CINDERELLA STAYS LATE by Joan Holub and Suzanne Williams

Cinderella is the new student at The Grimm Academy. She connects with Red, Snow and Rapunzel, and they become great friends. The step-sisters are there, too, looking to cause as much trouble for Cinda as they can. Someone else is trying to cause trouble at the school, too. Can Cinda and her friends figure out what is really going on at The Grimm Academy?

This was excellent! This would be perfect for readers who already enjoy the Whatever After series and fans of the Ever After High book, Storybook of Legends. The characters are likable. The fairy tale elements aren't cheesy - something I worry about when I start a book like this. The world-building is fantastic; I especially loved the magical library. Some issues are left unresolved for book two, and I personally can't wait to read it. I told my students about this book when we previewed some of the books that will be coming in our Scholastic book fair later this month. I predict this will be one of my best sellers - and I'll be the first in line to buy it because my nieces are going to love this one. Photos of the next two books are shown below.

5 out of 5 stars
No AR reading level at this time. Books one and two release on March 25th, but may be available through Scholastic sooner. Book three is scheduled to release in June 2014.

* I received an electronic copy of this book from the publisher for free in the hope that I would review it honestly on my blog. Regardless, I only review books I enjoyed. I don’t believe in passing on negative reviews. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.

      

KIZZY ANN STAMPS by Jeri Watts

A beautiful story about a young black girl living on her family farm and going to an integrated school for the first time in 1963. The story starts as letters written by Kizzy Ann to her new teacher in the summer before school starts. It continues once school begins as journal entries, still written as letters to her teacher.

Kizzy Ann is a fantastic character! So honest and authentic as she shares her observations about integration and race relations as well as the mood in the country after President Kennedy is killed, which happens in the middle of her school year. The story centers around Kizzy Ann's relationship with her dog, Shag - how Shag cared for Kizzy Ann when she was scarred in an accident, how Kizzy Ann cared for Shag when Shag was hurt protecting Kizzy Ann, and how Kizzy Ann learned to train Shag to herd sheep. It is also about family and friendship and community.

I don't usually read historical fiction. I only read this because it was a preview book I received for our Scholastic Book fair last month. But this touched me greatly. I had the same reaction to this as I had to Inside Out and Back Again last year. There are 2 swear words in this book. I sincerely hope that won't keep students and parents and teachers from spending time with this exceptional story. This will have appeal for animal lovers as well as kids who like historic or realistic fiction. Teachers might be able to use this in their writing instruction/emphasis.

5 out of 5 stars
AR Reading Level of 5.2

ALA Week: STAR WARS JEDI ACADEMY by Jeffrey Brown

One of the highlights of my summer was our trip to Chicago for vacation and for the American Library Association annual conference. Publishers graciously provided Advance Reader Copies (ARCs) of some of their upcoming books and I have been slowly working through my pile of these treasures. For the next couple weeks I'll be reviewing some of the books I picked up at ALA. If a book hasn't released yet, I'll post the release date in the review.  Enjoy!!

Roan is all set to go to pilot school like his dad and brother - but he didn't get in.... Then he's invited to the Jedi Academy instead.

This was a big hit at our house. My son and I both received ARCs of this one. My son finished his in a matter of hours as we walked around the exhibit floor at ALA. We even got to meet the author. This is a typical school story, complete with bullies, making friends, adjusting to teachers, crushes, dances, etc. The setting is what makes this story stand out! The format is also special - it's a combination of graphic novel-like pages, letters, and other kinds of page layouts. Very clever! First in a planned series. This story takes place 200 years before the movies.

I expect this to be in my fall book fair, and I expect it to sell out quickly and repeatedly!

4 out of 5 stars
AR reading level of 3.8
www.scholastic.com

PICTURE BOOKS related to September 11th

   

These two books were in our recent Scholastic Book Fair and both were related to September 11th, 2001. I was thrilled with the quality of non-fiction books Scholastic provided for our fair this spring, including these two books.

America Is Under Attack includes detailed, personal stories of rescuers along with the details of what happened on that day in New York City. This was completely engrossing! My students, most of whom were babies or not yet born when the attacks took place, can't get enough information on what happened that day. They will devour this book! Rescuers and victims are mentioned by name - some survived and others did not. The information is honest while not being emotionally overwhelming.

