World Environment Day 2012

I created this video in honor of World Environment Day 2012.  I hope it motivates you to do something, no matter how big or small, to make the world a better place.

"How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world." -Anne Frank

Olive's Ocean: Module Fifteen

Henkes, K. (2003). Olive's Ocean. New York, NY: Scholastic, Inc.

Summary:

Olive Barstow was just killed in a tragic car accident, and after Olive's mother delivers a journal entry to Martha Boyle, Martha can't stop thinking about Olive.  In the journal entry Olive wishes to be friends with Martha and touts her as the nicest person in the class.  Martha ponders what she had done to deserve this title as her family travels to visit her grandmother at the cottage by the ocean.  Throughout their visit, Martha thinks of Olive and her desire to visit the ocean.  The book explores a twelve-year-old girl's first taste with her own mortality as well as the usual summer antics of a young girl.

My Evaluation:

Most of this book filled me with sadness.  I would say that I did not enjoy it except that I loved the relationship of Martha and her grandmother.  I could have skipped the rest of the book just to enjoy those sweet and precious moments.  The way they shared one secret thing about each other every day and the obvious love and understanding they felt for one another truly warmed my soul.  It was a lovely description of the type of warmth and help that only grandmothers can provide.  Their story made the book so wonderfully relatable and helped to counteract the very gloomy aspect of the story.  As far as the censorship of the book, I honestly think it is rather ridiculous.  I would not recommend this book for anyone younger than sixth grade, but to ban it altogether would be to deprive children of well-written and poignant literature.

Reviews:

Salvadore, M. B. (2003). Book of the Week: Olive's Ocean by Kevin Henkes. School Library Journal. Retrieved from http://www.libraryjournal.com/article/CA310670.html

Gr 5-8-As Martha and her family prepare for their annual summer visit to New England, the mother of her deceased classmate comes to their door. Olive Barstow was killed by a car a month earlier, and the woman wants to give Martha a page from her daughter's journal. In this single entry, the 12-year-old learns more about her shy classmate than she ever knew: Olive also wanted to be a writer; she wanted to see the ocean, just as Martha soon will; and she hoped to get to know Martha Boyle as "she is the nicest person in my whole entire class." Martha cannot recall anything specific she ever did to make Olive think this, but she's both touched and awed by their commonalities. She also recognizes that if Olive can die, so can she, so can anybody, a realization later intensified when Martha herself nearly drowns. At the Cape, Martha is again reminded that things in her life are changing. She experiences her first kiss, her first betrayal, and the glimmer of a first real boyfriend, and her relationship with Godbee, her elderly grandmother, allows her to examine her intense feelings, aspirations, concerns, and growing awareness of self and others. Rich characterizations move this compelling novel to its satisfying and emotionally authentic conclusion. Language is carefully formed, sometimes staccato, sometimes eloquent, and always evocative to create an almost breathtaking pace. Though Martha remains the focus, others around her become equally realized, including Olive, to whom Martha ultimately brings the ocean.

Children's Review Olive's Ocean. (2003). Publisher's Weekly. Retrieved from http://www.publishersweekly.com/978-0-06-053543-8

With his usual sensitivity and insight, Henkes (The Birthday Room) explores key issues of adolescence, through the observations of aspiring 12-year-old writer Martha Boyle. In the opening scene on an August morning in Madison, Wis., Martha receives a visitor: the mother of her classmate Olive Barstow, who was hit by a car the month before. The woman hands Martha a journal entry, in which Olive describes her own wish to be a writer—and to "get to know Martha Boyle next year... the nicest person in my whole entire class." Since Olive kept to herself, these revelations forge an unexpected bond between Martha and this classmate she never knew. The other hope Olive confides in the entry is that she could "one day... go to a real ocean such as the Atlantic or Pacific." Martha begins an unwitting pilgrimage of sorts: she strolls with her toddler sister to the corner where Olive died and, when she goes to visit her grandmother, Godbee, on Cape Cod, Martha experiences the ocean for Olive and for herself. In brief chapters, Henkes reveals Martha's discovery of life's fleeting qualities, her deepening bond with Godbee, and her first stirrings of romantic feeling and betrayal. Readers can peer through this brief window into Martha's life and witness a maturation, as she becomes a young woman, appreciates life anew and finds a way to give something back to Olive. Ages 10-up.

My Suggestions for Use in a Library Setting:

I would set aside several of these books to loan to children who have lost a loved one.  I would give one to the school counselor as well so that when the child has finished the book, he/she can discuss it with the counselor as a gateway into talking about their own grief.

Behold the Bold Umbrellaphant: Module Fourteen

Prelutsky, J. (2006). Behold the Bold Umbrellaphant. New York, NY: Greenwillow Books.

Summary:

In this wonderful collection of poems, we are introduced to the Umbrellaphant who doesn't allow the sun or rain to bother his day, The Lynx of Chain and his fear of rust, and the frazzled Alarmadillos.  This is only a small sampling of the wonderful creatures Jack Prelutsky has invented to amuse and entertain us.

