Harold and the purple crayon

Title: Harold and the Purple Crayon

Author: Crockett Johnson

Publishing Information: Harper Collins

Number of Pages: 64

Summary: These is about Harold that had a purple crayon and decided to explore with it. He needed to find his way back to his room. He encountered a lot of different things on his trip with his purple crayon. He had a picnic where he could not finish all of his food so he drew animals to finish it. Also he feel in some water and had to draw him self a boat. Then finally he reached land and drew a lot of buildings and asked the Police man where to go. He didn't know where to go but then he remembered his mother always telling him that his window was always around the moon. So he drew his window then found him him self back in bed and "drew" up his covers and feel alseep.

Reaction: I love that drawings in this book!

Problems: None

Recommindation: To any one that has a child that loves to draw and has a wild imagination.

Amelia Bedelia Goes Camping

Title: Amelia Bedelia Goes Camping

Author: Peggy Parish

Publishing Information: Green Willow Book

Number of Pages: 15

Summary: Amelia is invited to go camping with the Rogers and she has never been before so she is really excited about going. She wants to make the Rogers happy so she makes sure she listen to everything that she is told so she won't get in trouble. For example when they are leaving Mr. Rogers tells her lets hit the road so she gets two sticks and starts to hit the road. Then they ask her to pitch the tent and she assumes that means like in baseball where you throw the ball. So she throws it into the bushes.

Reaction: This book had my laughing the whole time. It just makes me happy that she takes everything so literally. And makes me wonder who other people from different cultures might take common phrase that we know what they mean but others might not

Problems: None

Recommendation: For those children that are starting to learn more words and are looking for more to read then pictures books. These are not much longer but they have more story to them so they will be more longer to read but younger kids can still read them on their own.

Where The Sidewalks ends

Title: Where the sidewalk ends

Author: Shel Silverstein

Publishing: Harper and Row

Genre: Poems

Number of Pages: 166

Summary: This is a collection of a bunch of poems from the same author. They don't really have any rhythm or reason to the order they are in. He talks about men with breads that are to long or he talks about some one that gets wrapped in a jump rope. He talks about stuff that would relate to any ones life. He has a poem that talks about how a light wont turn green.

Reaction: These poems were amazing. Well written and they just make you laugh in all ways. The pictures that go with some are just so simple but really makes you relate to the poems and picture what he is picturing.

Problems: None

Recommendation: For those that are looking for a good laugh this book is full of joy for any age. I would recommend it for a child that is learning how to read. Most of the poems contain simple words so they will be able to read most of them and it will help them build there vocabulary.

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

Title: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

Author: J. K Rowling

Genre: Fantasy

Publishing Information: Scholastic

Number of Pages: 309

Summary: This was a story about a boy named Harry that lived under his Uncle and Aunts stairs. His parents had died when he was younger and he has a scar on his forehead of a lighting built. Harry was treated like a servant and he had to take care of the house. Then all of sudden he got a letter saying he was accepted to Hogwarts but his aunt and uncle would not let him go. Then a giant name Hagrid came to take him to school where he would learn to be a wizard. He goes to get his stuff for school. When he gets to school he makes friends with Ron and Hermoine. From there he goes into Griffindor. He then realize that Snape does not like him and Malfoy becomes his enemy. Then later as the semester goes on he finds out that Voldermort killed his parents and that he is coming back and trying to steal the stone. Then halloween night some one lets a troll into the bathroom and so harry and ron have to take it on. From there he decideds that he is going to find the stone before Voldermort. So he goes down and has to play chest to get through to where the stone is and then he goes and gets knocked out and wakes up in the hospital wing

Reaction: Wow! that was full of adventure and it was one of those books that you just want to finish reading the day you get it cause you want to see how it finishes. This book was full of twist and turns and it makes you excited to read the next one

Problems: There is alot of fights and kids could try to do it at school and that would not be a good thing

Recommendation: For kids that do not know if they like reading yet they will know after reading this book. Some people hate it and some people love it so its a 50 chance but I feel in love with it and it made me want to read more and this book is what started my love affair with books.

