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Category Archives: Fiction
My Teacher’s Not Here!–read this to your class!
My Teacher’s Not Here!
written by Lana Button
illustrated by Christine Battuz
My Teacher’s Not Here! is an endearing story designed to help children adapt to change, particularly the fear of a substitute teacher in the early childhood years. In so many cases, teachers become substitute parents and much more as they guide twenty or more students through a specially designed routine and know the needs of each student.
The teachers and children in this book are adorably depicted as a variety of animals. The story is told in predictable rhyming patterns from the viewpoint of a cute, apprehensive kitten. Their loving teacher has left a note for the children saying she is counting on them to help Mr. Omar (a giraffe), and so the little kitty overcomes her fears and does everything she can to be helpful.
I highly recommend this book for reading to a classroom. It will help allay anxieties and prepare students for that inevitable time when the teacher will be absent. Although the illustrations depict a preschool classroom, students in K-2 would also enjoy the message and the rhymes.
I would like to extend my thanks to netgalley.com and to Kids Can Press for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
Rating: 5/5
Category: Children’s Fiction
Notes: Ages 4-8
Grades P-2
Publication: April 3, 2018—Kids Can Press
Memorable Lines:
Smiling Miss Seabrooke should be here to meet me.
But my teacher is missing and NOT here to greet me.
Someone is standing
in MY teacher’s spot.
He’s ginormously TALL.
Miss Seabrooke is not.
Dr. Coo and the Pigeon Protest–pigeons just want to be loved
Dr. Coo and the Pigeon Protest
written by Sarah Hampson
illustrated by Kass Reich
Dr. Coo and the Pigeon Protest is a sweet but nonrealistic story for children. I don’t mean unrealistic in the sense that it is fiction. Indeed it is fiction and talking birds can be expected. My issue with the book is that its goal is to show how even those with differences can work to get along with each other…and I believe in that. The problem is that the basis for compromise is based on promises the pigeons can not keep such as refraining from “splatting on cars (and heads)” and instead use only designated compost areas for their droppings, keeping public areas clean. In exchange people will not put spikes on ledges, shoo pigeons away, or run them down with cars. These are nice sentiments but the pigeons, being pigeons, can not keep up their end of the bargain. This concept just does not translate over to two groups of people trying to live in harmony.
The book is well written and the illustrations are appealing, their style going well with the text. The best part of the book is the idea Dr. Coo, a pigeon, has for getting people’s attention so they can negotiate. I would say to the team, “Give it another go with a different idea or even a different solution. I just would not buy this for my own children or for my classroom as is.
I would like to extend my thanks to netgalley.com and to Kids Can Press for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
Rating: 3/5
Category: Children’s Fiction
Notes: Ages 4-8
Grades P-2
Publication: April 3, 2018—Kids Can Press
Memorable Lines:
The conversation started out as it normally did.
They cackled about the supply of corn kernels in the park.
They nattered about the nearing of winter.
They prattled about new perches.
Ebb and Flow–some good in everyone
Ebb and Flow
by Heather T. Smith
Ebb and Flow is a sad, emotionally laden story of sins, redemption and forgiveness. It is written in free verse and as such leads to tremendous teaching opportunities. Because rhyming poetry is so easily identifiable for children, it can be difficult to explain the difference between poetry and prose when the poetry does not rhyme. Ebb and Flow is a whole book of examples to demonstrate the concept. It also is an excellent exemplar of poetry as a form of storytelling. The poems in this book demonstrate the effectiveness of well-chosen words. All of these ideas are appropriate to the intended age range of eight to twelve years (grades four to seven).
As an adult I was moved by the book which lets Jett tell his own story of a father in jail, a move to a new town intended to provide a fresh start, and a disastrous year in the new surroundings. There is hope for Jett in a summer visit to a think-outside-the-box grandmother who sees the good in Jett and provides opportunities for him to work through his issues. Although the problems addressed in the book are a reality to be endured for some children, in general they are above the maturity level of most eight year olds: child abuse, spousal abuse, incarceration, homelessness, and the maturity level of some special needs adults. While it could be helpful to some children, it could be frightening to others. Some parents would also object to the expletives found in two places in the book; personally I didn’t understand their inclusion as they did not add to the book in any way.
Thus I recommend the book with the reservation of parental guidance needed for language and content. There is little that is graphic but the overtone is emotionally charged despite the hopeful ending.
