A Wrinkle in Time- Novel #5

The Book
L'Engle, M. (1962). A Wrinkle in Time. New York, NY: Bantam Doubleday Dell Books for Young Readers.

Summary
A Wrinkle in Time is the story of Meg Murry, a high school aged girl who is transported through time and space to first rescue her father, and then her little brother. Meg lives at home with her mother, her two older twin brothers, and her younger brother. Her younger brother has developed quite quickly, he can talk well beyond his years and even seems to possess some kind of mind reading ability. Both of her parents are scientists and her father left over a year ago on a work related job. He used to always write until one day the letters stopped coming. Meg soon discovers why as she goes on an adventure to save him from the evil forces that are imprisoning him on another planet. She goes on this adventure with her younger brother Charles Wallace and her friend Cavin O'keefe. Meg and her companions are transported on this journey with the help of three new friends, Mrs. Whatsit, Mrs. Who, and Mrs. Which. The story begins with the arrival of Mrs. Whatsit at the Murry house on a dark and stormy evening. Meg does not trust her at first as she looks like a crazy old tramp, but Mrs. Murry invites her in to warm up and eat some food anyways. Mrs.Whatsit then upsets Mrs. Murry by mentioning before she leaves that a tesseract actually exists. A tesseract is a sort of "wrinkle" in space and time. It is through this wrinkle that Meg and her companions will travel through the fifth dimension in search of Mr. Murry. On the afternoon following Mrs. Whatsit's visit, Meg and Charles Wallace walk over to the haunted house where the three Mrs.W's are living. On the way, they meet Calvin O'Keefe, a popular boy from Meg's school. The three children then learn from Mrs.Whatsit and her friends that the universe is threatened by something called the Dark Thing. Many planets have already fallen victim to The Dark Thing including the planet Camazotz, on which Mr.Murry is imprisoned. Meg and her companions are then transported to Camazotz to rescue Mr.Murry. The only problem is that this planet has been taken over by a giant diembodied brain called IT. Charles Wallace tries to fight IT with his exceptional intelligence but he is overpowered and becomes possessed by IT. Under the control of IT, Charles Wallace leads Meg and Calvin to Mr. Murry and together they try to defeat IT. However, they too are unable to withstand IT's power and escape at the last minute when Mr.Murry appears and seizes Meg and Calvin and "tessers" away with them to another planet.The three Mrs. W's appear once again, and Meg realizes that she must travel alone back to Camazotz to rescue her brother as he is still there possessed by IT. Mrs. Which tells her that she has one thing that IT does not have, and this will be her weapon against  IT. When standing in the presence of IT, Meg realizes what her weapon is against IT, it is her ability to love! By concentrating on her love for Charles Wallace, she is able to rescue him and restore him to his true identity. IT is defeated and Meg and Charles Wallace tesser through time and space. They  land in her twin brothers' vegetable garden on Earth, where her father and Calvin stand waiting. The family joyously reunites, and the three Mrs. W's visit the happy travellers while they are en route to further travels.

Response
I chose to read this novel after it was mentioned in the novel When Your Reach Me by Rebecca Stead. It was referred to a few times in this novel and I was curious about the story behind it. During my reading of A Wrinkle in Time I was a little confused at times, but overall I enjoyed it. I liked how there was always action and something unusual happening. However, I was confused at how mature Charles Wallace was for his age and how he possessed a sort of mind reading ability. It seemed strange to me that no one, especially their mother seemed to think this was unusual. Also, I wish it would have explained in more detail how Charles Wallace came to meet the three Mrs.W's and why Calvin was chosen to join in on the journey to rescue Mr.Murry. I am left wondering what kind of adventure the three Mrs.W's are going on at the end. I also wonder why Charles and Meg did not tell their mother about this adventure, as I'm sure she would have understood and even would have tried to help. This book definitely gives it's readers a lot to think about. It also leaves many things to the reader's imagination as there are no illustrations. There are also times when the reader must develop their own explanations and backgrounds to certain parts of the story. For example, how the three Mrs.W's knew how to find Charles Wallace, Meg and Calvin. I really enjoyed how desciptive the writing was as it allowed me to really picture what was going on and create my own image of the scenes that were unfolding. I am amazed at how old this book is as while I was reading it never dawned on me that this book was over 40 years old. It is definitely a timeless classic. I also appreciated that the female and male characters were equally powerful, and that each had their own imperfections. There really is a theme of good vs. evil in this book and I also found that it contained many symbols and themes of spirituality and science. I think this book would be great to discuss as a class and hear student's different interpretations of the book and it's themes. It would also be good to study in an English Language Arts class as it uses quite descriptive vocabulary, and it contains many examples of personifications and alliterations.

