Tuesday, July 29, 2008

2008 Quick Picks for Reluctant Readers


Quaking by Kathryn Erskine


You might not know just from looking at someone that they are a foster child. Well 14 yr old Matilda is a foster child who is placed in a new home. The parents in this particular home are Quakers but they also have a son who is disabled. Matilda is having a difficult time getting adjusted to school because people bully her and her Civics teacher dislikes her. Matilda seems to overcome all these challenges and is no longer shy but somehow viewed as a hero in many people's eyes.

2008 Quick Picks for Reluctant Readers


Baby Girl by Lenora Adams


Sheree writes three letters and in those three letters she writes about the life she lived with ehr single mother, trying to contact her father, and the many attempts she made to stay in touch with her parents. The last letter is for her son and she explains to him some facts about her father adn the consequences for the choices she has made in her own life. The issues in this book are so realisitc that any teen can connect with. Even I had some connection when reading this book. The issues of teen pregnancy and self-esteem are interesting topics that most teens are interested in reading about.

2008 Quick Picks for Reluctant Readers


Thin by Lauren Greenfield


Eating disorders are common with young adults and many of these young adults are reluctant to talk about thier problem with loved ones. Therefore, this book is about eating disorders among women and self- improvement. Four women are seeking help at Renfrew Treatment Facility and thier lives are told in pictures and text. Each pictures has a descripiton of each girl and what caused the development of their eating disorder. This book offers information on what to do when you suspect an eating disorder. This could be a popular read for teens.

2008 Quick Picks for Reluctant Readers


Thalia: Belleza! by Thalia


This book is all about beauty and young readers would definitely love it. It's all about skincare, haircare, make-up and beauty regimes that popstar Thalia recommends. She ain't no skin doctor but most young girls would probably listen to her advice. This is a personal look into her life and the do's and don't about beauty. I loved this book because I can relate to Thalia having an acne issue like she did and swhat she recommends.

2008 Quick Picks for Reluctant Readers


Tupac Shakur Legacy by Joseph Jamal


This is the story of rap artist, political spokesman, poet, actor, writer, humanitarian and entrepreneur Tupac Aramu Shakur. From his early childhood in Harlem, to his emergence as a young artist, through his incarceration, release, and last, prolific years in the eyes of an adoring public, Tupac's life and legacy are recounted by a friend who knew him well, and with the cooperation of Tupac's family. I really nejoyed Tupac Shakur's music when he was alive so I thought this would an interesting read and it really was. So much memoriabilia from life was included that it was fascinating to read. Young adults would appreciate this read and reluctant readers would pick up this read!

2008 Best Book for Young Adults


The New Policeman by Kate Thompson


This is an enchanting story about JJ Liddy, a fifteen year old who lives in a village on Ireland's fabled west coast where the prevailing complaint is about too-busy adults and overprogrammed kids. The Liddy's renowned musicians in their village and they host a party at their home. When a friend suggests that they go clubbing that same day JJ wants so badly to go but how can he be at both places at the same time. On his way to turn down his friend, J.J. runs into a woman who knows why time is flying by but needs J.J. to fix it. The problem has nothing to do with Ireland joining the E.U., as many locals believe, but rather with events in a fairy kingdom. This book was fantasy which I am not a fan of but it was an interesting read.

2008 Best Book for Young Adults


Memoirs of a Teenage Amnesiac by Gabrielle Zevin


Naomi is sixteen years old and is living with amnesia. She fell down a flight of stairs which caused some brain injuries and therefore cannot remember the past four years of her life. She can't remember one of the rockiest moments of her life, her parents' divorce. Her two best friends are strangers to her because she can't remember them at all. However, she remember James, the first person she saw after her fall. This image of James that she sees is what helps her sort out her past and her feelings of living with this memory loss. This was amazing book. It dealt with loss, challenges, and making new a life which made it all more interesting.

2008 Best Book for Young Adults


Boy Toy by Barry Lyga


Sexual molestation can be hard for anyone but for young Joshua Mendel that is all he can think about. Josh was sexually molested was thirteen years old when he was molested by his seventh grade history teacher. Now at the age of 18 he is trying to deal with the scars that were placed on him at such a young age. When his teacher is released from prison Joshua asks her questions that have been haunting him for 5 years. At this point Joshua can;t hold relations with people because of his molestations that left him with no hope for the future. Throughout all his emotions and rages Joshua is able to form a new relationship with an old flame who helps him with his anger and mixed meotions. This book can be a bit challenging to read because of the adult content. Sexual molestation can't be a subject most like to read about so this book may have its consequences.

