Each Little Bird That Sings

Have you ever wondered what it must be like to live in a funeral home? In Each Little Bird That Sings, by Deborah Wiles, we get a taste of that life through the eyes of Comfort Snowberger. Comfort's family runs the Snowberger Funeral Home in the town of Snapfinger, Mississippi. According to Comfort ". . . if your house is also the funeral home . . . you're always on call, just like the fire department is always on call. You never know for sure when calamity will strike." And it did. Two people that Comfort loved died: her great uncle Edisto, and her great aunt Florentine. In the midst of all this her best friend decides not to be her best friend anymore. Comfort could deal with all this better if she didn't have to put up with her irritating younger cousin Peach who shows up to make her life miserable. On the day of Great Aunt Florentine's funeral, Peach, Comfort, and Dismay (the family dog), are caught up in a storm that causes Snapfinger Creek to flood. They are swept downstream and fight for their lives. Comfort loses someone very important to her in the flood, but finds out what it means to have the love of family and friends.

This was a delightful realistic fiction book for children. I loved reading about the close relationships Comfort had with her parents and family. I chuckled at the "life notices" she wrote for the local paper and her descriptions of her cousin Peach. Snapfinger, the fictional town where the story is set, reminded me of the small town where I grew up. When there was a funeral everyone turned out with food, help, and hugs. Wiles totally captured the emotional trauma of a young girl going through the feeling that she has lost her best friend and others that she loves. She also does a great job of showing how these very normal experiences help her gain perspective on life and realize what's really important.

This is a heartwarming book and a great read. I recommend it for grades 4-6, but even older children and young adults will enjoy it.

Keywords associated with this book: funerals, funeral homes, morticians, death, dying, family relationships, love, pets, floods, best friends, friendships.

Al Capone Does My Shirts

Al Capone Does My Shirts by Gennifer Choldenko tells the story of a family who moves to Alcatraz Island where the father accepts a job as a prison guard. Set during the time period when Al Capone was actually incarcerated there, the story weaves facts with fiction. It is written from the perspective of Moose, the son of the family, who has a lot to deal with: a special needs sister (probably autistic, though we are never told this directly) and parents who are too busy and worried about their daughter to give him much attention. Moose isn't happy about moving to Alcatraz, but tries to make the best of it. He doesn't have much choice. He tries to make friends with the other kids who have parents working on the island. One of these is Piper, the warden's daughter. The problem with Piper is that she's always cooking up schemes that involve breaking the rules. One of her schemes almost gets Moose and his family kicked off the island. In the midst of all this, Moose has to face his parent's struggle as they try to get his sister into a special school and his mother's depression when that plan fails. As the "normal" child he carries a greater sense of responsibility than he should. Moose tries one more time to do something to help his sister, with a surprising result.

I found this book to be interesting, funny and sad all at the same time. It's interesting because it's based on facts: I never knew that families actually lived on Alcatraz Island. The fiction part was the funniest, especially when the warden's daughter comes up with the idea to get people to pay for having their shirts laundered by Al Capone (even though it is a fact that he actually did work in the prison laundry for a time). The sad part of this story was in how Moose was emotionally neglected by his parents who were over-focused on their daughter's needs (understandable, but still sad). Many young people with special needs siblings will relate and others will be able to empathize with Moose.

While the book touches on some difficult subjects, I would recommend it for 5th grade and up.

Keywords associated with this book: Alcatraz Island, Al Capone, prisons, prison guards, prisoners, autism, special needs children, special need schools.

The Minister's Daughter

The Minister's Daughter by Julie Hearn, tells the story of three girls living in England during the 1600's: a time when religion and superstition were both strong influences in people's daily lives. Two of the girls, Grace and Patience are daughters of the local Puritan minister. The other, Nell, is the granddaughter of the local healer and midwife, commonly called a "cunning woman". On the surface their lives appear to be at stark contrast to each other: the minister's daughters live a very strict, structured life under their father's religious authority. Nell is a "merrybegot", a child born from magic. The story begins to get complicated when Grace rebels against her father's dire warnings against "frolicking" and finds herself pregnant out of wedlock. In order to take the blame off of herself, she accuses Nell of placing a witch's spell on her. Her father, in order to protect his own reputation in the community, gets involved in the cover-up and calls in a witch finder to cleanse the town of what he considers to be the Devil's influence. His hypocrisy comes to light when we find out that he is hiding his own terrible secret. When the witch finder comes, the townspeople fall under his influence and try to kill Nell's grandmother. While her own life is at risk, Nell must face the most difficult decision of her life.

