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All posts for the month June, 2013

Zeke Meeks, by D.L. Green

Published June 14, 2013 by Dagmar

zekemeeksHere’s a series that’s perfect for third and fourth graders that like funny books. Although, of course, books are not written specifically for boys, in my library, this series is checked out almost exclusively by boys. We have some older readers that come back to this series when they want a quick, funny read. Zeke Meeks combines text with pictures and a story line that’s fast moving and is very popular in our library. Be warned that this book definitely makes use the gross humor that is so popular with this age group.

In Zeke Meeks vs. the Stinkin’ Science Fair, third grader, Zeke Meeks, is faced with creating a science fair project. Zeke hates science. So, why is Zeke determined to win the science fair? Grace Chang, a girl with a really bad attitude, has staked out a corner of the playground with her two goons (forgive me), Emma G. and Emma J. She has named that part of the playground Graceville. Zeke makes the mistake of crossing into Graceville uninvited, and Grace knocks him down. When Zeke grabs her backpack to break his fall, it rips. Grace demands that Zeke pay her $50 to replace her ruined backpack. How does a third grader earn $50 — why, by winning the science fair, of course. So begins Zeke and his new friend Hector’s science project adventure and their battle against the vicious and evil Grace.

There are six books in the series, all sure to delight fans of funny books.

Summer reading recommendations

Published June 13, 2013 by Dagmar

My last summer reading list was my own – books that I have been meaning to read but haven’t had the time to read yet.  Here’s a list for kids of books that I’ve loved and students in my library have loved.  Of course, as I was writing it, I remembered all the books I still have to write about that are missing from this list.  Here’s a great start, though.  I hope you enjoy the list.  I’d love to hear your own recommendations.

I’ve listed books by an approximate age group and added links to my blog articles so you can read more about each title and see cover pictures.

Favorite Picture Books

Early readers (K-2nd grade)

  • I love the Mr. Putter and Tabby series, a sweet series by Cynthia Rylant with short chapters.  Click on the link to my blog article.
  • Katie Kazoo, by Nancy Krulik
  • Magic Tree House, by Mary Pope Osborne is a suspenseful series great for either read aloud or to read alone.
  • My Weird School and My Weird School Daze by Dan Gutman and Jim Paillot are very funny and full of snarky humor, perfect for this age.  Short chapters work, too.

Favorite chapter books (2nd-tween):

  • Inside Out & Back Again, by Thanhha Lai a wonderful book in verse about 10 year old girl’s transition from war-time Vietnam to the United States.
  • Moon over Manifest, by Clare Vanderpool.  The story of a girl who goes to live in a new town with a friend of her father. There she discovers new friends and a mystery that might tell her more about her father.
  • One Crazy Summer by Rita Garcia-Williams is an award-winning book about a strong and resourceful 12 year old girl who, along with her sisters, flies to see the mother that abandoned her.
  • Ranger’s Apprentice, by John Flanagan is a fantastic fantasy series about an orphaned boy who is taken on as an apprentice to the elite but mysterious Rangers who work to protect
  • Wonder by R.J. Palacio the story of a boy with severe facial disfiguration and his entry into school.

Favorite chapter books for tweens and middle school:

  • Conspiracy 365, by Gabrielle Lord an exciting and suspenseful series about a high school boy who has to solve a mystery in order to save his own life.One for the Murphys, by Lynda Mullaly Hunt was my favorite book of the year.  Realistic fiction about a girl in foster care and her new foster family.
  • Okay for Now, by Gary P. Schmidt, the story of a boy with a difficult home life that finds his way in a new town and discovers a love for the drawings of John Audobon.
  • One Crazy Summer by Rita Garcia-Williams is an award-winning book about a strong and resourceful 12 year old girl who, along with her sisters, flies to see the mother that abandoned her.
  • One for the Murphys, by Lynda Mullaly Hunt.  My favorite book of the year.  Realistic fiction about a girl who winds up in foster care, her relationship with her foster family.
  • Ranger’s Apprentice, by John Flanagan is a fantastic fantasy series about an orphaned boy who is taken on as an apprentice to the elite but mysterious Rangers who work to protect
  • Shooting Kabul, by N.H. Senzai

Great non-fiction:

Anne Frank: Her life in words and pictures, published by the Anne Frank House

Published June 11, 2013 by Dagmar

Anne FrankMany adults know the story of Anne Frank, the 14 year old girl who died in the Holocaust and whose diary told the story of her family’s ordeal hiding from the Nazis in Holland.  When I was young, we not only read The Diary of a Young Girl, by Anne Frank, we saw the play.  Both the book and the play had a huge impact on me when I saw the play in middle school.

