Archive for Contemporary

The Enchanted Attic: Wrestling with Tom Sawyer

Written by L.L. Samson

Illustrated by Kris Nelson, Ben Fetterly, and Antonio Caparo

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We have learned not to judge a book by its cover.  Now we will learn not to judge a book by it style.  When I began reading this book it was difficult to “get into”.  The word choices and usage were odd.  No, they were just different.  I was ready to write it off as something that could not be used in a typical fourth grade classroom until I realized the brain pathway building potential of this little gem.  While the above average reader may find this book intriguing, even an average student might struggle with comprehension without some scaffolding.  But with any reader, new ideas and thought patterns will be created.

The storyline is actually quite interesting.  Walter has recently moved from London to the United States where he now attends a boarding school for “the once well-heeled (wealthy) who’d fallen on harder times, or for those who had recently accumulated their wealth and were snubbed by the well-heeled.  Walter and his friends have an amazing adventure with Tom Sawyer after Walter and his friends conjure up Tom in the enchanted circle in the “not so secret attic”.  It was an amazing adventure sprinkled with a mad scientist, a hidden tunnel and plenty of mystery and drama.

Because the word style/choices are different, this book would make an excellent choice as a read aloud.  Being able to hear the words should help students read them more easily as well as increase comprehension.  One of my favorite things about the book is the generous sprinkling of vocabulary words throughout.  After each potentially new word there is an easy to understand definition.  Ascertain (figure out).  There are also explanations about things such as a land grant (“A royal land grant is a big deal and normally includes more acreage than even the wealthiest of people own nowadays.”)

This book might possibly make an interesting choice for a literature circle choice.  Even if the typical structure has to be modified to account for the more difficult comprehension issues, this book lends itself to discussion and out of the box thinking.

  •  Enchanted AtticTitle:  The Enchanted Attic: Wrestling with Tom Sawyer
  • Author:  L.L. Samson
  • Illustrators:  Kris Nelson, Ben Fetterly, and Antonio Caparo
  • Publisher:  Zonderkidz
  • Reviewer:  Sandi Waymire
  • Format: Paperback, 180 pages
  • ISBN: 978-0-310-74057-5
  • Genre:  Contemporary fiction (historical context)
  • Lexile score:  NA

Choosing a Hamster, Gerbil, Guinea Pig, Rabbit, Ferret, Mouse, or Rat: How to Choose and Care for a Small Mammal

Written by Laura S. Jeffrey

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Which pet is right for you? Choosing a pet can be tricky, especially when there are so many choices. With help from the American Humane Association, this book guides young readers through what small mammals are like and what they can expect from them as pets. It’s a straightforward overview, easy for elementary comprehension.

Did you know that rabbits are third in popularity behind dogs and cats? Within the last 75 years, small mammals have become a common pet choice in the U.S. because they are low maintenance and can thrive in any sized home. The author methodically reviews the characteristics of each animal listed in the title. Mice and rats are very smart; rabbits are playful; gerbils are gentle, but don’t like living alone; hamsters are odorless, but could nip if upset; guinea pigs can be noisy; and ferrets need a lot of attention. The most in-depth section, Taking Care of Your New Pet, offers tips for housing and diet and touches upon small mammal health, veterinary care, and the proper way to hold and handle the animals.

Designed for third and fourth grade readers, basic information gets jazzed up with colorful fonts, text boxes, and fun facts. But the part young readers will like best is the photographs – plenty of awww factor here, as little furry creatures with their twitchy noses, alert ears, and tiny paws appear on every page. As part of a pet care series, parents and children may want to visit the publisher’s website to browse other titles: www.enslow.com. They can also learn more about the American Humane Association by visiting www.americanhumane.org.

  • Choosing a HamsterTITLE: Choosing a Hamster, Gerbil, Guinea Pig, Rabbit, Ferret, Mouse, or Rat: How to Choose and Care for a Small Mammal
  • AUTHOR: Laura S. Jeffrey
  • PUBLISHER: Enslow Elementary / Enslow Publishers, Inc.
  • REVIEWER: Lauren Abbey Greenberg
  • FORMAT: Paperback, 48 pages
  • ISBN: 978-1-4644-0217-3
  • GENRE: Nonfiction, Science, Nature
  • LEXILE: 850

Otter Lee Brave

Written by Rena Cherry Brown

Illustrated by Mikaila Maidment

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Otter Lee Brave. My first thought was, “This is such an adorable cover. The otters are just the sweetest little fellows. I’m sure this will be an cute story about otters.” Then, I said the title again – Otter Lee Brave, Utter Lee Brave, Utterly Brave. Odd, yet interesting. I am hooked, and I have to read this book, and I feel sure 4th graders will as well.