My Evaluation:

This book is deliciously clever.  Half of the fun is figuring out the combinations, and the other half is the wonderfully worded poems.  It is filled with several layers of understanding and would serve as an excellent book to help stretch children's imaginations.  This is the ideal read aloud book.  There are so many opportunities for discussion, the text is engaging, the illustrations are vivid and beautiful, and it is a book that would capture the children's attention.  It is a fabulous addition to the library, and I loved it so much that I am planning on buying it for my niece.

Reviews:

Cardon, D. (2006). Book Pick Behold the Bold Umbrellaphant by Jack Prelutsky. School Library Journal. Retrieved from http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/article/CA6374376.html

Prelutsky is one of the best word crafters in the business, and this collection does not disappoint. Each entry is about a creature that is part animal and part inanimate object. For instance, the Alarmadillos have alarm clocks for bodies, and the Ballpoint Penguins can write with their beaks. The poems are full of fun and wit, with wordplay and meter that never miss a beat. The whimsical illustrations use cut-print media, old-fashioned print images, and a variety of paper textures to create a rich visual treat well suited to the poetry. The detail in the mixed-media pictures makes this a good choice for individual or lap reading, but the poetry begs to be read aloud. This is definitely a "do not miss" poetry pick.

Children's Review Behold the Bold Umbrellaphant: And Other Poems. (2006). Publisher's Weekly. Retrieved from http://www.publishersweekly.com/978-0-06-054317-4

Berger's (Not So True Stories & Unreasonable Rhymes ) inventive, textured collages add up to a visual treat in this first-rate collection of Prelutsky poems. Readers will behold not only the bold umbrellaphant, whose trunk is literally an umbrella, but also more than a dozen other amusing creatures who (similar to the hybrid mythical beasts of Prelutsky's Scranimals ) are a cross between an actual animal and an inanimate object, and exhibit combined traits of both. "The Solitary Spatuloon," its body shaped like a black spatula with wings, cries "Syrup!" plaintively, flipping pancakes with its tail. ("Its tail, we note, is well designed/ With this peculiar task in mind.") Especially clever are "The Tearful Zipperpotamuses," whose bodies are zippers that keep unzipping, "So they worry and they fret/ That their insides will fall outside,/ Though this hasn't happened yet." The clever rhymes do not miss a beat, and Berger's collages brim with both unusual visual humor and irony. She pictures the Clocktopus ("Its tentacles in tempo/ With the clock upon its face") with as many clocks, pocket watches and wristwatches as it has appendages, none of them synchronized; and "The Ballpoint Penguins" swoop like ice skaters on lined pages used for cursive writing exercises—the critters "do little else but write and write./ Although they've nothing much to say,/ They write and write it anyway." Young readers will behold a wonderful, fantastically silly book. Ages 4-up.

My Suggestions for Use in a Library Setting:

I would use this book as the beginning of an initiative to decorate the children's section of the library.  Every month we would read a book during reading time and then give the children a project to complete that will decorate the walls of the library the next month.  This month the children would be tasked to create their own imaginary creature with a combination of a real creature and an inanimate object.

Sam Samurai: Module Thirteen

Scieszka, J. (2001). Sam Samurai. New York, NY: Viking.

Summary:

In this installment of the Time Warp Trio, we follow Sam, Fred, and Joe to Ancient Japan during the height of the time of samurai warriors after an accidental haiku activates the familiar green mist.  As the boys search for The Book, they learn about ancient Japanese culture, gain new friends (and enemies), and see some familiar faces from the future.  By the time they arrive back at home, they are masters of the art of haiku, and Sam is in for a surprise.

My Evaluation:

I absolutely love the Time Warp Trio.  Their funny and clever titles draw your eye, and the fast paced action of the books make it easy to learn the cleverly weaved history lesson.  These books are a kid's (and teacher's) dream with wonderful and engaging stories that teach important history lessons.  They also avoid the curse that many series books face in that they do not stagnate.  With so many series books they all start sounding the same after a while.  Each story is fresh and new with the same well loved characters.  Jon Scieszka hit another home run with this installment.  The information about the origins of haiku poetry was fascinating, and the boys antics kept me in stitches.  I enjoyed getting to see their great-granddaughters again because they always add so much to the story.

Reviews:

Amos, B. (n.d.). Sam Samurai The Barnes and Noble Review. Retrieved from http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/sam-samurai-jon-scieszka/1100311533?ean=9780142400883

Writer Jon Scieszka, creator of a time-traveling trio of boys who get to see history (and sometimes the future) firsthand, teams up with illustrator Adam McCauley to take readers along on an adventure-filled trip to ancient Japan in Sam Samurai, the tenth book in the Time Warp Trio series.

Time travel and trouble are ordinary fare for Joe, Sam, and Fred, whose reading material -- a deceptively ordinary-looking book given to Joe by his magician uncle -- keeps transporting them through time. Not only has the trio faced down fire-breathing dragons, black knights, evil Egyptian priests, wicked pirates, battling gladiators, and noisome Neanderthals; on one trip -- into the future, for a change -- they met their great-granddaughters and namesakes: Jo, Sammie, and Freddi. This time it's a bit of haiku that sends the boys tumbling through time from their 21st-century classroom to 17th-century Japan, where samurai warriors reign supreme.

