Tag: chapter books

Two on Sunday

Sunday I finished two chapter books-it thrilled me to finish two in one day! I was a few chapters into eleven by Patricia Reilly Giff, when I received one of those great packages in the padded envelope-it held a copy of Once a witch by Carolyn MacCullough. Of course, I started witch, which then put me in-between in two books. I alternated reading each one and think it only fitting to blog about them at the same time.

Once a witch ( Sept, 2009) is suspenseful, exciting and not creepy! I hope Carolyn MacCullough is planning a sequel; I want to know more about Tamsin and Gabriels’s story!! As I described it to a friend on the phone-the premise is good because of course, who doesn’t want to be a witch, I ask you?! You know, the same reason HP is so popular-ordinary kids doing magic!!!
In this one, Tamsin Green comes from a long line of magically talented folk yet she doesn’t find her “talent” at the regular age and resents that she is “normal”. Tamsin attends boarding school in NYC to keep a little distance between her and her family. During summer break she meets someone who mistakes her for her talented older sister, Rowena. It is this mix-up and her resentment that fools the antagonist (Alistair) into believeing Tamsin will fold against her family. Tamsin’s family is unique and believable and I wanted to be one of them!
Once a witch kept my interest easily, the characters were wonderful and the story made sense-all important aspects for me! I especially liked Tamsin’s relationship with Agatha, her roommate and Gabriel, her long-lost childhood friend.
I received this arc from a Picnic Basket request-thank you!
Check out the cool Once a witch website where you can find out more, take quizzes (discover which witch you most resemble-yes, I played) and research the Green family tree.
For Carolyn MacCullough’s web page click here. I found out this is her fourth book!

Eleven (2008) by Patricia Reilly Giff is the story of Sam and his grandfather, Mack Mackenzie. Sam, who struggles with reading, begins to have dreams that do not make sense to him. He is drawn to the attic, which holds a lock box with one clipping hanging out. The clipping shows his picture and his name…with a different last name. He cannot read enough of it to make sense and he needs to get the box open. Sam makes friends with Caroline, a good reader at school, who will help him. Together they form a close connection between searching for clues to Sam’s life as well as building a castle for a class project on medieval life. Sam is a builder like his grandfather, but he cannot feel comfortable until he solves the mystery of his dreams. This is a great read for 3-5th grade students.
Recommended
Peaceful Reading…

Saving the world thorugh Judy Moody's eyes.

Judy Moody saves the world! by Megan McDonald (2002)

This is one fast-paced book, which makes it very appealing to kids! Judy and her brother, Stink are trying to win a band-aid decorating contest, which Stink ends up winning. At school, Mr. Todd, is teaching Judy’s class about saving the earth. When her teacher says “it only takes on person to make a difference”, Judy is off and running with this great idea. Here is my favorite quote ” One person! If all it took was one person, then she, Judy Moody, could save the world!” Such enthusiasm!!
They learn about all sorts of recycling ideas like composting and Julia Butterfly Hill-my favorite tree-hugger!!! Judy has very similar energy to Junie B. but without all the negative (stupid, etc.) language. Appropriatly, J and I found this wonderful gem at our local second-hand book store. Find a copy and read it with a little person!

How many readers out there know who Julia Butterfly Hill is…or are willing to find out? Post a comment and tell me what spectacular thing she did to make a difference…I’ll send you a copy of her amazing book.

Peaceful Reading…

Historical fiction perfect for today!


I finished Patricia McKissack’s A friendship for today…today. I picked this one from our Scholastic Book Fair last year because it looked like an interesting historical fiction choice for 4-5th graders. McKissack’s main character, Rosemary is smart yet struggles with the issues of the day like is it okay for her to let her best friend, J.J. (a boy!) beat her in a race just because the other boys are watching. Her parents are not much help as they argue about a woman’s independence over dinner. Both her parents want Rosemary to remember that she’s as good as anybody but also not better. Brown vs. Board of Education has just passed and Rosemary’s colored school is closing and she will be transferred to Robertson Elementary, integrated into a previously white school. Right before the beginning of school, J.J. contracts polio and is hospitalized. Now Rosemary will be the only integrated student in her 6th grade classroom. It’s very difficult being the only one but with the help of some hard-earned friends, a progressive principal and a very positive teacher Rosemary makes it through the year. This is an easy read and one that will really help 3-5th graders understand this very important era of change in our history. Reading the author’s note at the end it is made clear why this story is such a believable one as Ms. McKissack experience this same 6th grade year right outside St. Louis, MO!

Find a great article about Patricia McKissack here at the Brown Bookshelf.

