Darkest Hour : Brighter than Expected

The previews of this film had me thinking of Skyline. It just didn't look promising. But I ended up seeing it anyway. I thought I'd give it a chance. 3-D was wasted in this film. But I have to admit, I was pleasantly surprised. Some characters were just annoying and a few things seemed a bit predictable, but it wasn't bad. I don't think I'd watch it again, unless there was nothing else to watch on TV. Nor would I buy the DVD, but it really wasn't a bad film. Worth the money to go see it in the theater, I'd wait to rent it, or get it ON-Demand if you really wanted to see it.

Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol

As of yet, nothing in this series has been as good as the first one. The second was way too much like James Bond. The third installment was getting back to basics and was much better. This installment wasn't bad, but I thought the background story could have been a bit better but it was good film, and unlike the first two, a follow up from the last one. Wasn't disappointed.

Hugo

I'm not exactly sure what I expected from this film. I have never read the book, but was familiar with it from a class I took. Saw it in 3D X-D. There is a difference, but due to the price of a realistically clear picture and wall to wall screen, I would probably go once in a while. The film wasn't quite what I expecting as to the story, not quite sure what I was expecting, though. Overall, it was a good film with interesting characters and a good story plot. Agree with the critics, and 3-D was a good choice to do this film.

J. Edgar : Shockingly Interesting

When I first saw the previews for this is sparked my interest. Plus, having Leonardo DiCaprio in it didn't hurt either. This film was a bit long, but well done. Needless to say it was an eye opener of a bio pic on a man I knew some about but not a lot. Definitely interesting, and worth seeing at least once. One of the best bio pics I have seen.

Breaking Dawn Part One

I have never read any of the Twilight books, but I have seen all the films. Eclipse still remains my favorite, but Breaking Dawn beat what I expected. I was really and pleasantly surprised by this film. Though the telepathic werewolf conversation was a bit cheesy, and the pivotal imprinting moment was a bit off, the rest of the film was good. I wasn't left wondering when will this be over.Too bad, the first two films weren't like this. However, this still has not peaked my interest in reading the books. Though I've been told they are better than the film.

Immortals : Ambrosia for movie goers

I have always been fascinated with Mythology. So when I saw the preview for Immortals, I knew I wanted to see it. Luckily, unlike Clash of the Titans, remake/revision. Loved the original. Good story that still paid homage to the original Theseus and the Minotaur myth. Only issue was Gods relationships were unclear at points, such as Neptune being Zeus' brother. Plus, the Gods/Goddesses specialties could have been explained, such as Aries, as the God of War. Otherwise, an excellent myth film.

The Three Musketeers : A Swashbuckeling good time

I have always been fascinated with Three Musketeers. I have seen the Walt Disney version, and the older ones with Micheal York. Also saw The Musketeer version. Haven't seen the one with Mickey Mouse though. I have also read the book. This was a revision version of the book idea. I did notice that the important aspects of the book were included in the film, though not exactly like the book, but that's never been a big issue with me. This movie moves well, believable plot, though I like Tim Curry as Richelieu better, just made him a bit more evil and hate-able, but the otherwise loved the characters, and how true they stayed to the book in that area. Even left room for a sequel. If it was done as well as this one, I'd go see it.

Bird Cruelty

Ok, I have something else to vent about. Today, someone near the house, got a bb gun and decided to shoot some birds. It started with one dead one in the backyard. A few hours later, it was four more dead, and two injured who got taken to the wild life rehab. This irks me, not only is this person shooting in an area where people have non- school age children and pets. This person gets their kicks killing animals that aren't harming them in anyway, or for the purpose of eating them. Too bad, I don't know who did it, and either it was a kid who wasn't in school, or it was an adult. Hopefully, the person got their fill and will the birds alone. Anyone who gets their thrills and kicks killing innocent birds, even Grackels, who seem to be the attitude bird, that won't get out of the street till you honk at them, is still wrong. Kill to eat or defend, not just for fun, and definitely not in a residential neighborhood where someone or someones pet could be hurt.

Dog Dental Care Thoughts

This is something that has been bugging me for a while. A couple of months ago, my Dad and I found a toy poodle who at first, we thought was a puppy. He's about ten years old, give or take. He had to have the last few of his remaining teeth removed. I had a dog as a kid who died at fourteen years old and had all her teeth. I take my dog in once a year to get her teeth clean,plus I brush her teeth daily and she eats hard food. It irks me that people don't think of pet dental care. Its not the dog can brush their own teeth. Plus there are dog food and treats that help reduce plaque and tartar, plus sprays and water treatments. Hard food is best or mix soft and hard food. Plus, I've heard of a dental vaccine that can keep teeth clean for years. Dogs use there teeth for more than just eating hard food. They use them to scratch itches, defend themselves from other threats if needed, to play with toys, and remove burrs or other things that get stuck in their feet.

The Thing: Prequel Crash lands, not quite burning...

This 2011 version is the prequel to the John Carpenter version in 1982. OK fine. Should have made that clearer, sounds like a remake. This film has its scary, unsuspected and suspected jump moments in it. Could have had more. Haven't and want to see it, do not continue to  on. Certain story aspects didn't make sense. If the creature can only copy organic material, how did it copy clothes. Clothing isn't a hundred percent organic, zippers, shoe laces, rubber boot soles. It can handle clothes, but not teeth fillings and an earring. Where did the husky come from? The dog at the beginning of the film was not a husky or malamute dog. I never saw any other dogs. So either the alien has evolved and is able to completely recreate its self in a different type of creature it has taken over, or there were other dogs that weren't in the kennel area and were running around. Would have made more sense if the alien couldn't recreate metals. That would cover the fillings and earring issue. Not a bad film, but I've seen better alien or monster flicks.

Money Ball Hits a Homerun

I'm not a sports movie enthusiast. I do watch based on real people sport films from time to time, like Miracle. I will admit I was interested in seeing this film but not to the point that I went out of my way to catch it in the theater. The critics were right, Brad Pitt, did a really great job in this film. I also liked that it had bits of humor in it on occasion. Not your typical sports film but still a good one to see, and you don't have to be a fan of baseball to enjoy it.

Contagion isn't a catching film

I'll be honest, I don't usually watch a lot of virus infection films. But of the few I've seen, Contagion falls short. Unlike other films of this genre, Contagion leaves you on the outside of the story. You don't really hate or love any characters. You don't really connect with anyone, not to mention at times my mind was wandering because this film runs too slow, plus certain things didn't keep to being realistic. The bus and people on it would have been quarantined. Not worth going to the theater to see. To be honest, I wouldn't even rent it, or pay to rent it. Borrow it from the library or wait till it comes to television. Not worth any $, to see it.
      Feeling like a virus film : Outbreak, Andromeda strain original or sci-fi ( sy-fy) mini-series. Want a horror twist to it, 28 Days Later, is really good.

Hi

Just checking in. Graduated with my Masters in Library and Information Science. Still don't know why I'm doing this. Rise of the Planet of the Apes was really good. Cowboys and Aliens had too many chefs in the kitchen and the film shows that. Plus a bit predictable too at times, alright.

Update

Don't why I keep up with this, but just wanted to check in and post something. It's been along week, since Friday. School Thing. Any way Super 8 is a good flick to seek. Right mix of humor, suspense, and enjoyable characters.

My Favorite Authors

Looking for a good read. A lot of these authors are fantasy authors and all are my favorite.


1. Jeniene Frost : The Night Huntress Series

2. Kelley Armstrong : Women of the Other world Series, The Darkest Power trilogy ( young adult book ) and the new Darkness Rising trilogy: first book: The Gathering.

3. Kim Harrison : Rachel Morgan or aka The Hollows series

4. Jim Butcher : The Dresden Files, The Codex Alera series

5. Ilona Andrews : Kate Daniels Series

6. Anne Bishop : Black Jewel books

7. Yasmine  Galernorn : Sisters of the Moon or AKA The Other world series

8. James Rollins : Thriller, Suspense, Mystery writer. Sigma series.

9. Jeanne C. Stein : Anna Strong series

10. Robert B. Parker : Virgil and Cole books. Starting with Appaloosa. Westerns.

11. Tanya Huff : Blood Book Series.

12. Carrie Vaughn : Kitty Norville Series

13. Charlaine Harris : Sookie Stackhouse Series. This is the series that True Blood is based on. Love the television series.

Hope Was Here Book Trailer

Blood and Chocolate Book Trailer

Al Capone Does My Shirts Book Trailer

Fresh Start

The only reason I had this blog started in the first place was for a class assignment, a Children's and Youth Lit class for my Master of Library and Information Sciences. So that is finally done and I figured since I had the blog space now, I would use it. I got an 80% on the blog assignment. In case you were wondering.

Module Fifteen : Draw Me a Star

This book follows an artist's journey as he creates his own world.

Bibliography:  Carle, Eric (1992). Draw me a star. New York, NY: Philomel Books.

I enjoyed the simplicity of the story and the illustrations, abstract and beautiful in their own right.

