Henry’s Freedom Box

Author: Ellen Levine

Publishing:  Scholastic Press

Number of Pages: Hardcover—40 pages

Genre:  Nonfiction

Reading Level:  Ages 4-8

Summary: This book is about a boy named Henry Brown who is born into slavery and then sold to a different home when he was a teenager, so he had to be separated from his family.  When he was on this new plantation he has to work really hard but luckily he meets a beautiful girl and marries her and is able to get married to her.  They have three children but then, sadly, while he is at work one day he learns that his children and wife are sold to a different plantation and this just crushes him because he has no reason to live anymore.  So one day he decides that he is going to make it to freedom.  He plans with a few of his buddies to fake an injury so he can’t go to work and then get in a box and mail himself to freedom.  Once in the box he is in there for 27 hours straight, sometime stuck upside down or sideways and rarely sitting up normally.  He can’t move because he is afraid that someone will notice.  Once he gets to freedom they open the box and he is a free man.  This is a true story of Henry Brown.  There is nothing more of his family though, sadly.

My Reaction to the Book:  I thought that this book was okay, it was very sad to read about especially knowing that it is a true story, but I thought it was definitely worth reading.  It made me appreciate my life better for sure. 

Potential Problems:  This book is based in a time of slavery, so obviously there is the problem of slavery in it.

Recommendations:  I think I would recommend this book to people because even though it was really sad, it was good to be aware of since it is a true story of Henry Brown and his journey to freedom from slavery. 

The Missing Piece Meets the Big O

Author: Shel Silverstein

Publishing:  Harper & Row

Number of Pages: Hardcover—104 pages

Genre:  Picture Book

Reading Level:  Ages 9-12

Summary: This book is about a missing piece that is trying to fit in with someone.  He tries many different other shapes that are missing pieces; some are too small, some are too big, some just aren’t even close to fitting, some just don’t work, and then finally, one fits.  They stay together but then, the piece starts growing!  And then he doesn’t fit anymore, so he has to continue on his search.  One day he runs into a circle, a Big O, with no pieces missing.  The Big O tells him that he doesn’t need to be looking for someone else to complete him, he can coplete himself, all he needs to do is start rolling.  The missing piece doesn’t think its possible—but then he tries:  “lift…pull…flop…lift…pull…flop…”  Soon the missing piece’s corners start getting rounder, so he continues on.  He keeps going and then he was bumping instead of flopping, then bouncing instead of bumping, and then rolling instead of bouncing.  He didn’t know where he was going and it didn’t matter because he was rolling, and he continued rolling… all by himself.

My Reaction to the Book:  I loved this book!!  After I read it I wanted to go out and buy it right away.  It is a very good book that can be related to anyone’s situation.

Potential Problems:  There are not any problems with this book.

Recommendations:  I would and will definitely recommend this book to anyone!  It is such a great book to apply in your life; it really makes you think about your life and what you are doing.  It is a very simple, yet amazing book.  

Olivia

Author: Ian Falconer

Publishing:  Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing

Number of Pages: Hardcover—40 pages

Genre:  Picture Book

Reading Level:  Ages 4-8

Summary: This book is about a pig named Olivia.  Olivia wears everyone out, even herself.  She has a little brother named Ian who liked to copy what Olivia does, so sometimes Olivia has to be firm with her brother.  She lives with her mom, dad, little brother, dog, and cat.  Olivia’s morning routines always take a while especially because she has to try on everything.  On sunny days, Olivia likes to go to the beach; she likes to make sandcastles because her mom taught her how.  Olivia is supposed to take a nap everyday but she is never at all sleepy.  On rainy days Olivia likes to go to the museum and she always goes straight for her favorite picture.  Another picture that she looks at she does not understand and so she recreates it herself, on the wall—for that she gets a time out.  Then she has to take a bath, eat dinner, and then it is time for bed.   Olivia gets five books to read but her mom only lets her read three of them.  In the end Olivia’s mom tells her that she wears her out, but she still loves her.  Then Olivia says that she loves her too.  And that’s how it ends.

My Reaction to the Book:  I thought that this was a cute book, not anything special, but it was still good.  I thought the pictures were cute, but I don't know that I would have given it a caldecott winner.

Potential Problems:  The only problem with this book is that Olivia paints on the wall and gets in trouble for it.

Recommendations:  I don’t know that I would specifically recommend this book to anyone because it wasn’t anything special.  

