Parr, T. (2004). The peace book. New York, NY: Little Brown.
Interest Level: Ages 5 & under
Genre: Picture Book
Subjects/Themes: Peace, Caring about others, Being Yourself
Plot: This book describes different things that represent peace in a young child's world. Some of the things described include: caring for the environment, sharing with others, learning new languages, and being who you are.
Personal Thoughts: A good book to introduce a sometimes tricky concept to young children. The simple sentences do a good job of describing what "peace" is in terms that young children can relate to. The cute coloring page like illustrations are reminiscent of a child's own drawings. I especially like the last page of the book that speaks directly to the reader letting them know that the world is a better place because of them.
Some Other Books in the "Five Little Monkeys" Series: Go Shopping (2007); Play Hide-and-Seek (2004); Jumping on the Bed (1989); Bake a Birthday Cake (1993)
Author Website: Todd Parr's Website
Other Books by the Author: The Family Book (2003); It's Okay to Be Different (2001); The Feelings Book (2000)
Sunday, October 24, 2010
Molly the Goldfish Fairy (Book)
Meadows, D. (2006). Molly the goldfish fairy. New York , NY
Interest Level: Ages 6 to 10
Genre: Fantasy Fiction
Subjects/Themes: Animals, Magic, Pets, Teamwork, Fairies, Goblins
Plot: The Pet Fairies pets have all been stolen. Kirsty and Rachel, two human girls, are helping the fairies search for their magical pets. They find Molly the goldfish fairy's pet goldfish, Flash, in a neighbor's pond during a BBQ. Unfortunately, so have the goblins that work for Jack Frost. The girls come up with a plan to win the goldfish back in a tug-of-war contest. The goblins, unable to work together as a team, lose even though there are more of them.
Personal Thoughts: The many rainbow magic series is very popular among young girl readers at the library where I work. The books are really short, only around 65 pages each. They each have good messages about friendship, perserverance, and teamwork. The addition of magic makes for interesting reading without making the story seem impossible. For most tweens, this book is an example of reading down due to the easy vocab and length. But this series is still a good suggestion for older tween pleasure reading, for reluctant readers, and for ESL learners.
Series Info: Book Six of Seven the Rainbow Magic Pet Fairies Series
Prequel: Harriet the Hamster Fairy (2006)
Sequel: Penny the Pony Fairy (2006)
Series Website: Rainbow Magic Fairies Offical Website
Note about the Author: Daisy Meadows is a pseudonym used by the four authors of the Rainbow Magic Fairies series. The four authors areNarinder Dhami, Sue Bentley, Linda Chapman, and Sue Mongredien.
Interest Level: Ages 6 to 10
Genre: Fantasy Fiction
Subjects/Themes: Animals, Magic, Pets, Teamwork, Fairies, Goblins
Plot: The Pet Fairies pets have all been stolen. Kirsty and Rachel, two human girls, are helping the fairies search for their magical pets. They find Molly the goldfish fairy's pet goldfish, Flash, in a neighbor's pond during a BBQ. Unfortunately, so have the goblins that work for Jack Frost. The girls come up with a plan to win the goldfish back in a tug-of-war contest. The goblins, unable to work together as a team, lose even though there are more of them.
Personal Thoughts: The many rainbow magic series is very popular among young girl readers at the library where I work. The books are really short, only around 65 pages each. They each have good messages about friendship, perserverance, and teamwork. The addition of magic makes for interesting reading without making the story seem impossible. For most tweens, this book is an example of reading down due to the easy vocab and length. But this series is still a good suggestion for older tween pleasure reading, for reluctant readers, and for ESL learners.
Series Info: Book Six of Seven the Rainbow Magic Pet Fairies Series
Prequel: Harriet the Hamster Fairy (2006)
Sequel: Penny the Pony Fairy (2006)
Series Website: Rainbow Magic Fairies Offical Website
Note about the Author: Daisy Meadows is a pseudonym used by the four authors of the Rainbow Magic Fairies series. The four authors areNarinder Dhami, Sue Bentley, Linda Chapman, and Sue Mongredien.
Saturday, October 23, 2010
High School Musical (DVD)
Schain, D. (Producer), Ortega, K. (Director), & Barsocchini, P. (Writer). (2006). High school musical [DVD]. Burbank, CA: Walt Disney Home Entertainment.
Interest Level: Ages 8 to 18
Rating: G
Running Time: 98 minutes
Subjects/Themes: High School, Friendship, Cliques, Athletes, Musical,
Rating: G
Running Time: 98 minutes
Subjects/Themes: High School, Friendship, Cliques, Athletes, Musical,
Plot: Troy, a high school basketball star, and Gabriella, an academic genius, meet on New Year's Eve and perform a karaoke duet. A week later they meet again at school where Gabriella is new. The friendship that they started on New Year's Eve continues and they end up auditioning for the school musical to the shock of all their friends. Their friends want don't want either of them wasting their time on the musical and try and sabotage their relationship. Meanwhile Sharpay and Ryan, the top drama students, are also out to stop them.
