Module 8: Murder, My Tweet

Bibliography:  Hale, B. (2004). Murder, My Tweet. New York, NY: Harcourt, Inc.

Summary: This story follows the adventures of fourth-grade detective Chet Gecko and his sidekick Natalie Attired.  Chet and Natalie are in the midst of a case to discover why T-Bone LaLouche is cheating on his girlfriend when Natalie is framed for blackmail and suspended.  Chet vows to clear his partners name and with Natalie’s clandestine help follows a trail of clues to find the real blackmailer.  This trail leads them from one suspect to another: beginning with T-Bone and ending up with Olivier who has plans to take over the school with his robot army.  Chet, with the help of his friends, foils Oliver’ plans and saves the day.

Impressions:  Bruce Hale does weave a charming tale of mystery and mayhem that keeps the reader on his or her toes with suitable number of twists and turns.  The melding of slapstick humor and hard-boiled detective norms creates a fascinating amalgam of its own.  The frequent use of puns will delight the young reader but leave adults groaning.  Scattered throughout the text are a number of black and white illustrations that faithfully capture strategic moments in the story and the spirit of the old black and white detective movies.

Reviews:

“Number ten in the "Chet Gecko Mystery" series, Bruce Hale keeps up the nonstop puns and takeoff of the hard-boiled detectives of book and movie fame. It is hard to believe that Chet Gecko is a fourth grader; he really talks and acts much older. At least he admits that he is the brawn while his partner, a mocking bird named Natalie Attired, is the real brains. This time Chet has to try to prove that Natalie is not a blackmailer and get her reinstated in school. There are plenty of missed cues, red herrings and mayhem to keep readers turning the pages. The story takes an odd twist, but that is what makes it interesting--you never know what will happen next. Even though the story is short, it is targeted to middle readers because there are plenty of puns, which caused this reviewer to groan now and then. It is all in good fun, and the text is sprinkled with black and white drawings by Bruce Hale that pick up on the images of those movie detectives like Humphrey Bogart. The back of the book contains a brief synopsis of the other cases that feature Chet and Natalie.”  – Marilyn Courtot (Children’s Literature)

-          Courtot, M. (2004). Murder, My Tweet Review. Children’s Literature. Retrieved from http://libproxy.library.unt.edu:2378/cgi-bin/member/search/f?./temp/~847ikx:11

“Grade 3-6–Chet Gecko is on a case again. This time he must clear the name of his mockingbird partner, Natalie Attired, who has been accused of blackmail by the school's tough vice-principal, Ms. Shrewer. The fourth-grade gecko pools all of his wits and wittiness to track down and capture the mastermind behind the scheme. As he has in previous titles, Hale saturates the story with wacky wordplay, corny jokes, and droll humor. This mystery is just right for young readers willing to suspend belief and enjoy a lighthearted ride. The author's black-and-white illustrations highlight the action.” – Deanna Romriell (School Library Journal)

-          Romriell, D. (2004). Murder, My Tweet Review. School Library Journal. Retrieved from http://www.amazon.com/Murder-My-Tweet-Gecko-Mystery/dp/B000C4T302/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1312143096&sr=1-1

Suggestions for Use in a Library:

Set up a mini-mystery center for children.  Have them find ‘clues’ that will help them solve the mystery of the disappearing snacks. 

Module 8: A Shocker on Shock Street

Bibliography: Stine, R.L. (1995). A Shocker on Shock Street. New York, NY: Scholastic Inc.

Summary:  This story follows the adventure of two young children, Erin and Marty, as they take a personal tour of the brand-new Shocker Studio Tour ride.  Events proceed normally until the duo are forced to leave their broken-down tour tram.  As they try and find a way out of the studio park they confront giant grasshoppers, zombies, werewolves, and all manner of other creatures from the popular Shock Street films.  The entire time Erin and Marty wonder if the creatures are simply robots run amok or real beings.  At the end of the journey a terrible secret about the two is revealed.

Impressions: Standard Goosebumps fare.  Young readers may be impressed with the cheap scares and sensationalized writing in this book but older readers will likely not enjoy it.  I find it hard to believe that I enjoyed these books as a child since reading A Shocker on Shock Street quickly sent me into a reading induced stupor.  The twist at the end of the book was painfully obvious from the beginning but young readers should enjoy the revelation of Marty and Erin’s true nature.

