PUBLISHER: Scholastic, 2008 PRICE: $17.99
ISBN: 978-0-545-17292-9 INTEREST LEVEL: 6-10 grade
ILLUSTRATOR: PAGES: 313 pages
Thirteen year old Hayaat, like most teenagers, is trying to make sense of her world. However, her world is very different than what American teens will ever experience. She and her family were forced out of their house in the country and forced to live in a small cramped apartment with strictly enforced curfews. You see, Hayaat is Palestinian living in Bethlehem behind concrete walls where travel from one city to another is prohibited without permits and armed searches. But, Hayaat and her friend Samy, a Palestinian Christian, are on a mission which is the main focus of the story. They plan to sneak into Jerusalem, find the house that Grandma lived in as a young woman and bring a bottle of soil from it to her before she dies. Along the arduous and hazardous six mile trip, we learn about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, about Muslim traditions, Middle Eastern lifestyles, and how people are still people with many of the same joys, fears, wants and needs regardless of which side of a man-made wall they live on. We learn that teens there are no different than here, that they watch soap operas, dream of fairy tale weddings, listen to music their parents don’t like, have idols, argue and disobey their elders and fight with siblings; but they also face death or arrest on a daily basis. This is a good book for students interested in this part of the world and who want to learn more in an enjoyable way, with some humor, some mischief and some adventure thrown in.
Linda Solberg, Castle Rock High School Media Center
Abrahams, Peter TITLE: Quacky Baseball RATING: A
PUBLISHER: HarperCollins ã 2010 PRICE: $ 16.99
ISBN: 978-0-06-122979-4 INTEREST LEVEL: PreK – 2nd
ILLUSTRATOR: Frank Morrison PAGES: UNP
It’s Opening Day of baseball and Thumby Duckling (who sucks his thumb) is starting for the first time for his team, the Webbies. They’re up against the Quackers, who always win. The Webbies load the bases with two outs and Thumby’s the next batter up. Can he help his team finally beat the Quackers? This was a cute story, told in baseball-speak, with highlighted baseball tips scattered throughout the story. I thought the baseball-speak style of writing might be a little over the heads of the 3-8 year olds the book is aimed toward, but the illustrations are bright and captivating and will hold their attention.
REVIEWER: Jill Buccola, Olympic Elementary School
Allaby, Michael, Anderson, Robert TITLE: Deserts and Semi-deserts RATING: R
And Crofton, Ian PUBLISHER: Raintree 20101 PRICE: 34.00
ISBN: 978-1-4329-4175-8 INTEREST LEVEL: 3rd - 8th
ILLUSTRATOR: various PAGES: 64
The Sonoran Desert, Atacama, Kalahari and Nimib deserts, Sahara, Gobi, Takla Makan biomes are demonstrated to the reader. The book has large font, 1.5 spacing, each page has photographs, maps and/or illustrations that show the reader what the environment is like. The flora and fauna are described and shown. The language is easy to read and understand. This book was a fun read. Contains Glossary, Further Research (books and websites) and index.
Reviewer: Jaime Meadows, Lower Columbia College
Allen, Crystal TITLE: How Lamar’s Bad Prank Won A Bubba-Sized Trophy RATING: R
PUBLISHER: Balzer & Bray PRICE: $16.99
ISBN: 978-0-06-199272-8 INTEREST LEVEL: 6-8
ILLUSTRATOR: NA PAGES: 283
Lamar is the best there is at bowling, but when it comes to pulling off pranks, the skills are in the gutter. Lamar hooks up with one of the baddest kids
in school to earn some green and get a girl. Little did he know that he would find himself in a lot of hot water because he believed a lot of lies. This
book is full of funny situations, dialogues, realism and many moral choices. Worth the read.
REVIEWER: Lonni Tegelberg, Cascade Middle School, Longview, WA
Almond, David TITLE: Slog’s Dad RATING: R
PUBLISHER: Candlewick Press, 2011 PRICE: 15.99
ISBN: 9780763649401 INTEREST LEVEL: 9-12
ILLUSTRATOR: Dave McKean PAGES: 57
In this slim volume, Almond, an English author of award-winning novels, stories and plays tells the simple story of a boy, Slog, whose father dies and the boy’s certainty that his father will come back to visit him one last time. One day Slog and his friend Davie see a broken old man sitting on a park bench and Slog immediately recognizes the man as his father and goes to talk with him. Davie is skeptical…to him the man just looks like a bum, and he watches from a distance before approaching the two to challenge the man with questions only Slog’s dad would be able to answer. So is the man Slog’s dad or not? The ambiguity of the final scenes leaves the reader pondering, yet profoundly moved. This book is remarkable in so many ways, from the poignant story to the eerily evocative illustrations to the questions the story raises in the mind. Although it could even be considered a “picture book” it is definitely one for older readers, even adults. I don’t know exactly where this book would fit in a school library, but it is a gem nonetheless.
