Module 15 - The Things They Carried

Module 15 - The Things They Carried

Book Summary -
This book is basically a collection of vignettes.  They are about a platoon of American soldiers during the Vietnam War.  The title refers to the items that each of the men carried throughout the war and the importance of them to the soldiers.  From the soldier who goes crazy and shoots his foot, to the one who dies from being shot in the head, each of the soldiers carries guilt along with actual items.  For those who do not die, no one returns the same.  This book is violent and bloody, but very realistic. 

APA Reference -
O'Brien, T. (1990).  The things they carried.  New York: Houghton, Mifflin, Harcourt.

My Impressions -
One of my teacher friends always used a chapter of this book to teach, and I was always interested in it, but never read it.  Since I've never read a book about soldiers during the Vietnam War, I was very interested in reading this.  This book was, at time, hard to read.  It is quite graphic.  It was a great read, though, even when it was a hard read.  This book is certainly not for younger readers, and only for older high school students.

Professional Review -
Winner of a National Book Award in 1979 for  After Cacciato {LJ 12/15/77), O'Brien again shows his literary stuff with this brilliant collection of short stories, many of which have won literary recognition (several appeared in O. Henry Awards' collections and Best American Short Stories). Each of the 22 tales relates the exploits and personalities of a fictional platoon of American soldiers in Vietnam. An acutely painful reading experience, this collection should be read as a book and not a mere selection of stories reprinted from magazines. Not since Kurt Vonnegut's Slaughterhouse-Five (LJ 3/1/69) has the American soldier been portrayed with such poignance and sincerity.
Annichiarico, M. M. (1990). The Things They Carried (Book). Library Journal, 115(3), 212.

Library Uses -
This would be great as a focus during a banned books week.  The students could read it and then decide why some chose to ban this book

Module 14 - All the Broken Pieces

Module 14 - All the Broken Pieces

Book Summary -
Matt Pin is now a world away from where he was just a couple of years ago.  He was airlifted out of Vietnam and is now living is a great adoptive home in the United States.  He's broken and haunted by his past.  He continually faces prejudice from those in his town, and he finally forces the secret that he's been keeping from those he loves.  He remembers everything from before he came to the U.S.  He remembers what happened right before he was taken from Vietnam.  He feels responsible for his brother losing both his legs and fingers as he was supposed to be watching his little brother and let him wander away.  His adoptive family assures him that they will always want and love him.  Matt hopes to find his mother and little brother.  He remembers his name.

APA Reference -
Burg, A.E. (2009). All the broken pieces.  New York: Scholastic Press.

My Impressions -
I had never read a novel in verse before.  When I started, I was worried that it wouldn't be easy to follow, or it would be really long-winded.  It isn't.  It is a great read.  This book will definitely stick with me for some time.  I'm not sure if that's a result of the content or the form, but it certainly touched on a subject that very few books do at this level.  I was extremely impressed.

Professional Review -
Gr 6-8--Sensitively read by Tobias Christian Wong, Ann E. Burg's historical fiction in verse (Scholastic, 2009) illuminates a variety of notorious issues of the Vietnam War. Matt, a Vietnamese boy abandoned by his American soldier father, is relinquished by his desperate mother, hoping that he might have a chance for a healthy, happy life in the United States. Matt has experienced the horrors of war and has witnessed the land mine maiming of his three-year-old brother. He is adopted by a compassionate and well-intentioned American physician and his wife. The novel focuses on Matt's experience in seventh grade where he is bullied, ridiculed, and blamed for the death of American soldiers. He becomes the ultimate scapegoat for classmates echoing the feelings of their elders. The boy feels unwanted by everyone, including his loving adoptive parents. Even his talent for baseball pitching can't improve his self-esteem. Jeff, a Vietnam medic veteran who works with Matt's father, becomes a catalyst to help avert a crisis. With the cooperation of the school baseball coach and a disabled veteran, Matt and those scared by the war reach a healing point at the story's satisfying resolution. Wong's voice was well-chosen for Burg's passionate free verse, echoing the pain and caring of the characters. Educators will find this audiobook useful for sparking class discussions.
Ward, J. (2011). All the broken pieces. School Library Journal, 57(2), 59.

Library Uses -
This book would be great to kick off a poetry unit and competition at the library.  It would be a great highlight for non-traditional verse.  I would have this be one of the books that is focused on as a poetry competition is announced.

Module 13 - Meet Kirsten

Module 13 - Meet Kirsten

Book Summary -
Kirsten Larson is a 9-year-old girl who is moving from Sweden with her father, mother, and two brothers, to join her relatives in Minnesota.  The journey is not easy, and she even loses her best friend on the way, Marta.  Kirsten is almost inconsolable.  It takes a long time in the boat, riding, and walking, before they finally reach her aunt, uncle, and two cousins.  She quickly bonds with the two girls and settles in to enjoy her new life in America.

APA Reference -
Shaw, J. (1986). Meet Kirsten: An American girl. Middleton, WI: Pleasant Company.