As with previous adventures, the boys must focus on keeping their heads on straight -- in this case, in a most literal sense -- while they scramble to find the magical book that will allow them to return to their own time. Sword-wielding samurai, a faulty Auto Translator, and the boys' inability to adapt quickly enough to this strange new culture combine to make their journey a hair-raising adventure. But with a bit of fast thinking, a trick that passes for magic, and the help of their great-granddaughters, the boys will make it out in time to anticipate their next adventure.

The action is fast and furious, with wordplay and swordplay going hand in hand. An encounter with a samurai named Owattabutt (oh-what-a-butt) is guaranteed to generate giggles even as it creates a tense moment for the time-traveling trio. And as a side benefit, young readers will not only have fun while learning tidbits of history; they can also learn some Japanese, including the words for "noodle," "chopsticks," and the numbers from 1 to 10.

Hughes, P. (n.d.). Sam Samurai Amazon.com Review. Amazon.com. Retrieved from http://www.amazon.com/Sam-Samurai-Time-Warp-Trio/dp/0142400882

Between hightailing it down the Tokaido Road, eluding a hot-tempered samurai named Owattabutt, and trying to fix their malfunctioning Auto-Translator, the Time Warp Trio may never get out of 17th-century Japan alive. Especially with all those razor-sharp katanas poised and waiting to lop off their heads.

Joe, Sam, and Fred were working on a haiku homework assignment when they somehow triggered the mystical Book again, only to find themselves--thanks to some nearby books on Japan--summarily "flushed down four hundred years" and far from their native Brooklyn. And even if they can overcome the language barrier, our time-hopping pals will soon discover that they need to learn a thing or two about Japanese culture if they want to make it out alive. ("Our daimyo is Rudy Giuliani," while hilarious, isn't going to cut it.)

Jon Scieszka's traveling companions are in fine form, as ever, alongside the occasional illustration by Adam McCauley. Readers should love learning about ancient Japan with the boys, and Time Warp Trio fans in particular will get a kick out of the fact that a certain other trio--do you remember any great-grandaughters from the year 2095?--ends up saving the day. (Ages 8 to 11)

My Suggestions for Use in a Library Setting:

I would use this book and the other Time Warp Trio books as the catalyst for a contest in the library entitled "If I could go back in time I would go....".  The winner would have their story displayed in the library and would win a $50 Barnes and Noble gift card.

When I Was a Soldier: Module Twelve

Zenatti, V. (2002). When I Was a Soldier. New York, NY: Bloomsbury Children's Books.

Summary:

This memoir covers the life of Valerie Zenatti during her time as a conscripted soldier in the Israeli military from age 18 to 20.  When we are first introduced to Valerie, she is anticipating the fast approaching day that she will enter basic training.  She is the first of her girlfriends to enter, and she shares her hopes and fears through her poignant words.  By the time she leaves the military, she has had heartbreak and joy, lost friends and found new ones, and learned more about herself through the entire process.

My Evaluation:

Before I read this book, I knew that every eighteen-year-old in Israel was drafted into the military.  This book took that small grain of knowledge and helped me see what it is like through the eyes of a girl who is much like me.  She had many of the same thoughts and feelings that I remember having when I was eighteen, yet I never had the task of spending two years of my life in the military.  I was anticipating college not basic training.  There are many stories to be found about what it is like for boys to be drafted in the military, but this gives an entirely new perspective.  The fact that the book is completely true only adds to the relevancy and reality of the story.  While we can never fully understand what it is like for these girls without having experienced the Israeli military, this book gives us a small glimpse of what their lives are like.

Reviews:

Samuels, D. (2005). Sisters in Arms. The Guardian. Retrieved from http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2005/may/07/featuresreviews.guardianreview29

When we first meet Valerie she is preoccupied with the final preparations for her bac exams, working after school at Extrapharm, wrapping perfumes and stacking shelves, hanging out with her close girlfriends, Russian immigrants Yulia and Rahel, and nursing a broken heart after being phased out by her boyfriend Jean-David. She is in many ways an ordinary girl with recognisable concerns and a modern, western lifestyle."Here," she writes, "the army is part of lives. Soldiers — boys and girls — are the heroes of the past." She is daunted, excited and disoriented by taking on this heroic mantle, only too aware that she lives in a country "where there are widows of 30, where the cannons have never fallen silent and where, when someone says their neighbour's son has 'fallen', everyone knows that that's in a war."

And so she joins the pack of expectant 18-year-olds bussed into the training base, where they are given their kit, uniforms and weapons and told that "in two years' time, if everything goes as it should, you will be young women".

Valerie's progress from rookie to corporal in the top-secret intelligence service includes waking daily at 4am, acclimatising to the strict discipline of military life — gruelling runs, latrine, kitchen and guard duties — learning how to handle her machine gun, and intensive memorising and testing. Her old friendships change as life moves on, new friends are made and the love affair is revisited and finally let go. When she is released from the army after what feels like an "eternity", there are rumblings in Iraq (just before the first Gulf war) and, even as she heads for the beach, she is aware that this relished freedom might be short-lived.

