CRIME CATS: MISSING by Wolfgang Parker

A Halloween costume allows Jonas to talk to the neighborhood cats which is an asset when the cats start to go missing. Jonas and the Crime Cats (Neil and CatBob) are determined to capture The Beast that is roaming their town so the cats can be free and safe again.

This was a great read!! I liked the character of Jonas, who is trying to find his way and figure out who he wants to be in the midst of bullies and embarrassing but well-intentioned parents. Themes in the story include friendship, pets, pet safety and bullying. Looks at the question of what makes someone a hero. I normally skip the Halloween themed books but in this case it was there more to establish the setting of the story and some of the events rather than being a major focus of the book. Includes cat care tips in the back. I would definitely read more books in this series!

4 out of 5 stars
No AR reading level at the time of this writing.

Kindle version of this book is available for $2.99 at the time of this writing. Definitely worth the purchase price, in my opinion!

* I received an electronic copy of this book from the author 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.

ELLRAY JAKES THE DRAGON SLAYER by Sally Warner

When EllRay sees his little sister getting picked on at school, EllRay wants to share his wisdom and experience as the older brother and protector. But Alfie doesn't want his advice - she just wants the girls at school to be nice to her, and she'll do anything those girls want if they'll just be her friend. How can EllRay protect Alfie if she won't follow his suggestions?

This is the first book I have read in this series (this is book #4), and I think EllRay is darling. The bullying theme in this story is timely. Jake tries to handle things himself - his parents seem aware of what's going on with Alfie, but they are trying to give her space to work things out on her own if she can. You may question EllRay's methods when he tries to help, but his heart is in the right place. I think this would be a great book to read as a family or in a classroom and then talk about what EllRay does, what Alfie does, what the parents do, and what your kids think they might do in a similar situation. This is one of those "transitional chapter books" that I love because it is written at a higher reading level, but the content is appropriate for younger kids who are ready for chapter books.

4 out of 5 stars
AR Reading level of 4.5

Here are some of the other books in this series:
        

THE MORE THE MERRIER by Stephanie Barden

In book two of the Cinderella Smith series, Cinderella is still having issues with her former friend and neighbor, Rosemary T. This time the girls are both competing in the spelling bee, and Rosemary is saying rude things about Cinderella and her family. Cinderella tries giving Rosemary T. the silent treatment as "revenge" but it ends up making things worse rather than better.

I love Cinderella Smith! She is top of my list of great female characters alongside Fancy Nancy and Judy Moody. This is a book I can confidently recommend to girls in 2nd or 3rd grade as well as those in 5th and 6th. This story addresses the topic of bullying and "mean girls" without being heavy handed or preachy. Cinderella has a great group of friends and a wonderful family support system. I look forward to sharing this one with my students!

4 out of 5 stars
AR Reading Level of 4.3

Graphic Novel Week: TOMMYSAURUS REX and CARDBOARD by Doug TenNapel

In Tommysaurus Rex, a boy's dog dies, and his parents send him to stay with his grandfather while he recovers from his loss. The boy, Ely, finds a TRex who acts a lot like his dog, Tommy. A bully causes trouble for the boy and for Tommysaurus Rex. 

In Cardboard, a dad who is down on his luck buys a cardboard box for his son's birthday gift. The cardboard is magic. Whatever they build comes to life. But they don't follow the magic rules and things go horribly out of control. There is a bully in this story as well.

Both of these graphic novels are great. The stories and art are very well done. I thought Tommysaurus was extremely touching and the ending was excellent. Cardboard was also very good, but darker than Tommysaurus. I think Cardboard is a better fit for middle school than for elementary school, so I am adding Tommysaurus to my library and recommending Cardboard to older readers.

4 out of 5 stars for both.

AR reading level of 2.0 for Tommysaurus. Cardboard has a reading level of 2.2 with AR.

ALA Week: LION VS. RABBIT and PENGUIN'S HIDDEN TALENT by Alex Latimer

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!!

Lion is a bully, and the other animals are fed up with him. None of them are brave enough to stand up to him, though. Then, a rabbit comes to try and save the day. Can a rabbit really beat a lion?

Very cute story with a very clever rabbit! I bought this one while at ALA because I just had to have it for the library!
4 out of 5 stars
AR reading level of 2.7

Penguin's friends are getting ready for a talent show, but Penguin can't think of anything he's good at. He settles for organizing the show, which goes perfectly. Penguin's friends see his talent and try to help Penguin see it too.