Awards Received/Reader's advisory information
A Wrinkle in Time has won the Newbery Medal, Sequoyah Book Award and  Lewis Carroll Shelf Award. It won the Newbery Medal Award in 1963 and I do not know the years it won the other awards. It would be most appropriate for children 12 and up as the chapters are quite long and the writing is pretty small. The plot is quite complex and there are also no illustrations. I also think the content would be harder for younger students to understand. It contans themes of spirituality, science, fantasy, time travel, family, friendship, courage, love, determination and the powers of good and evil (light and dark).  

The Paper Bag Princess- Audio Book #1

The Book
Munsch, R. & Martchenko, M. (Illus.). (1980). The Paper Bag Princess. Toronto, ON: Annick Press Ltd.
Read by Robert Munsch. Retrieved from http://robertmunsch.com/the-paper-bag-princess/

Summary
The Paper Bag Princess is a not your typical fairytale. In this fairytale the roles are reversed and it is the princess who rescues the prince. The main character in this story is Princess Elizabeth and at first it seems that she has it all. She is beautiful, lives in a castle, has expensive clothes and even has a prince to marry. Then suddenly, a dragon attacks the castle and she loses almost everything. The dragon destroys the castle, burns all her clothes and kidnaps the prince. Instead of crying she gets angry and springs into action. She looks everywhere for something to wear, but all she could find was an old paper bag. Elizabeth then puts on the paper bag and sets out to rescue the prince. She follows the trail left by the dragon and eventually finds his cave. The dragon tells her to come back tomorrow as he is busy and quite full. Elizabeth uses this to her advantage and devises a plan to outsmart the dragon. She ends up using her wits and flattery to constantly ask the dragon to show her all the cool things he can do. Once the dragon has shown her everything she has asked he ends up being so tired he can't even talk. Elizabeth then takes this opportunity to go into the cave to rescue Prince Ronald. However, the prince is far from grateful as he is shocked to see her all dirty and wearing only a paper bag. Instead of thanking her he tells her to come back when she looks like a real princess. Elizabeth then states that he looks like a real prince but he's really a bum. They do not end up getting married after all as she leaves him and skips off into the sunset alone. 

Response
I have always loved this book, it's been one of my favourites since I was a child. I love how it is not a typical traditional fairytale as in this story it's the princess that's the hero not the prince.  It's a really empowering book for girls as it shows them that girls are not always damsels in distress and don't always need to be rescued, but that boys need to be rescued sometimes too. It's great as it shows that you don't need a prince and pretty clothes to succeed in life. That it is good character that matters most and if the prince (boy) does not accept this they are not worth your time. Good character is much more important than beauty and riches. Elizabeth is a great role model for young girls as she is smart, self-assured and strong. I remember being mad at how ungrateful the prince was, here Elizabeth had gone through all the trouble to save him and all he has to say are rude comments about her looks. I'm glad she ended up leaving him in the end as her strong character shines once again. I remember thinking how did everything burn except a paper bag? I'm still wondering this but that is not the point of the story. I loved Robert Munsch's reading of this story. He's so hilarious and I love how he accents certain parts of the story while reading. I would definitely recommend this book and I think both boys and girls would enjoy Munsch's reading of it. Although I think it is aimed more towards a girl audience I think boys could learn a little from it. I think some may even enjoy it as although it is backwards from traditional fairytales there is still action, a hero, and a dragon. It would be great to use in a class for a novel study, read aloud or in a thematic unit. It could also be used for a discussion on conflict resolution, bravery and determination.

Awards received/Reader's advisory information
I am unsure if this book has won any awards. The themes in this book are role-reversal, stereotyping, conflict resolution, bravery, fantasy, choices, and self-esteem. I think this book is appropriate for children 3-8 or preschool to grade 3. It could be used as a read aloud book for younger children and as a free reading book for older children.

Something from Nothing- Picture Book #6

The Book
Gilman, P. (1992). Something from Nothing. Toronto, ON: Scholastic Canada Ltd.

Summary
Something from Nothing is an adaptation of a Jewish folktale. This story is about a boy named Joseph and the blanket that was made for him when he was a baby by his grandfather. Joseph loves this blanket but as he gets older the blanket gets older too. Whenever it becomes unusable Joseph takes it to his grandfather as he knows he can fix it, and every time Joseph brings him the blanket he makes something new out of it. His grandfather turns the blanket into a succession of things; a jacket, a vest, a tie, a handkerchief, and finally a button. When Joseph loses the button he soon realizes that even his grandpa can't make something from nothing. Joseph then discovers that he can make one last thing out of the blanket, a wonderful story. 

