A Dog Called Kitty

This story is about overcoming fears. Ricky, the boy in the story, has a fear of dogs because of an attack from a dog. He comes across a dog trying to eat every time the kittens re fed. Ricky overcomes his fear and befriends the dog. A great friendship begins.

Children will love the sweet story. Kids usually love stories of children with their pet. Children will be able to identify with the fear Ricky is feeling and hopefully it will help students through fears they may have.


Wallace, Bill. (2008). Core collection for children and young adults. Scarecrow Pr.

Pink and Say

Patricia Polacco does it again with another great story. The story tells a bit of history as well as a wonderful story of friendship between to children of different races. The best part of Polacco's stories is that they are true. This is a very thought provoking story that should be shared with everyone.

Kids really enjoy this story even though it may seem above their heads. Kids need to learn and practice empathy and compassion especially in a world of such diversity. The pictures are also just as beautiful as the story.


Polacco, Patricia. (1994). Pink and say. Putnam Juvenile.

Lizzie Bright and the Bucknister Boy

This is another story about being comfortable with who you are even among different cultures and races. The age group this is written for needs to feel comfortable with who they are. The son of the minister doesn't fit in but then he meets a new friend that he feels the need to stand up for. I thought it was a good book with a good story.

Kids will like this story because of the good story of friendship. They will be able to relate to the characters. This book contains a lot of deep subject matter but it is an enjoyable journey.


Schmidt, Gary. (2008). Lizzie bright and the buckminster boy. Laurel Leaf.

Good Dog

This book has beautiful pictures. The poems are fun to read and a little silly. Anyone that loves dogs will appreciate this book. It covers many breeds of dogs and even describes the personalities of each breed. I recommend this book.

Kids will love this book because kids always love to read about animals. Poetry can be introduced and enjoyed through the love of animals. The poems will make children laugh and it is good for all ages.


Gottfried, Maya, & Zakanitch, Robert. (2008). Good dog. Dragonfly Books.

Just in Case

I like cultural books like this one. This is a Spanish alphabet book with beautiful pictures. Readers are even invited to find a butterfly on each page witch draws the reader to look at details on each page. This is an alphabet book that is tied into a story - not just letters on each page. This is a nice peak at the Spanish culture.

Kids will love this book and will be drawn in by the beautiful pictures. Kids also love to hear the 2 languages read out loud back to back. Kids love to learn vocabulary in a new language.

Morales, Yuyi. (2008). Just In case. Roaring Brook.

Ella Enchanted

I love this story! It is full of enchantment, love, being okay with being different, and finding out what you're made of. I really enjoyed this cleverly told modern Cinderella story. The main character is a strong young girl and I believe girls will be empowered after reading this story. The adventure she goes on helps her find herself and her true love. The good guy always wins.

Kids, girls especially, will love this story. It is an easy read and then the kids can watch the movie. The movie was very well done. Everyone loves a good Cinderella story.

Levine, Gail. (2004). Ella enchanted (rack). HarperTeen.

Kitten's First Full Moon

This story is very sweet and innocent. The kitten mistakes a reflection of the moon for a bowl of milk. The kitten tries to drink the milk but never can. When the kitten arrives home she finds a bowl of milk so her hard work pays off. I love the pictures and of course Kevin Henkes is an amazing author.

Kids love stories about animals and this one is no different. Children will love the large black and white pictures and the simple story. Everyone can identify with getting what you are working for.

Henkes, Kevin, Schwedt, Rachel, & DeLong, Janice. (2008). Core collection for children and young adults. Scarecrow Pr.

Flotsam

This is an amazing story about a boy at the beach looking for Flotsam - things that wash up on the shore. He finds a camera and he develops the pictures. He finds many pictures of children who have taken a picture of themselves with the camera. It is a wordless book and many different stories can be told by looking through the beautiful pictures. This story has a great concept - very creative.

Kids love wordless books because they can create their own story. The pictures are absolutely amazing in this book and kids will want to look at them over and over again. Sea creatures come to life.

Wiesner, David, Schwedt, Rachel, & DeLong, Janice. (2008). Flotsam. Scarecrow Pr.

James and the Giant Peach

This story feels like a classic read. I really enjoyed the adventure aspect and creativity of the journey inside a giant peach. I liked the morals weaved through the story in such an imaginative world.

The students will love the cloud men because of the creative weapons used to attack James in the peach. Students will learn how to work together and other life lessons.Roald Dahl creates amazing stories that most children are eager to read - he captivates his audience.

Dahl, Roald, & Blake, Quentin. (2007). James and the giant peach. Puffin.

On My Honor

This was a fast, well written read. This book is based in reality. The main character, Joel, loses his best friend, Tony, while the two boys go swimming in a dangerous river. Tony always seemed to be trying to prove himself so Joel didn't know he didn't really know how to swim. This was a very thought provoking story - Joel learns to deal with death but learns the love of his father.

Kids can learn to deal with death or connect with the characters in his time of grief. I would hope kids could also learn a lesson in not doing the dangerous things the kids did in the book. This book could start some good conversations about what really happens in life - and what is inevitable.

Bauer, Marion. (1986). On my honor. Yearling Books.

Duck for President

This book is another one in the Click, Clack, Moo series. The animals on the farm know how to read and write and give Farmer Brown a run for his money. Duck didn't like to do chores so he held an election to run the farm, then to be governor, then to be president. There are parts in the story which are very predictable and kids will love it. I love the illustrations and the lessons learned by the farm animals.

Kids absolutely love this series. They will listen to it over and over and over again. The pictures add to the text and it even teaches a bit about the electoral process.

Cronin, Doreen, & Lewin, Betsy. (2004). Duck for president. Simon & Schuster Children.