Upon reading the story, it becomes very evident that Otter Lee Brave is so much more than just a sweet story about cute creatures. Rena Cherry Brown creates several plot points that will teach the reader many lessons. Throughout the story, Lee learns to be brave in all circumstances. First, he tries diving to the bottom of the bay for the first time, with his mom gently encouraging him. Next, Lee learns how to comfort himself in times of trouble. When Lee is picked up and taken to an aquarium, he learns to adapt to the situation. While Lee is bullied by a large otter in the aquarium, he is also adopted by an older female, learning the good and bad of characters in life. An earthquake causes the aquarium to bust open and all the otters are swept into the bay. While they are not equipped with open water survival skills, Lee teaches them how to hold on to kelp to prevent them from floating away. There he learns to be a leader. Even when the bully is in trouble, and Lee is the only one who knows and can save him, Lee considers the actions he could take and ultimately decides to save the bully otter learning bravery. And, like all good otter stories, Lee stays in the bay and makes a connection with a female otter – and they live happily every after I assume. He is Otter Lee Brave.

The story is interesting, but the illustrations are fabulous. Mikaila Maidment uses each page to bring life to the book. You feel the tenderness of motherly love. You feel the security a kelp bed can give and the sadness of the loss of a loved one. You feel the anxiousness of a new environment. You feel the weakness of being bullied. You feel the fear of the unknown. You feel the hope for a future. You feel young love at the end. All of these feelings come from the amazing artwork of Maidment.

Within the story line, readers gain small facts about the otter world, such as what their environment is like, what their diet consists of, and what obstacles and predators they must avoid. The last page contains a list of “Otter Facts.” The story, lessons learned, facts and illustrations all combine for an increased level of reading comprehension for readers of all ages.

  • Otter Lee BraveTitle: Otter Lee Brave
  • Author: Rena Cherry Brown
  • Illustrator: Mikaila Maidment
  • Publisher: Shiffer Publishing
  • Reviewer: Ann H. Norris
  • ISBN:0764341553
  • Hardback, 48 pages
  • Genre: Nature, Animals
  • Lexile: 870

In Search of Goliathus Hercules

Written by Jennifer Angus

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What would it be like to talk to insects? In this Victorian-era tale, we meet ten-year-old Henri Bell, a British boy who discovers this special ability while spending the summer with his great aunt in America. Talking to six-legged creatures is the only bright spot in Henri’s life as his mother has traveled to the other side of the world to search for his missing father. Even though Henri’s great aunt is kind, her neighbor, Mrs. Black, unnerves him with her creepy stares, peculiar behavior, and cruelty toward insects.

A visit to the circus changes Henri’s life forever. After attending Maestro Antonio’s Flying Flea Circus, Henri uses his new communication skills to transform the act into something much better and receives an invitation to be Maestro’s assistant. Wanting to get away from Mrs. Black, Henri runs away with the circus. On the road, he forms a familial bond with many of the performers except for the strange fortuneteller, Madame Noir. Later, he learns that Madame Noir is, in fact, the fearsome Mrs. Black. Why is she following him?

Turns out Henri and his nemesis have something in common: an interest in the elusive Goliathus Hercules, a supposed gigantic beetle that has never been captured.  Henri’s father was last searching for this beetle before he disappeared and Henri spends the next three years of his life on a worldwide quest to find the creature and hopefully get some answers. Meanwhile, his body endures a strange physical transformation – he is slowly morphing into an insect. Why is this happening? This is where the plot stumbles. Too many unanswered questions and convenient plot points (suddenly Henri’s whole entourage can talk insect – huh?) left this reviewer completely “bugged.” Fourth grade readers may be more forgiving, however, as the characters are likeable; the talking insects are amusing; and there’s an exciting duel plus a surprise twist at the end. Fourth graders may also enjoy the author’s website (www.jenniferangus.com), which includes a link to folklore stories, facts, games, and other insect-related literature.