Response
This was a really cute story! I really enjoyed the beautifully done illustrations. The illustrations do a great job of showing what Joseph's life was like and the different activities in it. I also liked how the domestic life of a family of mice is featured on the bottom of each page. The mice's life often mirrors Joseph's and I think it adds a whole new perspective to the story. The message in this book is great and I loved the ending. It really shows you that something can be made out of nothing and I think it would motivate children to write their own stories. It would be a great book to use in the classroom for many different activities.There are so many different stories in this book and I loved the relationship Joseph had with his grandfather. I found their relationship really touching and think kids would be able to relate to this story in many different ways. It gives the reader a good look at what life was like many many years ago and allows them to see that it`s not the material possession that's important but the story it tells.

Awards received/Reader's advisory information
This book is the winner of the Ruth Schwartz Award and the Sydney Taylor Award. I do not know the years it won these awards. The themes in this book are storytelling, family relationships, transformation, making something from nothing and life in a Jewish community in the olden days.  I think this is a story that can be enjoyed by all ages but if I have to specify I think it would be an excellent read for children 5-12 years old. It would also be great to use in grades 1-5 for a novel study or in a thematic unit.

Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules (Book #2)- Novel #4

The Book
Kinney, J. (2008). Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules.  New York, NY: Amulet Books.

Summary
Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules is the second book in the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series. Greg Heffley is back for another round of funny journal entries that are accompanied by his trademark illustrations. He first starts off talking about his summer at swim camp and how he would do anything to avoid being there. He even thought of a "fool-proof" plan which resulted in him being wrapped up in toilet paper. During his time at swim camp his brother Rodrick is supposed to pick him up in his van. The only problem with this is his van is full of his band equipment and he makes Greg sit in the back with it. Greg soon discovers that this is a bumpy and painful ride home so he starts walking instead. When the summer is over Greg is back in school, and had at first forgotten that he still had the "Cheese Touch" from the previous year. He was beginning to think he would be stuck with it for the whole year but then he finds a new unsuspecting student to pass it on to. In another journal entry Greg tells of a picture that his little brother Manny drew. It was of two big heads screaming at each other and another little head crying. Greg's parents thinks it is of them but Greg knows that it's really of him and Rodrick. Rodrick and Greg have a complicated relationship and are always fighting. Throughout this novel Greg tells of many incidents involving Rodrick and how he  is being blackmailed by him. You see unfortunately Greg can never tell on Rodrick as Rodrick knows an extremely humiliating secret about him and that is why Rodrick "rules". In the end Greg's secret ends up coming out, and he is suprised by the result. People aren't making fun of him, they're congratulating him! Not only that, but now Rodrick has something to be embarrassed about as he is now known as the drummer from the "Dancing Mom" video. These are only a few of the entries from this book, it includes so many more involving Rowley, Greg's parents, Rodrick and the many practical jokes Greg plays on both his friends and family.

Response
I chose to read the sequel to Diary of a Wimpy Kid as I had already seen the movie and I wanted to see what happened next in the life of Greg Heffley. I really enjoyed the movie and I heard that this book might be made into a movie soon. I  would like to see the movie adaptation of this book as for some reason this is one of those times when I preferred the movie over the book. I can honestly say this book is not one of my favourite's but I can see how it is so popular amongst young readers. It is quite funny and involves incidents that I'm sure many of them can relate to. Kids would really be able to identify with Greg and his many problems and experiences. I often found myself thinking of stuff I did back when I was Greg's age and the fights I had with my friends and family. I really like how relatable this book is and the illustrations are perfect as they add a real personal feel to the book. The pictures really help you fully understand what he is saying and let you get a deeper look and see what he is thinking. I like the format and design of this book as it really looks like a diary once you open it up.  The pages are lined and the entries look like they were written by a middle school student (a middle school student with very neat writing that is). I also enjoy how the format is quite different than a regular novel and how it is a pretty easy read. Overall this book is great for young readers as it is realistic, and even has a few life lessons in it. You don't have to read the first book of this series to understand it but I would recommend it as the reader's would be able to better understand Greg and his relationships with his friends and family. I would definitely encourage it as a free reading book or use it in a novel study. There are many issues that could be discussed and I think students would really enjoy talking about it with their friends, family and the class.

Awards received/Reader's advisory information
I do not know whether this book has won any awards but I do know the first book in the series won the 2010 YRCA award. I found out from Wikipedia that the books in the series also won the ALA Notable Book award, the 2010 Most Favourite Book Around The World, and the 2008, 2009, and 2010  Nickelodeon Kids Choice Awards. It did not specify which books won the awards. The theme of this book is sibling rivalry, honesty, friendship and family relationships. I think it would be most appropriate for kids 8-13 or grades 3-7. I think this because it is quite long and would be most relatable to kids that age.