Trashy Town

Author: Andrea Zimmerman

Publishing:  HarperCollins

Number of Pages: Hardcover—32 pages

Genre:  Picture Book

Reading Level:  Ages 4-8

Summary: This book is about a trash man named Mr. Gilly who drives around the town and picks up trash.  First he stops at the school and picks up trash, then the book says: “Dump it in, smash it down, drive around the trashy town!”  Then he stops at the park and picks up the trash, and again, the book says: “Dump it in, smash it down, drive around the trashy town!”  Then Mr. Gilly stops behind the Pizza Parlor and picks up more trash and again, the same line is repeated.  Mr. Gilly then continues by stopping behind the Doctors, by the fire station, and then the whole town is cleaned so he takes all the trash to the dump.  Then he goes home and cleans up himself!!

My Reaction to the Book:  Obviously there isn’t much to this book but it is a good book for kids as it has a lot of repetition and it also has a good lesson in cleaning up the town and making it nice.   

Potential Problems:  There are not any problems with this book.

Recommendations:  I would recommend this book to parents of younger kids because it is a good teaching book and it has a great lesson in it.

No, David

Author: David Shannon

Publishing:  Blue Sky Press

Number of Pages: Hardcover—32 pages

Genre:  Picture Book

Reading Level:  Baby-Preschool

Summary: This book is about a little boy named David who is always getting in trouble.  It starts off with David writing on the wall and his mom saying “No, David!”  Then it shows David trying to get cookies, and walking through the house with muddy shoes, and flooding the bathroom, and every time David’s mom yells, “no David!”  It then continues on with David running down the road naked, and banging on pans, and eating a bunch of food, finally David’s mom sends him to his room.  But then David just continues to be naughty, he jumps on the bed, picks his nose, makes a big mess, plays baseball in the house, breaks a vase, and then he gets sent to the corner.  David gets sad and then his mom tells him that he loves him.  And that’s how the story ends.

My Reaction to the Book:  I did not like this book at all.  I think it is just a very negative book and a poor example of parents. 

Potential Problems:  David is constantly being told “No.”  He is a naughty boy and is always making a mess or breaking things.  There is one picture where he is running naked down the sidewalk so you see his backside without any clothes on.  This is a bad example for kids.

Recommendations:  I would definitely not recommend this book to anyone; it’s just not worth reading and it is very negative.

Ella Enchanted

Author: Gail Carson Levine

Publishing:  HarperCollins

Number of Pages: Paperback—240 pages

Genre:  Fantasy

Reading Level:  Ages 9-12

Summary: This book is about a girl named Ella who had a gift/curse put on her when she was a baby—that she would do whatever anyone would tell her to do.  When Ella is almost 15 her mother dies.  At the funeral she meets and befriends Prince Charmont.  Soon after though, her father sends her to a finishing school with the daughters of Dame Olga: Hattie and Olive.  Hattie discovers that Ella does exactly whatever she is told and starts to take advantage of her, but Ella is able to find comfort in her new friend, Areida.  Ella runs away from finishing school after she learns that her father is attending a giant’s wedding where fairies may be present—she hopes to find Lucinda so that she will take the curse off of her.  On the way to the wedding, Ella stays with some elves, is captured by ogres, and is eventually saved by Prince Char.  Ella finds Lucinda and asks her to take the gift back but she refuses.  Ella spends more time with Prince Char, he gives her glass slippers, and after he leaves for a diplomacy mission they continue to write to each other.  Ella’s father marries Dame Olga and Dame Olga makes Ella a slave in her own house.  Ella and Char fall in love through their letters and Char asks if she is too young to marry but she never answers his question directly.  Ella realizes that if her and Char were to marry then she would be putting him and the country in danger with such a curse as hers so she pretends to elope with another man.  Char is heartbroken and when he returns he attends the three-night ball in his honor.  Ella still loves him so she attends the ball in a disguise; wearing a mask and the glass slippers he had given her.  Hattie gets jealous after they are dancing together and snatches the mask off Ella and so Ella runs away leaving a glass slipper.  Char chases after her and accidentally demands Ella to marry him, she fights inside her because she doesn’t want to danger him or the country—and she succeeds in this.  Doing this breaks the curse, she accepts his hand in marriage, and they live happily ever after. 

My Reaction to the Book:  I loved this book!  I had seen the movie but I hadn’t read the book yet so I decided to go ahead and read it and I’m glad I did.  It’s a really cute story and great twist on Cinderella. 

Potential Problems:  Hattie and Olive are really mean to Ella.  Ella is forced to do anything that someone tells her to do.  These things could be potential problems.

Recommendations:  I would definitely recommend this book to anyone; I love this book!  It’s such a great Cinderella story with a twist.  It is definitely worth reading.

