 0375843825
  -- amazon
  

HOW THE MOON REGAINED HER SHAPE by Janet Ruth Heller

How the Moon Regained Her Shape by Janet Ruth Heller and Illustrated by Ben Hodson has much to offer the young reader, and indeed, any adult reading the book with the child. While it does have a strong message, which becomes quite obvious rather soon in the book, there are many little lesson packed into very few pages. This work has won multiple awards and just one reading will allow the reader to know why.

This is the story of the moon, a rather happy young lady that enjoyed dancing across the sky, laughing and twirling her skirts as she took pride in the gentle and soothing light she brought. As is so often the case, she runs into a situation that more or less shakes up and alters her world. The Sun, who in this little story is a rather nasty creature who seems quite unhappy with happy people, or in this case, celestial beings, feels the need to put her down. This is often the case with bullies, as you have probably noted in your own life. He insults the happy moon and points out her shortcomings and his superiority. This causes our happy moon to start doubting herself and, indeed, her entire self worth. We also learn that once we know our worth, even further insults, while they may hurt and cause us some anguish, can quickly be overcome by just remembering who we are and what place we hold in the world.

The author has used a folk tale mode to tell this story. She has drawn from the method of the Native American; to tell a story, using nature, to make a point. The story has certainly been influenced by this method of telling a story, but nowhere do I find that the author or artist has tried to pass it off as an authentic Native American Folk Tale. They have merely used a conveyance that has long been in use, a good example being Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, whom I doubt seriously would attempt to pass his The Song of Hiawatha as a “genuine” Native American Folk Tale or pass off The Saga of King Olaf as truly Norse. This method is a literary tool and should be taken as such.

All that being said, this is a wonderful work. As one reviewer has pointed out, it is a lesson in astronomy, a touch of history, wonderful new fable, and like all good fables, teaches us lessons. In this work, we find that we cannot let bullies rule our lives; that we all have our strong points and all contribute greatly to the world and, indeed, universe around us. We may not see or be aware of the impact of our lives on others, but nevertheless we do have an impact and we all need to be aware of it. There is, beyond a doubt, a strong feminist message in this work, something I find refreshing as it is not overbearing with the message, but rather gently and practical.

The written text is extremely readable and is ideal for a group read. This simply written text, along with the wonderful short course in astronomy found in the back of the book, which covers information about the moon and its phases, gives the parent and teacher absolute hours of material to discuss with their child; more about this later.

The text is only half the charm of this particular work though. Ben Hodson has done a wonderful job, using a Southwestern Native American motif. While certainly not absolutely authentic, it does convey the feeling and mood in rather interesting color combinations that are absolutely eye catching.

I “kid tested” this work on three different classes of second grade students and it was a hit. In fact, I was asked for second readings by two of the classes. They loved the story and loved the pictures. You cannot get a better endorsement for a children’s book than this.

The book ends with five page mini-lesson on the mood and phases of the moon. This little lesson is for adults and is written as such. The author has given us some nice projects and food for thought for the children.

All in all, the concept of this book is great. Kids love
it and it is fun to read with them. The art work is of the highest quality. I hardly see how you could go wrong with this one.

Considerations :::
How The Moon Regained Her Shape has an Accelerated Reading (AR) designation of 3.4 which means that the average 3rd Grader in the 4th month of school should be able to read it without getting frustrated by the vocabulary. It can be read aloud to any age.

The Butter Battle Book by Dr. Seuss

Well, this is the Seuss book that riles the feathers of some adults. It's got a definite anti-war theme and deals with the consequences of a military arms escalation.

Who's at war? It's the Yooks and the Zooks. Essentially the same sorts of people, they clash over whether bread should be eaten butter side up or down. The story is told from a little boys (?) perspective and is the only Seuss book I can recall that ends on an ominous note.

"Grandpa!" I shouted. "Be careful! Oh gee!
Who's going to drop it?
Will you...? Or will he..."
"Be patient," said Grandpa. "We'll see.
We will see..."

It's hard to say whether kids pick up on these various messages. My own impression is that they won't, unless you sit and have a chat with them. They will be far too busy listing to the clever rhymes and gazing at the wild Seussian artwork.