Our Song: The Story of "O Canada" The Canadian National Anthem- Non-Fiction Book #3

The Book
Kuitenbrouwer, P. & Spires, A. (2004). Our Song: The Story of "O Canada" The Canadian National Anthem. Montreal, QC: Lobster Press.

Summary
Our Song: The Story of "O Canada" The Canadian National Anthem is about how the National Anthem originated. The tune for "O Canada" was founded in 1880 by a French Canadian named Calixa Lavallee. The French lyrics for the Anthem came from another French Canadian named Aldolphe-Basile Routhier who listened to the songs of loggers and was inspired by them. He created the lyrics in 1880 and they have never since been altered. English words came later when a Toronto composer became fascinated with "O Canada". He translated the French words into English and the Mendelssohn Choir gave the first English performance in 1907 at Massey Hall in Toronto.  However, the translation of the French words did not catch on to the rest of Canada. English lyrics were finally founded by a man named Robert Stanley Weir  in 1927. His lyrics were officially published as they captured the hearts of many Canadians and they have not changed since. The lyrics in both French and English are found throughout this book along with a timeline of Canada's important events from 1875-1980. This book is great for anyone who wants to learn more about the origins of Canada's National Anthem. It details the 100 year evolution of "O Canada" and is brought to life by lively illustrations. The English and French lyrics to "O Canada" are found throughout the book and sheet music is also provided.

Response
This was a really interesting book! I really enjoyed learning about the history of Canada's National Anthem as well as about the many important events that happened from 1875-1980. The maps in the front and the back of the book are also really neat. The map in the beginning of the book shows what Canada looked like in 1880 and the map in the back shows what Canada looks like in the present day. It's really cool to see how much it has changed over time. This book would be great for young children as it is full of facts and fun illustrations. It is quite wordy but it would be great for them to look at while an adult reads the text as each illustration has to do with what is being discussed. I also appreciated the addition of the timeline as it shows Canada's progress over the years. I actually learned quite a bit from this book and from the timeline. The timeline contained many important events that I did not know about. I also did not know the history of the Canadian National Anthem and that's why I chose to read this book. I was suprised at how informative it was and was pleased with it as I learned a lot.

Awards received/Reader's advisory information
As far as I know this book has not won any awards. I think it would be a great book for children aged 6-12. It would also be good to use as a resource while teaching Canadian History in Elementary Social Studies. It would also be good to use for music as it contains the sheet music for "O Canada". The themes found throughout the book are Canadian History and Heritage, Patirotism, Music and Citizenship.

The Best Story- Picture Book #5

The Book
Spinelli, E. & Wilsdorf, A. (Illus.). (2008). The Best Story. New York, NY: Dial Books for Young Readers.

Summary
The Best story is about a young girl who wants to write the best story to win the Red Brick Library contest. If she wins, first prize is a ride on  the Sooper Dooper Looper rollercoaster with her favourite author. She really wants to win this contest as in her mind first prizes don't get any better than that. She then starts asking advice from her family on what makes a good story and she gets all different kinds of ideas from everyone she talks to. However, none of their suggestions seem to sound right once she writes them down. Her mother then gives her great advice and tells her to write from her heart, and as soon as she does she is pleased with her story. In the end she doesn't seem to mind whether she wins or loses the contest as the story she wrote is her own, it came from her heart and nobody elses and that is what makes it the best.

Response
This was a really cute book.Eileen Spinelli does a great job of encouraging children to write from within and create their own stories and inspiration.I found this book to be quite charming and funny. The illustrations really added a nice touch to the story and the theme is pretty realistic which allows the reader to relate to it. The results of the contest are left to speculation and Spinelli does not name the child which allows the reader to think about what's important in this story. The point is not whether or not she wins the contest but that she is proud of the story she created as it came from her own heart.I think this would be an excellent story to read to young children to motivate them to write their own stories and narratives and would also be a good read aloud to inspire them when learning about creative writing.

Awards received/Reader's advisory information
This book has not won any awards that I know of. It's theme is story telling, creative writing and using your imagination. I think this book would be most appropriate for children 4-9  years old. It has vibrant fun illustrations that would draw younger children and a theme that is appropriate for children learning to write. I think this would be a great book for grades 1-3 to motivate the children to write their own stories and learn more about creative writing.

Diary of a Worm- Picture book #4

The Book
Cronin, D. & Bliss, H. (Illus.). (2003). Diary of a Worm. New York: Joanna Cotler Books an Imprint of Harper Collins Publishers.