Reviewer: Cody Walke, Kelso High School
Anderson, Sheila TITLE: What Can Live in a Forest? RATING: R PUBLISHER: Lerner Publications ã 2010 PRICE: $NA ISBN: 978-0-7613-4571-8 INTEREST LEVEL: Gr: K-2 ILLUSTRATOR: NA PAGES: 23
This non-fiction book has very few words, but has great photos. It tells how different forest animals have special adaptations. It is written to where very young children can understand, and they will love the photos. Great non-fiction story for the very young.
REVIEWER: Tracy Robinson, Kessler Elementary
Andrews, David TITLE: Businesses without Borders: Globalization RATING: Ad
PUBLISHER: Heinemann, 2011 PRICE: na
ISBN: 9781432939335 INTEREST LVL: Gr 6-10
ILLUSTRATOR: PAGES: 56
One of four books in the “Global Marketplace” series this examines the benefits, negatives and complexities of international dependence for U.S. citizens and their economic lives. Did you realize that the person taking your order at the drive-through at McDonald’s may not even be at the local store, but outsourced and entering your order via computer so that the store can concentrate on your food order? A grandmother in Nepal can connect via the Internet to the same information as we can. The major debate surrounding a global economy is homesourcing versus outsourcing and offshoring. Why the current recession in the United States affected the entire world economy is explained in a pleasant format with sidebars and ample color photographs that are up-to-date. Though the book’s audience is intended for a lower grade, I feel that high school students would benefit from the clear explanations. Included are glossary, ndex, timeline and additional web and print resource lists.
Reviewer: Joan Enders, Librarian, Robert A. Long High School http://whattoreadwhattoread.blogspot.com
Aslan, Reza TITLE: No God But God RATING: R
PUBLISHER: Delacorte Press, PRICE: 16.99
ISBN: 9780385739757 INTERSET LEVEL: 9-12
ILLUSTRATOR: n/a PAGES: 166
Subtitled The Origins and Evolution of Islam, this book is a welcome addition to high school libraries. Following a chronological outline and using everyday language, it traces the history and influence of Islam from its earliest beginnings to the current day. Nine chapters discuss the kind of world Muhammad was born into, his experiences in Mecca and Medina and how Islam flowered in the period after his death. More importantly for the modern reader though, the author presents separate chapters discussing the meaning of Jihad, women in Islamic culture, and the relationship between Muslims and Jews. The final chapter speculates on the future of Islam and how young Muslims are reshaping and reinterpreting their religion, and the author foresees an “inevitable cleansing” of bigotry and fanaticism, which he calls Islam’s “false idols.” The book offers a glossary of key terms and a timeline of important events.
Reviewer: Cody Walke, Kelso High School
Badger, Meredith TITLE: Genie in Training RATING: A+
PUBLISHER: Feiwel and Friends, 2009 PRICE: $12.99
ISBN: 9780312657826 INTEREST LEVEL: 3rd-6th
ILLUSTRATOR: PAGES: 187
Genie in Training is the first of the Tweenie Genie series. Poppy is not thrilled about her twelfth birthday until she learns she is going to be trained as a genie. The catch is that she can’t tell her family or anyone else that she is really a genie. Poppy’s character shows the insecurities and fears that are representative of a tween girl. Even though she makes many mistakes in genie training she learns she is very special in her own right. I enjoyed reading this book. I can readily recommend it to our students.
Reviewer: Rhonda Lowe, Castle Rock Elementary
Bailer, Darice TITLE: Lose the Blanket, Linus! RATING: R
PUBLISHER: Little Simon, 2010 PRICE: $14.95
ISBN: 978-1-59961-804-3 INTEREST LEVEL: K-3rd
ILLUSTRATOR: LoBianco, Peter & Nick PAGES: 31
Based on Charles Schulz’s beloved characters, Bailer and the LoBiancos do a nice job of staying true to Schulz’s characters in this book. Big sister Lucy thinks little brother Linus needs to give up his much-loved blanket. Linus takes his blanket everywhere and Lucy feels the need to call in their blanket-hating Grandma. She manages to get the blanket from Linus and then Lucy turns it into a kite. When Linus gets it back, the blanket is mad at Lucy and hisses at her. Linus goes about trying to prove he doesn’t need the blanket.
