Friends,
I apologize again for another late post, but this one comes with good reason--I started a new job last week. I will do my best to keep up with postings, but please understand that helping to support my family must come first.
Love,
Bella
Title: 11 Birthdays
Author: Wendy Mass
Target Audience: Upper Elementary
Approximate Independent Reading Level: 7th grade
Summary: Leo and Amanda were born on the same day, but they're not twins. In fact, they're not related at all. But sharing a birthday is the beginning of a story that leads to their becoming best friends--at least for awhile. But when a fight leads to magical problems, they must work together to solve a problem bigger than they could have ever imagined.
Review: This story is fantasy, with an element of magic. But the magic is not meant to be harmful. The story contains no Christian elements, but can still be used to teach Christian truths--such as the importance of forgiveness. Working together is another important element in the book. There are some elements of lying to adults as the children attempt to figure out how to solve their problems. In their defense, however, the truth is completely unbelievable and would have sounded like a lie, and they do their best to not lie to or disobey their parents.
**** 4 stars
Tuesday, September 11, 2012
Sunday, September 2, 2012
The Journal of Scott Pendleton Collins
My last post from the "My Name is America" series (at least until I find some more :D )
Title: The Journal of Scott Pendleton Collins: A World War II Soldier
Author : Walter Dean Myers
Setting: Normandy, France 1944
Target Audience: Junior high-High school
Approximate independent reading level: 9th grade
Summary: Scott Collins is not long out of high school when he joins the army. His journal records his experiences as he goes first to England, then fights through France. Scott meets local people as well as other soldiers. Not all of the men he fights alongside make it home. The journal covers only three months of the war, but they are an event-filled three months. Scott survives the war and returns home, although he never outlives its effects.
Review: Scott does describe some of the gruesome results of war involving destruction of the towns and some injuries sustained during attacks. The writing is good, and the historical information at the back of the book includes a map of Normandy. Obviously, the book cannot be used as a source of factual information, such as for a report, but I think it's a good fictional representation of what a young soldier may have gone through.
**** 4 stars
Title: The Journal of Scott Pendleton Collins: A World War II Soldier
Author : Walter Dean Myers
Setting: Normandy, France 1944
Target Audience: Junior high-High school
Approximate independent reading level: 9th grade
Summary: Scott Collins is not long out of high school when he joins the army. His journal records his experiences as he goes first to England, then fights through France. Scott meets local people as well as other soldiers. Not all of the men he fights alongside make it home. The journal covers only three months of the war, but they are an event-filled three months. Scott survives the war and returns home, although he never outlives its effects.
Review: Scott does describe some of the gruesome results of war involving destruction of the towns and some injuries sustained during attacks. The writing is good, and the historical information at the back of the book includes a map of Normandy. Obviously, the book cannot be used as a source of factual information, such as for a report, but I think it's a good fictional representation of what a young soldier may have gone through.
**** 4 stars
Thursday, August 23, 2012
Dear America: My Secret War
Hello again,
And life has gotten in the way again. I apologize for being late again with this post, but the last couple weeks have been pretty hectic. They included a couple of doctor's appointments, an unexpected trip out of town for a funeral, and many other little problems. But I hope you enjoy this book. I have one more "Dear America" book after this one (there are several more, but I don't have them).
Enjoy!
Bella
Title: My Secret War: The World War II Diary of Madeline Beck
Author: Mary Pope Osborne
Setting: Long Island, New York, 1941
Target Audience: Junior high
Independent Reading Level: 8th
Summary: Madeline and her mother recently moved into a boarding house in Long Island. Her father is on an aircraft carrier somewhere in the Pacific Ocean. The story begins in late September of 1941, as Madeline is having trouble in her new school. American warships are protecting merchant ships (since they are being attacked by German submarines), but America has not yet entered the war. The book continues as Pearl Harbor is attacked, and America enters the war. Madeline starts a club so that local kids can help with the war effort by doing things such as collecting scrap metal. Madeline has to deal with many problems, including worry about her father, the other residents in the house, and other girls at school who do not want to include her. As the book ends, Madeline must leave her new friends and begin life in a new city again.
Review: The book does cover a sensitive topic--war, but I think Osborne does so in a good manner. As with other Dear America books, historical information is included about the era. Madeline's worry about her father is often evident, but Osborne balances this with real life often distracting her from writing letters to her father. I think this is a good book to expose young adults to World War II.
**** 4 stars
And life has gotten in the way again. I apologize for being late again with this post, but the last couple weeks have been pretty hectic. They included a couple of doctor's appointments, an unexpected trip out of town for a funeral, and many other little problems. But I hope you enjoy this book. I have one more "Dear America" book after this one (there are several more, but I don't have them).
Enjoy!
