61. Like Pickle Juice on a Cookie - Julie Sternberg

#1 Eleanor
illustrated by Matthew Cordell

2011, Amulet Books

120 gs.

Early Reader - CRF - in verse

Finished 9/21/2014

Goodreads rating: 3.77

My rating:  4/ Loved it

Paperback Swap - Hardcover!

Setting: Contemporary city (she lives upstairs in an apartment building, very New Yorky in feel and illustrations)

1st sentence/s:  
     "I had a bad August."
      A very bad August.
      As bad a pickle juice on a cookie.
      As bad as a spiderweb on your leg.
      As bad as the black parts of a banana.
      I hope your August was better.
      I really do."

My comments:  This is a very charming book, written in verse, with lots of illustrations,so it's somewhat of a graphic novel, too. Eleanor is about to start 3rd grade, but her beloved babysitter (the daily kind), Bibi, has had to move to Florida.  Eleanor is distraught.  It's a book that's easy-to-read but not babyish.  And it's the beginning of a series!

Goodreads book summary:  When Eleanor's beloved babysitter, Bibi, has to move away to take care of her ailing father, Eleanor must try to bear the summer without Bibi and prepare for the upcoming school year. Her new, less-than-perfect babysitter just isn't up to snuff, and she doesn't take care of things like Bibi used to. But as the school year looms, it's time for new beginnings. Eleanor soon realizes that she will always have Bibi, no matter how far away she is. 
          Written in a lyrical style with thoughtful and charming illustrations throughout, this remarkable debut novel tells a poignant story of friendship and the bittersweet feelings of growing up.

73. Big Whopper - Patricia Reilly Giff

Zigzag Kids #2
Illustrateda by Alasdair Bright
Wendy Lamb Books/Random House, 2010
Simultaneously in paper?
68 pages
Rating: 3

Patricia Reilly Giff, award-winning author, has begun another series of early chapter books for young kids. Set in the after-school program at the Afternoon Center at the Zelda A. Zigzag School, readers meet the same group of children in each installment. However, each one features a different child as the protagonist. Alasdair Bright’s line drawings accentuate a small part of almost every two-page spread.

I read this one before the first, but there was no problem understanding what was going on. I'm guessing you can jump in anywhere. This one's about a frizzy blonde-haired girl named Destiny who loves the afterschool program. She runs into trouble, however, when she tells a lie because she's feeling a little like a loser. It's a simple lie, but it troubles her greatly. Then she tells her friend, Mitchell, and he tries to help her fix things. Meanwhile, it's DISCOVER week at the center, and Destiny feels she's never going to DISCOVER anything - and be able to write it on the huge drawing-paper wall. It's another student, one named Gina, that precipitates much of the frustrations that Destiny is feeling this week. We all have a Gina in our lives! Of course everything turns out well. Too well??

It's a very cute story. Teachers and adults are helpers and friends, not the enemy. When I look online for reading level guidelines, I see ages 9 - 12 everywhere. This seems much too high to me. My nine and ten year olds could read this just fine, but it would seem very young for them, I think. But would a first or early-second grader, which I would think would be the target group, be able to read it? Yes, it's written in short sentences and paragraphs. Is the font the right size? I'm really not sure!

27. The Dream Stealer - Sid Fleischman

Illustrated by Peter Sis
Greenwillow, 2009
$16.99
For: Grades 2-4 with a wide vocabulary
90 pages
The first half was quite delightful, the second half didn't catch me quite as well.

Susana lives in Mexico and discovers that a big spotted, crazy-looking bird has stolen her dream before she could find out what happened. The Dream Stealer was only supposed to steal bad dreams, so she is a little perturbed at him. She figures out a clever way to catch him, and convinces him to take her to the place where he keeps all the dreams he's stolen. Once they get there some of the creatures from his stolen bad dreams escape, and Susana has to help put things right.

Sid Fleischman uses great language, interesting similes, and fantastic vocabulary to spin this fantasy/fairy tale. It's quite clever and would make a great read aloud. Play with the words thief/bandit/burglar before reading so that kids understand they are synonyms.