Reviews:

Publishers Weekly

During his youth, this gifted authorartist explains in his newest book's afterword, his German grandmother would often draw him a star while chanting a nonsense rhyme. Taking that symbol as his foundation, Carle here creates a world pulsating with life and color-a world that bursts forth from a good star sketched by a young artist. This kaleidoseopic pentagram requests a sun from the artist's pen; the sun asks for a tree, and so on until a man and woman are living happily among Carle's characteristic collages-flora and fauna of all shapes, sizes and vivid hues. Meanwhile the artist, now a bearded old man, continues to draw and create. This unusual, practically plotless work seems to embody a personal scenario close to the artist's heart. His unadorned language, pulsing with a hypnotic rhythm, adroitly complements the familiar naive artwork. Though some may be disturbed by similarities between Carle's evolving world and the biblical creation story (the unclothed male and female figures, for example), this tale of imagination and creativity pays homage to the artist within all of us-and may well fire youngsters' imaginations. Ages 4-up. (Sept.)

Children's Literature

"Draw me a star. And the artist drew a star. It was a good star". So begins another of Carle's deceptively simple picture books. The star asks the artist to draw her a sun. Then the warm sun asks the artist to draw a tree and the tree puts in a request for some people. The people need a house which needs a dog and so on until the artist is asked by the moon to draw her a star and the cycle is almost complete. The artist starts out as a toddler drawing the star, and matures through the book. This unique version of the creation story can be interpreted on many levels. Carle's painted tissue paper collages are, as always, brilliant. 1998 (orig.

Children's Literature

This poetically dreamy story tells of an artist whose creations continually inspire until he actuates a universe bursting with dynamic color and life. Subtle themes are inscribed in the simple text. There is the life-long consuming passion of the artistic process, and the glory of an artist who holds onto a star and "together, they travel across the night sky."

School Library Journal

K-Gr 4-- A young boy is told (readers are not sure by whom) to ``Draw me a star.'' The star then requests that the boy draw it a sun; the sun asks for a ``lovely tree,'' and throughout his life the boy/man/artist continues to create images that fill the world with beauty. The moon bids the now-elderly artist to draw another star, and as the story ends, the artist travels ``across the night sky'' hand-in-hand with the star. This book will appeal to readers of all ages; its stunning illustrations, spare text, and simple story line make it a good choice for story hour; but older children will also find it uplifting and meaningful. Especially pleasing is a diagram within the story, accompanied by rhyming instructions on how to draw a star: ``Down/ over/ left/ and right/ draw/ a star/ oh so/ bright.'' An inspired book in every sense of the word.-- Eve Larkin, Middleton Public Library , WI

BookList

In this large, brightly illustrated picture book, an artist draws a star, which asks him to draw a sun, which asks him to draw a tree, which asks him to draw a man and a woman . . . and so on. There are biblical overtones, with the man and woman next to the tree looking like Adam and Eve before the Fall, but within a few pages the house is built, the tulips are up, and the scene becomes modern, from houseplants to clothes. Soon, the night asks the artist to draw a moon, and the moon requests a star, bringing the text full circle. Then there's a switch. A drawing lesson demonstrates how to make an eight-pointed star. Next, the artist's star carries him, floating Chagall-like, across the dark, star-spangled sky. On the last page, Carle addresses a letter to his "Friends" describing how his grandmother showed him how to draw a star while reciting a nonsense rhyme, and how his trip on a shooting star inspired this book. The illustrations, in Carle's signature style, are collages of painted, torn, and cut papers. A free-spirited, original offering.

In the library, this could be used during a banned book week display. Or in conjunction with a teacher's art lesson.

Cover rights belong to Eric Carle

Module Fourteen: Awful Ogre's Awful Day

Follow Awful Ogre as he starts his day, his daily activities, and back to bed at the end of the day.

Bibliography: Prelutsky, Jack (2001). Awful Ogre's Awful Day. New York, NY: Greenwillow Books.

I really liked this book. At times, it could be a bit gross, but an ogre isn't a nice clean monster. I love how the poems had a rhythm that made them fun to read, and it felt a lot like a normal story, even in poem form.

Reviews:

Publishers Weekly

Prelutsky uncorks his latest collection of light verse, a divinely wretched celebration of subversity. Every detail of Awful Ogre's day offers possibility for gross-outs, from sunup ("I flick aside the lizard/ Clinging grimly to my chin,/ And now I feel I'm ready/ For my morning to begin") to sundown (a sly swat at Goodnight Moon as Awful Ogre drifts off to sleep with "Good night to furtive spiders/ That lurk in murky wells./ Good night to loathsome vermin/ With nauseating smells"). Whether he's writing a love letter to an ogress ("I long for the sight/ Of your craggy gray face,/ The might of your bone-breaking,/ Painful embrace") or puttering in the garden ("I'm growing carnivorous roses/ And oceans of overblown mold"), Awful Ogre proves an ideal agent for Prelutsky's oversize humor. Switching gears from the lushness of his Caldecott-winning Rapunzel, repeat collaborator Zelinsky presents Awful Ogre as a grotesque but goofy innocent, sillier than he is sinister. Awful may have only one eye and green hair, and a skunk might indeed curl up in his left nostril, yet he has a childlike sweetness as he dances (shown in a series of a dozen panels) or snuggles up in bed with his cactus. A virtuoso performance by two master funny-bone-ticklers. Ages 6-up. (Sept.) Copyright 1999 Cahners Business Information.

Children's Literature

A series of eighteen imaginative verses, filled with gruesomely descriptive language, details the day of the ogre as told by himself. The rhythm of the rhymes changes with the subject, from disgusting meals and unusual love-letter to storm and bedtime, complete with reverse nightmares. The grisly, repulsive humor should appeal enormously to most kids; parents and teachers may find some hard to stomach through their laughter. Zelinsky draws the double-page scenes with devilish delight, tinting them with appropriate colors to enhance the graphic impact. Don't miss the borders, like that being torn on the jacket/cover by the ogre and repaired on the title page by tiny workers in hard hats. Many other inventive details are hidden throughout; both poems and illustrations will require many readings for full appreciation. 2001, Greenwillow Books/HarperCollins, $15.95. Ages 6 to 12. Reviewer: Ken Marantz and Sylvia Marantz

School Library Journal

Gr 1-5-This collection of 18 witty poems chronicles a day in the life of Awful Ogre. He towers over buildings and ordinary folk with his carpet of grass-green hair; red, bulbous nose; and single, large, green-and-yellow eye. He doesn't sound real cute, but underneath he's one swell guy. In "Awful Ogre's Breakfast," Prelutsky has fun with the normal breakfast routine. The spread depicts the ogre leaning back on his chair, gazing into his bowl of, yes, scream of wheat, complete with tongues and teeth. Children are sure to memorize Prelutsky's inventive verse and will avidly search the illustrations for their hidden jokes. Take for instance "Awful Ogre's TV Time," in which his favorite channel is the Chopping Network. In "Awful Ogre Dances," Prelutsky's prose stretches across the bottom half of the spread in perfect accompaniment to Zelinsky's dozen frames of Awful Ogre lithely (honestly) gliding across the top half. "I dance with abandon/Bravura, and zest,/I carom off boulders/And beat on my chest./I pirouette wildly/And leap into space/With power, panache,/And unparalleled grace." Even though Awful Ogre claims to be the awfulest of all, he remains awfully appealing throughout his rants and misadventures. Consider purchasing an extra copy-just in case he is checked out for an awfully long time.-Lisa Gangemi Krapp, Middle Country Public Library, Centereach, NY Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.

In a library setting this would be a good story time read to introduce kids to poetry. Or could be done with a teaching unit on poetry.

Cover rights belong to Paul O. Zelinsky

Module Thirteen: Stormbreaker

Alex Rider has been raised by his uncle, in England. After the death of his uncle, Alex discovers he was a spy for British Intelligence. Whether he likes it or not, Alex's life is about to take another turn, he is about to become a spy, and finish what his uncle started.

Bibliography: Horowitz, Anthony (2001). Stormbreaker. New York, NY: Philomel Books.

This book is pretty good. Its a nice action or thriller read. A dash of James Bond, and a mix of good spy story makes this a series, one could enjoy getting lost in.

Reviews:

VOYA

Alex Rider becomes the first fourteen-year-old MI6 agent when his uncle is assassinated. Alex is forced to take over the case involving a suspicious computer baron who has donated thousands of his newest, top-secret modules to British schools. This action-packed spy novel, the first in the projected Stormbreaker series, has all the clichés: a stony-faced hero, plenty of preposterous stunts—including using the rappelling cord to catch an airplane—terse dialogue, and the evil Egyptian, Russian, and Fräulein. There is not much else to the story, however, nor to Alex's character. Horowitz draws him out a little in the beginning as a reluctant spy who is unwilling to kill—although plenty of other people do kill each other in this story—but then loses him as the movielike plot predictably and explosively unfolds. This uncomplicated novel is fun fare enough for the Young Indiana Jones fan or reluctant reader. Although it offers little that a B movie does not, sophisticated readers will find it simplistic. Those readers looking for intrigue and suspense will be served better with John Marsden or Peter Dickinson. VOYA CODES: 3Q 4P M J (Readable without serious defects; Broad general YA appeal; Middle School, defined as grades 6 to 8; Junior High, defined as grades 7 to 9). 2001, Philomel, 208p, $16.99. Ages 12 to 15. Reviewer: Nina Lindsay SOURCE: VOYA, August 2001 (Vol. 24, No. 3)