Tuck Everlasting

Author: Natalie Babbitt

Publishing:  Farrar

Number of Pages: Paperback—144 pages

Genre:  Fantasy

Reading Level:  Ages 9-12

Summary: This book is about a young girl named Winnie.  She is controlled by her mother and grandmother because they want her to be the perfect lady, so one day, Winnie gets sick of it and she runs into her family’s woods behind her house.  As she is walking around she comes upon a very handsome boy drinking water from a spring.  She realizes that she herself is thirsty and goes to get a drink, but he won’t let her.  The boys name is Jessie, and his mom shows up and they take her far away from the spring to tell her why she can’t drink from it.  They tell her that they all drank from it 87 years ago and since then, none of them have aged at all—in fact, they aren’t even able to die.  Winnie grows very fond of Jessie and Jessie wants her to wait till she is 17 and then drink from the spring so that they can be together forever, she says that she will decide when the time comes.  Right as they are about to take Winnie back home the man in the yellow suit says that he has made a deal with Winnie’s parents where he will able to get the spring and sell it, Ma, without thinking shoots him so that their secret will not be revealed.  Ma is to be taken to jail and be hung but Winnie takes her place in jail to help them out and so the Tucks can have time to get away.  The Tucks make it safely away and come back sometime later to see what Winnie had decided, they find that she lived a long, happy life with a husband and children but that she has now passed on.  The family is sad that they did not get to be with her but happy that she made the right choice to live life as you should. 

My Reaction to the Book:  I loved this book!  This is the third time I’ve read it and I still love it.  I think it is such a cute love story and just so interesting. 

Potential Problems:  The mom kills the man in the yellow suit and she is suppose to be hanged.  

Recommendations:  I would definitely recommend this book to anyone; I love this book!  It’s such a great story about love and true friendship.

Cam Jansen and the Valentine Baby Mystery

Author: David A. Adler

Publishing:  Viking Juvenile

Number of Pages: Paperback—74 pages

Genre:  Mystery

Reading Level:  Ages 9-12

Summary: This book is about it being Valentine's Day at school, and Cam, Eric, Danny, and Beth are really excited. There are cookies and heart decorations, but then a visit from Eric's mother.  She tells them that Cam's mother is about to give birth and so she came to pick them up from school.  She takes Cam and Eric to the hospital. In the excitement in the waiting room, there is a robbery, they discover that Mrs. Shelton's purse is stolen. When she is talking to the nurse at the desk, a doctor with no name tag walks by. So Cam has to track down the thief and get back to her mother in time to see her sister.  Using her photographic memory, Cam is able to find the thief and get the purse back before her Valentine’s Day sibling is born.  In the end we find out that Cam did not only get a little sister, but also a little brother!

My Reaction to the Book:  This is another Cam Jansen book that I loved, especially with it being around Valentine’s Day.  It was a cute book, and another great mystery to read.

Potential Problems:  There is a robbery in this book, which could be a problem.  But everything else was great.

Recommendations:  I would definitely recommend this book to anyone; it is a very entertaining mystery story for kids.  It is also a good story for kids to read if they are expecting a new sibling.

Cam Jansen and the Chocolate Fudge Mystery

Author: David A. Adler

Publishing:  Puffin

Number of Pages: Paperback—64 pages

Genre:  Mystery

Reading Level:  Ages 9-12

Summary: Cam Jansen and her friend Eric are go door to door selling chocolate and rice cakes for a charity for the elderly. Cam sees a mysterious woman walking down the street and throwing something away.  They get curious but after searching the trash they find nothing suspicious. They continue on and go to the next house and it seems no one is home, but there is a bag of groceries on the porch. Cam watches and sees a man come out of the house. Cam and Eric suspect he has robbed the bank and that the woman helped, so they call the police and chase the woman to the store. Cam uses her photographic memory to help catch the woman who then confesses. The policemen end up buying the chocolate and rice cakes in return for helping them catch the bank robbers.

My Reaction to the Book:  I thought this was a really good book.  I remember reading these books in third grade and loving them.  They are just really good mysteries for kids to read.

Potential Problems:  There are bank robbers in the story, which would be a potential problem.  Other than that thought I think its fine.

Recommendations:  I would definitely recommend this book to anyone, it is a very entertaining mystery story for kids.