72. Cam Jansen: The Mystery of the Babe Ruth Baseball - David Adler

Cam Jansen Adventure Series #6
Illustrated by Susanna Natti
(recently updated cover art by Joy Allen)
Scholastic, 1982
58 pages
Rating: 3.5
(2.7, 500L, L, 28 DRA)

Cam Jansen is a fifth grader with a photographic memory. Therefore, she's able to solve mysteries, and that's what she does in this story. She and her best friend Eric accompany her parents to a hobby show. While there, an authographed Babe Ruth baseball is stolen. Cam uses her mental abilities and tracks down the thief.

(It would help if you know a little about the history of baseball when reading the story, and have a bit of an idea of who Babe Ruth was.)

The story is simple, simple to read - a second grade level - so is particularly well-suited for 3rd or 4th graders who are having reading difficulties to practice their reading. A somewhat interesting story with details, adventurous, with a mystery to solve.

71. Junie B. Jones & the Stupid Smelly Bus - Barbara Park

Junie B. Jones series, Book #1
Illustrated by Denise Brunkus
Stepping Stone Book/Random House, 1992
$4.99
RL: 2.0, ages 6-9
74 pages
Rating: 4.5
www.randomhouse.com/kids/junieb

Hilarious 1st person narrative. Junie B. is a HOOT!

The story is of her first day at school and her traumatic bus ride. She really, REALLY didn't want to ride home on it, so she hid in the classroom supply closet. She nammped. She investigated the school. But then she had to go to the bathroom and all the bathroom doors were locked. It was an emergency - and she'd been taught what to do.....call 911!

69. Judy Moody - Megan McDonald

Book #1 in the Judy Moody Series
(Judy Moody was in a mood. Not a good mood. A bad mood.)
Illustrated by Peter H. Reynolds
Candlewick, 2000
168 pgs.
$5.99
Rating: 5

Check out the Judy Moody website!!

Judy Moody was not very happy to begin 3rd grade. She was in a bad mood. But things started looking up when she walked into the room, met her third grade teacher, and saw that everything they were going to do that day revolved around pizza. Of course, she couldn't show her enjoyment, she WAS in a bad mood......

This if a funny, clever story. The book revolves around an assignment that the class has to do in the first month of school, creating a "me" poster. (I'm really glad these kids take their assignments so seriously!) The T.P. Club is created, a highly secret club. And no, it doesn't mean toilet paper. She discovers that the classmate that eats paste is actually not someone to be kept at an arm's distance, but a collector-like-her that was brave enough to eat paste as a dare. She constantly thinks outside-the-box, enjoying a Venus flytrap as a new pet. She aspires to be a doctor like Elizabeth Blackwell and has a huge bandaid collection. She loves to tease her brother, but is always there to make things all right for him, too. She's a really great kid. I love her!

Highly recommended. Would make a great read aloud for third graders, too.

63. Miss Daisy is Crazy! Dan Gutman

My Weird School SERIES #1
Illustrated by Jim Paillot
Harper Trophy, 2004
Funny - 2nd grade protagonist
ages 7-10, 700 Lexile, L

Miss Daisy, the second grade teacher, says she can't read, do math, or even know the presidents. (NOTE: She's a very wise teacher!!) She gets the school reading a million pages so they can "rent" the school for a night to play video games. She gets a famous football player to come to visit to prove that football players aren't "dumb." Funny and clever - loved it. (Bought it for Ashley, who's just started 2nd grade.)

12-29-2012 Ella and I just read this book together.  She read some, I read some.  She's in first grade.  She had to be told a little about some of the humor, but totally enjoyed it.  So did I!)

For a list of the books in the series, look here.

Mercy Watson Fights Crime - Kate DiCamillo

Illustrated by Chris Van Dusen
#3 Mercy Watson series
Candlewick, 2006
74 pgs.
For: ages 6-8
Rating: 5

Now here's a series where a clever, funny story and very clever, comical illustrations work together perfectly. Just perfectly. Such characters! Such humor. Great fun.