Reviews:

(NOTE: The following review is based on the version of the story told as retold with illustrations.  A professional review for the original version could not be located.)

The Goosebumps trademark has fascinated young readers since it began in the 1990s. Originally told descriptively with words, this book gives life to the descriptions through the retelling of these tales as a graphic novel. The second story, “A Shocker on Shock Street,” begins with the protagonists Josh and Erin watching the movie Shocker VI in the theater. Erin’s father, creator of high-end robots for movies, decides to give the kids a ride through a new theme park that goes through the streets and towns where the movies are filmed. Josh and Erin experience many adventures on their quest through the theme park, all while growing suspicious that the attractions may not actually be robots. In the end, Erin’s father comes out and turns his two faulty, robotic children, Josh and Erin, off.  - Jonathan Hodges (Children’s Literature)

-          Hodges, J. (2007). A Shocker on Shock Street Review. Children’s Literature. Retrieved from http://libproxy.library.unt.edu:2378/cgi-bin/member/search

Suggestions for Use in a Library:

This book is a good resource to use with a Halloween style program in a library’s children’s center.  The can accompany a narration of the story with appropriate sound effects played on a tape or cd.

Module 7: Frogs

Bibliography: Bishop, N. (2008). Frogs. New York, NY: Scholastic Inc.

Summary:  A large variety of information on frogs is presented in this book.  For example, the general characteristics of a frog are given: long back legs, large head, big eyes, and damp skin.  The importance of habitat is also discussed.  Most frogs need wet places to live because they can only breathe easily through damp skin.  Other topics covered include types of skin, feet, the reason for large eyes, camouflage, eating habits and movement.

Impressions:  A good addition to any library’s children section and especially useful for elementary school teachers.  The text is easy to follow and serves as a good introduction to and overview of general information on frogs. Colorful and striking photos help the reader understand the various concepts discussed in the book and include a fair sampling of the various types of frogs that exist in the wild.  I was especially impressed with the photo that showed a frog jumping up out of the water to capture a tasty caterpillar.

Reviews:

Bishop, who illustrated Cowley’s Red-Eyed Tree Frog (1999) and his own Nic Bishop Spiders (2007), presents a number of large, striking photos illustrating a clearly written discussion of the physical characteristics and habits of frogs. Dominating the book are Bishop’s remarkably fine color photographs of frogs from around the world. One dual-foldout spread carries a stop-action scene showing five stages of a frog’s motion as it leaps into the air and dives into water. Even the images that are magnified to many times life-size, such as the underwater shot of a tadpole in the clutches of a predatory water bug, are exceptionally clear. Another remarkable shot shows the underside of a tiny glass frog with its internal organs visible through its transparent skin. In an appended, illustrated note, Bishop relates some of his encounters with the frogs he photographed. Even libraries with dozens of frog books on the shelf should make room for this eye-catching volume. – Carolyn Phelan (Booklist)

-          Phelan, C. (2008). Frogs Review. Booklist (Vol. 104, No. 9). Retrieved from http://libproxy.library.unt.edu:2378/cgi-bin/member/search/f?./temp/~ylhMvF:11

“WOW! These up-close, spectacular photos of frogs from around the world will certainly grab the attention of readers. Biologist Nic Bishop scores another hit and utilizes patience and resourcefulness to capture these candid moments. Amazing photos reveal the internal organs of the see-through skin of the glass frog, the resplendent color of the poison dart frogs of the rainforest--and the sequence of a jumping frog is breathtaking. Fascinating and quirky facts--such as one half of a frog’s bones are in its feet and toads can eat up to 5,000 insects in a single summer--provide information about size, life expectancy, habitat, diet, etc. One of the most hardworking mother frogs is the Strawberry poison dart frog who carries each of her tadpoles, one at a time, on her back from the rainforest floor up a tree and then deposits each one in a separate bromeliad pool. Just like the frogs, this handsome book will jump from library shelves into eager hands.” – Beverly Fahey (Children’s Literature)

-          Fahey, B. (2008). Frogs Review. Children’s Literature. Retrieved from http://libproxy.library.unt.edu:2378/cgi-bin/member/search/f?./temp/~ylhMvF:11

Suggestions for Use in a Library:

Bring a large bundle of construction paper, scissor, markers, glue and a single large piece of poster board.  Have children cut out a frog shaped piece of paper and decorate it.  Paste the ‘frogs’ on a single piece of poster board for display.

