Bledsoe Reads

Book of the Day: Flipped

2011-01-13T08:41:00.000-06:00

Booklist (December 15, 2001 (Vol. 98, No. 8))

Gr. 5-8. The author of the popular Sammy Keyes mysteries proves herself just as good at writing a charming romance. From the moment seven-year-old Bryce moves into the neighborhood, Julianna is enthralled: "It's his eyes . . . they're dazzling."Bryce, on the other hand, is horrified. In typical second-grade boy fashion, he believes that "All I've ever wanted is for Juli Baker to leave me alone."Six years later, however, the two have flipped: now Bryce is enthralled with Juli's uniqueness, and Juli is repulsed by Bryce's selfish immaturity. Told in alternate chapters from each teen's perspective, this is a wry character study, a romance with substance and subtlety. Juli gradually learns the painful lesson that she must look beyond gorgeous eyes and popularity. Bryce slowly realizes his grandfather's wisdom: "Every once in a while you'll find someone iridescent, and when you do, nothing will ever compare."Both teens realize that standing up for what--and whom--they believe can be a difficult challenge, one faced best with true friends and close family.

Book of the Day: Not Last Night But the Night Before

2011-01-12T07:00:00.001-06:00

Not Last Night But the Night Before by Colin McNaughton

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book is perfect for kindergarten. The bouncing rhythm, the repetitive lines, and the review of common nursery rhymes and fairy tales will make is a favorite. I have a student who spend recess I the library each day, she always asks me to read this book. Each day we find more hidden details in the pictures. The crooked picture frames, the flowers that end up scattered across the floor, the final page where all the characters are at a party and we hunt for the characters from each story. I will definitely use in next year while Kindergarten is preparing for their nursery rhyme parade.

View all my reviews

Book of the Day: Rosa Loves to Read

2011-01-10T07:00:00.000-06:00

Rosa Loves to Read by Diane Z. Shore

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This is a good Rookie Reader. Rosa is distracted by the loud, busy kids on her street. The first half of the book shows her trying to read while others run, bounce balls, slam doors and so on. She yells QUIET!!!, and the second half of the short story half shows Rosa turning the pages while quiet activities occur around her. The book ends with Rosa stating, “I love to read!” This would be a great book to use to introduce little ones to quiet reading time or to stress the love of reading and reading for enjoyment. The repetitive text make it a perfect choice for beginning readers.

View all my reviews

Book of the Day: We are in a Book

2011-01-07T07:00:00.001-06:00

We Are in a Book! by Mo Willems

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Elephant and Piggie are back and as cute as ever. In this addition of their adventures the friends realize that someone, the reader, is watching them and that they are in a book. After laughing hysterically at their ability to make the reader say whatever words they want them to say Elephant realizes that the book will end. What will happen to Elephant and Piggie? Kids will love this book about books. As always Elephant and Piggie speak in short sentence, there are a lot of repetitive words, the words are large, this is great for beginning readers.

View all my reviews

Book of the Day: Princesses are Not Perfect

2011-01-06T07:00:00.001-06:00

Princesses Are Not Perfect by Kate Lum

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Princess Allie, Mellie, and Libby are experts in their own ways, they all have their ONE specialty. Princess Allie loves to bake, Princess Libby loves to build things and Princess Mellie loves to garden. They are perfectly happy in their rolls and feel like all is right with the work when they are involved in their work. One day out of the blue they decide to switch places and DISASTER!!! They are awful at the things their sisters are so good at. Picture stirring batter on the floor with a broom, gluing crooked legs onto a sloping chair seat, and chopping down all the blueberry bushes when you are supposed to be picking berries. They are supposed to be preparing for the Summer Party, 100 quests are coming the next day but they are in foul moods all day and night, the princess can’t even sleep. When Princess Allie can’t sleep, what does she do, she bakes, Libby builds and Mellie gardens. When it comes time for the Summer Party will the disaster from the day before wreak havoc on the festivities or will everything be pull together in the end? Read Princess are Not Perfect!

View all my reviews

Book of the Day: Rapunzle's Revenge

2011-01-05T07:00:00.001-06:00

Rapunzel's Revenge by Shannon Hale

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is a fun twist on the Rapunzel story. The graphic novel format will cause it to appeal to more than the usual Fairy Tale, Damsel in Distress crowd. Rapunzel is a fisty and firey character who takes charge of her situation and escapes from her tower by using her long red hair. She journeys into the Wild West where she meets Jack. They travel together as Rapunzle, Punzie, tries to free her real mopther from the dungeons of the Wicked Grothel. On the way the encounter, outlaws, Grothels hunters, and a nuber of wild animals and Rapunzle must save Jack's life more than once. If you like adventure and great stories you will enjoy Rapunzle's Revenge.

View all my reviews

Book of the Day: You Read to Me, I'll Read to You Very Short Fables to Read Together

2011-01-04T09:39:00.001-06:00

You Read to Me, I'll Read to You: Very Short Fables to Read Together by Mary Ann Hoberman

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The lastest in this cute series of partner reading. This book is full of Aesops Fables reworded to rhyme and be read with a partner. Reading like this is fun, great for fluency an a great way to work in Readers Theatre and public performance/speaking. I will enjoy using this with my students.

View all my reviews

Book of the Day: Out of My Mind

2011-01-03T08:32:00.000-06:00

Born with cerebral palsy, Melody, 10, has never spoken a word. She is a brilliant fifth grader trapped in an uncontrollable body. Her world is enhanced by insight and intellect, but gypped by physical limitations and misunderstandings. She will never sing or dance, talk on the phone, or whisper secrets to her friends. She's not complaining, though; she's planning and fighting the odds. In her court are family, good neighbors, and an attentive student teacher. Pitted against her is the "normal" world: schools with limited resources, cliquish girls, superficial assumptions, and her own disability. Melody's life is tragically complicated. She is mainly placed in the special-ed classroom where education means being babysat in a room with replayed cartoons and nursery tunes. Her supportive family sets her up with a computer. She learns the strength of thumbs as she taps on a special keyboard that finally lets her "talk." When she is transitioned into the regular classroom, Melody's undeniable contribution enables her class to make it to the national quiz team finals. Then something happens that causes her to miss the finals, and she is devastated by her classmates' actions. Kids will benefit from being introduced to Melody and her gutsy, candid, and compelling story. It speaks volumes and reveals the quiet strength and fortitude it takes to overcome disabilities and the misconceptions that go with them.

-- School Library Journal STARRED REVIEW

I loved this book. Melody is such a touching character, she helps someone like me who has never had firsthand experience with a serious disability understand the daily struggles and frustrations of her life. She is brilliant and trapped inside a body that will not do what she wants it to. The world looks at her and only sees her appearance, her disability, they can't looks past that and see her mind. This is on next years Bluebonnet List so I hope that is gets a lot of exposure. I would love to discuss Melody and her classmates with a group of students, Bledsoe may see this as a future Book Club selection.