Bella
Title: My Secret War: The World War II Diary of Madeline Beck
Author: Mary Pope Osborne
Setting: Long Island, New York, 1941
Target Audience: Junior high
Independent Reading Level: 8th
Summary: Madeline and her mother recently moved into a boarding house in Long Island. Her father is on an aircraft carrier somewhere in the Pacific Ocean. The story begins in late September of 1941, as Madeline is having trouble in her new school. American warships are protecting merchant ships (since they are being attacked by German submarines), but America has not yet entered the war. The book continues as Pearl Harbor is attacked, and America enters the war. Madeline starts a club so that local kids can help with the war effort by doing things such as collecting scrap metal. Madeline has to deal with many problems, including worry about her father, the other residents in the house, and other girls at school who do not want to include her. As the book ends, Madeline must leave her new friends and begin life in a new city again.
Review: The book does cover a sensitive topic--war, but I think Osborne does so in a good manner. As with other Dear America books, historical information is included about the era. Madeline's worry about her father is often evident, but Osborne balances this with real life often distracting her from writing letters to her father. I think this is a good book to expose young adults to World War II.
**** 4 stars
Tuesday, August 7, 2012
A Time for Courage
Title: A Time for Courage
Author: Kathryn Lasky
Target Audience: Upper Elementary
Independent Reading Level: 5th grade
Setting: Washington, DC 1917, Women's Suffragette Movement and WWI
Summary: Kathleen Bowen is given a diary by her mother for Christmas. At first, she thinks her life is too boring to write about. But as women petition and picket to gain the right to vote and America enters the Great War, she soon finds quite a bit to write about in her life and that of her family.
Review: Kathleen is like most girls her age. As she writes, she worries about school, her mother's participation in the movement for women's right to vote, and the possibility of her father's going to war. Kathleen's character is dynamic--by the end of the book, she is more focused on others than at the beginning of the book. More focus is given to the women's suffrage movement than to the war, but some people Kathleen knows are involved in helping wounded soldiers and that part of the war is described. As with the other books in the Dear America series, a historical note and pictures are included at the end of the book describing actual events and people of the time. Also, the book is interesting as well as educational.
**** 4 stars
Author: Kathryn Lasky
Target Audience: Upper Elementary
Independent Reading Level: 5th grade
Setting: Washington, DC 1917, Women's Suffragette Movement and WWI
Summary: Kathleen Bowen is given a diary by her mother for Christmas. At first, she thinks her life is too boring to write about. But as women petition and picket to gain the right to vote and America enters the Great War, she soon finds quite a bit to write about in her life and that of her family.
Review: Kathleen is like most girls her age. As she writes, she worries about school, her mother's participation in the movement for women's right to vote, and the possibility of her father's going to war. Kathleen's character is dynamic--by the end of the book, she is more focused on others than at the beginning of the book. More focus is given to the women's suffrage movement than to the war, but some people Kathleen knows are involved in helping wounded soldiers and that part of the war is described. As with the other books in the Dear America series, a historical note and pictures are included at the end of the book describing actual events and people of the time. Also, the book is interesting as well as educational.
**** 4 stars
Sunday, July 29, 2012
West to a Land of Plenty
Hey!
Time's fun when you're having flies! Whoops, sorry--guess I've been hanging out around the local frogs too much lately :) I meant to say, Time flies when you're having fun! Here's this week's review.
Keep reading,
Bella
Title: West to a Land of Plenty: The Diary of Teresa Angelino Viscardi
Author: Jim Murphy
Setting: New York to Idaho Territory, 1883
Target Audience: Middle School
Approximate Independent Reading Level: 8th
Summary: Teresa and her family are Italians living in New York with several other Italian families on their street. "Poppa" has come home and announced that they will be leaving their home in New York to go to Idaho territory, where they will be able to get a large plot of land and farm it. Also, they will not be looked down on as they are in New York. Teresa is very upset about leaving her home and her friends, and she writes in her diary at the suggestion of her teacher. Her younger sister Antoinetta, who goes by Netta, also writes in the diary sometimes. The trail is long and hard, with many sicknesses and dangers. Several people decide not to continue or die along the way. Teresa's (almost) daily story shows how the journey changes her and others.
Review: Another book in the "Dear America" series, this book is again written in a diary format. Teresa's arguing with Netta is comparable to the sibling rivalry in most families. Teresa uses a few Italian words, but they are close enough to the American to be determined from context. Different typesets are used to make it easy to determine whether the writing is Teresa's diary entry or something else (Netta's diary entry or a letter that Teresa pasted into the diary. I think the book is well-written in Teresa's voice (and others when appropriate), including spelling and grammatical errors. The use of historical fiction makes this time period in America's interesting.
**** 4 stars
Happy reading, y'all!
Time's fun when you're having flies! Whoops, sorry--guess I've been hanging out around the local frogs too much lately :) I meant to say, Time flies when you're having fun! Here's this week's review.
Keep reading,
Bella
Title: West to a Land of Plenty: The Diary of Teresa Angelino Viscardi
Author: Jim Murphy
Setting: New York to Idaho Territory, 1883
Target Audience: Middle School
Approximate Independent Reading Level: 8th
Summary: Teresa and her family are Italians living in New York with several other Italian families on their street. "Poppa" has come home and announced that they will be leaving their home in New York to go to Idaho territory, where they will be able to get a large plot of land and farm it. Also, they will not be looked down on as they are in New York. Teresa is very upset about leaving her home and her friends, and she writes in her diary at the suggestion of her teacher. Her younger sister Antoinetta, who goes by Netta, also writes in the diary sometimes. The trail is long and hard, with many sicknesses and dangers. Several people decide not to continue or die along the way. Teresa's (almost) daily story shows how the journey changes her and others.