Sarah, Plain and Tall

Author: Patricia MacLachlan

Publishing:  HarperCollins

Number of Pages: Paperback—64 pages

Genre:  Nonfiction (Based on True Story in Author's Life)

Reading Level:  Ages 9-12

Summary:   This story is about a little girl and boy, Anna and Caleb, who miss their mom who passed away.  They want another “mother” who can come in and make their father laugh again and bring him companionship.   One day their father finds a mail-order bride who will travel from Maine and decide whether to live with the family on the prairie, this is how Sarah comes into the picture.   The kids try to be really nice and good around Sarah so that she will stay.  Sarah tells the kids about living right by the ocean on the east coast and teaches them about shells and how to pick flowers and hang them to dry.  Sarah, in turn, learns a lot about living on a prairie.  She gets to be around the animals and she loves them.  The kids’ father teaches Sarah how to plow and do different things on the prairie.  Sarah misses her home and talks about it with Maggie, a neighbor who is in the same situation that she is.  Sarah always wanted to learn to drive a wagon and finally she gets to, she goes into town and everyone wonders if she will stay or leave.  At suppertime that night, Sarah returns.  The kids are so happy, and so is the father.  She decides to stay with the family and they get married soon after, and their family is then happy again.

My Reaction to the Book:  I really liked this book, I thought it was a cute story.  It’s a fun, older book to read I think.  I remember reading it in fifth grade and really liking it too.  I love the happy ending.

Potential Problems:  Probably the only problem with this book is the fact that the kid’s mom died and now they don’t have a mother with them, but then Sarah does come along and make things better.

Recommendations:  I think I would recommend this book to anyone; it’s a good story of love and learning.

Harry the Dirty Dog

Author: Gene Zion

Publishing:  HarperCollins

Number of Pages: Hardcover—32 pages

Genre:   Picture Book

Reading Level:  Ages 4-8

Summary:   This story is about a white dog with black spots named Harry.  Harry was a really good dog who lived with a great family, but Harry hated baths.  One day when he heard the water starting to run, he grabbed the scrub brush and ran out in the garden and buried it and then went to play around town.  He played all over town and got very dirty; soon he became a black dog with white spots.  He started worrying that his family thought that he actually ran away so he headed back home.  When he got home, his family didn’t recognize him, so he did some of his best tricks.  His family still didn’t recognize him, so he went and got the scrub brush and ran up to the bathroom and begged for a bath.  The children gave him a bath and found out that it was Harry and everyone was so happy.

My Reaction to the Book:  I have always loved this book and I still do, I remember reading it at my Grandma’s house when I was little and just thought it was such a cute story.

Potential Problems:  I don’t think there are any problems in this book, Harry does run away from home but only to come back and have a happy ending.

Recommendations:  I would recommend this book to anyone, it’s a cute story about a little dog and is worth reading.

Freckle Juice

Author: Judy Blume

Publishing:  Yearling

Number of Pages: 48 pages

Genre:   Realistic Fiction

Reading Level:  Ages 9-12

Summary:   This story is about a boy names Andrew Marcus.  Andrew is jealous of a kid in his class named Nicky Lane because he has a lot of freckles.  He says that he wants freckles because then his mom won’t be able to tell if his neck and face are dirty, so Andrew starts making some attempts to get freckles.  One day a new girl comes named Sharon who fools Andrew into buying a “freckle juice” recipe for fifty cents.  Since Andrew wants freckles so bad he agrees to buy it from her.  After school Andrew runs home to make it, but after drinking it he gets very sick.  When Andrew’s mother comes home she notices how sick he looks and puts him to bed and gives him some medicine so he can get better.  Andrew is really embarrassed so he does not want to go back to school but his mother makes him.  Before Andrew goes to class though he gets a blue magic marker and draws some dots on his face to show that he actually did get some freckles, but everyone sees what he has done and end up laughing at him.  Andrew’s teacher gives him a bottle of “Magic Freckle Remover” so he can get rid of what he drew on his face.  Later Nicky asks his teacher for some of the freckle remover because he hates his freckles.  But the teacher explains that Andrew did not look good with freckles but that he does.  Later Sharon tells Nicky how to get rid of his freckles.

My Reaction to the Book:  I thought that this book was kind of an odd one; I remember liking it when I was younger but now I just think its kind of funny.

Potential Problems:  There is lying in this book as Sharon sells her recipes to people, ones that don’t really work.  Also it shows people who aren’t happy with how they look and they try to change themselves, which isn’t a very good example.

Recommendations:  I don’t think I would ever really recommend this book to anyone, I just don’t really think that it is worth reading.

Chicka Chicka Boom Boom

Author: Bill Martin Jr.

Publishing:  Beach Lane Books

Number of Pages: 32 pages

Genre:  Picture Book

Reading Level:  Ages 4-8

Summary:   Chicka Chicka Boom Boom is a learning book for children about the alphabet.  Its about all of the letters going up a coconut tree and then all of them falling down out of it and them getting “hurt.”  For example, the book starts with “A told B, and B told C, ‘I’ll meet you at the top of the coconut tree.’”  Then all the alphabet is in the tree and then they all need to come down: “Look whos coming!  It’s black-eyed P, Q R S, and loose-tooth T.  Then U V W wiggle –jiggle free.”  The book ends with A daring everyone to beat him to the top of the coconut tree.

