Ordered some new books from Demco. They are super cute and a great way to review book care and rules in the library. Can't wait to use them for orientations next year.
A Book Is Just Like You: All About the Parts of a Book by Kathleen Fox
This book was backordered, so I knew it was going to be good! It came in a few weeks after the others. It's a great book for introducing the parts of a book. This book would be perfect to use with second graders, maybe third graders, as it gets into things like the glossary and index of a book. You could use parts of it with Kindergarten and first grade students, though.
I love how the author relates the different parts of a book to something equivalent on a person. Creative and fun!
The Word Eater by Mary Amato
This story started off very strange... in a clan of worms deciding the fate of its newest born member. Then it gets stranger when that worm, whose name is Fip, is left to die and ends up having a strange magical power. Whatever word it eats, that thing disappears. For example, it ate the name of a certain type of thumbtack and suddenly all those thumbtacks disappeared. Weird.
Meanwhile, over at Cleveland Park Middle School, sixth grader Lerner Chanse is having life issues of her own. Being the new girl at school, she desperately wants to fit in, but the MPOOEs (Most Powerful Ones on Earth) are making her life miserable and threatening to make her a SLUG (Sorry Loser Under Ground). Lerner just wants to go back to her old life in her old school and live in her old house, but that doesn't seem likely to happen.
These two unlikely heroes meet and form a special bond. Lerner quickly discovers Fip's special powers and must decide whether or not to use these powers for good or evil. Will the power go to her head? And will Fip and Lerner ever feel like they have a place to belong?
It took me a while to get into this strange story, but once I did, I really enjoyed it. Would make a good book for a book club discussion, especially a discussion on cliques and how people can feel left out in certain situations.
Dork Diaries: Tales from a Not-So-Fabulous Life by Rachel Renee Russell
I liked it better than DOAWK, but just barely. Can't understand why these types of books are so popular. They don't make the reader feel good, just miserable, like the main character. Maybe that's the reason; because misery loves company? Confused. :/
Star Jumper: Journal of a Cardboard Genius by Frank Asch
I gave this book 3.5 out of 5 stars because the main character is so mean to his little brother. Written on a fourth grade reading level, but younger readers would enjoy it, although some scientific terms mentioned throughout (like string theory) might be even over fourth graders' heads. Overall, it was an enjoyable, if overly embellished, exaggeration of impossible events. Even a cardboard genius can't jump through walls, fly to space, or shrink people with cardboard and everyday household items as the genius in this book does. However, this story might encourage kids to use their imagination rather than veg out in front of the tv or computer.
Have Fun, Molly Lou Melon by Patty Lovell
A great second book of Molly Lou Melon! I read this book on We Give Books, but it has since been taken off that site. But I was happy to see it available at our BOGO Book Fair this week, so I picked up a copy for our Media Center. This story not only encourages kids to use their imaginations, but once again, encourages kids to think differently than the crowd. Love Molly Lou's grandma, too. Very cute book. =)
The Loser List: Jinx of the Loser by Holly Kowitt
I finally got around to reading this book after receiving an ARC through NetGalley several months ago. This series has been popular with the fourth and fifth graders. The third book follows pretty much the same plot as the first two books. In this book, Danny is yet again the loser of his school when he causes his school's baseball team to lose the championship baseball game by catching a foul ball in the stands. Just when everyone thought their losing streak was about to end, Danny jinxes it. As if being a loser isn't bad enough, he now gets picked on because of his foul catch and is labeled the school jinx. But he is determined to figure a way out of this label. Will he be able to break the jinx or will he forever be labeled as the biggest loser of his school?
I also read these:
They were quick, easy chapter books that late second to early fourth graders would enjoy reading. I would recommend getting a copy with an updated cover because they will circulate better, but the stories should still be appealing to kids today.
I am going to take a break from my book reviews for awhile. I have tons of end of the year things to get done...inventory, BOGO Book Fair this week, collecting all library materials from students, repairing books, making a new YA section, running end of year stats and getting year end awards together. Oh, and celebrating with one final AR party this Friday. Which reminds me, I have to get some music together for that. But I hope to be able to read some more this summer. I don't want to fall behind on my Goodreads goal. =)
Happy reading!
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