I thought the book was a good mix of history and fiction. It was well researched and well-written. The Salem Witch trials took place during that same century, so a lot of the beliefs about Satanism and witchcraft were very prevalent. The technique of alternating chapters between the third person telling of the story, and the first person account of Patience Madden gave me a better understanding of all sides of the story. At times, I found the book disturbing, but I think it gives a true picture of how "religion" can be misused and become as evil as the "evil" it claims to be opposing. The book did a good job of developing the characters as they could have been during that time period. Even so, some aspects of life in the book are the same as they are today, such as a teenager's rebellion against overly strict parents. Teens today can certainly relate to that.

I recommend this book for mature 7th graders and up. Some topics may not be suitable for very sensitive young adults under high school age. Some Christian and/or religious families may find this book offensive because it puts magic in a more positive light than Christianity.

Keywords associated with this book: witches, magic, spells, Satan, Satanism, Devil, ministers, Puritans, fairies, pixies, parent child relationships, teen-aged pregnancy, England, Salem Witch Trials.

Cinderella

Cinderella, illustrated by K.Y. Craft is a version which was adapted from the Arthur Rackham Fairy Book and Andrew Lang's The Blue Fairy Books. The story is very similar to most of the Cinderella stories we grew up with but has a few added elements that are not contained in all the stories. In this version, Cinderella meets the prince in the woods before the ball, where he sees her in her everyday clothes and is already interested. Also, she attends the ball two nights in a row, instead of just the one night most people remember. The second night, she almost forgets about the midnight deadline and this is when she rushes out of the ballroom, leaving her glass slipper behind. As in other versions, the prince searches for the owner of the slipper, finds Cinderella is the one, and marries her. As in most versions the ending is a "happily ever after" one.

The beautiful oil over watercolor illustrations depict the time period of the 17th to 18th century. They are exquisitely detailed works of art.

Cinderella was always a favorite fairy tale for me and I loved reading this version. The illustrations made me feel as if I'd gone back in time. I felt envious of Cinderella's gown. Even though her character is unrealistically good and doesn't change much, I'm glad to see that her wicked stepsisters have a change of heart. The element of forgiveness may be as unrealistic as pumpkins turning into coaches for some people. I see it as an ideal to strive for, even if it can't be totally attained. This is a great example of a traditional fantasy/fairy tale

I recommend this version of Cinderella for Pre-K to 4th grade.

Keywords associated with this book: Cinderella, fairy tales, Andrew Lang, Arthur Rackham, fairy godmothers, magic spells

The Ugly Duckling

The Ugly Duckling, illustrated by Jerry Pinkney, is adapted from the original Hans Christian Andersen version. It tells the story of a mother duck who is waiting for her six eggs to hatch. Five of them were small and normal looking but one looked larger and was shaped differently. When the eggs hatched, the duckling from the large egg looked different. Even though his mother loved him, he was considered ugly by all the other ducks in the pond. They teased and taunted him until he finally had to leave. He went through a series of experiences: being chased by hunters and a dog, and living with an old woman, her cat and a hen. Eventually, his desire to return to the water is too strong, and he feels compelled to go back. This is where he meets with a very unfortunate experience: he becomes frozen in the water. He is rescued and eventually returns to the water, very discouraged and ready to give up. What he finds there completely changes his life for the better and helps him to finally accept himself.

Although I read this story as a child, I had never read Pinkney's version. The delightful, colorful illustrations brought new life to this old tale. There are lessons to be learned for young and old alike. The main one is the old adage that "beauty is in the eye of the beholder". Most children can relate to feeling different at times and this story teaches that being different may bring problems, but these problems can be overcome and everyone can find a place of belonging.

I would recommend this Caldecott Honor Book for Pre-K to 4th grade.

Keywords associated with this book: ducks, ducklings, eggs, swans, fairy tales, Hans Christian Andersen.

