“A Handful of Stars” by Cynthia Lord

Have you ever raked blueberries? If not, consider yourself lucky because blueberry raking is one of the most labor-intensive jobs there is. Well, in my limited experience, anyway. I
raked blueberries the summer I turned 13, and it was my introduction to the work force. Every job I had after that had far fewer physical demands, and didn’t result in daily sunburns.

Ok, why am I telling you this? Well, because Cynthia Lord’s new book “A Handful of Stars” takes place in Downeast Maine on the blueberry barrens. I definitely can’t think of another book with this as a setting. I thought it was incredibly unique and helped to shine a light on a side of Maine that people probably don’t know much about. Sure, people may know that Maine is the leader in wild blueberries, but are probably unfamiliar with the process in collecting them. There is a significant portion of rakers that come from outside Maine, and this group of people is known as “migrant workers”, as they typically travel from place to place, usually doing seasonal work. Keep reading to see how all of this connects to the book. I promise it does!

Summary

Lily lives with her grandparents in a coastal Maine town. In the summer, her grandparents’ store get a lot of traffic, as more and more people come to the area to rake blueberries. It’s during this time that Lily meets Salma, a young girl who’s traveled from Florida to rake blueberries in Maine. Many migrant workers travel to Maine during the summer to do just that. Salma is staying with her parents in a one-room bunk house in a compound with other seasonal workers. Though Lily has spent a lot of time around blueberries, she’s never seen what life is like for workers like Salma and her family.

Lily and Salma form a quick bond. Salma offers to work with Lily to paint and sell bee houses to help raise money for Lily’s blind dog, Lucky. Lily learns a lot about the difficulties of traveling around the country to make money. She’s also sensitive to the fact that there is an obvious prejudice toward migrant workers, and Lily cannot understand why people would dislike anyone as nice as Salma.

The climax of every Downeast summer is the Blueberry Queen pageant. This year, Salma decides to enter because she’d love to have the grand prize: a college savings bond. In her borrowed dress, Salma takes the stage and impresses the judges with her knowledge of blueberries and dazzles them with her wit and charm. Before the talent portion of the show, Salma gets so nervous that she nearly abandons the pageant. But her new friend Lily helps encourage her, and even goes up on stage to help Salma be more comfortable. Despite her best efforts, Salma takes second to a blonde-haired, fair-skinned local girl.

Though she didn’t win the savings bond, Salma does get a gift certificate. She selflessly gives her prize to Lily so she can use it to buy Lucky a seeing eye dog. Though Lily doesn’t think it’s a good idea at first, she changes her mind as soon as she sees Lucky’s enthusiasm toward his new puppy friend. The sweetness of this moment is slightly tinged with sadness as Lily thinks about how she’ll soon have to part with her friend, Salma. But, as “star friends” do, Lily and Salma know that they’ll never truly be apart if they’re looking up at the same stars each night.

Final Thoughts

 I think the themes of friendship and acceptance of those different from us will make this book a frequent recommendation by teachers and parents. Young readers will enjoy it because it has relatable characters and situations. And who doesn’t love a happy ending for an old, blind dog? A nice treat for readers is this free printable calendar featuring the beautiful Lucky!

Aside from being a wonderfully talented author, Cynthia Lord is also a genuinely beautiful person. She often visits schools, responds to fan mail from young fans, and even works with teachers and librarians. She’s also been known to do giveaways, and has sponsored teachers to help them attend professional development conferences. After you leave this blog, I recommend you do two things: 1) Check out Cynthia Lord’s website and 2) Read “Rules” if you haven’t already. Enjoy!

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Title: “A Handful of Stars”

Author: Cynthia Lord (connect with her via Twitter:

Pages: 192

Publisher: Scholastic Press

Publish Date: May 26, 2015

You might also enjoy: “Rules” by Cynthia Lord

My recommended age range: 4th-6th grades

My rating: 

“Listen, Slowly” by Thanhha Lai

“I tell you of loss, my child, so you will listen, slowly, and know that in life every emotion is fated to rear itself within your being”

Are you a reader who’s working on your Newbery Award predictions? If so, you’ve probably heard people raving about Thanhha Lai’s “Listen, Slowly”. I have to admit, I bought this as soon as it hit shelves, but didn’t read it right away. At the time, I had been reading a lot of “heart fiction” and needed a break. Now I’m kicking myself for not getting to it sooner. There’s a reason so many people are talking about this title!

Twelve-year-old Mai has a very strong voice, and is a very believeable adolescent. In fact, she’s so believable that readers may initially be frustrated by her thoughts and actions! She definitely has the attitude and mannerisms of a pre-teen. I really appreciated how she developed and changed as a result of her experiences, but not so much that she became artificial or ingenuine. Her transformation takes place slowly, which I think makes it less jarring for the reader. Thanhha Lai has done a fantastic job of creating a character that middle grade readers will be able to relate to.