2008 Best Book for Young Adults


Before I Die by Jenny Downham


There are certain things Tessa wants to do before she dies of leukemia. She is 16 yrs old and is living with this cancer that will kill her anytime soon. So she makes a list of everything she wants to do before that time comes. With the help of her best friend, Zoey, Tessa is able to achieve those things on her list. The first thing she wants to do is have sex and when she does do this she comes to realize that sex was not what she expected. Soon she falls in love with Adam and he is everything she has every wanted and feels comfortable with him. Therefore, feeling comfortable with him they have sex but later on Tessa feels a bit of jealousy towards her best friend and the person she loves because she will never get to live the life that they will go on living. Her body begins to deterioate and her days are numbered and she still had not successfully achieved all that she wanted. This book is a powerful book , making you realize what life truly is about. You will feel empathetic towards Tessa but will also feel like you have more life to look forward to.

2008 Best Book for Young Adults


The Arrival by Shaun Tan


Many sepia toned drawings tell the story of a man who leaves his family and home to make a build a better future for his family. This book has no text just pictures so the story is told entirely through beautiful drawings. The man leaving his family, boarding an oversize ship, arriving at a new place, and meeting new people are just some of the experiences that this man is going through. It's hard to read a book without any text but this drawing and pictures did not fail to get the story across to its readers. This is a wonderful "read"!

2008 Schneider Family Award


Reaching for the Sun by Tracie Vaughn Zimmer

Living in a farmhouse with her carrer obsessed mother and grandmother has turned Josei Wyatt into a pretty passive person. However, she has cerebral palsy and her mother cannot accept that. Josie has tough times making friends but her new freind Jordan is interested in her, not even noticing that she has a disability. Even though Josie faces many challenges living with a disability and her family, at the end od the story her relationship with her mom is no more.

2008 Beplre Award (illustration)


Los Gatos Black on Halloween by Marissa Montes


This is a wonderful Halloween poetry book. Certain black cats and creatures of the night are having a party at a Haunted Hall. All sorts of creatures are welcomed to this spooky party. Trick or treaters start to arrive and the goblins and ghosts become scared and frightened of the dressed up children. I am a huge fan of bilingual books, hopiong to write on soon, so this book is wonderful for those bilingual children or even children who want to become blingual. It's a fun topic with a cute story line.

Friday, July 25, 2008

2008 Beplre Award (text)

The Poet Slave of Cuba: A Biography of Juan Francisco Manzana by Margarita Engle

This is the biography of celebrated poet Juan Francisco Manzana, a 19th century Cuban Poet. Engle tells us of the horrible life of Juan Manzana as a young boy. Juan was a slave and had a female master by the name of Beatriz. He is an intelligent young boy who is well liked by his master. But when his master dies he is forced to another master, a female slave Marquesa de Prado Amens. Marquesa is different than Beatriz and she is very cruel with him, severely punishing him often. This book reveals factual information about the Cuban slavery. This is an intense book full of information about slavery. Slavery could be a hard topic to read for young adults and children. Most children do not know much about it so this book could be an informational.

2008 Coretta Scott King Award (text)

Elijah of Buxton by Christopher Paul Curtis

Elijah was the first child "born free" to former slaves in Buxton. He has heard of slavery but has no real experience of what life is like being a slave. Elijah travels to American after someone stole money from his friend, Mr. Leroy who was saving the money to buy his family freedom. In America he discovers firsthand the unimaginable horrors of the life his parents fled, a life from which he’ll always be free. While hiding in barn he sees the mistreatment of slaves. And while he hoped to save all the slaves from the torment he was only able to save a baby girl. The first person point of view offers readers a young boy's insight into the painful world of slavery, and will help children explore the issue without the guilt of ignorance. This would be an excellent introduction to so many topics- maturation, moral dilema, social consciousness, and the history of slavery.

Thursday, July 24, 2008

2008 Coretta Scott King Award (illustration)


Let It Shine by Ashley Bryan


Ashley Bryan has chosen three songs to celebrate African American sprituals. " This Little Light of Mine," "Oh, When the Saints Go Marching In," and "He's Got the Whole World in His Hands" are shown and depicted in a unique way. Kaleidoscopic cut-construction-paper collages are used to interpret the three songs. Musical notations for each song are included at the end of the book. The illustrations will definitely grab any young readers' attention. This oversized book is a must for a children's library collection.