Module 7: Home on the Range

Bibliography: Hopkinson, D. (2009). Home on the Range. New York, NY: The Penguin Group.

Summary: This story follows the early life of famous song hunter John Avery Lomax.  Lomax grows up on a small farm near the Chisholm Trail.  He learns various types of folk songs from his family and cowboys herding cattle along the trail.  Years later he is attending college at Harvard University when he decides to write a paper about the many different kinds of folk songs sung in the West.  He collects songs from people all over who shared cowboy songs, sea chanteys, lumberjack songs and many others with him.  His paper was a hit and he decides to devote his life to collecting and recording folk songs from all over the country.  Liberally sprinkled throughout the book are excerpts from a number of well-known and not-so-well-known folk songs.

Impressions: A charming introduction to an early pioneer in the collection and recording of American folk music.  The story is kept simple enough for young readers to understand and those of all ages will appreciate the numerous folk song excerpts scattered throughout the book.  These songs are a nice addition to the text and give readers a taste of American culture in the late 19^th and early 20^th century.  The illustrations are also well done and capture the emotions expressed by Lomax in his journey of self-discovery.

Reviews:

“This picture book traces the early life of John Avery Lomax (1867–1948), whose childhood love of cowboy songs led to a career collecting and recording America’s folk songs. His discovery of the now-familiar “Home on the Range” is featured on two double-page spreads, but the book covers much more ground than that. Nicely written for a young audience, it portrays Lomax growing up on a Texas farm, attending two universities, and traveling about the country as a young man with an unusual calling: song hunting. Throughout the book, appealing line-and-wash illustrations depict believably quirky individuals within nicely composed settings. The landscapes are particularly fine. In the appended author’s note, Hopkinson calls the book historical fiction “based closely on the life of John Avery Lomax,” but it’s unclear what parts are fictional. The book concludes with a note on sources and a brief bibliography.” – Carolyn Phelan (Booklist)

-          Phelan, C. (2009). Home on the Range Review. Booklist (Vol. 105, No. 9). Retrieved from http://libproxy.library.unt.edu:2378/cgi-bin/member/search/f?./temp/~1VY3v8:1

“This picture-book-style biography traces the life and contributions of pioneering musicologist John Lomax. The account follows Lomax through his youth in nineteenth century Texas, where he became fascinated with cowboys and their music, to his study at the University of Texas (where his interest was discouraged) and at Harvard (where it was welcomed and celebrated). Embarking on a professional career of collecting songs, he found cowboys often shy of singing into the huge old-fashioned recording Ediphone, but between it and pen and paper he managed to record a tremendous oeuvre of American song (including the classic “Home on the Range”) and preserve it for posterity. Lomax, hardly a household name, is an unusual choice for a biography, but his influence on music is inarguable, and it’s most deeply felt nowadays by youngsters learning classic old tunes; they’ll be intrigued to realize that songbook standards didn’t just turn up out of thin air. Hopkinson is a dab hand at choosing particularly resonant details in her subject’s life, so even less musically inclined kids will find interest in Lomax’s peripatetic life and cowboy-adjacent labors. Snatches of song lyrics (with no musical notation, unfortunately) are interspersed throughout, offering practical as well as learning opportunities should the title be integrated into a music curriculum. While Schindler’s polished line-and-watercolor artwork is friendly and familiar, he’s moved from his usual black line for hatching and outline to softer self-colors, and he reserves his droll caricature for the academics while drafting the cowpokes with a rough and earnest respect.” – Deborah Stevenson (The Bulleting of the Center for Children’s Books)

-          Stevenson, D. (2009). Home on the Range Review. The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books (Vol. 62, No. 5). Retrieved from http://libproxy.library.unt.edu:2378/cgi-bin/member/search/f?./temp/~1VY3v8:1

Suggestions for Use in a Library:

Invite a local singer to the library.  Gather a group of children and have them pick out a few songs from the book.  As the singer plays each tune, the group can sing along.  Children can also suggest other songs they might know.