  • In Search of Goliathus HerculesTitle: In Search of Goliathus Hercules
  • Author: Jennifer Angus
  • Publisher: Albert Whitman & Company
  • Reviewer: Lauren Abbey Greenberg
  • Hardcover: 352
  • ISBN: 978-0-8075-2990-4
  • Genre: Fiction / Fantasy
  • Lexile Score: 780

 

Jemmy Button

Written by Alix Barzelay

Illustrated by Jennifer Uman and Valerio Vidal

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Jemmy Button is a delightful picture book based on the stories of Jemmy Button, a native boy from Tierra del Fuego. The story depicts the life of the young boy who was taken from his native land to England in the early 1800’s where he was educated with the hopes that he could then educate his native people upon his return.  Readers of all ages will delight in the story and the 4th grade level reader will master the text without difficulty along with developing an appreciation for the illustrations.

This is one of those books that appears simple in text for younger readers yet offers many levels of meaning for older reader when the full scope of what the character experienced is fully understood. Those deeper meanings will give teachers many opportunities for discussions on the emotions their students would experience if placed in the same situation. Classroom activities can include group work allowing students to make up a new scenario for current times that includes having the 4th grade student being uprooted from everything he or she knows and placed in a completely new environment.

Including Jemmy Button as part of reading, writing, and comprehension lesson for the 4th grader will also allow the teacher or parent to include character development, environmental affects, and family relationships when discussing this picture book. The book leaves the reader connected to the character in a deeper way than many novels accomplish and those types of books and characters come few and far between.  Teachers and parents who overlook adding this picture book to their libraries are missing a great opportunity to give readers an emotional experience and a love of story that most will not forget.

  • Jemmy ButtonTitle: Jemmy Button
  • Author: Alix Barzelay
  • Illustrators: Jennifer Uman and Valerio Vidal
  • Publisher: Templar Books, an imprint of Candlewick Press
  • Reviewer: Terri Forehand
  • Genre: Juvenile, picture book, nonfiction
  • Lexile: 860

Wisdom, the Midway Albatross: Surviving the Japanese Tsunami and Other Disasters for Over 60 Years

Written by Darcy Pattison

Illustrated by Kitty Harvill

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Wisdom’s life is a remarkable story, at times touching and suspenseful, but ultimately inspiring.  Survival is hard enough for a Laysan Albatross.  Wisdom was one of many chicks born that year on Midway Atoll, but few survived long enough to fly.  That was the first hurdle for this little chick.  She took to the skies, flying and catching food from the sea for years.  She endured predators, such as sharks and natural phenomenon, such as tsunami, but returned to Midway in 1956.  That year she mated and laid an egg.  We know that because a research scientist caught her and banded her that year.  Through this study, Wisdom’s life is documented.  Not only did she endure the normal circumstances that threaten birds, now she faced death from manmade causes.  Many birds became victims of eating plastic that appeared in the ocean.  Some got caught in longline fishing lines and were trapped.  When her band was checked in 2002, scientists were so impressed by her longevity that they gave her a name: Wisdom.  They documented her laying an egg each year from 2008 through 2011.  But that year, not only did a big storm hit, a tsunami flooded the island.  Many albatrosses were killed.  Scientists worried about Wisdom and her chick.  For nearly ten days, no one saw her until they finally spotted her feeding her chick safe in their nest.

Readers can’t help but cheer for the tough, beautiful bird.  Students could listen and list the different threats to Wisdom’s survival as a literacy activity.  It would make a great class read aloud for both environmental and animal units.  The soft watercolor illustrations are a lovely accompaniment to the text.  There is a book trailer on the author’s website which will be a quick introduction to the book: (http://albatross.darcypattison.com/). The U. S. Fish and Wildlife service has frequent “Wisdom” updates at: (http://www.fws.gov/midway/whatsnew.html).