Spain

Title: Spain

Author: Kathleen W. Deady

Publishing: Bridgestone Books

Genre: NonFiction

Number of Pages: 24

Summary: This is a book about Spain it talks about the flag and the currency that they use. It takes about how the land is formed and where it is located. It talks about where its located on the earth. It talks about how they live. How in the middle of the day the stores are closed for three hours a day so that every one can go home and have dinners with their families. They talk about how the kids there suppose to go to school from six to sixteen. Some kids attend public school but post take part in private school. To goes into what they eat and what animals live with them then it goes into great detail about the culture and how they are very into dancing. Also they are very into sport such as soccer they like to do a lot of out door activities.

Reaction: The pictures are really old but it was cool that they take out three hours a day to go home and spend with there families

Problems: The information is a little out of date

Recommendation: Any one that is planning of studying aboard or some one that is interested to learn about their families and where they are from.

Even Monsters need Haircuts

Title: Even Monsters Need Haircuts

Author: Matthew McElligot

Publishing Information: Walker & Company New York

Genre: Picture Book

Number of Pages: 31

Summary: This is a book about a little boy whose dad is a barber. But every full moon he goes down to his dad shop and gives monsters hair cut. He talks about how frankinstein always get the same or he never knows what skeleton wants done to his hair. Or how some like it different every time and they always have a fun night. But by the end every one has their hair cut and they turn the shop back to normal. And one of the monsters gives him a ride home so that he will be home before his dad wakes up to go cut human hair.

Reaction: This book was really cute and I love that the little boy is in his panajams the whole book with his slippers on. This was a fun story to read and the pictures made the story come to life.

Problems: None

Recommadations: To any one that has a little boy with a wild imagination. For some one that has a child that loves monsters or loves to play with scissors.

My Book Box

Title: My Book Box

Author: Will Hillenbrand

Publishing Information:Harcourt, Inc

Number of Pages: 27

Summary: This book is about an elephant and a frog that find a box. They don't know what to put into the box they think to put in pasta, sock or it can even be a hat box. They finally decided that it is going to be a book box. They are going to fill it up with books so that they can have books where ever they go. They can take them out side or on an air plane. They can act out the books in the box's. They love the book especially at night cause after reading a book they always have sweet dreams.

Reaction: I wish I had a book box to play with. This book was really cute and fun and the pictures made me laugh

Problems: None

Recommendation: Any one looking into getting their child into reading. This will be a fun way to start be allowing them to have there own book box that they can put together and decorate. They can also pick which books they would like to put in them.

The Runaway Pumpkin

Title: The Runaway Pumpkin

Author: Kevin Lewis

Publishing Information: Orchard Books

Number of Pages: 30

Summary: This book was about three kids on Halloween that decided to play with a pumkin and try to roll it down the hill. So they did and it rolled through the pig pen and mom thought about grandma pumpkin pie. Then the pumpkin continued to roll into grandpa chicken coop where he thought of pumpkin soup. From there the pumpkin kept rolling down the hill. Where poppa Baxter saw it and thought of pumpkin bread. So he was on his tractor and dug it a quick hole to fall in to. From there grandma came out and made all those treats and they eat them for halloween dinner and used the rest of the pumpkin to make a Jake o Latern.

Reaction: This book just made me really hungry. I like the rythems that went along with the book it made it for a fun read to try and guess where the pumpkin would go to next.

Problems: None

Recommedation: For any one looking for a wonderful book the goes along with Halloween.

