This is a YA “Twilight Zone” style story in picture book form. This book asks the question, “How should we react to the violence of war in a far off country?”

The gray on gray illustrations tell the story of a war zone photo journalist who follows a 9 yr. old boy, wounded in a school bus attack, to the hospital. The photo journalist finds difficulty with this boy’s photo story because the boy reminds him of his own nephew who he gave the same pair of red shoes to for his eighth birthday. “I looked through the last shots: I had taken the same photo twelve times. In each one, Kenan was stretched out on the gurney, a bloodied bandage on his head and a red basketball shoe on his left foot.” On the next/last page turn with text, the reader finds the photo journalist talking with his nephew on the phone about he nephew’s upcoming basketball game. The last page turn reveals the photo journalist  in his office contemplating this story’s events. He is siting on the edge of the desk with one foot on his chair and a lit cigarette in his hand. On the desk is a newspaper whose headline reads ‘School Bus Attacked’ under a photo of the bus.

Time seems somewhat suspended when reading this book; it’s almost hypnotic.  The verse is melodic, the words conjure images long forgotten.  It seems to be best when either read alone or seated next to someone who enjoys the sound of words.  The illustrations are fanciful; lots of hidden details.  Hard to decide how to categorize this book; is it a picture book? a poetry book? a fairy tale?  maybe all three.  For those children who love words and love art, this is the book for them.

In this Super Sandcastle book, intended for younger audiences, the idea of freedom is presented, with examples, for children can begin to understand their rights.  Examples include freedoms to vote, for education, speech, religion, and to choose where you live.  The Declaration of the Rights of the Child, proposed by the UN, is also listed, which includes right to life and health care.  The book states what the freedoms are but does no explaining whatsoever.  The photos are basically headshots and do not show or exemplify the freedom listed on the page.  This book is a good start towards explaining what freedom can look like, but still leaves the need for more.

The President of the United States.  Giant Bug Monsters.  A very aggressive videogame.  This book goes in some… improbable places.  But that’s the fun – and what will get the kids excited to read it.  The plot rockets between accessible middle class life and wild fantasy, communicated in a style adjacent to the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series.  Schreiber writes in a candid, kid-friendly style (one chapter title is “Oh Yes, There’s More”) that is fun and fast to read, even for the older set.  This book is all high interest, especially for videogame lovers.

I almost didn’t read this book–the blurb on the inside jacket didn’t sound especially exciting, nor were there any reviews or recommendations on the back.  I went online to check it out first, and I saw that this book was a National Book Award Nominee, winner of the Edgar Award for Best Juvenile Mystery, Nebula/Andre Norton Award Nominee, and a New York Times bestseller.  Who knew?  I started to read and I literally couldn’t put it down.  Greenglass House is literally a green glass house–a house loaded with green stained glass.  It is located high up in the mountains and used to be a home for smugglers.  Access is difficult, especially in winter, and is by cable car.  It is currently a bed and breakfast inn, run by the Pines and their 10-year-old son, Milo.  Winter is usually a slow time, however, the week before Christmas is suddenly booming.  Five unexpected guests show up, then another, and then two old regulars. A village woman and her daughter, Meddy,  come to help Mrs. Pine take care of the guests.  With the guests come personality clashes and if that wasn’t bad enough, someone is stealing from the guests.  As the story unfolds, you learn more and more about each guest.  Each is at Greenglass House for a specific reason, not a winter vacation.    After the thefts,  Milo and Meddy play a game similar to Dungeons and Dragons in which they make up characters for themselves complete with a new name and biography.  They analyze each guest, pretending why they are there, and who could have stolen the items.  Working off of their hypotheses, they find the items and return them.  They uncover the secrets and history of the house, but also reveal a dangerous character.  The pace of the story is perfect–not too slow but fast enough to make you not want to put the book down.  This book is highly recommended for those who love a good mystery.  Plus, get a new book jacket printed to advertise how good this book actually is.