My Impressions -
This is a great historical fiction book for young female readers.  The reader quickly identifies with Kirsten, and is very eager to see the family make it to Minnesota and settle down.  The many different harsh conditions that the family faces lead up to the death of Kirsten's friend.  This is a very real, but sad event.  It brings home the danger of the journey.  I can easily see how the American Girl books have captured the imaginations of little girls everywhere.  This is a great read.

Professional Review -
I read this book aloud to my daughters.
This is the first book in the American Girls Kirsten Series. This is also our first book in any American Girl series and our first book by this author.
We love reading books that take place during the 1800s time period. In this book, Kirsten's family immigrates from Sweden to America in 1854. They are travelling to Minnesota to join family members already settled there. Along the way, they experience some difficulties. The series continues with five more books.
We really enjoyed the book! When I told my daughters that there is an American Girl website and that there is an historical Kirsten doll, they were so excited! They went from not knowing who American Girl was to now having American Girl dolls, catalogs, and playing games on their website! Smart marketing! We are hooked on the American Girl historical books and dolls.
Darlene's Book Nook.  (2011).  Meet Kirsten.  http://darlenesbooknook.blogspot.com

Library Uses -
This would be a great introduction to historical fiction for older elementary.  They would be able to read more books in the series, or find a similar series.  They could find out what the United States was like in the 1850s and create a posterboard with pictures.

Module 12 - Odd Boy Out: Young Albert Einstein

Module 12 - Odd Boy Out: Young Albert Einstein

Book Summary -
This book tells the story of Einstein's childhood and how he never seemed to quite fit in with everyone.  He didn't fit in with his family, his friends, his school, or anyone, really.  This book highlights his brilliance and focuses on the fact that, even though people are really smart, they may not fit in with the rest of the world, and that is fine.  The book uses quotes from Einstein's writing to support the story.

APA Reference -
Brown, D. (2004).  Odd boy out: Young Albert Einstin. New York: Houghton.

My Impressions -
This is a great introduction to the man behind the myth.  Most students know about Einstein, but they really don't know about his life at all.  This book for young readers is great at emphasizing that not everyone fits in with society, and those people can turn out to be great people.  I liked this book, but didn't love it, but it was very good at pointing out aspects of Einstein's life that few know anything about.

Professional Review -

Gr 2-5-- This well-crafted picture-book biography focuses on Einstein's hard-to-classify brilliance, which led to awesome scientific discoveries, but all too often left him a misunderstood outsider. Brown describes his subject's loving, cultured parents who were frequently nonplussed by their son's behavior and temper. He found himself the "odd boy" at school, and as the only Jewish student, was sometimes taunted by other children. He puzzled his instructors as well; though clearly gifted in science, math, and music, he was an indifferent student in most subjects. Brown's pen-and-ink and watercolor illustrations, rendered in a palette of dusky mauve and earthy brown, portray a doubtful, somewhat unhappy-looking child, except for a picture in which he gazes fondly at a compass, a gift that astonishes him as he ponders its mysteries. In many scenes he is marginalized on the sidelines, set apart by color and shading. One dramatic spread features an adult Einstein pushing his child in a carriage, looking small against a backdrop that highlights some of the scientific puzzles that so engaged him. Through eloquent narrative and illustration, Brown offers a thoughtful introduction to an enigmatic man. This book will pique the interest of readers with little or no knowledge of Einstein.

Jones, T. E., Toth, L., Charnizon, M., Grabarek, D., Larkins, J., & Taniguchi, M. (2004). Odd boy out: Young Albert Einstein (Book). School Library Journal, 50(10), 138-139.

Library Uses -

This would be a great introduction into biographies.  The older students could then look up information about some figures that interest them and write a very short biography and draw pictures to illustrate it.

Module 11 - Birds

Module 11 - Birds

Book Summary -

This is a young children's book that tells of birds of all kinds. It explains different options, different colors, and different shapes. It explains that they go away in the winter, but come back in the spring. The book ends with a focus on how birds and people are similar: the can both sing.

APA Reference -

Henkes, K. (2009). Birds. New York: Greenwillow Books.

My Impressions -

This is a great book for very young readers. It is not as simplistic as a counting book, but the illustrations do help with the reading. It would be a good book to help readers learn to read. I loved the illustrations. They are colorful and fun. It is simply a beautiful book that teaches young children the basics of birds.

Professional Review -

PreS-K-- This brief introduction to birds focuses on such basic features as their different colors and sizes. Soft acrylic paintings that appear as spreads, vignettes, and framed scenes match a text that perfectly conveys the young narrator's fascination with the birds in her environment. "Once I saw seven birds on the telephone wire. They didn't move and they didn't move and they didn't move. I looked away for just a second…." Three lines of identically positioned birds on wires appear with the text across the spread. Then a page turn reveals a thick, black, empty wire stretched across a stark white spread along with the words "and they were gone." The youngster imagines what the sky would look like if the birds could make marks with their tails and how bird-clouds would look during the day and at night. She can't really fly like the birds, but the final page demonstrates one way in which she can imitate them. The child voice in this charming story is just right and will resonate with the very youngest children. And the little girl's musings can encourage more "what if" conversations that will spark their imaginations.