The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane

The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate DiCamillo is the story of a china rabbit that lives a very privileged life with a girl named Abilene. Abilene loves him, but Edward is too self-absorbed to know how to return her love. One day Edward is tossed into the ocean by two boys on a ship and he thinks that his life is over. He is rescued (after a long time to think) and goes through a series of owners who finally teach him about love. In this modern fantasy, Edward is transformed emotionally. In the end, he experiences a miracle, but not before he pays his dues.

Although I am not normally a great fan of modern fantasy, this book really engaged me. I read it through in one straight sitting. I normally enjoy books that are more realistic in nature and even though this story does have some elements of fantasy, it is the kind that I can enjoy. Edward is so human-like and even endearing at times (after he starts to mature and his character begins to feel the emotions of love and compassion). The story becomes a real tear jerker at the point when Sarah Ruth, a young girl who loves Edward dies. Even though the subjects of poverty, abuse and death are a part of the story, they are presented in a way that isn't too shocking. Most older children should be able to handle these elements and they do give the story a more realistic tone.

I found this Boston Globe-Horn Book Awards winner to be a heartwarmingly easy read. I would recommend it for children in the 4th to 6th grades, unless they are overly sensitive to issues of separation, illness and death.

Keywords associated with this book: rabbits, dolls, fantasy, modern fantasy, animal fantasy.

The Girl Who Loved Wild Horses

The Girl Who Loved Wild Horses by Paul Goble is the story of a young native American girl whose life was changed by the animals she loved. While her people had many horses and used them to carry supplies and hunt buffalo, the girl had a special love and understanding of them. It was her desire to spend so much time with them that led her to become lost from her people for a long time. Her people searched for her, not knowing that she was safe and being protected by the creatures she loved, especially by one special horse, a beautiful spotted stallion. Eventually she is found by her people. After returning to her her village, her people wisely acknowledge that the girl's true happiness lies beyond what they can provide for her.

This beautifully illustrated (by the author) book is free from any type of negative racial or cultural stereotypes. At the same time, the illustrations give a picture of the dress and lifestyle of native Americans. The main emphasis of the story is on a young girl who has a great love for her animal friends. The native American culture is filled with such stories and horses have always been an important part of their culture.

Paul Goble has done a beautiful job with this book. The young girl could be any young girl in any culture who has a dream. I think most children can identify with the young girl, especially if they have ever had a pet.

This book is a winner of the Caldecott Medal. I would recommend it for children in Kindergarten through grade 3.

Keywords associated with this book: horses, native Americans, Indians of North America, buffalo, fairy tales.

Eleanor Roosevelt: A Life of Discovery

Eleanor Roosevelt: A Life of Discovery by Russell Freedman is a biography of one of the most well known and influential of all the first ladies to live in the White House. Award winning author Russell Freedman presents an accurate believable and compelling look a Eleanor's life. Her painful childhood,her education, courtship, marriage, family life and time as the first lady of the White House are explored in Freedman's well-written style.

He is very honest about the struggles Eleanor experienced in her marriage to FDR. He also shows how despite her difficult personal life, she emerges as a strong capable woman who serves her country with great courage and unusual talent.

The book is illustrated with many black and white photos that chronicle the life of this remarkable woman. The book will hook young readers into wanting to learn more about her life.

I am always fascinated with anything about American history and this book didn't disappoint me. Having read other Russell Freedman biographies, I can truly say that this is just as good as the others. I appreciate the way he is able to tackle the very human weaknesses of important people and still help us to maintain our respect for the contributions they have made. His study of Eleanor Roosevelt is wonderfully researched and well-written.

The book would be a great supplement to a unit on important American women, the great Depression or World War II. I would recommend it for 5th grade and up.

Keywords associated with this book: Eleanor Roosevelt, President's spouses, biography, first ladies, Great Depression, World War II.

Bats

Most of us think of bats in very negative terms. They are considered to be aggressive, filthy, disease carrying creatures who should be feared. Children may associate them with Halloween, haunted houses or scary dark caves, but not many people think of bats in a positive light. In Bats by Gail Gibbons, the author shows us that bats may not be the most pleasant creatures, but in a way they are actually our friends. If they weren't around to eat insects, we'd have way too many bugs crawling around us. Also, most of them are shy, gentle creatures. We learn about the different kinds of bats and their characteristics in this informative book. Most people don't know that there are about 1000 different varieties of bats: the smallest one weighs about one fourteenth of an ounce; the largest one weighs about two pounds. They live on every continent except Antarctica.