  • WisdomTITLE: Wisdom, the Midway Albatross: Surviving the Japanese Tsunami and Other Disasters for Over 60 Years
  • AUTHOR: Darcy Pattison
  • ILLUSTRATOR: Kitty Harvill
  • PUBLISHER: Mims House, 2012
  • REVIEWER: Risa Brown
  • EDITION: Paperback, 32 p.
  • ISBN: 978-0-9798621-7-5
  • GENRE: Non-fiction, animal stories
  • LEXILE: 840

Boxcar Children: The Boardwalk Mystery

Written by Gertrude Chandler Warner

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Another lively mystery with the Alden family.  The Alden children, Henry, Jessie, Violet and Benny, could have still been living in their boxcar but long ago Grandfather took them in.  Now they have a habit of solving mysteries everywhere they go.  This summer, Grandfather took them to New Jersey to visit Mr. Hanson, one of his good friends.  Mr. Hanson bought an amusement pier along the New Jersey shore.  He said he always wanted to own one.  His children, Wendy and Will, were not so happy.  They missed their friends in Colorado.  Even worse, pranks and practical jokes were ruining business at Mr. Hanson’s amusement pier.  There are even rumors that the rides at the pier are not safe.  Each time one of the Alden children help repair or clean up after the pranks, they gather one more clue about what is really going on.  They noticed spatters of paint on Wendy’s shoes like the red paint used for mean messages.  There is the angry Mrs. Reddy, who used to own the pier and she complains about how badly Mr. Hanson is running the pier.  There is Mr. Cooke, who owns all the other amusement piers on the shore and wants this one, too.  The Alden children each have their own talent, especially Benny, whose talent is to get into trouble.  One by one they put the clues together and see how all those people played a part in the pranks.  Violet has an idea that might save the pier if they can stop the pranks.

This mystery is the right length and complexity to intrigue young middle grade readers.  The clues are laid out well, hinting at the underlying motivation of the characters.  These updated stories use the familiar characters to engage a new generation of readers.  The reading level is a solid fourth grade and it is a good length for a class read aloud.  Use early in the fourth grade year.  Have the students keep a list of clues like the Alden children do as a reading worksheet and see who can solve the mystery first.

  • Boxcar ChildrenTITLE: Boxcar Children: The Boardwalk Mystery
  • AUTHOR: Gertrude Chandler Warner
  • PUBLISHER: Albert Whitman, 2013
  • REVIEWER: Risa Brown
  • EDITION: Hardcover, 134 p.
  • ISBN: 978-0-8075-0802-2
  • GENRE: Mystery, realistic fiction
  • LEXILE: 420

Etched in Clay: The Life of Dave, Enslaved Potter and Poet

Written and illustrated by Andrea Cheng

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The story of Dave is both inspirational and tragic, set in a period of time that no one should be allowed to forget.  Through Etched in Clay, Andrea Cheng masterfully presents a piece of this history to readers at the fourth grade level and above.

Born in 1801, the courageous man at the heart of this story became known as “Dave”” after he was purchased at a slave auction when he was seventeen.  At first, Dave was responsible for dredging clay from the bottom of the river for the Pottersville Stoneware Manufactory in South Carolina.  Before long, he took to the wheel and became one of the most accomplished potters in the region.

Etched in Clay follows Dave’s life through many hardships as he is bought and sold four times, has two wives taken from him, and then loses his leg after being hit by a train.  Throughout all of this, Dave learns to read and then write, despite laws prohibiting slave literacy.  He risks being beaten, maimed or even killed to teach other slaves to read and refuses to be silenced – leaving evidence of his bravery by signing his name and the date on his pots, and often etching them with words and poems.

Told from multiple points of view in free verse poems, Andrea Cheng weaves together the few known facts of Dave’s life with imagined details to form a compelling narrative.  This is complimented by sparse wood cuts and an afterword that provides additional information on Dave, life in South Carolina after the Civil War, and Edgefield pottery.

Today, Dave’s pots are prized by collectors and housed in museums.  He has been the subject of other books, most notably Dave the Potter, a Caldecott Honor winning picture book written by Laban Carrick Hill and illustrated by Bryan Collier.  Etched in Clay digs deeper into his story, with an intense richness of time and place, packaged for an older audience.  It presents a jumping off point for deeper discussion about slavery, the civil war, poetry, and pottery while at the same time challenging comprehension as readers reach for their dictionary – to understand lamentable, disenfranchised, magnanimous, sagacity, concatenation– and attempt see the world through the eyes of Dave.