I would like to extend my thanks to netgalley.com and to Kids Can Press for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
Rating: 4/5
Category: Children’s Fiction, Poetry
Notes: 1. warnings for domestic violence and swearing
2. Age Range: 8-12 years
3. Grade Level: 4-7
Publication: April 3, 2018—Kids Can Press
Memorable Lines:
I just wanted to say
I’m glad you are here.
And all of a sudden,
I was more than just air.
So,
you think,
when I grow up,
I can be someone?
Grandma’s face went soft.
You ARE someone, dear.
You’re my Jett.
She gave me the room in the attic,
the one with the view of the sea.
Of all the rooms
in all the world
it was the awesomest room
of them all.
It made me feel cozy
and glow-y
and warm,
like a light had turned on
in my heart.
The Most Magnificent Thing–experimentation
The Most Magnificent Thing
by Ashley Spires
The first thing you will notice about The Most Magnificent Thing is the quirky art style. The main character, a little girl, is drawn with a large head and body and pencil thin arms and legs. Her “best friend in the whole wide world” is her dog, drawn in the same style without any softness. The background is mainly black and white line drawing. This is not an art style that typically attracts me to a picture book, but it is the perfect backdrop for this story.
The main character is described as a “regular girl” and remains unnamed. This is the story of how she makes the most magnificent thing ever. Her project turns out to not be as easy as she anticipates, but she perseveres through various versions to the point of total frustration. She works through her anger, redirects her experimentation, building on her past failures, and in the end is satisfied with the results.
I really enjoyed reading this story and wished I had a child with me to share the experience. The Most Magnificent Thing opens up a wealth of opportunities for discussions about creativity, experimentation, success, failure, and persistence. It would be fun to read to a classroom or an individual child.
I would like to extend my thanks to netgalley.com and to Kids Can Press for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
Rating: 5/5
Category: Children’s Fiction
Notes: Ages—3-7 years
Grade Level—Preschool-2
Publication: April 1, 2014—Kids Can Press
The Christmas Train–heartwarming tale of Christmas travelers
The Christmas Train
Have you ever considered traveling across the United States by train? Come aboard The Christmas Train to discover a slower pace, to form temporary friendships, and perhaps to fill a love sized hole. Peopled with interesting characters and set on two different Amtrak trains, The Christmas Train tells of the adventure of reporter Tom Langdon as he fulfills his father’s dying wish to walk in Mark Twain’s footsteps and finish an uncompleted work based on railroad travel across the U.S.
The book starts gently and slowly, but the pace picks up as Tom interacts with his fellow passengers. Author David Baldacci delivers surprise complications and an unexpected ending in this touching tale of a journey of the heart.
Rating: 5/5
Category: General Fiction (Adult)
Notes: This was recently made into a Hallmark movie. Since it is unavailable to me in Mexico, I decided to purchase the book and read it.
Publication: 2002—Hachette Books
Memorable Lines:
“It’s that pioneer spirit. You don’t take a train because you want to get somewhere fast. You take it for the journey itself. To be surprised.”
“It’s been my experience that most folk who ride trains could care less where they’re going. For them it’s the journey itself and the people they meet along the way. You see, at every stop this train makes, a little bit of America, a little bit of your country, gets on and says hello. That’s why trains are so popular at Christmas. People get on to meet their country over the holidays. They’re looking for some friendship, a warm body to talk to.”
“It’s often said that God works in mysterious ways. You have to really think about what He’s trying to do. You can’t be lazy and believe in God; He doesn’t make it that easy. It takes spirit and faith and passion to really believe. Like most things worthwhile in life, you get back what you put into it. Only with faith, you get back a lot more.”
The Boyfriend Swap–great beach, plane, or cozy afternoon
The Boyfriend Swap
by Meredith Schorr
I like to vary my reading occasionally by throwing in a Chick Lit book. Meredith Schorr’s The Boyfriend Swap was a good change of pace at the the right time. The first half established characters, varying the viewpoint in clearly marked divisions between elementary school music teacher Robyn and hard driven lawyer Sidney. It is quite funny as they both have family situations coming up at Christmas where they don’t want their families to meet their respective boyfriends for various reasons.