Saccardi, M. (2009). Birds. School Library Journal, 55(2), 76.

Library Uses -

This would be a good read aloud book for Pre-K or Kindergartners. The children can then draw their favorite birds.

Module 10 - The Book Thief

Module 10 - The Book Thief

Book Summary -
Narrated by Death, the book follows a young girl who goes to live with foster parents during World War II in Germany.  On the way there, Liesel's brother dies.  As he's being buried, Liesel steals her first book from the gravedigger as a remembrance of her brother.  She helps deliver laundry for her foster mother and learns how to read from her foster father.  She steals books from the mayor's house, and spends time with the Jew who is hiding in the basement.  She writes her own stories and titles them The Book Thief.  Max, the Jew who was hiding in the house, is sent off for his own protection, but is later found by the Nazis.  Liesel's friend Rudy always wants a kiss from her, but only gets it after the whole block is destroyed and Liesel is the only remaining survivor because she hid in the basement.  she later reunites with Max.  As Death was working overtime in this period, he only comes for Liesel later in her life as she is living in Sydney.  He found her thought to be lost book, has read it, and admits that humans haunt him. 

APA Reference -
Zusak, M. (2006).  The book thief.  New York: Knopf.

My Impressions -
I had been wanting to read this book for some time after I saw some of my students reading it.  It certainly was worth it.  It really is a haunting look at a girl and those around her who are trying to survive in a world where few do.  By having Death be the main narrator, there is a unique look at humans and what makes them human.  By Death admitting that he is haunted by humans, Zusak makes the point that humans are capable of ultimate cruelty and evil.  This is a very haunting book.  It is not necessarily unique in the subject matter, a person trying to live despite war, but it is unique in the literary devices that he uses.  It is a must read in my opinion.

Professional Review -
This hefty volume is an achievement--a challenging book in both length and subject, and best suited to sophisticated older readers. The narrator is Death himself, a companionable if sarcastic fellow, who travels the globe "handing souls to the conveyor belt of eternity." Death keeps plenty busy during the course of this WWII tale, even though Zusak (I Am the Messenger) works in miniature, focusing on the lives of ordinary Germans in a small town outside Munich. Liesel Meminger, the book thief, is nine when she pockets The Gravedigger's Handbook, found in a snowy cemetery after her little brother's funeral. Liesel's father--a "Kommunist"--is already missing when her mother hands her into the care of the Hubermanns. Rosa Hubermann has a sharp tongue, but Hans has eyes "made of kindness." He helps Liesel overcome her nightmares by teaching her to read late at night. Hans is haunted himself, by the Jewish soldier who saved his life during WWI.

The Book Thief. (2006). Publishers Weekly, 253(5), 70-71.

Library Uses -

This book would be a great spotlighted historical ficiton book.  Because its narrator is Death, many students would probably be drawn to it.  It would be a great lesson to have the students explain how the book might have been different had the narrator not been Death.

Module 9 - Cam Jansen and the Barking Treasure Mystery

Module 9 - Cam Jansen and the Barking Treasure Mystery

Book Summary -
Cam Jansen and her friends are going on a boat ride around the city.  They are going to see a pirate ship at the end of the tour as well.  When Lila Wood's dog Little Treasure is missing, Cam and her friends are to the rescue.  Little Treasure is found is the men's bathroom, but his collar is missing!  Cam and her friends continue to look.  While looking they actually miss the pirate ship.  It turns out that Little Treasure was initially taken for his collar.  It had diamonds and emeralds on it, and, of course, Cam points out just the man and he is arrested.

APA Reference -
Adler, D. (1999).  Cam Jansen and the barking treasure mystery.  New York: Scholastic.

My Impressions -
This is such a cute, short mystery.  The problem is easily identified and the mystery is solved in a very efficient manner  Cam Jansen and her friends are very likeable and it is easy to see why so many young readers love these mysteries.

Professional Review -
Gr 2-4 --Readers are swept into the plot immediately as Cam, her friend Eric, his mother, and her annoying, but well-meaning friend embark on a boat ride. When a wealthy passenger's dog is stolen, Eric, Cam, and her photographic memory spring into action. The mystery is solved through the kids' perseverance and the thief's verbal mistakes. As with the others in the series, this title is written in short chapters with large print and numerous black-and-white full and half-page illustrations. A game at the conclusion encourages readers to test their own powers of memory. This is a natural addition to early chapter-book collections.

Dorr, C., & Jones, T. E. (1999). Preschool to Grade 4: Fiction. School Library Journal, 45(12), 87.

Library Uses -

This book would be fun to kick off a mystery writing competition.  The students would stretch their minds and imaginations to write a fun mystery that other students can try to solve.