Peaceful Reading…

Memorial Day

I finished Elijah of Buxton by Christopher Paul Curtis this morning and I liked it. I like historical fiction and this shows a different side of slavery. It seemed to be a lot of set-up for the final chapters of excitement but what it has to say about freedom is incredibly powerful. I loved the language of the book! This was selected by my multicultural book group of 5th graders at school and the language was difficult for them. I read a few paragraphs aloud to them so they could get a feel for it and that helped a lot! this will be the last book we read together as they go off to 6th grade. Hopefully, a few out of the 10 students will continue to discover new books after trying new choices through this club. We read The devils’ arithmetic (Jane Yolen), The Breadwinner (Deborah Ellis), Heart of a chief (Joseph Bruchac), and Esperanza Rising (Pam Munoz Ryan) as well as Elijah. We’ve blogged and talked and each book is their “absolute favorite”, hopefullly they will continue reading for pleasure through middle school. See the book trailer here!!

J and I read a great picture book last night, Mrs. Muddle’s holidays by Laura F. Nielsen, a very fun read, demonstating how some folks just have joy of life!!! Mrs. Muddle moves to Katie’s neighborhood and shows all the neighborhood children a host of new holidays. She just has a spectacular outlook on life and I might have to “borrow” the “leaf fairy” idea to motivate my little helpers! Check out Mrs. Muddle’s Holidays to brighten your day!! Another great review here.

Now, on my extra special day off from school(double yeah!!) and in-between meditating on freedom while I plant basil and some flowers to honor my dear grandparents, I will be reading The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. I have three days to read it before it is due back at the library. I can’t even renew it because someone else is waiting for it-and I’ve already had to wait so long to get it from the library because of other holds so the time is now!!! Cue up music and time to get off the computer…

Peaceful Reading…

Al Capone shines my shoes by Gennifer Choldenko


What a lovely sequel to Al Capone does my shirts! I finished it this afternoon and when I knew it was coming to an end- I had only two chapters left- I stopped reading, on purpose to do some necessary household chores-just to make the book last a little longer and to contemplate the complexity of the story. After I finished some laundry and made a quick dinner I picked it back up and finished. Now I want to go back and read the first one again because I read it a few years ago. If you haven’t read the first one do so now so you’ll be ready for this second one coming in September!

I’m not going to give much away, but here is the story line: Moose lives on Alcatraz Island with his dad (a prison guard), his mom and his sister, Natalie. Natalie is autistic and Capone, while a prisoner, helps get her into a special school in San Fransisco. This story begins with Capone asking for repayment from Moose. Of course a mafia man like Al would want something in return! Moose is nervous about his note-passing relationship with Alcatraz’s most famous convict. His character is well-developed as the nice guy, the good and helpful young man, among the other families. At one point, just to appease, he even pretends to like needlepoint! When problems arise, as they do in all stories, Moose comes through for his friends and his family. The wives were more memorable to me than they were in Al Capone does my laundry and I wondered if this was the author’s intent.
Ms. Choldenko weaves together a fascinating historical fiction, teaching us about life on the island in 1935, with great characters and a very twisty and exciting plot! It’s fascinating how authors’ pick their topics and her idea of giving us a personalized tale of Alcatraz is her very special gift to readers.

Peaceful Reading…

Bedtime and stories just go together…


like popcorn and a good movie. J. and I have been doing a fair amount of bedtime reading even though I was consumed with reading The Help and left the weekend read-alouds to my dear mother-in-law!!! This week though we have finished two chapter books, Emmaline and the bunny by Katherine Hannigan (IA writer!-with NO website) and Milo and Jazz Mysteries; the case of the stinky socks by Lewis B. Montgomery. I loved Hannigan’s Ida B. so I was excited when she had a new book out. When I saw it at my one and only indie bookstore USB my first thought was this is a perfect chapter book to read with J.-it looked like a Velveteen Rabbit-looking chapter book, so, of course, I purchased it. It is a delightful read with all kinds of fun words like “scoot-skedaddle.”

The simple story begins with Emmaline wanting a bunny of her own and told no
because they are not neat-She lives in “Neatasapin” and the mayor has the great name of Orson Oliphant. Old Orson likes things neat and tidy and the grown-ups have just let him run the place but Emmaline is determined and finds a way to invite a bunny into her life! The language in the book is fun to say out-loud-lots of thump, thump, thumping and stomp,
stomp, stomping-and the plot is carefully constructed to give us a good message without weighing down the pure enjoyment. I loved Emmaline’s determination as well as the Earth Mother/Old One we meet in the middle of the story. Ms. Hannigan was asked to do
the drawings for this book herself and I am glad she tried because the illustrations match the feeling of the story perfectly.
The second chapter book we finished together this week was an ARC sent to me by The Kane Press , written by Lewis B. Montgomery and, well you really can’t go wrong with a book that has stinky socks in the title! J. loved both the boy and girl character and the easy drawings that accompanied the story.

J. likes things to be fair and real and it was cool for her to see Milo and Jazz work so well together to solve the case of the missing pair of lucky socks worn by the star baseball pitcher, Dylan. I know from reading their website that another Milo and Jazz mystery is out (The case of the Poisoned pig) and two more are coming soon. J. and I will be happy to put our Dash Marlowe detective hats back on and help Milo and Jazz solve more mysteries!!