Summary

Like most twelve-year-olds, Mai wants to spend her summer vacation at the beach with her best friend and her new crush. Instead, she’s told she’ll be accompanying her father and grandmother to Vietnam. Her family has received news from a detective there that he has information about her grandfather, who went missing during the Vietnam War. Now, Mai will escort her grandmother, Bà, while her father performs oral surgery on children in the country.

Needless to say, Mai is resistant from the start. She does everything she can to expedite the trip, and begs her mother to let her come home. While they wait for news, Mai and Bà visit with relatives in the village and Mai settles into a routine life in Vietnam. As she explores her family’s childhood village and gets familiar with her roots, she becomes less guarded and even makes a new friend. Finally, the detective brings the news they’ve been waiting for, and explains that they need to prepare for a trip to the southern part of Vietnam. During the war, Mai’s grandfather spent time as a captive digging underground tunnels, and it’s there he left a message for his wife.

Mai can tell how desperate her grandmother is to have closure on the most tragic event of her life. Bà gets sick just riding in a car, but on this journey, she’s been in cars, flown in planes, and is now preparing to descend underground. Mai’s father joins them for the climax of their trip. When they arrive in the former Saigon, they’re escorted to the tunnel where Mai’s grandfather was assigned to dig. In the darkness of the tunnel, Mai realizes she’s breathing the same stale, hot air as her grandfather did decades ago. Once through the tunnel, they come to a wider opening where they can finally stand upright.

Deep under the earth, Bà finally reads the message left for her so long ago by the man she loved. Mai watches, completely in awe, and finally realizes the importance of their journey half-way across the world. Something changes within Mai as she witnesses these tremendous acts of love. First, from her grandfather’s message, and second, from her grandmother’s trip to this hallowed place. Though Mai has sacrificed part of her summer to make this trip, her grandmother has dedicated most of her life to finding out what happened to her husband. At the end of their journey, Mai has a new appreciation for her family and her heritage, so much so that she’s willing to spend the remainder of her summer in Vietnam with her father and grandmother.

Final Thoughts

Unlike her last book, “Inside Out and Back Again”, “Listen, Slowly” is not written in verse, but it’s just as lyrical. I loved how the story unfolded through character interactions, dialogue, and setting descriptions, though the author could have easily favored one over the others. Each character was appropriately and thoroughly developed, even the secondary characters.

Going through this experience with Mai was extremely moving. I often felt moved to tears, particularly in the scene with her grandmother in the tunnel. I think this book will be popular with middle grade readers, though as an adult, it gave me the opportunity to reflect on myself as a teenager. It made me wonder how many opportunities and experiences I may have missed because I was so wrapped up in my friends or what was going on at school. It certainly gave me a renewed sense of admiration and appreciation toward my family, and a hope that I can keep that feeling alive in the hearts of my young students.

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Title: “Listen, Slowly”

Author: Thanhha Lai

Pages: 260

Publisher: HarperCollins Children’s Books

Publish Date: February 17, 2015

You might also enjoy: “Echo” by Pam Muñoz Ryan

My recommended age range: 5th-7th grade

My rating: 

“Unusual Chickens for the Exceptional Poultry Farmer” by Kelly Jones

In my humble opinion, anyone who can write a book this good about chicken farming is a genius. And that’s exactly what Kelly Jones has done with “Unusual Chickens for the Exceptional Poultry Farmer”. I thought it was really unique how the story is told through a series of letters and magazine articles. The illustrations are adorable, and they made me grow especially attached to Henrietta the chicken, even though she’s cranky and prone to mood swings. (I never imagined writing such a thing about a chicken!)

Don’t worry! You don’t have to own chickens to fall in love with this story. But you will love it. Reading “Unusual Chickens” will be the part of your day you look forward to. It’s the perfect book to come home to after an especially long or hard day. It probably won’t take you long to read, but it’ll make you smile and think cute thoughts in the time you spend with it. And really, it’s cute thoughts that fuel us. (Not food and water as some people might believe.)

Summary

Sophie, along with her mom and dad, has just moved from Los Angeles to her uncle’s old farm. She has no siblings, and because it’s summer vacation, she hasn’t had a chance to make any friends yet. Farms are big, so there aren’t any next-door neighbors like there would be in a city. To pass the time, and to feel less lonely, Sophie writes letters. She writes letters to her deceased aunt and uncle. And she also writes to the Redwood Farm Supply company after finding their catalog in her uncle’s barn.

While her parents are off doing parent stuff, Sophie tidies up the property and takes inventory of her uncle’s belongings. From the bushes, Sophie drags out what used to be a chicken house. She props it upright and decides that if she’s going to live on a farm, she might as well give the whole farmer thing a try. The next morning, Sophie heads out to start her farm work and discovers a little white chicken hanging around the old chicken coop.

But Henrietta is no ordinary chicken, that’s obvious from the start. Being the good farmer she is, Sophie tends to Henrietta by feeding and watering her. Sophie swears her chicken has special powers, and continues to write to the Redwood Farm Supply, asking for advice. After a few persuasive and pleading letters, she finally gets a mysterious (and poorly written) response from Agnes at the Redwood Farm Supply advising her to never let anyone take the chicken, and to keep Henrietta a secret.