Jan Brett studies

2010-12-20T07:00:00.006-06:00

During the weeks leading up to the Winter Break 2nd grade studied Jan Brett. During their first visit to the library we read Trouble with Trolls and Christmas Trolls. These books have wonderful boarders on the pages and are excellent examples of foreshadowing. We predicted as we read along and enjoyed studying Jan Brett’s illustrations, especially in Trouble with Trolls. On my 5th time reading it a 2nd grader pointed out some wonderful pictures hidden on a page, I had never noticed them before. With Jan Brett if you keep studying you might just find something new!

On their second visit to the library we read The Gingerbread Baby. Which is a wonderful retelling of the Gingerbread Boy, but he didn’t quite finish cooking so he runs out as the Gingerbread Baby. We were again able to predict using Jan Brett's boarders how the Gingerbread Baby was finally captured in the end. We then went to her Website www.janbrett.com were watched videos of Jan Brett drawing. She instructed us how to draw a Gingerbread Baby and also a Hedgehog, or as she calls them a Hedgie. The students loved this. Here is some of their best work. Thank you Jan Brett for telling us how you create your adorable characters. We love your books.

Book of the Day: The Quiet Book

2010-12-17T07:00:00.000-06:00

The Quiet Book by Deborah Underwood

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

How many kinds of quiet are there? Have you ever pondered this question? Author Deborah Underwood has given a lot of thought to the matter. From “Coloring in the lines quiet” to “Lollipop quiet” and “Right before you yell “SURPRISE!” quiet”. Each account is illustrated beautifully with muted colors perfect for the calming theme. This would be a great was to encourage students to brainstorm how to act in certain situations or different reasons to behave a specific way. It is also a wonderful book to enjoy at bedtime or when preparing for a quiet activity.

View all my reviews

"The soft, matte feel of the illustrations, created with pencil, are digitally enhanced, and are priceless. The animals’ facial expressions and body language are endearing. White space is used creatively to emphasize the mostly gray or brown palette. All of the scenarios are child-centric and realistic. A delightful and enchanting choice for storytime or sharing one-on-one." - School Library Journal, starred review

Book of the Day: Where the Mountain Meets the Moon

2010-12-16T07:00:00.002-06:00

Where the Mountain Meets the Moon by Grace Lin

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I loved this book; it was an excellent choice for the Newberry Award. Grace Lin is an amazing author and the students are our school enjoy her books immensely. Where the Mountain Meets the Moon is the kind of book that you just cannot put down. Minli is a character who is easy to relate to and you desire her to succeed and her journey is exciting and magical. Thank you Grace Lin for another wonderful story.

From Booklist
*Starred Review* In this enchanted and enchanting adventure, Minli, whose name means “quick thinking,” lives with her desperately poor parents at the confluence of Fruitless Mountain and the Jade River. While her mother worries and complains about their lot, her father brightens their evenings with storytelling. One day, after a goldfish salesman promises that his wares will bring good luck, Minli spends one of her only two coins in an effort to help her family. After her mother ridicules what she believes to be a foolish purchase, Minli sets out to find the Old Man of the Moon, who, it is told, may impart the true secret to good fortune. Along the way, she finds excitement, danger, humor, magic, and wisdom, and she befriends a flightless dragon, a talking fish, and other companions and helpmates in her quest. With beautiful language, Lin creates a strong, memorable heroine and a mystical land. Stories, drawn from a rich history of Chinese folktales, weave throughout her narrative, deepening the sense of both the characters and the setting and smoothly furthering the plot. Children will embrace this accessible, timeless story about the evil of greed and the joy of gratitude. Lin’s own full-color drawings open each chapter. Grades 3-6. --Andrew Medlar

Book of the Day: The Wonder Book

2010-12-15T07:01:00.008-06:00

The Wonder Book is full of things that people really do wonder about, like "Who put money under the tooth fairy's pillow when she was a little girl?" I shared this with second grade classes and most of the poems and word plays were perfect for the age group. Some were a little over their heads and would be enjoyed more by older students or even adults. But the beauty of The Wonder Book is that you can open to any page and enjoy, there is no need to read from cover to cover. Students who like Jack Prelutsky and Shel Silverstein will LOVE The Wonder Book. Read it to make the wheels start to turn, wonder and question!

Book of the Day: Can't Sleep wothout Sheep

2010-12-14T07:00:00.000-06:00

Can't Sleep Without Sheep by Susanna Leonard Hill

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Ava’s mother told her to count sheep to help her fall asleep. But the sheep got tired of jumping night after night so they decided to quit. The sheep promised Ava that they would find her a replacement. First they thought of sending in a horse, but they were too pretty so they sent in a chicken. But Ava just laughed as the chickens tried to get over the fence. The pigs were no use because they were in no hurry to get over the fence. Several of the animals (cows, hippos, buffalo, flamingos, armadillos, beavers and more) tried to help Ava fall asleep but it wasn’t as easy as they thought. Read to find out which animal puts Ava to sleep. - Review by Cindy Tran

View all my reviews

Book of the Day: The Library Pages

2010-12-13T07:00:00.000-06:00

The Library Pages by Carlene Morton

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

K-3rd- Mrs. Heath the school librarian receives a DVD and a letter from her students at Happyland Elementary while on maternity leave. In the letter the students mention that the substitute falls asleep while reading. So it’s up to the students to make sure that the library continues to run smoothly. The DVD depicts some terrifying scenes of how the students are taking care of the library; shelving thin books together, painting bookmarkers, plastic wrapping the books, color coding the books, dog earring the book pages, duck taping the books, cutting out pages, etc. To Mrs. Heath’s surprise it was all an April Fool’s joke. The students can’t wait for Mrs. Heath to come back! - Review by Cindy Tran

View all my reviews

Book of the Day: The Clever Stick

2010-12-10T07:00:00.000-06:00

The Clever Stick by John Lechner

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

K-3rd-Follow the journey of a stick that tries to make his presence be known. Without a voice the stick is unable to share all the clever things that he comes up with. With his sharp skills he could solve any difficult math problem, write poetry, or help others with their problems. But who would even notice a stick? Unable to share his thoughts with the forest creatures the clever stick drags himself home. Soon he discovers that the lines that he has created make some interesting drawings. Check out a copy of The Clever Stick to see the magnificent masterpiece that he creates for the forest. - Review by Cindy Tran

View all my reviews

Book of the Day: Bluebonnet Book Trailers

2010-12-09T11:10:00.000-06:00

Bluebonnet List Book Trailers

Sometimes instead of reinventing the wheel I can point you in the direction of some awesome work others have done. This GLOG (Graphical Blog) has book trailers for some of this year’s Bluebonnet Books. There is still a month and a half to read these wonderful stories and decide which is most deserving of your vote for the Bluebonnet Award. There are many 3-5^th graders already eligible to vote and I know we will have a fun time promoting the favorites and then celebrating the winner. Read at least 5 by the end of January!!

Book of the Day: My Best Friend is as Sharp as a Pencil

2010-12-08T07:00:00.001-06:00

My Best Friend Is As Sharp As a Pencil by Hanoch Piven

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

How would you describe your best friend, your teachers, yourself, how about characters from a book? This is a great introduction into metaphors and thinking outside the box to describe someone. It would be a great idea to use this concept at the beginning of the school year to get to know other staff members or allow the students to describe themselves to each other. Check back for some examples of Character Portraits from our Bledsoe Book Clubs.