Module 8 - The Hunger Games

Module 8 - The Hunger Games

Book Summary -
The book takes place in a post-apocalyptic North America called Panem and is narrated by Katniss Everdeen.  As punishment for an earlier rebellion, the Capital has 2 children from the ages of 12 to 18 from the 12 districts compete in the Hunger Games.  It is basically a fight to the death.  Katniss takes the place of her younger sister Primrose when she can't stand to see her compete.  As the gaems start, many die early.  The rules are continually changed, especially when it is found that the other contestant from district 12, Peeta, has a crush on Katniss.  First two people can win the game, then they change it so no only one can win.  Katniss uses her wits and skills to make sure that Peeta and she are the last ones standing.  She then makes it look like they are going to commit suicide, having them change the rules again so both can win.  The story ends with Katniss now being a political target and Peeta wondering if Katniss ever felt anything for him at all.

APA Reference -
Collins, S.  (2008).  The hunger games.  New York: Scholastic.

My Impressions -
I love good science fiction books, especially if it seems as though it could really happen.  This is one of those books.  The society utilized technology and popular reality tv through the games.  It really is a look at what society might come to later on.  It's also a bit of a warning to us that we must continue to be and act "human" and look at the humanity in others.

Professional Review -
Imagine Survivor, with kids, televised in real time with the entire country watching. And instead of being voted off the island, you're locked in a death match till the last kid is left standing. For a sheer thrill ride that's bound to hook teens and adults, and for its mordant social commentary, this novel gets my vote.

Roback, D. (2009). The Hunger Games. Publishers Weekly, 256(1), 24.

Library Uses -

Since the book includes much technology that is an extention of technology today, the students could look at the world today and create a technological extention of today that the characters might use in Panem in the future.

Module 7 - Speak

Module 7 - Speak

Book Summary -
The summer before Melinda starts high school, she goes to a party and is raped.  She calls police, but is silent, not knowing what to say.  As school starts, she rarely speaks, and then is abandoned by her former friends.  She finds out that her rapists, Andy Evans, is a student at her school.  She becomes the outcast, and withdraws from society.  She skips school and only finds an outlet in her art class.  As her former best friend Rachel starts to date Andy, Melinda struggles, but succeeds in telling her that Andy raped her the summer before.  Rachel ignores the warnings, even though Melinda presses the subject.  At the end of the year, as she's cleaning out her "hideaway" (the janitor's closet), Andy confronts her.  She fights back and finally finds her voice. 

APA Reference -
Anderson, L.H. (1999).  Speak.  New York: Farrar Straus Giroux.

My Impressions -
This is such a powerful book.  It reminds us that we must speak up for ourselves.  The pain that Melinda feels at not being able to say what happened is translated through Anderson's writing.  This is a "crying" book.  It is full of pain, loss, and ostracization.  At the end, though, it is so full of hope.  The reader really goes on a journey with Melinda throughout her ordeal and the following year without hope.  I love, love, love this book.

Professional Review -
Gr 9 Up- After ruining a summer party by calling the police, Melinda Sordino begins her freshman year as an outcast. The truth is she was raped, and because of the trauma, she barely speaks. The teen's struggle to find acceptance and her voice is compelling and illustrates the cruelty of peer pressure and high school cliques.
Ralston, J. (2003). Speak (Book). School Library Journal, 49(10), 99.

Library Uses -
This book is ideal for a book talk.  Since it is such a heavy subject, it is perfect for a discussion led by a librarian or teacher.  It lends itself to discussion of the theme of speaking up for oneself and how important each person's "voice" is to them and to society.

Module 7 - Paper Towns

Module 7 - Paper Towns

Book Summary -
Q and Margo have lived next door to each other most of their lives.  Close as children, they drifted apart in their teen years, especially after they find a suicide victim in the park.  One night in the spring of their senior year, Margo sneaks through Q's window and asks him to help her.  They get revenge on a few of Margo's former friends.  Then she goes missing.  Q finds that she has left clues to where she has gone.  At some point he wonders if he is looking more for her dead body than her live one.  Right after graduation, Q and his friends (through searching and searching), go to find Margo, who they feel is living in a "paper town", one that used to exist, but now only exists on paper.  They find her in New York state.  Q talks her into calling her family, but she stays in New York.  Q goes home.

APA Reference -
Green, J. (2008). Paper towns.  New York: Dutton Books.

My Impressions -
I loved the way most of this book read.  It is a mystery, but has the added humor of teenagers.  It is fun, and it really is thought provoking.  It really made me excited to see what Q would find and how he would find Margo.  The thing I really didn't like was the end.  I felt it was a bit of a letdown.  I was excited to see what Margo had to say when Q found her, but when he did, she was surprised because she didn't intend anyone to search for her.  I would have liked more closure, but it is like life in that respect.

Professional Review -
Gr 9 Up-- Quentin has been in love with Margo for years, so when she includes him in a madcap night of escapades and then disappears, he feels compelled to search for her and to learn why she is so unhappy. This suspenseful and emotionally taut story of self-discovery and compassion is laced with smart-aleck humor and graceful prose.

Paper Towns. (2009). School Library Journal, 5556.