Now in her 30s and living in Paris, Zenatti is writing retrospectively about a formative period in her life. She manages to capture her younger voice (and credit must go here also to the book's translator, Adriana Hunter) so authentically that the writing feels green and fresh, wide-eyed, truly from a late-teen perspective. And the story she tells is one that is at once normal and exceptional, providing an insight into the personal struggle to deal with huge political realities without making a point about it. She does not balk from sharing her commitment to taking up arms and spying on Israel's neighbours to serve her country while also questioning the use of those arms and attempting to face the reality for the Palestinians living under Israeli occupation. She returns to base one day taking a bus that drives right through a number of Palestinian villages and, against advice, places her face against the window to see clearly. A rock thuds against the reinforced glass and then more follow. "I burst into tears and the other passengers try to reassure me. I don't feel like explaining that I'm not crying because I'm frightened."

Even though When I Was a Soldier becomes sketchier in its depiction of Valerie's second year in the army, overall it paints an illuminating portrait of what it is to be a young woman maturing in a society where violent conflict is as much a feature of "normal" life as longing for love, loud music and trips to the beach.

Cheng, G. (2007). Book Review: When I Was a Soldier By Valerie Zenatti. BCTELA. Retrieved from http://www.bctela.ca/resources/english-practice/fall2007/book-review-when-i-was-soldier-val%C3%A9rie-zenatti

When Valérie Zenatti was thirteen, she and her parents moved from France, her home country, to Israel. After finishing school and writing the baccalauréat in her advanced school program, Zenatti went the way of other eighteen-year-old Israeli girls and joined the army for two years of national service. Her experiences and coming of age in the Israeli Defense Force prompted her to write this book. It is not a traditional memoir. This is not Zenatti's autobiography, but simply an insight into the mind of an eighteen-year-old Israeli girl using her own personal history.

Those who like stereotypical teen girl books may tend to shy away from this one. Don't let that happen. This is an important story with no fluff, and some girls find that intimidating, boring, or hard to identify with. Don't worry, for our protagonist is very easy to befriend. In fact, many younger teen girls may be pleasantly surprised by how much they have in common with Valérie. After all, she is just trying to pass her exams while working part-time at the local pharmacy, and most importantly, she is trying her best to forget about her ex-boyfriend.

When I Was A Soldier is not suitable for a class on military operations. Zenatti is careful to tread lightly on heavy topics. This book is not a political statement but a traditional coming of age story with classic themes found throughout literature. Valérie is a young woman striving for achievement, but her weekends at home temptingly give question to her loyalty. With a friend who is already a deserter, her own devotion to the army wavers when she gets a chance to reunite with her ex-boyfriend in Jerusalem. Valérie finds herself homesick and longing for her mother's cooking, not unlike every student who has left home for their first year at university. One of the most hurtful situations she experiences has nothing to do with her service; rather, it occurs when she finds out her ex-boyfriend has found a new girl.

This is a great novel for grade nine and above, offering a unique view to students who have never been exposed to this kind of life, whether because of the geographical setting or the idea that when you reach a certain age, your country expects something of you that is not just voting or driving.When I Was A Soldier paints a solid portrait of one face, one girl, to represent all. Military service is something that everyone in Valérie's life has been required to face at the same age, but becoming a woman is something Valérie must achieve on her own terms.

My Suggestions for Use in a Library Setting:

I would use When I Was a Soldier as part of a "Girl's Day" at the library.  We would read this book, among others, to learn more about the lives of girls around the world.  After reading these books, we would have a discussion finding parallels in their lives and also where their lives diverge.  It would be an entire day celebrating women.  

The Dinosaurs of Waterhouse Hawkins: Module Eleven

Kerley, B. (2001). The Dinosaurs of Waterhouse Hawkins. New York, NY: Scholastic Press.

Summary:

Benjamin Waterhouse Hawkins loved animals and sketching them from the time he was a child.  As a man, he found his true passion in bringing dinosaurs to life.  Waterhouse Hawkins lived a full and interesting life in the 1800's.  He introduced Queen Victoria to long extinct reptilian creatures, hosted a famous diner party inside an Iguanodon, and was the first person to truly make dinosaurs capture the world's attention.  This book showcases a life filled with "firsts" and a man's mission to share the wonder of dinosaurs.

My Evaluation:

If you were to ask most parents whose children are able to pronounce four syllable dinosaur names where this interest in dinosaurs began, most would not be able to provide an answer.  This book does the wonderful service of informing the public as to where the world's fascination with these remarkable creatures originated, and it does it with style.  By the time I finished reading the book, I found myself wanting to visit Crystal Palace Park and take my shovel to Central Park to find the destroyed models.  The illustrations are thoroughly researched (the illustrator actually visited the surviving models) and beautifully rendered, and the text is captivating and memorable.  The book helps us to remember an important, interesting, and wonderfully eccentric personality that history has largely forgotten.  Furthermore, I appreciated the scientific information provided - how the models were created, how the views of dinosaurs have changed, etc.  This book provides a history and science lesson combined in this must-read story.