Eleven-year-old Nora has a very special relationship with her Grandma Sylvia.  The first Saturday of every month Nora spends the night with Grandma Sylvia and they do all sorts of wonderful, adventurous things.  They shop in Manhattan, go to the museums, Central Park, terrific restaurants, shows–you name it.  Grandma Sylvia has a pretty exciting life–she is an assistant designer for a fashioner designer.  As such she travels to Paris twice a year for business.  Grandma Sylvia tells Nora so much about Paris that Nora is dying to go.  For her twelfth birthday, Grandma makes plans to take both Nora and Faye (Nora’s mom and Sylvia’s daughter) to Paris, however, shortly before the trip she dies in a car accident.  In cleaning out her home, Nora discovers the tickets and convinces her mom that they should still go.  Once in Paris, Grandma Sylvia has arranged for them to visit her favorite places and has included envelopes for them with a letter for each location, explaining why its one of her favorites, and either tickets or money for admission.  She has also sent ahead a gift for Nora and Faye to be given to them upon their arrival to each location.  The envelopes must be opened in order and the scavenger hunt culminates at the famous Parisian design show that her grandmother worked on.  Throughout the week, Nora and her mom, Faye, learn about each other and how similar they are, and Faye finds out how much her mother loved her.  The places they went sound absolutely fabulous.  I looked them up online and they really do exist.  If I was planning a one-week visit to Paris, I would definitely use this book as a guide.  This book should appeal to girls who love to travel and love realistic adventure.

Actress Jennifer Lawrence was born and raised in Kentucky. She did not have early visions of being a movie star. Jenny Lou was a very active tomboy, with two older brothers, who enjoyed riding her favorite horse on the family farm. Jennifer never quite ‘fit in’ at school. She was targeted by bullies and so changed elementary schools several times. While she was insecure in groups of her peers at school, at age 9, Jenny was in her first play at church. She enjoyed it so much she appeared in more plays and musicals  at church and at school. She talked her mother into taking her to New York City for Spring Break, when she was fourteen years old. “Suddenly, a talent scout approached them and asked if Jennifer would be interested in working as a model! … her parents let her return to New York during the summer…Jennifer got an agent and booked several commercials and some modeling jobs.” (p. 16) Just as Jennifer was about to go home she won a few small TV roles.  Then, the one on THE BILL ENGVALL SHOW on TBS which lasted three years. Her move to the movie screen came in an independent film, Winter’s Bones in 2010. Then came 2011 with her role as Mystique in X-Men: First Class and 2012 in The Hunger Games. She went from being unknown to being followed by paparazzi the day after the first Hunger Games came out.

Fame and fortune has ‘not’ gone to her head. No dieting for her. Jennifer remains ‘real’, but she does work out. “With Jennifer’s down-to-earth attitude and talent, it doesn’t look as if she will be going up in flames anytime soon… unless it’s as Katniss, Girl on Fire!” ( p. 45)

Includes: glossary, index, and web site: www.factsfornow.scholastic.com keyword Jennifer Lawrence.

When I think of the native people of the Arctic regions the Inuit come to mind. This book explores the Tuniit, a people who lived in the Arctic prior to the Inuit. The Tuniit were not nomads like the Inuit. The Tuniit used flint tools and had stone shelters. The Tuniit were a shy people who had their own ways of hunting, surviving, and understanding the world. They were not just an early Inuit culture. “Tuniit are very special beings, because they blend the realms of Inuit myth and fact. Scientists say that they existed. But if we go by what Inuit stories have to say about them, the Tuniit were anything but normal people.” (p. 2) The Tuniit were extremely strong. “The strength of the Tuniit was said to be so great, in fact, that they did not always need spears to kill their prey. It is said that if they caught their prey by running it down,…they could snap the neck of even a bull caribou by simply wrestling with it.” (.13)

In the 1920s, anthropologist Diamond Jenness gave the Tuniit the name Dorset when he realized they were culture separate from the Inuit.

No one knows why they disappeared, perhaps they were exterminated by the Inuit, or they intermarried, or plague.

Primary age students all seem to know what they want. They may want candy, a new toy, or a pet, but how do they learn to make a choice between what they want and what they need. This book written by Mary Reina helps young readers tell the difference and it “supports national social studies standards related to production, distribution, and consumption.” (from Note to Parents and Teachers- p. 2)

The opening lines are: “We choose how to use our money. Spending, saving, and donating are all money choices. What choices will you make?”  (p. 5) The young reader is given a simple definition- “Needs are things you must have.” (p. 7) plus some typical examples. Then given the simple definition: “Wants are nice but you can live without them.” (p.9) with the examples from above. Then it process to tell that sometimes the choices are not so simple, as when you need new shoes but the ones you want are not practical. You want something to eat, but should you choose fruit or candy. Which is better for your health. The reader then so told about saving part of their money to purchase a bigger item they want at a latter time. Finally, donating money to a cause that needs money, in this case a school bake sale, is given as a suggestion. The book ends with:            “Making good money choices teaches you to use money wisely. You won’t waste money. Then you can keep more of the money you earn.”  (p. 21)

There are two or three sentences on each right-hand page across from an appropriate photo on the left-hand page. Photos throughout the book are multi cultural. While the book measures 6.5″  X 7.5″, it covers a big topic well for this age group.