Module 6: Testing the Ice

Bibliography:  Robinson, S.  (2009). Testing the Ice. New York, NY: Scholastic Press.

Summary: Sharon Robinson, daughter of Jackie Robinson, tells a story involving her father that took place at the family home in Stamford, Connecticut.  She recalls how the lake next to the home was a favorite playground for her, her siblings, and their friends.  Season after season they would try and get Jackie to play with them out on the lake but he always refused.  One winter they convinced him to take them ice skating on the lake and he agreed.  With extreme reluctance, he ventured onto the ice and tested it to make sure the children could use it safely.  Only later did Sharon find out he could not swim and testing the ice took a great deal of courage.  She also relates how he displayed the same courage years earlier when he broke the color barrier in major league baseball by becoming the first black player to turn pro.

Impressions:   I enjoyed this book because it allows the reader to see a different side of Jackie Robinson.  Most only know him as the historical figure who paved the way for other black players to enter the world of pro baseball.  It is refreshing to see that he displayed the same courage in his home life that he displayed in his professional one.  Young readers (especially sports fans) will learn quite a bit about who Jackie Robinson is and what he accomplished in the fight for civil rights.  The illustrations in the book are so well done they are almost like photographs and add strong emotion to the story.

Reviews:

“Jackie Robinson’s bravery extended well beyond the world of baseball, as demonstrated in this heartwarming family story by his daughter, Sharon. At their lakeside home in Stamford, Connecticut, Jackie never joins his children in their aquatic activities. Sharon eventually realizes her father can’t swim, but it takes a frozen-over lake and Jackie’s brave testing of the ice for Sharon to fully appreciate the courage that defined her father’s life. A brief author’s note gives details about Jackie’s contribution to integration in baseball. Nelson’s sumptuous illustrations, with larger-than-life figures and beautiful landscapes filling the double-page spreads, are perfectly suited to the text. The baseball scenes are clearly on par with those in Nelson’s highly praised We Are the Ship (2008), and the spreads with the children interacting with Jackie have a Norman Rockwell–like quality. Pair with Teammates, by Peter Golenbock (1990), about Jackie Robinson’s bravery on the playing field.” – Randall Enos (Booklist)

Enos, R. (2009). Testing the Ice Review. Booklist (Vol. 106., No. 4). Retrieved from http://libproxy.library.unt.edu:2378/cgi-bin/member/search/f?./temp/~LN3IQn:1

“Sharon Robinson begins her story by briefly recounting the events of her father’s life, Jackie Robinson, who was the first African-American to play baseball for the all-white Major League. The story moves quickly to the Robinsons’ new home in rural Stamford, Connecticut where they lived on a six-acre estate with a large forest and a small lake near the house. Sharon remembers a happy childhood filled with playing outside and swimming in the lake with friends and neighbors. She also enjoys hearing her father tell the story of his struggles and triumphs over racism while breaking the color barrier in professional baseball. One cold winter day the children decide they want to go ice-skating on the frozen lake and beg their father for permission. Jackie had always been reluctant to go in the water with the children because he did not know how to swim. Yet, he summons the courage to walk out on the frozen lake to make sure the ice was firm enough for the children to skate on. What follows is a frightening moment for Jackie and the children when the ice rumbles below his feet and danger immediately becomes apparent. Sharon Robinsons uses the story of her father literally testing the ice on a frozen pond as a metaphor for his breaking of the race barrier in professional baseball. The book effectively compares these two incidents for children who cannot fathom the unbelievable courage required for either of these acts. The stunning realism of Nelson’s illustrations help to facilitate the larger-than-life persona Robinson assigns to her father.” – George DuBose (Children’s Literature)

DuBose, G. (2009). Testing the Ice Review. Children’s Literature. Retrieved from http://libproxy.library.unt.edu:2378/cgi-bin/member/search/f?./temp/~LN3IQn:1

Suggestions for Use in a Library:

Bring a large poster board and several markers.  After reading the story to a group of children, ask each one to think of someone they know who has done something brave.  They can then write that person’s name and a little something about them on the board.  Display the board in the children’s section of the library.

Module 6: Freedom Summer

Bibliography: Wiles, D. (2001).  Freedom Summer. New York, NY: Simon & Schuster.