Summary
Diary of a Worm chronicles the everyday life of a funny, intelligent young male worm. His diary spans from March 20th to August 1st and through these entries he details the amusing adventures that occur during this time. Some of his adventures include trying to teach his friend Spider to dig a hole, pestering his sister, hiding from shovels during fishing season, trying to dance to the hokey pokey and so many more. Through his diary entries he also explains how worms play an important role in caring for the earth. His humanistic qualities are shown through various entries and the scrapbook like beginning and end of the book. He concludes his diary by stating it's not always easy being a worm and shares both what he likes and does not like about being a worm in this great big world.

Response
This book was both funny and endearing and to my suprise it was also quite informative! It really increases the reader's ecological awareness and allows them to see the world from the perspective of a worm. Through his diary entries children can see how he is not that much different from themselves, besides the whole eating his homework thing, never having to bath and the obvious physical differences. He dreams about the future, creates relationships and learns through trial and error like all of us.The illustrations are wonderfully done and they really add character to the book and the worm's diary entries. There were many times I laughed out loud reading this book, especially when he told his sister that no matter how many times she tried her head would always look like her rear end. I also enjoyed how one of the journal entries demonstrated the importance of manners. I believe learning about manners is very important and think this book could have a great influence on young children. This book would also be great to read during Earth Days, many fun activities and discussions could be motivated by it. It is a good book to increase the student's awareness and knowledge about the roles different inhabitants play in keeping the Earth healthy.

Awards received/Reader's advisory information
Diary of a Worm has won multiple awards. The awards are as follows: School Library Journal Best Book, IRA/CBC Children's Choice, Nevada Young Reader's Award and Parents' Choice Silver Honor. The years in which this book won these awards was not stated and I found them on the Harper Collins website. The book jacket states this book is for ages 4-8 and I agree, this is a wonderful book for young children. It's themes are family, friends, personal attributes and talents, diaries, worms and ecological awareness.

Cheater, Cheater- Novel #3

The Book

Levy, E. (1993). Cheater, Cheater. New York, NY: Scholastic Inc.

Summary

Cheater, Cheater is about a 13 year old girl named Lucy. Lucy has just started Grade 7 at a new school and on the first day she is given an invitation for her best friend Melanie's birthday party. Lucy is excited for the party but is also a little stressed as the invitation says couples only and it's a bowling party. The problem is Lucy doesn't have a date and she hates bowling. When Joey Rich, a popular boy in school shows interest in Lucy she asks him to be her date to the bowling party. At the party Lucy cheats at bowling to impress Joey and Albert sees her. Albert is another boy from school and he makes it his mission to tell everyone in school that Lucy is a cheater. Lucy is then labelled a cheater and she feels horrible about it.The problems escalate from there; Lucy's grades drop and not only is Joey not talking to her but she is fighting with Melanie as well. Being thought of as a cheater by her peers was bad enough so when her Science teacher suspects she may have cheated on a quiz she is determined to show him that she did not cheat. Lucy is given a chance to redeem herself and she then tries really hard to prove to herself, her friends, peers and teacher that she made a mistake cheating once, and it's a mistake she will never make again.

Response

This book details many issues faced in middle school, such as peer pressure, relationships, friendships, and decisions. It is very realistic and I often found myself thinking back to when I was Lucy's age and the mistakes I made. Also, it gives a great detailed account of what it's like to start a new grade at a new school with new teachers. I really liked all the interesting Science facts it gave throughout the book and began to really appreciate Mr.Vega the Science teacher.  Mr.Vega was a tough but smart and caring teacher with the students’ best interests in mind. He definitely does not take the content he is teaching lightly and is very passionate about his work. This reminded me of some of the teachers I had as well as had me wishing now I had more teachers like them/him. I also found it neat how the incidents build on each other and kind of correlate to the topics being taught in Science, such as the chaos theory. I also like how the author kept the tone of the novel matched with Lucy's mood and how it could go from a light hearted conversation to ridicule, rejection and frustration in a heartbeat. I found this book does a great job portraying the temperament and issues raised during young adolescence. It shows its readers that mistakes happen and that they can be fixed, nothing is as bad as it seems but when bad decisions are made they should be prepared to face the consequences. Also it has a great lesson about friendship, peer pressure and morals. I think this would also be a great book to teach its readers a little bit about everyday life in middle school and about cheating. Children who have never cheated but have been tempted to will now think twice about it.

Awards received/Reader's advisory information

Cheater, Cheater has not won any awards. Children close to Lucy's age would really relate to this story and younger children would be able to get a sneak peak of what topics are studied and what issues could arise when they reach Grade 7. It is a pretty easy read for a middle school student and that is why I think this book would be most appropriate for children aged 9-14.  Its themes are cheating, school, adolescent life, decisions and friendship.