Claire Rosser - KLIATT

To quote from the review of the hardcover in KLIATT, May 2001: Agent 007 comes to the middle school! Horowitz, a British writer of thrillers and mysteries for the BBC and a successful writer of children's books, offers here a nonstop thriller featuring Alex Rider, 14 years old, who is enlisted in the British Secret Service to investigate the reason his uncle was murdered. From the first chapter, Alex manages stunning escapes from near-death situations. Like James Bond, he has all manner of skills and intelligence to call upon, and some useful toys (like those gadgets given to 007 before each mission) that are used just in the nick of time throughout his adventure. In this first mission, Alex is called to investigate why a multimillionaire is donating advanced computers to all the schools in Great Britain. Alex impersonates a boy who won a contest to go to the secret compound in Cornwall where the computers are assembled. It turns out that the crazed tycoon is planning to use the donated computers to spread deadly germs throughout the country but Alex single-handedly prevents the disaster. Thrills all the way. KLIATT Codes: J Recommended for junior high school students. 2000, Penguin, Puffin, 192p.,

School Library Journal

Gr 5-9-Alex Rider's world is turned upside down when he discovers that his uncle and guardian has been murdered. The 14-year-old makes one discovery after another until he is sucked into his uncle's undercover world. The Special Operations Division of M16, his uncle's real employer, blackmails the teen into serving England. After two short weeks of training, Alex is equipped with several special toys like a Game Boy with unique cartridges that allow it to scan, fax, and emit smoke bombs. Alex's mission is to complete his uncle's last assignment, to discover the secret that Herod Sayle is hiding behind his generous donation of one of his supercomputers to every school in the country. When Alex enters Sayle's compound in Port Tallon, he discovers a strange world of secrets and villains including Mr. Grin, an ex-circus knife catcher, and Yassen Gregorovich, professional hit man. The novel provides bang after bang as Alex experiences and survives unbelievably dangerous episodes and eventually crashes through the roof of the Science Museum to save the day. Alex is a strong, smart hero. If readers consider luck the ruling factor in his universe, they will love this James Bond-style adventure. With short cliff-hanger chapters and its breathless pace, it is an excellent choice for reluctant readers. Warning: Suspend reality.-Lynn Bryant, formerly at Navarre High School, FL Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.

In a library setting it could be used in a book talk with a focus in getting boys interested in reading. This could also be used to make a book trailer.

Cover Rights belong to John Blackford.

Module Twelve : Harvesting Hope: the story of Cesar Chavez

This is a biography on the life of Cesar Chavez. Chavez organized peaceful marches to get better pay and working conditions for migrant farmers.

Bibliography: Krull, Kathleen (2003). Harvesting Hope: the story of Cesar Chavez. San Diego, CA: Harcourt Inc.

Before reading this book, I hardly knew anything about Cesar Chavez. For a children's book, the reader gets to know enough about Chavez and his life. The illustrations are also well done, adding to the tale of a man who deserves so much more recognition than what he gets.


Reviews:

Publishers Weekly

Krull (Wilma Unlimited; the Lives of... series) turns readers' attention to Cesar Chavez (1927-1993), founder of the National Farm Workers Association and champion of migrant workers. A lyrical portrait of a glorious early boyhood on his family's Arizona ranch opens the sympathetic narrative and explains that drought forced the family off their land in 1937 and consigned them to the grueling life of itinerant manual farm labor. Krull selects details that the target audience will readily understand; for example, she notes that Chavez attended 35 schools (he left after eighth grade) and that a teacher once hung a sign on him that read "I am a clown. I speak Spanish." The author also stresses Chavez's struggles to overcome extreme shyness and his commitment to nonviolent means of protest, demonstrating the latter in a climactic account of the landmark farm workers' strike and protest march led by Chavez in 1965. Debut illustrator Morales's mixed-media, full-bleed art taps into folkloric qualities that enhance the humanity of the characters. Using the bright colors of Mexican art, she skews the landscapes to reflect the characters' emotions. Sweeping, organic brushstrokes often angle diagonally, painting purple skies above green California fields or dividing rows of brown earth. The visual statement is as powerful as the story. Ages 6-9. (May) Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.

School Library Journal

Gr 3-6-The dramatic story of Chavez's 340-mile march to protest the working conditions of migrant farmworkers in California is the centerpiece of this well-told biography. Readers meet Chavez at his grandparents' home in Arizona where he lived happily amid a large extended family. His childhood was cut short when, due to financial difficulties, the family was forced to move to California to seek employment. After years of laboring in the fields, Chavez became increasingly disturbed by the inhuman living conditions imposed by the growers. The historic 1965 strike against grape growers and the subsequent march for "La Causa" are vividly recounted, and Chavez's victory-the agreement by the growers granting the workers better conditions and higher pay-is palpable. While sufficient background information is provided to support the story and encourage further research, focusing on one event makes the story appealing to younger readers. The text is largely limited to one side of a spread; beautifully rendered earth-toned illustrations flow out from behind the words and onto the facing page. A fine addition to any collection.-Sue Morgan, Tom Kitayama Elementary School, Union City, CA Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.

In a library setting could be used with a display during Hispanic history month. Could also be used in a story session to introduce children to other famous reformers, besides Martin Luther King, Jr.

Cover rights belong to Yuyi Morales.

Module Eleven : Butterflies and Moths

This book is about butterflies and moths. It covers all aspects of the life of these insects, from egg to adulthood, even mating.

Bibliography: Bishop, Nic (2009). Butterflies and Moths. New York, NY: Scholastic, Inc.

I really liked this book. The photographs are gorgeous, the information isn't over whelming, and the author even tells his story about getting the pictures for the book.

Reviews:

Children's Literature

Do you know how to tell the difference between butterflies and moths? It is not always easy. But after reading this book, you will have a better idea...and you will have learned quite a lot about these amazing insects. Did you know that the world's largest butterfly, the Queen Alexandra's birdwing, has a wingspan of almost a foot? Or that there are moths that feed on the tears of sleeping animals? Stunning photographs trace the life cycle of butterflies and moths as they grow from eggs no bigger than a grain of sand into hungry caterpillars (kids will be fascinated with the close-ups of the caterpillar's body) and then into adults. The extraordinary photographs on every page are spectacular—bright, colorful close-ups that will delight readers young and old. A four-page foldout shows, through photographs, a butterfly's flight. Straightforward, easy-to-understand and informative text introduces young readers to just a few of the almost 170,000 different types of butterflies and moths. At the end of the book, readers will find an index, brief glossary and author's notes. A book for younger readers but one everyone can enjoy. Highly recommended. Reviewer: Anita Barnes Lowen

School Library Journal

Gr 2-5
"There is no mistaking a butterfly," begins this striking, beautifully crafted exploration of these intriguing winged insects and their "more secretive" brethren. There's also no mistaking the loving care with which this book was made, setting gorgeous photographs against jewel-toned pages, with fascinating, meticulously captioned close-ups and new angles on a familiar subject (such as spectacular fold-out pages showing the mechanics of a butterfly's flight through a seamless series of photos). Bishop has received much well-deserved acclaim for his stunning photographs, but his text, too, stands out, with information-packed prose that shimmers like butterfly wings, capturing the sense of wonder that infuses his photographs. That passion also shines through in an afterword in which he shares the story of how he took the pictures (including a years-in-the-making mad dash to Costa Rica to photograph a caterpillar that can puff its body up to look like a poisonous snake before turning into a pupa). This book is an example of the very best kind of nonfiction-the kind that inspires as well as informs.-Kathleen Kelly MacMillan, Carroll County Public Library, MD

 In a library setting this book could be used in a teaching unit about insects, or in a display about animal books.

 
 Cover rights belong to Nic Bishop.

Module Ten: Al Capone Does My Shirts

Moose's life is about to change. His family is moving to Alcatraz where his father not only will be a guard but also an electrician. His mother has high hopes that his sister Natalie, will be excepted into a special school, she has what would later be called autism. Moose doesn't know what to expect, but his life doesn't end up as bad as he thought it would.

Bibliography: Choldenko, Gennifer ( 2004 ). Al Capone Does My Shirts. New York,NY: G.P. Putnam's Sons.

Not only did I learn a lot about life on Alcatraz, but I enjoyed doing it. The trials and adventures of Moose, his friends, and family are fun, real, and even touching at times. This story pulled me in and I found it hard to put it down. Loved it.

Reviews:

Della A. Yannuzzi - Children's Literature

Author Choldenko has written a funny and clever middle grade novel about a boy named Matthew (Moose) Flanagan who is living on Alcatraz Island with his family. The family has moved to the Island because Moose's father has found work as an electrician, and because his sister Natalie, who is autistic, can go to a good school nearby. Moose is not happy about living on the island, especially after meeting the Warden's daughter Piper who is bossy and a bit of a troublemaker. Moose's father has warned him to stay out of trouble because he needs this job and Natalie needs to go to the special school. Moose's life becomes miserable when Piper involves him and a few other island kids in a moneymaking scheme to have their schoolmates' clothes laundered by the convicts on Alcatraz Island. Piper tempts her school chums by claiming that Al Capone, the famous gangster, may even wash their shirts. The scheme falls apart when the Warden finds out what his daughter and friends are up to. Then, to make matters worse, the school that Natalie attends doesn't want her and she has to come home. Moose winds up watching her and has to forego his Monday after-school baseball game. This is an amusing book about interesting characters placed in a different and unlikely setting and trying to make the best of their situation. 2004, G. P. Putnam's Sons, Ages 10 up.