2008 Batchelder Award or Honor Book

Brave Story by Miyuki Miyabe

Wataru is torn between his parents divorce. He somehow wants to get them back together. And so the journey begins where he enters into this fanstasy world full of demons and magic. A goddess, who can change destiny,stumbles upon him and takes him on a journey. Only when he has finished his journey and collected five elusive gemstones will he possess the Demon’s Bane—the key that will unlock his future. Charity, bravery, faith, grace and the power of darkness and light: these are the provinces of each gemstone. Provinces brought together, they Wataru's family is reunited and he is grateful and happy.


This story was of course fantasy, of which I am not a big fan of. The possesion of the gemstones was interesting and I enjoyed how he was able to reunite with his family at the end.

2008 Geisel Award

There is a Bird on your Head by Mo Willems

We are now introduced to an elephant and Piggie. Gerald, the elephant, keeps having his head used by birds for landing and Piggie tries to help the problem. First a bird has landed on Gerald’s head and has decided to make its nest on his head. Now Gerald has two birds, a nest, and three eggs on his head. After the eggs have hatched they decide to tell the birds they have to move. Unfortunately, the birds relocate on Piggie’s head. What a funny story. My daughter's loved this story. The illustrations were wonderful to look at. My youngest daughter is still to understand what might be happening in a story but the illustrations in this picture book clearly led her to understand what was happening to Gerald, and then later what happened to Piggie. It was awesome but of course I wouldn't expect anything less from Mo Williams.

2008 Sibert Award


The Wall: Growing Up Behind the Iron Curtain by Peter Sis


This book is an autobiography, journal and a historical commentary about the life of Peter Sis, the author. He retells his life events while growing up in Czecholslovakia during the Cold War. is really a fascinating memoir about life under communism in Prague and the liberation of the spirit through art and music. This is the type of uplifting story that can be shared and enjoyed by a parent with a son or daughter. Sis's line drawings are simple, exquisite, and full of delight.

2008 Caldecott Award

The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick


Hugo is an orphan, a clock keeper and a thief who lives in the walls of a busy Paris train station. When he is caught stealing from a toy booth he is forced to work at the same place from where he stole. He is taken in to live with the shopkeeper and his granddaugher, Isabelle, eccentric, bookish girl and there it just so happens where his most precious secret is revealed and he is put in jeopardy. A cryptic drawing, a treasured notebook, a stolen key, a mechanical man, and a hidden message from Hugo's dead father form the backbone of this intricate, tender, and spellbinding mystery.





I really enjoyed this book as well because of the mystery that comes along with reading it. Mystery, history, and realistic fiction were combined wonderfully and (in this case) made real.

2008 Newbery Honor Book

Feathers by Jacqueline Woodson

Frannie is fascinated with Dickinson's poem "Hope is the thing with feathers/ that perches in the soul," and grapples with its meaning, especially after a white student joins Frannie's all-black sixth-grade classroom. However, she has come to the point in her life where she is examining things more closely, her brother, her long time best friend, her mother’s pregnancy, and the new 'Jesus' kid in class. Frannie is living in a very segregated situation, but the issues she faces are very timely. Most students will be able to relate to the moral dilemma of how to handle a disagreement with a friend or the threat of a bully. The Dickenson poem is brought up throughout the story, reminding readers to keep hope alive. I enjoyed this book a great deal because no matter what race you are, what problems you have at home, or whatever is going on in your life, one should always have a different outlook or perspective about life just like Frannie discovered.

2008 Newbery Honor Book


The Wednesday Wars by Gary D. Schmidt


On Wednesdays, Holling is forced to read SHakespeare because he does not attend religious classes with the rest of his class. He thinks he hates Shakespeare but one thing he really dislikes is Mrs. Baker. She is the one who gives him the evil eye and make shim read Shakespeare. Halfway through his reading of Shakespeare Holling finds that things are not always what he thinks they are, not Mrs. Baker, not the war in Vietnam, not the fears and frustrations of middle school life, not the members and stability of his family, not even his hero-worshiped Yankees, or atomic bomb drills.