On the Go- Non-Fiction Book #2

The Book
Morris, A. (1990). On the Go. New York: Lothrop, Lee & Shepard Books.

Summary
On the Go shows the different ways people travel around the world. It contains photos from various parts of the world and gives the reader a glimpse of the different kinds of people in it, the places they live in and how they travel. There is an index at the back of the book that states where each photograph was taken and a little bit about this place and its methods of transportation.  There is also a map on the last page that shows where each photograph was taken.

Response
I think this is a great book to show children the different kinds of transportation around the world. It is an easy read and the photographs really give the reader a realistic look at the different places the book travels to. Another use for this book would be to show children the similarities and differences on how various cultures live and travel. I really liked how each page contained colourful photographs and simple text. This would really help pull young readers in as it is fun to look at and easier for them to understand. The map and the index are also very useful and I think the readers both young and old would find them both beneficial. They give the readers a chance to learn more about the various countries this book travelled to as well as the methods of travel used by each. I  think this book would be a wonderful book to use to expose young children to the different countries and cultures around the world.

Awards received/Reader's advisory information
This book has not received any awards that I know of. It's theme is travel and diversity around the world. It would be appropriate for children as young as 2 years old as it contains simple text and interesting photographs.  Many children could look at the pictures while their parents read it to them and tell them about the different places the book visits. So in regards to the age this book is appropriate for I think it's useful for children 2 to 10. I think children over 10 may find it too simple and too easy of a read. Younger children could use it as an easy reader or beginning book while older children could use it to expand their knowledge and learn more about the different cultures and modes of transportation around the world. 

When You Reach Me- 2010 Newbery Medal Winner- Novel #2

The Book
Stead, R. (2009). When You Reach Me. New York: Wendy Lamb Books a division of Random House, Inc.

Summary
When You Reach Me is about a 12 year old girl name Miranda. Miranda lives in New York and the book is set in the years of 1978-1979. Throughout the book Miranda receives mysterious notes, these notes hint at knowledge of the future and demand that Miranda not speak of them to anyone and keep them secret. Of all the notes Miranda receives the first one is the one that impacts her the most. In this note the mysterious person who left it stated they were coming to save her friend's life as well as their own and that they will not be themselves when they reach her. This novel contains four story lines- the apprearance of Miranda's mom on the $20,000 Pyramid show, the crazy laughing man that lives on the corner, Miranda's best friend Sal suddenly not talking to her and the new friendships that she develops during this time. Near the end of this novel these story lines start to forge together and through tragedy the message the notes were trying to send becomes clear.

Response
I really enjoyed this book, so far it's one of my favourite's from this assignment. It was a bit confusing at first, especially when it referred to the notes before I even read about them.  At first I thought these notes may have been from Miranda's dad. However, after reading the first note that was left it became clear they were from someone that was unknown to Miranda at that time. This book always had me thinking ahead and guessing what was going to happen next. It contained many elements of mystery and suprise and I enjoyed the foreshadowing  and elements of time travel throughout the book.  After reading this book it became clear that the novel Miranda took with her everywhere was much like the story being told in this novel. There were definate similarities between the book she was always reading and this book, such as the main character in her book going back in time to rescue her brother. This was quite similar to how the laughing man travelled back in time to save Sal's life in this book. I enjoyed  the different friendships created in this book and in the end I really began to understand  Sal's reasoning behind his decison to stop talking to Miranda.Through this decision both Miranda and Sal were able to become more independent and create new friendships. The ending was both enlightening, unexpected and tragic. I found myself shedding a few tears after the laughing man saved Sal's life but this incident also had a positive effect. It is through this incident that everything started to make sense and fall into place for both the characters and myself as the reader.

Awards received/Reader's advisory information
When You Reach Me is the Newbery medal winner for 2010.  The central themes of this book are time travel, friendship and redemption. I think this book would be most appropriate for children 9 and up. It is quite complex and the content and reading level might be too difficult for younger children.

The Haunted Playground - Novel #1

The Book
Tan, S. (2008). The Haunted Playground. Mankato, Minnesota: Stone Arch Books.

Summary
The Haunted Playground is about a boy named Gavin who loves to use his metal detector to hunt for treasures on the beach and in playgrounds. One day Gavin stumbles across a playground unlike any other, this playground seems to swallow up any treasures that it might have contained. In this playgound there are also mysterious children that come out to play once it gets dark and the playground light comes on. One night Gavin loses his watch in the playground and spends many hours looking for it until a girl named Andrea tells him to come and get it. Andrea and the other children play keep away with Gavin and his watch for many hours until they finally give it back. Gavin is now even more intrigued by the playground and wonders where the kids have come from that play there every night. Gavin visits the playground and plays with the children long into the night many more times until one night Andrea shows him all the treasures the playground contains and starts a game of finders keepers. Gavin soon discovers that this game is too good to be true and a race against time ensues as he must get out of the playground before the light goes out or else he will be trapped in the playground forever.