It always surprises me that my students don’t know Anne Frank’s story.  It was heartening to hear the outrage they expressed when they realized that Anne was killed by the Nazis just because she was Jewish.  This injustice touched my students deeply, and this particular book about Anne Frank’s life was in high demand during my sixth grade girls’ biography unit.

This book has a unique format.  Published by the Anne Frank House, this book is six inches square and includes many family photographs of the Frank family.  The beginning of the book shows a picture of the diary that made Anne famous.  It’s a red plaid diary that she chose herself for her 13th birthday.  Pasted inside the front cover is a beautiful picture of Anne on her birthday.  Readers are drawn in by the picture of a young and pretty girl with a big smile.

After the Adolf Hitler and the Nazis came to power, the Frank family decided to leave Germany for Holland in 1933, because of the many restrictions Hitler and the Nazis placed on Jews.  In 1940, the Germans invaded Holland, and life for Jews changed dramatically for the worse.  In 1942, the Frank family went into hiding with the van Pels at Otto Frank’s office.  In June 1944, the Frank family celebrated as Allied troops landed at Normandy; but, in August, their dreams were shattered as they were captured by the Nazis and sent to different work and extermination camps.

I think this book was so successful with my students because Anne’s family’s story is interwoven with Anne’s own words from her diary.  There are many pictures of where Anne’s family and the van Pels family hid, so young readers can really get a sense of what Anne might have experienced as she hid from the Nazis.  Pictures of her diary pages are scattered throughout the book. This book brings the story of the Holocaust to a whole new generation very effectively.

Anne Frank and her sister Margot were sent to Bergen-Belsen camp.  The only member of the Frank and van Pels families to survive the war was Anne’s father Otto, who was liberated at Auschwitz by the Russians.

This is a powerful book and highly recommended.  This book was a Junior Library Guild selection.

The Snake Scientist, by Sy Montgomery

Published June 10, 2013 by Dagmar

snake scientistI’ve found a non-fiction series that I just love, Scientists in the Field: Where Science Meets Adventure.  The writing in these books is targeted toward older elementary and middle school students.

In The Snake Scientist, writer Sy Montgomery is joined by fabulous nature photographer Nic Bishop.  (See my blog on Nic Bishop here. It just so happens that I wrote on his snake book.  Bishop has an beautiful series of companion books to his Snakes book.)

The Snake Scientist follows the work of Robert Mason, Ph.D., a zoologist from Oregon State University who works studying the red-sided garter snakes in Manitoba province in Canada at the Narcisse Wildlife Management Area.  There, drawn by the unique geology of the area, tens of thousands of harmless red-sided garter snakes make their home during the winter.

I really like this book, because it moves so effortlessly from topic to topic.  This book describes how Bob Mason studies snakes and how he began his career as a scientist.  You’ll find examples of how Mason uses the information he gathers to run experiments so he can study snake behavior.  The Snake Scientist explains the impact of Mason’s work and how the study of snakes may even result in the development of cures for human diseases.  The book also works to dispel common myths about snakes.

It’s no surprise to me that Nic Bishop’s photographs are stunning.  Not only do you get a sense for the number of red-sided gartner snakes in the area (quite amazing), but you see pictures of scientists collecting snakes and measuring snakes and snakes in their natural habitats.

This book is not a survey of snakes, but any child interested in snakes or zoology will gain valuable insight into how a zoologist studying snakes goes about their work.

Highly recommended to future scientists and reptile fans.

I love non-fiction

Published June 10, 2013 by Dagmar

non-fictionIt’s rare for me to find a student that goes to the non-fiction section of their own volition.  When I do have a student who wants to read non-fiction, it’s so fun browsing the shelves together.  Lots of my students ask for books on astronomy, dinosaurs, animals, vehicles or sports.