Reviews:

Children's Review The Dinosaurs of Waterhouse Hawkins. (2001). Publisher's Weekly. Retrieved from http://www.publishersweekly.com/978-0-439-11494-3

One look at this amazing-but-true picture book introducing the little-known artist Hawkins and his dreams of dinosaurs, and kids may well forget about Jurassic Park.
As a child growing up in 19th-century London, Benjamin Waterhouse Hawkins discovered his passion: drawing and sculpting animal figures, especially prehistoric dinosaurs. His artistic talent and his goal—to build life-size models of dinosaurs envisioned from scientific fossils—led him to work with noted anatomist Richard Owen and complete a special commission from Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, an installation of dinosaur statues, much of which still stands in contemporary Sydenham, England. During the project, Hawkins courted the scientific community by hosting a lavish New Year's Eve dinner party inside his life-size model of an iguanodon (the bill of fare is reproduced on the final page). Selznick (The Houdini Box, see p. 94) builds to the dramatic moment by showing readers a peek at giant reptilian toes through a parted curtain.
Kerley (Songs of Papa's Island) leads readers into further exploration of Hawkins by presenting copious but never dull details of the stages of his life and works, including efforts in the U.S., thwarted by Boss Tweed. Throughout, she suffuses her text with a contagious sense of wonder and amazement. Selznick enthusiastically joins the excitement with his intricate compositions, capturing Hawkins's devotion to his art and depicting the dapper man with wild white hair as a spirited visionary and showman. The elegant design on tall pages gives the dinosaur models their due from various perspectives, and scenery of the period additionally grounds the work in historic context. Extensive author and illustrator notes denote the extensive (and fun) research both undertook for this extraordinary volume. Ages 6-up.


The Dinosaurs of Waterhouse Hawkins. (2001). Kirkus Reviews. Retrieved from https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/barbara-kerley/the-dinosaurs-of-waterhouse-hawkins/


Who could resist? Staring straight out from the handsome album-like cover is a slight man with a shock of white hair and an intense, intelligent gaze. Over his shoulder looms the enormous mouth of a dinosaur. This is perfectly designed to pique reader’s curiosity with one of the strangest true stories dinosaur lovers will ever read. The man is Waterhouse Hawkins, who, in Victorian England, devoted his life to making ordinary people aware of dinosaurs at a time when most had never heard of them and could not imagine what they looked like. Hawkins, an established author/illustrator of books on animal anatomy, estimated the scale of the dinosaurs from their bones, made clay models, erected iron skeletons with brick foundations and covered them over with cement casts to create dramatic public displays. Such was Hawkins’s devotion to his work that he engaged the Queen’s patronage, catered to the fathers of paleontology at a dinner party inside an iguanodon model, and was invited to bring his dinosaur models to Central Park. It was in New York that Hawkins’s story turned grimly sad. Antagonizing Boss Tweed with some ill-chosen words, Hawkins thereafter found his dinosaurs smashed and buried beneath Central Park, where they remain today. The fascinating story, well documented in authoritative, readable author and illustrator notes, is supported by creative decisions in illustration, bookmaking, and design. Hawkins was a showman, and Selznick presents his story pictorially as high melodrama, twice placing the hero front stage, before a curtain revealing a glimpse of the amazing dinosaurs. Turns of the page open onto electrifying, wordless, double-page spreads. A boy who appears at the book’s beginning and end (where he sits on a park bench in Central Park while fragments of the lost dinosaurs lie among the tree roots below) affects a touching circularity. Stunning.


My Suggestions for Use in a Library Setting:
I would use this book in a school library for students traveling to London for a school trip.  The book would be one of several read to show the history and wonder that is hidden in the city.  I would try to coordinate with the teachers going on the trip to make it possible for the students to visit Dinosaur Island in Crystal Palace Park.

Fever 1793: Module Ten

Anderson, L.H. (2000). Fever 1793. New York, NY: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers.

Summary:

This book follows the life of fourteen-year-old Matilda Cook from August 16th, 1793 to December 11, 1793 - the months that saw Philadelphia, Pennsylvania swept with panic and death from yellow fever.  The fever is seen through the eyes of this young girl whose worries transform virtually overnight from boys and an overbearing mother to fears for her very life and those of her loved ones.  Matilda lives through things that no one should ever have to experience, yet she finds strength and conviction despite the widespread panic and distrust that grips the city.  You will tremble with Matilda as this book brings to life the terror of living in Philadelphia in 1793. 

My Evaluation:

My favorite thing about well-written and researched historical fiction is the way that it brings an event in history to life.  This book accomplishes that feat marvelously.  It would be easy to skim over this event in history - from such and such date in 1793 this many people died from yellow fever, and then it would be forgotten.  This book will make sure that 1793 is a date that you remember.  Upon reading the book I could feel the panic in the air and the desperate knowledge that your death could be next.  The main character Matilda was an admirable and spirited character.  She fights on when many would have despaired, and she is able to grow and mature through this horrible ordeal.  When so many of her elders turn their backs on their neighbors, Matilda shows compassion.  This book not only makes history come to life, but it shares themes that are quite beautiful.

Reviews:

Samantha. (2012, April 1). Re: Bookreview: Fever 1793 [Web Log Message]. Retrieved from http://bookwormsandtea.blogspot.com/2012/04/bookreview-fever-1793.html 

Fever 1793 is based on an actual epidemic of yellow fever in Philadelphia that wiped out 5,000 people--or 10 percent of the city's population--in three months. During the hot mosquito-infested summer of 1793, the dreaded yellow fever spread like wildfire, killing people overnight. The rich fled to the country, abandoning the city to looters, forsaken corpses, and frightened survivors. In the foreground of this story is 16-year-old Mattie Cook, whose mother and grandfather own a popular coffee house on High Street. Mattie's comfortable and interesting life is shattered by the epidemic, as her mother is felled and the girl and her grandfather must flee for their lives.