Response
This book was really interesting and slightly creepy. After reading Shaun Tan's The Arrival I was curious how his writing would be in a longer more textual book. I actually really enjoyed Tan's writing, it was quite simple but descriptive enough to give me a visual of what was happening and keep me in suspense. Not suprisingly Tan's illustrations were amazing. They were quite intricate and added an eerie sense to the story, which was a nice touch. This book seemed to have a clear message to me which was to obey your parents rules and never let your curiosity get the best of you. This book would be great for young readers who are interested in fantasy, mystery and the supernatural. It includes a glossary of words that may be difficult for younger children to understand and I think this was also a great thing to add. It would also be fun for young writers to use in a classroom or individually as it includes writing prompts and questions to think about and discuss, whether it be on paper or as a group depends on the setting.

Awards received/ Reader's advisory information
To my knowledge this book has not received any awards. It's theme is one of fantasy and the supernatural with a touch of mystery. I think this book would be most appropriate for children aged 7-11 due to it's content. It's reading level is quite simple but the content may be a little scary for some younger children. This book could also be used as a novel study and it contains some guiding questions in the back that could be used for this purpose.

Let's eat! What children eat around the world- Non-Fiction Book #1

The Book

Hollyer, B. (2003). Let's eat! What children eat around the world. New York: Henry Hold and Company, LLC.

Summary

Let's eat! What children eat around the world describes the lives of 5 children from different places around the world. The children are from France, Mexico, South Africa, India, and Thailand. Each child tells of their daily routines, what they like to eat, and a special day in each one of their lives. There are recipes from each one of the children at the back of the book along with a food glossary which defines the unique foods from each country.

Response

This book really gives its readers a good look into what children's lives are like in different parts of the world. I really enjoyed this book and all the photographs that were provided to support each child's story. The photographs added a real and personal touch to each story and allowed me to feel closer to the story and be able to relate to it better. The addition of a food glossary as well as recipes provided by each child was also a really great idea and I think children could have a lot of fun with this book. They could make the recipes provided and really get to know more about children around the world, their food, lifestyles and traditions.

Awards received/Reader's advisory information

This book received the IRA teacher's choice award, but I could not find the year in which it won it. The theme of this book is what children eat around the world, as well as their different cultures and traditions. I think this is a good book for children of all ages as it allows them to see the similarities and differences amongst children from different countries. They would be able to relate to the stories and develop a better understanding of cultures around the world. However, I do think it would be most beneficial for children aged 5-10 as this is the age range that the books seems to be focused towards with the amount of pictures and style of writing. Some of the writing would be difficult for younger children but they could look at the pictures or have a family member or teacher read it to them. The recipes could be used as an activity in the classroom and each thing could be made so the children would have a chance to test the food from other countries. The recipes could also be used at home and shared with the family. 

The Lion and the Mouse- 2010 Caldecott Medal Winner- Picture Book #3

The Book
Pinkney, J. (2009). The Lion and the Mouse. New York: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers.

Summary
The Lion and the Mouse is a wordless picture book that depicts one of Aesop's fables. The fable is about a lion and a mouse and the kindness they show one another, despite their large differences. One day the mouse accidentally takes refuge upon a lion while fleeing from an owl, the lion then discovers the mouse and lets him go free instead of devouring him like most lions would.  Later on in the story the mouse repays his dues to the lion by freeing him from a trap set by poachers.  This story tells of compassion and karma, as it is showing that if you do something kind for someone the kindness is usually repaid.

Response
I think this book is an amazing book to show children the power of illustrations and that you don't always need words to tell a story. The only words used in this story are ones used to accentuate the sounds made by different things, such as putt-putt-putt for the jeep and squeak, squeak, squeak for the mouse. I really  enjoyed this book for it's illustrations and the naturalistic sounds it used as add ins to the story and I think children would enjoy it for this reason too. This story has a really good moral and I think readers of all ages could be inspired by it and see that it isn't the size of the creature that matters but the size of their actions and the compassion they show one another. This is shown when the huge, powerful lion is saved by the little tiny mouse which I think also illustrates that actions of kindness can go a long way and that if you are kind to others the kindess will generally be returned. I really enjoyed how this book was put together and the message it sends to it's reader, I find it very inspirational and love the beautiful illustrations it uses to tell the story.