Library Uses -

This would be a great book for a book talk.  Getting students' perspectives on Q's search and what the book was ultimately trying to say would be entertaining and a great learning experience for the students who take the time to seriously read this.

Module 6 - And the Dish Ran Away With the Spoon

Module 6 - And the Dish Ran Away With the Spoon

Book Summary -
The book is about what happens after the famous nursery rhyme.  What happens if the dish and the spoon can't be found to retell their story?  The other characters in the rhyme go searching for the dish and the spoon.  They go to other nursery rhymes to search for them.  They find a piece of the dish with the big bad wolf, but no dish.  They later find the spoon and the dish as they fall from the beanstalk.  Then they have to go to the man who puts Humpty Dumpty back together again in order to fish the dish.  After fixed, then the rhyme can be retold.

APA Reference -
Stevens, J. and S.S. Crummel.  (2004). And the dish ran away with the spoon.  New York: Harcourt.

My Impressions -
This is an extremely cute redo of the classic nursery rhyme.  What child has never wondered what happened to the dish and the spoon.  This helps to clear that up.  The illustrations are cute and really add to the book.  They can be appreciate by young readers and older readers.  It seems a bit long when read aloud, but otherwise it is a great read.

Professional Review -
K-Gr 3-- The nursery community takes action when the dish and spoon fail to return from their nightly romp. Little Miss Muffet, Bo Peep, the Big Bad Wolf, and Humpty Dumpty help Cat, Cow, and Dog locate the AWOL dinnerware before bedtime. Children can be encouraged to think about favorite book characters as part of a larger literary community, and hone their mapping skills as they follow the map of the animals' search. The oversized illustrations, particularly of Dog in her party hat and polka-dot tutu, are hilarious.

Auerbach, B. (2005). And the dish ran away with the spoon. School Library Journal, 51(9), 60.

Library Uses -

This is a great read-aloud book for younger readers.  For the ones who are writing, once the book is read, they can create their own short rhyme and illustrate it similar to how it is in the book.

Module 5 - Esperanza Rising

Module 5 - Esperanza Rising

Book Summary -
Esperanza is the daughter of a wealthy landowner in Mexico.  After he is killed, however, since women cannot own property, the land is left to her father's stepbrothers while her mother only keeps the house.  Esperanza's uncle Luis proposes marriage to her mother.  Her mother does consider this, but after the house is burnt and Tio Luis again proposes marriage, Esperanza, her mother, and three of their servants run away to the United States.  Esperanza's life used to be one of privilege, but not anymore.  She doesn't completely fit in with the other field workers because of her background, but she is no longer privileged.  The book ends with Miguel, the son of their old servants using the money Esperanza has saved up to bring Esperanza's grandmother to the United States.  Her life isn't what it used to be, but she is now happy.

APA Reference -
Ryan, P.M. (2000). Esperanza rising.  New York: Scholastic.

My Impressions -
I was excited to read this book, because this is a world of which I really had no knowledge.  I didn't really know about the Mexican immigrants that came to the U.S during the 1930s and what their lives were like.  I certainly didn't know that women could not really own property in Mexico at this time.  I did like this book.  It reminded me a bit of the book Bless Me, Ultima in the way the Spanish words were included in the writing. I do love the title as esperanza means hope in Spanish.  This gives a hint at the ending.  I admit I wasn't swept away by it, but it was a pretty good glimpse into a previously unknown world.

Professional Review -
Gr 6-9 --Inspired by her grandmother's immigration stories, Pamela Munoz Ryan (Scholastic 2000) offers valuable glimpses of the lives of Mexican-American farm workers during the Depression. When her father dies, 13-year-old Esperanza and her mother are forced to abandon their privileged lives and move to California. At first the proud girl is appalled that they must share a cramped row house and work at menial jobs, but when her mother becomes gravely ill, she learns the value of generous friends and her own inner resources. This coming-of-age story also looks at the economic and social issues of that era, and the author's note adds valuable factual information. Trini Alvarado's narration is adroit and melodic as she handles text that skillfully intersperses Spanish phrases and songs. Pairing this story with Zilpha Keatley Snyder's Cat Running (Delacorte, 1994) will give listeners broader insights into the difficulties of the 1930's. This recording is a solid choice for all elementary and middle school audiobook collections, and a necessity for libraries serving Spanish-speaking populations

Mandell, P., & Wysocki, B. (2001). Esperanza rising. School Library Journal, 47(8), 8

Library Uses -

This book would be a good featured book in the library over the Cinco de Mayo holiday, or during a spotlight time of book by minority authors. 

Module 5 - Monster

Module 5 - Monster

Book Summary -
Steve Harmon is 16 years old and on trial for murder.  As he waits in jail and later sits through the trial, he puts his feelings and his fear in the form of a diary and screenplay.  He looks in the mirror and does not see himself anymore.  He feels like a character in a movie.  Steve says that he was just in the wrong place at the wrong time, and had no knowledge of the theft and murder before it happened.  The prosecution suggests that he was the lookout and was active in the robbery that led to a murder.  The book ends with him being found not guilty and struggling to find out who he really is after being thought a monster for so long.