Includes: glossary, index, www.facthound.com, and two ‘Critical Thinking Using the Common Core’ questions.

Author, Karen English, must have been camping out inside a third grade boy’s head to have written such a realistic story! The cause and effect elements of each of Richard’s actions could not have been more right-on.

Richard can not wait for the weekend to begin. Richard isn’t going to let his teacher;s note about his poor grades spoil it, either. Richard thinks about the note several times over the weekend. but never takes it out of his backpack. It is still there untouched on Monday morning on Richard’s way to school.  In class, Richard tells his teacher, Ms. Shelby-Ortiz, he forgot the note at home. Ms. Shelby-Ortiz has him write his name on the whiteboard to remind her to ask him first thing tomorrow morning.

When Richard gets home there is a blob of melted plastic on the table surrounded by is brothers and mother. It’s the cereal he’d temporarily hidden in the oven on Saturday morning to prevent his older brothers from eating it all. Mom had unknowingly melted it when she turned on the oven to make cookies. There will be no TV or friends over today for Richard.

The next day Richard’s brother finds the note from Ms. Shelby-Ortiz. Darnell has Richard do his dinner dishes job in exchange for getting the note back. The next day Ms. Shelby-Ortiz calls Richard on not having the note signed. No recess until it is back and signed. Plus, a phone call if this doesn’t happen by tomorrow- Wednesday. Richard is so down-in-the-dumps at dinner Mom asks him what is wrong. Richard tells about the note and how Darnell is in possession of it. Punishment time! No TV, no video games, no skate boarding party, no friends over, no dessert, and 100% on next Friday’s spelling test! After the parents meeting with Ms. Shelby-Ortiz there are even more consequences for Richard.

The day of the long awaited skate boarding party comes, but so does a thunder and lightning storm. The party is postponed a week. Richard rejoices at the thought of not missing the party  because his punishment will be over by then. Now Richard begins his missing report on howler monkeys, that began this whole saga, only to find out howler monkeys are quite interesting.

Richard’s week of restrictions is filled with his best school work, studying spelling during missed recesses, and writing his report. He has no time for TV, or video games, and practicing a new skate boarding trick. But it all pays off on Friday, when he first passes his spelling test, and then presents his howler monkey report. “His week of punishment is over.” (p. 104)  Richard decides he is not ready to show-off his flat ground-ollie over a crate at the party, instead Richard does a flat ground-ollie. “Oh, well, Richard thinks. He doesn’t care. He did it! And he didn’t fall!”            That alone feels great. He picks up his board and climbs the steps to where Gavin is sitting in the bleachers with a big grin on his face.” (p. 113)

Throughout each of the eleven chapters there are two or three black and grey stretches which drive home the point of the text.

• One small mistake, there is a period missing on the ninth line on page 25.

Detective Gordon: The First Case is the perfect book for kids who have finished beginning chapter books and are ready for a longer story.  It’s about a squirrel who has had their winter supply of nuts stolen and went to the police, an old toad, for help.  The old toad, Detective Gordon, goes to the scene of the crime and determines to investigate, telling the squirrel to go home and to keep warm inside, away from this freezing weather.  After awhile a shivering little mouse comes out with an acorn.  She took it because she was so hungry.  She helps Detective Gordon become un-stuck from the snow and together they go back to the police station.  She becomes his assistant.  The story goes on in such a fashion showing compassion for the needy, and is a story reminiscent of days gone by.  This would be a perfect read aloud for the younger grades.

I found reading NOMAD to be like putting together a large jigsaw puzzle in which some of the pieces are missing. Bit by bit, I reasoned out that this was the second book in a series. I enjoyed the story-line at the end of the book and am glad I read the entire thing, but feel many younger reader would not do so if they hadn’t read the first book. Somehow, the book’s front cover did not lend itself to this discovery, though the praise on the back of the cover for AMBASSADOR should have. The cover art is intriguing for the genre and sci-fi reader.

Gabe Fuentes, it turns out, is an intergalactic ambassador to the planet Earth. The people of Earth do not recognize there even is such a thing because the embassies on Earth have gone to ruin. [ Here the missing puzzle piece may have implied the ancient embassy was an Aztec temple in Mexico. I do not know for sure.]  Gabe and the other ambassadors have special abilities that allow them to travel through a dream state of consciousness when and where their actual bodies are not able to travel. There are special translators which allow Gabe and other the ambassadors to see each other in human-form, even when the species do not naturally look that way. These translators, also, help with languages between the species. The translations aren’t always easy for Gabe to understand, like ” Our faces have grown wide for you.” (p. 178) which means, “She’s proud of us.”

