Brown Girl Dreaming

 Woodson, J. (2014). Brown Girl Dreaming. New York, NY: Nancy Paulsen Books, an imprint of Penguin Group (USA). 

This poetic story is about a young girl who journals about being raised between South Carolina and New York. She writes in long stanzas, free verse, and occasionally short stories about her family and how her father left her mother and siblings behind. This story takes place during the 1960's-1970's which is a very difficult time for African American's in the United States because they had to face racism in the south when they visited her South Carolina relatives. Her one escape from the harsh racist world filled with inequality was her writing and retelling events of her life through her words. Eventually, the world was slow to change and many African American's received their equal rights, but it took time for people to change their views and beliefs.

This is story astounded me because of they she wrote just show how much passion and hope she has. I know the U.S. has a bad history when it comes to racial issues, and being of mixed race I always felt like I'm in between to different worlds. I believe this would be a great book to use in the classroom to teach students about equal rights, Jim Crow laws, and the many things that hinder the African American community from succeeding in the past. Though, I will admit it may make you cry or get emotional so have some Kleenex available. 

Dear Mr. Henshaw

 Cleary, B., & Zelinsky, P. O. (1983). Dear Mr. Henshaw. New York, NY: W. Morrow and Company. 

This delightful tale is about a boy, Leigh Botts, who belongs to divorced parents and is still dealing with not seeing his father anymore. During the story Leigh reads a book, Ways to Amuse a Dog, authored by Mr. Henshaw that he begins writing to the author. Each grade level that he passes he continues to write to the author for class assignments and eventually continues writing as a form of an outlet for his anger. While he continues to write to Mr. Henshaw the author sends him a list of questions to help him learn how to become an author, because Mr. Henshaw said there's a lot of writing involved when your an author. Leigh continues to answer each of Mr. Henshaw's questions which allows him to cope with his parents divorce, moving to a new school, and having no friends either. As the story continues Leigh decides to journal about his days, what he does, and how he feels about the thief who keeps stealing his good lunch snacks. This continued writing allows Leigh to write a short story about driving with his father in his dad's big rig truck, and he gets to meet another famous author who appreciates the cleverness of his story. Read to find out about Leigh's short story and what else takes place.

I liked this book for its style letter/journal writing which really makes it feel more realistic and in the moment. This book touched me in way that made me remember when my parents had separated for a short time, and what it felt like to miss your dad and always wonder when he was going to come back home. I think many young readers in our society can relate to Leigh and what he felt during his parents divorce and that after part. 

The Watsons Go to Birmingham-1963

 Curtis, C. P. (1995). The Watsons go to Birmingham--1963. New York, NY: Delacorte Press. 

This fictional tale of a the Watson family who have some amusing children. The Watson's have two sons Byron and Kenny, and the youngest member is Joetta the daughter. Kenny is the middle child and as the middle child he tends to get over looked, because his brother Byron is the oldest and a bit of a juvenile delinquent. Byron tends to get Kenny's parents worked up with all the antics he gets into, and Joetta is just the annoying, obedient sister who tends to bug Kenny. The Watson's decide to go down to Birmingham to visit Grandma and possibly leave Byron behind to get his attitude straighten out since Grandma doesn't put up with that like Kenny's parents do. When they are visiting Grandma something terrible happens that causes Kenny to become shell-shocked for what he saw made him afraid. Find out what happened to Kenny and see if he overcomes his fear.

Even though this story is fictional some of the events that took place in Birmingham, Alabama really did happen. I enjoyed the story mostly for its historical input and how the Watson family came together to help Kenny towards the end of the story, and it surprised me the most that Byron was the one who really helped Kenny. I thought Byron was very selfish and at times kind of rude child during the story, but at the end of the story I really saw his true character . I guess some bad apples may appear bad on the outside but on the inside they're still sweet. 

Bridge to Terabithia

 Paterson, K. (1977). Bridge to Terabithia. New York, NY: Scholastic.

 This tearful-dramatic story is about a boy, Jess Aarons, and a girl, Leslie Burke, who become friends after a short time of meeting each other. Their friendship booms into something quite splendid as well as their imagination that creates a beautiful land called, Terabithia. Both kids create this magical land to escape the realities of their own lives. Jess one day goes on a trip without Leslie to Washington and he considers this day to be the best day of his life, but sadly when he comes home he must face some unbearable news. The unbearable news is that his best friend Leslie Burke died using the rope swing to cross the stream. Jess feels extremely guilty for not being there for Leslie and he blames himself for not inviting her to go to Washington with him. Will Jess ever forgive himself for what happened to Leslie or will he continue to blame himself? 

This tear-jerking story tore at my heart when I read this story. This story reminded me of Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls , because of that strong bond of friendship between Billy Coleman's dogs and himself. The bond that Jess and Leslie had is very similar to how Billy felt for his dogs. I admit I cried when I learned what happened to Leslie just like I cried when Billy lost his dogs. After the tears were shed and my mind made clear I thought about the author's message. I believe the author was trying to tell young readers when we lose those who we love we will never forget them, because they will always be in our hearts and memories. 