While there are no actual photographs of bats in this book, the color illustrations will be very interesting to children and make the bats seem a little less scary. I thought this was a good introduction to one of my least favorite mammals. Some of the illustrations were a little humorous and cartoonish, but the facts were presented in an engaging manner. It helps children to see that everything we hear about these creatures isn't necessarily true and that some of the ugliest animals actually serve a purpose in nature.

I would recommend this book for grades K-3. It would be a great supplement to a study on unusual animals.

Keywords associated with this book: bats, mammals, nocturnal creatures

Locomotion

Locomotion by Jacqueline Woodson, is a verse novel and tells the story of Lonnie, a young boy whose parents were killed in a fire. Written from Lonnie's perspective, it is a journal of his grief process written in poems -- all kinds of poems. With his teacher's encouragement, Lonnie writes out his feelings about the death of his parents, missing his young sister and living in a foster home. Over sixty poems in many different styles, chronicle the life of a young boy who has to face some stark realities and grow up quickly, but shows strength in the process.

This novel in verse can serve two purposes: teaching children how to deal with grief and also teaching them that poetry can take many forms. Through Lonnie's experiences with writing different types of poetry, children will learn more than they could ever learn by having to analyze a poem line by line in the classroom. Lonnie teaches by example and they can relate to him.

I think this book was an ingenious way for the poet to teach children more about her craft. The examples of the different types of poetry, from free verse, to haiku and others, make this a great "hook" to get kids interested in writing poetry. I found myself wanting to experiment with writing some poems of my own.

The story of Lonnie was sometimes painful to read. Even so, it warmed my heart that this story was able to show his courage and how he was able to find hope in unexpected places.

This book was chosen for the Coretta Scott King Honor. I would recommend it for the 5th grade and up.

Keywords associated with this book: death, fires, tragedy, foster care, orphans, adoption, school, poetry, African-Americans.

It's Raining Laughter

It's Raining Laughter, by Nikki Grimes, is a collection of poems about children in all kinds of happy situations. Illustrated with photographs by Myles C. Pinkney, it shows children in everyday settings where they are having fun: at the playground, running, reading books at the library, or spending time with friends. It also shows children learning to be happy about the way they look, even if they are too skinny or wear glasses.

While the book only shows pictures of African American children, all children will identify with the poems and pictures. The joy on the children's faces clearly illustrates the title and theme of this book of verse.

These poems made me smile, which is what I think Nikki Grimes had in mind when she wrote them. The delightful pictures and joyful verses reminded me of my childhood. Laughter is a gift and this award winning poet offered it up in a beautiful package.

I would recommend this book for children ages 3-8 years old. Adults will enjoy it as well!

Keywords associated with this book: laughter, smiles, fun, children. growing up, poetry, African-Americans.

Dog Days: Rhymes Around the Year

Dog Days: Rhymes Around the Year by Jack Prelutsky takes children through every month of the year as seen through the eyes of a yellow dog. Every month has a four line rhyming verse which tells what Dog likes to do during that month. The verses are written from the point of view of the dog and bright colorful illustrations by Dyanna Wolcott give young children a visual picture of the verse.

This book of verse provides a good way to teach about the months of the year and the pictures will definitely catch the eyes of children. In my opinion, some of the verses seemed a little too sing-songy and trite, but the illustrations more than made up for it. An adult reading this book of verse to a child might want to spend some more time talking about the pictures, which show the yellow dog in a variety of humorous situations. The best poem was written for the month of December and shows the dog cuddled up with his mistress.

While this certainly isn't the best example of this award winning poet's work, it is a book that young children can enjoy, even if it's only for the illustrations. It is best suited for ages 3-7.

Keywords associated with this book: dogs, calendar, months, year, poetry, rhymes.