My Reaction to the Book:  I thought this was a fun book to read, it’s a very good children’s book for learning the letters of the alphabet. 

Potential Problems:  There aren’t any problems with this book at all.

Recommendations:  I would recommend this book to anyone that is trying to learn letters, it’s a fun book for kids to start recognizing letters.  A good learning book, especially with the repetition of “Chicka Chicka Boom Boom.”

Junie B. Jones is a Party Animal

Author: Barbara Park

Publishing:  Random House Books for Young Readers

Number of Pages: 80 pages

Genre:  Children’s Fiction

Reading Level:  Ages 4-8

Summary: This story is about a young girl, Junie B., who gets invited to her friend Lucille’s house for a sleepover party which is to be held at her richie nana’s big giant house! Grace and Junie B. are really excited to see all the rich stuff that is there.  Junie finds out though that before Mother and Daddy will let her go, Junie B. has to learn all the rules of spending the night, like no running, no head-butting, and no talking back to the nana.  When Junie B. gets to the Lucille’s Nana’s house, she ends up breaking and ruining a lot of stuff because everything is so difficult.  She breaks some dishes, stains the tablecloth, and breaks open a pillow, making feathers go everywhere.  Junie finds out that being in the Richie house of Nana isn’t that much fun after all and she would rather be with her own grandma eating her blueberry pancakes and plastic cups rather than glasses.

My Reaction to the Book:  I really liked this book.  I love how they are written from Junie’s point of view and just the fun, clean humor in them.  A very good read.

Potential Problems:  There are a couple different problems with this book; one, Junie B. sometimes uses some mean words like stupid and dumb, and two, sometimes Junie B. has a hard time listening to her parents and other adults, which is not a good example for children.

Recommendations:  I would recommend this book to anyone.  Junie B. Jones books are great to help children realize that reading is actually really fun and entertaining.  They are hilarious and can make anyone laugh.  These books are very fun and great for children.

Bridge to Terabithia

Author: Katherine Paterson

Publishing:  Harper Collins Publisher

Number of Pages:  Soft Cover—144

Genre:  Realistic Fiction

Reading Level:  Young Adult

Summary:  This story is about an eleven-year-old boy named Jess Aarons.  Jess has always dreamed of becoming the fastest boy in school.  He has always had a hard time being accepted by his father and by his peers at school and he feels that this will help him to be accepted.  He practices running every morning and one day at school he races, but is beat by a new girl named Leslie Burke.  After this they seem like an unlikely match but they quickly become good friends.  Jess and Leslie build a fantasyland across the creek and they call it Terabithia.  Leslie is the first person to support Jess’s artistic talent and she provides him with inspiration and ideas. They play games of their own, pretending to defeat intruders on Terabithian territory, praying to the Spirits of the Grove to end a long spell of rain, and numerous other fantasies.  One day, a teacher that Jess has always had a crush on, invites him to go tour an art museum.  He goes with her and doesn’t think twice of it, and has the most perfect day.  When he gets back though, he learns that Leslie drowned in the creek trying to swing over to Terabithia.  This absolutely crushes Jess and he doesn’t know how he is suppose to go on since the only true friend he has ever known is now gone.  Eventually, though, he is able to move on and just keep Leslie as a part of his memory.  He takes his little sister to Terabithia with him so that Leslie can live on through Terabithia.

My Reaction to the Book:  I really liked this book.  Although it was really sad, I thought it was such a great story of friendship.

Potential Problems: There are a couple different problems in this book; there is the issue of bullies, and having an unaccepting family.  Also having death of one of the main characters, which makes for a really sad part in the book.

Recommendations:  I would recommend this book to any older children.  It’s a good story about kids overcoming their problems, making the best of their situations, and relying on friendship.

If you give a Pig a Pancake

Author: Laura Numeroff

Publishing: HarperCollins

Number of Pages:  Hardcover picture book—32 pages

Genre:  Picture Book

Reading Level:  4-8 yrs old

Summary:  This story is about a little boy who gives a pig a pancake and learns the consequences of doing so.  In the book the girl gives a pig a pancake and then the pig wants some syrup to go with it and then she will get all sticky and want to take a bath.  She asks for some bubbles, and then she will want a toy.  The girl gets a rubber duck, which reminds her of home so she gets homesick and wants to go visit.  She wants the girl to come with her so she looks through her closet to find a suitcase.  She looks under the bed and doesn’t find a suitcase, but finds some tap shoes and so she puts them on and dresses up with other clothes too.  When she’s all done she wants to dance so she asks the girl to play some music.  Then the pig wants the girl to take a bunch of pictures of her while she is dancing.  When she sees the picture she decides that she wants to send one to each of her friends.  On the way out to mail the letters the pig sees a tree and wants to build a tree house.  When the tree house is finished she wants to decorate it so she asks for some wallpaper and glue.  When she hangs the wallpaper she gets all sticky which reminds her of maple syrup, so then she wants some.  Then, to go with the maple syrup, she wants a pancake…