Meant for practice reading, the Accelerated Reading designation for "The Butter Battle Book" is 3.9 which means that end of year 3rd Graders should be able to read this book themselves without getting too frustrated by words they don't know.

The "Official" Interest Level is given as Preschool thru 2nd Grade, but that makes no sense given the reading level. And personally, I would say that it's more appropriate for First thru Fourth Graders.

My own two children showed moderate interest in the book and they are currently 6 and 8; boy and girl. They requested multiple reads and the book is a pretty good read-aloud. Not amongst Seuss' best, in my opinion. It IS definitely worth a read.

Considerations :::
The Butter Battle Book has an Accelerated Reading (AR) designation of 4.6 which means that the average 4th Grader in the 6th month of school should be able to read it without getting frustrated by the vocabulary. It can be read aloud to any age.

Awards: New York Times Notable Book of the Year

THE CATS IN KRASINSKI SQUARE by Karen Hess

They know
I can offer only
a gentle hand,
a tender voice.
They have no choice but to come.
They belonged once to someone.
They slept on sofa cushions
and ate from crystal dishes.
They purred,
furrowing the chest,
nuzzling the chins of their beloveds.

Thus begins this amazing work by Karen Hess and illustrated by Wendy Watson. This story was taken from a small article the author read concerning the cats of the Warsaw Ghetto during the take-over by the German Army, April 1943. A young Jewish Girl and her sister have escaped the fate suffered by so many, only because they could pass for “Polish,” and were able to avoid being confined to this area in Warsaw. They were able to smuggle food to those trapped on the other side. Having problems finding food for themselves, a plan was made to bring food in from outside the city. Somehow the Gestapo found out about these plans and made their own plans to capture those who were trying to bring the food in.

The young girl, her sister, and others gathered the now stray cats from Krasinski Square, secreted them in bundles and were waiting at the station when the smugglers brought the bundles of food into the station. At just the moment when the Gestapo closed in with their dogs, the people released the cats and in the pandemonium which followed the people were able to escape with their food bundles.

My goodness, what a lovely work, used to tell of such a horrible even in our history. The author’s flawless use of simple free verse is most effective in this case. The artist’s light, almost glowing use of the brush and color adds almost a surrealistic feel to such a dark event. To be frank, I cannot remember reading anything quite like this work.

The bravery of the little girl in the story, along with her sister and others involved in getting food to those being held is quite inspiring. Knowing of the absolute bravery of the young men and women fighting against what could arguable be the most evil a cowardly organization known in the world to that date, is inspiring beyond words. Many young men and women did escape the Warsaw Ghetto uprising to fight again another day, but many more did not. Note that I mention only “young men and women” here. The stark reality was that all the very young and the old had long since been sent to their doom at internment camps; by the tens of thousands. All that were left were those young and strong enough to work as slave labor in plants and factories.

Now I will say that this is a wonderful and well written work. I personally would not feel comfortable using it as an introduction to the Holocaust with the age group to which it is targeted which is grades two through five. If this book is read, it should be read with an adult who is familiar with the happenings of that time in general, and the Warsaw incident in particular. There is much in this little work that needs a much fuller explanation. I feel It would be best if a parent or teacher discussed these events, their beginnings and the final tragic outcome.

This is a unique work and belongs in any library, either public, school or library. I cannot say I “enjoyed” it, as I certainly did not, but I can say I appreciated it. I suspect that most who read it will be such as I, and after reflection, shed a tear or two.

Considerations :::
The Accelerated Reading designation for this book is 4.3 which means that the "average" 4th Grader in the third month of the school year should be able to read this themselves without becoming too frustrated by the vocabulary.

IF YOU GIVE A MOUSE A COOKIE by Laura Joffe Numeroff

This is the first offering of a wonderfully delightful series of like stories for children. If You Give a Mouse A Cookie by Laura Joffe Numeroff and illustrated by Felicia Bond tell the story, and the problems you might run into, if you should happen to give a overly active and demanding mouse a cookie. The story begins with a young boy innocently setting by his sidewalk in front of his house. A hungry mouse comes along and the problems begin.