Personal Thoughts: This is a corny but great movie. The acting is way over the top. The characters and cliques are exaggerated. And yet it totally works. Which is probably why there are two sequels. The songs are cute and catchy. There are also some good themes relating to friendship, expectations, and peer pressure. I really liked the "status quo" song about not doing only what everyone expects of you. Troy and Gabriella start a revolution in their school by being the first to do the unexpected and what they love to do. A Must See Movie for tweens and teens of all ages.
Sequel: High School Musical 2 (2007); and High School Musical 3: Senior Year (2008);
Friday, October 22, 2010
The Girl, the Dragon, and the Wild Magic (Book)
Interest Level: Ages 8 to 12
Genre: Fantasy Fiction
Subjects/Themes: Animals, Magic, Medieval Worlds, Academic Problems, Fitting In,
Plot: Rhianna is failing magic school. She like things to make sense and magic just doesn't. Then the wizard Northstar comes to the village to inspect why the magic is starting to fail. He declares that Rhianna has a magic so strong and rare that its sucking up all the magic around her. Northstar makes Rhianna his apprentice and begins teaching her how to control her Wild Talent. But some people are jealous and don't think that Rhianna deserves to be his apprentice. And if that wasn't problem enough, a dragon has just landed in the village.
Personal Thoughts: A sweet and easy read for younger tweens interested in magic and not old enough for the Harry Potter Series. At just 118 pages, this book is a good choice for children who need a 100 page chapter book. Rhianna has to deal with being made fun of and bullied first because she's terrible at magic in a world where magic is everything. Then because of jealousy that she of all people has such a rare talent and gets picked as an apprentice. Rhianna is a smart young girl and shows both courage and smarts when facing the dragon. The rest of the series is just as short and sweet as the first book.
Note: This entry refers to the United States reprint. Dave Luckett's books were originally published in Australia.
Series Info: Book One of the Rhianna Chronicles
Sequel: The Girl, the Apprentice, and the Dogs of Iron (2004)
Other Books by the Author: School of Magic Series; Tenabran Trilogy;
Thursday, October 21, 2010
Snow Spider (Book)
Nimmo, Jenny. (2006). The Snow Spider. New York , NY
Interest Level: Ages 9 to 12
Genre: Fantasy Fiction
Subjects/Themes: Magic, Death of a Family Member, Father and Son Relations,
Plot: A child’s birthday is usually a fun event but not Gwyn’s because four years ago that was the day that his sister went missing. His mother wants this birthday to be different but his father is still mourning. Then Gwyn's grandmother tells him that he's descended from a line of magicians and he may be one as well. She said as a magician it’s possible to get your heart’s desire. And more then anything else he desires, Gwyn wants his sister back. With the activation of five magical objects, Gwyn starts on a journey of understanding, both magical and real.
Personal Thoughts: There is a large amount of tension between Gwyn and his father. It is very apparent from the beginning that Gwyn's father blames him for the loss of his sister. When Gwyn is given the magical objects the reader hopes that he will do something good with them. Instead Gwyn repeatedly ignores his grandmother's warnings to be careful. The appearance of Eirlys, a ghostly reincarnation of his sister, changes the family dynamics. While there are some sad under tones and ghostly aspects to this story, it is still an easy read at only 146 pages. The vocabulary is simple and the story flows well.
Note: Book was originally published in the United Kingdom in 1986. This review refers to the United States 2006 edition.
Awards:
Nestlé Smarties Book Prize (1986)
Tir na n-Og Awards (1987)
Series Info: Book One of the Magician Trilogy
Sequel: Emlyn's Moon (2007)
Author Website: Jenny Nimmo's Offical Website
Other Books by the Author: Children of the Red King Series; The Dragon's Child (2008); Griffin's Castle (2007);
Interest Level: Ages 9 to 12
Genre: Fantasy Fiction
Subjects/Themes: Magic, Death of a Family Member, Father and Son Relations,
Plot: A child’s birthday is usually a fun event but not Gwyn’s because four years ago that was the day that his sister went missing. His mother wants this birthday to be different but his father is still mourning. Then Gwyn's grandmother tells him that he's descended from a line of magicians and he may be one as well. She said as a magician it’s possible to get your heart’s desire. And more then anything else he desires, Gwyn wants his sister back. With the activation of five magical objects, Gwyn starts on a journey of understanding, both magical and real.
Personal Thoughts: There is a large amount of tension between Gwyn and his father. It is very apparent from the beginning that Gwyn's father blames him for the loss of his sister. When Gwyn is given the magical objects the reader hopes that he will do something good with them. Instead Gwyn repeatedly ignores his grandmother's warnings to be careful. The appearance of Eirlys, a ghostly reincarnation of his sister, changes the family dynamics. While there are some sad under tones and ghostly aspects to this story, it is still an easy read at only 146 pages. The vocabulary is simple and the story flows well.
Note: Book was originally published in the United Kingdom in 1986. This review refers to the United States 2006 edition.