There are so many great books out there.  I can’t let them just sit on my shelves unnoticed, so please check my non-fiction pages for non-fiction books that I love and recommend, just in case you know a student that loves to read non-fiction too.  I’ll focus my writing on books that are readily available to the public, not just the school library market.

Corduroy, by Don Freeman

Published June 10, 2013 by Dagmar

corduroy 1 I think I read this book to my son about a million times – no, two milion times.  It’s a book I remember loving from my own childhood.  This book doesn’t seem to age.  The best thing, though, is to see the looks on the faces of my preschoolers and kindergartners when I read them this book.

Corduroy is a about a little teddy bear sitting on the shelf of a department store who is missing a button on his overalls.  A little girl named Lisa wants to buy Corduroy, but her mother won’t let her, because he doesn’t look new.  A button is missing on Corduroy’s overalls.  That night, after the store closes, Corduroy searches the department store for a button to fix his overalls.  Lisa, determined to bring Corduroy home, returns the next day with all her savings so that she can buy Corduroy, despite his missing button.  In a very sweet ending scene, as Lisa sews on a new button to Corduroy’s overalls, both Corduroy and Lisa realize that they’ve each found a friend.

Bake Sale, by Sara Varon

Published June 9, 2013 by Dagmar

Bake SaleI really like Sara Varon’s graphic novels.  They are emotional, a little melancholy but most of all, really good.  Bake Sale is very popular in my library.  I have a lot of cooks and bakers at my school, so I think Bake Sale’s appeal extends beyond the very sweet (sorry) story of friendship to the recipes throughout the book.

Cupcake owns a bake shop in New York City.  He has a best friend named Eggplant and plays drums in a band with his friends.  He loves baking and playing in the marching band.  Eggplant tells him that he is going to visit his aunt Aubergine in Turkey.  His aunt Aubergine knows Turkish Delight, the famous baker.  Turkish Delight is Cupcake’s baking idol. Eggplant invites Cupcake to come along to Turkey so that he can meet Turkish Delight.  Cupcake doesn’t have the money for his plane ticket.  At Eggplant’s urging, Cupcake quits his band and works lots extra hours creating new recipes and selling his baked goods all over New York City so that he can save up all his money to buy a ticket to Turkey.  I love Cupcake’s entrepreneurial spirit.  He sells little marzipan dogs and cats outside to sell at St. John the Baptist Cathedral for St. Francis of Assisi Day, dog biscuits for the Westminster Dog Show and heart-shaped peppermint brownies for Valentine’s Day.  Finally, Cupcake saves up enough for his ticket to Turkey so that he can meet Turkish Delight.  Sadly, Eggplant loses his job and can no go to Turkey.

What happens next? Read and find out how this great story ends.  I loved it.

This book was a Junior Library Guild selection.

Big Mean Mike, by Michelle Knudsen

Published June 8, 2013 by Dagmar

Big Mean MikeWow did my students love this book!  It’s a lot of fun, and the illustrations by Scott Magoon are great.

“Big Mean Mike was the biggest, toughest dog in the whole neighborhood.”  He has the meanest looking car and really mean looking combat boots.  When he opens his trunk to put in a package, there is a bunny – a really, really cute little bunny.  Nothing is less big and mean than a really, really cute bunny.  Big Mean Mike, puts it on the ground and drives away.  The next day, the cute bunny is back with a friend.  Big Mean Mike again leaves the bunnies on the sidewalk and drives away.  This continues until the day that Big Mean Mike goes to the monster truck show.  He then finds four really adorable bunnies under the driver’s seat of the car.  He leaves them in the car to go into the truck show, but then just can’t leave those incredibly cute bunnies in the car.  So, he sneaks them into the monster truck show.  Eventually, he can’t resist their cuteness and lets them out of their bag to watch the show.  As you might suspect, the other dogs tease him when they seem Big Mean Mike with four little bunnies.  This is the best part of the book… The bunnies growl back at the dogs that are teasing Big Mean Mike.  Then, Big Mean Mike tells those dogs that he can be friends with whomever he wants.