This book is an excellent read especially for young adults who seem to be lost in their own little world. Never do young kids think that by reading they will discover a whole meaning to life. Holling did even if he didn't enjoy reading Shakespeare at first. I can relate to this book is many ways. I do Shakespeare with my students every year and every year without fail I see thier faces mad and disappointed because it's time for Shakespeare. However, at the end all the students can relate to the theme of the play and leave my class with a positive outlook in life. I especially liked the cover art of Shakespeare and Holling.

2008 Newbery Medal Winner


Good Masters! Sweet Ladies!: Voices from a Medieval Village
by Laura Amy Schlitz

The student who is fascinated with history would sure love to read this award winning book. The book is a novel with seventeen monologues written through verse and prose about the European Middle Ages circa 1255. With twenty three main characters, all with distinct personalities, the reader can feel and get to know this era through the eyes of each character. Short historical notes located on the margin are perfect for discussions for teachers with thier students.

I am not in history, whatsoever, however I enjoyed reading this novel because of its beautiful illustrations and I felt like I got to know that era through the eyes of each of its characters. This would be an excellent asset for a history teacher to read-aloud to thier students. I reccomend this book to any history teacher.

2008 Printz Honor Book


Your Own Sylvia: A Verse Portrait of Sylvia Plath by Stephanie Hemphill

Sylvia Path was a great poet and Stephanie Hemphill stays true to the basic framework of the poet's life, highlighting her major milestones: her childhood, college years, her hospitalization and first suicide attempt, as well as her first meeting with poet Ted Hughes—whom Plath would marry. The reader will get to know Sylvia Plath through the poems in this book. Accompanying each entry, the author includes footnotes with background information about the people and events alluded to in the poems. Plath committed suicide during a prolific time in her life. Her autobiographical novel, The Bell Jar, had just been published and this book would be an excellent curriculum companion for that novel.

Sylvia Plath is a favorite poet of mine. I use her works a lot for UIL Prose and poetry. The students can really connect to Plath because her life was so realistic and she expressed it in the best way she could: poetry.

2008 Printz Honor Book


Repossessed by A.M. Jenkins

Shaun, is somewhat of a typical teenager. He is not that much into his looks, what people think about him, or even his education. However, he is about to encounter an ususual adventure. A fallen angel named Kiriel want sto experience what a human being is and so he enters Shaun's body. Kiriel faces typical teenage experiences and challenges and dilemnas. In an awkward turn-around of things, Kiriel is able to sort of change Shaun's teenage life around. He changes Shaun, making him a more improved person with a different lifestyle.

I did enjoy this book very much. It had its humor, which I am always up for, but it had a dark side that somehow you can connect with. As a teen I remember feeling what Shaun was experiencing. Being a fantasy novel, I think many young adults will be attracted to this book. I especially liked the cover art.

2008 Printz Award Book


The White Darkness by Geraldine McCaughrean

Symone is a troubled teen. She dreams of one day visiting Antartica, a fascination destination for her. Her uncle Victor one day suprises her with a gift, a trip to Antartica. Sym is exctied to visit this place that she has so long dreamt about. Victor and Sym's trip is about to get even more exciting as Vic is on a mission. He was wants to discover the Symme's Hole, a hole that will take you to the center of a hollow earth. This trip is not all what Sym thought it would be. His obsession with this "hole" has Sym wondering how safe she is. At the end, Sym escapes her dangerous and obsessive uncle and the icy and ferocious environment of Antartica.

This suspense novel was hard to put down. It kept me wanting to know what was to happen next. This book is for the intellectual learner who can truly appreciate a novel full of suspense, challenges, and new thoughts.