Boo Boo

Title: Boo Boo

Author: Olivier Dunrea

Publishing Information: Houghton Mifflin Company Boston 2004

Number of Pages: 30

Summary: This is about BooBoo the gosling. She is one that likes to eat everything she eats her food and then she continues to walk around and eat every one elses food as well. She eats the chickens food and she eats the goats food. Then she goes for a swim. She then eats the weeds. Then she gets the hiccups. These throw her around and a turtle tells her to drink water and so she does and she gets rid of them. Then she goes back to eating.

Reaction: I want to be a gosling! I think that this book is so cute. I love Boo Boo, she reminds me of myself and how much I eat all the time.

Problems: None

Recommendation: To those that are starting out reading this is a great book.

Gorilla, Monkey & Ape

Title: Gorilla, Monkey & Ape

Author: Ian Redmond

Publishing Information: Dorling Kindersley

Genre: Informational

Number of Pages:64

Summary: This book started out telling us the difference in the human bone structure and in an monkey. The way the skelton will have a curved back with a monkey and we are to stand up straight or how their hands are formed curved and ours is straight out. Then it goes into different types of monkeys and what they eat, where they live, are they awake at night and what they look like. It goes into great detail about how they communicate with each other. It takes about myths that people have about monkeys and also about people that have made a great impact on the monkey world and how they have learned from them and help them not be hunted and killed. Then it goes into detail of how they are being hunted and sold for their skins or their skelton structure. This is something that alot of people are trying to fix so that they won't keep losing monkeys

Reaction: I didn't know there were so many different type of monkeys! This was really informational and what really caught my attention was how the skelton were so different with the back structure and the hands. Also something that made me sad is how many monkeys are gettting killed so they can be sold and how people are going to any lenghths to get them.

Problems: None

Recommendation: For any one that is interest in working with animals. That they want to work aboard with monkeys.

Astronomy

Title: Astronomy

Author: Kristen Lippincott

Publishing Information: Dorling Kindersley

Genre: Informational

Number of pages: 64

Summary: This book starts out with the history of the universe and what people thought was out in the world. It goes into detail and why they thought it to be this way. It was then covered different ways of measuring the earth distance and recording and discovering using different objects of measure that fell all over the place with being sourable or not. From there they talk about how the earliest telescope was made and how it worked and how over time people have perfected it with new ways. To learn more then went into how to study rainbows and what they meant to the universe and how they were made. Then came in radio telescope. Huge machine that would transmit different information for satellites back to earth so that they could study them more closely. Finally they go into detail how they were able to send space ships up into space to rely on taking pictueres so we could gather more information about the unknown. Then finally the book finished with a bunch of information on the planets. How big they are and how they are formed if they have any moons circling around them.

Reaction: This book was really cool! I loved all the information that I learned about early telescopes and all the different information about the planets. Also it was really cool to look at the different pictures that they had taken from space.

Problems: None

Recommindation: To any young child that shows any interest in space. Or for any children hoping to spark some interest in it they could put this book out in their class room and see if any children look through it.

Bittle

Title: Bittle

Author: Patricia MacLachlan & Emily MacLachlan

Publishing: Joanna Cotler Books

Number of Pages: 29

Genre: Picture Book

Summary: This is about a dog (Julie) and a cat (Nigel). They lived in a home and had a sweet life. Then their owners brought a new baby home. They started to get use to her by playing with her and sharing toys and food with her. They would take naps together and they started to love her. They would try to talk to her Julie would try to bark and Nigel would Meow at her so that she would have some one to talk to at night. Then one night Julie started to hollow at her and Nigel tried. A few days later Bittle said her first words and it was her hallowing.

Reaction: This was a fun little book. He was cute how the animals would play with her and how they gave her the nick name of Bittle.

Problems: None

Recommendation: For any of those young kids that has animals, it would be fun for them to read this and see if their pets do the same things with them.

