Zoobooks magazine

Zoobooks- Children’s magazine

Zoobooks. Wildlife Education, Ltd., 2014. Print.

Summary: Zoobooks is a magazine for children that covers a different animal or animal group in a way children can understand. The issues I reviewed were “Hippos,” “Lions,” “Ducks, Geese & Swans,” and “Insects.” Zoobooks is published ten times a year.

Strength/Weaknesses: Each issue covers the anatomy, habitat, eating habits, & role of a single animal or animal group. It is a full color, glossy magazine that has a combination of photographs and color illustrations. Large pictures of the animals, short paragraphs and captions under the pictures help keep kids interested. The center section of the magazine is a pullout section with activities for kids that relate to the animal of topic. Each issue that I reviewed had drawings by kids and the activities included a crossword puzzle, word search, and scavenger hunt, although they did vary slightly in each issue. The answers for each activity was included in this section as well. There is an online website for the magazine where readers can take a 20 question quiz about the current issue, however most of the online content is for subscribers.  (www.zoobooks.com) 

While the pictures are very colorful, some may be a little scary for younger readers, for example, the Insects issue had quite a few close up photographs of various insects.

Uses: This magazine would supplement an elementary social studies or science curriculum. The publisher offers a subscription rate and allows one to purchase an entire library or single editions. It could also be used in a reading center for children to choose during a free reading time. 

Audience: Zoobooks magazine is recommended for ages 6-12. The company has other magazines for younger readers- Zoobies for ages 0-3 and Zootles for ages 3-6.

Read-alikes: Ranger Rick, National Geographic Kids, 

Awards: According to their website, Zoobooks “is the proud winner of the Parents' Choice gold award 8 years in a row.”

Music All Around Me

Music All Around Me - Music CD

Hartmann, Jack. Math All Around Me: Making Early Childhood Math Fun Through Music 'N' Movement. Hop 2 It Music, 1998. CD.

Summary: Jack Hartmann takes basic math skills and sets them to music. Skills include shape recognition, patterns, basic counting, calendar skills, and counting on. 

Strength/Weaknesses: Most children love music and many of the songs on this album would be useful to supplement teaching basic math skills. Count by 2’s is a great one to teach skip counting at this age. Hartmann's music is popular with many in early childhood. According to one Pre-k teacher, "Jack Hartmann is like the early childhood equivalent of Bon Jovi. Every time he is at a convention, it is packed and everyone is jumping and screaming and singing along."

A few of the songs, however, seemed to be a stretch for math (Shake Your Hands, for example) and there was not much variety in how the songs were performed.  Too often the songs sounded much like the one preceding it and gave the CD as a whole a monotonous feel.

Uses: Because of their repetitive nature, many of the songs would be very useful in a Pre-k and kindergarten class to help teach and reinforce math skills. Birthdays and Today, Yesterday & Tomorrow are good examples to use when teaching about the calendar. And while Going on a Treasure Hunt is one that I would not use in math, Preschool children will love the call and response nature and movement of the song. 

Audience: Math All Around Me is recommended for ages 3-8.

Awards: This CD has won no awards.

Bink & Gollie

 Bink & Gollie - Graphic Novel

DiCamillo, Kate and Alison McGhee, illustrated byTony Fucile. Bink and Gollie. Somerville: Candlewick Press. 2012. Print.

ISBN-13: 978-0763659547

Summary:  Bink & Gollie follows two best friends-one very tall and one very small-through three stories. The first one is about Bink and her obsession with very long rainbow colored socks. The second is all about Gollie and her desire to spend some time alone imagining herself climbing the Andes Mountains. The third is about a marvelous new companion Bink has found and the resulting jealousy of Gollie. 

Strength/Weaknesses: Bink & Gollie is a genre bender of sorts-a picture book meets graphic novel meets early reader. It is a delightful tale of two girls and their quirky friendship. Early readers will enjoy the graphic novel type pictures and quick dialogue. This book would help students make a great transition from picture books to early chapter books. 

While the three short stories end quickly and are not tied together by storyline, the authors do include a few running themes-pancakes, the rainbow socks and roller skates help tie them together. There are a few words that are advanced for lower elementary (for example: implore, marvelous, companion, extraordinary to name a few) but these could be explained in the context of the story. 

Uses: This book can be used with kindergarten, first & second grade. 

The following information is from a lesson plan by: Librarians of Jefferson County Public Schools: http://media.jefferson.k12.ky.us/sandbox/groups/librarymediaservices/wiki/bd98d/attachments/83a7c/KBA%202011-12%20KBA%20Lesson%20Plan%20Guide.pdf Other books and resources are available there as well.

One Common Core aligned activity for each grade could be:

Grade 2 

As a class encourage students to pull the details from the story to answer the companion worksheet statements about their best friend.