Monday, July 21, 2008

2008 YALSA Amazaing Audio books for Young Adults


Evolution, Me and Other Freaks of Nature by Robin Brande

Read by Kaili Vernoff

The narrative style chosen for this audio book was a single narrator, fully voiced. This was the best choice for this title because the main character did most of the talking. There was some dialogue; however, one narrator fully voiced was a lot easier to understand, rather than several narrators with different voices. The narrator did an excellent job in changing character voices and tones. The narrator is accurate, appropriate and consistent with accents and pronunciation. The narrator’s voice does the match the age of a young adult school girl, entering a new grade. The narrator’s voice matched the attitude and speech patterns of the main character. The narrator uses variations in pitch and volume to keep the listener engaged and to add drama and interest to the scenes. The narrator does seem appropriate to the period and setting, starting a new school year.
The pace is a little fast but not hard to keep up with. The narrator varies the pace to match the dramatic (and emotional) highs and lows of the plot. The narrator maintains pace throughout the entire production.
There is introductory music and concluding music but no music between sections of the book. It does match the tenor of the book, appropriate and relaxing, not lingering for too long. The production would have been just as good without it but it doesn’t hurt to hear some music. There are no sound effects.
The listeners are reminded at the end/beginning CD of the following chapter to come. The end points for each CD are carefully chosen, enticing. The same narrator announces the title and every chapter title and read introductory material. There is no advertising but they do mention the company who made the audio book, Listening Library.
There is one built in extra that does not appear in the print version. At the end of the audio book there is an author interview with Robin Brande. The interview is very interesting as Robin herself interviews the person who inspired the character, Ms. Sheperd. The person she interview was a man by the name of Professor Kenneth Miller, author of Finding Darwin’s God, who gave Robin the inspiration for Ms. Sheperd, a person of faith and religion. The interview with the author was placed at the end of the audio book. There is material, such as a famous Darwin quote, which appeared in book print and audio versions. This definitely adds to the listening mode. There are no illustrations and or captions in the print version.
The sound quality is clean, clear and crisp. There are no hisses, overlaps, skips, gaps, or overdubs. It is hard to tell where the recording session begins or ends. The quality of the “white noise” in the background is consistent throughout. There is tracking at regular intervals, which is definitely useful. The packaging is sturdy and durable. The cover is attractive, bright colors, bold prints. The liner notes are correct, legible, and informative. The sound level is consistent, never having to adjust the equipment to compensate. The editing is done carefully, no repeated sentences. There is perfect timing in between each chapter, leaving the listener with enough time for thoughts and reflections.

2008 Notable Children's Recording List


If a Tree Falls at Lunch Period by Gennifer Choldenko

Read by Ariadne Meyes and Francois Battiste

The narration in this audio book was very interesting. There were multiple narrators with dramatization. Two narrators dramatized the voices of the other characters in the book. I do not believe that this was the best choice of narrative style for this title because it was hard to tell apart the different characters. Most of the characters were young adults and so when the two narrators would change a character their voices did not support that character.
The narrator’s voice was clear and engaging, mostly because of the interesting storyline. Their voices were pleasant to listen to over a long period of time and it was free of obvious intakes of breath or speech peculiarities. The narrator’s were accurate and appropriate and mostly consistent with accents and pronunciation. The main characters were young adults in the seventh grade and the narrator’s voice sometimes did not match the age and speech patterns of the characters. You could tell the narrator’s had to really try to change their voices for other characters. Their attitudes were consistent. The narrator does use variations in pitch and volume to keep the listener engaged and to add drama and interest to the scenes. The narrator’s voices do somewhat seem appropriate to the setting, which was during the school year in the seventh grade.
The pace of the narrator speaking was smooth and easy to follow. It was not slow, which would make it less interesting. The narrators were very good at being able to vary the pace to match the dramatic and emotional highs and lows of the plot. These narrators were very emotional with plenty of teenage attitude. The narrators maintained pace through the entire production.
There is introductory music and concluding music; however, there was no music between sections of the book. The music at the beginning of the book does linger for a little too long. I think production would have been just as good without it lingering for that long; however, music at the beginning was important to engage to the listener. There were no sound effects used in the making of this audio book.
At the beginning of each chapter the narrator briefly says what chapter we are on and the title of the chapter. The end points for each CD are logically (at least) chosen. The two narrators announce the title and they do read introductory and ending material. This is definitely a plus so that the listener has more information about what they are about to read. There is no advertising and that would be a positive.
There are no built in extras that do not appear in the print version. There are no author interviews or music. I think music might detract from the quality of the storyline, unless the story is about music. There are not materials that appear in the print version that are included in the audio. It is basically the same. There are no illustrations in the print version, aside from the cover art.
The sound quality is clean, clear, and crisp. There is rarely a hiss, overlap, skips, gaps or overdubs. I can usually tell where the recording sessions begin and ends because there is a long silent pause. The quality of the “white noise” in the background is consistent throughout the audio book. There is tracking at regular intervals. The intervals are short enough to be useful, mainly to grasp what you just heard or to jot down some notes. The cover is fairly attractive. A big beautiful tree is featured just like the illustration in the print version. The packaging is sturdy but because it is brand new. Maybe after a couple of years, it could get flimsy. The liner notes are correct, legible, and informative. The sound level is consistent throughout, never having to adjust my equipment to compensate. The editing is careful, for there are no repeated sentences. The time in between sections and chapters is enough time to reflect on what you just listened to.