Summary:  Set in the summer of 1964, this story is about two boys – Joe and John Henry.  The boys do their best to ignore the fact that society does not grant John Henry the same privileges as Joe because he is black.  Joe and John encounter this reality in various situations as when John is forced to wait outside the General Store while Joe gets them ice pops or when he is forbidden from going to the community pool with his friend.  After the Civil Rights Act is passed, the two boys decide to test John’s new freedom by going to swim together in the community pool.  They arrive at the pool only to discover that it is being filled in to prevent blacks from using it.  Undaunted, Joe displays his firm friendship with John by accompanying him into the General Store.

Impressions:  A great read!  Freedom Summer perfectly captures the racial tension that existed in the South at this time in terms that young readers can understand.  The incident with the pool highlights the fact that many Southerners at the time were willing to close down services for everyone if that is what it took to keep from serving blacks.  Wiles did a good job of interweaving fiction and fact to produce a story of adversity and friendship that children of any age can relate to.  This powerful tale is enhanced by colorful and well-drawn illustrations that add emotional impact to each scene in the book.

Reviews:

Gillian Engberg (Booklist, Feb. 15, 2001 (Vol. 97, No. 12))
“John Henry Waddell is my best friend," begins the narrator of this story, set during a summer of desegregation in the South. John Henry is black and the narrator is white, so the boys swim together at the creek, rather than at the whites-only town pool, and the narrator buys the ice-cream at the segregated store. When new laws mandate that the pool, and everything else, must desegregate, the boys rejoice, until the town fills the pool with tar in protest and the narrator tries to see this town, "through John Henry's eyes." The boy's voice, presented in punchy, almost poetic sentences, feels overly romanticized, even contrived in places. It's the illustrations that stun. In vibrantly colored, broad strokes, Lagarrigue, who illustrated Nikki Grimes' My Man Blue (1999), paints riveting portraits of the boys, particularly of John Henry, that greatly increase the story's emotional power. Beautiful work by an illustrator to watch. Category: Books for the Young--Fiction.” – Gillian Engberg (Booklist)

Engberg, G. (2001). Freedom Summer Review. Booklist (Vol. 97, No. 12). Retrieved from http://libproxy.library.unt.edu:2378/cgi-bin/member/search/f?./temp/~JfO07C:1

“A great introductory step for parents and teachers to help children become writers is to examine the work of others. There are a slew of personal narrative picture books to help children understand this genre. Freedom Summer is one. It tells of two boys who are best friends. John Henry is black and Joe is white, and though they love the same things, segregation laws prevent them from doing everything together. They have compensated. Instead of going to the town pool, they dam a creek where they "jump in, wearing only our skins." Descriptions and a strong voice draw the reader into the kind of caring that builds as the boys anticipate the end of the law that has divided them. On the morning that desegregation goes into effect, the two boys leave for the clear waters of the town pool, taking John Henry's lucky coin to dive for. When they arrive, they discover workers have filled the pool with "hot spongy tar." Joe, wanting to shift the mood, suggests an ice pop that comes from a store John Henry has never entered. Joe hands his friend a nickel, but John Henry shakes his head and replies, "I got my own" and the boys walk into the store together. Lyricism and feelings will help children relate, better understand another era and discover the power of a personal narrative.” – Susie Wilde (Children’s Literature)

Wilde, S. (2001). Freedom Summer Review. Children’s Literature. Retrieved from http://libproxy.library.unt.edu:2378/cgi-bin/member/search/f?./temp/~JfO07C:1

Suggestions for Use in a Library:

As one of the reviews above suggested this book is a great way to introduce the concept of racism as it existed in the past.  Librarians can also discuss with children how the world has changed since then and how people of all races in the United States have more freedom than ever before. 

Module 5: Redwall

Bibliography: Jacques, B. (1986). Redwall. New York, NY: Hutchinson Children’s Books Ltd.

Summary:  The gentle mice and other woodland creatures of Redwall Abbey have their peaceful existence shattered by the arrival of Cluny the Scourge and his large vermin army.  Cluny lays siege to the abbey forcing the inhabitants to fight for their very lives.  The focus of the story is split between the Redwallers’ fight against Cluny and the adventures of a young novice mouse named Matthias.  Matthias embarks on a quest to find the legendary sword of Martin the Warrior which takes him from the depths to the heights of the Abbey and outside its walls in the den of a poisonous serpent.  Meanwhile, the Redwallers thwart Cluny’s attempts to break into the Abbey which include tunnels and siege towers.  Mathhias, with the help of a few friends, eventually reclaims the sword and returns to defeat Cluny in a final climatic battle for the fate of Redwall.