Walter Hogan - VOYA

In 1935, notorious gangster Al Capone is one of three hundred convicts housed in the maximum-security penitentiary on Alcatraz Island. Twelve-year-old Moose Flanagan also lives on the island. His father has taken a position as an electrician and guard at the prison in hopes that Moose's sister, Natalie, will be accepted at a special school in nearby San Francisco. Not only has Moose been forced to leave friends behind and move with his family to a fortress island, but he also cannot play baseball or make new friends now because he is stuck taking care of his sister whenever he is not in school. Natalie is afflicted with the condition now known as autism, and even at age sixteen, she cannot be left unsupervised. Everyone in the family has been under a strain because of Natalie's special needs. Meanwhile Piper, the warden's pretty, spoiled daughter, makes life complicated for Moose. The island's residents have their laundry done by the convicts, and thrill-seeking Piper drags Moose into her wild stunt of marketing Al Capone's laundry services to their middle school classmates in San Francisco. But when his family desperately needs a break in their efforts to get help for Natalie, Moose knows that only Piper has the connections and the audacity to help him pull off a reckless scheme involving the island's most famous inmate. Choldenko, author of Notes from a Liar and Her Dog (Putnam's, 2001/VOYA August 2001), weaves three As—Alcatraz, Al Capone, and autism—into an excellent historical novel for middle-grade readers. A large, annotated 1935 photograph of Alcatraz Island and an informative author's note give substance to the novel's factual sources. VOYA Codes: 4Q 4P M J (Betterthan most, marred only by occasional lapses; Broad general YA appeal; Middle School, defined as grades 6 to 8; Junior High, defined as grades 7 to 9). 2004, G. P. Putnam's Sons, 240p., Ages 11 to 15.

School Library Journal

Gr 6-8-In this appealing novel set in 1935, 12-year-old Moose Flanagan and his family move from Santa Monica to Alcatraz Island where his father gets a job as an electrician at the prison and his mother hopes to send his autistic older sister to a special school in San Francisco. When Natalie is rejected by the school, Moose is unable to play baseball because he must take care of her, and her unorthodox behavior sometimes lands him in hot water. He also comes to grief when he reluctantly goes along with a moneymaking scheme dreamed up by the warden's pretty but troublesome daughter. Family dilemmas are at the center of the story, but history and setting-including plenty of references to the prison's most infamous inmate, mob boss Al Capone-play an important part, too. The Flanagan family is believable in the way each member deals with Natalie and her difficulties, and Moose makes a sympathetic main character. The story, told with humor and skill, will fascinate readers with an interest in what it was like for the children of prison guards and other workers to actually grow up on Alcatraz Island.-Miranda Doyle, San Francisco Public Library Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.

In the library this could be used in conjunction with a history lesson. Maybe a book trailer, in conjunction with Al Capone or Alcatraz films.

Cover Rights belong to Gennifer Choldenko

Module Nine: Maze of Bones

Amy and Dan decide to give up two million dollars they inherited from their beloved Grandmother in order to receive the first clue in thirty-nine, that leads to a treasure. In order to begin their quest, Amy and Dan, tell a lie to their Au Pair, Natalie, so they can travel where they need to. Even after Natalie discovers their deception, she agrees to help the siblings continue their quest.

Bibliography: Riordan, Rick (2008). Maze of Bones. New York,NY: Scholastic Inc.

This book was pretty good. A bit slow at points, but I love the infusion of historical facts in this fiction tale. I also like how you are left wondering about some characters, are they good or bad. The only issue I had was Natalie. The turn from I'll call your Aunt to let's do this, seemed a bit fake but over all a pretty good read.

Reviews:

Publishers Weekly

Built around a ripe conceit-wealthy matriarch scatters cryptic clues to a mysterious fortune around the globe-this first installment in a projected 10-book series is tons of fun. Lead-off hitter Riordan (The Lightning Thief) mixes just the right proportions of suspense, peril and puzzles in a fast-paced read (Riordan mapped the narrative arc for all 10 volumes, but other high-profile authors will be writing for the series, too). Likable orphans Amy and Dan Cahill have moxie (plus Dan can memorize numbers instantly) and frailties (Amy hates crowds). As the siblings compete with less honorable members of the Cahill clan, all distantly related to Benjamin Franklin, to win the fortune by collecting all 39 clues (only two are found in this first book), they learn about their dead parents, each other and world history. The humor is spot on-one uncle is credited with inventing the microwave burrito. The only flaw? The story does not end so much as drop off a cliff. (The second book, One False Note by Gordon Korman, is set to arrive in December.) While waiting, readers can collect cards, each of which contains evidence, and play the online game (www.the39clues.com), for which Scholastic is offering over $100,000 in prizes. This ought to have as much appeal to parents as it does to kids-it's Webkinz without the stuffed animals, and a rollicking good read. Ages 9-12. (Sept.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Children's Literature

This is the lead title of "The 39 Clues" series, which will have ten titles all by different authors, with a set of cards encased in each book, leading readers to the solution which is purported to be worth $100,000 in total prizes (although the grand prize is considerably smaller). Written in the breathless style of a Nancy Drew/Hardy Boys book, with no real character development or plot nuances, this will remind readers of Lemony Snicket but without the wonderful Baudelaire children. Amy and Dan Cahill (mother and father dead, house burned down, sounds familiar), part of the worldwide Cahill clan that includes every famous person who ever lived (yikes, David Icke and one-world-conspiracists in the fifth grade?) are chasing down clues left by their dead grandmother, Grace, to win an inestimable fortune and unbounded world power, and they are only 14 and 11 and are barely aided by their aupair, Nellie. There are six other teams of Cahill-clan baddies trying to do in the Amy-Dan team in competitive headlong pursuit of the 39 clues. The kids go bopping all over the globe, living on a loaf of bread here and a turkey sandwich there, with superpowers of survival when faced with dastardly villains trying to kill them with poison needles under the fingernails, fires, bombs, cement jackets, and more 007-esque adventures, in search of wealth, fame, and who knows what else? If you are a fan of Second Life, or an addicted gamer, this book experience may be the springboard to fun and adventure, but more than likely, it is going to cost you a fortune for the cards, which is the ultimate point of it all. The books are the delivery system to get the cards into the hands of kids, like Magic Cards,D&D, or other similar games. Librarians will have to take out the cards (or they will be gone in a heartbeat) before the book goes into circulation; however, there is a special library edition available (which this reviewer did not see), as well as audio and international editions (see the website, www.the39clues.com for details) . Rick Riordan's other fun-for-kids series, written with verve and humor, bear little resemblance to this title, which seems to have been written to specifications like an old Stratemeier syndicate title. This should come with a warning sticker: Beware the Ignominious Hustle. Reviewer: Gwynne Spencer

School Library Journal

Gr 4-7
When their beloved Aunt Grace dies, Dan, 11, and Amy, 14-along with other Cahill descendants-are faced with an unusual choice: inherit one million dollars or participate in a perilous treasure hunt. Cahills have determined the course of history for centuries, and this quest's outcome will bring the victors untoward power and affect all of humankind. Against the wishes of nasty Aunt Beatrice, their reluctant guardian since their parents' deaths, Dan and Amy accept the challenge, convincing their college-age au pair to serve as designated adult. Pitted against other Cahill teams, who will stop at nothing to win, the siblings decipher the first of 39 clues and are soon hot on the historical trail of family member Ben Franklin to unearth the next secret. Adeptly incorporating a genuine kids' perspective, the narrative unfolds like a boulder rolling downhill and keeps readers glued to the pages. As the siblings work together to solve puzzles and survive dangers, they develop into well-drawn individuals with their own strengths and personalities. Supporting Cahill cast members come across as intentionally exaggerated caricatures, adding to the tale's breathless fun. The book dazzles with suspense, plot twists, and snappy humor, but the real treasure may very well be the historical tidbits buried in the story. Part of a multimedia launch including a Web site, collectable game cards, and a 10-title series (penned by different authors), this novel stands solidly on its own feet and will satisfy while whetting appetites for more.-Joy Fleishhacker, School Library Journal

In the library, do to the popularity of Percy Jackson, use it on a bookmark such as like Rick Riordan, check out this book, the first in the 39 Clues series. Or use in a book talk about mysteries.

Cover Rights belong to SJI Associates Inc.

Module Eight : James and the Giant Peach

Take  a dash of Jack and the Beanstalk, a pinch of Cinderella, and a spoonful of Alice in Wonderland, and you have the story of James and his magically created bug friends who live in a peach, and there adventures.

Bibliography: Dahl, Roald ( 1996 ). James and the Giant Peach. New York, NY: Penguin Books USA Inc.

This was a fun read. Actually I wish it was a bit longer. I love the fairy tale feel to this story. The kid who is mistreated then comes out on top at the end. The type of bugs that James befriend, are funny, and yet believable.Out of all the books I read for this module, this was the best, no contest.

Reviews:

Publishers Weekly

Lane Smith trades stinky cheese for fantastic fruit with his black-and-white illustrations for Roald Dahl's classic 1961 novel, James and the Giant Peach. The reissue is timed to coincide with the release of the Disney animated motion picture based on Smith's suitably subversive visual interpretation.