2008 Odyssey Award for Audio books


Jazz by Walter Dean Meyers, illus. by Christopher Meyers

Read by James “D-Train” Williams and Vanessa Thomas

Two single narrators, fully voiced, was the narrative style chosen for this audio book. This was the best style for Jazz because you could listen to and feel the emotions from two different people.
Of course, the narrators voices were clear and engaging, making the listener want to get up and dance around the house. Along with the instrumental pieces, the narrator’s voices were pleasant to listen to over a long period of time. The forty-eight minutes of this CD were well-listened to. The narrator’s voices were free of obvious intakes of breath or speech peculiarities. The narrator’s voices were accurate, appropriate, and consistent with accents and pronunciation. The voices also match the ages, attitudes, and speech patterns of the music lyrics. The narrator uses variations in pitch and volume to keep the listener engaged in the music and its feeling. The narrator’s voices were appropriate to this genre of music. I cannot picture the narrators singing country or rap music.
The pace of the songs and narrators poem lyrics was smooth and easy to follow, making it even more interesting. The narrator varied the pace to match the dramatic highs and lows of the music. There is a maintain of pace throughout the entire production.
What I enjoyed about this audio book is the music behind every poem about jazz. Reading the book and listening to the audio is very different. In order to full understand what Meyers is trying to connect with can easily be done with through the audio book. The music was not at all distracting. The music was authentic and true to its jazz roots.
There is only one CD for this audio book and for every poem there was not a title or beginning line. The narrators and music would simply start to their own beat. There was no advertising of any kind.
What appeared in the book is what appeared in the audio book, word for word. There were no extras included. There is an introductory, a glossary of terms, and a jazz time line, all three making a big impact on the story and influence of jazz music. The illustrations in the print version are phenomenal. Full of life, the bold illustrations truly depicts why jazz is so interesting and relaxing to listen to. The illustrations are very successful for the reader to understand better.
The sound quality is clean, clear, and crisp. There are no hisses, overlaps, skips, gaps, or overdubs. I can’t really tell where the recording sessions begin or end. There was no “white noise” in the background, just wonderful jazz music. There is tracking at intervals, which are useful enough to absorb what wonderful music one just heard. The packaging is sturdy and durable. The cover is attractive and interesting. It is the same as the print version. The liner notes are correct, legible, and informative. The sound level is consistent, not having to adjust equipment to compensate. The editing is done carefully, more so because there is music involved. There is enough time in between sections for reflections and thoughts.

2008 Texas 2*2


Big Smelly Bear by Britta Teckentrup


This is the playful sotry of a big smelly bear, He smelled so bad that only flies got near him. One day he gets this nasty itch and he becomes desperate and needs someone to scratch; however, no one will get near him. Then Big Fluffy Bear comes to the rescue and says she'll scratch but only if he showers. And so the friendship bewteen two bears starts. Smelly bear decides to shower and his itching worries are over all because of big fluffy bear. I thought this was a funny story and very cute. My daughter's loved, especially my little one who adores animals and loves to shower.

2008 Texas 2*2


Kid Tea by Elizabeth Ficocelli, Glin Dibley (illustr)


This is a bathtime book that will appeal to young boys and girls. This book introduces colors and days of the week. Each day a boy and girl do something different, such as play football or enjoy popsicles, resulting in differently colored bath water at night. As one can see in the illustrations, the young kids are enjoying playing every day of the week identifying what they played during the day to what color the bath water will turn that night. Young kids will enjoy the bright colors and the big expressions on the children's faces. I enjoyed this book very much but bath time at my house is not for play because I am a very busy woman who doesn't like to waster water.