This book is a quick read, but thoroughly enjoyable. The author really knows what she’s talking about. The historical details are amazing, but they never take over the story. And the story itself is really a coming-of-age tale, where the difficult circumstances force Mattie to grow up. I liked this book, it’s a good read for anyone who likes a historical story despite the fact that it’s fairly light reading.

Earley, L. (2000). Children's Review Fever 1793. Publisher's Weekly. Retrieved from http://www.publishersweekly.com/978-0-689-83858-3

The opening scene of Anderson's ambitious novel about the yellow fever epidemic that ravaged Philadelphia in the late 18th century shows a hint of the gallows humor and insight of her previous novel, Speak. Sixteen-year-old Matilda ""Mattie"" Cook awakens in the sweltering summer heat on August 16th, 1793, to her mother's command to rouse and with a mosquito buzzing in her ear. She shoos her cat from her mother's favorite quilt and thinks to herself, ""I had just saved her precious quilt from disaster, but would she appreciate it? Of course not."" Mattie's wit again shines through several chapters later during a visit to her wealthy neighbors' house, the Ogilvies. Having refused to let their serving girl, Eliza, coif her for the occasion, Mattie regrets it as soon as she lays eyes on the Ogilvie sisters, who wear matching bombazine gowns, curly hair piled high on their heads (""I should have let Eliza curl my hair. Dash it all""). But thereafter, Mattie's character development, as well as those of her grandfather and widowed mother, takes a back seat to the historical details of Philadelphia and environs. Extremely well researched, Anderson's novel paints a vivid picture of the seedy waterfront, the devastation the disease wreaks on a once thriving city, and the bitterness of neighbor toward neighbor as those suspected of infection are physically cast aside. However, these larger scale views take precedence over the kind of intimate scenes that Anderson crafted so masterfully in Speak. Scenes of historical significance, such as George Washington returning to Philadelphia, then the nation's capital, to signify the end of the epidemic are delivered with more impact than scenes of great personal significance to Mattie. Ages 10-14.

My Suggestions for Use in a Library Setting:

I believe this book would be an excellent tie in for having a guest speaker discuss the deadly diseases that still ravage our world.  This would be a child friendly talk, and we would have someone from the Peace Corp or Red Cross tell the children about other children all over the world who still have to fear yellow fever.  The book could help the children to understand the significance and the need to prevent these illnesses.  

The Dollhouse Murders: Module Nine

Wright, B.R. (1983). The Dollhouse Murders. New York, NY: Holiday House.

Summary: 

Twelve-year-old Amy Treloar has a problem - her sister Louann is making her life miserable.  She causes her to loose all of her friends, she makes Amy a perpetual baby-sitter, and Louann has to be included in everything that Amy does.  Finally, Amy gets so angry that she blows up at her mother and Louann and runs to see her Aunt Clare who is cleaning out Amy's grandparent's old house.  Clare suggests that Amy stay with her for a few days, and Amy happily agrees, especially after she finds an exquisite and detailed dollhouse in the attic.  Her excitement over the dollhouse and the visit quickly turns to fear as things begin happening in the dollhouse that shouldn't be possible.

My Evaluation:

This book is a great mystery that keeps you on the edge of your seat, but is not too scary for children to read.  The book also discusses a topic that is not often addressed by children's books - what it is like to have a sibling who is mentally handicapped.  Amy's frustrations, guilt over feeling frustrated, and protectiveness towards Louann can teach children what is like for siblings of children who have special needs.  This topic simply adds a deeper layer to an intriguing read.

Reviews:

Mysko, C. (2008, October 29).  Re: Retro Review: The Dollhouse Murders [Web Log Message]. Retrieved from http://clairemysko.com/?p=66%20Claire

The story centers around 12-year-old Amy Treloar, who goes to stay with her Aunt Clare for a few weeks because things are a little rocky at home. Aunt Clare, recently fired from her job in Chicago, is living in the house where Amy’s great grandparents once lived until something terrible happened to them. Although no one in the family seems to want to talk about it (especially not Aunt Clare), that something terrible looms overhead–literally–in the attic, where Amy discovers a haunted dollhouse.

What I had completely forgotten about is the subplot involving Amy’s sister, Louann. In fact, the reason Amy goes to stay with her aunt is to get a break from the stress of dealing with her special needs sister. Author Betty Ren Wright nails the nuances of this relationship. Amy is both protective of her sister and embarrassed by her. She feels suffocated by the responsibility of watching Louann, yet she’s conflicted when Louann is given more independence.

The Dollhouse Murders has some important lessons about how families so often try to protect feelings by keeping secrets, secrets that end up hurting more than they help. I breathed the biggest sigh of relief for Aunt Clare, who spent her whole adult life suffering with guilt (and probably post-traumatic stress disorder, too), going from job to job, and never finding happiness in a relationship. When she’s finally forced to talk about what happened to her when she was eighteen, I got the sense that even if the mystery hadn’t been wrapped up as neatly as it was, her burden would still have been lighter.