APA Reference -
Myers, W.D. (1999). Monster.  New York: Harper Collins.

My Impressions -
I think that this book is written in a very unique and fun way.  It should certainly be a good book to read for those students who don't typically like to read.  Harmon, the main character, has very insightful things to say about his life and who he is in prison.  By writing the proceedings like a movie script, he reads into the characters of his life and is really able to look at who they are objectively.  This is a great and innovative book that hits on themes that are relevant for many teenage students in schools today.

Professional Book Review -
Gr 9 Up- When Steve Harmon is accused of being an accomplice in a robbery and murder, he chronicles his trial and experiences in the form of a movie script. The prosecutor calls the teen a monster while his high school film teacher calls him compassionate. The ambiguous ending of this riveting account provides much opportunity for debate. Audio available from Listening Library.

Ralston, J. (2003). Monster (book). School Library Journal, 49(10), 99.

Library Uses -

The students can use this book and rewrite the ending where the readers find out whether or not Steve is really innocent or guilty.  They need to write in the screenplay format.

Module 4 - The Witch of Blackbird Pond

Module 4 - The Witch of Blackbird Pond

Book Summary -
In the late 1600s, Kit Tyler must move from her home in the Caribbean to the colony of Connecticut.  She doesn't fit in with her family and certainly doesn't fit in with the others in the town.  She is much more free-spirited than the Puritans would like her to be.  She makes friends with another person who is basically ostracized from the community.  But in this world, witches exist, and it is certainly not a good thing to be a friend of the witch of Blackbird Pond.  Kit finds herself accused of witchcraft.  After she is finally exonerated, she finds the love and acceptance that she always wanted.

APA Reference -
Speare, E.G. (1986). The witch of Blackbird Pond.  New York: Dell Publishing.

My Impressions -
This is a great look into Puritan life.  This way of life is so different for us, so the choice of a protagonist that is just as different allows us to learn how Puritan society worked without it being a list of dos and do nots.  Kit and her two cousins are extremely different and it helps the reader to experience this way of life more fully and to get involved in the story as there is a character for everyone to relate to.  It is a great example of historical fiction and a great introduction to the witch hunts that dominated late 17th century society.

Professional Review -
Gr. 6–8. Hurt masterfully reads this Newbery award winner, set in seventeenth-century Puritan New England. Orphan Kit Tyler sails to the Connecticut colony to live with her aunt and uncle, but despite earnest attempts to belong, her behavior is unacceptable by Puritan standards. Criticized by the community, Kit seeks solace with a kindly old Quaker woman. Hurt’s youthful voice and soft New England accent perfectly match Kit’s buoyant personality and well-meaning antics. Hurt’s perception of the story enables her to shift seamlessly among characters, and she ably portrays everyone, including Kit’s soft-spoken aunt and her terse, unforgiving uncle. The villager’s talk of heresy is thick with suspicion, and Hurt’s capable reading accentuates this sense of foreboding.
Rich, A. (2002). The witch of Blackbird Pond (book).  Booklist, 99(5), 518.

Library Uses -
This book gives very detailed descriptions of the town in Connecticut where Kit and her extended family live.  It would be a fun and useful activity if the students drew a map, based on descriptions in the book, of the town.

Module 4 - Number the Stars

Module 4 - Number the Stars

Book Summary -
In 1943 Denmark, Annemarie and her friend Ellen are in increasing danger from the Nazis.  Ellen is a Jew and moves in with Annemarie's family, pretending to be part of them.  Soon the time comes when Ellen needs to escape Denmark in order to be kept safe.  Annemarie must face her fear in order to deliver an important package to the boat where Ellen is hiding.  In this package is a chemical that is the only thing standing between Ellen and the Nazis.  Annemarie makes it to the boat in time, and Ellen is taken to safety.

APA Reference -
Lowry, L. (1989). Number the stars.  New York: Dell Publishing.

My Impressions -
I love historical fiction, and this one is great for introducing younger students to the many dangerous and hurtful aspects of the European theater of World War II.  It is not one that should be read by younger students on their own.  It is a great book for parents to discuss with their children.  The Holocaust is not something to halfheartedly introduce in a book without an adult to explain on students' levels.  It could be quite damaging if it is something that they are pushed into or discover by themselves.  This book hits on the harsh aspects, but with no detail that would be inappropriate for the students.  It is a sweet and thoughtful book.  This is one that was on my mind for a long time after reading.

Professional Review -

Gr 4-8 — The horrors of the Holocaust and the bravery of the Danish people during World War II are thoughtfully presented in Lois Lowry's Newbery Award-winning novel (Houghton, 1989). This timeless story of courage, friendship, and family, based on the actual events of the Danish Resistance to World War II, should be part of every child's introduction to the Holocaust.

Number the stars. (2007). School Library Journal, 53(3), 64.

Library Uses -

This book would be a great jumping off point for a short research project.  The students could either make a posterboard with different heroes of the resistance agains the Germans in European countries, or focus on different ways that they would have helped be resistance fighters, with historical examples to back up these ways.