This is a progressive type of tale, where one act of generosity keeps growing and growing. "If you give a mouse a cookie, he's going to ask for a glass of milk. When you give him milk, he'll probably ask you for a straw. When you give him a straw, he will ask........." And it goes on and on and on until the poor kid pretty well has a completely trashed house and is exhausted trying to fulfill the escalating requests and the subsequent mess the requests ultimately cause. A pushy mouse and cookies, we find, are not a good combination!

The text is delightfully simple and keeps you turning the pages, page after page. You actually find you self wanting to see what the little rodent is going to ask for next. The story is simple and there is no bang, bang, crash crunch plot nor ending. The only problem I find in this aspect is that in this day and age, I find some children (and even more adults), who have the attention span of ferrets on coffee and if the story is in the least bit mellow, their minds simply cannot track. This is a minor problem though, if it is indeed a problem.

The art work by Felicia Bond is quite well done and goes perfectly with the text. The pictures are simple to understand, cute and quite eye catching. I liked them.

Considerations :::
If You Give a Mouse a Cookie has an Accelerated Reading (AR) designation of 2.7 which means that the average 2nd Grader in the 7th month of school should be able to read it without getting frustrated by the vocabulary. It can be read aloud to any age.

This is one of in a series of books by this team. Others include: If you give a Moose a Muffin, If you give a Pig a Pancake, If you take a Mouse to the Movies, If you take a Mouse to School, and If you give a Pig a Party. All are as well done. I have noted in reading this book and others in the series that the kids love them and will always ask for repeat readings.

FROG WENT A-COURTIN' by John Langstaff

Frog Went A-Courtin’ by John Langstaff and illustrated by Feodor Rojankovsky was an all time favorite with my children and by the reaction when I read (or sing) it to the children of today, it still is. This is quite a unique book which tells the old, old story of Froggy and his courtship with Miss Mousy. As the author of this work has stated in his forward, this song, or story, was first recorded in written form over 400 years ago in Scotland. It has gone thorough many changes since that time and has become a staple with American Folk Singers. I know I heard one of my favorite versions years ago done by Burl Ives. The Author has used a compilation of many of the versions of this song or tale, and there are many, and put them together to make this book.

The story starts with Frog putting on his shinny black boots, buckling on his pistol and sword, mounting his trusty steed and goes off courtin’ to the home of the ever beautiful Miss Mousy. The text begins,

“Frog went a-courtin’, he did ride, sword and pistol by his side….” The story ends with the lines,

“The Frog and the Mouse they went to France

And this is the end of my romance.

Frog’s bridle and saddle are laid on the shelf.

If you want anymore, you need sing it your self!”

Of course the middle part of the story goes though the entire courtship rite of the wedding, wedding feast and marriage of our unlikely couple, including getting permission from Miss Mouse’s Uncle Rat. The words of the entire version of this song are well written and the last page in the book gives you the music chords to use. The music is the mode used from the Southern Appalachian Mountains, which in my opinion, is the best. I must had heard at least fifteen versions of this song/story over the years and the author has done an excellent job of putting them all together in this one.

The art work in this book is the icing on the cake. The illustrations are absolutely beautiful and extremely detailed. All of the critters, and there are many, are dressed in Victorian Garb or Early American all the way up through the mid 1950s. This makes for an interesting contrast. The colors are wonderfully blended and very eye catching. The painting simply pop out at you from the page and are busy enough to keep kids of all ages entranced.

I have found that this book can be very effectively either read or sung to a group of children with equal effect. It is meant for children from ages 4 through 8, but to be honest, I have used it in High School English Classes and it has been extremely effective, in particular with young men and women who are a bit better read, and more in tune with music history.

The little ones always get a kick out of this one and this is a work we need to keep in the public eye. One like this that is lost is a sad, sad thing. This one is certainly a keeper.

Considerations :::
Frog Went A-Courtin' has an Accelerated Reading (AR) designation of 2.7 which means that the average 2nd Grader in the 7th month of school should be able to read it without getting frustrated by the vocabulary. It can be read aloud to any age.