When the boyfriend swap occurs, the book still has humorous moments, but things don’t always turn out as expected so there are some anxious times as well. Is swapping boyfriends a good idea in anyone’s mind? Will it all work out in the end for Robyn, Sidney, and their boyfriends? Come along for a fun read, but don’t model your romantic life on theirs!
I would like to extend my thanks to netgalley.com and to Henery Press for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
Rating: 5/5
Category: Women’s Fiction, Romance
Publication: November 7, 2017—Henery Press
Memorable Lines:
How were children supposed to nurture their creative sides if schools focused entirely on academics?
Giving him a quick once-over as he absently pulled his finders through his longish hair, I was taken aback by his blatant beauty. The gods of looks certainly didn’t hold back the day Perry was born. Too bad they were so stingy with his humility.
Usually, the scent of garlic from my mom’s roasted chicken made my mouth water, but the guilt-and-anxiety cocktail I was drinking rid me of an appetite.
If My Moon Was Your Sun–the Great Forgetting
If My Moon Was Your Sun
by Andreas Steinhöfel
Illustrated by Nele Palmate
Translation by Matthew O. Anderson
If My Moon Was Your Sun is the poignant tale of ten year old Max who kidnaps his grandfather from an assisted living facility where he lives because he is gradually losing his memory. Max takes his grandpa to Grandpa’s favorite place where he first kissed his future wife and asked her to marry him. They are accompanied on their adventure by Miss Schneider who relives her younger days by dancing through the meadow.
I was provided with a digital version of this book for reviewing purposes, but the actual book has a CD audiobook with classical music by Georges Bizet and Sergei Prokofiev. The original story was created as part of the Ohrenspitzer project for children’s concerts. There are annotations throughout the book indicating the musical work and composer that accompanies each segment of the book. Most of the compositions are by Prokofiev, so I listened to some of his works and can only imagine how wonderful the union of the story, artwork, and music must be.
I would like to extend my thanks to netgalley.com and to Plough Publishing House for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
Rating: 5/5
Category: Children’s Fiction, Parenting and Families
Notes: accompanied by CD audiobook
Publication: November 1, 2017—Plough Publishing House
Memorable Lines:
The special thing happened when you let yourself sink slowly into the tall grass and pressed your hands into earth, which was firm and yet soft too, as though it could breathe. You closed your eyes, you breathed deeply in and out, and in no time at all you felt rooted and alive. Your thoughts became clear and orderly: the right thoughts flowed through your mind like cool, wet silver, and the wrong thoughts burned up like rust in a very hot fire.
To keep the Great Forgetting away from Grandfather when it tried to grab hold of him, it was sometimes enough to hug him tightly, offering nearness and security.
Watching Miss Schneider dance was like watching the sun spill itself over the earth. Stiff arms and legs, now in motion, suddenly seemed touched by eternal youth, and from their graceful movements a lightness flowed throughout the valley.
The Eye of the North–children’s fantasy adventure
The Eye of the North
by Sinéad O’Hart
The Eye of the North is a fantasy adventure tale intended for children in grades three through seven. The interest level would be appropriate for that range and maybe a little higher, but the reading level is too high for most third graders as it contains some fairly advanced vocabulary. It would make a good read aloud with a parent. The chapters are short. Within each chapter, when the two main characters are apart, the story jumps from one character to the other in a well-defined fashion which keeps the plot moving and the reader involved in the action of both characters.
The main character is Emmeline Widget whose parents are immersed in secret scientific research which endangers both them and their daughter. The storyline follows Emmeline’s adventures through apparent abandonment, solo sea travel, kidnapping, attacks and rescues by extraordinary creatures, and near death experiences. Along the way she meets Thing, a most unusual and self-sufficient boy. She saves his life and he repays her by following her north to lands of snow and ice to rescue her.
I would like to extend my thanks to netgalley.com and to Random House (Knopf Books for Young Readers) for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
Rating: 4/5
Category: Children’s Fiction
Notes: Age Range: 8-12 years
Grade Level: 3-7
Publication: August 22, 2017— Random House (Knopf Books for Young Readers)
Memorable Lines:
Even worse, a roaring river ran right at the end of their property, sweeping past with all the haughtiness of a diamond-encrusted duchess.