How They Croaked: The Awful Ends of the Awfully Famous

 Bragg, G., & O'Malley, K. (2011). How They Croaked: The Awful Ends of the Awfully Famous. New York, NY: Walker &.

This humorous-informational tale is chalk full of how the famous historical figures of our history ended up dying and what happened to their bodies after many years. For example, Julius Caesar was a hard ruling dictator who many in the Roman Senate didn't like and wanted Julius dead. Julius was a superstitious man and was given a warning by a fortune-teller who warned him to "Beware the ides of March." Julius took the warning very serious and he would have stayed home if it weren't for his friend and fellow Senate member, Brutus, who convinced him to come to the Senate meeting. At this meeting Julius realized that his own friend betrayed him and he slowly was stabbed to death. Eventually, all the Senate representatives were killed a year after Julius Caesar's death. The rest of the book covers other deaths like Edgar Allan Poe's, Cleopatra, Albert Einstein, and more.

The way the author, Georgia Bragg, wrote these historic deaths in a amusing and informative way. In truth, our history books do not go into details about why these people  died and what caused their death's. Not only does she provide the cause of death but she also tells the readers what happens to the person's family and things they left behind. She also describes the leading cause of death during that person's era. It seemed like lead poisoning and gout caused many deaths, and the occasional beheading. The story also has a comic like illustrations which adds to the stories tone and over theme. I believe young readers will enjoy this creepy-informative book. I know I enjoyed the illustrations of each of the famous figures and their story.

 

Skulduggery Pleasant

 Landy, D. (2007). Skulduggery Pleasant. New York, NY: HarperCollins.

Skulduggery Pleasant is a enchanting mysterious tale about a young girl, Stephanie Edgley, who is left with a handsome estate by her deceased uncle. She decides to check out her new home that her uncle left her, but during the stormy night she is harassed by a scary, threatening man. Who will save young Stephanie from her untimely demise? No other than her uncle's friend, Skulduggery Pleasant, who happens to be a skeleton man with magic wielding powers. After the dramatic duel with the dangerous felon Skulduggery begins to change Stephanie safe world to a dramatic world filled with magic and mystery. As the story continues Stephanie and Skulduggery must solve her uncle's murder and find out why he was murder. This grand mystery is packed with adventure, fun, friendship, and a good dose of danger. Will Stephanie and Skulduggery find out who killed Stephanie's uncle, and will they be able to stop the impending doom that is about to fall upon Scotland?

I really enjoyed this story and I also had a chance to listen to the audible version of this story which allowed me to get a better visual of how the story was. Both Skulduggery and Stephanie are great characters that really made the story suspenseful, and I was rooting for the dual to figure out the mystery the whole time. Give this book a chance and if you enjoyed reading it then continue reading Derek Landy's Skulduggery Pleasant series. 

 