Somewhere along the line [another missing puzzle piece] Gabe and the ambassadors have come across the Outlast who travel through space destroying all the species they come across. It is Gabe’s mission to stop this from happening to Earth which is in the Outlast’s direct path of flight.

Gabe makes it back to Earth, with  one ambassador (Nadia) helping from space, and another (Kaen) helping him on Earth.  They land in Mexico which is familiar to the other (non-Earthen) ambassador. They cross into the United States only to be caught and locked up in  an immigration detention facility in Arizona.  For Nadia’s part, she must explain to the Machinae “Why they  should care? I need to explain to an utterly alien consciousness why genocide is bad.” (p. 252) One Outlast makes it to Earth and finds Gabe, the rest are stopped by the Machinae’s decision to oppose genocide at the hands of the Outlast.

This book will appeal to girls who love fairies and fantasy.  Ali has the perfect sister whom their parents praise and she will  do anything to get the attention she thinks she deserves.  She signs a contract agreeing to raise 100 fairies, recruit another child to so the same, in return for one wish.  Right there Ali should have seen a red flag:  100 for one?  Not fair.  But Ali sees no problem, until it is.  The fairies turn out to be lots of work and lots of trouble, all for one wish.

Seeing the future across the curve of time, travelers from another world (one who loves to talk in rhyme), a magical hat that acts as transport and can expand to easily fit five people, an ancient wizard and a special secret.

An adventure through time and space. Ten year old Flor Bernoulli of Brooklyn, New York, has to save the world and the life of a new found friend. Aided by Dr. Pi, a pie-baking wizard thousands of years old, a nosy neighbor Mrs. Plump (who doesn’t like sugar, “just tea and toast please”) and a pair of twin men from another world, Mr. It and Mr. Bit. Flor has to protect a singular cosmic fire that keeps nature in balance throughout the universe

Dr. Pi explains the spiral to Flor: “It gets bigger and bigger without changing its shape at all.” And he reveals to her that, “…we are all like the Spiral. Though we change and grow and learn through life, something deep in us remains the same. Just like the Spiral, which gets bigger and bigger, but never changes its proportions. And so, we too are always changed, and ever the same.”
An interesting way to bring mathematical concepts into the literary realm.

(Newest cover)

Little kindergartener, Sadie, does not quite feel right. Her mother asks the usual questions, “sore throat?” , “tummy ache?” , and checks for a rash.s “A strange cough rumbled in her throat and turned into a roar…as her fingernails grew longer and longer…as her teeth grew sharper and sharper.” SADIE transforms into a frisky leopard cub.The pediatrician “announced, ‘ I am a doctor for children not for leopards.‘  ” So mama and the 3 brothers take her to a veterinarian. The vet was excited to see such a healthy leopard, but couldn’t help if Sadie was really a person. So mama and brothers took Sadie to the zoo. BUT mama could not stand the thought of Sadie in a cage, so she took Sadie home and doctors her with “a big bowl of chicken soup, which she lapped right up.” Sadie and mama “watched interesting programs on the nature channel.” By bedtime Sadie was feeling better, but mama was feeling “kind of funny…” As the reader turns to the final page, Sadie the little girl, is sleeping curled up with mama the leopard.

Everyone loves birthdays, but here is a boy who thinks he has it mastered with his 10 rules.

“Here’s a little secret.

I’m a birthday pro.

When it comes to festivities,’There’s nothing I don’t know.”

Percy Isaac Gifford explains these 10 rules will help you.

#1 Make the most of your birthday it’s only once a year. (Birthday cheer with cheer leaders pictured.)

#2 “Today is all about you!” (Dancing around – pictured.)

#3 Get ready, Get set. Get picture perfect. take a bath for all of the photos.

#4 Do the math.   Friends + family = fun!

#5 Party like it’s your birthday.  Balloons, hats, and noise makers will help.

#6 There’s no time like the present for a present- Thank you.

#7 It ain’t over till there’s singing.

#8 Part A: Have your cake,  Part B: and eat it too!

#9 Be careful what you wish for.     “As you put your gifts away… What does all this mean? …Growing older is a wondrous thing.

#10 Birthdays Rock! Growing up is cool!

Percy is polite, says “thank you”, shows his appreciation for all the festivities, and has moments of introspection .

Teresa Murfin has smiles with and without teeth showing in her action packed mixed media illustrations of Percy’s birthday.

Fifth-graders, Sylvan, whose parents’ divorce causes him stress, and Charity, who lived in Kenya for the past five years, both strive for normalcy at school and start a petition to keep their teacher from being fired.  Certainly appropriate for students dealing with issues who want to be “normal.”  A pleasant, clean novel.