Impressions:  Easily one of best fantasy books I’ve ever read.  Though the language is geared towards a younger crowd, readers of all ages will enjoy the genius of Brian Jacques.  His deep and complex animal characters are so humanlike that readers will find themselves forgetting that they are in fact not human at all.  The action is quick and satisfying and Matthias’ journey from humble novice to seasoned warrior is something special to behold.  This book should be part of every library’s collection!  

Reviews:

“What on the surface appears to be just another medieval fantasy peopled with animals enacting the fight to the death between good and evil is actually a rich and thought-provoking novel on the nature of good and evil. The peaceful life of the mice of Redwall Abbey is shattered by the onslaught of the fierce rat, Cluny the Scourge, and his army of rats, weasels, and other vermin. The mice and the other peaceful animals take refuge in the Abbey's strong walls while Cluny lays seige. Advantage is with the besieged (as long as food and supplies last), and the Abbey defenders are able to withstand numerous attacks. Cluny cannot be completely defeated, however, until the sword of Martin, the legendary warrior who founded Redwall Abbey, can be found. A young novice, Matthias, embarks on a quest and ultimately finds it, but a wise cat reminds him that it is just a sword. It attained its legendary status because Martin used it only in the defense of right and good. Just as Martin's sword is neither good nor evil, the characters avoid being simply personifications of attributes. The defenders, even Matthias, have faults, while even Cluny displays characteristics which make him not likable, but at least deserving of a grudging admiration. The book is violent, and at some times downright gruesome, but the quality of the writing, the rich cast of characters, the detailed accounts of medieval warfare, and Jacques' ability to tell a good story and make readers think all earn Redwall a place on library shelves.” - Susan M. Harding (School Library Journal)

Harding, S. (1987). Redwall Review. School Library Journal. Retrieved from http://www.amazon.com/Redwall-Book-1-Brian-Jacques/dp/product-description/0399231609/ref=dp_proddesc_0?ie=UTF8&n=283155&s=books

“What must the Monastic Order of Redwall Mice do when their peaceful, idyllic Abby, noted for its hospitality and serenity, is endangered by a surely, pitiless rat army, spurred on by the vicious, ruthless Cluny the Scourge? Can a reincarnation of Martin the Warrior be found in the young Novice Matthias? Is he the mouse of Cluny's nightmares, who will eventually destroy him and his evil? This is a spellbinding first novel. Courageous Good conquers blatant Evil with staggering verve at a compulsive, cracking pace. It's epic in theme as well as in length (400+ pages). There's plenty of action, suspense and a dash of romance, plus a richly-wrought tapestry of memorable characters. I can't wait to read bits of it to my lower secondary classes.” – David Bennett (Books for Keeps)

Bennett, D. (1988). Redwall Review. Books for Keeps, No. 48. Retrieved from http://libproxy.library.unt.edu:2378/cgi-bin/member/search/f?./temp/~3ueAWT:140

Suggestions for Use in a Library:

Read the book aloud to a group.  As you read, ask children to give examples of a small, and seemingly weak character like Matthias who becomes a hero.  Ask them if they can predict what Matthias’ next actions will be. 

Module 5: Skellig

Bibliography: Almond, D. (1998). Skellig. New York, NY: Delacorte Press.

Summary: Skellig tells the story of a young British boy named Michael.  Michael and his family move into a broken down old home where he discovers a strange creature that seems to be a hybrid of man and bird.  At the same time he has to cope with the fact that his baby sister, suffering from a heart defect, may die.  He soon after befriends a young girl named Mina who teaches him valuable lessons about nature, poetry, and how to cope with life’s cruelities.  Michael and Mina nurse the creature he found, whose name is Skellig, back to health from the broken wreck he had become.  Skellig returns the favor by helping Michael cope with his sister’s sickness.  In the end, Michael’s sister returns home as a healthy baby and the family rejoices in their good fortune.