Ladybugology (Backyard Buddies)by Michael Elsohn Ross

We've been reading about bugs this summer. We have covered lice, dabbled in fireflies, and are now touching on ladybugs. Most of the books were good. They generally had interesting photos and they listed the essential information about whatever critter was being discussed; but none of them really stood out from the pack in the sense of format or style. That was until we ran across this Backyard Buddies series, and Ladybugology by Michael Elsohn Ross. With this book we discovered a whole new approach to bug studies.

Unlike the other books, the approach of Ladybugology is very much hands-on. Ross still covers the usual bug information. He discusses their life cycle, body parts, what they eat, and what eats them, but only at the end of the book. Before that he focuses on trying to get children to make their own observations. In essence to be kid-scientists!

"Aware Dare" is one of the games he uses to get kids thinking. It starts when a ladybug is placed inside a clear container. Kids then take turns making observations as the subject(s) flies and crawls around. They jot down the results, until no one can't think of anything new to say. The winner is the last one to make an observation!

While this game might seem simple, it actually brings together quite a few activities. Besides practice in taking turns, it helps children to exercise their powers of observation -- a principal task of a scientist-- and then it gives them a fun reason to practice writing.

Other projects involve arts and crafts, measurement and simple math. Everything from making a gym for the ladybugs, to designing costumes. Really, for being so small, this book is full of ideas.

Give This One a Try!!!

Finally, a bug book that's more than just a list of bug attributes. In this one there are lots of hints and ways to expand the experience: ranging from how to make a ladybug hotel to games.

Considerations:
The Accelerated Reading (ATOS) designation for Ladybugology is 5.7 which means that it is a book for the average 5th Grader in the 7th month of school. It may be read, of course, to children of any age. I have used the activities with a 6 year old, and they can probably be used, with supervision, with even younger children.

Kindness and Consideration -- the book emphasizes gentle handling of these small creatures, and releasing them after a day or so.

Reproduction - The topic of reproduction is handled well. On the one page where it is addressed, the author writes: "It is a common sight to see one ladybug on the back of another. ...But examination through a microscope will show that the ladybug getting a piggyback ride is a male.

"Like other male insects, the male ladybug has a special organ, called an aedeagus... through which he delivers sperm to the eggs of the female."

The Schwa was Here by Neal Shusterman

For those of you who don’t know, a schwa (wiki) is something used in grammar. It is the “uh” sound in the word “the”. It is represented in the dictionary by an upside down e.

This is a humorous and diverting book about a boy who thought he was disappearing. The boy is Calvin Schwa --"the schwa" as his classmates call him-- and he is the type of person that never gets noticed -- even when he does wacky things, such as sing God Bless America in the boy’s bathroom while wearing an orange sombrero!

One day, however, a kid named Antsy Bonano noticed “the schwa”. Antsy had never noticed him before, even though he sat next to him at school. But something clicked and at that moment he realizes that the fact that the Schwa is practically half invisible could mean money. So they start a business called "Stealth Economics" using the “schwa effect” to get work.

Everything goes smoothly until a kid dares them to do something drastic. The dare is to go into old man Crawley's house and steal one of his fourteen treasured dog bowls. Well, right from the start everything goes down hill. Crawley sees Schwa’s shoes under his curtains and he and Antsy both get caught. It turns out all right though because out of all this chaos they meet Lexi, Crawley’s granddaughter. And in the end, Schwa, Antsy and Lexi turn out to be the best of friends.

~

I thought this book was hilarious. The best part was when Lexi and Antsy stole Crawley and took him in a helicopter. They took him all around New York.

This book was written by Neal Shusterman. (He is such a creative writer.) My favorite character would have to be the schwa. You might not have noticed him at first but once you finally see him you realize that he was a very unique and fun person. I wouldn’t have changed any part of this fascinating book.

I recommend this book to third graders on up. This book is for both guys and girls. In a nut shell, if you want a good laugh, grab this book off a shelf and get ready for a good old fashion knee slapper (as my mom would say : )


This book was also one of the American Library Associations's Best Books for Young Adults - 2005.

**Starred Review** School Library Journal



This review was written by Rocky B. "Girl Reviewer Extraordinaire





Reading Information:
Word Count: 57,922
Paperback: 228 pages
Accelerated Reading level: 5.0 / points: 9.0
AR quiz: 80744

• Publisher: Puffin
• ISBN-10: 0142405779
  -- amazon