View all my reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 2–4—When a girl's grandmother comes to visit, she is filled with questions about the child's teachers, friends, and school. Instead of simply answering, the girl decides to show her grandmother what she likes about the important people in her life. She gathers up piles of objects and then sorts through them to find representative objects and collages them into portraits. The girl's friend Jack, who is geographically inclined and "sharp as a pencil," ends up having globes for eyes, magnifying glasses for glasses, a microscope nose, and a pencil mouth. Her art teacher has an artist's palette for a face, wears mysterious dark glasses, sports a colorful Mohawk, and wields a paintbrush. The layout encourages a guessing game of sorts as the audience will wonder how and where each object will be incorporated in the portrait. This book is ideal for projects involving descriptive language. Readers can create their own portraits of friends and teachers using various objects and this book as a guide. Use it with Piven's What Presidents Are Made of (2004), What Athletes Are Made of (2006, both S & S), and My Dog Is as Smelly as Dirty Socks (Randon, 2007) for classroom or crafting activities.—Stacy Dillon, LREI, New York City
(c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Book of the Day: Dear Anjali

2010-12-07T07:00:00.000-06:00

Dear Anjali by Melissa Glenn Haber

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The topic is challenging but it is an honest struggle and the main character Meredith is very relatable. She feel that she is an outcast and Anjali is her only friend. When Anjali suddenly dies Meredith vows to write her every day, it is her way of keeping Anjali close, and she really really needs someone to talk to. In her letters she tells Anjali about her family and school, how hard everything is without her there and most importantly how much she needs her friend now. Anjali is the only one who could tell her what to do about Noah Spivak! The boy she has had a crush on for years is finally becoming her friend. But is she betraying Anjali who liked him too? As she learns more about Noah, Anjali and her enemy Wendy, Meredith is left feeling betrayed herself. Was Anjali really her best friend forever or is she really all alone in the world. This book is definitely for mature 5th graders or middle school students who will be able to relate with Meredith as she struggles to figure out who she is and how to deal with her friends death.

View all my reviews

Book of the Day: Confessions of a Former Bully

2010-12-06T08:39:00.004-06:00

Confessions of a Former Bully by Trudy Ludwig

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Katie is a bully, or maybe I should say she used to be one. She got in trouble too many times for the way she was hurting Monica and her consequences included meeting with the counselor and finding a way to make up for the hurt she caused. Katie realized that there was a lot she didn’t know about bullying and that her way of making up for her actions was to write a book about bullying. This journal format book, complete with sketches and “Quick Fact” cards taped in, is a heartfelt introduction into a child’s reaction to bullying. Katie explains it like it is, why kids bully, what you can do if you are a bully or a victim, and how to get help for yourself and your friends. This is the perfect book for any elementary school kid, teacher and parent.

View all my reviews

Book of the Day: There's a Princess at the Palace

2010-12-03T07:00:00.008-06:00

School Library Journal (September 1, 2010)

Gr 2 Up-The team who dreamed up the hilarious There's a Wolf at the Door (Roaring Brook, 2008) is back with princess fairy tales that are as fluid as they are fractured. This colorful, oversize graphic novel is packed with puns, witticisms, and sarcastic asides. It opens as Cinderella-whose real name turns out to be Ashley-tries on the glass slipper and it fits. "My princess! Marry me!" says handsome Prince Dennis. "My prince! Okay!" says Cinderella. Before you know it, they have a daughter. A certain witch who is not invited to the christening casts a spell and-voila!-Princess Dawn becomes Sleeping Beauty. She is something of a spoiled brat and wakes to the kiss of another handsome prince-one who takes himself far too seriously. But she's not ready to make a commitment, so off she goes into the woods, where she invades the house of seven dwarfs and turns into Snow White. Wouldn't you know it, the same witch who put her whole household to sleep now offers her a poisoned apple. The serious prince once again engages in mouth-to-mouth resuscitation, and this time S.B./S.W.'s ready for marriage. Her daughter falls in love with a frog, and her granddaughter is forced to sleep on a mountain of mattresses concealing a terribly uncomfortable pea. Two mice provide a clever running commentary in all five tales, and the witch who appears throughout gradually undergoes a dramatic change of lifestyle. Marvelous for anyone with a wry sense of humor, There's a Princess in the Palace deserves a place in every library.-Susan Weitz, formerly at Spencer-Van Etten School District, Spencer, NY (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Book of the Day: The Extraordinary Mark Twain According to Susy

2010-12-02T07:00:00.000-06:00

The Extraordinary Mark Twain by Barbara Kerley

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

13 year old Susy Clemens knew Mark Twain just about as well as anybody. She lived with him after all. Susy decided that no one had succeeded in writing an acceptable biography of her famous father so she set out to do so herself. This book is a picture of Susy and life in the Celmens household as she wrote the very personal biography of Mark Twain. Included are pages and paragraphs from the original journal and quotes by Mark Twain himself. IN the end, “people got what Susy thought they needed: a portrait of the ….extraordinary Mark Twain, according to Susy”
Following the story are a guide to writing and extraordinary biography which would be useful for teaching, and a timeline. Recommended to both adults and children alike.

View all my reviews

Book of the Day: Any Which Wall

2010-12-01T19:00:00.000-06:00

Any Which Wall by Laurel Snyder

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Friends, magic, wishes, and old fashioned fun make this book a winner! Henry, Emma, Roy and Susan are wasting away their summer waiting for something exciting to happen when on a bike ride they discover a large dark wall, in the middle of a corn field. In a very Narnian event the children rest against it and in doing so mistakenly active the wall which whisks them immediately into a nearby soda shop. This happens to be the exact wish of Susan as she sat down to rest and they realize the potential of the wall. If you could wish to visit anywhere at any time in history where would you go? A deserted island, a famous American city, the old west, ancient Egypt? The way the four children relate to each other is a throwback to the Pevensise’s on their visit to Narnia or the Penderwick girls. There is nothing brand new here but the book has a wonderful old time feel and is a purely enjoyable read.

View all my reviews

Book of the Day: The Sixty-eight Rooms

2010-11-30T19:00:00.003-06:00

The Sixty-Eight Rooms by Marianne Malone

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Have you ever been so enthralled by something, a book, a movie, a piece of artwork; that it magic pulls you in, you can imagine yourself living inside it, as a character in the story? Ruthie has experienced the same thing. She is generally disappointed in her boring life, her small, nothing special apartment, her cramped, shared bedroom, and herself. On a school field trip to the Art Institute of Chicago she finally sees something special. The Thorne Rooms, a set of 68 miniature rooms set into the walls of the exhibit. She is amazed by the miniature furniture and dreams of what her life would be like if only she could live in rooms like these. After Ruthie and her best friend Jack find a mysterious key, their combined curiosity; his for an adventure and hers to study the rooms further; take them to places they never dreamed possible. Will they find answers in the rooms, will they be able to avoid being seen and thrown out of the museum? Read the Sixty-eight Rooms and allow yourself to be pulled into the magic of the Thorne Rooms. Compare with The Mixed up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler.