Walter The Baker

Title: Walter The Baker

Author: Eric Carle

Publishing: Simon & Schuster Books For Young Readers

Genre: Picture Book

Number of Pages: 27

Summary: This is about a Baker named Walter who made the most amazing bread. He would sell it to the king and queen of where he lived. One day the fresh milk got spilled so he had to use water to make his dough that day. The King and Queen could tell the difference and were not happy at all with Walter and what he had done. The King wanted to send him away but he feared he would miss the amazing bread that Walter could make. So he told Walter that he had to construct a bread that you could see the sun through it three times. So Walter went home and tried all different ways to make a bread like the one that the king had asked for. Finally when he had given up he threw the dough in the air and how it landed it was how it was formed into what we know now a days to be a pretzel.

Reaction: I thought it was really cute the way the story ended up being a fiction story of how the pretzel was made. I enjoyed the story but what really made the story was the pictures that were drawn to fix the story. They showed amazing detail and color and were made out to look like fun and something that would capture your eye.

Problems: None

Recommendation: For any one that finds interest in art work in pictures. These pages will have you going over them for along time.

A Single Shard

Title: A Single Shard

Author: Linda Sue Park

Publishing Information: Yearling

Number of Pages: 148

Genre: Historical

Summary: This is about a boy named Tree ear who was an orphan but got took in by Crane man a crippled old man that has a bad leg. This is the story of how they lived under a bridge and how Tree ear started to work for Min a man that made pottery. This was not an easy task but he was able to start helping him because he had broke one of the pots and had to pay it back. After he had paid off his debt he continued to work for him. Min was a very talented potter and he was very patiate with his work. So there came a time when a Royal was coming to the island in search of some one to make potter for the palace. Min worked really hard but he was lacking something that another potter had master. So the Royal came to Min house and asked him to try to make something like that Potter and carry it to the palace so that they could see it. Min went through lots of pots until he finally had two that were ready to be taken. So Tree ear offered to take the Pots to the Palalce as a favor and while he was journey two men stopped him and destroyed his pots. He then went back to find pieces of the pots to take to the palace so they could see the work even if it wasn't whole. They loved it and Min became the marker for the palace.

Reaction: I was really impressed with the story line that was in this book. I have to admit when I started reading it I did not think it was going to catch my attention at all or that I would even enjoy readying the book. I was wrong this book really interested me and made me really look forward to the next page or what else was going to happen in the story.

Problems: This book is a little advanced I don't know if it will catch the attention of a young child like it caught the attention for me.

Recommendation: To any one that is looking for a fun way to learn about history.

Love that Dog

Title: Love that Dog

Author: Sharon Creech

Publishing: Joanna Cotler Books

Number of Pages:86

Summary: This is about a boy whose teacher who tries to inspire who students about Poems by giving them different examples. She really inspires one of her students that he starts to write these amazing poems but he doesn't want any one know that he is writing them so she just puts them on the board but doesn't put up his name. Then he starts to write more and signs his name and then kids would comment on how much they like them. He writes poems about things that he knows like when his dog gets hit by a car. His teacher shares a poem by a man that really inpires him that he writes him a letter so that he will come visit and so he does and the boy thanks him by writing him a poem to say thank you and saying that he has stolen some of his idea from some of the poems that he wrote.

Reaction: These book was so funny and was full of fun poems that make you laugh

Problems: None

Recommendations: To those who think they love poems. This will make them love them and excited them to read more and want to learn more about writing them and it will just make them laugh.

Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boy

Title: Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boy

Author: Gary D. Schmidt

Publishing: A Yearling Book

Number of pages: 217

Summary: This is about a Boy named Turner that is made to move when he dad gets offered a job as a minister on the coast of Maine Coast. This is about a story how he makes friends with a black girl named Lizzie and how he tries to help her and her family stay on Malaga Island. The main land wanted to drive them out cause they did not think that they are paying there way that they did not deserve their land and they don't properly own it so they must leave. Turner's dad in the beginning did not believe in him but in the end he losses his life by trying to help his son. In the end Malaga Island is made to move and they police sends them into a mental institutation which sadly they all end up dying there.