This book is so great.  I love the Big Mean Mike has a soft side and that he’ll stick up for himself when he does something that other dogs would be afraid to do.  Go Big Mean Mike!  Go Bunnies!

Magic Tree House, by Mary Pope Osborne

Published June 7, 2013 by Dagmar

magic tree houseThis was a sleeper series in my library.  I read almost everyone with my son  when he was four and five years old, and he just loved them.  I couldn’t figure out why my students weren’t reading the books.  It turns out that my students just didn’t find the covers interesting.  So, I asked one of my second grade teachers to try reading the series out loud to her students.  Oh my goodness.  She loved the series and so did they.  I can’t keep these books on the shelves anymore.  Her entire second grade is now excited about these books, and my teacher said she will read them to her new second grade students next year.

What are the Magic Treehouse books?  These short chapter books are books that combine history with adventure, magic and suspense, perfect for first and second graders.  There are even picture to break up the text.  Jack and Annie are brother and sister. While playing near the woods in Frog Creek Pennsylvania, Annie, Jack’s younger sister, spots a tree house high in a tree.  She, the more adventurous of the two, climbs up to the tree house.  Jack, the more cautious of the two, follows her reluctantly.  They find books in the tree house on all different topics.  Jack, a big reader, picks up one of the books on dinosaurs.  Looking at a page, he says, “I wish I could see a Pteradon.”  No sooner has he said it, but there is a Pteradon outside the treehouse.  Annie runs out to meet it, much to Jack’s dismay.  So begins Jack and Annie’s first adventure with the Magic Tree House.  Once hooked, as my students now are, students can visit Pompeii, Ninjas, Pirates, the Titanic, the Amazon and many more places.

Not only does this wonderful and engaging series go on for 48 books, but it is accompanied by non-fiction readers for those students interesting in learning more about the topics in the books.

I highly recommend this series as a read aloud to younger students and as a great early chapter book for first, second and third grade readers.

Summer reading lists

Published June 5, 2013 by Dagmar

I’m finishing up the school year, inventorying books, cataloging my book orders and giving hugs to kids stopping by wondering why we aren’t holding classes.  Once our shelves are filled with new books and we host our fabulous library book giveaway and sale today, it’s time to lock the doors for the summer and read, read, read!

I’ve got a pretty ambitious reading list for this summer.  Here are some of the chapter books I’m looking forward to reading this summer and hopefully recommending to students next school year.  Some of the picks are by authors I love, some were recommended by students, some are simply books on my library shelves that I haven’t read yet, including books sent through my fabulous Junior Library Guild subscriptions, others are award winners.

So many books, so little time! 🙂  Ok, here goes nothing!

PS. Be Eleven – new book by the wonderful author of One Crazy Summer (see my blog article)

Lincoln’s Grave Robbers by Steve Sheinkin – author of the incredible book Bomb: the race to build – and steal – the world’s most dangerous weapon (see my blog article)

Witness, by Karen Hesse – a very moving book about KKK activity in a small town in Vermont in 1924

A Hero’s Guide to Saving the Kingdom by Christopher Healy – when I asked my students about their favorite books of the year, one student enthusiastically recommended this book – a Junior Library Guild selection.

The Robe of Skulls by Vivien French- a popular mystery in my library and a Junior Library Guild selection.

The Candymakers by Wendy Mass – recommended by a young blog reader!

Out of the Dust, by Karen Hesse – 1998 Newbery Award winner

Jasper Jones, by Craig Silvey – 2012 Michael L. Printz Award winner

Ida B by Katherine Hannigan – a Booklist starred review

One White Dolphin by Gill Lewis – a book for animal lovers – a Junior Library Guild selection

The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate by Jacqueline Kelly – 2010 Newbery Honor book

Kira Kira by Cynthia Kodohata – 2005 Newbery Medal

Secrets of Shakespeare’s Grave by Deron R. Hicks and Mark Edward Geyer – a Junior Library Guild selection

Jefferson’s Sons by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley – a Junior Library Guild selection

I’d love to hear about your top summer reading picks!  Comment with some recommendations, please!

Have a wonderful end of the school year and summer ahead,

Dagmar