Over the next few weeks, more and more chickens start coming around, each with their own special ability. Sophie gets the occasional letter from Agnes, and starts taking an educational course through the mail so she can take proper care of her unusual chickens. A boy from a neighboring farm tells Sophie that he has information on three more chickens that belonged to Sophie’s uncle. They’re being held captive by Ms. Griegson, who has already tried once (unsuccessfully) to chicken-nap Sophie’s powerful poultry.

After the daring rescue, Sophie shows up at the local poultry show with a purpose and a plan. She bravely faces the chicken thief and, without naming the culprit, gets the whole town to vow to protect her brood. Back at her farm, Sophie reunites her chickens and is in awe over just how special they are. In fact, they even help her connect with Agnes without having to mail letters back and forth. Unusual chickens, indeed.

Final Thoughts

Initially, Sophie’s letters were tinged with sadness. Her one friend from home ignored her letters, and her parents were always busy, as grown-ups usually are. Sophie was left to deal with a pretty freaky situation all on her own! As you read Sophie’s correspondences with her aunt and uncle, it’s reassuring to see that her responsibilities with the chickens give her a sense of purpose and independence. You can almost feel her loneliness melting away. Of course, we always want a happy ending for our protagonists, but I thought Sophie was especially deserving of such a resolution. You really have to read this book, just to see how magically it ends.

“Unusual Chickens” has great potential as a read aloud, both for classrooms and young listeners at home. Additionally, it would be appropriate as an independent read, as the format makes it accessible even for young readers. I can definitely see this book being read and shared among classmates and families. This is one of those books that demands to be giggled over in groups.

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Title: “Unusual Chickens for the Exceptional Poultry Farmer“

Author: Kelly Jones (Connect with her on Twitter: @curiosityjones)

Pages: 224

Publisher: Knoph Books for Young Readers

Publish Date: May 12, 2015

You might also enjoy: “Audrey (cow)” by Dan Bar-el

My recommended age range: 3rd-5th grade

My rating: 

“Enchantment Lake: A Northwoods Mystery” by Margi Preus

Travis Jonker (aka @100scopenotes) shared recently shared a post on the School Library Journal website listing 2015 books written by past Newbery winners. (If you haven’t checked out this list yet, do so after reading this post.) One of the covers that immediately caught my eye was “Enchantment Lake”. It was dark and mysterious, yet attractive to the eye. I also recognized the author, Margi Preus, from the Newbery Honor book “The Heart of a Samurai”.

It was exciting to see the title on NetGalley and even more exciting when I got approved to read it! Unfortunately, that’s about where the excitement ended. As I read, I kept feeling like this was the second book in a series, and that I was missing references made by the characters and the author. The main character, Francie, is seventeen and living on her own in New York. Her father died under mysterious circumstances, and nobody will give her any information about her mother. Again, I felt like I something was going over my head that I was supposed to have learned in a previous installment. Seeing as this is a mystery story, I’ll try to give you a summary without including any spoilers.

Summary

After receiving a panicked call from her aunts in Minnesota, Francie immediately packs her bags and makes the long trip there from New York. When she arrives, she learns that her “crazy” aunts are in no immediate danger, though the residents of the lake where they live are not so lucky. So many of them have died of what at first appear to be freak accidents. But Francie’s aunts aren’t convinced, and they ask her to look into the suspicious happenings at Enchantment Lake.

She’s not a real detective by any means, but because she played one on t.v. as a child, people just assume she is. Francie takes advantage of those assumptions and starts looking into who would want to bump off owners of lakeside property. She interviews and interrogates everybody she comes in contact with, and starts to narrow down the list of suspects. The victims were impeding progress on a proposed road that would have made the lake more accessible, and refused to sell their property. Francie starts to wonder if perhaps her father’s death might not have been an accident after all.

The investigation becomes personal when Francie’s aunts are thrown in jail for murder. They’re accused of killing the town’s real estate agent, one of Francie’s leading suspects, with a poisoned casserole. Now Francie is especially motivated to find the real killer.

One of her leads takes her to a nearby island, but when she goes to leave, she notices her kayak is missing. She tries to lay low and wait for someone to send help, but that becomes problematic when the island is set on fire and spreads rapidly. Francie has no choice but to get into the boat of someone she thinks may be a killer. Before they get very far, the boat starts taking on water. Someone has sabotaged their only means of escape.

The climax of the story brings together an unusual group of characters, and the villain confesses to the treachery that’s been happening at Enchantment Lake. In the resolution, everyone who’s still alive has a happy ending and gets together to celebrate their victory.

