Wait Till Helen Comes

Wait Till Helen Comes
Mary Downing Hahn
Texas Bluebonnet Award 1989
Interest Level: young adult
CATEGORY: Fantasy
TYPE: young adult fiction
SUMMARY: This is a story about a little girl who at the age of three loses her mother in fire. Three years after the fire her father remarries and Heather has to adjust to living with a step family and they with her. The family moves into an old church out in the country. Behind the church is an old graveyard where Heather discovers a forgotten 100 year old grave of a little girl. Because of an untold guilt Heather befriends the ghost of the little girl buried in this grave, Helen. Heather’s 12 year old step sister, Molly, seems to appear every time Heather is talking with Helen. Helen convinces Heather to go with her, if it were not for Molly Heather would have drowned too.
ONLINE CONNECTIONS:
About the Author:
http://www.childrensbookguild.org/hahn.html
List of books and what they are about by the same Author:
http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/h/mary-downing-hahn/
BOOK CONNECTIONS:
Deep and Dark and Dangerous by Mary Downing Hahn
The Old Willis Place by Mary Downing Hahn
Keywords: Ghost, cemetery, forgotten, forgiveness
This is a great story of a step family coming together, clearing up misunderstandings and forgiving. It is a great book for young adults interested in the mysteries of old places and the unknown.
Just a note, the cover changes depending on who publishes this book so do not let the cover fool you. Look for the title and the author match.

ARROW TO THE SUN

Arrow to the Sun a Pueblo Indian tale
Gerald McDermott
The Caldecott Medal
Interest Level: Elementary
CATEGORY: Multicultural folk tale
TYPE: Juvenile fiction
SUMMARY: It is about a boy in search of his father. He finds he has to go through some trials to prove he is his son. The boy easily goes through the challenge chambers and is transformed by the power of the sun. The boy returns to the world to be greeted with a great welcoming celebration.
ONLINE CONNECTIONS:
Author’s web site:
http://www.geraldmcdermott.com/
About the Author and his books:
http://www.rif.org/art/illustrators/mcdermott.mspx
BOOK CONNECTIONS:
MUSICIAN OF THE SUN by Gerald McDermott
Anansi The Spider by Gerald McDermott
KEYWORDS: son, father, arrow, searching, life
This is a great book from the Pueblo Indians. It gives us an opportunity to hear and enjoy some of their stories. Gerald McDermott is a great author of folk tales and he brings his fascinating art work into his books.

LOVE THAT DOG

LOVE THAT DOG
Sharon Creech
Newbery- winning novelist
Interest Level: upper elementary
CATEGORY: Poetry Novel
TYPE: Juvenile Fiction
SUMMARY: This novel is about a boy who thinks that writing poetry is just for girls. As his school year progresses, he realizes that he is writing poetry even if it is not what he thought it should be like. He becomes aware that poetry is not just for girls.
ONLINE CONNECTIONS:
A review about this book:
http://www.commonsensemedia.org/book-reviews/Love-That-Dog.html
Author’s web site:
http://www.sharoncreech.com/novels/01.asp
BOOK CONNECTIONS:
Chasing Redbird by Sharon Creech
Out of the Dust by Karen Hesse
KEYWORDS: girls, poems, boy, dog, dad
Using a journal format to write Jacks’ poetry, Creech creates an interesting way to follow the story line while still enjoying the poems.

A PIZZA the size of the SUN

a PIZZA the size of the SUN
Jack Prelutsky
Children’s Poet Laureate, 2006
Interest Level: elementary
CATEGORY: Poems
TYPE: Juvenile Fiction
SUMMARY: This poem book has a great variety of poems. Prelutsky’s poems are very entertaining, easy to read, and he has an interesting variety of poem formats. For example, several of his poems have to be read from right to left. This can be challenging and fun at the same time.
ONLINE CONNECTIONS:
Reviews about this book:
http://www.jackson.lib.la.us:8000/kcweb/kcContent?isbn=9780688132354&type=review&controlnumber=+++95035930&referedby=titlelist
About the author:
http://project1.caryacademy.org/echoes/poet_Jack_Perlutsky/DefaultJack%20Prelutsky.htm
BOOK CONNECTIONS:
The New Kid on the Block by Jack Prelutsky
Something Big Has Been Here By Jack Prelutsky
KEYWORDS: Variety, short, long, humorous, imaginative
This is not a book I would have just picked up to read, but after reading it; I have a different outlook about picking up a book of poems to read. Prelutsky’s poems have a rich vocabulary that our children would benefit from. Children would definitely enjoy this book, for its humor, imagination, and rhythm.