Kindergarten and Grade 1:
Use pages 4 and 5 from the Candlewick Press teacher’s guide for a double sided worksheet.
The first is a matching page, and the second gives the students an opportunity to draw themselves into a scene in the book. 

Candlewick Press Teachers’ Guide: http://www.binkandgollie.com/images/BinkGollie_guide1.pdf

Audience: Bink & Gollie is recommended for ages 6-8.

Read-alikes: Odd Duck by Cecil Castellucci, Ivy & Bean by Annie Barrows

Awards: 2011 winner of the Theodor Seuss Geisel award

The Hidden Girl: A True Story of the Holocaust

The Hidden Girl: A True Story of the Holocaust - non fiction

Kaufman, Lola Rein, and Lois Metzger. The Hidden Girl: A True Story of the Holocaust. New York: Scholastic, Inc. 2008. Print.

ISBN-13: 9780545200530

Summary: Eight year old Lola goes into hiding when her mother is shot and killed by a Nazi soldier. First, she goes with a Ukrainian woman but is almost discovered. Then she is sent to a farm and hides in a hole with another family. The only possession she has is an embroidered dress her mother made for her. After the war, she is shuffled between various homes and is finally reunited with an uncle. Like many other hidden children, she remained silent about her time during the war for many years and finally began to tell her story when she was contacted about donating items to the Holocaust museum. 

Strength/Weaknesses: This autobiography is a glimpse into what it was like for children during World War II who had to go into hiding to survive. The reader will sympathize with Lola while she is hiding with strangers in a hole at a farm, not being able to talk aloud, stand up, or go outside the hole and living in constant fear of being discovered.
The writing is a little choppy. It is written in present tense and seems to jump rather quickly from one scene to the next.
Overall, it is a look into one girl’s story of her time during the Holocaust and how she survived because of the kindness and bravery of non-Jewish strangers. 

Uses: This book could be used to supplement a unit on World War II or when discussing autobiographies. This website has some more examples of books that can be used in the classroom http://www.carolhurst.com/subjects/history/holocaust.html

The website for the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum also has a list of books dealing with this topic. http://www.ushmm.org/research/research-in-collections/search-the-collections/bibliography/childrens-books

Lola Rein Kaufman and Lois Metzger spoke about the book and Mrs. Kaufman’s experience here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=quhKxMUb_UQ

Audience: The Hidden Girl:A True Story of the Holocaust is recommended for ages 9-13.

Read-alikes: There are many books dealing with children’s experience during the Holocaust. A few examples are: Escape: Children of the Holocaust by Allan Zullo, The Girl Who Survived: A True Story of the Holocaust by Bronia Brandman & Carol Bierman, I Am a Star: Child of the Holocaust by Inge Auerbacher 

Awards: This book has won no awards.

Tangled

Tangled- movie

Tangled. Dir. Nathan Greno, Byron Howard. Perf. Mandy Moore, Zachary Levi. Walt Disney Pictures, 2010. DVD.

Summary: Tangled is a retelling of the classic Rapunzel story. As a baby Rapunzel is kidnapped because her hair has the magical ability to heal. She is kept isolated in a tower and yearns to see the floating lights every year on her birthday. When a thief happens upon her tower, she uses it as a way to get out of the tower and experience the world outside. She also discovers the truth about herself.

Strengths/Weaknesses: (This section contains spoilers for the movie) Tangled has all the appeal of a typical Disney movie-the charming guy, the funny animals, the feisty female. While Rapunzel may seem helpless at first being stuck in the tower, she shows her strength and bravery several times throughout-i.e. helping Flynn escape the guards, confronting Mother Gothel. Tangled is a fun movie for the whole family. However, there are a few moments that might be too intense for younger viewers. Flynn is stabbed by Mother Gothel and dies before being revived by Rapunzel and when Mother Gothel falls out of the window after she begins aging when Rapunzel’s hair is cut are two examples. 

Uses: Tangled would be a great movie to use in conjunction with a fairy tale unit. Students can do fairy tale retellings, read the picture book Rapunzel by Paul O Zelinsky and the graphic novel Rapunzel’s Revenge by Shannon Hale & Dean Hale, and discuss the differences. 

Audience: Tangled is rated PG for mild brief violence. 

Watch-Alikes: Brave, Frozen, Enchanted

Awards: 
Won: Best Song Written Specifically for a Motion Picture or for Television, Grammy Awards, 2012
Best Song, Las Vegas Film Critics Society Awards, 2010
Best Animation, National Movie Awards, UK, 2011

Top Box Office Film, ASCAP Film & Television Music Awards, 2011

Monkey Me and the Golden Monkey

Monkey Me and the Golden Monkey (Book 1) written and illustrated by Timothy Roland- early reader

Roland, Timothy. Monkey Me and the Golden Monkey. New York: Scholastic, Inc. 2014. Print.