Module 3 - The Three Pigs

Module 3 - The Three Pigs

Book Summary -
This book starts out as the tale of the three little pigs.  However, the pigs quickly escape their own tale in attempts to escape the wolf, and wreak havoc on other fairy tales and nursery rhymes.  They explore the world of the cow jumping over the moon.  Then they find the dragon.  They are able to recreate their world, however, this time their dragon friend easily scares away the wolf.

APA Reference -
Wiesner, D.  (2001).  The three pigs.  New York: Clarion Books.

My Impressions -
This is a really cute way to rewrite this familiar tale.  By allowing the pigs to escape their own picture frames and wonder around the world of nursery rhymes and fairy tales, the ending is very new and fresh.  The illustrations are amazing as the style is different for every tale they encounter.  It is very well thought-out and executed well.  It is a great read.

Professional Review -

In this Caldecott Medal-winning version of the classic tale, the pigs are not just blown out of their houses but out of their story.  The pigs interact with characters from other books, wander around in the white space between pages, and manipulate the pages of their own book – such as folding one page into a paper airplane.  Besides being a successful meta-book, The Three Pigs is also a satisfying story with its own plot, and a visual treat as well

The three pigs (Book). (2004). Book Links, 13(5), 33.

Library Uses -
The librarian can have the students think of two of their favorite tales and create a story involving all of the characters, with an alternate ending similar to that of the ending in The Three Pigs.

Module 3 - Jumanji

Module 3 – Jumanji

Book Summary –

Judy and Peter are at home alone and find a game called Jumanji outside.  They decide to play it.  They read the instructions, but do not take them seriously.  Once a game is started, it will not stop until someone wins.  They roll their eyes and start the game.  Then this jungle adventure comes to life.  All of a sudden, after rolls, there are monkeys, and a lion in their house.  There are monsoons and a rhinoceros stampede.  They know that they must finish the game, but things are getting worse.  Finally Judy wins the game, and everything disappears.  Their parents arrive home and ask them about their exciting afternoon

APA Reference –

Van Allsburg, C. (1981). Jumanji.  Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company.

My Impressions –

This is just a fun book to read.  The illustrations in black and white are gorgeous (hence the Caldecott Medal).  This is a book about many kids’ fantasy: a game come to life.  It has a sweet and thought provoking ending, making sure that the reader knows that this game will definitely continue with other kids

Professional Review –

Jumanji is a jungle adventure board game come to life via the magic that, in Van Allsburg’s world, is always waiting to leak into the everyday.  With successive dice rolls, deepest, darkest Africa invades the neat, solid, formally arranged rooms of the unsuspecting players’ house.  The players – a blasé brother and sister home alone – are momentarily dumbstruck but not really upset.  They steadfastly go on with a wicked gleam, raid the kitchen and hunker around the game board; rhinos charge intently through the living room (and right into one’s line of vision); a Python coils on the mantel, its pattern set off by a leafy slipcover design to give a jungle camouflage effect.  As in The Garden of Abdul Gasazi (Houghton, 1979), which Jumanji outdoes in story terms, real and unreal rub shoulders in three-dimensional drawings extraordinary for the multiplicity of gray tones the artist achieves and the startling contrasts with brilliant white.  The eye-fooling angles, looming shadows and shifting perspectives are worthy of Hitchcock, yet all these “special effects” are supplied with only a pencil.
Pollack, P. D. (1981). Jumanji (book review). School Library Journal, 27(9), 60.

Library Uses –

Discussion of this book could segue into other board games that the students like and which board games would actually be fun in real life.  The students could draw a picture of themselves living in the world of their favorite board game.

Module 2 - Madeline

Module 2 – Madeline

Book Summary –
Madeline lives with eleven other girls.  Miss Clavel watches over all of them every day.  One night, Miss Clavel knows that something is wrong.   Madeline is sick.  She is rushed to the hospital and her appendix is taken out.  The other eleven girls go to visit her and see what an adventure Madeline has had.  Now they all want to go to the hospital!

APA Reference –
Bemelmans, L. (1967). Madeline.  New York: The Viking Press.

My Impressions –
This book is fun, sweet, and entertaining.  Madeline and Miss Clavel are great protagonists, and this book is a great set up for many more Madeline adventures.  The book should allow younger students to imagine life living with eleven others all the time, eleven built –in best friends. 

Professional Review –
"In an old house in Paris that was covered with vines," lives plucky Madeline with eleven other girls under the care of the kind Miss Clavel. Madeline wakes up in the night with appendicitis and is rushed off to the hospital. The other girls visit Madeline after the operation, and see her gifts, her candy, and above all, her scar. That night they all cry, "Boohoo, we want to have our appendix out too!" Bemelman's drawings of Paris bring the charm of the city to young readers.

Barnes and Noble.  (n.d.).  Madeline review. 