Kohlbeck, K. (1999). The Dollhouse Murders Review. School Library Journal. Retrieved from http://www.amazon.com/The-Dollhouse-Murders-Betty-Wright/dp/0590434616

This scary mystery by Betty Ren Wright (Holiday, 1983) is sure to keep the interest of students, mainly girls. Narrator Carol Jordan Stewart does an excellent job. Her diction, pacing, and characterization are well-done. Twelve-year-old Amy is having difficulties at home being responsible for her brain-damaged sister, Louann. While visiting her Aunt Clare at the old family home, she discovers an eerily-haunted dollhouse in the attic-an exact replica of the family home. Whenever she sees it, the dolls, representing her relatives, have moved. Her aunt won't listen to Amy's claims that the dolls are trying to tell her something. This leads Amy to research old news reports where she discovers a family secret-the murder of her grandparents. The two sisters unravel the mystery. Amy grows to accept her sister and to understand that Louann is more capable than she had first thought. 

My Suggestions for Use in a Library Setting:

This book could be used in a class for children who have special needs siblings.  The book would be read to break the ice, and then we would have a professional discuss and work with the children on how to not resent your special needs sibling and still have your own life.  We could get the parents involved as well.

The Red Pyramid: Module Eight

Riordan, R. (2010). The Red Pyramid. New York, NY: Disney Hyperion Books.

Summary:

Sadie and Carter Kane are siblings who have been separated since the death of their mother several years earlier.  Sadie lives with their grandparents in England, and Carter travels all over the world with their Egyptologist father.  Their lives change drastically however, when Carter and his father visit Sadie.  They take a trip to the British Museum where Dr. Kane releases the five major Egyptian gods, including the evil and devious god Set.  Set imprisons Dr. Kane who is the host of the god Osiris, while Carter and Sadie barely escape.  They soon learn that not only is Egypt all around them (Sadie's cat Muffin is actually the goddess Bast), but that the blood of the pharaohs actually runs through their veins.  Can they save their father and the world from Set?  Read this wonderful and fascinating book to find out!

My Evaluation:

Rick Riordan is an amazing author.  Just as he has made Greek mythology come to life with the Percy Jackson series, he has made Egyptian mythology come to life with the Kane Chronicles.  I love studying mythology, and the way that Riordan has weaved the ancient mythology into our modern world is so very clever.  He illustrates how much Egyptian culture has ingratiated itself into our world.  From the Washington Monument to Cleopatra's Needle in London, Paris, and New York City - he incorporates these Egyptian tributes into his stories.  They are fast-paced and engaging, and in spite all of the supernatural experiences that the Kane siblings experience, they are still relatable to readers.  They still have crushes and fights and family loyalty just like any teenage kid.

Reviews:

Wadham, Tim. (2010). The Red Pyramid. School Library Journal. Retrieved from http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/article/CA6727812.html

Riordan takes the elements that made the "Percy Jackson" (Hyperion) books so popular and ratchets them up a notch. Carter, 14, and Sadie, 12, have grown up apart. He has traveled all over the world with his Egyptologist father, Dr. Julius Kane, while Sadie has lived in London with her grandparents. Their mother passed away under mysterious circumstances, so when their father arrives in London and wants to take them both on a private tour of the British Museum, all is not necessarily what it seems. The evening ends with the apparent destruction of the Rosetta Stone, the disappearance of Dr. Kane, and the kidnapping of Carter and Sadie. More insidiously, it leads to the release of five Egyptian gods, including Set, who is their mortal enemy. Carter and Sadie discover the secrets of their family heritage and their ability to work magic as they realize that their task will be to save humanity from Set, who is building a destructive red pyramid inside Camelback Mountain in Phoenix. The text is presented as the transcript of an audio recording done by both children. Riordan creates two distinct and realistic voices for the siblings. He has a winning formula, but this book goes beyond the formulaic to present a truly original take on Egyptian mythology. His trademark humor is here in abundance, and there are numerous passages that will cause readers to double over with laughter. The humor never takes away from the story or from the overall tone. A must-have book, and in multiple copies.

Barack, L. (2010). Rick Riordan on his latest mega seller "The Red Pyramid". School Library Journal Retrieved from http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/slj/articlescertification/885597-342/rick_riordan_on_his_latest.html.csp

Rick Riordan loves flavoring his mythological-based tales of Ancient Greece and Egypt with a heavy dose of educational spice, sending his young readers racing for forgotten tomes in their libraries. We catch up with the adored author and former English teacher on the launch of his new series, the Kane Chronicles, and its first tale, The Red Pyramid(Hyperion, 2010) as he muses on librarians, readers, and why he believes the legends, gods, and mysteries that surround the world of Ancient Egypt will enthrall his fans.

Why did you pick ancient Egypt as your next world?

As I was touring around with the Percy Jackson books (Hyperion, 2005), one of the questions I got asked the most often by young readers was, 'Will you ever do another mythology series.' I realized when I was a classroom teacher the only subject that ever came close to the Greek and Romans was Ancient Egypt, which really hasn't been tapped in children's literature, or not as well. And I found that a great challenge as much as a high interest.

Do you think kids will use your books as launching pad for further research on these ancient cultures?