Children's Literature

The 2001 reissue of this fantasy classic features delightful Quentin Blake illustrations. Liberally sprinkled throughout the brief chapters, the quirky, cartoonish drawings illuminate the daring action. James is the lonely, abused orphan victim in the hands of dreadful Aunt Sponge and Aunt Spiker until an old man emerges from the garden bushes with a bag of tiny green things. The strange things spill into the earth under the old peach tree. Quickly the story moves into adventure mode when a giant peach grows mysteriously to the size of a house. James is inside the peach with his insect companions. They deal with frothing sharks, captive seagulls and angry cloudmen. James problem-solves, while the mutated insects play the roles expected of a cast of characters on a sinking ship. Incredible remarks are casually made by James such as, "Rainbow-paint dries very quick and very hard," while the insects speak factually about the number of spots on ladybugs and earthworms swallowing soil. It is the craziest of fantasies wrapped tightly in a chapter book perfect for a first grade read-aloud or for the young, independent reader. The book is not dated after 40 years. In the end, the giant peach participants all become rich and successful in America. 2001(orig. 1961), Puffin Books, $5.99. Ages 8 to 12. Reviewer: Jacki Vawter

School Library Journal

Gr 3-6-The classic children's book by Roald Dahl ( Knopf, 1961) receives royal treatment in this terrific audiobook production. James Henry Trotter, a poor orphan, is being raised by two horrible aunts. Magic crystals change his humdrum existence, and soon he is off on a great adventure on a giant peach with new friends who are, to say the least, unique. There are sharks, seagulls, and irate cloud people to add interest along the way and, of course, Dahl's irreverent poetry. The story has always been a crowd-pleaser, and Jeremy Irons does more than read the story-he performs it. Each character has a unique voice, aptly suiting each personality, and Irons tells the story with humor and energy. Fans of Dahl will not be disappointed in this briskly paced tale that is a delight from beginning to end.-Teresa Bateman, Brigadoon Elementary School, Federal Way, WA Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.

Kirkus Reviews

This newly illustrated edition of an avowed children's favorite has all the makings of a classic match-up: Milne had Shepard, Carroll had Tenniel, and now Dahl has Smith. Yes, there is a movie tied in to all of this, but more importantly, author and illustrator were made for each other, and it's of little consequence that it took almost 35 years for them to meet.

In the library could be used for a book to film display or a younger kids book talk.

Cover rights belong to Lane Smith

Module Seven: Bobby vs. Girls ( Accidentally)

This is a tale of growing up, acceptance, and learning what really is important. The story revolves around Bobby and his adventures, and Holly, his secret friend, because boys aren't suppose to be friends with girls.

Bibliography: Yee, Lisa ( 2009 ). Bobby vs. Girls ( Accidentally ). USA: Scholastic Inc.

This was a really cute story, and even though somethings seemed a bit far fetched, possible, but likely happening, in real life, slim. I loved the illustrations, because they give the reader a feel of peeking at Bobby's notebook. Bobby's family feel pretty real, minus a thing or to, that I think was added for humor, such as not using dryer sheets when doing the laundry. But the story was endearing, funny, and has a good lesson for life in the end.

Reviews:

Publishers Weekly

When Bobby enters fourth grade, he learns that it's more important than ever to keep his longtime friendship with Holly a secret (“We used to be sorta-best friends, only these days she's my enemy,” he admits to his goldfish). Using humor and relatable situations, Yee (Absolutely, Maybe) shows how the two friends manage to support each other, despite peer pressure. Hurtful accidents—like when Holly lets it slip that she's seen Bobby wearing curlers, and when Bobby's picture of Holly with horns and a mustache appears on the classroom wall—add tension to the already strained relationship. But when Bobby and Holly run against each other for student council rep, their loyalties prove stronger than their grudges. Santat's expressive b&w illustrations evoke the energy of Saturday morning cartoons, and Yee's occasional inclusion of some over-the-top moments (several nervous parents hide in the bushes on the first day of school to see their kids off) only drives the feeling home. The bright prose, concise chapters and gratifying resolutions are likely to please even reluctant readers. Ages 7–10. (Sept.)

Children's Literature

Poor nine-year-old Bobby Ellis-Chan isn't big and strong or easily recognizable like his ex-football star dad, The Freezer, or his star high school quarterback sister, Annie. He is not even cute and cuddly like his younger sister, Casey. He is afraid to go on the wild roller coaster and is not good at carnival games. He and his family have gone to the Labor Day Fair in their home town, as they do every year. There he sees his best friend ever, Holly, but she has changed. She is behaving like a girl, for heaven's sake., and she has made friends with Jillian Zarr over the summer. So Holly will not be going with Bobby for their annual rock hunting expedition on the last day of summer vacation. She is doing something with Jillian. At the fair, Holly wins a gold fish with a dollar Bobby gives her. She gives the fish to Bobby, who is not too thrilled: he wants a black Labrador Retriever instead. Soon, Bobby discovers, however, that his fish can learn tricks and is a good listener. Things get worse once school starts, and Bobby ends up running for student council representative against Holly, boys against girls. Things get so heated he and Holly do not speak to each other, but, in the end, when the election ends in a tie, Bobby concedes to Holly. Along the way, Bobby gets into all kinds of trouble, mainly because he is a gentle soul and feels sorry for things like a smelly tree. The tree does not even seem to be liked by other trees, so Bobby hugs it and gets stuck to it. One of my neighbor's kids liked the book so much, she "borrowed" it without my permission. Reviewer: Sarah Maury Swan

School Library Journal

Gr 2–4—Fourth-grader Bobby Ellis-Chan definitely has some things working against him. His father, an ex-linebacker for the Los Angeles Earthquakes, attracts the attention of fans everywhere they go. It's embarrassing. His parents adore his bratty little sister, his asthma makes it impossible to have a pet with fur, and the family dryer causes him to suffer from static cling—funny to others but not to him. There are some good things about his life, though. He has a goldfish that he's taught to do tricks and, although it isn't considered cool to have a friend of the opposite sex, he and his best friend, Holly, are able to hide their friendship from peers who are deeply entrenched in the "girls vs. boys" mindset. Funny and smart dialogue describes perfectly the interaction that makes the battle of the sexes ring true. Bobby unwittingly plays into the boys' plan to one-up the girls every time, and in the process distances himself from Holly. Kids will identify with much of this interplay since Yee's situations and clever text are so accurate. The friendship issue works itself out as Holly's and Bobby's true feelings for one another rise above the game-playing. Although this is lighthearted fare, the author adds a somber note with the loss of Bobby's beloved pet goldfish and the family's sensitive handling of it. This element may provide an opportunity for discussion for families reading the story aloud.—Tina Martin, Arlington Heights Memorial Library, IL

Kirkus Reviews

Fourth grade was supposed to be the best year ever, but when do events ever go according to plan? Usually starting with good intentions or, at the least, blind thoughtlessness, Bobby careens from one disastrous mess to another. Many of these situations involve the boys-against-girls mentality that makes for normal behavior in nine-year-olds. He and his best friend Holly know that they can't be seen walking to school together, and they are pulled further apart by peer pressure, even running against each other for class office. Add to these woes a working mom, a famous dad who cooks inedible meals and a pet goldfish who can do tricks. Yee really understands children's thought processes and presents them with tact and good humor. Bobby's dilemmas and adventures, however wild and out of control, remain totally believable. Santat's drawings manage the fine line between cartoon and realism and add dimension to the events. Readers will recognize themselves and learn some gentle lessons about relationships while they are laughing at the antics. (Fiction. 7-10)

In the library, I would use this book in conjunction with an English class for an example of writing a story and help show kids how fun and real a story can be.

Cover rights belong to Dan Santat.

Module Seven: Hope Was Here

Hope is teenager who has spent all her life with her Aunt, who helps run restaurants. They spend a lot of time on the road and finally end up in a small town, where Hope finds out that small town politics can be really dirty, and even teenagers can make a difference.

Bibliography : Bauer, Joan ( 2000 ). Hope Was Here. New York, NY: G.P. Putnam's Sons.

I really liked this book. I don't read a lot of actual realistic fiction, but this book was a breath of fresh air. I could really understand Hope feelings. I moved around a lot as a kid and have had stints in small towns, can't say they were Boss Hogg run, but small towns aren't all pleasant and ideal. I loved having Hope tell the story. It makes the tale even more realistic, then just having a narrator tell it.

Reviews:

Publishers Weekly

Bauer (Rules of the Road; Squashed) serves up agreeable fare in this tale of a teenage waitress's search for a sense of belonging. Sixteen-year-old Hope has grown used to the nomadic life she has built with her aunt Addie, a talented diner cook. She doesn't mind the hard work it takes to make a diner hum; she seems to have inherited a knack for waiting tables from the free-spirit mom (Addie's younger sister) who abandoned her years ago. But Hope would gladly give up always having to say good-bye to friends and places she loves. When Addie accepts a new job that takes the pair from Brooklyn to the Welcome Stairways diner in Mulhoney, Wis., Hope never could have imagined the big changes ahead of her. She and Addie shine in the small-town milieu and gladly offer to help diner owner G.T. Stoop, who is battling leukemia, run for mayor. Along the way, Addie and Hope both find love, and Hope discovers the father figure she has so desperately wanted. Readers will recognize many of Bauer's hallmarks here--a strong female protagonist on the road to self-discovery, quirky characters, dysfunctional families, a swiftly moving story, moments of bright humor. Her vivid prose, often rich in metaphor (e.g., Hope's description of the Brooklyn diner: "The big, oval counter... sat in the middle of the place like the center ring in a circus"), brings Hope's surroundings and her emotions to life. The author resolves a few of her plot points a bit too tidily, but her fans won't mind. They're likely to gobble this up like so much comfort food.