Awards received/ Reader's advisory information
The Lion and the Mouse is the 2010 Caldecott Medal Winner. The theme of this book is how kindness can go a long way no matter your size or stature and the illustrations do an amazing job of portraying the beauty of the animal kingdom in it's natural habitat. This would be a great book for all ages but I think it is aimed more towards early readers and children around 3-8 years old. 

I Love my Hair! Picture Book #2

The Book

Tarpley, N. & White, E.B. (Illus.). (1998). I love my hair! New York: Little, Brown and Company.


Summary

I love my Hair! details the many different ways a young African-American girl named Keyana wore her hair and the various reactions each hairstyle got. Keyana starts off being frustrated with her hair and how it always hurt when her mother combed it. Then one night while her mother is combing her hair she tells Keyana about all the different wonderful ways she could wear her hair and how lucky she is to have such beautiful hair. Keyana begins to think about each hairstyle and why she likes each one and in the end she realizes how much she loves her hair and the many reasons why. Through the encouragement of her mother and her teacher's Keyana learns to appreciate her hair, herself and her heritage. This book is a great book for recognizing and empowering the African-American heritage and contains beautiful illustrations that blend fantasy and reality as Keyana reflects upon each hairstyle.


Response

This book was so fun to read! It is a good book for younger children and nicely introduces them to diversity and how we should all celebrate our differences. It's beautiful illustrations as well as the imaginative elements of the book make this book an enjoyable read for everyone. I really enjoyed how the main character is African-American as I have not been exposed to many books where the main characters and illustrations reflect African American culture and values. I love how E.B White illustrates the different hairstyles into real life examples, such as braids at the top of Keyana's head become hoed rows of vegetables in a field. I think this makes the book more meaningful to readers as it allows them to feel connected through examples they can relate to. This book is also great as it depicts a situation that is so familiar among many cultures. Having your hair combed as a child, especially when it is tangly or curly is never a fun event and this book allows these children to see how lucky they are and even reflect on their own different ways of wearing their hair and even other aspects of themselves that they enjoy that makes them an individual. I believe that literature containing African Americans as central characters is vital for all children, it allows them to gain respect for diversity and empowers African American children as their characteristics and heritages are the main focus of these pieces of literature.

Awards received/ Reader's advisory information

As far as I know this book has not received any awards. It's theme is one of diversity and individuality and it would be most appropriate for young readers, maybe ages 4-10. However, I think people of all ages would enjoy it as it's broad range of imaginitve illustrations and creative examples is suitable for anyone. It helps foster respect for differences and teaches children to be proud of their heritage. It allows reader's to think of what they love about themselves and why, and could be used for an Elementary Language Arts, Art or Social Studies lesson that fosters individuality and diversity.

The Boy from the Sun- 2007 Governor General's Award winner- Picture Book #1

The Book

Weller, D. (2006). The Boy from the Sun. Vancouver, BC: Simply Read Books.

Summary

The Boy from the Sun tells the story of three children who in the beginning are sad and see the day as an ordinary nothing sort of day until a strange boy with a yellow shining head floats down from the sky. The strange new boy quickly befriends the children and takes them on a magical journey which allowed the children see the world through new eyes. The children end up discovering how beautiful and enchanting their world can really be, and with some imagination and creativity any dreary nothing sort of day can turn into a day of magic and excitement.

Response
This book was very heart warming and inspirational. I think it really gives the reader a sense of beauty and hope and encourages them to dream and to draw on creativity. I really enjoyed how Duncan Weller contrasted between the two worlds, as the boys world starts off so simple but then as they go on their magical journey it becomes so detailed. The illustrations of the magical journey are phenomenal, so vivid and real. The path and the boys being black and white still amongst all the colour and detail really gave a good impression of the journey they were going on and how beautiful the world is if you just allow yourself to explore it, whether it's in your mind or through travelling. I really enjoyed this book and loved how in the end the children were not just black and white but they as well had yellow heads as they are filled with new light and a new outlook on life.

This book contains a very simple, but powerful message and would be appropriate for all ages. It could be used in the classroom to show children the powerful impact of illustrations and simple wording, or could be used as a class discussion on what message they received from it. I think both adults and children would both appreciate this book and that's why I think it is good for all ages.

Awards received/Reader's advisory information
The Boy from the Sun is the 2007 Governor General's Award winner; it won this award for best illustrations in an English language book. The theme of this book is discovery and appreciation for the natural world. I think it is good for all ages but it would be great for ages 4-6 to use as an early reading book.

Welcome!

Hi everyone! I created this blog for a reading log assignment for my LIS 401 class (Library and Information Studies). This class is a survey of children's literature and on this blog I will be posting information on books that I have read and am applying to my reading log. It's my first time creating my own blog and blogging so feel free to leave comments/advice as you read along. Thanks and hope you enjoy!