I bought this one at ALA, too. Very sweet story with a great message about different people having different gifts.
4 out of 5 stars
AR reading level of 2.6

I bought both of these books from the publisher, Peachtree. (www.peachtree-online.com)

CHAPTER BOOK: About Average by Andrew Clements

Jordan longs to be special - distinguished in some way from her 6th grade peers. But so far, she's just average - average height, average grades, average face. And in the midst of her average anguish, a bully finds a list of Jordan's thoughts on her own average-ness and plans to use it to make Jordan's life miserable. What's an average girl to do?

This is the latest release from one of my favorite authors for kids, Andrew Clements - the author of Frindle and No Talking. Jordan will appeal to middle grade girls wondering where they fit. She's a nice, likable girl who tries to do the right thing, the smart thing, when it comes to her problems. I loved reading the way she processes what to do about her bully problem - what her options are and how an option might work or not work. Any adult would see Jordan's gifts, but they aren't the flashy, public ones Jordan thinks they should be to be valuable.

This is a pensive story - most of it takes place in Jordan's head. There's not a lot of "action" or dialogue in the story which may discourage some readers from giving it a try, which would be a shame, because this is a good story.

3.5 stars out of 5
No AR rating yet

Recommended for: classroom/library read-alouds might expose more readers to Jordan. There's plenty here for classroom discussion, too. This could also be a good one for parents to read with their kids (Jordan may appeal to girls more than boys, but the lessons work for any student) and talk about how Jordan deals with her bully problem and her feelings of average-ness.

Cautions: none

MONDAY: Jake Drake, Bully Buster

Summary

This fall I was asked to serve as a mentor with In2Books, a group that pairs adult mentors with third through fifth grade students. The students and the mentors read books together throughout the year and exchange thoughts and questions about what they read through email.  Jake Drake was the first book I read with my student.


Jake has a big problem - a big bully problem. For some reason, a boy named Link has targeted Jake and he makes Jake's life miserable. Jake doesn't want to tattle - that creates problems of its own - but he doesn't want to give in to the bullying either. He tries several things to help him with his problem and along the way learns some things about bullies and about Link - and himself.

Review

I am an Andrew Clements fan, but this was my first Jake Drake book. I liked it, but not as much as books like Frindle and No Talking. I thought Jake's approach to the bullying was very realistic and his story would be a great starting point for discussions about bullying. I respected Jake's desire to avoid tattling, but I'm sure most parents and teachers would want to encourage students to seek adult help rather than trying to deal with a bully alone.



3 out of 5 stars

Recommended for: early chapter book readers, class room teachers, teachers of anti-bullying/ peace-related curricula, bedtime reading and book discussion for parents and children


Cautions: none




[I am an Amazon Associate. If you link to Amazon from one of my blogs and buy something, I receive a small portion of the purchase price.]

FRIDAY: Little Girls Can Be Mean

Bullying is a huge, trendy topic these days, and the forms bullying takes are many - cyber-bullying, hazing and more "traditional" school yard bullying. This particular book focuses on what I would call "pre-bullying" in elementary-aged girls.

Talk to moms of girls or teachers with a good-sized group of girls and one word sure to come up is "drama." Girls use social systems to explore group dynamics and power in an almost instinctual way. They place their social group in a hierarchy based on the number of "bests" they use to describe their friends. ("Susie is my best friend, but Katie is my best-best friend.") One day a group of girls pals around without issue and the next they are in two factions or one girl is "out" while the others buzz around her, pointing and giggling.

The authors of this book propose a four-step system for parents and teachers  (and girls) to help girls negotiate this season in life and develop skills to confidentiality whether girl-dynamics. The four steps are Observe, Connect, Guide, and Support to Act and they are applied at varying levels with lots of activities and suggestions. 

I think the key thing I took from this as someone who spends time with elementary kids is that I have to engage with my students more on things I usually blow off as petty. I forget how huge those slights are when you are 9 and your peer group and fitting in are so important. I also like the authors' suggestions of ways to proactively work to cultivate confidence and compassion in girls at this stage of their development. I think this is a great resource for parents and teachers - great examples to walk through the four steps, great activities to try with your girls, great reminders of how important it is to truly connect with kids.

[I am an Amazon Associate. If you link to Amazon from one of my blogs and buy something, I will receive a small portion of the purchase price.]