ISBN 9780545559768

Summary: Clyde is a very active kid. His twin sister, Claudia, tries to keep him out of trouble. His class takes a trip to the museum where Clyde eats a radioactive banana. Now, every time he gets excited he turns into a monkey.  Claudia knows this can be more trouble, but when an artifact is stolen from the museum and a stranger shows up at his school, Clyde knows a monkey may be just what is needed to save the day. This is the first book in a series. Book 2 was published in March 2014. 

Strength/Weaknesses: This is a high interest book about a very active little boy. Many kids will be able to relate to energetic Clyde. The illustrations on every page (also by Timothy Roland) move the pacing along. Roland’s use of a comic strip whenever Clyde turns into a monkey helps separate the two sides of Clyde.
There are some words that may be a little advanced for this age group, for example-radioactive and gamma ray. Overall, though, I believe most readers will be able to follow along just fine. 

Uses: This book is a good one to use with reluctant readers on the upper end of the age range because of the short chapters, fast pacing and high interest story. It would also be good to use as an introduction to graphic novels. 

Audience: Monkey Me and the Golden Monkey is recommended for ages 6-8.

Read-alikes: Magic Tree House series by Mary Pope Osborn, Marty McGuire by Kate Messner, Junie B. Jones by Barbara Park, Flat Stanley by Jeff Brown

Awards: This book was published in January of 2014. At the moment, there have been no awards given to this book. 

Year of the Dog

Year of the Dog by Grace Lin- fiction

Lin, Grace. The Year of the Dog. New York: Little, Brown and Company. 2005. Print.
ISBN-10: 031606002X

Summary: Pacy is an Asian-American girl trying to find her place in the world. When her mom tells her that this year, the Year of the Dog, is the for family, friends and finding oneself, Pacy, the middle child with two sisters, sets out to find her talent. During this year she meets a new friend, struggles with disappointment, and begins to discover a talent all her own. The Year of the Dog is a sweet story about family and friendships.

Strengths/weaknesses: The Year of the Dog gives great insight into one Asian-American family. Pacy attends a school where she and her older sister are the only Asian students in the school. Even with the arrival of another Asian-American student, Pacy still struggles with being different-her friend can speak both English & Taiwanese and Pacy complains that doesn’t see kids like herself in books or plays. Students can relate to Pacy in feeling different from their peers at times. 
Although set in current day, the author uses Pacy’s mom to relate tales of what it was like growing up in Taiwan. These stories help contrast Pacy’s experiences in an American school. 
While this book is recommended for ages 8-12, the writing style may be too simple for some advanced older readers in this range. 

Uses: Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month is celebrated in May and this would be a great book to use. Students can read about & discuss Chinese horoscopes-find out what year they were born & symbolic meanings, practice calligraphy and Chinese symbols. 

Audience: Year of the Dog is recommended for ages 8-12

Read-Alikes: Ramona Quimby books by Beverly Cleary, Ivy and Bean books by Annie Barrows , The Great Wall of Lucy Wu by Wendy Wan-Long Shang (for the older end of the age range)

Awards/Honors: (from the author’s website http://www.gracelin.com)
• 2006 Fall Publisher's Pick
• Starred Booklist Review
• 2006 ALA Children's Notable
• 2006 Asian Pacific American Librarian Association Honor
• 2006 National Parenting Publications Awards (NAPPA) GOLD Winner
• 2007-2008 Texas Bluebonnet Award Masterlist
• 2007 Nene Awards Recommended List (Hawaii's Book Award Chosen by Children Grades 4-6)
• 2007 Cochecho Readers' Award List (sponsored by the Children's Librarians of Dover, New Hampshire)
• NYPL 100 Titles for Reading and Sharing 2006
• Kirkus Best Early Chapter Books 2006
•2006 Booklist Editors' Choice for Middle Readers
•Cooperative Children's Book Center Choice 2007
•Boston Authors Club Recommended Book
•2007-2008 Great Lakes Great Books Award nominee
•2007-2008 North Carolina Children's Book Award nominee
•2007-2008 West Virginia Children's Book Award nominee
•2009 Beverly Cleary Children's Choice Award (OR) nominee

•2009 Pacific Northwest Young Readers Choice Award (WA, OR, ID) nominee

Skulduggery Pleasant audiobook

Skulduggery Pleasant audiobook
Written by Derek Landy, read by Rupert Degas

Landy, Derek. Skulduggery Pleasant. Read by Rupert Degas. HarperChildren’s Audio, 2007. MP3.  
ISBN10: 0061341045

Summary: When twelve year old Stephanie’s quirky Uncle Gordon dies a stranger shows up at the reading of the will. Stephanie discovers the man is an old friend of her uncle’s named Skulduggery Pleasant, who also happens to be a detective, a sorcerer, and a walking, talking skeleton. When he tells Stephanie that he believes Gordon was murdered, they set off to find answers- and Stephanie discovers she has more power in her than she realized. 