My Reaction to the Book:  This is another story by Laura Numeroff that I really liked.  It’s just a cute and creative story, definitely a fun story for kids.

Potential Problems:  Again, the only problem that I would see with this story is it might teach children that if they ask for things then they will get them.

Recommendations:  I would recommend this book to anyone.  It’s a cute circling story just like the other one.  I think that kids would really enjoy the story as well as the illustrations.

If you give a Moose a Muffin

Author: Laura Numeroff

Publishing: HarperCollins

Number of Pages:  Hardcover picture book—32 pages

Genre:  Picture Book

Reading Level:  4-8 yrs old

Summary:  This story is about a little boy who gives a moose a muffin and learns the consequences of doing so.  In the book the boy gives a moose a muffin and then the moose wants more and more until they are all gone, then he wants the boy to make him some more.  The boy has to go to the store so that he can get stuff to make muffins and then the moose wants to go with him, but he needs a jacket because its chilly outside.  Then he sees that a button is missing so he asks for a needle and thread to fix it, this will remind him of the sock puppets his grandmother use to make and so he asks for some socks.  He makes some sock puppets then wants to put on a puppet show.  After he makes all the scenery for the puppet show he sees that his antlers stick out from behind the couch and so he asks for something to cover them.  The boy runs and gets some sheets and this reminds the moose that he wants to be a ghost for Halloween; he scares himself and knocks over all the paints.  Then they clean up to mess and wash the sheet, and then the moose wants to hang the sheet to dry.  When he goes outside he sees some blackberry bushes, which reminded him of jam, so he asks for some.   Then he asks for a muffin to go with it…

My Reaction to the Book:  I really loved this book because it is so cute!  The illustrations are really nice and fun.  Its just a good, fun book for kids to read.

Potential Problems:  I cannot think of any problems that there would be with this book.  It might teach children that if they ask for things then they will get them, which is not true, so this may be a problem.

Recommendations:  I would recommend this book to anyone.  It’s a really cute story with a circling theme, which is entertaining for children.  It’s a really good book.

The Very Hungry Caterpillar

Author: Eric Carle

Publishing: Philomel

Number of Pages:  Hardcover picture book—13 pages

Genre:  Picture Book

Reading Level:  Baby-Preschool

Summary:  This story is about a little egg that turns into a caterpillar.  When the caterpillar is hatched he is very hungry so he starts looking for some food.  He eats through an apple, two pears, three plums, four strawberries, and five oranges, but he finds that he is still hungry; so he eats through a bunch more food.  After he eats everything he is no longer hungry and he is a big, fat caterpillar.  He builds a cocoon around himself and stays inside for more than two weeks.  After that he nibbles himself out of the cocoon, and when he comes out he is a big, beautiful butterfly!

My Reaction to the Book:  I really liked this book; it was very simple but enjoyable.  The illustrations are beautiful and very colorful.

Potential Problems:  There are not any problems with this book; it is designed for young children so it’s very simple and without any problems.

Recommendations:  I would recommend this book to anyone with young children.  It is a good, short story for children to read.  The pictures really capture the attention of children, which creates a chance for the child to learn. 

King and King

Author: Linda De Haan and Stern Nijland

Publishing:  Tricycle Press

Number of Pages:  Hardcover picture book—32 pages

Genre:  Picture Book

Reading Level:  4-8 years old

Summary:  This story is about a Prince who’s mom says that he needs to find someone to marry so that he can rule the land.  The Prince is hesitant because he says that he has never really gone for princesses.  But the mom brings in all the princesses around and he is suppose to choose one but he can not find any that he likes, but then one princess walks in with her brother who is a prince and they princes fall instantly in love.  They get married, the mom gets to relax and everyone lives happily every after.

My Reaction to the Book:  I hated this book.  I think that it is a horrible book to have available to children.  The illustrations were also horrible, not appealing in any way.  I don’t see why they need to have children’s books (or any books for that matter) that have a gay/lesbian theme.

Potential Problems:  The whole story is about this Prince being gay and falling in love with another prince and then them getting married.  Obviously, there are a lot of problems with it.