View all my reviews

Book of the Day: The Lacemaker and the Princess

2010-11-29T07:00:00.002-06:00

The Lacemaker and the Princess by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Dim lighting, a demanding grandmother, tiny stitches, a tired back and fingers. This is the life of eleve-year-old old Isabelle. She lives in the time leading of up the French Revolution and is suddenly plucked from her life of hard work and thrown into the lap of luxury. She is rescued, by Marie Antoinette, from being trampled in a crowd and Isabelle becomes playmate to a princess. She is given new clothes, a new name and all the food she can eat, but what of her family living in near poverty without her help with the family lace-making business? Then Isabelle begins to hear whispers that all is not well with France, the people are unhappy with their King and the royal family. Will her position as the princess’s closest friend put her and her family in harm’s way? Which side is right, she loves and understands the princess but her family is starving, is that how the royal family should care for their people? This story is based upon the true friendship between the princess and a commoner; many events are true to history. This story is a fine introduction into an intriguing time period and an enjoyable read.

View all my reviews

Kindergarten Thanksgiving and Fall Research

2010-11-22T07:00:00.005-06:00

Kindergarten has been working on Thanksgiving and Fall research during their Specials time. They visit 6 stations where they learn about the First Thanksgiving, when Thanksgiving became a national holiday, how different people celebrate Thanksgiving, pumpkins, apples, and finally discuss their perfect Thanksgiving Dinner. Wonderful 4th grade helpers read books at each station and help the kindergarten students pull out the important information to include in their research packet. This project has been very fun and exciting for all the students involved. Check out the fun and the great books below.

The Books:

The Pilgrims First Thanksgiving by Ann McGovern (394.264 MCG)
Thank you, Sarah: The Woman who Saved Thanksgiving by Laurie Halse Anderson (394.264 AND)
Duck for Turkey Day by Jaqueline Jules (E JUL)
Pumpkin Circle: The Story of a Garden by George Levenson (635 LEV)
Apple Harvest by Calvin Harris (634 HAR)
I know it’s Autumn by Eileen Spinelli (E SPI)

Book of the Day: Clever Jack Takes the Cake

2010-11-19T07:00:00.024-06:00

Clever Jack Takes the Cake by Candace Fleming

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I really enjoyed this story. With so many fractured fairy tales and retellings out there it is refreshing and wonderful to read an original princess tale. The message of the importance of stories, friends and laughter comes through strong. As does the age old saying “It is the thought that counts.”

View all my reviews

A professional review from School Library Journal
http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/slj/home/885884-312/clever_jack_takes_the_cake.html.csp

K-Gr 3-A poor boy named Jack who helps a princess is a familiar trope in folklore. In this original tale, Jack accidentally receives an invitation to the princess's birthday party. He resourcefully gathers ingredients and bakes a wonderful cake. On his way to the castle, the cake is slowly demolished by crows, a troll, a spooky forest, a dancing bear, and even a palace guard, until the only present Jack has to offer the princess is the story of the cake's demise. Of course, this gift pleases her much more than the boring rubies and tiaras brought by richer guests, and she declares that her new friend will have the honor of cutting the royal cake. This entertaining adventure is packed with action. Karas's scratchy gouache and pencil cartoon illustrations are as detail-rich as the text itself. From the sly bear to the bored princess, the expressions are priceless. The endpapers provide context not included in the text: a party invitation blowing from the messenger's bag and under Jack's door at the beginning, and Jack regaling a fascinated princess with more tales at the end. A solid choice for most collections, and a good storytime choice, despite the smallish illustrations.-Heidi Estrin, Feldman Children's Library at Congregation B'nai Israel, Boca Raton, FL

The Circus Ship

2010-11-18T07:00:00.005-06:00

The Circus Ship by Chris Van Dusen

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is one of my absolute favorite from this year’s 2x2 List. I read it to every Kindergarten, 1st and 2nd grade class and never grew tired of it. The students loved the bouncy rhyming text and the pictures are the best part.

Chris Van Drussen took the true story of a ship that sunk in 1836, and wove this rhythmic tale of circus animals that survived the wreck and came ashore in this little town in Main. The circus boss Mr. Paine is horribly mean and was willing to let the animals drown when their ship wrecks. The animals make their way to the sleepy little town and bring with them chaos. The residents are not happy to have their newest visitors but that all changes the night the Abbots shed catches fire. By the time Mr. Paine comes looking for his circus animals the town people are willing to help the animals evade their horrible boss. The double page spread when Mr. Paine is unable to find his animals is the best page of the book. Children will love searching for the animals hidden around the intricately illustrated town. Highly recommended and enjoyable!!

Here is what the author has to say about his book:

http://www.chrisvandusen.com/books/the-circus-ship

View all my reviews

Duck Rabbit

2010-11-17T07:00:00.014-06:00

This thought provoking story is on this year’s 2x2 Reading List. Two unseen characters argue about whether the animal they see is a duck or a rabbit. This would be a great introduction in to optical illusions or perspectives. Different people can look at the same object and see different things.

Enjoy the video and the optical illusion websites!!

http://kids.niehs.nih.gov/illusion/illusions.htm
http://opticalillusions4kids.blogspot.com/
http://www.coolopticalillusions.com/invertedflag.htm

Check out optical illusion books from our library (Call Number 152)

Surfer of the Century

2010-11-16T07:00:00.002-06:00

Surfer of the Century: The Life of Duke Kahanamoku by Ellie Crowe

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Surfing is an exciting and mysterious sport, especially to those of us who live in land locked DFW. Duke Kahanamoku was a man who mastered this sport and shared his love of the water with the world. He learned to swim and surf at a young age, was able to hold his breath underwater for minutes at a time, set World Records for swimming in the Olympic Games, and even saved lives with the help of his surf board. Duke traveled all over the world promoting the sport of surfing and his dream was to see a surfing entered into the Olympic Games.

Surfer of the Century gives readers a look into the life of the man who revolutionized the sport. The illustrations are drawn in beautiful water tones that convey the setting of Dukes life and passion. The time line in the back shows all the highlights of his life as well as impact since his death. This is an interesting look at an impressive man.

View all my reviews

Chicken BIG

2010-11-15T07:00:00.002-06:00

Chicken Big by Keith Graves

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

“On a teeny little farm, in an itty-bitty coop, a very small hen laid a big, humongous egg.” The giant chicken that emerges is an outcast among the others and they interject ideas as to what kind of animal he truly is. He’s a squirrel? He’s a hippopotamus? When things begin to go wrong at the farm the gigantic chicken’s big heart is revealed. Will the others be able to see past his different appearance and accept him for the chicken that he is?

This is a cute twist on the classic tale of Chicken Little. Chicken Big is told with cartoon like drawings, complete with phrases is speech bubbles. The large chicken legs on the cover are eye catching and kids will ask for repeated reading of this one.

View all my reviews

FLUSH by Carl Hiassen

2010-11-12T07:00:00.004-06:00

Flush by Carl Hiaasen

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Flush was not at all what I expected. Sometimes it is fun to pick up a book based solely on the cover or the fact that I see a lot of kids checking it out. It made me think that maybe I should check it out. I hadn’t read a review, asked anyone about it or scanned through the book at all. I simply started reading on page one, and I was intrigued.