Reaction: This book was tragicly sad and it was hard to read due to the fact that this was something that actually happened. This made me sad that this could happen in the world but that was the time back then. Other then that the writing was very described it and was well worth the read.

Problems: People sometimes have trouble with reading about the history cause its not all that happy but people need to learn from the past so it doesn't happen again

Recommendations: To any one that likes history.

Passport To Russia

Title: Passport To Russia

Author: Keith Lye

Publishing: Franklin Watts

Number of Pages: 47

Genre: Non Fiction

Summary: This was a book about Russia and what you needed to know if you were going to make a trip out there. They talked about the weather. How in some places it is terribly cold at different times of the year and how sometimes it warms up later in the year. It talks about the population and the home life. They are very family people. They like to get together with their extended family as well for parties and dinners. A lot of their stores are markets that are located out side for people to see all of the different foods. Most of the stores have the farmers that grew it out selling it. They talked about how alot of people don't have cars. That the schools that children get educated at are under Communist rule. Finally that Russia is big on the arts. Which is the plays and the paintings.

Reaction: It was neat to learn about the life that some one would live in Russia. How the Communist worked in schools. Also it was cool they way they display pictures for the subjects in the book so you could get the real idea.

Problems: This book is out dated so some of the information could be wrong.

Recommendations: For those who are traveling to Russia, who have family there or just want to learn something new.

You Are Special

Title: You Are Special

Author: Max Lucado

Publishing: Crossway Books

Number of Pages: 31

Genre: Picture Book

Summary: This was a story about Punchinello. He was a wemmick. These were people that went around putting stars and dots on people. Stars if they liked them and dots if they did not. They went around putting stars on the talented ones and dot on the ones that were cracked and paint had chipped from falling. Punchinello was one that had alot of dots. He would try to impress people but he would just end up falling and chipping his paint. He tried to stay inside his home most days so he would not get any more dots. Then he meet Lucia. She didn't have any stars or dots they did not stick to her body. Punchinello wanted to be just like her, she said that if he went to go talk to the maker then his dots would not stick either. So punchinello went to see Eli. Eli the maker told him that he loved him no matter what cause he created him and he doesn't make mistakes.

Reaction: What a wonderful book!

Problems:None

Recommendations: For those children who are dealing with being bullied. Or for those that are very shy. Or once that have low self esteem this should help them see that they are worth alot more then they seem.

New York

Title: New York

Author: Virginia Schomp

Publishing: Benchmark Books

Number of Pages: 140

Genre: Non Fiction

Summary: This book was broke up in many different chapters including: The history of New York and the land that it is on. Also it talks about the different type of people that live in New York. How people from all different cultures around the world come together and live. It talks about the culture that you will find in New York and all the famous people that have worked or lived in New York. Also New York is a huge place for land parks. So it talks about all the different places you could come see. It talks about the things that grow in New York and also all about the state birds or the state flowers. It talks about moments that has happened for the government. It tells about calendar celebration and different things like that.

Reaction: This book was really entertaining. It was full of a lot of different information. It had fun facts and fun places to visit this could be really helpful if going to visit.

Problems: Some of the information that is in the book is out dated.

Recommendation: For any one that was interest in learning about New York or has had a desire to go or learn about it. This is an amazing foundation for the beginning of your learning.

Idaho

Title: Idaho

Author: Kathy Pelta

Publishing: Lerner Publications Company

Number of Pages:75

Genre: Non Fiction

Summary of Plot: This was about the state of Idaho. It talked about how it came to be. The history of the land and who settled on it first. It talked about jobs in the beginning era. Also it talks about now how so many people come to visit the mountains and all the the great sights to see. It goes in to great detail about the animals that live here. Also it talks about the famous people that have come from Idaho.

Reaction: This book was boring the information was cool to read about but it did not catch my eye more. For example it did not make me want to go out and read more about Idaho or to investigate more into a detail.