2008 LONE STAR


Dark Water Rising by Marion Hale


Seth's family has just moved to Galveston, TX, and the 17-year-old is discontented with his life. His mother makes him look after his little sister, his younger brothers are completely annoying, and his father wants him to go to college rather than let him follow his dream of being a carpenter. Still, things get off to a pretty good start. His uncle finds him a summer job as a carpenter's helper, he meets a girl he likes, and Galveston is a fun place to live. However, on September 8, 1900, everything changes when a deadly storm devastates the area. But everything changes on a single day, when on September 8th, the island city is struck by the worst hurricane in its recorded history. Seth and his coworkers struggle to return to their families and ensure the safety of their loved ones. After a terrifying night spent in a house that is knocked off its foundation by the storm, Seth and the other members of the community must face the devastation left behind by the catastrophe. This is a great novel because it is both fact and fiction and really it hits too close to home. Galveston is a beautiful city that I enjoy visiting every once in a while. That storm is still talked about to this day, even being mentioned on TV weather stations. I think this would make a great asset to a collection of books for young adults, especially those interested in Texas history.

2008 TAYSHAS


Not Like You by Deborah Davis


Kayla's life is just one long roller coaster ride. Her mom is a binge drinker, getting drunk almost night, has no money, and loser boyfriends. Kayla is frustrated that this has been her life for the past fifteen years and shes pretty much tired from all the moving. Then one day Mariyln moves them to New Mexico for a fresh start. Life seems okay for a while making it even more worthwhile as she is spending time with a 24 yr old musician. mother has made the 15 years of her daughter's life unpredictable, from moving for "fresh starts" to drunken binges, no money, loser boyfriends, and a year in foster care. Kayla is tired of being the adult and of letting a guy use her for sex just to feel loved. When Marilyn moves them to New Mexico and seems genuinely to want to stay sober, Kay is skeptical, but she begins to make a life for herself by walking dogs and making friends, especially with Remy, a 24-year-old musician. Remy pursues Kalya passionately but stops short of a sexual relationship. Then Remy moves to Denver for his band, and Marilyn slides into an alcoholic stupor, leaving Kayla desperate for stability and comfort. She steals money from friends and runs to Remy in Denver, but fdoesn't feel what she thought it would be like. Kayla is a character full of flaws and hopes. Despite having grown up fast, she is still a teenager: moody and angry because of a mother who chooses alcohol over her daughter. Marilyn is fully dimensional, with her own failures, small triumphs, and desperation. Kayla realizes that she is making the same mistakes that her mom was making all these years. Then Kayla starts to understand her mother and learn to love herself. I did enjoy this book very much because I enjoyed reading more about Marilyn's struggles and issues. I cannot compare myself to her but her issues are realistic and many people face them.

2008 TAYSHAS


Shark Girl by Kelly Bingham


Written in free verse, Bingham tells the story of Jane Arrowood, better known as "Shark Girl". She got that nickname because of a shark attack that left her with a prosthetic arm. She is popular, truly talented and artistic, but all that is lost on that sunny day in California. Sometimes jane wishes that she just would have not survived that shark attack. She feels extremely sorry for herself not being able to feel the same as she would with her real arm. She struggles to survive and learn to love again. There are plenty of metaphors making this novel a nit more visual and authentic. Any young adult can identify with this novel of loss of self and how to regain that loss. I love this book because again it deals with the young adults I communicate with on a daily basis. It is a life lessom for anyone who can't seem to find thier true selves in this cruel yet natural world.

2007 Finalist for the NBA in Young People's Literature


Story of a Girl by Sara Zarr


This book is fiction but it seems so realistic. I deal with teenagers everyday of my life, much of them wanting to tell me thier problems at home so when I started reading this book I instantaneously thought, "this will help me understand teens a little better". Deanna's life is drastically changed after her father catches her having sex with a 17 yr old boy. Its been two years and her life is completely messed up, to say the least. She is considered the school slut thanks to Tommy, her family keeps a close eye on her, her dad can't even look at her, and her two friends have started seeing boys, making her want to be interested. She tries to maintain a close relationship with her older brother, but Darren and his girlfriend are struggling as teenage parents. Deanna learns to protect herself by becoming outwardly tough, but feels her isolation acutely. She can only pour her feeling sto her journal because she doesn't want to share what she feels with others, also writing a story about a girl who experiences the same she does. At this point I can see that she has identity issue. She doesn't really know who she is or who she is becoming. Making one single mistake can truly shape anyone's life but this young girl has no sense of self-worth. I very much felt what she is feeling as I myself have shared some the same issues are her. I love how Zarr told this story. This is a book that i definitely want my 9th graders to read on their spare time.

2008 Notable Books for Children



Little Rat Makes Music by Monika Bang-Campbell, Molly Bang (illustr.)