Recommendations:  I would not recommend this book to anyone.  I would never let any child I know read it because of the story of it.

A Bad Case of Stripes

Author: David Shannon

Publishing:  The Blue Sky Press

Number of Pages:  Hardcover picture book—31 pages

Genre:  Picture Book

Reading Level:  5-7 years old

Summary:  This story is about a little girl named Camilla who tries to fit in with everyone at school and in doing so she pretends that she does not like lima beans.  When she is about to head to her first day of school though she sees that she gets a bad case of stripes!  She gets completely covered in colorful stripes and no one can figure out what is wrong.  The people at school make fun of her and her case of stripes gets worse and worse.  One day, things reach their limit when she “becomes one with her room.”  This old lady then comes to the door and says that she thinks she can help.  She offers Camilla some lima beans but Camilla continues to pretend that she doesn’t like them even though he really wants them.  Finally she admits that she likes lima beans and when she eats them she gets all better.  She learned the lesson that you should always be yourself and now she eats lima beans at school everyday and she doesn’t care what anyone thinks.  All the illustrations are amazing and really fit in well with what the text is saying  at all times.

My Reaction to the Book:  I loved this book! I thought it was so cute and it teaches such a good lesson in it that a lot of kids can learn from.

Potential Problems:  I don’t know that there would be any problems with this book, maybe the girl trying to fit in by being herself would be a problem, but in the end the problem is solved so I think its good.

Recommendations:  I would recommend this book to anyone it teaches such a great lesson for kids and it’s just a fun, cute, colorful story.  It has absolutely beautiful and amazing illustrations.

The Andersen’s Fairy Tales

Andersen’s Fairy Tales I read:

-The Most Incredible Thing

-The Candles

-Sunshine Stories

-Good Luck Can Lie in a Pin

Book Summary:  Good Luck Can Lie in a Pin

Author: Hans Christian Andersen

Publishing: Grammercy Books and others

Genre:  Fairy Tales

Reading Level:  Varies

Summary: This fairy tale was about a man who never had any good luck in his life.  He grew up poor and married poor, so poor he stayed.  He made umbrellas that often broke and he had to mend them.  He had a pear tree in his yard but no pears ever grew on it.  One day the wind blew really hard and knocked one of the branches off the pear tree; so just as a joke, he carved the branch into big and little wooden pears and he gave them to the children to play with.  One day the umbrella broke again and so this time he mended it with one of the tiny pears he had carved, and this time the umbrella held up perfectly.  He sent his umbrellas and pears off to people and they found for themselves too that the pears work best in mending the umbrellas.  The old man decided to just start by making them that way and he made a lot of money as so many people bought them.  This is where the old man finally found his luck.

My Reaction to the Book:  I thought that the book was pretty good.  It was a happy surprising story so I enjoyed it.  I thought that it could be a little confusing at some points but overall I liked it.

Potential Problems:  The only problem that I could see in this story is the fact that the old man is poor but other than that I thought it was good.

Recommendations:  I think I would recommend this fairy tale to anyone because was just a happy, good story about good luck.

The Asbjornsen Fairy Tales

Asbjornsen’s Fairy Tales I read:

-The Fox as Herdsman

- The Cat on the Dovrefell

- How One Went Out to Woo

- Why the Bear Is Stumpy-Tailed

Book Summary: Why the Bear Is Stumpy-Tailed

Author: Peter Christen Asbjornsen

Publishing: A. L. Burt Company Publishers

Genre:  Fairy Tales

Reading Level:  Varies

Summary: This fairy tale was about a fox and a bear.  The fox just got done stealing some fish when the bear comes upon him and asks how he got them.  The fox lies and tells him that he cut a hole in the ice and stuck his tail in the hole and left it there for a long time.  He said that the longer that you leave your tail in the hole, the more fish you will get.  The bear sets off to get some fish and puts his tail in a hole that he cut out.  As the fox said, he leaves his long tail down there for a long time and then gives it a good tug.  When he does this, though, his frozen tail breaks off and that’s why bears have short, stubby tails even to this day.

My Reaction to the Book:  I thought this was an okay story, it was kind of silly and entertaining but nothing over the top in any way.  I did think it was a creative story, though, to explain why the bear has a short tail.

Potential Problems:  There is stealing in the story as well as lying.  Also the bear gets his tail torn off, so that could be a problem.

Recommendations:  I don’t know that I would recommend this story to anyone, I definitely wouldn’t go out of my way to do so, but I also don’t think I would not recommend it.