Publishers Weekly

Of this tale of a 16-year-old waitress who searches for a sense of belonging, PW said that the prose, "often rich in metaphor, brings Hope's surroundings and her emotions to life. Readers are likely to gobble this up like so much comfort food."

Children's Literature

Sixteen year old Hope (formerly called Tulip) knows all about survival, but the latest move she must make with her aunt Addie is calculated to test even her resilience. In Wisconsin, the Welcome Stairways diner awaits Hope, as does its owner, G.T.Stoop, and a cast of characters both noble and nefarious. Hope's is a fresh young voice, and her story is about finding trust in the middle of corruption, optimism in the mayhem of smalltown politics, and faith, above all, in the power of the spirit. Which is good, because when she comes to face the reality of loss, Hope is going to need all the spirit she has and then some. Bauer creates a believable world in this crisplytold tale. 2000, Putnam, Ages 12 up, $16.99. Reviewer: Uma Krishnaswami

School Library Journal

Gr 7 Up-Joan Bauer's story (Putnam, 2000) of 16-year-old Hope Yancey's discovery of fatherly love, romance, community, and her own inner resources comes to life in actress Jenna Lamia's youthful reading. Hope, raised by her peripatetic diner cook Aunt Addie since her mother deserted her at birth, changed her own name from the regrettable Tulip to the perfectly apropos Hope when she was 12. Now Hope and her aunt have moved once again, this time to a small Wisconsin town where the local diner owner is fighting leukemia and, upon their arrival, takes on dirty politics as well. Like Bauer's other heroines, Hope is both strong and a bit uncertain, her story tinted with good humor and touched by pathos. Hope slowly comes to accept the small Wisconsin town as home, other diner staff as family, and the owner as the father she might have had. Braverman, the cook's assistant, makes a perfect first boyfriend, being neither weaker than Hope nor less sensitive. Lamia voices these characters perfectly as they discuss the menu specials, civic corruption, and the inevitable resurgence of cancer in G. T. Stoop's blood. Bauer's story is a delight, and this audio presentation enhances it.-Francisca Goldsmith, Berkeley Public Library, CA Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.

Kirkus Reviews

Another entry in Bauer's growing collection of books about likable and appealing female teenagers with a strong vocational calling. Ivy Breedlove in Backwater (1999) is a historian, Jenna Boller in Rules of the Road (1998) is a talented salesperson, and Hope Yancey's gift is for waitressing. As the novel begins, Hope, 16, and her aunt Addie are about to move from Brooklyn to Mulhoney, Wisconsin, where Addie will manage and cook for a diner called the Welcome Stairways. Hope, whose mother abandoned her as an infant and who has never known her father, is pretty welladjusted, all things considered. She throws herself into her new life in the small town, working on the grassroots mayoral campaign of the diner's owner, quickly acquiring a boyfriend and friends, and proving herself to be a stellar waitress (she's been working in restaurants most of her life, after all, and one of the few things her mother has given her is a list of waitressing tips). Despite having moved so often and having had such inadequate biological parents, Hope isn't afraid to connect to people. The relationship between Hope and G.T., the man who owns the diner and who eventually marries her aunt is especially touching and sweetly portrayed. He's everything Hope ever wished for in a father. It could be said that the occupation of waitressing is overidealized; it's portrayed as the noblest of professions. But the lessons she's learned from the job are essential to Hope's character and a part of why the plot develops as it does. More important, and as always from Bauer, this novel is full of humor, starring a strong and idealistic protagonist, packed with funny lines, and peopledwithinteresting and quirky characters.

In the library, this could be used in a display, for award winners, or introducing genres to readers. Would also make a good book talk book.

Cover rights belong to Gunta Alexander/

Module Six: Cinderella Skeleton

This is the story of Cinderella. Not your typical beautiful maiden but an already dead, living in the cemetery Cinderella, a ghoul who is as foul as can be.

Bibliography: San Souci, Robert D. ( 2000 ). Cinderella Skeleton. San Diego, CA : Harcourt, Inc.

I loved this book. It's like a book Tim Burton would have written. It has the feel of The Corpse Bride or The Nightmare Before Christmas. I love how the author took a well known story and made it his own. Even a bit more toward the traditional Brother's Grimm version over Disney, which I liked. The illustrations were lovely, too.

Reviews:

Publishers Weekly

"No glass slipper appears in this often funny graveyard romance," PW said. "Instead, the skeletal prince breaks the heroine's shinbone as she flees the Halloween Ball. A Cinderella story that girls and boys will love." Ages 3-7. (Sept.) Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.

Children's Literature

A very strange Cinderella has unique charm in this macabre version of the familiar story. San Souci tells her tale in a concise, intricate verse form that includes a grisly sense of humor with its vivid description. She is a skeleton, with a witch to transform her pumpkin, etc. and change her rags to fancy gown. Prince Charnel is left with her snapped-off foot bone to match in order to find his lost love for a most unusual happy ending. Catrow's double page scenes are a fair match for this unusual version, with their contrasting misty hues of glowing pinks and bilious yellows, and broken stone walls with creepy vines and creepier creatures. Of course the main characters, with their costumed skeleton bodies and straggly-haired skulls, steal the show. The happy couple, he in Napoleonic hat and uniform and she with a dandelion sprouting from her head, are the epitome of ghoulish parody, a sure hit with middle schoolers. 2000, Silver Whistle/Harcourt Inc., $16.00. Ages 6 to 12. Reviewer: Ken Marantz and Sylvia Marantz

School Library Journal

Gr 3-7-Not for the faint of heart, this retelling continues the author's fascination with "Cinderella" tales. In challenging vocabulary and a complex rhyme scheme, the clever narrative tells of Cinderella Skeleton, a wraith who lives in a mausoleum with her horrific stepmother, Skreech, and stepsisters Gristlene and Bony-Jane. She wiles away her days streaking the windows, hanging cobwebs, and feeding bats until the Halloween Ball invitation arrives. A good woodland witch conjures up the usual participants into a funeral wagon, dragon steeds, a gown, and slippers, but in fleeing from Prince Charnel at sunrise, Cinderella breaks off her slippered foot mid-calf. Gross, yes, though later other ghosts break off their shinbones with the hope of fitting the leg-and-slipper remains ("Wire or glue; you're good as new!" snaps the stepmother as she pulls off each girl's foot). Catrow's wonderfully weird pencil-and-watercolor illustrations feature wiggly lines, lurid pink and bilious green accents, large-eyed skeletons, and grotesque mutantlike creatures. The envious stepfamily conveniently shrivels to dust, which is certainly less horrible than other endings (though younger readers will still be disturbed about those broken legs). This darkly humorous and spooky variation will tickle the twisted tastes of upper-elementary and middle-school readers if it is displayed where they'll find it.-Susan Hepler, Burgundy Farm Country Day School, Alexandria, VA Copyright 2000 Cahners Business Information.|
visitors until mousekins enter their lives. Kurt Cyrus' big, bright drawings are appealing in this whimsical tale. William Miller's Tituba (201897-2, $16.00) will reach ages 6-9 with the story of two Salem Village girls who accuse Tituba, a slave, of witchcraft. Good reading skills required for this picturebook story of a slave woman's dilemma.

Kirkus Reviews

This fancy little piece of septet versifying works nicely as a vehicle to tell the story of the graveyard Cinderella. San Souci (Callie Ann and Mistah Bear, p. 1045, etc.) follows the original tale quite closely, substituting things from the bone orchard where appropriate: her coach is a hearse; the prince is named Charnel; her stepfamily is Skreech, Gristlene, and BonyJane; and, of course, she herself is a skeleton. Instead of simply losing her slipper at the ball, this Cinderella has her lower tibia snapped off. (Picture the prince traveling everywhere with the foot in a velvet case.) Yes, there are touches of the macabre here (each prospective bride pulls her own foot off to try on Cinderella's), but never overmuch or to the point of terrifying. And most of it is hysterically funny. San Souci's verse ultimately takes the show: "Cinderella Skeleton! / The rarest gem the world has seen! / Your gleaming skull and burnished bones, / Your teeth like polished kidney stones, / Your dampish silks and dankish hair, / There's nothing like you anywhere! / You make each day a Halloween." What a picture she makes. Catrow's (The Fungus That Ate My School, p. 474, etc.) artwork is reminiscent of The Nightmare Before Christmas—perhaps that can't be helped when skeletons are the principals—but very much its own thing, with abundant cartoony comic licks and ghoulish creatures galore. (Picture book. 37)

In the library it could be used during Halloween in a holiday display. Or used with a teachers lesson on fairy tales.

Cover rights belong to David Catrow.

Module Five: Forged by Fire

This is the story of Gerald, the story of a young African American boy and his journey to man hood. A story of survival, love , loss, and facing the past.

Draper, Sharon M. (1997). Forged by Fire. New York, NY: Atheneum Books for Young Readers.