Awards:
Nestlé Smarties Book Prize (1986)
Tir na n-Og Awards (1987)
Series Info: Book One of the Magician Trilogy
Sequel: Emlyn's Moon (2007)
Author Website: Jenny Nimmo's Offical Website
Other Books by the Author: Children of the Red King Series; The Dragon's Child (2008); Griffin's Castle (2007);
Wild Magic (Book)
Pierce, Tamora. (1992). Wild Magic. New York , NY
Interest Level: Ages 10 to 14
Genre: Fantasy Fiction
Subjects/Themes: Animals, Magic, Medieval Worlds, Fictional Wars and Battles, Non-Sexist Occupational Roles
Plot: Daine has a knack for animals that’s definitely magical. She can hear them and they can hear her. Daine's been surviving in wilderness on her own since raiders burned her house down and killed her family. But now Daine needs to rejoin the human world and that means money and a job. Daine manages to get hired as an assistant caring for the Queen’s Riders' horses, a special group of warriors under direct command of the Queen herself. It is here that Daine learns to control her magic, stand up for herself and others, and learn that anyone can be a hero.
Personal Thoughts: One of my favorite tween authors, Pierce's books are all set in the same medieval world. In Daine's world, women are fully equal to men (they can rule or be warriors) which is a result of the previous series, The Song of the Lioness. Each series should be read in order for better understanding, but it is not necessary for the different series to be read in order though they do run chronologically. There are a lot of strong female and male characters in this book, though it mostly focuses on the females. A Must Read book for tweens with an interest in fantasy, medieval, or magic.
Series Info: Book One of the Immortals Series
Sequel: Wolf-Speaker (1994)
Author Website: Tamora Pierce Website
Other Books by the Author: Beka Cooper Series; Song of the Lioness Series; Trickster Series; Circle of Magic Series; Protector of the Small Series;
Interest Level: Ages 10 to 14
Genre: Fantasy Fiction
Subjects/Themes: Animals, Magic, Medieval Worlds, Fictional Wars and Battles, Non-Sexist Occupational Roles
Plot: Daine has a knack for animals that’s definitely magical. She can hear them and they can hear her. Daine's been surviving in wilderness on her own since raiders burned her house down and killed her family. But now Daine needs to rejoin the human world and that means money and a job. Daine manages to get hired as an assistant caring for the Queen’s Riders' horses, a special group of warriors under direct command of the Queen herself. It is here that Daine learns to control her magic, stand up for herself and others, and learn that anyone can be a hero.
Personal Thoughts: One of my favorite tween authors, Pierce's books are all set in the same medieval world. In Daine's world, women are fully equal to men (they can rule or be warriors) which is a result of the previous series, The Song of the Lioness. Each series should be read in order for better understanding, but it is not necessary for the different series to be read in order though they do run chronologically. There are a lot of strong female and male characters in this book, though it mostly focuses on the females. A Must Read book for tweens with an interest in fantasy, medieval, or magic.
Series Info: Book One of the Immortals Series
Sequel: Wolf-Speaker (1994)
Author Website: Tamora Pierce Website
Other Books by the Author: Beka Cooper Series; Song of the Lioness Series; Trickster Series; Circle of Magic Series; Protector of the Small Series;
Coraline (Book)
Gaiman, Neil. (2003). Coraline. Waterville, ME: Thorndike Press.
Interest Level: Ages 9 to 16
Genre: Fiction, Horror
Subjects/Themes: Family, Neighbors, Parallel Universes, Monsters, Talking Animals, Kidnapping
Plot: Coraline has just moved into a new apartment with her very busy parents. They share the building with two old eccentric ladies who used to be actresses and an old man who used to be part of the circus. In an attempt to escape her family and boredom, Coraline crawls down a tunnel into a parallel world where she has another mother and another father. This "other" world is so much more interesting with singing mice, talking cats, and all her favorite things. Her "other" family tells her she can stay forever, if only she sews buttons over her eyes. Now her "other" mother, a monster in disguise, has kidnapped Coraline's family in order to force her to stay. It’s up to Coraline to get them back.
Awards:
ALA Notable Children's Books (2003)
School Library Journal Best Books (2002)
Wisconsin Library Association Children's Book Awards: Elizabeth Burr/Worzalla Award (2003)
YALSA Best Books for Young Adults (2003)
ALA Best Books for Young Adults List (2003) New York Public Library Books for the Teen Age (WINNER)
IRA/CBC Children's Choice (WINNER)
Dorothy Canfield Fisher Children’s Book Award Masterlist (Vermont) (WINNER)
Publishers Weekly Best Book (WINNER)
Child Magazine Best Book of the Year (WINNER)
Bram Stoker Award for Best Work for Young Readers (2002)
Hugo Award for Best Novella (2003)
Personal Thoughts: I loved this book, but then I love a lot of Neil Gaiman's books. Coraline has just the right amount of horror and fantasy that I enjoy. The story is suspenseful and easy to read. Even if children have already seen the movie and know the ending, they'll still enjoy reading the book. If fact knowing there's a happy ending might make this scary book a little less so. They made this book into a movie in 2009, check out the Coraline movie website for more information.
Other Books by the Author: The Graveyard Book (2008); Interworld (2007); Odd and the Frost Giants (2009);
Author's Website: Neil Gaiman's Journal
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