That certainly has been the case. I'm always really happy to hear from readers and from librarians that the research sections on these areas are getting a big workout; sections that used to be gathering dust and now librarians can't keep them on the shelf, and that's fantastic. I've heard from classroom teachers that they've used Percy Jackson as a launching point for the Illiad and theOdyssey, and I am starting to hear the same thing about The Red Pyramid, of students descending on their libraries, and that's fantastic. It's really neat when kids feel like they're experts and they want to learn more.

My Suggestions for Use in a Library Setting:

Just as Riordan suggested in the interview, I believe this book would serve as a wonderful gateway into Egyptian history and mythology.  I would read this book as part of a series about Ancient Egyptian culture.  I would read excerpts of the book every time, and we would discuss whatever the book talked about.  For example, the Rosetta Stone, Egyptian hieroglyphics, any gods that were mentioned, etc. 

Assignment "A" Trailer Three

Book Trailer for When I Was a Soldier

Assignment "A" Trailer Two

Book Trailer for The Red Pyramid

Assignment "A" Trailer One

Book Trailer for Julie of the Wolves

Ruby Holler: Module Seven Part Two

Creech, S. (2002). Ruby Holler. New York, NY: HarperCollins Publishers.

Summary:

The Boxton Creek Home for Children is the only home thirteen-year-old twins Dallas and Florida have ever known - and it hasn't been a happy one.  Their lives are filled with endless rules that are given to them by the proprietors, Mr. and Mrs. Trepid, and the unjust name of the "trouble twins".  They plan to change their fate by running away and riding the rails on the night train.  However, these plans go awry when they are asked to live with the elderly couple Tiller and Sairy to accompany them on their separate vacations.  Dallas and Florida are leery of the couple because of past encounters with potential adoptive families, however Tiller and Sairy come to love Dallas and Florida who have re-sparked their interest in life.  This love helps Dallas and Florida to blossom as well as the glorious, country setting of Tiller and Sairy's home in Ruby Holler.

My Evaluation:

This book has been on my "to-read" list for some time because it is one of the most popular books for the middle school age children.  I really can't keep it on the shelf.  I was rewarded with a touching and engaging novel when I finally checked out Ruby Holler.  There are some truly beautiful themes woven throughout the well-written tale, and I found myself rooting for the "trouble twins".  This book brings to light a real issue that orphans experience.  The foster system is usually a grueling and truly horrifying experience.  The plight of Dallas and Florida can help children from happy homes understand the plight that is faced by some of their peers.  The only criticism I would have of the book is that the "Z" being their father sub-plot didn't really seem to flow or fit well with the rest of the book.

Reviews:

Vandenbroek, R.R. (2002). Book of the Week: Ruby Holler by Sharon Creech. School Library Journal. Retrieved from http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/article/CA199370.html?q=ruby+holler

Orphaned twins Dallas and Florida have resigned themselves to living within the confines of the Boxton Creek Home for Children. It's a loveless existence. The Trepids, owners and "rule enforcers" of the home, target the brother and sister at every opportunity and all of the prospective adoptive parents have returned them to the orphanage. Eventually the children are sent to act as temporary companions to an eccentric older couple who live in Ruby Holler, and there they find love and acceptance. While the plot is predictable, the story weaves in an interesting mix of mystery, adventure, and humor, along with age-old and modern problems. Creech does a fine job of developing the unique personalities and the sibling relationship, and the children's defense mechanisms (Dallas's dreamy escapism and Florida's aggression) figure prominently in the interplay among the characters. The text is lively and descriptive with an authentic, if somewhat mystical, rural ambience. This entertaining read from a first-rate author will not disappoint Creech's many fans.

Coulter, E. (n.d). Amazon.com Review. Amazon.com. Retrieved from http://www.amazon.com/Ruby-Holler-Sharon-Creech/dp/0060560150

Having suffered through a string of appalling foster homes (the spitting Cranbepps; scary, toothless Mr. Dreep who locked them in his cellar; and the mean Burgerton boys), 13-year-old orphan Dallas and his twin sister, Florida, have pretty much given up on ever finding a happy home. So when an eccentric older couple enters their lives, providing such adventures as a river expedition, a treasure hunt (of sorts), and a whole lot of remarkable meals: "beat-the-blues broccoli," "anti-cranky crumpets," and "getting-used-to-kids- again stew," the twins take a while to warm up. Florida's language teems with outrageous, telling negativity--everything is "putrid"--and even dreamy Dallas is inclined to bouts of doubt. But warm up they do, to the continual delight of readers of all ages.

Sharon Creech, author of Newbery Medal winner Walk Two Moons and Newbery Honor book The Wanderer, is in fine form with her hilarious yet poignant novel about downtrodden siblings who refuse to be squished altogether. The perfectly happy ending is somewhat predictable, but readers who have fallen in love with each quirky character won't mind a bit. 

My Suggestions for Use in a Library Setting:

I believe that Ruby Holler would be excellent for a lesson in the library about colloquialisms.  We would start off by asking the children why they believe Sairy and Tiller's home is named Ruby Holler.  After giving them some time to put forward their ideas, we would explain the word "holler"s Appalachian roots.  We would then say that it actually is "hollow" and refers to a small valley.  We would suggest that the children look for colloquialism in their own reading and bring examples for the next week.