The book opens with Noah’s dad is in jail, he is no criminal mastermind he simply gets angry when people disrespect nature, he occasionally takes things a bit too far. He, for instance, feels that sinking the boat of a man who continually breaks the law by dumping toilet waste into the ocean is perfectly right and justified. He is also able to take out his anger by punching holes in every door in the house, landing himself in the emergency room with 6 broken knuckles.

Noah, like his dad, is a lover of the Florida Keys and all of nature. He and his sister take on their dads agenda, to protect the ocean from the likes of Dusty Muleman, and earn back their fathers good name in the process. They have to deal with bullies, rough and tough body guards, and a mysterious pirate who keeps appearing right when they need his help; all while keeping their entire plan secret from their parents. To find out if they will succeed in showing who the true crook and lawbreaker is, and in saving their family read FLUSH, by Carl Hiaasen.

View all my reviews

The Uglified Ducky: A Maynard Moose Tale

2010-11-11T07:00:00.000-06:00

The Uglified Ducky by Willy Claflin

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

If you want to read a book with tears running down your face, while having to pause every few pages to catch your breath from laughing, then this is the book for you. You may think you know the story of the Ugly Duckling, but think again. Maynard Moose tells the tale of the Uglified Ducky, this happens to be a Baby Moose who wandered away and is raised by duckies. The moose, d’abandoned (abandoned) by his fambly (family), blunders into a ducks nest thinking it a snuggly place to nap. The mother duck considers him a distremely (extremely) uglified ducky and set about to teach him proper duck behavior. The hilarious story unfolds as the moose is unable to perform everyday duck activities such as swimming and flying. What makes this book even more enjoyable is the Glossary of Moose Words in the front and the CD included in the back. Author Willy Clafin is a gifted story teller and the book is 100 times better when he reads it with his voices and moosly pronunciations.

FYI: Bledsoe 4th graders were privileged to hear Willy Clafin at the Frisco Storytelling Festival, he was very entertaining to hear in person. It only made me enjoy his book more to know that the Maynard Moose stories are based upon those he made up for his young son.

View all my reviews

The Storm in the Barn

2010-11-10T07:00:00.000-06:00

The Storm in the Barn by Matt Phelan

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

It is 1937, Kansas, the age of dust. No one has seen or smelled rain in 7 years. The only storms are Dust Storms; howling wind, billowing dust, dirt blackened sky, deadly. Jack is lonely, unneeded by his frustrated father, and generally considered worthless. When he stumbles upon an abandoned barn that feels and smells strange he begins to wonder if maybe he is going mad, or maybe, just maybe, he can do something to help his family and everyone else.

Storm in the Barn is a story told in words and pictures, a graphic novel. The scenes show the depressing landscape of the dust bowl and characters facial expressions reveal their inner thoughts. The few words are poignant and add just enough to move the story along. This is an exciting view into surviving the Dust Bowl, with mysterious creatures and everyday heroism thrown in. Highly Recommended.

View all my reviews

Mr. Putney's Quacking Dog

2010-11-09T07:00:00.013-06:00

Mr. Putney's Quacking Dog by Jon Agee

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A pun is defined by Webster's dictionary as:

"the humorous use of a word or words, which are formed or sounded alike but have different meanings, in such a way as to play on two or more of the possible applications; a play on words."

Mr. Putney is full of puns, the smart, roll your eyes and groan kind. His animal friends all have unusual names, the quacking dog (dachshund) on the cover? A Duckshund  Study the pictures and the animal shown to determine the animal’s puny name, try to see how many you can guess!

Mr. Putney provides a fun way to get kids brains warmed up or fill a few minutes of waiting with some productive mental exercise.

For more information on puns see:

http://www.worsleyschool.net/socialarts/puns/pun.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pun

http://www.punoftheday.com/cgi-bin/disppuns.pl?ord=S&cat=11&sub=1101&page=1

Kubla Khan: Emperor of Everything

2010-11-08T07:00:00.004-06:00

Kubla Khan: The Emperor of Everything by Kathleen Krull

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Kubla Khan, the grandson of Genghis Khan, is a lesser known emperor usually referred to in context of Marco Polo's travels. In Kubla Khan: Emperor of Everything Kathleen Krull presents a portrait of this ruler’s life, accomplishments and the lasting impact he had on the world.

Before Kubla Khan’s life the Mongolian empire had been no empire at all, warring tribes of Mongolians fought with each other, never united. When Genghis Khan was elected “the Khan, Khan of all Khans” he united the various tribes into a strong empire. After Kubla Khan came to power the Mongolians defeated China and Kubla Khan rose to the role of Emperor of China, where he developed the most ornate, over-the-top, and awe inspiring culture of its time. Under his rule the Chinese people had outlandish celebrations, studied the arts and sciences, developed farming techniques and created the first system of paper money. This book and its detailed illustrations provide an insightful peek into the life of an amazing Emperor.

View all my reviews

Umbrella Summer

2010-11-05T07:00:00.002-05:00

Umbrella Summer by Lisa Graff

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Annie Richards is an extremely cautious girl; she walks her bike around town and wears her helmet, bike pads, and all necessary bandages at all times. And she is an expert at diagnosing and addressing her various ailments. It is important to Annie that she be careful and always prepared. She was not prepared for her brother to die, everyone thought he was fine too, but Annie knows better.

When she forms an unlikely relationship with her new neighbor, the one who moved into the haunted house, she begins to discover that her self-preservation routine may be more harmful than she realized. With the healing of time, friendships, and a classic tale of a pig she begins to confront her grief and move back toward her life.

I cannot remember the last time a book made me cry, both when I read it and when I shared the story with friends. Annie is a raw and touching character whose pain is so real. Umbrella Summer is very deserving of its place on the Bluebonnet Nomine list.

View all my reviews

2010-11-04T08:47:00.001-05:00

And the Dish Ran Away with the Spoon by Janet Stevens

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Hey diddle the cat and the fiddle, the cow jumped over the moon; the little dog laughed to see such sport, and the dish ran away with the spoon. Every night this rhyme is read and every night the dish and spoon come running back until tonight. Where have they gone? Cow, Cat and Dog embark on an adventure through Nursery Rhyme land to find their friends; and as they travel they encounter many favorite Nursery Rhyme characters. Little Boy Blue is sleeping on the job, the Three Bears house must be avoided but then Miss Muffet's Spider sends them to visit Wolf. They race from one nusery rhyme to the next on an exciting journey full of puns, twists and turns.

Janet Stevens and Susan Stevens Crummel have a way with words. This tale is engaging and laugh out oud funny. I was afraid it would be over my kindergartner's heads but they eonjoyed the ride through the familiar rhymes and giggled at the conclusion. Kids of all ages will roll their eyes and love this one.