Final Thoughts

So many aspects of this book just felt weird to me. While Francie bumbles through the case and “solves” it in the end, many of the other mysteries go unresolved, the biggest one being her parents. She gets no closer to figuring out the circumstances behind her father’s death, and nobody in the town, or even in her family, have given her any information about her mother. I found that frustrating as a reader, so I imagine that Francie would be extremely irritated. In the end, the mystery of the murderer was solved, but there were a lot of unanswered questions still lingering.

There were also way too many times where something happened that felt too convenient, or when Francie blew something off that I suspected should have been more important. One example of a convenient coincidence was when Francie tried to hire a lawyer for her aunts, but he was out of town fishing for the week. The lawyer’s assistant, a handsome young boy about Francie’s age, ended up being her sidekick and rescued her from the predicaments she got herself into. This, in turn, developed into somewhat of a love story, though thankfully it’s not the kind of swoony teenage romance that you may usually encounter in books.

I had a few other issues, but another sticking point for me was that I couldn’t pin down what age group this book would be most appropriate for. The main character is seventeen, but I don’t see that this book would be appealing to older teens, unless maybe they were looking for a quick read. And though I think it may be suitable for middle grade readers, there is smoking, drinking, and, obviously, murder in the story.

This definitely does seem to be the first book in a series, so I’m definitely interested to see where the author goes with this. I think readers of this book would be pleased to have the opportunity to learn about Francie’s father and why, exactly, is everyone so secretive about her mother? For me, that was the REAL mystery. Hopefully we’ll have the chance to find out!

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Title: “Enchantment Lake: A Northwoods Mystery”

Author: Margi Preus (Connect with her on Twitter: @MargiPreus)

Pages: 200

Publisher: Univ of Minnesota Press

Publish Date: March 11, 2015

You might also enjoy: “The Boundless” By Kenneth Oppel

My recommended age range: 7th-8th

My rating:  

“The Stratford Zoo Midnight Revue Presents Macbeth” by Ian Lendler and Zack Giallongo

Since I introduced “El Deafo” into my classroom, the popularity of graphic novels has exploded. When I read the 2015-2016 list for Maine Student Book Award choices, I was very excited to see how many graphic novels had made the cut! “El Deafo” is on the list, obviously, but there are lots of other great graphics worth your time and attention. One that I hadn’t heard of before was “The Stratford Zoo Midnight Revue Presents Macbeth”.

This hilarious reenactment of Shakespeare’s classic play “Macbeth” is presented in five acts with zoo animals as the stars. As soon as the lights go out in the zoo, and the keepers leave for the night, the stage lights shine and the actors take their places. Though they do an outstanding job, my favorite part of the story was actually the reactions of the audience members. There are two little monkey siblings who can’t seem to agree on which is worse: the fighting scenes or the kissing scenes.

Summary

Our hero, Macbeth, is heroic in every way. He dresses heroically, eats heroically, and, of course, even kisses his wife heroically. Macbeth, played by a handsome lion, is known for being the strongest and most skilled warrior in all the land. One day, Macbeth follows his nose through the woods to locate the source of a delicious smell. He comes upon three poorly disguised witches, one of which is still trying to perfect her evil laugh. The witches encourage Macbeth to eat the king, which will result in him gaining the throne. While Macbeth loves a tasty meal of pizza, tacos, and hot dogs, he really isn’t sure if he’s ready to eat the king.

At home, Macbeth talks to Mrs. Macbeth about his strange encounter in the woods. When she puts two and two together, she realizes that with Macbeth as king, she would be queen. So she starts in with some very persuasive tactics. Finally, he can take his wife’s pestering no longer and decides to go ahead with the eating of the poor, innocent king.

Once Macbeth devours the king (with the help of several bottles of ketchup from the prop department), he enjoys a very short reign of peace. It turns out that the circumstances of the king’s death are rather suspicious, and Detective Macduff starts poking his beak around, looking for the carnivore responsible for the king’s death.

Macbeth starts to sweat. Too many critters start nosing around, and the already full lion has to eat everyone who even starts to suspect his involvement with the crime.  (This is accomplished party with the help of a truckload of ketchup.) A small group of animals who have managed to stay away from the lion’s jaws gathers together to march on the castle. Organized and lead by Detective Macduff, the group approaches Macbeth for what they expect to be an epic battle. Much to the little monkey’s dismay, Macbeth’s ever expanding gut prevents him from putting up much of a fight.

There is a happy ending (for most of the zoo creatures) and the troupe takes their final bow on stage before retiring to their cages for the evening. The appreciative audience is left with a teaser for the next episode: “Stratford Zoo Midnight Revue Presents Romeo and Juliet”.

Final Thoughts

I’m positive none of my fourth graders have read or seen the play, but like Macbeth, they’re eating this book up. The humor and animal characters make this graphic novel accessible and enjoyable for a wide audience. I cannot wait for September, which is when the next issue of The Stratford Zoo is scheduled to be released. Hopefully those cute little monkeys make another appearance!