We also read two fabulous pictures books last night and as tired as I was J. wanted both books to be reread again and again!! The first one w
as Belinda begins ballet by Amy Young (great author website!) and oh, what a great lesson Belinda

teaches, without being weird. Belinda, from birth, has had rather large feet!
How sad when the elementary teacher in charge of the talent show asks her to be a clown
because of her large size feet. I had a great time making a very grumpy teacher voice for her!
Belinda, sadly, unwillingly complies and learns the clown routine. Just by chance, though she puts herself in the right place, right time and happily, dreamily watches another student, Camille, practice her ballet for the show. Belinda shows us that her large feet can be just perfect for ballet as well!! Beautifully illustrated and very well-written, I know I will end up wearing the pages out on this one.
Our last book, Not a stick by Antoinette Portis (Not a box) was so well received by J

that we really did read it over several times…how can you resist those blinking sweet brown eyes and it helps that the book is a fast read!! While fast though the impression both of her books leave me with is so refreshing I think Ms. Portis probably never lets her kids watch television. The premise of both of these books is a simple object, used with imagination can be Anything You Want It To Be! The little pig character is so cute, so well-drawn and you feel his (my feeling is that it is a little boy pig)
progressive frustration “It is NOT NOT NOT a stick!” to the elaborate imagining of what the stick can be, remind me of the forest growing in Where the wild things are. These are classics in our midst, definetely.
And after several readings we were both ready for dreamland. Post note; I reread it again to my husband last night! He wanted to dramatize it, of course!
Peaceful Reading…

Quick Vacation post; Rick Riordan series



I finished The Sea of Monsters...Yeah!!!!! I love this series. I am reading it with a fifth-grade book club and I love how this book creates an instantaneous love of Greek mythology.
I am anxious to read The Titan’s Curse-wish I had brought it with me to Little Rock! I am reading The Adoration of Jenna Fox also though, which is very good and mysterious as well.

Peaceful Reading…

More Spring Break reading

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I don’t really know what I expected but The Underneath by Kathi Appelt is not some simple animal companion story. I brought it home from the library a few weeks ago because I was anxious to read it and like a good mother I decided to multi-task and read it to J. for a bedtime read-aloud (a change of pace from Junie. B and fairy gems). I don’t really like to read reviews about books before I read them as those words tend to get in the way of enjoyment but this may have been a time I could have used some red flags. Oh, the book is so well written and the story is woven so beautifully together and we have yet to get to where the stories come together. Kate DiCamillo’s The tale of Desperaux is a perfect example of another extraordinary weaving together of seperate threads. I did ask J., after Gar Face appeared, if she would like me to quite reading the book to her and she bounced on her bed and said, something like “no, no, no” about a hundred times so she’s hooked. I would say the book would really be better for 4th, 5th grade students, which are exactly who will read it when I take it back to my school library but for now it stays and J. and I will finish it with glee and some sadness- every three chapters or so.
Now for the other child…the 13-year-old I am so frantically trying to keep amongst the reading. The second book( first one was the previously blogged about Compound) I picked out at our public library for him is Gone by Michael Grant(watch this great youtube video of MG talk about the book). This book, I found out, is part of a planned six book series and Tristan and I are ready for the second one to appear. The premise of this book is that something has occured in the world and all the adult have simply disappeared…in fact, every one over 15 disappears. There are town kids, babies, and a prep school for teens in trouble all stuck in one community together. Many normal things happen such as looting but so much happens that I couldn’t even, or wouldn’t even think possible. This isn’t a typical book I would pick up for just me to read but Tristan is looking for new material since the Eragon series is in remission. He finished it the other day so now I have been reading like mad and along the way we talk about it (don’cha love it). We talk about the character’s choices and the author’s ideas. What I love most though is his constant “where are you now Mom, what’s happening now?” and well, it keeps us connected. I haven’t finished yet but tomorrow looks like another good reading day.

Peaceful Reading…

So B. It by Sarah Weeks


A teacher friend has been begging me to read So B. It by Sarah Weeks. I finally brought it home from my school library and started reading the first few pages and I was hooked. I proceeded to read it in two sittings. It reminded me of In search of mockingbird as they both have to do with a young girl’s search for clues about their mothers. Heidi, the main young character in So B. It, is being raised by her Mother, and the next-door neighbor, Bernadette, who suffers from agoraphobia. Heidi’s mother is mentally challenged and has a hard time making it through her day without help. Heidi loves her mom and really wants more information like does she have grandparents? She gets some clues when she discovers an old camera with film still intact in the back of a kitchen drawer. After the photos are developed Heidi sets off for an institute shown in the photos. The bus trip taking her from Reno, NV to the east coast is a fantastic journey with interesting characters very typical of a greyhound bus ride. Heidi does discover more about her mother’s past and meets two long lost relatives as well. This book is beautifully written and reminded me of the valuable thread that bind mothers and daughters together.

Peaceful Reading…