Five out of 5 stars - excellent!
AR Reading Level of 5.8

14 Cows for America is also a picture book, this time a touching story of how a tribe in Africa responded to the tragedy of September 11th with a gift of cherished cows. Yes, cows. It sounds odd, but as you read the story and understand the culture of the Maasai in Kenya, readers see the beauty and heart of the gift. Lovely story, lovely pictures

Four out of 5 stars
AR Reading level of 4.1

Recommended for: readers interested in the events of September 11th, readers who enjoy stories about global culture or about non-American culture.

CHAPTER BOOK: Lawless by Jeffrey Salane

A great mystery staring a girl named M who gets into The Lawless School - a school that trains criminals. At first, M is just there to hone her heisting skills, but it's possible that Lawless holds the secrets she wants to know about her deceased father.

My husband is the one who discovered this book on the shelves of our spring Scholastic book fair. It somehow escaped my notice for a couple days, but when I started reading it, I couldn't put it down. It was terrific - great adventure, some great pranks and challenges for M and her friends at school, and lots of twists and turns to keep the reader wondering who are the good guys and who are the bad guys. No word yet on a sequel, but this is billed as a "book 1." There's also no AR quiz at the time of this writing, but I hope there is one soon - my students are eager to get their hands on this one!

4 out of 5 stars
No AR rating at this time

Recommended for: fans of action/adventure stories, mysteries, strong female characters

PICTURE BOOKS: Rosa's Bus by Jo S. Kittinger AND America the Beautiful: Together We Stand

This story, about Rosa Parks and the Montgomery Bus Boycott, focuses on the bus itself while still telling the whole story. It shares the history of bus issues before Rosa's famous choice not to give up her seat, showing how her action (by inaction) was the final straw in a long-brewing issue in the civil rights movement. The book also shares what happened to the bus after its famous moment in time.

5 out of 5 stars - excellent! A new perspective on a familiar story.
AR reading level of 4.6

Lovely pictures to go with the words of "America the Beautiful," with quotes from American presidents. The book jacket doubles as a poster of our country's presidents in order from George to Barack.

4 out of 5 stars

Both of these books were in our Scholastic book fair this spring and both were ones I couldn't wait to share with our history teachers. These would be lovely additions to a classroom or school library for units on Presidents Day or Black History month or other historic celebrations of our nation and our history

PICTURE BOOKS: Bed Hog by Georgette Noullet AND Cat Secrets by Jef Czekaj

Bed Hog is a sweet story with few words about a puppy trying to find a cozy place to sleep. The illustrator is one of my favorites, David Slonim. He makes me want to hug this poor dog.

3 out of 5 stars



The cats are about to reveal their secrets - but the reader will need to prove he/she is a cat first.

4 out of 5 stars

Both of these books were from our Scholastic book fair this spring and both were a lot of fun to read. These would be great for your animal lovers and for one-on-one reading at home. I tried Cat Secrets as a read-aloud with pre-school with mixed results. One-on-one could make for some fun, silly time with Mom or Dad.

PICTURE BOOKS: Psalm 23 illustrated by Richard Jesse Watson AND Emma Dilemma: Big Sister Poems by

The illustrations are what make this book amazing. This was one of the books in our school's spring Scholastic book fair. Several people were convinced to buy this one simply from looking at the full spread illustration that matches this cover picture. It would give you chills to see it in person.

The text of Psalm 23 is laid out throughout the book with these gorgeous illustrations that just beg you to pull up a chair and enjoy them over and over again.

4 out of 5 stars

Recommendations: This would make a lovely gift - for new parents, for a christening/baby dedication, for a friend struggling with an illness or other difficult life circumstances. There are also folks for whom this Psalm is especially significant - I think this presentation is one worth adding to a collection.

This is a delightful "story" of poems by the big sister about her littler sister - the little sister who can be a big pain and a big treasure to her older sibling.

I am an only child, but the emotions and the relationship reflected in the poems seems to fit the women around me with sisters and the stories I hear from them. The voice is great and the format makes it great for use in a school.

5 out of 5 stars
AR reading level of 3.3

Recommended for: sisters, classroom use for general reading as well as for poetry units.