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Title: “Stratford Zoo Midnight Revue Presents Macbeth”

Author/Illustrator: Ian Lendler (Connect with him on Twitter: @ianlendler) and Zack Giallongo

Pages: 80

Publisher: First Second

Publish Date: September 30, 2014

You might also enjoy: Amulet

My recommended age range: 4th and up

My rating: 

“The Red Pencil” by Andrea Davis Pinkney

Novels in verse have been amazingly popular this year, likely due to “The Crossover” winning the Newbery award. But there were plenty of great prose on shelves last year, like “Caminar” and, of course, “Brown Girl Dreaming”. Recently I had the pleasure of discovering “The Red Pencil” by Andrea Davis Pinkney, which also came out in 2014. Unlike the previously mentioned books, “The Red Pencil” seemed to come and go somewhat quietly. And what a shame!

This book would fit nicely in a collection of multicultural literature or a study in diversity. Amira and her family teach us about what life was like in Sudan during years of war and unrest. Her use of similes and metaphors allows Andrea Davis Pinkney to help readers better visualize the world Amira is living in. Even young readers who may be unfamiliar with the setting will be able to understand Amira’s desire to make something better of herself.

Summary

Amira and her family live in a dangerous time and place. The Janjaweed of Sudan are terrorizing villages and destroying people’s homes. Her parents often warn her of the militia, but Amira is more concerned with her sheep and drawing in the sand. She dreams of one day being able to go to school and learning to read and write. Though her father encourages her, her mother does not. In fact, her mother insists she focus on preparing to be a good wife for her future husband. Shortly after her twelfth birthday, the Janjaweed arrive, and Amira has more pressing concerns than school or marriages.

The family is awakened in the night by the sounds of helicopters, guns, and screams. Amira is surrounded by the shrieks of her neighbors and threatening flames. Black smoke fills the air, adding to the horror and confusion. While many are able to make it out alive, Amira’s father does not. Standing among the ashes and smoldering remains of her village, Amira and her family prepare for the long journey to refuge.

Kalma, the refugee camp, provides relative safety, but little comfort. The fences are made of barbed wire, and homes are made of rice paper bags. Each person is given one gallon of water per day, and meals do little to keep hunger away. Amira has little hope, until one day an intake worker comes to the camp with a bag bursting with gifts. The children gather close for their treats, and Amira is rewarded with a beautiful red pencil, her first writing utensil that’s not a stick or twig.

When Old Anwar, a family friend, sees Amira drawing with her red pencil, he offers to teach her how to write. Though it’s not the same as going to a real school, Amira takes him up on his offer. Her mother becomes furious when she learns of the plan, and insists that the lessons stop. To keep herself from becoming a permanent fixture of the camp, Amira decides to run away and go to the school she’s heard about on the news. So under the cover of night, she escapes through the barbed wire gates and strikes out alone across the desert.

She doesn’t make it far before a shadow lurks up from behind. Old Anwar offers to keep her company on her journey, as he cannot let her walk alone. The book ends with a poem called “Flight”, in which Amira describes flying high over Kalma like a sparrow, never looking down upon the camp.

Final Thoughts

“The Red Pencil” offers readers a unique way to learn about geography, culture, and character. Amira shows resiliency we hope to see in ourselves and our learners. Being a novel written in verse will make this accessible to readers as young as fourth grade. Though they may not be able to understand the motivations of groups like the Janjaweed, it will certainly be an inspirational story for them to savor. I often found myself rereading poems and pages just so I could fully digest and appreciate the beauty of the language. So go ahead and read “The Crossover” and “Brown Girl Dreaming”, but make sure to read “The Red Pencil”, too!

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Title: “The Red Pencil”

Author: Andrea Davis Pinkney (Connect with her on Twitter: @AndreaDavisPink)

Pages: 336

Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

Publish Date: September 16, 2014

You might also enjoy: “Inside Out and Back Again” by Thanhha Lai

My recommended age range: 4th and up

My rating: 

“The Case of the Cursed Dodo: A Jungle Noir” by Jake G. Panda

We FADE IN on a panda typing a book review behind a computer screen. CUE the sound of click-clacking from the keyboard. CUT TO a shot of the book “The Case of the Cursed Dodo” nearby on the desk.

“The Case of the Cursed Dodo” is the first in the “Endangered Files” series. It’s unique in that it’s written in a style similar to a noir movie script. The movie script format will make this book an easy sell to readers! You can almost hear the voice over as you read, and the story plays out like a movie in your head. Young readers will love the humor, including an elephant who rides a bike and a fortune-telling wild yak.

Summary

Detective Jake G. Panda works out of a busy hotel called the Last Resort. Much like the other hotel guests, he has quite the knack for finding trouble. Or does trouble find him? In fact, Jake begins telling his tale from captivity. He’s being held in a small pen somewhere in the Moroccan forest. Yes, Jake gets into more than one sticky situation in this story, but that’s in the job description of a detective.