Library Uses –
The librarian could use this as a set-up for talking about times that students were sick and what needed to be done to make them better.  She could also gather suggestions on where the group of girls should go in order to have a good time, and what Madeline would be doing there.

Module 2 - Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

Module 2 – Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone

Book Summary –
Harry has lived all of his young life as a normal little boy whose parents died when he was still a baby.  He then gets the shock of his life: he’s actually a wizard and has been enrolled by the wizarding community in Hogwart’s School of Witchcraft and Wizardry!  His adventures begin as he is introduced to this secret community where everyone seems to know his name.  He makes friends with Ron and Hermione as he is sorted into Gryffindor House, and they soon realize that the man who killed his parents, and also killed him, is looking for the sorcerer’s stone in order to become immortal.  The three race to stop him from getting the stone, which is conveniently located on Hogwart’s grounds.

APA Reference –
Rowling, J.K. (1998).  Harry Potter and the sorcerer’s stone.  New York: Scholastic.

My Impressions –
I love this book!  Rowling has created an entirely new world unlike any other.  It is so easy to imagine one’s self swept away in the adventure of Harry and his friends.  The fact that there is a bit of a surprise ending only adds to the appeal of this book, and indeed this series.  There are so many tales of morality and magic intertwined, that anyone, regardless of age, should enjoy this book.  It is a great first book in a series as many more adventures are set up in this one book.

Professional Review –
Harry Potter has spent 11 long years living with his aunt, uncle, and cousin, surely the vilest household in children's literature since the family Roald Dahl created for Matilda (Viking, 1988). But like Matilda, Harry is a very special child; in fact, he is the only surviving member of a powerful magical family. His parents were killed by the evil Voldemort, who then mysteriously vanished, and the boy grew up completely ignorant of his own powers, until received notification or his acceptance at the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Once there, Harry's life changes dramatically. Hogwarts is exactly like a traditional British boarding school, except that the professors are all wizards and witches, ghosts roam the halls, and the surrounding woods are inhabited by unicorns and centaurs. There he makes good friends and terrible enemies. However, evil is lurking at the very heart of Hogwarts, and Harry and his friends must finally face the malevolent and powerful Voldemort, who is intent on taking over the world. The delight of this book lies in the juxtaposition of the world of Muggles (ordinary humans) with the world of magic. A whole host of unique characters inhabits this world, from the absentminded Head Wizard Dumbledore to the sly and supercilious student Draco Malfoy to the loyal but not too bright Hagrid. Harry himself is the perfect confused and unassuming hero, whom trouble follows like a wizard's familiar. After reading this entrancing fantasy, readers will be convinced that they, too, could take the train to Hogwarts School, if only they could find Platform Nine and Three Quarters at the King's Cross Station.

Mitnick, E. (1998). Harry Potter and the sorcerer's stone. School Library Journal, 44(10), 145-146.

Library Uses –
The librarian can have the students decide which house at Hogwart’s that they would be sorted into and explain the reasons why this house would be the best house for them. 

Module 1 - The Giving Tree

Module 1 – The Giving Tree

Book Summary –
This book tells the sweet story of the relationship between a boy and a tree as the boy grows older.  At every stage in the boy’s life, the tree is able to provide for the boy.  This makes the tree happy because the tree loves the boy more than anything.

APA Reference –
Silverstein, S.  (1964).  The giving tree.  New York: Harper and Row Publishers.

My Impressions –
This story is so sweet.  It is really a story for all ages as one would get different aspects of the book as one grows older.  As a child, it is probably just a cute story.  As one ages and sees changes in all aspects of life, this story really hits home about aging and how relationships can change, but always be important, regardless of age.  More appreciated as an adult, the simplicity of the book and illustrations are truly meant for people in all stages of life.

Professional Review –
But the boy stayed away for a long time... And the tree was sad. and then one day the boy came back and the tree shook with joy and she said, "Come, Boy, climb up my trunk and swing from my branches and be happy.
This popular classic of modern children's literature was first published in 1963 and has been embraced both by children and adults. It has just been released with a CD narration of the story by Shel Silverstein. This parable teaches lessons on love and acceptance, is simply told. It is illustrated with black and white line drawings and a straightforward text describing how a little boy comes to visit the "giving tree" every day. The tree gives the boy everything from its apples to a place to swing and slide. As the boy grows up, he demands more and more from the tree until finally the tree seems to have nothing left to give. At the end, the boy is an old man and returns to the tree and finds that the tree provides him with one more thing.
The CD operates well, but the recording is not perfectly clear as Mr. Silverstein is close to the microphone at times. But children will love hearing his tender and soulful voice and the melodious harmonica background music. The recording is close to six minutes long and fits into a pocket inside the back cover.
The book's theme of love and the cycle of life will resonate with adults and will provide many discussion points when shared with children.
Highly Recommended.
Douglas, L. (2004). The giving tree (book). CM: Canadian Review Of Materials,    10(21),             N.PAG.

Library Uses –

The librarian can use this book to point out the selflessness of the tree.  Together, the children can point out ways that they can be selfless at home and draw pictures as representations of how they can be selfless.