PICTURE BOOK: The Princess and the Pig by Jonathan Emmett

On the same day, a farmer discovers a small pig in his wagon and a queen is holding her baby girl. In one rash move, the baby tumbles from the tower into the wagon and the piglet is bounced from the hay up into the princess's crib. The farmer and his wife believe a fairy has turned their pig into a child as a gracious and benevolent act while the king and queen believe an angry fairy has turned their princess into a pig because she wasn't invited to the christening. The girl grows up sweet and charming while the pig is just a pig. Eventually, the farmer and his wife realize what has happened. Sadly they head off to the castle to make things right....

I won't spoil the fun by telling the end. I'll only say this book was a delight to read from beginning to end. I found this one at the Scholastic Book Fair at our church and my first thought after reading this was, "Why wasn't THIS book in my preview pack!" I thought it was far better than anything else Scholastic had included in their pre-packaged preview sets for advertising their spring fairs. I can't wait to read this one to my students and rave about it to every teacher and parent who comes through our fair at the end of the month. This was a winner!

5 out of 5 stars
AR reading level of 4.2

Recommended for: Everyone!

NON-FICTION FOR KIDS: Dogs on Duty by Dorothy Hinshaw Patent

Fantastic non-fiction book about how dogs have historically been used to help soldiers in war, as well as information on how dogs are chosen and trained to serve today. Includes side bars of dogs who've served their country in war.

Personally, I have mixed feelings about using animals in war, but setting those questions aside, this was a fascinating book about how animals have helped save lives, have served their caretakers, and how they are trained. I think my favorite story was about how a dog who developed PTSD was cared for and what treatment the dog received as a valued member of the armed services. I can think of several students who will love this book! I will have trouble keeping it on the shelf. [This was another book in my Scholastic preview pack for our spring fair, but with a different cover than the one pictured here.]

4.5 out of 5 stars
AR reading level of 7.1

PICTURE BOOk: Here Comes Trouble! By Corinne Demas

Toby the dog can not stand cats! Especially Pandora, the snooty cat next door. When Pandora stays with Toby's family for awhile, the animals get into all sorts of trouble. Will they ever learn to get along and become friends?

Cute chapter book for Toby, the star of Always in Trouble. Kids who enjoy animal stories will get a kick out of Toby and Pandora. I bought this book as part of a preview pack of books from Scholastic for our upcoming spring book fair.

3 out of 5 stars
No AR rating yet

EARLY READER: Fly Guy Presents: Sharks by Tedd Arnold

This is a non-fiction book about sharks, including pictures of different kinds of sharks, teeth, gills, etc. The book is "narrated" by Fly Guy and his friend, Buzz, on a trip to the aquarium.

I bought this book from Scholastic as part of a book fair preview pack for our school's spring fair. The book releases in stores on May 1. This will be a popular book with my students. My two kindergarten classes can't get enough books about sharks. The fact that Fly Guy is part of this may help them transition to Fly Guy books as well. I think this is a great format for kids' non-fiction, and I hope Scholastic and Tedd Arnold do more of these kinds of books. I think the format will draw kids in.

4 out of 5 stars

CHAPTER BOOK: I Survived the Battle of Gettysburg, 1863 by Lauren Tarshis

Thomas and his litter sister, Birdie, are slaves during the Civil War. When Thomas is in danger of being sold to more brutal slave owners, the two run away. After a long, difficult journey, they end up with a group of Union soldiers who care for them. The kids hear stories of the war - and they see it's horrors first hand at the Battle of Gettysburg.

Review
Another great story in this historical fiction series. My students can't get enough of these, and I know they are going to love this, too. This is an honest story of war without being excessive about the reality of war and slavery. Thomas and Birdie are great characters. Tarshis does a great job of providing a satisfying ending without resorting to an unrealistic "everything is perfect" ending which would be rare in a wartime situation. I bought this book from Scholastic in a book fair preview pack for our school's spring book fair. This is one my students will be very excited about!!

4 out of 5 stars
This book has not released yet, so there is no AR level at this time.

Recommended for: readers in 3rd grade and up, fans of historical fiction, fans of previous books in this series, fans of war stories, classroom teachers looking for material for Black History Month in February.