In this case, Jake first needs to come to the aid of the Professor, a hispid hare who lives and works out of the Last Resort, but is traveling in Morocco. As Jake is talking on the phone with the Professor, the line suddenly goes dead, and Jake is convinced something has happened. Without hesitation, Jake immediately hops a plane and makes the long trip to the last known whereabouts of the Professor. Though Jake is able to successfully track down his old friend, he’s not able to return home without getting mixed up in another mess.

The detective and his associate carry home a battered suitcase that was found in the desert. It’s secrets remain hidden because of the lock on the outside. It would seem that its contents are valuable, because Jake’s not the only one interested in what’s inside. More than one group of ne’er-do-wells tries to obtain the suitcase through unsavory schemes.

The suitcase actually belongs to The Colonel, a dodo who was thought to have faded into extinction long ago. The suitcase holds an object that could fetch a lot of money to criminals, but, to The Colonel, it’s worth more than any amount of money in the world. Jake goes up against some pretty tough adversaries, including a gang of rats, a sticky-fingered salamander, and a crafty crocodile, just to name a few.

Jake uses his detective know-how and a few crazy plays that may not have been in the detective handbook, but in the end, Jake solves the case of the cursed dodo, and even helps The Colonel unlock a surprise that he’s been waiting decades for. But this isn’t the last we’ll see of Jake G. Panda. In the closing scene, we’re able to get a sneak peek of his next misadventure.

Final Thoughts

“This is not your garden-variety book. It’s actually a long-lost movie. And the story’s written in a rare film format called ENDANGER ‘D’ SCOPE. That means it might read a little different than what you’re used to. Don’t be alarmed. Think of yourself as a brave explorer, venturing into an uncharted type of fiction. Something I’m calling Jungle Noir. Now grab yourself a bucket of popcorn and kick back. The show’s about to begin…”

The author’s note helps readers get the feel for the adventure they’re about to have with “The Case of the Cursed Dodo”. I’m really fascinated with the way the book is written as if it were a movie. While I think this will appeal to young readers, I hope they’ll have the background knowledge needed to understand this format. I think with a short explanation of terms like “fade to”, “dissolve”, and “noir”, readers will be able to slip into the world of Jake G. Panda without issue. Even having the first chapter read aloud would be helpful. This will be a fun and exciting undertaking for readers in third and fourth grades, for sure!

At times, I found myself getting mixed-up between some of the critter characters. There are some fascinating animals mentioned in the story, and most of them have names. Because of this, I ended up losing track of who was who, but it was easy to keep track of the main characters. This may not be a problem for young readers, as they probably spend a lot of time talking about their book with other readers, teachers, and parents. Maybe that’ll teach me not to binge-read!

One of my favorite things about his writing is that Jake includes the names of some really interesting critters! Readers will want to do some investigating, like Jake, about these animals to learn more about them. Before this book, I had no idea what a tehuantepec jackrabbit was, or that a hispid hare is one of the world’s rarest animals! There are so many opportunities for exploration that will stem from reading about Jake and his investigations!

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Title: “The Case of the Cursed Dodo”

Author: Jake G. Panda (Connect with him on Twitter: @JakeGPandaPI)

Pages: 173

Publisher: Woolly Family Studios

Publish Date: December 15, 2014

You might also enjoy: “Varjak Paw” by SF Said

My recommended age range: 3rd-5th

My rating: 

“Echo” by Pam Muñoz Ryan

“…here, everyone was focused on becoming one voice. They all spoke the same language and had found their way to this night with their own stories of determination and practice and their love for music.”

“Echo” has been buzzing around my Twitter feed for quite some time now. When I saw a copy in the Scholastic Reading Club last month, buying the book was an easy decision to make! I really hadn’t heard much about the book itself, other than it was a fantastic read. When I opened the box and pulled out the book, I have to admit that I was a little intimidated. You see, “Echo” is 580 pages thick. But worth every one.

Not only can Pam Muñoz Ryan write one amazing story, but FOUR. And they’re all inside one book. I thoroughly enjoyed each tale and, because I was so eager to see how all the stories intertwined, I had to remind myself to slow down! Each story could easily stand alone, but together, they make something truly magical.

Summary

“Echo” shares the stories of Friedrich, brothers Mike and Frankie, and Ivy. These are sandwiched by the tale of a boy named Otto, who encounters three mystical sisters in the forest during a game of hide-and-seek. Otto’s life is forever changed by these sisters and the mysterious harmonica they bestow upon him.

This powerful harmonica travels the world, further impacting the lives of each person it reaches. First, the harmonica falls into the hands of Friedrich during the perilous era of Nazi Germany. Friedrich works at a harmonica factory and has dreams of becoming an orchestra conductor. When the Nazis discover his unsightly facial birthmark, they threaten to take him into custody. Friedrich, his father, and his uncle make plans to escape, but those plans are wrecked when Friedrich’s father is arrested and sent to a work prison in Dachau. Not to be discouraged, the boy decides to make the long train ride to rescue his father. But before the train even leaves the station, Friedrich is seized by two guards who recognize his birthmark.