There's a Boy in the Girls' Bathroom

I enjoyed the story because the main character, Bradley, is an extreme troublemaker and lies but he becomes a better person in the end. The new counselor helps Bradley understand how to communicate with others and make good choices. The new counselor has to leave the school and he is left to make good choices without her advice. I think students could learn a lot about themselves reading this story.

Students will like this story because it realistic and kids can relate to the character even if the boy makes extreme choices. The title will grab students' attention and make them want to know why a boy is in the girl's bathroom. This is a taboo subject and kids want to know!

Sachar, Louis. (1997). There's a boy in the girl's bathroom. Random House.

Fallen

This was an incredible story about a girl discovering who she truly is, learning to overcome fears and trusting others. It is full of magic and action. Fallen has an amazing twist that takes you down the road to a fallen angel and the aftermath. I could not put the book down.

This story is geared toward teenagers an the emotional conflict that comes when deciding between two boys. The author has a fantastic way of writing and explaining the emotions so the reader feels a connection - teenagers are always looking for connections. Girls will like it for the romance and boys will enjoy the action.

Kate, Lauren. (2009). Fallen. Delacorte Pr.

Here Lies Arthur

This is not my taste in books but it was a pretty good book. There was a lot of action and could get a little gory, there was love and cross-dressing. This story takes place a long time ago and could get a little barbaric at times but more realistic than most books about the legend of Arthur. I was interested in what was going to happen next.

This books seems a little too advanced for kids. Older teenagers will probably love the book because it has so much in it to keep the reader's attention. This era usually draws attention from boys but this one is narrated by the female character, so girls might be drawn to it as well.


Reeve, Philip. (2010). Here Lies arthur. Scholastic Paperbacks.

Lord of Flies

I didn't particularly like this story. I didn't like the way the author wrote about children turning on each other so quickly. I think kids would stick together more often than ganging up on each other and killing each other - maybe it's my upbringing. Their humanity disappated too quickly. It wasn't believable for me.


Kids would probably like it because it is about kids on a deserted island left to fend for themselves. Kids can create their ideas about what they would do differently than the kids in the book. This story would spur a lot of conversation.

Golding, William, & Blumenthal, Bob. (2006). Lord of the flies. Trafford.

Crispin

This is a dark tale about things that have happened in the past such as the Black Plague. There is a journey and adventure and I was intrigued and engaged throughout the story. I hope I will never have to run for my own life like he does in the story. It was a good read.

Student's will be able to read what it is like to have nothing - most student's will understand what that is like for the first time and some will be able to relate to the character. This is not a bright and shiny book but kids need to read this side of life too. It is a bit sugar coated but it is an introduction to the dark side.

Avi. (2003). Crispin. New York, New York.

The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod

I thoroughly enjoyed this story because it's a story of a teenager boy learning to be a vampire. He must learn to control his desire for blood. Vampires are "in" right now and this story can be compared to Twilight but aimed at teenage boys. I enjoyed the mystery and how Tod uncovers many secrets that surround his family. This story also touches on stalking and who the main character truly is. We all try to find how each person that we meet actually is on the inside. It was a nice quick read.

Teenage boys need more books like this one. Twilight is aimed at girls and has hit the big screen. This story should become a film as well to draw more boys into the world of reading.

Brewer, Heather. (2008). Eighth grade bites. Speak.

The Hunger Games

This is an adventure story with a little romance. Who doesn't love a little romance? This story reminds me a little of the Gladiator times and a fight between the social classes is a big theme in the story. The story is intense and the reader is anxious to find out what happens next.

Boys and girls would both dive into this story. The boys will like the violence and actions and the girls will enjoy the romance in the story. The book looks like an adult book - reminiscent of John Grisham but it is made for teens.

Collins, Suzanne. (2008). The Hunger games. Scholastic.

The Magician's Elephant

I did not care for this book. The story was slow and choppy and did not hold my interest. A boy is an apprentice and comes across a piece of information from a fortune teller and what happens throughout the rest of the story changes his life. I honestly couldn't make myself finish the book.

I don't think kids will engage in this book either. My niece, an avid book reader, could not finish it either. I do not recommend it. Maybe boys would be interested in it because the main character is a boy.

DiCamillo, Kate. (2009). The Magician's elephant. Candlewick Pr.

The Tale of Despereaux

This is a classic story. It is a magical tale that dives into the point of view of different characters - the readers gets to swim around in their heads. This story teaches how to be true to yourself and how to love and care for someone that is different than you. There is danger, kidnapping, poverty, villains and heroes. I love any story that teaches others how to accept people for who they are.

Kids would like it because it's fun, exciting, and magical. It has also been made into a movie - I find that kids like to read books when they can also watch a movie to put their pictures in their head onto the big screen.

DiCamillo, Kate, & Ering, Timothy. (2006). The Tale of despereaux. Candlewick Pr.

Frog and Toad Together

This is another classic story that will be around for many more years. It is a great story that shows how friends can help each other. One friend is always anxious and the other always tries to calm him down. I can relate very well to this story. This is a very quick read and everyone should read the Frog and Toad series. I also enjoyed the pictures on almost every page.

Kids will like the story of friendship of these two amphibians. They will love the simple pictures and the simple things the friends do together. A lot can be learned by reading about these two friends.


Lobel, Arnold, & Lobel, Arnold. (1972). Frog and toad together ;. HarperTrophy.

Because of Winn Dixie

This was such a sweet story. Opal is new to town and discovers things about people in her town through her new-found dog. Opal also finds new information about her mother that abandoned her. I would recommend this book to anyone.

Kids would love this book mainly because if the great dog and great people Opal meets. Opal and her dog bring the whole town back together. Kids will be able to identify with the characters. This book has also been made into a movie.

DiCamillo, Kate. (2009). Because of Winn-dixie. Candlewick Pr.