 Strengths/Weaknesses: While on the upper end of the middle grade reading range, Skulduggery Pleasant is a novel that some advanced 9-year-old readers would also enjoy. The author, Derek Landy, does an excellent job of mixing in humor and sarcasm right when things seem to be getting a little too scary. It is interesting also to note that while one of the main characters is a girl, the book is not promoted as a “girl book.” 

The narrator, Rupert Degas, does a wonderful job of adding drama and intrigue to the story. Even though he has a deep, gravelly voice, he changes it for each character when they speak and it lends itself well to the suspenseful nature of the story. The jazzy music and sound effects after each chapter help hold the suspense. They do seem a little long at times, especially when tension has built at the end of a chapter and the reader is eager to find out what happens next.

Uses: At the end of the story, there is an interview with the narrator as the Skulduggery Pleasant character where he answers questions that were submitted by fans. This could be extended into the classroom or library by having students or book club members write what questions they would ask, then have the others answer how they think Skulduggery would.
Another way to use this novel would be to host a kid friendly murder-mystery program after having read the book. 

Audience: Skulduggery Pleasant is a delightfully humorous mystery novel for kids ages 10-14. 

Read-Alikes: This book is great for fans of fantasy, magic, mystery, and adventure. Other books that like this include: Artemis Fowl series by Eoin Colfer, Percy Jackson series by Rick Riordan, Harry Potter series by JK Rowling.

Awards: Odyssey Award Honor Audiobook, 2008

The Fault in Our Stars

This is a SPOILER FREE review of the Fault in Our Stars by John Green except for the last paragraph (I have a warning before the spoiler)!

There are two things you should know about me at the outset:

1. I am not a very patient person

2. I do not like stories whose sole purpose seems to be to Make You Cry. For example- most stories involving animals & anything by Nicholas Sparks (full disclosure- I have never actually read a Nicholas Sparks book, but have several friends who have & who have cried every time and I have seen the Notebook. I bawled for ten minutes after that movie ended)

The first one is important because I was one of the Lucky (?) ones who got an early copy of John Green's new novel The Fault in Our Stars. When it came in I vowed to wait as long as I could to read it. I did, however, open it to see if my copy had been doodled in by John's brother or wife (I got a Hanklerfish!). My every intention was to wait until Jan 10, the official release date. I almost made it. I started Sunday & ended up staying up waaay past my bedtime to finish it.

On the second point- I know there are people who love those kinds of stories. I am not one of those people. I feel like a lot of those books are overly melodramatic just to get the tears flowing.

THIS IS NOT ONE OF THOSE BOOKS!

Sure, the characters have cancer and sure, there were a few tears, but it is handled with well and not in a stab-you-in-the-heart-and-twist kind of way.

The Fault in Our Stars is a story about Hazel. She has cancer and, as the book flap says, Hazel has been nothing but terminal. She meets a cute boy named Augustus at her Cancer Support Group & her outlook on life begins to change.

John Green has been one of my favorite authors since I read Looking for Alaska and discovered the VlogBrothers videos. Paper Towns ranks in my top ten favorite books of all time. Hazel & Augustus, like many of his characters, are people who I would have loved to have been friends with in high school (as a matter of fact, other than the cancer, I know people a lot like them). The quick wit, the humor, the heartbreak, are all great elements in this story. I laughed out loud quite a few times & teared up a few times as well. The way he handles these characters and the way they deal with their cancer, their families, and their friends is done with grace while allowing the them to be irreverent about their diagnoses. This irreverence was authentic to the characters.

When I finished the book I re read the last paragraph about five times because that is exactly how the story needed to have ended. This is one of the most beautiful stories I have read.

SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER

I have to admit, when Hazel & Augustus talked about their favorite book -An Imperial Affliction & how it ended there was a small part of me that was afraid he might take that same route with this book.

Also I really loved the scene where Hazel & Isaac read their eulogies to Augustus. It was such a touching scene. My favorite part though is Augustus' letter about Hazel. So beautiful, so perfect.

After Obsession

After Obsession by Carrie Ryan & Steven E Wedel is a creepy supernatural story told from two perspectives. Aimee is a teenager who has the same psychic abilities of her late mother. Alan is part Navajo who is in tune with his mystic side. Alan moves to town with his mom to help out his cousin Courtney who happens to be Aimee's best friend. While they are drawn to each other, they also know they must work together to fight the River Man- an evil spirit who is responsible for deaths over the years & is taking over the town again.

I loved this book. The chapters switched between Aimee & Alan. Sometimes this can be distracting, but in this story it transitioned well. I cared what happened to these characters & would love to read more about them (maybe more mystical evil-spirit fighting!)

5 Stars!