Out of all the books I read for this module, this was best. Its doesn't hold back on realism, but doesn't go too far with details that could have been added. Even though this was a story about an African American, I got so involved with the characters that the race of the characters was forgotten and these could be the white kids down the street, I like that. It makes the story all the more realistic. All the more grabbing and doesn't let go story.

Reviews:

Publishers Weekly

This prequel to Draper's Tears of a Tiger is a stark portrayal of a young man struggling to protect his little sister from a drug-addicted mother and an abusive father. Ages 10-up. (Jan.)

Children's Literature

As a neglected toddler of a drug-addict mother, Gerald almost burns to death in his apartment. Rescued by his strong, loving Aunt Queen, Gerald enjoys a warm secure life for a few years; unfortunately, Aunt Queen dies and Gerald's mother and a cruel, abusive stepfather enter his life. The only positive part of this new family is his gentle, younger, half-sister, Angel whom he struggles to protect from his evil stepfather. The author, winner of the 1995 Coretta Scott King Genesis Award, does a good job of depicting Gerald at different ages and stages of his life, from age three to age 17. Social issues are skillfully interwoven into a realistic novel with an admirable protagonist and a page-turning plot.

Children's Literature

It was a big year for Sharon M. Draper who won the Coretta Scott King novel award and was also named the 1997 National Teacher of the Year. The book serves as testimony to her commitment to honestly revealing what she sees in classrooms. It is the story of Gerald who, in early life, almost dies in a fire when his abusive mother deserts him to search for drugs. Until he's nine, he thrives when his tough and loving Aunt Queen takes hold of him. But at nine, his mom's back with an abusive husband and a small sister who he's determined to protect. His reliance and courage gives witness to the spirit of the suffering young.

School Library Journal

Gr 7-10Gerald, a battered and neglected African-American child, is severely burned in a fire at the age of three, having been left home alone by his single mother, Monique. Upon leaving the hospital he goes to live with his warm and caring Aunt Queen. When he is nine, his mother reenters his life for the first time since the accident. Monique introduces him to Angel, his four-year-old half-sister, and Jordan Sparks, Angel's surly father. When Aunt Queen dies suddenly of a heart attack, Gerald is returned to his mother and takes on the role of loving protector of his little sister. He soon learns that Sparks, who mentally and physically abuses all of the family, is sexually abusing Angel. Gerald and Angel's testimony helps send Sparks to prison, but upon his release six years later, he returns to the family, with the blessing of Monique, whose own life is checkered with bouts of substance abuse. A terse confrontation erupts into a fiery climax when Sparks again attempts to molest Angel. The riveting first chapter was originally published as a short story in Ebony magazine under the title "One Small Touch." While the rest of the book does not sustain the mood and pace of the initial chapter, Forged by Fire is a grim look at an inner-city home where abuse and addiction are a way of life and the children are the victims. There's no all's-well ending, but readers will have hope for Gerald and Angel, who have survived a number of gut-wrenching ordeals by relying on their constant love and caring for one another.Tom S. Hurlburt, La Crosse Public Library, WI

Kirkus Reviews

An African-American boy grows into a decent man, a loving brother, and a steadfast son despite the cruelties of his childhood in this latest novel by Draper (Tears of a Tiger, 1994, not reviewed, etc.). Although three-year-old Gerald is burned in the fire caused by his drug-addicted mother Monique's recklessness, his life takes a turn for the better: The court sends him to live with his aunt, Queen. Wheelchair-bound and poor, Queen has a loving heart and boundless spirit that nourish and cultivate Gerald for six years, until his mother walks back into his life. When Queen abruptly dies, Gerald moves into Monique's home, where he becomes devoted to his younger half-sister, Angel, and suffers at the hands of his mother's new husband. Jordan is a bully, drunk, and child molester; while Angel and Gerald get him convicted (the police show up as Jordan is about to abuse Angel), he eventually returns to haunt the family after serving his jail term. While Draper's narrative is riveting, it is also rife with simplistic characterizations: Aunt Queen is all-good, Monique is all-stupid, and Jordan is all-evil. In addition, there are enough logical twists in the plot without the seemingly gratuitous death of Gerald's friend, Rob.
A touching story, burdened by contrivances.

In the library, could be used in a Black History month display, Also could be used in a book talk to bring about awareness of abuse.

Cover rights belong to Anna Scatto.

Module Five: Snapshots from the Wedding

This story is about Maya and her experiences as  flower girl at Isabel's wedding.

Bibliography: Soto, Gary (1997). Snapshots from the Wedding. New York, NY: G. P. Putnam's Sons.

This is the first book I have ever seen that uses clay for the illustrations. I really liked that. It gives the pictures a texture quality and some depth, compared to other mediums. Maya is a kid, and the way she talks about the wedding would be the way a kid would. I loved that. Plus, some Spanish words were used, making the story a bit richer and all the more real.

Reviews:

Publishers Weekly

Photographs of shadowboxes filled with sculpted clay figures form the eye-catching art for Soto's "diary" of Maya, a flower girl. The text, sprinkled with Spanish words, is eloquent and funny (a bride's hands are "soft as doves"; a cousin wiggles his tongue "in the space between his baby teeth, white as Chiclets")-and it deftly captures the flavor of a Latino wedding, complete with mariachi band. Garcia's singular, deliciously creative artwork steals the show here, however. More playful than the dioramas she composed for The Old Lady and the Birds, these lifelike, three-dimensional scenes serve as an elaborate stage set. Readers will be enthralled by Garcia's use of details, from the "actors" and "actresses" decked out in wedding finery to the garlanded ribbons festooned across the shadowboxes to the objects that enhance each scene (tiny silk flowers in the bride's bouquet; potato chips on the buffet table). Using Soto's words as a springboard, Garcia tweaks the perspective, offering a legs-and-feet-only view, for instance, of a scene in which Maya describes the younger wedding guests' "shoes off" romp down the hallway (complete with authentically dusty soles of socks). Another "snapshot" shows a pair of sculpted hands holding a plate with a flower-topped slice of wedding cake. A happy marriage of talents.

Children's Literature

If you've ever wanted to tell a kid what it will be like at Aunt So-and-So's wedding, this book will help. Maya is Isabel's flower girl, thrilled to be wearing flowers in her hair, and telling every detail of the day as only a little kid can. "Then everyone claps and some people hug the bride/ A hundred times, it looks like to me." Shadow boxes filled with Sculpy clay figures seem to be portraits of real Mexican-American people, not just generic bride, groom and family. There is a brief glossary for the handful of Spanish words that appear here and there. The mustachioed mariachi band is delightful, all decked out in their finery. Important bits of art seem to have been mistakenly stuck in the gutter, which is too bad, but overall the impression is lush and inviting.

School Library Journal

Gr 2-5Soto's picture book provides a glimpse into an American cultural traditiona wedding with a Hispanic flair. Maya, the narrator, is a flower girl. Mariachi musicians provide the music, and for dinner the family and friends eat pollo con mole. There is a glossary for the handful of Spanish terms sprinkled throughout the text. Garcia's illustrations are wonderful. Sculpy clay figures are dressed up and carefully arranged in a wooden shadow box frame, and each page is set on a background of pastel with lace. Quirky tidbits sneak into the text and picturesTo Juan itches in his new shirt, Maya sticks black olives on her fingertipsthese details give the narration the quality of childlike observation. The language at other times is quite sophisticated. Children who have been involved in a family wedding will easily draw comparisons to this story.Sharon R. Pearce, San Antonio Public Library, TX

Kirkus Reviews

From Soto (Off and Running, 1996, etc.), a celebratory, child's-eye look at a wedding that captures the traditional mingling of the surreal and the sublime. A flower girl, Maya, tells in a pitch-perfect accent about the groom, Rafael, who is at the altar with his arm in a cast (he slid into home playing softball and scored, but broke his wrist), and a host of other relatives and strangers. Crying babies, the altar boy's dirty sneakers, an inconvenient sneeze, and the glow in the bride Isabel's eyes are reported with equal fervor. At the reception, Maya puts a pitted olive on each finger, finds mole sauce on her gown, and dances, riding on her father's feet. While the family is Mexican-American, the wedding's touching and silly moments are universal. Garcia's illustrations, photographs of Sculpy clay figures and collage, are pink and white and delicious, reminiscent of both reredos and scenes from a dollhouse.
With all the problem books in the world, it's a delight to encounter one that talks about a happy event and its attendant joys. This is a triumph of true-to-life storytelling, with all the good parts left in.

This book could be used in conjunction with a teacher's social studies lesson on Mexico, used during a library time. Could also be used in a display for Hispanic Heritage Month.

Cover rights belong to Stephanie Garcia.

Module Four : shadow of a BULL

Manolo Olivar is the son of a famous bull fighter. Everyone in his town believes that he will be his father's replacement, the next great bull fighter, but Manolo doesn't want to fight bulls, and he must find a way to keep his honor and become his own man.

Bibliography: Wojciechowska, Maia ( 1964 ). shadow of the BULL. Macmillian Publishing Company, Atheneum : NY

I have never really understood the purpose behind bull fighting. It always seem like a dangerous and cruel sport. I didn't really like the pictures, though they were simple and a bit sketch looking but I think this book, too could do with out the pictures and be just fine. The story is very relatable to any age. Who hasn't felt the pressures of being what society wants you to be, what your parents want you to be. I really enjoyed this book, learned a bit more of bull fighting, and found a very realistic character to cheer for.