BOOK FAIR PREVIEW: Wings of Fire - The Dragonet Prophecy by Tui T. Sutherland

In a world dominated by dragons (Mudwings, Skywings, Seawings, Nightwings, Sandwings, Rainwings, and Icewings) and war, a prophecy says five dragonets, taken from their homes as eggs, will end the war. But what can five young dragons hope to do against kingdoms of dragons at war?

I really enjoyed this one! I wasn't really in love with any of the titles Scholastic put into their preview packs this fall (especially compared to the great finds last year like Dog in Boots and The False Prince) when I first looked at them, but this turned out to be an engrossing story. The world is well-developed; the abilities and limitations of the different dragon types are well-defined and interesting, although it took awhile to get them straight in my head. (I still don't have all the alliances clear between the different types without having to look them up in the guide at the front of the book.) The group dynamics with the five dragonets are fascinating - each is dealing with his/her own fears and insecurities while also dealing with the big picture of the prophecy and their place in this world. There is a great set up in the epilogue, hinting at traitors and treachery, for the rest of the series. Book 2, The Lost Heir releases on January 1, 2013.

4 out of 5 stars
AR level of 5.0

Recommended for: readers who enjoy fantasy stories or dragon stories, readers looking for adventure stories

Cautions: some violence. Dragons are not sweet creatures in general and these dragons are at war.

BOOK FAIR PREVIEW: Dog Finds Lost Dolphins by Elizabeth Carney

Great non-fiction book about a dog trained to find beached and/or sick dolphins so they can be rescued. Will appeal to dog and dolphin fans as well as kids who enjoy any book about animals. Other stories focus on monkeys and rats as "animal heroes."

4 out of 5 stars
AR level of 4.2

I am excited about adding this book to our school library. I think it is a subject the kids will want to read, and the appearance will catch their eyes. In the world of Common Core, I am interested in finding more non-fiction books like this one for my students to read.

BOOK FAIR PREVIEW: Dog in Charge by K. L. Going AND Ruby's New Home by Tony and Lauren Dungy

This year, Scholastic didn't give me a lot of new picture books to preview for my fair this year. Here are two I did receive:

Good Dog! Smart Dog! Very Best Dog! Dog's family runs to the store, leaving Dog in charge of the cats. But five curious cats can get into a lot of mischief! Poor Dog! What will his family do when they see the mess the cats have left?

For me, this book is eye catching first of all because of the great illustrations by Dan Santat, one of my new favorite illustrators. In reading this story, I wasn't sure if it was supposed to be a search and find book or a counting book. It's not strong enough in either regard to be "sold" on either of those factors. But if the purpose of the book was just to give kids a fun pet story, it succeeds. I know my students will love Dog and his kitty friends.

3.5 out of 5 stars
AR level of 1.7

Recommended for: pet lovers!

Three kids learn to take care of a dog. More importantly, though, they learn to share a dog when their family gets a new puppy.

Cute story, realistic problem that comes with a good solution. Told simply and clearly for young readers.

3.5 out of 5 stars
AR level of 2.2

Recommended for: pet lovers, dog lovers

BOOK FAIR PREVIEW: Infinity Ring - A Mutiny in Time by James Dashner

Dak and Sera are best friends living in a world a shade off-normal (Columbus didn't discover America, presidents you've never heard of are on Mt. Rushmore, etc.). Dak is a total history geek while Sera's passion is science. Together they stumble onto an invention by Dak's parents - a time travel device called The Infinity Ring. A group called the Hystorians take Dak and Sera in, telling them there are breaks in the natural time line and they need The Infinity Ring to fix them. Dak and Sera travel back to 1492 to deal with one of them.

This is the first book in a 39Clues-ish series. The story spends more time setting up the series than dealing with the actual time issues, but there is great potential for future stories. Lots of tension as the kids don't know who they can trust, not only in the present, but also in the past. I think my students will enjoy this series because of the adventure and the time travel components. In that regard, this is like a Magic Tree House for older readers.This volume may bog down some readers with all the set up material, but if they persevere, they will enjoy it.

4 out of 5 stars
AR level of 5.3

Recommended for: fans of 39 Clues, history fans, fans of adventure stories

Book 2 - Divide and Conquer releases November 6th
Book 3 - The Trap Door releases February 5th, 2013