View all my reviews

THe Lost Hero by Rick Riordan

2010-10-29T10:58:00.003-05:00

The Lost Hero by Rick Riordan

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Such a great book! I enjoyed the Percy Jackson series and so have all the kids I've read it with as a classroom teacher and now as a librarian. I like this one so much more. It was less silly, a little more grown up which will be great for the kinds who have been reading since The Lightning Thief was released as they are now older. The cliff hanger ending mad me so mad because i have to wait a whole year for the continuation!!! But it has me hooked.

I like the characters a great deal. Jason, Piper and Leo are easy to relate to, they seem to think clearly and rationally and have good relationships with each other. I liked the twists on the gods and heores that were thrown in, and the addition of the Roman mythology. I appreciated seeing some of the solid characters from the Percy Jackson series reappear. All in all very enjoyable and an exciting begining to the next phase of heroes!

View all my reviews

I am so excited!!

2010-09-29T09:54:00.000-05:00

Last year Savvy by Ingrid Law was one of my favorite books on the Bluebonnet List. I read it very quickly and recommended it to many students throughout the year. I was also was able to enjoy it with Bledsoe's 5th grade book club at the end of the year, their video was posted a few weeks ago, take a look. I have been looking forward to the companion book Scumble ever since I heard about it last March. It is finally here!!!

I am about half way through Scumble now and it is great! Ledger, Mibs cousin, is the main character in this book and it is about 10 years later or at least enough time has passed for Fish to be getting married! Ledger has been waiting for his 13 birthday and he had convinced himself that his savvy would give his super speed, or make him extremely talented at something athletic. BUT, that is not the case so far all he can do is destroy anything mechanical or manmade. He is a walking demolition machine, and he doesn’t know how to stop it. Many of the wonderful characters from Savvy make an appearance but the main show is taken by this new and intriguing boy, Ledge, as he tries to come to grips with his new Savvy and learn to Scumble.

If you loved Savvy then Scumble will become yoru new favorite book, and if you have not read either one come on it to the library and get it today!

Shelf Elf Library Manners and Book Care by 1st grade

2010-09-20T23:35:00.003-05:00

On our way...

2010-09-07T10:17:00.001-05:00

I have been able to see each class of students and welcome everyone back to the library during the past two weeks. I has been wonderful to hear about the books read, places visited ,and fun times everyone had over the summer. Starting this month the library programs will begin running. We have 2x2 and Blubonnet Reading Programs as well as Book Clubs and Readers Theatre Clubs all staring soon.

The 2x2 Reading Program is designed for children age 2 through 2nd grade. Any K, 1 or 2 students at Bledsoe who choose to participate will need to read all 20 books on the list. Forms will be passed out next week and should be returned by Christmas Break. 2x2 readers will be announced at Good Morning Bledsoe as forms are turned in and small prizes will be rewarded.

The Bluebonnet Reading Program is for students in 3-6th grade. In order to participate students will need to read at least 5 of the 20 listed books and fill out a Book Buzz for each. Bluebonnet Readers will be anounced at Good Morning Bledsoe and al students who succede in reading 5 of these books will be given the oportunity to vote for their favorite in January. Students all across Texas vote for these books and determine which Book and Authoer will recieve the Bluebonnet Award. There are various extention events in combination with this Reading Program including a Bluebonnet Battle Gameshow and Bluebonnet Party in the Spring.

Book Clubs will be held during grade levels Lunch/Recess Block, as well as before and/or after school. During Book Club a small group of students who are interested in a particular book will meet to discuss as well as create videos and other book projects to share their book with other students. Clubs are avaliable to grades 3, 4, and 5.

Readers Theatre Club is specifically for 2nd grade and will meet during recess once a week. Students will work on Reading Fluency and Expression. Students will practice a script and then perform for BNN or GMB.

I am looking forward to working with studnets during these various clubs and programs to encourage a love for reading and simply to enjoy stories and books together. This is going to be a great year!

An end and a begining...

2010-08-20T20:00:00.004-05:00

Tonight was Meet the Teacher and I was so happy to see all the smiling faces coming in the doors of Bledsoe. So many that were glad to be back and see all their favorite teachers and some excited new faces as well. As I thought about the great things that are going to happen in the year to come I wanted to share one of the highlihgts of the last year.

Book clubs, getting to sit down with a group of kids who were excited about reading and stories was a highlight of many days. 5th grade last year worked very hard on a few different book projects but this one is by far the largest and best! They all worked together with the final editing and voice over done by Dylan and Lora. They completed it in May, just before they left for their last summer before starting middle school.

Enjoy and I hope that this coming year we will continue to enjoy books through Book Club and find even more creative ways to share what we thought about them using various tecnhology!

Mrs. Eaton's Summer Reading

2010-08-13T11:14:00.002-05:00

Among the Hidden

2010-08-13T09:23:00.000-05:00

I really enjoyed this book. I listened to the audio book while driving around and setting up the library. The main character, Nick, lives in the not so distant future when the government has outlawed many things including having more than two children. Nick is a Third or Shadow Child. His parents broke the law to have him and now keep him hidden. A neighborhood is built near their house and it become harder and more important than ever that he stay hidden. When Nicks starts to see Shadows in a near by house after he knows both parents and both boys who live there are gone he starts to wonder if there is another Hidden child living there. He learns that some rules need to be broken when he sneaks over to the house one afternoon. Read this book if you enjoy adventure and suspense, you will not be able to put it down and will race to the library to find the next in the series. The author Margaret Peterson Haddix does not disappoint.

Back to School

2010-08-12T14:29:00.000-05:00

We are almost ready to jump into the next school year. I hope you are as excited as I am. I am glad to be returning to Bledsoe this year. I have been reading, reading, reading all summer and look forward to sharing wonderful books with you all. I am just completing Among the Hidden my Margaret Peterson Haddix. I will post a review very soon. I have also worked my way through almost all of next years Bluebonnet Nominees and are you in for a treat. There are some very exciting reads on that list.

Some of the exciting things that will be happening right off the bat this year are Book Clubs with grades 3-5 and Readers Theatre Club with 2nd graders. Look back for more information on signups and schedules for these clubs.

Please let me know about a book you read this summer or a story that you loved - see you soon!

Jody Feldman . . .

2009-12-02T14:11:00.000-06:00

author of the Golly Whopper Games is visiting on Friday December 4th!! We are so excited to have this wonderful author. Please check back for Projects that the Bledsoe Book Club is producing about the Gollywhopper Games as well as to see the details of her visit!

Bledsoe's Book Club

2009-11-17T08:23:00.000-06:00

The students in the Book Club are currently reading through The Gollywhopper Games by Jody Feldman. We just completed a brain teasers contest. Students worked in teams to solve word, number and logic puzzles. Everyone worked very hard and was able to experience the Gollywhopper Games in a new way!

Mrs. Eaton's thoughts on the book:

I like this book because of Gil's attitude throughout the story. He is a hard worker, he has goals and dreams of a better life for his family, and will do his best to win the games so they can start over and leave "The Incident" behind them. He does great job of standing up for himself and working well with people who are very difficult. I like the opportunity to solve the logic puzzles as I read and I can't wait to see if Gil is able to stay strong until the end and to find out if the family decides to start over or stay where they are! I think that the Gollywhopper Games is a great read and I recommend it to anyone.