…her gaze was caught by a dusty head emerging from a grating in the wall. This head—the color of whose hair was impossible to determine—was swiftly followed by a grubby body dressed in overalls. The fingernails of this creature were clotted with dirt and oil, and his—its?—face was smeared with grease. As Emmeline watched, he slithered out of the hole he’d been hiding in, until all of him—and there wasn’t much—was standing in front of Emmeline with a hand held out in greeting.
“Mornin’,” he said “M’names’s Thing. Who’re you?”
The wind was rummaging through his clothing like a pickpocket looking for a payday.
Indian Summer–a book of relationships
Indian Summer
by Marcia Willett
Indian Summer is one of those books that is difficult to categorize. Some call it a Romance, but it focuses more on relationships than on romance. Others see it as Women’s Fiction, and I agree that it would appeal more to women than to men, but I prefer to just call it a novel. Marcia Willett’s Indian Summer is the story of Sir Mungo Kerslake and his brother Archie who reside on the family property near a small town. The other characters’ lives intersect with the brothers’ in various ways. Some live on the property as tenants or renters. Others are visitors from outside the community. All have secrets.
Sir Mungo is a very social retired actor and director of some renown, and all of the characters relate to him in some way. Very likable, he is the ultimate good friend—hospitable, understanding, loyal, and trustworthy. He has the amusing penchant of looking at life through a director’s lens, seeing life events as the bits and pieces of a play. He adds a fun, dramatic flair to every situation.
Indian Summer was first published as a paperback in 2015. Thomas Dunne Books is now publishing it as a hardback. This my first book by this author, but won’t be the last. I enjoyed the gentle, understanding approach of the author to her characters. The story is written in such a way that it jumps between sets of characters within a chapter. That was disconcerting at first, but as the relationships became more apparent, these switches morphed into a flow appropriate to the plot.
I would like to extend my thanks to netgalley.com and to Thomas Dunne Books for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
Rating: 5/5
Category: Women’s Fiction, Romance
Publication: June 27, 2017—Thomas Dunne Books
Memorable Lines:
Her own world has swung back into focus and she realizes how very precious it is to her. She mustn’t risk it for this chimera of excitement and fun; for some brief sexual gratification. Yet how to extricate herself?
The trouble is, he knows by experience that it’s this part of the creative process that he really loves: sitting in bars with his laptop open, jotting down ideas; walking around new places; watching people and inventing little scenarios for them. It’s rather depressing that, when the time comes to sit down and actually write the story, his enthusiasm wanes.
Perhaps, thinks Mungo, that’s why the friends of our youth are so dear to us. To each other we aren’t grey and old and dull. We remember times when we took chances, acted courageously, rescued each other and gave each other support. These things remain. In their company we are the people we’ve always been: viable and strong.
Do Not Take Your Dragon to Dinner–fun picture book
Do Not Take Your Dragon to Dinner
written by Julie Gassman
illustrated by Andy Elkerton
Almost any child will enjoy Do Not Take Your Dragon to Dinner; its predictable rhyming patterns and repetition will charm. Its descriptions of all the rude behaviors a dragon might engage in are sure to disgust to the delight of children. Dinosaur lovers will be particularly happy reading this book. The illustrations are bright, colorful, large, and seem to jump off the page. The illustrator worked hard to be inclusive of children of both genders and many ethnicities. The best part of the book’s structure is that after showing all the annoying and disgusting things a dragon might do at a restaurant, the author suggests that the child teach the dragon dining etiquette at home so he will be welcome in a restaurant with the child.
This book bears a strong resemblance to How Do Dinosaurs Eat their Food by Jane Yolen. The focus of Do Not Take Your Dragon to Dinner is, of course, dragons, but these dragons strongly evoke fanciful dinosaurs. If your child enjoys Yolen’s “How Do Dinosaurs…” books, then he or she would probably enjoy Do Not Take Your Dragon to Dinner. My ultimate test for a good children’s book is to decide if the adult will enjoy reading the book with the child as read-alouds should always be a time of pleasure for all involved. In the case of this book, I personally give it two thumbs up!
I would like to extend my thanks to netgalley.com and to Capstone Young Readers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
Rating: 5/5
Category: Humor, Children’s Fiction
Notes: suggested for ages 3-7; fun for home or school
Publication: September 1, 2017—Capstone Young Readers
Memorable Lines:
A rude guest like a dragon disturbs everyone.
He barges right in. He spoils the fun.
A wing in your face! A tail in a drink!
And worst of all, that distinct dragon STINK!
education pathways 