Mercy Watson, a pig, a plain old non-talking, food-loving pig, lives with Mr. and Mrs. Watson in her own room with her own bed. She loves to eat and sleep and ... well, that's about it, I guess. But what an adventure she unwittingly gets herself into.

Tiny Leroy Ninker, who wants to be a cowboy but is a robber, breaks into the Watson kitchen. He steals the toaster, the clock, and various other kitcheny items until Mercy hears the toaster sliding across the counter and thinks someone is preparing toast with butter. She discovers that no one is, so she falls asleep in front of the getaway door. When Leroy begins to step over her, she awakens and takes him for a Yippee-I-Oh ride across the lawn, waking up two old-lady sisters next door.

Hilarious and fun. Last week when I was in Maine, my granddaughter, Ashley, and I went into the Briar Patch children's bookstore in Bangor. (Wow, more on that later...) Her immediate choice of a new book was the newest Mercy Watson, #6, that has just been published. She said that Chris Van Dusen (the illustrator) had come to visit her school and she'd read other books in the series. Ashley's somewhat of a reluctant reader, so this was a very happy discovery for me. A very worthwhile, happy discovery. I want to get to know more of these characters - especially Baby and Eugenia Lincoln, the two elderly sisters who live next door.

44. Emmaline and the Bunny - Katherine Hannigan

for: young kids
(advertised gr. 1-3 in one place, ages 7-12 in another)
Greenwillow Books, Feb. 2009
112 pages
full color illustrations by the author
$14.99

PW calls this "an environmental fable." Somewhere else I saw that its a "celebration of ingenuity...and untidiness." Booklist gave it a starred review.

I've been sitting in front of the computer for fifteen minutes, trying to decide what to write. Maybe its because the last few books I've read have been murder mysteries and edgy young adult novels, but I don't know what to say about this book. I didn't like it. At all. Well, I guess I do know what to say. Perhaps if it was written in verse instead of prose? Would I then think it's a charming tale? I've read "Stink" lately, and "Ivy and Bean." Loved 'em both, so that shoots my first theory. I guess I just don't like the way its written. Because I do like what it says, just not how it says it.

Here is chapter 14 (Because I can't indent, I've put elongated elipses (.....) where paragraphs start):

....."They hopped in short grass and tall. They hopped around trees and along hedges.
.....Emmaline watched the white tail go up and down, up an down in front of her. "Bunny," she told it. "I am behind your behind."
.....When the bunny's ears went out, then in, Emmaline stayed still. "I am listening, too," she whispered."
.....When there were strange sounds, they scoot-skedaddled side-by-side. Beneath bushes, they crouched close together. "Bunny, I am not scared, mostly," Emmaline said."

The message is great....in the town of Neatasapin, Emmaline is NOT. She is noisy, and messy...a very ordinary child. Not allowed. When she decides she wants a bunny for her birthday, she discovers that it's agains the rules. Tough. Not HER rules! These are stupid rules, so she does something about it. See, great message.

So why don't I like the way it's written? I just tried reading it aloud, and when you make it sound more like verse it seems much better to me. Much less.....talking down. Less "See Jane run." Maybe that's it. Or maybe I'm just in a fussy mood. Hmmm....don't think so.

40. The Incredible Shrinking Kid - Megan McDonald

Stink Series, Book #1
Illustrated by Peter H. Reynolds
102+ pages (Last 12 pgs. are upcoming book)
Candlewick, 2005
$4.99
Rating: 5 (Yup, 5. Can't wait to read another.)
Reading Level N

This book has references to poetry, figurative language, research, acrostic poetry, and six pages of graphic novel/comics at end of each of the chapters. It's REALLY well written. James Moody ("Stink") is Judy Moody's younger brother. She figures prominently in the book. "You're only as short as you feel." How can you beat that?

Okay, I'm sold. I love Stink. (Does that mean I'll love Judy Moody?)

Stink is certain he's shrinking. He's certainly not getting any taller. Then he gets to be the person that brings home the class newt for the weekend, and it slips down the drain. He celebrates James Madison for President's Day (he was 5' 4" tall), likes school, enjoys homework, writes poetry and songs - well, what's not to love?