A Caldecott Celebration: Six Artists and their Paths to the Caldecott Medal

A Caldecott Celebration: Six Artists and their Paths to the Caldecott Medal by Marcus S. Leonard is a non-fiction book that explores the lives of several well known Caldecott winners: Robert McCloskey, Marcia Brown, Maurice Sendak, William Steig, Chris Van Allsburg and David Wiesner. An introduction provides valulable information about the history and importance of the Caldecott Medal. Each chapter is illustrated with photos of the authors, book covers of their award winning books and some of the original sketches that finally found their way into their final books. It shows a clear picture of how much work is involved – frequently years – in completing a picture book worthy of the Caldecott Medal. It’s interesting to note that while inspired by a British illustrator, the Caldecott awards are only given to Americans.

I enjoyed reading about the early lives of some of my favorite authors. The first chapter on Robert McCloskey brought back childhood memories of other books he wrote such as Homer Price and Centerburg Tales: More Adventures of Homer Price. It dawned on me what an amazing versatile artist he is. I loved looking at the progress of Marcia Brown’s Cinderella illustrations. How I loved that book as a child (and still do!). I was fascinated with the story of Maurice Sendak’s unique books. My children adored his In the Night Kitchen, which won a Caldecott Honor in 1971.

This book is a great way to teach the history of the Caldecott Medal and to learn about the lives of some of their favorite authors. While best suited for upper elementary through junior high level, it will be interesting and useful for adults as well.

Keywords associated with this book: Caldecott Award, Caldecott Medal, Caldecott Honor, Robert McCloskey, Marcia Brown, Maurice Sendak, William Steig, Christ Van Allsburg, David Wiesner, children’s book illustrators, children’s book awards, children’s books.

An Egg is Quiet

An Egg is Quiet, by award winning author Dianna Aston, introduces children to the many different varieties of eggs. The ink and watercolor illustrations by Sylvia Long, along with the hand-lettered text teach children facts about how eggs: what they look like, where animals lay their eggs, how their markings help them fit in with their surroundings, about their textures. It also illustrates various stages in the development of chicken, salmon and grasshopper eggs. The last page of the book shows how bird eggs make a noisy transformation into cheeping birds.

This non-fiction book is very eye-pleasing. The hand lettering was unique for this genre and gave it a fiction storybook "feel". While it has too much information for a regular group story time, it could certainly work for a one-on-one story time. Parents of younger children, could omit some of the text and just talk about the pictures. I really liked the two page spread at the end of the book that showed illustrations of birds, butterflies and bugs that hatch from eggs. I would use this book as part of a science unit on biology or birds.

I would recommend it most for children ages PreK-3, but could also be used for older children.

Keywords associated with this book: eggs, birds, nests, fossils, embryology, biology.

I Love Tools!

I Love Tools by Philemon Sturges (illustrated by Shari Halpern) is an easy to read picture book about a family using tools to build a birdhouse. The clear colorful pictures and simple text introduce tools and their specific functions. The rhyming text moves the story along as it teaches how the tools are used to start and finish a project from beginning to end. Without coming right out and talking about tool safety, the pictures emphasize the need for parents to be around while the tools are being used.This book is part of a series of books by Sturges and Halpern on things that children love.

What a delightful book for teaching young children not only about tools, but about cooperation and working together to complete a project. I have used other books in this series for toddler and preschool story times and found that they work very well. It could be combined with simple science projects about tools or birds. Also, it could be the basis for a family project to build a birdhouse for our feathered friends. What a great discussion starter for tool safety. While the family in the story may be a bit stereotypical for today’s world (both parents, a son and a daughter) it does emphasize the important theme, that adults need to surpervise the use of tools.

I would recommend this book for children ages 2-5.

Keywords associated with this book: tools, birdhouses, birds, wood, rulers, sandpaper hammers, saws, wood glue, chisel, square, drills, nails, paintbrushes, stencils, screwdrivers, cooperation.

The Tale of Despereaux

The Tale of Despereaux: Being the Story of a Mouse, a Princess, some Soup, and a Spool of Thread, by Kate DiCamillo is the story of a small mouse named Despereaux who is the runt of his family. His name almost seems too fancy until you realize that it means sadness or despair. It only sounds fancy because his mother has a penchant for French sounding names.