Reviews:

Children's Literature

This reissue of the 1965 Newbery Award Book features an appealing cover showing a bull just as he passes the torero in the ring. A glossary of bullfighting terms appears in the back. The classic story of coming of age features Manolo Olivar and his struggle to overcome the expectations of everyone in his village and choose his own destiny. Manolo's father, one of the greatest tereros of all time, died in the ring when Manolo was only three years old and Manolo is expected to follow in his famous footsteps. When Manolo reaches his ninth birthday, six men in the town begin his training. They take him to bullfights and explain the moves. They are especially enamored with the honor exhibited in the sport. Manolo practices secretly, but he knows he has no desire to kill bulls. He would rather be a doctor. Manolo must make his stand and declare his intention when he is eleven years old. Young readers will identify with Manolo's soul searching struggle to claim his own identity, The many details of bullfighting may seem strange to readers unfamiliar with this sport, causing some to lose interest. Reading the book aloud in a classroom setting or by a parent with a child could provide opportunities for worthwhile discussions.

School Library Journal

Gr 4-7--Haunted by the legend of his father, a world-famous bull fighter, 11-year-old Manolo Olivar searches for the courage to pursue his own dream. The characters in Maia Wojciechowska's Newbery Medal winning story (S&S, 1964, 1972) come vividly to life through Francisco Rivela's dramatic reading. His melodic voice and authentic Spanish accent draw listeners into Manolo's emotional struggle to remain faithful to himself while retaining the honor of his family and the respect of the townspeople who are looking to him to restore the glory that his father had once brought to their small Andalusian town. Readers unfamiliar with the Spanish terms for bullfighting techniques may find some of the passages hard to follow without consulting a dictionary (the original book included a glossary of terms). Wojciechowska's coming of age story, while set in surroundings unfamiliar to most Americans, will strike a responsive chord with young listeners facing their own issues about growing up, meeting others' expectations, and discovering that there are many different kinds of courage.--Cindy Lombardo, Ashland Public Library, OH

In the library setting it could be used in a Newbery display or used in an around the world display, to get readers to read books about other countries and cultures.

Cover remains property of Alvin Smith.

Module Four : The Whipping Boy

This is the story about an unlikely pair, Prince Brat and his whipping boy, Jemmy, and the adventures they have together, after the Prince decides to run away from the castle.

Bibliography: Fleischman, Sid ( 1986 ). The Whipping Boy. Greenwillow Books, New York : NY

I really enjoyed this story. It had a bit of a Mark Twain feel to that. Reminded a bit of Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn. It left me wanting more, not in a bad way, just more adventures of Jemmy and Prince Brat, because I enjoyed this one so much. A fun and easy going read. Would have been fine without the illustrations, but the illustrations were simple, and well done.

Reviews:

Publishers Weekly

With his flair for persuading readers to believe in the ridiculous, Fleischman scores a hit with his new creation. Sis's skillful pictures emphasize events in the adventures of the orphan Jemmy, kept in his king's palace to be thrashed for the offenses committed by the royal heir, known as Prince Brat. It is forbidden to punish Brat, whose tricks multiply until Jemmy is tempted to escape the daily round of flogging. But the prince himself takes off and forces the whipping boy to go with him. As they get into and out of trouble on the outside, Jemmy hears that he has been accused of abducting Brat. When the prince arranges for their return to the palace, poor Jemmy fears the worst, but things turn out for the best at the story's satisfying close. Colorful types like a thief called Hold-Your-Nose Billy, Betsy and her dancing bear Petunia, et al., increase the fun.

Robin Overby Cox <%ISBN%>0688062164 - Children's Literature

Bored Prince Brat has plenty of attitude and very little compassion when he rousts Jemmy, his whipping boy, out of bed to run away with him. Lest he gets his hide "flogged pink as a salmon" by Hold-Your-Nose-Billy and Cutwater, Jemmy agrees to the Prince's plan to trade places, escape their kidnappers, and return to the kingdom. The dialogue exchanged between a nasty pair of villains, an underdog, and a conniving brat carries the tale of two boys who must learn to rely on one another if they are ever to return to their own lives. Young readers thrive on just such talk and just such adventure. Introducing details of royal life, peasants, and paupers, the author immerses the reader in medieval life. The raucous language draws children into the well-told tale. Fleischman and Sis manage to do what few partners can-simultaneously teach and entertain. Chapter titles such as, "Chapter 19-Being a full account of the happenings in the dark sewers," are part of the romp for captivated readers. Children who enjoy this novel might also choose Karen Cushman's Midwife's Apprentice or Catherine, Called Birdy, Brian Jacques' Redwall series, or Gail Levine's Ella Enchanted. Readers who like the author's voice might also try Edward Eager's Half-Magic series. 2003 (org. 1986), Greenwillow Books,

School Library Journal

Gr 5-7 Roles are changed when young Prince Brat, as everyone calls him (he is so altogether rotten that ``Not even black cats would cross his path''), runs away with Jemmy, his whipping boy (the commoner who takes the Prince's punishments). Because Brat has never learned to write and Jemmy can, a couple of prince-nappers decide that Jemmy is the real prince. Chiefly through Jemmy's cleverness, the two escape and return to court. Brat has learned much and changed for the better during his adventures. He winds up calling Jemmy ``friend,'' and he is certain to be a better prince hereafter. This whimsical, readable story delights in the manner of Bill Brittain's books The Wish Giver (1983) and The Devil's Donkey (1981, both Harper). Full-page black-and-white illustrations somewhat grotesque but always complementary add attractiveness to the story. The mistaken identity plot is always a good one: children, even fairly old ones, like disguises and this kind of mix-up. Supplementary characters are well-drawn both by Fleischman and by Sis, so the whole hangs together in basic appeal. Readers could well move from The Whipping Boy to its much longer cousin, Mark Twain's The Prince and the Pauper. George Gleason, Department of English, Southwest Missouri State University, Springfield

In the library this book could be used in a display of Newbery award books.

Cover rights are owned by Peter Sis.

Module Three: Mirette on the High Wire

This book is about Mirette, who lives in a boarding house. One day, a tight rope walker arrives, and for days Mirette watches him. She then gets up enough nerve to ask for lessons. She begins to learn the tricks of the trade. But her instructor has a secret...

Bibliography: McCully, Arnold Emily (1992). Mirette on the High Wire. G.P. Putnam's Sons, USA: New York

I knew I liked this story but it took me a little while to figure out why. It does have lovely pictures and a good story with a lesson of conquering your fears in it, but my connection to the story goes deeper. when I was a little, I remember going to see the orchestra. I fell in love with the flute. When I had a choice between band and choir, I chose band to learn to play the flute. I understand how Mirette felt when she saw the man on the tightrope, that feeling of I need to do that, I was born to do this.

Reviews:

Publishers Weekly

In this picture book set in 19th-century Paris, a child helps a daredevil who has lost his edge to regain his confidence. Many traveling performers stay at Madame Gateaux's boarding house, but Mme.'s daughter Mirette is particularly taken with one guest--the quiet gentleman who can walk along the clothesline without falling off. Mirette implores the boarder to teach her his craft, not knowing that her instructor is the ``Great Bellini'' of high wire fame. After much practice the girl joins Bellini on the wire as he conquers his fear and demonstrates to all of Paris that he is still the best. McCully's story has an exciting premise and starting point, but unfortunately ends up as a missed opportunity. Bellini's anxiety may be a bit sophisticated for the intended audience and, surprisingly, the scenes featuring Mirette and Bellini on the high wire lack drama and intensity. McCully's rich palette and skillful renderings of shadow and light sources make this an inviting postcard from the Old World. (Oct.)

Children's Literature

The Caldecott award for the year's best picture book in 1992 was given to Mirette on the High Wire, written and illustrated by McCully. Mirette is a fine model for young women five and up. She's a hard working nineteenth century girl who becomes curious about tightrope walking. Mirette is always eager and joyful through falls and triumphs. At the story's end, her compassion, courage, and quick wit help her teacher face his fear. Not only does this book present a strong heroine, but it tells important truths. Adults don't always have the answers. They too suffer from their fears, and understanding can transcend age.

School Library Journal

  Mirette's mother keeps a boardinghouse that attracts traveling performers . The girl is intrigued by one silent visitor, Bellini, who has come for a rest. She finds him next morning walking a high wire strung across the backyard. Immediately, she is drawn to it, practicing on it herself until she finds her balance and can walk its distance. But she finds the man unusually secretive about his identity; he was a famous high-wire artist, but has lost his courage. He is lured by an agent to make a comeback, but freezes on the wire. Seeing Mirette at the end of it restores his nerve; after the performance the two set off on a new career together. As improbable as the story is, its theatrical setting at some historical distance, replete with European architecture and exotic settings and people, helps lend credibility to this circus tale. Mirette, through determination and perhaps talent, trains herself, overcoming countless falls on cobblestone, vaunting pride that goes before a fall, and lack of encouragement from Bellini. The impressionistic paintings, full of mottled, rough edges and bright colors, capture both the detail and the general milieu of Paris in the last century. The colors are reminiscent of Toulouse-Lautrec, the daubing technique of Seurat. A satisfying, high-spirited adventure. --Ruth K. MacDonald

In the library, this could be used during story time or in a Caldecott award display.

Cover remains property of Nanette Stevenson.