Little Rat seems to be the impatient kind of rat. She comes from a "musical" type of family and she wants to learn how to play an instrument too. She chooses to learn to play the violin because the kids around her can play beautifully on violins. She doesn't seem to understand that to play such nice music she is going to have to practice a lot. Little rat becomes very impatient but with the help of Kitty she begins to do much better. I enjoyed this book very much because of the beautiful watercolor illustrations but also because of the lesson being taught to kids who are determined to learn something new.

Tuesday, July 15, 2008

2008 Notable Books for Children



My Colors, My World by Maya Gonzalez


Maya is a young Latina girl who is very bored where she lives. She lives in the Mojave Desert, with sand all around her. Sure there are beautiful skies, colorful cactus, and some flowers but she just can’t seem to appreciate what she has surrounding her. Using her artistic sense and with the help of her companion, a purple bird, Maya soon starts to notice the color in the small things that surround her. She notices the darkness in her father’s shiny hair, the bright purple in her mother’s blooming flowers, and even the pink shades in her clothes. She also notices the pink and orange tones in the sunset, the green cactus that surround her, the orange marigolds, and even the purple irises with their yellow pollen. Maya’s world has suddenly come to color and she learns to better appreciate her surroundings in an instant, thanks to her companion. I loved this book because it is a bilingual book. It reminds me of when I was a young girl and my aunt would read her own bilingual book s to us. Of course, she hadn’t even published her books but we loved them. A couple of years ago her bilingual books were published and she is still writing more. I can just imagine what one’s life would be living in a lusterless desert. I guess you have to be artistic and playful just like Maya was. The illustrations in this book were so bold that my daughters’ eyes were completely enthralled. She is learning her colors so this book was a great in helping her learn them.

2008 Notable Books for Children


The All-I-Ever Want Christmas Doll by Patricia Mckissack and Jerry Pinkney

It's Christmas Day and Nella is beyond excited because her and her sisters have been given a gift. The Baby Betty Doll is all she's ever wanted and to get a doll this nice during this time is exciting for her. However, she doesn't want to share this present with her sisters, she wants it all to herself. Nella soon discovers that having this doll all to herself is not as exciting as she thought it would be. She can't play all the games with this doll that she would play with her sisters. As Christmas Day comes to an end, Nella decides to share the doll with her sisters and they all play together. This is an excellent book to teach young children the value of sharing with others. The illustrations are beautiful along with the text that follows. This is a perfect toddler book to teach them about sharing. My daughters enjoyed this book, especially since they have "sharing" issues.

2008 Notable Books for Children

When Dinosaurs Came with Everything by Elise Broach

This book is just like a dream or even a mightmare for some. It starts with a young boy's imagination which leads him to believe that on this one day, while out running errands with his mom, everywhere they go they will be giving away dinosaurs to all the customers. After visiting four different stores, the young boy has given four dinosaurs. The bakery even offered to give away a dinosaur with the purchase of a dozen doughnuts. The fact that the young boy has been given four dinosaurs makes his mom stop shopping and heads home. When the mom asks the young boy how are they supposed to get home the boy wittingly responds, "Oh, don't worry, they'll follow you. They always do!" Then she wonders what they will do with four dinosaurs at home. Her creativity leads her to come up with an excellent idea. She gets the tall and big dinosaurs to do some house and yard work. At the end all of the boy's friends come over with thier dinosaurs and the mom jokingly calls the bakery for more dougnuts. Imagine going to Krispy Kreme and getting a free dinosaur when you buy 12 doughnuts. That would be amazing. I am a HUGE lover of dinosaurs. They are my favorite animal mainly because I could never have one so my interest in them grew quickly at a young age. I loved this book even more because my daughters were very interested in it. The text was easy to read, even for a yound reader and the illustrations were a delight to look at.

2008 Notable Books for Children


Fred Stays with Me by Nancy Coffett

This is the story of a young girl whose parents are going through a divorce, making her travel between houses. Wherever she goes she takes her companion, Fred, who seems to be a nuisance to both parents. He gets into everything he sees and barks at unknown dogs and her parents are getting impatient. However, she tells them "Fred stays with me", leading them to realize that Fred is her companion who will never be taken away.

This book is full of wonderful illustrations and the text is very simple to read. It is written in first person narrative, which can help readers' connect more with the main character. I did enjoy reading this book but it wasn't one I could read with my daughter because then she would start to wonder why the parents live apart. She is only 5 and I don't think she needs to know what divorce is.