Review: Another book in the "Dear America" series, this book is again written in a diary format. Teresa's arguing with Netta is comparable to the sibling rivalry in most families. Teresa uses a few Italian words, but they are close enough to the American to be determined from context. Different typesets are used to make it easy to determine whether the writing is Teresa's diary entry or something else (Netta's diary entry or a letter that Teresa pasted into the diary. I think the book is well-written in Teresa's voice (and others when appropriate), including spelling and grammatical errors. The use of historical fiction makes this time period in America's interesting.
**** 4 stars
Happy reading, y'all!
Saturday, July 21, 2012
Quackadack Duck
Hey, y'all!
Taking a quick break from the Dear America series this week for a short read. This week flew by, and I can't believe I'm a day late on posting again!
Bella
Title: Quackadack Duck
Author: Allen Morgan
Illustrator: John Beder
Target Audience: Young children (a read-aloud book)
Approximate (independent) reading level: 3rd grade
Summary: A troll likes to make mischief and collect pennies. One day, he comes across a duck egg as it is hatching. The baby duck thinks the troll is his mother, and begins copying the troll. At first, the troll is upset and ignores the baby duck; but he soon feels pity for the duck and lets him into his home, naming him Quackadack Duck. When the duck follows him to the market and is taken by a man with a poultry store, the troll must choose between his treasured pennies and his new friend.
Review: The story is well-written and the artwork is just as good and also flows well into the story. The words are rhythmical and sometimes rhyming, which makes it more fun for young children. The story also teaches a good lesson about the importance of friendship.
**** 4 stars
Taking a quick break from the Dear America series this week for a short read. This week flew by, and I can't believe I'm a day late on posting again!
Bella
Title: Quackadack Duck
Author: Allen Morgan
Illustrator: John Beder
Target Audience: Young children (a read-aloud book)
Approximate (independent) reading level: 3rd grade
Summary: A troll likes to make mischief and collect pennies. One day, he comes across a duck egg as it is hatching. The baby duck thinks the troll is his mother, and begins copying the troll. At first, the troll is upset and ignores the baby duck; but he soon feels pity for the duck and lets him into his home, naming him Quackadack Duck. When the duck follows him to the market and is taken by a man with a poultry store, the troll must choose between his treasured pennies and his new friend.
Review: The story is well-written and the artwork is just as good and also flows well into the story. The words are rhythmical and sometimes rhyming, which makes it more fun for young children. The story also teaches a good lesson about the importance of friendship.
**** 4 stars
Saturday, July 14, 2012
My Heart is on the Ground
Hi, folks!
I missed last week AND am late this week--WHOOPS! I had a couple of family trips over the last two weeks an was unable to finish reading my book in time. Hope y'all enjoy this review, and I should be back on track next Friday.
God bless,
Bella
Title: My Heart is on the Ground: The Diary of Nannie Little Rose, a Sioux Girl
Author: Ann Rinaldi
Setting: Carlisle Indian School, Pennsylvania, 1880
Target Audience: Upper Elementary-Middle School
Approximate reading level: 6th grade
Summary: Little Rose lived on a reservation with her family and tribe until her father decided to send her to the school for Indians in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. There, she was forced to lose her Indian language and customs and take on those of the white people--even being required to take a new name, Nannie. In her diary, she writes about her first year away from home. She meets new friends and welcomes old ones and grows in her understanding of "white" customs and language.
Review: Nannie Little Rose's writing improves while at the school, but may be difficult to understand at times. There are some controversial elements, such as Nannie's hurting herself in a time of grief, and the Indians being forced to give up their clothes and hair. These are historically accurate, however, and contribute to the story--not gratuitous at all.
**** 4 stars
I missed last week AND am late this week--WHOOPS! I had a couple of family trips over the last two weeks an was unable to finish reading my book in time. Hope y'all enjoy this review, and I should be back on track next Friday.
God bless,
Bella
Title: My Heart is on the Ground: The Diary of Nannie Little Rose, a Sioux Girl
Author: Ann Rinaldi
Setting: Carlisle Indian School, Pennsylvania, 1880
Target Audience: Upper Elementary-Middle School
Approximate reading level: 6th grade
Summary: Little Rose lived on a reservation with her family and tribe until her father decided to send her to the school for Indians in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. There, she was forced to lose her Indian language and customs and take on those of the white people--even being required to take a new name, Nannie. In her diary, she writes about her first year away from home. She meets new friends and welcomes old ones and grows in her understanding of "white" customs and language.
Review: Nannie Little Rose's writing improves while at the school, but may be difficult to understand at times. There are some controversial elements, such as Nannie's hurting herself in a time of grief, and the Indians being forced to give up their clothes and hair. These are historically accurate, however, and contribute to the story--not gratuitous at all.
**** 4 stars
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