  • Etched in ClayTitle: Etched in Clay: The Life of Dave, Enslaved Potter and Poet
  • Author and Illustrator: Andrea Cheng
  • Publisher: Lee & Low Books Inc.
  • Reviewer: Yolanda Ridge
  • Book Length:  104 pages
  • ISBN: 978-1-58469-137-2 (hardback)
  • Genre: historical fiction, social studies
  • Lexile Score: 790

SPI : Shadow Paranormal Investigators – The Case of the Dark Shadow

Written by T.J. Bonham 

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SPI The Case of the Dark Shadow is an intriguing story for 4th through 6th graders interested in mystery. The book offers the 4th grade reader some challenging language and an unusual plot, but older readers should have no problem with the language and comprehension of this paranormal mystery.

The story grabs the reader from the first chapter by describing emotions common to students who have experienced loss, change, and the fear of starting at a new school. This will offer teachers many opportunities to discuss coping mechanisms for students.

The rest of the story is full of mystery and fun as the character and her friends battle a sinister dark shadow that threatens to harm a ghost hunter and her family. Interwoven in the mystery of the dark shadow is the emotional side of living with a parent deployed during war, another real life situation that kids this age are living with.

A book for middle grade readers that includes real life situations that engage the reader will only serve to encourage students to keep reading, but a book that also includes “outside the box” topics, like ghosts and the paranormal, can broaden their scope of interest and be just what the teacher ordered for the reluctant reader. Teachers can use this as a classroom book read aloud or together because of the topic, the mystery, and the overall interest to boys or girls.

SPI would be a great addition to the 4th to 6th grade classroom library. The book can be used as an adjunct to reading advancement, comprehension, and writing lessons for students in these grades, making it useful for teachers working with state reading guidelines. And books that have excellent plots and story lines are always appreciated by teachers who prepare students for state testing involving reading passages for comprehension and understanding.

  • SPITitle: SPI:Shadow Paranormal Investigators (The Case of the Dark Shadow)
  • Author: T.J. Bonham
  • Publisher: Schiffer Publishing,Ltd.
  • ISBN: 978-0-7643-4132-8
  • Pages: 111
  • Reviewer: Terri Forehand
  • Lexile: 810

Sneaky Art: Crafty Surprises to Hide in Plain Sight

Written and Illustrated by Marthe Jocelyn

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The charming art projects in this book are like Random Acts of Kindness meet Street Art.  The sneaky part is to surprise people, either family or friends even strangers, with a bit of art to make them smile.  The projects are made from materials that most everyone has or can easily find.  They are meant to be seen in public places.  They are meant to be fun.  The book maintains this message of spreading laughter and friendship, but it does explicitly state at the beginning that “sneaky art is NOT: mean, defacing, ugly, hurtful, messy or permanent.”  The book describes “sneaky lettering”, which involves using letters from a variety of sources and “getting sneaky”, which means finding a sneaky spot, knowing when to place your art in its spot and figuring out how to get it there without getting caught.  Like street art, it is not meant to be permanent, so the author urges the reader to take a picture to remember their artwork.  The final advice?  “Don’t make anyone mad—make them laugh!”  All the projects are easy to make and have a hip and funky look to them that will appeal to everyone.  The difficulty levels vary, however, so some projects could be made by a much younger child, which means the projects could be shared with younger students or siblings.

The instructions are told with a laughing, conspiring tone that makes it fun to read.  This would be the perfect book for those units on how-to books or even a Character Counts unit that talks about Random Acts of Kindness, using the projects as a literacy activity.  The book has a spiral binding, allowing the book to stay open as one does the projects.  There is a Sneaky Art Activity Kit on the publisher’s website: (http://www.candlewick.com/book_files/0763656488.kit.1.pdf).  The reading level is 4.8, but the instructions are easy for all readers.

  • Sneaky ArtTITLE: Sneaky Art: Crafty Surprises to Hide in Plain Sight
  • AUTHOR and ILLUSTRATOR: Marthe Jocelyn
  • PUBLISHER: Candlewick, 2013
  • REVIEWER: Risa Brown
  • EDITION: Hardcover, 54 p.
  • ISBN: 978-0-7636-5648-5
  • GENRE: How-to, crafts projects
  • LEXILE: 720. Reading level 4.8
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