Dog and Bear Two's Company

Dog and Bear Two’s company
Laura Vaccaro Seeger
Publish April 2008
Interest Level: ages 3 to 7
CATEGORY: fiction
TYPE: Picture book
SUMMARY: the story continues with dog and bear enjoying each others company. The bright colorful watercolor pictures are outlined with a black paint brush outline which makes the colors even more vibrant. The pictures show the actions of the dog and bear which would make the book easy to connect with.
ONLINE CONNECTIONS:
About the Author;
http://www.studiolvs.com/website_root/StudioLVS_Home/About.html
Book article:
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_hb3499/is_200803/ai_n25238737
BOOK CONNECTIONS:
Dog and Bear-Two Friends, Three Stories by Laura Vaccaro Seeger
My Friend John by Charlotte Zolotow
KEYWORDS: friends, birthday, dog, bear, watercolors
This is a wonderful book about friendship and what friends do for each other. It is very simple and easy to read, the pictures support the story, and it keeps the readers wanting to read it again and again.

First the Egg

First the Egg
Laura Vaccaro Seeger
Caldecott Honor Award 2008
Interest Level: ages 3 to 7
CATEGORY: nonfiction
TYPE: Picture Book
SUMMARY: This is a simple book about which comes first in life; the chicken or the egg. The pictures are simple and bright they are an acrylic on canvas which gives it a beautiful textured look. The Die cuts add to the visual connections from what it was to what it becomes.
ONLINE CONNECTIONS:
Reviews about the book and the author:
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/11/books/review/London-t.html
About the author:
http://www.studiolvs.com/website_root/StudioLVS_Home/About.html
BOOK CONNECTIONS:
Does a Kangaroo Have a Mother Too? By Eric Carle
SPOTS, FEATHERS AND CURLY TAILS BY Nancy Tafuri
KEYWORDS: egg, chicken, words, story, colorful
This is a good book that would be easy to use with very young children and beginning readers. It is interesting and simple yet it keeps a child’s attention.

Kitten's First Full Moon

Kitten’s First Full Moon
Kevin Henkes
Caldecott Medal Winner 2005
Interest Level: elementary
CATEGORY: fiction
TYPE: Picture Book
SUMMARY: This is a book about a kitten that sees the moon and thinks it is its bowl of milk and is determined to get to it. The pictures are in shades of black, grey and white. With these three colors alone, Henkes shows the kittens facial expressions to let you know exactly how the kitten may be feeling as he chases, stumbles, and jumps for what he thinks is his bowl of milk, he eventually gets his bowl of milk when he returns home.
ONLINE CONNECTIONS:
The authors website:
http://www.kevinhenkes.com/
About the author along with lessons plans for his different mouse books:
http://falcon.jmu.edu/~ramseyil/henkes.htm
BOOK CONNECTIONS:
A Kitten’s Year by Nancy Raines Day
Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown
KEYWORDS: kitten, milk, moon, playful, sad, happy
Anybody who has had any experience with kittens can see the playful kitten in this book actually behaving in this manner. This is a wonderful book that allows you to feel, though the kitten’s facial expressions, the frustrations he goes through to get a bowl of milk.

The Book Thief

The Book Thief
Markus Zusak
Tayshas 2006
Interest Level: High School
CATEGORY: Historical Fiction
TYPE: Novel

SUMMARY: A little girl finds herself in a new environment with a foster family. During the time of World War II, through tragedy she steals a book; she learns to read and begins to collect books by stealing them. She reads her stolen books in a neighbor’s cellar during air raids, and to a Jewish man taking refuge in her basement, and to a lonely neighbor.

ONLINE CONNECTIONS:
Background on this book by Markus Zusak, featured by Random House:
http://www.randomhouse.com/features/markuszusak/
About the author:
http://www.bookbrowse.com/biographies/index.cfm?author_number=1275

BOOK CONNECTIONS:
Resistance by Owen Sheers
A Storm of Swords by George R R. Martin

KEYWORDS: War, Germany, bombs, refuge, death

This was a good book to read considering that most of the books that I have read about World War II have been about the Holocaust, the Jewish massacre. This book was about some of the hardships of the underprivileged German people especially the children.

The House of the Scorpion

The House of the Scorpion
By Nancy Farmer
Newbery and Honor Books 2003
Interest Level: high school
Category: Futuristic Science Fiction
Type: Novel

Summary: Matt could not understand why he could not go outside to play. Later when he is discovered he is treated like a piece of property by the children and most of the adults, except a child named Maria. Matt eventually learns that he is a clone of El Patron, Matteo Alacran. Clones of El Patron are made to harvest organs, will the same fate fall on Matt or will he be the lucky one to gain his freedom?

ONLINE CONNECTIONS:
Nancy Keane does a book talk on this book:
http://nancykeane.com/booktalks/farmer_house.htm
About the author:
http://www.bookbrowse.com/biographies/index.cfm?author_number=818

BOOK CONNECTIONS:
The Sea of Trolls by Nancy Farmer
Night Watch by Terry Pratcett

KEYWORDS: future, alone, identity, freedom

This is a fascinating book that makes you wonder what could happen if human cloning is allowed. What struggles would the cloned person go through? It is set in a future world with realistic possibilities of what one man with money, power and control is capable of doing.