Next, we find the harmonica in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Mike has a knack for playing the harmonica, and he and his brother, Frankie, often play duets on the piano in the orphanage where they live. When the boys are finally adopted, they’re rescued from poor treatment and even poorer living conditions. But when they get to their new home, they learn that they’re not wanted by the lady of the house. They try using music as a way to win her heart, but it seems to be frozen solid. After Mike stumbles across documents releasing Eunice from her adoption contract, he tells Frankie that they need to make a break for it. Late at night, they climb down the tree outside their bedroom window. Everything seems to be going smoothly until Mike falls from the tree. Laying helpless on the ground, Mike realizes he can neither breathe nor move.

Finally, Ivy comes into possession of the harmonica. Her brother has gone off to war and she has just moved to a new home in California. Here, people with differences are not tolerated, and Ivy has to go to a school separate from caucasian students. Though her parents try to fight this silly rule, they refuse to let her attend the “regular” school. Music becomes her way of getting around the regulation, and she joins the orchestra at the caucasian school. One day, as she’s playing outdoors with a friend, Ivy sees a bike messenger pass by. Ivy panics when she learns that this is the same bike messenger that delivers news about soldiers who have passed away overseas. She chases after the boy to find out whether or not her brother is still safe.

In the conclusion of the book, we discover how each of these three stories connects. Somehow, the harmonica has brought them all together and has fulfilled its purpose. The endings of each individual story is explained, then masterfully woven together into one satisfying grand finale. “Echo” is a book not to be missed.

Final Thoughts

Music is such an important theme in “Echo”. Like stories, music is timeless, and crosses boundaries between faiths and ethnicities. I thought it was very appropriate how Pam Muñoz Ryan took three separate stories, each their own melody, and blended them together to make one beautiful song.

Though young readers may at first be intimidated by the thickness of the book, if they’re willing to give it a chance, they will be hooked right away. I think readers will especially enjoy the mystery of how the three different storylines come together in the end.

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Title: “Echo”

Author: Pam Muñoz Ryan (Connect with her on Twitter:@PamMunozRyan)

Pages: 592

Publisher: Scholastic

Publish Date: February 24, 2015

You might also enjoy: “When You Reach Me” by Rebecca Stead

My recommended age range: 5th-7th

My rating: 

“Waiting for Unicorns” by Beth Hautala

Have you ever been browsing the shelves at the bookstore and come across a cover that’s so beautiful you have to buy the book? That’s what happened to me with “Waiting for Unicorns”. Even if I ended up not liking the book, at least I’d have a pretty cover to look at! Well, rest assured that wasn’t the case. For a first novel, I thought Beth Hautala did a great job developing not only the characters, but the setting as well. Manitoba isn’t a typical setting for a book, but the author was more than capable of helping paint a detailed picture of what Talia was seeing and experiencing throughout the story. This was really important because the events of the story are so dependent on the setting.

My favorite part of the writing is how the author was able to incorporate factual information into the story. I thought all the facts and about whales and birds of the Arctic were really interesting! For example, did you know that the Arctic tern will make the equivalent of three round-trips to the moon in its lifetime? Me neither! It was also interesting to think about how families survive in such a remote part of the world. I think young readers would really appreciate the attention to detail in the writing about Manitoba and the people who live there.

“Waiting for Unicorns” is a shining example of “heart fiction”. There are such real emotions shown in the story through thought and actions. Talia is still grieving over the loss of her mom as she prepares to say goodbye to her father for most of the summer. While he’s away, Talia becomes a teenager, kisses a boy, and discovers that people show their love in different ways. It would seem that being away from her friends and her home would prevent Talia from dealing with her emotions, but really the isolation forces her to face her feelings and develop deeper relationships with the few people in the town.

Summary

The Arctic isn’t your typical summer getaway location, but that’s exactly where twelve-year-old Talia is heading. Her father’s a whale researcher who stays out on the water for weeks at a time collecting data on whales. This leaves Talia with too much time to worry and think. She worries that her dad won’t come back. She thinks about losing her mom less than a year ago. And that she wasn’t able to say goodbye.

There might not be much to do in Manitoba, but there sure are some interesting people. For example, Simon the Guitar Boy and his grandfather, Birdman. Simon loves playing the guitar, and Birdman is named because, well, he loves watching birds. Though she’s at first taken aback by these two unique individuals, she quickly comes to love their quirky nature and thinks of them as part of her family.

While her dad is out on the sea, Talia is able to talk with him on a weekly basis using a handheld radio. After missing two of their regularly scheduled chat dates, she becomes very worried that something terrible has happened. So much can go wrong on a fishing vessel, especially in the icy waters of the Arctic. Sura and her friends try to help her be positive, but after already losing one parent, Talia is especially fearful of losing another.

One thing that helps keep Talia from losing all hope is her wish jar. Since the time when her mom was diagnosed with cancer, she’s been making wishes on paper and adding them to the jar. The one wish she hopes will come true is that she’ll somehow be able to say a final goodbye to her mom. She knows it’s unrealistic, but the rule to the wish jar is that a wish can’t be removed until it comes true.