Please let me know what you think about the books, and if you would recommend it to a friend.

Alvin Ho

2009-08-31T10:05:00.000-05:00

I finished reading Alvin Ho by Lenore Look. It is about a 2nd grade boy who is afraid of almost everything. He wants to make friends and be able to talk in school he just can't. I really enjoyed this book because Alvin is very likable, he allows the reader to understand what is going on inside his head and why he reacts the way he does to the many scary situations he encounters. I also liked his father, he really cared about Alvin and wanted to help him.

I recommend this Bluebonnet book to both boys and girls who like reading about making friends and overcoming things that scare you.

End of Summer - August 6th

2009-08-06T08:32:00.001-05:00

Hello Bledsoe!

My name is Mrs. Eaton and I will be your librarian this year. I can't wait to meet all of you and start a wonderful year of reading together. I hope you have been reading some intersting books over the summer. I have worked my way through the Bluebonnet Reading List and look forward to talking with you about your favorites.

Here is the link to the list of books: http://www.txla.org/groups/tba/nominees.html

Where does the time go?

2009-04-09T07:57:00.001-05:00

I can't believe I haven't updated this in so long! I have been reading, just not blogging about it. I'll try to get my act together!

Oh, and I saw the release date for the last Percy Jackson novel by Rick Riordan. It's called The Last Olympian and it will be released on May 5th. Yay!

Just Finished...

2009-02-04T19:39:00.000-06:00

Korman, Gordon. One False Note. New York: Scholastic, 2008.

Booklist reviews this book for grades 4-8.

Summary: Amy and Dan Cahill are in the lead to find thirty-nine clues that safeguard a great power, and are in possession of a coded sheet of Mozart's music that will help them find the next clue while their relatives follow in close pursuit.

Mrs. Wilson Says: Are you playing the 39 Clues game yet? If not, jump on the bandwagon - it's so much fun! Rick Riordan wrote the first novel in the series and this book, written by Gordon Korman, is the second. The 3rd title will be released next month. You can read the books, collect the game cards, and play online.

Already read One False Note? Leave a comment!

This book is on order at the Bledsoe Library. Check back the catalog soon to see if it has arrived. Also, look for the 39 Clues series at the book fair.

Searching for treasure? Try Gordon Korman's Dive series.

Just Finished...

2009-02-01T13:37:00.001-06:00

Fleming, Candice. The Fabled Fourth Graders of Aesop Elementary School. New York: Schwartz & Wade, 2007.

Booklist recommends this book for grades 3-5.

Summary: An unlikely teacher takes over the disorderly fourth-grade class of Aesop Elementary School with surprising results.

Mrs. Wilson says: The good news is that this is a clever book with a neat concept. The bad news is that it took me for-ev-er to finish it because I kept getting distracted by other books that I found more interesting. I did like what I read, though. The 4th grade class in this school has such bad behavior that no one wants to be their teacher. A teacher (who must be 300 years old judging by how many different adventures he's had) tames the wild beasts. The best part of the book is that each chapter demonstrates a moral from the fables that Aesop wrote long ago (get it? Aesop Elementary?) in a funny and surprising way. If you like the Wayside stories, I think you'll like this book.

Find The Fabled Fourth Graders of Aesop Elementary School at the Bledsoe Library.

Already read The Fabled Fourth Graders of Aesop Elementary School? Leave a comment!

Want to read more stories about funny teachers? Try Dan Gutman's My Weird School series.

Just Finished...

2009-01-10T12:07:00.000-06:00

Stanley, Diane. The Mysterious Case of the Allbright Academy. New York: Harpers Collins, 2008.

Booklist recommends this book for grades 4-7.

Summary: Eighth-grader Franny and her friends investigate why most of the students at their exclusive boarding school are brilliant, beautiful, and perfectly behaved.

Mrs. Wilson Says: If someone offered you a chance to be a more perfect version of yourself, would you take it? You'd be even better looking, even smarter, you'd never get in trouble, and you'd always be happy. Sounds pretty great, right? Well, what if the same person who could make you perfect also began to make decisions for you...would you still take the deal? This is a fun read about friendship and "being the best we can be," and stars Franny and Beamer from The Mysterious Case of I.M. Fine.

Find The Mysterious Case of the Allbright Academy at the Bledsoe Library.

Already read The Mysterious Case of the Allbright Academy? Leave a comment!

Want to read another book about a really smart kid? Try Millicent Min, Girl Genius by Lisa Yee.

Editorial Comment

2009-01-08T20:21:00.000-06:00

I've just realized that there are very few books I dislike. I guess the closest I've come to giving a bad review (so far) is for Stolen. Even though I didn't think the book delivered with the "scary" plot, I recognize that parts of it are good and I believe that there are kids who will enjoy this book.

I always finish books--even books I dislike. Maybe I'm optimistic that something great will come out of the book and I'll miss it if I quit reading. And I suspect that deep down I feel sorry for books that I consider rejecting. (Where did I get the idea that books have feelings? Do I need psychotherapy?) I recently read a ridiculously long book that Stephen King said was solid gold...and hated every moment of it. But I stuck it out. It took For-Ev-Er.

So...all this is to say that I'm sorry if you don't like a book that I've reviewed as decent. I'm trying to gauge what a rather large population of students, parents, and staff will find "good." Just doing my best, man.

Just Finished...

2009-01-08T17:51:00.000-06:00

Lin, Grace. The Year of the Rat. New York: Little Brown, 2008.

Booklist recommends this book for grades 3-5.

Summary: In the Chinese Year of the Rat, a young Taiwanese American girl faces many challenges: her best friend moves to California and a new boy comes to her school, she must find the courage to forge ahead with her dream of becoming a writer and illustrator, and she must learn to find the beauty in change.

Mrs. Wilson Says: I was excited to read this book because: A) I loved reading the first book in this series, The Year of the Dog--a Bluebonnet nominee last year. B) Grace Lin is coming to our school this March!!! I saw her speak at Frisco Reads in October and I know that she's going to knock everyone's socks off. Like the first book, this book is semi-autobiographical and shares what happens from one Chinese New Year to the next. Pacy is the main character (she's known at school by her American name, Grace) and she finds that The Year of the Rat--traditionally known to bring changes--has brought some unpleasant changes to her world. One of the reasons I love this book is because Lin writes honestly: Pacy really struggles with the changes and she doesn't always react in the best way. She has to work through her mistakes to come out on top.

Find The Year of the Rat at the Bledsoe Library.

Find many books by Grace Lin at the Bledsoe Library.

Already read The Year of the Rat? Leave a comment!

Want to read another book where kids learn about themselves? Try Lost and Found by Andrew Clements.

Just Finished...

2009-01-07T20:53:00.000-06:00

Vande Velde, Vivian. Stolen. Tarrytown, NY: Marshall Cavendish, 2008.

Booklist recommends this book for grades 5-8.

Summary: A girl finds herself running through the forest at the edge of a village with no memory of anything, even her own name, and later learns that she might be twelve-year-old Isabelle, believed to be stolen by a witch six years before.