Reviewer: Nikki Williams, Castle Rock Elementary
Balsley, Tilda TITLE: Maccabee! The Story of Hanukkah RATING: R PUBLISHER: Kar-Ben ã 2010 PRICE: $17.95 ISBN: 978-0-7613-4507-7 INTEREST LEVEL: 3-5th ILLUSTRATOR: David Harrington PAGES: NA
This story is done in rhyme, and has cartoon like illustrations. It tells in kid friendly manner the story of Hanukkah. A great way to show diversity of holidays.
REVIEWER: Tracy Robinson, Kessler Elementary
Bardoe, Cheryl TITLE: The Ugly Duckling Dinosaur: A Prehistoric Tale RATING: R
PUBLISHER: Boyds Mills Press, Inc. ã 2011 PRICE: $ 16.95
ISBN: 978-0-8109-9739-4 INTEREST LEVEL: K – 3rd
ILLUSTRATOR: Doug Kennedy PAGES: UNP
When a mama duck hatches all her eggs but one, everyone waits anxiously. It finally cracks, and out pops a…t-rex! Of course, being a good mama, the duck takes t-rex along on the duckling’s first swim, at which he’s pretty awkward. Feeling ugly and like he doesn’t quite fit in, he flees into the forest when his ‘mama’ and siblings dive beneath the water’s surface. Will he find where he truly belongs? This story follows the path of the classic ugly duckling tale and young listeners will be able to make that connection. The illustrations are expressive and colorful and a great fit with the storyline. At the back are short explanations of some of the dinosaurs shown in the story along with notes from the Author and Illustrator.
REVIEWER: Jill Buccola, Olympic Elementary School
Bari, Ellen TITLE: Jumping Jenny RATING: R
PUBLISHER: Kar-Ben @ 2011 PRICE: 17.95
ISBN: 9780761351412 INTEREST LEVEL: Kdg-4th
ILLUSTRATOR: Raquel Macia PAGES: UNP
In Picnic at Camp Shalom the reader is transported to a Jewish summer camp. In Jackie’s Gift, Jackie Robinson’s family is able to bond with a Jewish family. Now in Jumping Jenny the setting is a Jewish school where the students are trying to raise money for school supplies in Uganda. Jenny’s jumping has gotten her into trouble on several occasions but she is finally exonerated when she makes money for Uganda by jumping 1000 times on a Pogo stick. The story is based on events in the author’s life. The illustrations jump right off the pages.
Reviewer: Carol Steen, Columbia Valley Gardens Elementary
Barnholdt, Lauren TITLE: Aces Up RATING: RPUBLISHER: Delacorte Press 2010 PRICE: $9.99
ISBN: 9780385738743 INTEREST LEVEL: 10-12
ILLUSTRATOR: NA PAGES: 272
Shannon Card is accepted into Wellesley College and takes a job as a server in a local casino. She meets Cole the leader of a group called “Aces Up”, which is a group of very good poker players. The thrill of working a job, when underage, cheating the gambling system and which boy she likes best becomes too much for her, things begin to unravel. In the end she loses much more than she bargained for but gets the guy that really means the most to her, Max. “Aces Up” proves that things that look too good to be true really are just that, high hope for a quick fix to a problem.
Reviewer: Tina Campbell, Toutle Lake JR/SR High School
Barrett, Tracy TITLE: King of Ithaka RATING: A
PUBLISHER: Henry Holt and Company 2010 PRICE: $16.99
ISBN: 9780805089691 INTEREST LEVEL 10-12
ILLUSTRATOR: NA PAGES: 261
Telemachos has never left the small island he lives on with his family. Now, he must go in search of his father, before his mother is forced to marry. The town leaders say his father is dead and she must fulfill the laws and marry in order for them to have a new king. Is he up to the task? No, he has never sailed a boat, fought a battle, or had to provide for his own wellbeing. He receives a mysterious prophecy from centuries old cave dwelling monster, whom he risked his life seeing. Telemachos struggles with physical battles, thieves and just trying to have enough food to eat. “King of Ithaka” is slow reading, at the beginning, but draws the reader in to Telemachos’ journey. I found myself rooting for him to find his father and win the battle to keep his mom from having to remarry.
Reviewer: Tina Campbell, Toutle Lake JR/SR High School
Barron, T.A. TITLE: Merlin’s Dragon: Ultimate Magic RATING: R
PUBLISHER: Philomel Books/Penguin Group ã 2010 PRICE: $ 19.99
ISBN: 978-0-399-25217-4 INTEREST LEVEL: 5th - Up
ILLUSTRATIONS: NA PAGES: 223