Theodor Seuss Geisel Awarded Book

	You Are (Not) Small Kang, A., & Weyant, C. (2014). You Are (Not) Small. New York, NY: Two Lions. This cute story is about a couple of bears who are arguing whether they’re small or big. Both bear groups are yelling at each other until another group comes along then the first group mentions that the second group is small and big. It was a delightful tale that would remind any reader of such silly arguments that they might have had. The use of color and texture makes all the bears brilliant and special in their own unique way. Find out what these bears look like and you decide who is small or big.
	I Spy Fly Guy! Arnold, T. (2009). I Spy Fly Guy! New York, NY: Scholastic. This humorous tale is about a little boy, Buzz, and his pet fly, Fly Guy. Both character enjoy a challenging game of hide and seek. Fly Guy likes hiding in the garbage can because he can eat while hiding but Buzz finds him quickly. Buzz then hides from Fly Guy in a garden shed which Fly Guy easily squeezes inside to find Buzz. It’s Fly Guys turn to hide and he goes back into the garbage can, but the garbage-man collects the trash with Fly Guy inside. Find out what if Buzz finds Fly Guy or not. The cartoon style illustrations add a funny sense of humor and makes the story interesting to read. Many readers will enjoy Fly Guys antics and how him and Buzz play together.
	See Me Run Meisel, P. (2011). See Me Run. New York, NY: Holiday House. This easy to read story is about a dog who has a fun-filled day with other dogs at the dog park. The text is repetitive and easy flowing for any reader to read. The main dog runs all over the place and has the other dogs chasing him. The story has some pleasant scenes where the dogs are playing in the mud, bathing the mud away, and digging up something marvelous. Find out what the dogs dug up because it’s something quite unique. The author uses some great illustrations to paint some great pictures of the dog’s activities. I genuinely liked this story for its illustrations and cute tale.
	Chicken Said, “Cluck!” Grant, J. A., & Truesdell, S. (2008). Chicken Said, "Cluck!" New York, NY: HarperCollins. This story offers a great repetition for young readers to use to practice their onomatopoeias and sight words. The story is about a boy, Earl, a girl, Pearl, and a chicken who wishes to help Earl and Pearl plant some pumpkins in the garden. Of course, Earl and Pearl don’t want Chicken to help with the gardening because they’re afraid Chicken will mess with the pumpkins. During the story the crickets came to visit the garden and began nibbling on the pumpkins, and who came to help Pearl and Earl? Chicken came and saved the pumpkins from the crickets. Find out how Chicken saved the pumpkins. This delightful tale is very cute with its illustrations and the characters are charming as well. Young readers will enjoy this short tale.
	A Pig, a Fox, and a Box Fenske, J. (2015). A Pig, a Fox, and a Box. New York, NY: Penguin Young Readers, an imprint of Penguin Group (USA) LLC. This rhyming story is about a Pig and Fox who are friends, and Fox likes to play trick on his friend Pig. Fox decides to trick Pig by hiding inside of a box, then he calls for Pig to come find him. Pig begins to search with no luck and decides to sit on the box and wait for Fox, but the box breaks apart because Pig is heavy. Poor Fox gets squashed and hurt but that doesn’t stop Fox from playing another trick on Pig again. Find out what Fox does to Pig. Do you think Fox will get hurt again? This is a great book that has rhyming which is easy for beginning readers to read. This story reminds me of Dr. Seuss’s Green Eggs and Ham with its use of fox and box.
	Don’t Throw It to Mo! Adler, D. A., & Ricks, S. (2015). Don't Throw It to Mo! New York, NY: Penguin Young Readers and imprint of Penguin Random House. This story is about a boy, Mo Jackson, who absolutely loves football. He is the smallest player on the Robin’s football team and he doesn’t always get to play on the field. One day, Coach Steve makes Mo practice catching a buttering football which he tends to drop because it’s so slippery. Robins are losing the game and that’s when Coach Steve sends in Mo for the next play. The plan is for Mo to run for a long throw but not to throw the ball to him yet. The opposing team doesn’t think Mo will catch the ball because he’s so small, and this continues a few times until they really do throw him the ball. Find out with Mo Jackson catches the ball and wins the game.
	Benny and Penny in the Big No-No! Hayes, G. (2009). Benny and Penny in the Big No-No! New York, NY: Toon Books an imprint of Candlewick Press. This is a humorous tale about a brother, Benny, and a little sister, Penny, who are looking for Benny’s missing pail. Both siblings know there is a new kid next door and they begin to suspect the new kid stole his pail. They end up going over the fence and looking for the pail, but they think their new neighbor is some kind of monster because of the muddy football tracks. They end up hiding because they hear a strange noise and they’re still scared to find out. Find out and see what the new kid looks like and if Benny finds his pail. This is cute tale is great for teaching friendship, not to steal, and much more. These little characters are very relatable and the young readers will enjoy this story not to mention how the text is written.
	Penny and her Marble Henkes, K. (2013). Penny and her Marble. New York, NY: Greenwillow Books an imprint of HarperCollins. This charming tale is about a girl, Penny, who finds a beautiful blue marble in her neighbor’s yard one day. Little Penny loved the blue marble and she thought of the marble had a piece of blue sky. She hid the marble thinking her neighbor, Mrs. Goodwin, wanted the marble back at some point. Penny began to feel guilty about taking the marble from Mrs. Goodwin’s yard. The next day she decides she can’t take the guilt anymore and takes the marble back to Mrs. Goodwin’s yard. Mrs. Goodwin notices that what Penny is doing with the marble. Find out what happens to Penny and the marble. This book is great for teaching children to always tell the truth and to not steal things that don’t belong to you. Young readers will enjoy little Penny’s tale and the lesson would be valuable for them to learn.
	Supertruck Savage, S. (2015). Supertruck. New York, NY: Roaring Brook Press. This delightful tale is about a garbage truck who transforms himself into a Supertruck. This story is like a Superman version for trucks which adds to great short story. The story mention all the trucks that do things for the city, but one day it snows for a long time and none of the trucks can move. Then out of nowhere Supertruck comes and saves the day. Find out how Supertruck saves the day. The short story is a delightful read because of its illustrations and storyline that makes it all connect so well.
	Cowgirl Kate and Cocoa Silverman, E., & Lewin, B. (2005). Cowgirl Kate and Cocoa. New York, NY: Harcourt. This enchanting tale is about a girl, Kate, and her horse, Cocoa, who are off to herd cows. Cowgirl Kate ready to herd her cow back home but Cocoa is very thirsty so he doesn’t rush to herd the cows after drinking water he tells Kate that he’s hungry. Kate feeds him some apples but now Cocoa says he’s too full to herd cows, so Kate tells Cocoa a story about how they first met. Their friendship is quite endearing and the story will make young readers think about their own pets or about getting a pet since pets offer friendship and good company. Find out if Cowgirl Kate and Cocoa herd the cows or not.