Mrs. Wilson Says: The cover of this book looks scarier than what is actually inside of it. Don't get me wrong, the very beginning of the book and the end of the book are thrilling. But most of the book is taken up by Isabelle simply thinking about her true identity. So, if you want to read a quasi-scary witch tale badly enough to muddle through the middle, then go for it. Read this book.

Search for Stolen at the Bledsoe Library.

Already read Stolen? Leave a comment!

Want to read more magical tales? Try The Anybodies by N.E. Bode and Septimus Heap by Angie Sage.

Just Finished...

2009-01-04T15:17:00.001-06:00

Harper, Charise Mericle. Still Just Grace. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 2007.

Booklist recommends this book for grades 2-4.

Summary: Seven-year-old Grace gets so involved in working with Grace W. and Grace F. on a school project that she fails to understand why she and her best friend, Mimi, are drifting apart.

Mrs. Wilson Says: This is the sequel to Just Grace and I liked it just as much as the original (and I crack myself up). Grace shares her signature drawings and funny lists. She still has her empathy superpower so she's always looking for ways to help, and in this book she just might be able to solve her name dilemma.

Find Still Just Grace at the Bledsoe Library.

Already read Still Just Grace? Leave a comment!

Want to read more books about best friends? Try the Ivy + Bean books by Annie Barrows or the Allie Finkle books by Meg Cabot.

Don't Call Him Abe.

2008-12-31T10:10:00.000-06:00

Abraham Lincoln has long been a personal hero of mine. He served the country during arguably the most difficult period in American history. He was clever, compassionate, and honest. Over the last several weeks, I've read nearly all of our library's 30 books on President Lincoln to learn more about him. Here are my top 4 favorites, plus an honorable mention.

St. George, Judith. Stand Tall, Abe Lincoln. New York: Philomel, 2008.

Booklist recommends this book for grades 2-4.

Judith St. George is known for her series of books that includes So You Want to be a President?, and I'm really enjoying this series of hers called Turning Point Books. It's about the moment or event that leads a young person down an extraordinary path. For a young Abraham Lincoln, Judith St. George believes that it was his stepmother, Sally, that encouraged his education and independent way of thinking. This story begins with Lincoln's birth and the love he received from his biological mother Nancy and continues until Lincoln left home to pursue his destiny as a young man. Illustrations by Matt Faulkner are down in gouache and help the book seem woodsy and cozy.

Bowler, Sarah. Abraham Lincoln: Our Sixteenth President. Chanhassen, MN: The Child's World, 2002.

Booklist recommends this book for grades 3-6.

This book was almost my number one pick. It has the most information of any book I picked, and the nonfiction reads easily. The best parts are the photographs and the interesting facts set into the margins. For example, did you know that President Lincoln did not liked to be called Abe? His close friends knew that and never called him by that nickname. This book also explains how much the Lincoln family grieved during the Civil War, both over the state of the nation and from personal tragedy.

Harness, Cheryl. Young Abe Lincoln: The Frontier Days, 1809-1837. Washington, D.C.: National Geographic, 1996.

Booklist recommends this book for grades 1-4.

If you'd like to read stories about President Lincoln's childhood, this is a great book to read first. It also has neat pages of maps and facts, perhaps those are part of the book because National Geographic published it. This book begins with Lincoln's birth and ends with his move to Springfield, Illinois with a license to practice law.

Turner, Ann. Abe Lincoln Remembers. New York: HarperCollins, 2001.

Booklist recommends this book for grades 1-3.

This is a unique biography. In the words of the author, it is "intended to explore how Lincoln might have thought and felt about the events that shaped him into one of our greatest presidents." Written in poetic narrative, Lincoln speaks about his life in first person, with the last verse ending as Lincoln prepares to visit the theater on April 14, 1865.

Honorable Mention:

David Adler's biography picture books are always good and A Picture Book of Abraham Lincoln is no exception. Booklist recommends this book for grades K-3.

Find these books and more about Abraham Lincoln in the Bledsoe library.

Just Finished...

2008-12-30T08:30:00.000-06:00

Rowling, J. K. The Tales of Beedle the Bard. New York: Levine, 2008.

Booklist recommends this book for grades 3-6.

Summary: The tale of the three brothers, this book contains five illustrated moral tales for children from the world of Harry Potter, reportedly discovered and translated by young witch Hermione Granger, with an introduction and commentary from Albus Dumbledore, headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

Mrs. Wilson Says: If you miss Harry Potter, read this book! Sometimes you might find that Dumbledore's parts a bit difficult, but mostly you'll love the stories and the extra bits of information that you'll learn about their wizarding world. Also, J.K. Rowling did all of the illustrations inside of the book herself (HP's usual illustrator is Mary GrandPre and she did the cover art).

This book is coming to the Bledsoe Library, but it hasn't arrived as of December 30th. Let Mrs. Wilson know if you want to be on hold for it when it arrives.

Already read The Tales of Beedle the Bard? Leave a comment!

Like fantasy books? Try the Artemis Fowl series by Eoin Colfer or the Charlie Bone series by Jenny Nimmo.

Just Finished...

2008-12-29T15:56:00.001-06:00

Stewart, Trenton Lee. The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Perilous Journey. New York: MT Books, 2008.

Booklist recommends this book for grades 4-7.

Summary: Reynie, Kate, Sticky, and Constance, all graduates of the Learning Institute for the Very Enlightened and members of the Benedict Society, embark on a scavenger hunt that turns into a desperate search for the missing Mr. Benedict.

Mrs. Wilson Says: I like challenging books and I like long books, so take this review with a grain of salt. Because as much as I liked the book, I don't think everyone else will agree. Read on if a) you've read the first MBS book, b) you like solving riddles, and c) you have a lot of time to read. Still here? Okay, the riddles were fun and the action was way more intense this time, especially at the end of the book. Also, I really disliked Constance in the first book, but now I have a soft spot for her. Bonus: when you aren't reading the book, you could lift weights with it. Good exercise.

Find The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Perilous Journey at the Bledsoe Library.

Already read The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Perilous Journey? Leave a comment!

Have a taste for adventure? Try these books, too: Whales on Stilts! by M.T. Anderson and the On the Run series by Gordon Korman.

Just Finished...

2008-12-14T14:21:00.000-06:00

Dowd, Siobhan. The London Eye Mystery. New York: Random House, 2008.

Booklist recommends the book for grades 5-8.

Summary: When Ted and Kat's cousin Salim disappears from the London Eye ferris wheel, the two siblings must work together--Ted with his brain that is "wired differently" and impatient Kat--to try to solve the mystery of what happened to Salim.

Mrs. Wilson Says: I really liked the logic puzzle here. If a boy goes into an enclosed pod at the bottom of a ferris wheel, how in the world could he disappear from the pod while it went around the wheel? Without ANYONE noticing? Great detective story. Also: when you read this, you'll want to smile at Ted so he knows you're his friend. Just go with me on this.

Find The London Eye Mystery at the Bledsoe Library

Already read The London Eye Mystery? Leave a comment!

More books to test your logic: Chasing Vermeer by Blue Balliet and The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart.

2000-11-05T07:00:00.001-06:00