Problems: It is a little dry. It gives a lot of information but none of it really fun.

Recommendation: To those who want to learn more about where they live and how the land came to be. The history was the only thing I thought was really interesting.

The Invention of Hugo Cabret

Title: The Invention of Hugo Cabret

Author: Brian Selznick

Publishing: Scholastic Press

Number of Pages: 511

Summary: This is about a boy who works in a clock tower changing and charging up clocks. He came to be here because his father was killed in a fire and his uncle took him in then the uncle went missing. While that father was in the fire he was working on a auto man. Hugo goal in life was to fix the man. He did this by stealing parts from a toy shop. He got caught and some how became friends with the man at the shop. He found out that he was a magician once and then made movies. He then gets in trouble with the law where the man that owns the toy shop takes him in and he becomes park of the family and then he goes to film school.

Reaction: I love this book. I love the story line. I love the pictures. I love everything about it except for how much it weights.

Problems: None

Recommendations: To everyone young and old. This book was amazing I would love for all young kids to read this and feel the power through the pictures and the story that comes alive.

Children Just Like Me

Title: Children Just Like Me

Author: Barnabas and Anabel Kindersley

Publishing: DK Publishing

Number of Pages: 75

Genre: Informational

Summary: This is about children all around the world. It talks about where they live and how they dress. It goes into detail about their family, school, education. It talks about what they like to do for fun and a lot of other cool things as well.

Reaction: Wow I never knew so much about the different children around the world. And how cool is it to see pictures describing their lives.

Problems: None

Recommendation: To all kids. It is fun to see kids your age doing things just like you all over the world. It is a great way to learn about other kids and what life is like to live in other places

The Story of Ruby Bridges

Title: The Story of Ruby Bridges

Author: Robert Coles

Publishing Information: Scholastic

Number of Pages: 24

Genre: Biography

Summary: This is a story about Ruby Bridges. She was sent to an all white school. When parents found this out they took their kids out of school. They did not want their children going to school with a black little girl. They would stand out side the door and yell mean things at her. She had to have guard take her in the school every day. But that did not kill her hopes she prayed for those angry mobs that God would forgive them. Later more kids started coming back to school.

Reaction: What a brave little girl. Also what amazing pictures that described the emotions really well.

Problems: None

Recommendation: To every one. If you don't learn history it will repeat it self. This is true when it comes to the book. Every one needs to know where we come from and the things that have happened in the past.

Lincoln

Title: Lincoln

Author: Russell Freedman

Publishing: Clarion Books

Number of Pages:144

Genre: Autobiography

Summary: This is about the life of Abe Lincoln. Basically from birth to death. It talks about his education, his family, his job and his presidential run. It also goes into great detail about him being president during the civil war.

Reaction: There was a lot in this book that I had no idea that it went on. It went into great description about this life and that was really cool to go behind the scene of one of the greatest presidents

Problems: If you have any problems with this book then you have a major problem with history

Recommendation: For all of those looking into knowing a lot more about the civil war and President Lincoln. Or to get some one interested into history

A year down yonder

Title: A year down yonder

Author: Richard Peck

Publishing Information:Puffin Books

Pages:130

Genre: Humor

Summary: This is about a girl, Mary Alice who is sent to leave with her grandma during tough times. Her parents can't find any work so they send her to her grandma for a year so that they might find work and bring her back. This is a story about how just grow to love a crazy grandma who would do anything for anyone but she does not want any one to know that. Grandma plays tricks on people and checks on people and makes sure there is always food on the table or food for others. She steals things she needs but pays them back in other ways. Mary Alice is slightly embarrassed to start of with but learns to love her grandma for who she is.

Reaction: That Grandma is Crazy!

Problems: This gives great example of stealing but she pays them back in other ways but some children might not read it as such

Recommendation: For any one that has had a grandma that they did not want to claim in public.