The illustrations are the same as Judy Moody. Black and white and fun.

It looks like there are four books in the series so far:
1. Stink: The Incredible Shrinking Kid, 2005
2. Stink and the Incredible Super-Galactic Jawbreaker, 2006
3. Stink and the World's Worst Super-Stinky Sneakers, 2007
4. Stink and the Great Guinea Pig Express, 2008

38. Ivy & Bean - Annie Barrows

Book 1 in a series
Illustrated by Sophie Blackall
Published 2006
For: 6-9 year olds
$5.99

This book is about 7 year-olds, and currently has five books in the series.

After reading The Guernsey Literary/Potato Peel book (I can never remember the correct name) which was co-written by Annie Barrows, I researched her a bit. This Ivy and Bean series looks like it has become very popular with the younger crowd, so I decided to try one. WHAT A WONDERFUL STORY!

Bean is messy and lively and loves playing tricks. Her new neighbor across the cul de sac, Ivy, looks neat and bookish and boring. W r o n g!

In this fast-pace, humorous story, Ivy and Bean discover how much they have in common and become fast friends by the end of the book. Laugh-out-loud funny, very clever, and very real. No a bit boring or simplistic, either in writing style or plot. It doesn't talk down to kids at all. Totally delightful.

Midnight on the Moon and its companion book: Space - Mary Pope Osborne

#8 in the Magic Tree House series
Published 1996
70 pgs.
Still $3.99!
RL: 2.1, ages 6-9

Nonfiction partner: Space
Published 2002
Mary Pope Osborne & Will Osborne
144 pgs.
$4.99
RL 2.9, ages 6-9

I think there are at least 38 in The Magic Tree House series now, and up to perhaps number 19 in the resourse guides. So I decided that it was time to read at least one of them. I chose Midnight on the Moon, because I think I'm going to be teaching the moon, sun, and stars in science next year.

"The Universe is filled with wonders." Siblings Jack and Annie take a trip in their magic treehouse to the moon to try to find the fourth and final "M" to free Morgan le Fay from a spell.

The RESOURCE GUIDE: Space:
Includes chapter and mucho information on:
-ancient astronomy & astronomers (Copernicus, Galileo, Newton)
-the universe, galalzies, stars, the sun
-the solar system
-space travel
-moon history
-the space shuttles
--telescopes
--light years
--eclipses

Also includes a pretty decent index - perhaps a good tool for beginning teaching of how to use one.

This would be an excellent companion to a space unti for grades 2 - 4, I could see a class writing their own set about something they're studying after reading a novel and its companion. Or, a teacher could assigne book reports of one of the novels and its companion, students choosing whatever interested them. Lots and lots of teaching ideas here. Just distinguishing the difference for young readers between fiction and nonfiction could be taught VERY early.....

I've had fifth graders with reading difficulties come from fourth grade into fifth grade very excited about reading these books. (and now I've read one myself....that's a good thing). It was quite good, not boring and repetitive, and would probably keep a reluctant reader going, as well as a younger child who was reading at a more advanced level. Fits a lot of bills.

For more information, take a look at:
Mary Pope Osborne's Website
as well as
Random House's website, which includes activities for some of the books.

21. The Most Beautiful Place in the World - Ann Cameron

Illustrator: Thomas B. Allen
1988
RL: 3.7 (age 7-10)
Perfect for beginning of 4th/Latin America
Rating: Good

Juan lives in the mountains in San Pablo, Guatemala. He is very poor and his story makes me so sad - seventeen-year-old mother, father abandons them, they go to live with grandmother and huge extended family in tiny home. Mother remarries and doesn't want him. Strict grandmother teaches him to shine shoes and at 7 years old earns a dollar a day working full time. He longs to go to school but is afraid to bring it up to his grandmother, so with the help of customers, teaches himself to read.

There's a shift in the story here. When he finally talks to his grandmother about school, the reader gets to see her a little differently, a little closer look, and the story becomes one of devotion and love while still working hard to survive.

Easy to read. Lots to think about. Poverty. Culture.

This could be a read aloud, create a picture book or mural or montage--endless possiblilities.