When her father finally returns, he brings good news. Narwhals have been spotted and Talia is going with her father to see them! Because unicorns have the power to make wishes come true, Talia hopes these unicorns of the sea will be able to do the same. Out on the boat, Talia and her father use the radio equipment to try and locate the narwhals. After more than a week, they have no luck and must return home. But the trip wasn’t for nothing. Talia and her father finally talk about the passing of her mom, and the emptiness left by her mom’s passing seems to get a little smaller.

In the end, Talia starts to reconsider the idea of wishes. She’s gone through some pretty major changes over the course of just a summer. She’s finally started to accept the loss of her mom, and even more importantly, the fact that she’ll never get to say the goodbye she’s been wishing for. Talia leaves Manitoba a year older, and more than a year wiser.

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Title: “Waiting for Unicorns”

Author: Beth Hautala (Connect with her on Twitter: @BethHautala)

Publisher: Philomel Books

Publish Date: January 22, 2015

Pages: 256

You might also enjoy: “One for the Murphys” by Lynda Mullaly Hunt

My recommended age range: 4th-6th grade

My rating:

“Roller Girl” by Victoria Jamieson

I couldn’t wait to get my hands on this gem. I had to call down to our local book shop and ask them to set aside a copy for me, because I knew I wouldn’t be able to make it in before closing. And, of course, as soon as I got my hands on it, I gobbled it right up! What a delight! This book might be cute and pretty, but the message packs a punch!

What makes this book even cooler is that it’s inspired by the author’s love of roller derby! When she moved to Portland, Oregon, one of the first things she did was to try out for the derby there-The Rose City Rollers! You should definitely check out the free e-book which talks in detail about the making of “Roller Girl”!

Summary

Astrid has suffered through one too many Evenings of Cultural Enlightenment with her mom. Poetry, opera, and art, oh my! But at least she gets to bring her friend, Nicole. Tonight’s ECE is a refreshing change of pace. Astrid’s mom has planned a night at the roller derby! Astrid watches in amazement as the cleverly named derby girls push and shove their way around the track. The highlight of the evening is when she gets winked at by Rainbow Bite, the star of the show!

Astrid is completely taken by the thrill of the derby, and begs her mom to let her go to derby summer camp. She can’t wait to become a roller girl, but Nicole isn’t so sure. She’s more interested in going to ballet camp for the summer. When Nicole becomes friends with Rachel, Astrid’s enemy, they have a falling out and Astrid has to go to derby camp solo. It’s hard to try new things alone, but Astrid wants so badly to be a roller girl that she won’t let anything stop her.

Though she hopes to be a jammer in the end of summer bout, Astrid stinks at everything. At first, she can’t even keep vertical on her skates. Not only does she skate home from practice, she also stays after regular practice to work on her skating skills. All summer, she works on cross overs, blocking, and plow stops.Her new friend, Zoey, encourages her and even sticks around to work with Astrid after practice. Zoey moves in to fill the best-friend position formerly held by Nicole.

Being a teenager is hard, and Astrid is trying to figure out who she is and what’s important. She’s trying to be a good friend to Zoey while hiding the hurt from being ditched by Nicole. She’s been regularly lying to her mom, who isn’t impressed by Astrid’s new blue hair. But everything will be alright if she can just be the jammer in the end of summer bout.

Finally, Astrid gets to find out if her hard work has paid off. The girls are gathered together and the bout positions are announced. Astrid is shocked to find out that the team’s jammer is…Zoey! As much as she wants to, Astrid has a hard time being excited for her friend. She’s consumed with feelings of her own disappointment. This attitude only creates a rift between her and Zoey, who seem to no longer be friends.

Not only does Astrid fail at getting the jammer position, but she’s also left with no friends. What’s a girl to do? With a little help from her idol, Rainbow Bite, Astrid comes up with a plan. But will it be good enough to win back both friends and ease the tensions between her and her mom? Will she make it through the bout without humiliating herself and her team?

Final Thoughts

One of the many things I love about this graphic novel is that Astrid feels like a real twelve year old. She doesn’t take to skating right away, and in fact, she’s pretty awful right up until the end! But Astrid takes it all in stride, and she never gives up. I also love that Astrid pursued her ambitions even though her best friend wanted to do something else. So often we see girls in packs, giving up their own dreams to stay within the safety of the group.

This will be a title that, like “El Deafo”, circulates quickly through the classroom. I can picture kids packed tightly in a circle, with “Roller Girl” in the middle. And, yes, even boys will be anxious to get their hands on a copy!

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Title: “Roller Girl”

Author: Victoria Jamieson (Connect with her on Twitter: @JamiesonV)

Publisher: Dial Books for Young Readers

Publish Date: March 10, 2015

Pages: 240

You might also enjoy: “Sisters” by Raina Telgemeier

My recommended age range: 4th-6th

My rating: