Original Post 7/06/2010 Skid & the Too Tiny Tunnel

** I recieved this book through NetGalley review** 
Title: Skid & the Too Tiny Tunnel
SubTitle: A story of courage based on Deuteronomy 31:6
Publisher: Warner Press
  Imprint: Warner Press Kids
  Pub Date: 01/01/2009
 ISBN: 9781593173555
  Author: Jeffery Stoddard
  Genre: Fantasy (talking machines)
  Reading level: grades 3-5
  Interest level: grades 1-5

 I have never read anything by this author before so when I saw it I thought this would be a great book to read first on NetGalley. It seemed like a book I could use to teach character. I was a little wary about the reference to Deuteronomy and the Bible because I teach in a public school and usually religion references are frowned upon even though most of my students talk about going to church at some point in the year. But after reading it was not really discussed at all except on the cover. So I shouldn't have a problem having this in my  classroom. Things I liked:

• The  illustrations are nice and simple with color being done in crayon.
• Vocabulary is great, lots of unusual words that students need to be exposed to like massive, belching, careeening, and chuckled. 
• The moral of the story was great. The story talked about having fear of doing something and doing it anyway and not sit and complain it. Also about even the smallest person can make a big difference. Great for character lessons as I thought!

Things I didn't like or readers may have difficulty with:

• The vocabulary can be difficult to read for lower readers but this can be fixed by reading first in a read aloud or with a partner who has a higher reading level.
• At the end of the story with Pillar there was a section where Skid first comes upon Pillar that was a little awkward. I think more showing rather than telling would have worked better. Seeing as this was the only thing I didn't like it is really only a minor thing.

Overall I really liked this book and would purchase it for my classroom. The story had a great message and I think students will identify themselves in Skid. It reminded me a lot of the story of the Little Engine that Could. Rating:****

Original Post 12/05/2010 Petunia Peppers Picture Day

Petunia Pepper's Picture Day by Cathy Breisacher
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
**Netgalley: This review was provided by publisher for an honest review.

 Overall this was a cute story that most girls would identify with. As a teacher I have had a few Petunia's in my class!

  What I really like:

•  The pictures are bright and cheerful and cartoonish.
•  This is something that most kids have anxiety over, having a good picture. I really liked how the author showed physically and emotionally how Petunia felt. 
•  The Christian aspect is not glaring so I could use it in my public school without an issue. The value is added at the end of the story to discuss if you choose.
•  The different reasons she didn't like her picture were funny! 

  What I didn't like: 

• No teacher would hold a student back from taking a picture or not have them in the class picture!   They would call a parent to bring clothes or the Nurse would have some extra clothes to wear.
• Petunia jumps into the street and traffic to save the poodle. 

Great concept for saving the dog but   would rather have had her do something more safe to save the dog (another situation or no cars around    even). While there were some things I didn't like this is a book that would be great to read before picture day or even as a spring board for a writing assignment.

Original Post 12/05/2010 Midway Monkey Madness

Midway Monkey Madness by Sarah Hines Stephens
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
**arc from netgalley**

In the recent years graphic novels have really made a come back and I have done lots of research on how using graphic novels can help get those reluctant readers to read (particularly the boys). So I am always on the look out for easy to read graphic novels to use in my Second Grade Classroom. This is not what I would consider a true graphic novel or comic but a cross over which is text with graphic novel/comic elements.



  best for: First and Second Graders that can read pretty fluently. Third Graders and above may think the story too easy.

  Interest group: While the main characters are male (except one of the twins Jayna) I think that girls will like this too.

  What I liked:

•  The story is pretty easy to follow (problem and solution) and the words for the most part are easy to read. 
•  -The story has some good points like working together to solve a problem and to not give up if things don't work out right away. 
•  The text uses big bold words for sounds like in the old Batman cartoons and I think the kids will really like that. -The cast of characters in the front is great for the young readers who need more structure. 
•  I also liked the glossary and the little section of jokes. The illustrations are bright and colorful and the facial expressions on Beppo and Gleek are hilarious! 

  What I didn't like: I think in some places it is too basic. I would have liked a little more description (showing) rather than telling us what happened. Overall I think my students would love this book and I will definitely check out the others in this series.

Original Post 12/05/2010 Chicagoland Detective Agency: The Drained Brains Caper

The Drained Brains Caper by Trina Robbins
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
  Interest group: Boys or girls
  target audience: grade 5+, although younger grades should be able to read it
**from Netgalley**

This graphic novel is a take off of the Stepford Wives story but geared for kids but with a twist! The graphics were great and the story was really funny! Megan reminded me of the girl from Beetlejuice but younger. The premise of the story is not new and the characters are not all that new either but they are really funny! Sometimes I didn't understand what was being said and I had to think about it (may be an adult thing) like why the boxes at the top of some pictures that told a book title? Well I figured out it was her point of view in a book title but some kids may not get that. Also I think it was pig latin that was used in one spot that stumped me and it took me a few minutes to figure it out (didn't use pig latin growing up). One thing that may bother some parents/kids is that they mention doing experiments on the students and a dog. This may offend some people because it does show the dog all beat up. It didn't bother me but just wanted to mention it. A great beginning to a new series. I would have definitely bought this for my Third grade class when I taught Third grade. I am debating whether to purchase for my Second Graders though. I will probably see if I can get a copy through the library to see if they like it before I will buy it.

Original post 1/12/2011 Babymouse: Puppy Love

Babymouse: Puppy Love by Jennifer L. Holm
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

 I was searching the school library for graphic novels and saw this among the ones left. I have really wanted to get my hands on one of these to see if my students in 2nd grade would like them and whether it would be appropriate content. Well I read it while the students checked out books and the kids gathered around while I read it and laughed out loud several times. So there was definite interest even by the boys. The pictures are cute in white and pink and the words for the most part I think are appropriate for 2nd grade and above. Some of the features like Baby Mouse talking to the narrator and some inferences may be beyond early 2nd graders I think mid year 2nd graders should have no problems. My favorite chuckle was the animals hiding under the bed too funny! I also liked the talking back and forth between the narrator and Baby Mouse which is not a common thing in the graphic novels I have read so far. Pretty unique and a good example of adding voice to writing. Overall I will definitely look into purchasing at least the Puppy Love volume of Babymouse and look into the other volumes as well!

Original Post 1/12/2011 Buster goes to Cowboy Camp

Buster Goes to Cowboy Camp by Denise Fleming
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

 I saw this sitting on top a shelf when checking out books at the library yesterday and just had to check it out since my theme is cowboys/western in my classroom. I really liked the glossary on the back of the book for cowboy terminology. I will have to read this at the beginning of the year to get us into the "theme" of our class. I really liked the "mini" headings or chapters to get younger students ready for chapters. I loved the progression of missing "brown shoes" (owners) and not liking camp to liking camp at the end. There is also a lot to talk about as far as inferencing goes. Like who is brown shoes, pink slippers, who is in the picture of the wanted sign and why did he want that person/animal? Loved the bulldog named Snarkle (lol) he was funny and the kids liked him too. I didn't really care for all of the pictures. For the most part they are good but there are several that were a little muddy and dark looking. The media used I think was okay but sometimes too dark a color. Also sometimes the wording is very basic and stilted. I think this is due to the age the book is geared to. Despite this I think it would be good for the beginning of the year.

Original post 1/12/2011 Scaredy Squirrel at the Beach

Scaredy Squirrel at the Beach by Mélanie Watt

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

 OMG I LOVE Scaredy Squirrel! A writing teacher read the first book for a writing lesson and it is soooooo funny! Needless to say there is many spinoffs and this is the second one I have read. I am looking forward to reading the others! This one deals with Scaredy not liking the beach but wanting the experience so he gets stuff to set up a pretend one in his yard to act like he is at the beach. But he doesn't have the sound of the beach so he goes to the beach to get a shell. Well just like the other book it shows you all the things that Scaredy is afraid of and how he goes about trying to get around his fears. Needless to say Scaredy learns a lesson. Some of the humor younger students may not get but older students and adults will laugh. The pictures are great however they are a little busy on some pages. If you haven't read at least one of these books go check them out!

Original Post 1/22/2011 The Klondike Kid: Sailing for Gold

Sailing for Gold by Deborah Hopkinson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I originally read this book a couple of years ago for my 3rd grades since we studied this in our Social Studies unit and they really liked it. I read again this year and while it wasn't as such a big hit the kids did like it. This seems pretty accurate and the pictures and language are not boring but exciting for kids to listen to. The idea that the boy lived by himself in a boarding school and worked was a topic for discussion in both grade levels. We talked alot about the vocabulary and why things were taking place since kids were asking questions about it particularly in 2nd because the didn't have much background knowledge about this time period. I would definitely use this as only a read aloud in 2nd and 3rd grade and allow your higher readers read it after the read aloud. It is also an A.R. test which our library has! (Since I published this we no longer have A.R.) I have not read the second or third book yet.

Original Post 1/22/2011 Hot Rod Hamster

Hot Rod Hamster! by Cynthia Lord
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

 I bought this at the book fair at the beginning of the year because of the cute and funny pictures as well as the language in particular the adjectives that the hamster uses. The kids loved it and I did too. They got to choose how the hot rod was built and we discussed as a class why they chose that one. A sure reread every year and to use in grammar lessons. This could also be used for writing about a hot rod that they drew or made at home.

Original Post: 1/22/2011 Mustang Canyon

Mustang Canyon by Jonathan London My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I have had this book for about 5 years and I don't think I have read it or a student has chosen to read it (which is why I gave it a 3 not 4). I was without a chapter book so I choose this on Wednesday to read as our read aloud because a student in my class loves horses. I found out while reading that she already had the book!. I loved the illustrations and the calm colors that were used. The language the author used was actual horse terminology and we had to discuss what they meant (mare, stallion, foal, filly, colt, sorrel, paint, pinto). The kids understood the words with little redirecting by looking at the pictures and words around them. They really liked the story too. It may not be a hit with all of your students but mine loved it!

Original Post 1/26/2011 Slimy, Spiky, Smooth: What is Texture?

Slimy, Spiky, Smooth: What Is Texture? by Jane Brocket
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
**Provided by NetGalley/Publisher for honest review**

 I must say that Texture is a very hard subject to talk about sometimes, particularly with ESL/Second Language learners who have very little experience with vocabulary. Also my students also seem to have little back ground other than with simple texture vocabulary. Words like smooth, hard, and soft are easy to come up with but harder or more descriptive and juicy words are not as common (aha I used a texture word!) I loved the bright colorful pictures in this book because they chose for the most part pictures that were easy to see the textures and used mostly everyday objects. They were also close up but you could still identify with what it was. I only had 2 complaints: with the butterfly they really couldn't tell why it was powdery from the picture and when they talked about the watermelon's skin and inside they only showed the outside of an unusual looking watermelon or at least angle of the shot (round watermelon with no stripes). Some kids may not have seen the inside of a watermelon before to know that it is juicy. However with both of these you can bring in additional pictures to supplement this. Not a major distraction or problem. I also loved the vocabulary that described the textures and explain why it was that texture. Usually they gave 2 words too which was even better! Since it is very vocabulary rich I would use it as a read aloud for all levels and for individual reading on their own for possibly high 2nd grade or 3-5 grade. I sure wished I had this book when I taught summer school to ESL/Bilingual Science students! I really had a hard time coming up with a book that had great pictures as well as vocabulary. This book will be highly recommended for that as well as any grade that talks about texture in science or writing!