The Perrault’s Fairy Tales

Perrault’s Fairy Tales I read:

-The Master Cat or Puss In Boots

-The Fairies

-Little Red Riding Hood

-Cinderella

Book Summary:  The Fairies

Author: Charles Perrault

Publishing:  New York, Dover Publication

Genre:  Fairy Tales

Reading Level:  Varies

Summary: This fairy tale was about two daughters, one being really ugly, looking like her mother, and one being really pretty, looking like her father.  The mother did not like the pretty daughter and so she made her work and clean.  One day the pretty daughter went to get some water and what appeared to be an old woman came up to the daughter and asked her for a drink.  The daughter was very polite and gave her drink, then the old woman (who was actually a fairy) granted upon her a gift that whenever she spoke, precious stones and flowers would come from her mouth.  When the mother saw what was happening when the daughter spoke, she wanted the same thing for her ugly, ill-mannered daughter, so she inquired the pretty daughter what she did to get this gift.  The ugly daughter then went to the well and a beautiful lady (actually a fairy) asked her for a drink.  The ugly daughter denied her a drink because she was expecting a poor old woman.  The fairy then granted upon the ugly daughter a curse of having snakes and toads drop from her mouth when she spoke.  The mother found out what happened and she drove the pretty daughter out of the house.  The pretty daughter found a handsome prince and lived happily ever after while the ugly daughter was never able to find anyone who would take her in, so she lay down in the forest and died.

My Reaction to the Book:  I quite enjoyed this story because it was just kind of a change up of the normal fairy tales.  I liked that the beautiful daughter was kind and got what she deserved and at the same time the ugly daughter was mean and got what she deserved too.  It also has a good moral of always speaking good, kind words.

Potential Problems:  There would probably be a problem with the mother not loving her pretty daughter.  Also at the end when the ugly daughter dies.

Recommendations:  I think I would recommend this fairy tale to anyone because it was a good story and it just had a good moral too it.

The Jacobs’ Fairy Tales

Jacobs’ Fairy Tales I read:

-The Story of the Tree Little Pigs

-The Golden Arm

-Lazy Jack

-The Cat and the Mouse

Book Summary:  The Golden Arm

Author: Joseph Jacobs

Publishing:  Abela Publishing

Genre:  Fairy Tales

Reading Level:  Varies

Summary: This story is about a man who is looking for someone to make his wife.  He looks all over and he finally finds a wife that has a golden arm.  He pretends to love her but he knows that he actually loves his wife’s golden arm more than his actual wife.  The wife dies one day and the husband pretends to be really sad at the funeral, but that night he goes and digs up his wife’s grave and then cuts off the golden arm.  That night he is visited buy the ghost of his wife and he pretends that he does not have her arm but she knows that he actually does have it.

My Reaction to the Book:  I thought that this was quite a weird story, and that the ending was really surprising because it kind of just ended out of nowhere, I expected there to be more to the story.

Potential Problems:  The problem with this story is that one, the husband is shallow and he only marries his wife because she has a golden arm, two, the husband cuts off the wife’s arm after she is dead, and three, the husband is visited by the ghost of his wife.

Recommendations:  I don’t think I would recommend this particular fairy tale to anyone, but I think that some of the other ones were good, “Lazy Jack” was a good one and it had a good lesson, so I would recommend some of the other Jacob’s fairy tales.

Junie B., First Grader (at last!)

Author: Barbara Park

Publishing:  Random House Books for Young Readers

Number of Pages: 96 pages

Genre:  Children’s Fiction

Reading Level:  Ages 4-8

Summary: This story is about a young girl, Junie B., who just moved into first grade.  At first she is rather excited but then she ends up getting really nervous about school.  When she goes in for her first day she sees that her old best friend from kindergarten is in her class.  She gets very excited but she finds out that her old friend no longer wants to be her best friend anymore so Junie B. gets kind of sad about that.  As school progresses Junie B. seems to have a hard time with school and the teacher discovers that Junie B. needs glasses.  Once Junie B. gets glasses she is kind of nervous for everyone at school to see her in them.  When everyone does finally find out she has glasses though, she finds that it really isn’t even that bad to have glasses; it’s actually kind of fun.

My Reaction to the Book:  I really loved this book!  I have always loved to read Junie B. Jones books—I love how they are written from Junie’s point of view because it really makes the story and dialogue quite hilarious.  It’s a very funny book.

Potential Problems:  There are a couple different problems with this book; one, Junie B. sometimes uses some mean words like stupid and dumb, and two, there might be some conflict with the fact that Junie makes a big deal out of wearing glasses.

Recommendations:  I would recommend this book to anyone.  Junie B. Jones books are great to help children realize that reading is actually really fun and entertaining.  They are hilarious and can make anyone laugh.  These books are very fun and great for children.