It's obvious that Despereaux is different from the rest of the mice he knows. He clearly thinks outside the box and doesn't follow standard mouse protocol. He prefers sounds to smells and likes music and books more than food. His siblings try to teach him how to be a proper mouse, but he fails miserably. Instead of being afraid of humans, he falls in love with one of them -- Princess Pea.

Because he can't fit in to the mouse community he is sent to the dungeon where he is expected to die at the hands (or paws) of the rats. Despereaux goes through many trials and tribulations and survives his ordeal. His love for Princess Pea wins out in the end and he actually saves her life and wins a place of honor in the palace.

I loved this book! It's such a delightful story that teaches children lessons about perseverance and not being afraid to be different. It also teaches about the strength that love provides. I couldn't put this down until it was finished.

The Tale of Despereaux has won the Newbery Medal and the audio version has won the ALSC Notable Recording Award. I recommend this for the 7-12 age bracket.

Keywords associated with this book: mice, rats, princess, king, queen, dungeons, castles, love, honor.

Flotsam

The term "flotsam" is defined as debris or wreckage that floats on the water after a shipwreck. In his wordless picture book Flotsam, David Wiesner tells the story of a young boy at the seashore and how the "debris" he finds creates a fascinating and fanciful world.

At first the boy is content with examining a hermit crab under a microscope. Then, a wave rolls over the beach and he discovers an old underwater camera. After developing the film he finds amazing pictures: sea creatures sitting on living room furniture as if it was their own, a town made up of sea shells, small green space men, one of whom is riding a fish like a horse at a rodeo. Then he finds a series of pictures of children holding pictures. The boy realizes these are children around the world and in different times who have taken their own pictures and returned the camera to the sea for other children to find.

The water color illustrations are exquisite and seem to lend believability to make believe. Since children often think make believe is real, this book will allow their imaginations to soar. This is a perfect book to share with children on a vacation to the seashore, or anywhere.

This book is a Caldecott winner and I would recommend it for children ages 5-10, but adults will also enjoy the delightful illustrations.

Keywords associated with this book: seashore, vacation, camera, photography, hermit crabs, fish.

Don't Know Much About Dinosaurs

"Did dinosaurs like to sunbathe?" "Which dinosaurs were the best musicians?" Which dinosaurs wore collars but not neckties?" These are just a few of the questions that are answered in the non-fiction title Don't Know Much About Dinosaurs by Kenneth C. Davis. From the sound of the questions you might think this is a joke book. Not so.

The author takes an already interesting to kids subject and makes it even more fun for them to learn facts about dinosaurs, fossils and other paleontology topics.
Humorous colorful illustrations throughout the book make the dinosaurs take on rather human qualities while at the same time teaching lessons about how these creatures lived, what they looked like, and what they ate. This book is part of the well-known Don't Know Much About series.

I wish that these books had been around when I was growing up. I think I would have enjoyed science lessons so much more. Science teachers could use this as a supplement to their regular curriculum and as part of a unit study. After reading the fun and interesting book, I'm anxious to examine the other books in the series.

This title wins a definite thumbs up. I would recommend it for children ages 6-12.

Keywords associated with the book: dinosaurs, prehistoric creatures, fossils, paleontology.

Fever, 1793

Those who like historical fiction will enjoy Fever,1793 by Laurie Halse Anderson. Set in the 1700's during the time of George Washington, it spins a story based around the epidemic of yellow fever that was running rampant in Philadelphia. This novel is written from the point of view of Mattie, a teenage girl who has to grow up quickly. As the fever spreads and touches her own neighborhood and family, she has to escape from the city. In her struggle to survive, she is transformed from a typical teen arguing with her mother to a young woman who faces tragedy and comes out stronger.

The historical element of this story makes it an interesting read. The appendix at the end of the book outlines some of the real events on which the book is based. As a history lover I appreciated the author's use of facts to create such a great book for children and young adults. I highly recommend it.

This book describes some events that might not be appropriate for very young readers. Discussions of death and disease may be too intense for readers under the age of 11-12.

Fever,1793 has been listed on American Library Associations Best Books for Young Adults and the Junior Library Guild.

Keywords associated with this book: yellow fever, epidemics, Philadelphia, early American history, adolescence, mother-daughter relationships, death, dying.