I, for one, do not want to rant on and on about how good this book is. All I want is for you to go and...


CHECK OUT THIS BOOK IMMEDIATELY!!!


Then, if you have the patience, come back and enjoy my book review. But maybe you just want to go and read a little bit first. And that's fine with me. (So long as you come back, of course :D )
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For this post I have followed the very helpful book guide that you may find here. Whether you are a teacher or a student you may want to check it out.


One Crazy Summer by Rita Williams-Garcia
Length: 215 pages
Genre: Children's Books, Young Adult

Age Level: Grades 4~7.

Started: 15 July 2012
Finished: 16 July 2012
Where did it come from? The local library
Why do I have it? Been wanting to read it for a long time, finally got around to it; it's a Newbery Book
Reading Challenges: Dream Big. READ
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

{Image source: http://www.ritawg.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/OCS.jpg}

Dear Mr. Henshaw, by Beverly Cleary

This is a book report about Dear Mr. Henshaw, a book full of Leigh Bott's letters to Mr. Henshaw and pages of Leigh's diary.

Leigh's second-grade teacher read Mr. Boyd Henshaw's Ways to Amuse a Dog to her class. Since then. Leigh's favorite author has been Mr. Henshaw. Leigh loves writing letters to Mr. Henshaw. Once, for an interview project, Leigh sent Mr. Henshaw a list of questions to answer. When he gets the response, though, he is pretty mad, because Mr. Henshaw sent him a list of questions in return. Throughout the years, Mr. Henshaw helped Leigh realize his gift for writing. One day, Leigh submits a story about a ride with his divorced dad in his big hauling truck. In the school's yearbook, Leigh gets a "Honorable Mention" for it. At first, he is mad that he didn't get to place and meet a Famous Author, which was the prize. But then, surprise! The winning poem was actually copied from a book! Leigh gets the 4th place and is also complimented by the Famous Author, who has met Mr. Henshaw personally.

I like how this book is arranged into a Letters section and a Diary section. Sometimes, it changes right from real letters to Mr. Henshaw to pages of Leigh's diary, which is named "Mr. Pretend Henshaw." I like how the author, Beverly Cleary, cleverly manages to include enough information so that this book could easily become a story, not just letters and pages of Leigh's diary. It sounds like a first-person story in the Diary section, but it also tells how Leigh feels: angry, happy, mad, or sad.

I don't like how his parents got divorced. Couldn't they just be living separately, like his father living on the road in his hauling truck while his mother was at home with Leigh?

I suggest that the Famous Author, who was the prize for winning the story competition, should have been Mr. Henshaw. That way, at first, Leigh would be really sad that he didn't win. But then, he'd be very surprised and happy at getting the chance to meet his hero and penpal.

Feed me a comment please!

-- Dana

Great Books: Girls 9-12 category

YAH! I recently discovered the Scholastic kids' blog Ink Splot 26 and I ADORE it! Ever since I started reading it, I have updated my "Want-to-Reads" book list to over 30 books! I want to inspire some other children to read this blog and discover very interesting books; I know how that feels because I have taken pride in sharing my favorites with my friends. I will try to post often if I find any especially good ones.

The Doll With the Yellow Star

As you may be able to tell, I am currently starting a new "way" to review; let's see how it goes, we'll play it by ear. I did get the inspiration from the blogging site,  http://fyreflybooks.wordpress.com/

I have also started made changes to the blog. Can you figure out what they are?

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The Doll with the Yellow Star by Yona Zeldis McDonough (2005)
Length: 96 pages
Genre: Children's Books
Started: 3 July 2012
Finished: 3 July 2012
Where did it come from? The local library
Why do I have it? Thought it looks interesting, browsed the library shelves and found it
Reading Challenges: Dream Big. READ; Barnes and Noble reading challenge; TD Bank Young Savers Challenge
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

My Wish for Tomorrow

What a heartfelt collection of words from boys and girls all over the world, accompanied by such a variety of pictures and paintings. This book is the microphone which will let these children's voices to be heard by the grown-ups. This is the book which will broadcast a tender message, yet is elegant and charming in its own, unique simplicity. Below I will share my favorite passages and although there are many I shall pick only the best.

If your child loves the Muppets, please don't be fooled by Kermit the Frog on the cover. Actually, this book has nothing to do with the Muppets, but the "author" is the creator of the Muppets. Though this book has a strong message, it will not be perfect for every child until he is ready. Otherwise, he will not absorb any of the simple text written from children all over the world.

If a wall falls down cranes can build it up again; but if a friendship wall falls, it's you that has to do the building. Stop fighting and be friends.

I wish that every bomb, every shot, every death would be replaced by the smile of a child.

In my new world all must speak little, but speak the truth.

From today on, even a crumb of bread mustn't be thrown away... As long as a single child is hungry we must sympathize with him. Let's say no to starvation.

In conclusion...

I wish the world would be happy forever after.

 Comments please,
Dana

Like Pickle Juice on a Cookie

Eleanor's life is falling apart. She's already going into third grade, but since her beloved, special babysitter, Bibi Bholasing moved away, she has been sad and angry. Her parents have hired a new babysitter, Nancy, but the way Nancy does things is very different from Bibi's way. Eleanor refuses to do anything that reminds her of Bibi, and many things remind her of Bibi.

We could not call Grandma Sadie, either.

Because Grandma Sadie

Would ask me about Bibi.

We could not go to Roma Pizza.

Because Bibi loved Roma Pizza.

So Roma Pizza reminded me of Bibi.

We could not ride my bike.

Because Bibi helped pick out my bike.

So my bike reminded me of Bibi.

We could not go swimming at the gym.

Because Bibi was scared of swimming.

So swimming reminded me of Bibi. 

Entering third grade serves as a transition into her acceptance of Nancy's ways. At school, she writes a poem entitled "Love Is..." Her definition of "love" centers around Bibi and Nancy.

Her third grade teacher indirectly, unknowingly helps Eleanor realize that she is able to move on, and the book closes with her best friend, Pearl, meeting Nancy and all of them having a great time.

Leave me a comment!

-Dana

Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes

In this truly heartwarming-- and heartbreaking-- story by Eleanor Coerr, a young Japanese girl awakes one morning to find all her dreams crushed because of the terrifying atom bomb disease, leukemia. Her hopes of becoming a track star on the junior high school's running team are in ruins-- but out of this misery there arises a fresh new hope: If only Sadako could fold one thousand paper cranes, all would be well.

It was her best friend, Chizuko, who had first brought news-- and hope, with the arrival of the first crane. Just the year before, Sadako had been frightened by the grotesque faces of the atom bomb victims. She had not known that hardly a year later, she would belong to a class of them: victims of the "aftereffects" of the atom bomb-- victims of leukemia. Sadako tried hard to believe in the cranes, but when a little boy, a fellow leukemia victim, Kenji, dies, her hope began to waver.

The hardest race of Sadako's life... the race against time.

As literary critic Anita Silvey put it,

This slim book of 80 pages, written in very simple language, presents [Sadako's] heart-wrenching story...A three-handkerchief story, it will always work for those readers who request a sad book. By showing the effect of a war on the life of a vibrant and attractive child, Eleanor Coerr wrote a powerful book that advocates for peace."

I recently read an article that made me very sad. Eleanor Coerr, the author of this much-loved book, passed away in 2010, two years ago. If she had been alive, this year she would have celebrated her 90th birthday, just like Mrs. White in the popular series The Cobble Street Cousins by Cynthia Rylant. Anyway, I leave you with this thought.

Oh, river (from Moon over Manifest), Dana