Impressions:  I didn’t really connect with this book.  Perhaps that is due to the nature of the story.  Almond couldn’t seem to make up his mind if he wanted to write a realistic fiction or fantasy story and the quality of his work suffered as a result.  He also could have developed the character of Skellig a bit more.  Instead, readers get a shallow, bare-bones creature who is never given much of a personality.  Despite these flaws, Skellig is a decent example of the power of love and hope.

Reviews:

“Exploring a tumbling-down shed on the property his family has just bought, Michael finds Skellig, an ailing, mysterious being who is suffering from arthritis, but who still relishes Chinese food and brown ale. Michael also meets his neighbor Mina, a homeschooled girl. When she's not trying to open his eyes and ears to the world around him, she is spouting William Blake. As Michael begins nursing Skellig back to health, he realizes that there is something odd about his shoulders. Together, he and Mina move Skellig to a safe place, release the wings they find on his back from his jacket, and look after him until he eventually moves on. Throughout the story, readers share Michael's overriding concern for his infant sister, who is gravely ill. In the end, little Joy comes home from the hospital safe and happy and Michael's life has been greatly enriched by his experiences with her, Skellig, and Mina.” Patricia A. Dollisch, DeKalb County Public Library, Decatur, GA

Dollisch, P.A. (1999). Skelling Review. School Library Journal. Retrieved from http://www.amazon.com/Skellig-Printz-Honor-David-Almond/dp/product-description/038532653X/ref=dp_proddesc_0?ie=UTF8&n=283155&s=books

 “A move to a new house coincides for Michael with the anguish of bearing his new baby sister's medical problems. Will she live? As the baby fights for her life in a hospital incubator, Michael learns, with the help of his new friend Mina, to look wider and harder at the world. If we are, as William Blake (Mina's favourite poet) tells us, surrounded by angels and spirits, then which is Skellig, the mysterious being Michael discovers in the ramshackle garage of his new home? An intensely written and fast moving fable, Skellig deals with the threat of loss out of which comes change as Michael begins to bear not knowing whether the baby will survive. Skellig (part-angel, part-invalid, part bird of prey) is both a loving figure providing protection, a shambolic figure requiring care and a cannibalistic creature feeding on the mice and fledglings provided by the owls who befriend him. This integration of a loving character with both vulnerable and unlovely aspects is unusual and touching. Just as the blackbirds and owls in the overgrown gardens that are the setting for much of the story nurture their young even while danger stalks, so Michael takes in his baby sister's very heartbeat and wills her, via Skellig, into life. An author of fiction for adults, this is Almond's first children's book. It is well and confidently paced despite a touch of bathos at the end. A considerable achievement.” – Rosemary Stones (Books for Keeps)

Stone, R. (1998). Skelling Review. Books for Keeps, No. 111. Retrieved from http://libproxy.library.unt.edu:2378/cgi-bin/member/search/f?./temp/~RZgGA1:2

Suggestions for Use in a Library:

This book contains a number of poem excerpts by William Blake.  Librarians can find other poems by this poet and read them to a group.  Children can then write their own poems and share them with others.

Module 4: Gotcha!

Bibliography: Gilson, J. (2006). Gotcha! New York, NY: Houghton Mifflin Company.

Summary: Gotcha! is the story of second grade student named Richard and the class bully Patrick.  Over the course of the school day Patrick continually torments Richard by hitting him in the head with a rubber band, tricking him into falling over backwards, elbowing him in the face, and numerous other incidents.  Each time Patrick avoids any blame and rubs salt in the wound by flashing his trademark phrase “Gotcha!”.  The class goes on a field trip to a local lake later that day where Patrick almost drowns.  Richard thinks Patrick has changes and tries to make peace with him but Patrick remains the same bully he always was.  Patrick does get what is coming to him at the end when a snake he brought back from the trip sprays him with a stinky fluid.

Impressions: I wasn’t terribly impressed with this story.  Since this book was intended for an elementary audience I know the author had to keep the language simple.  However, at times the language came across as ‘too’ simple – almost as if the author was acting in a condescending manner.  The story does do a good job of relating the experience of dealing with a bully in school.  Richard’s attempts to get back at Patrick backfire and prove that when confronting a bully it is not wise to fight fire with fire.  The book was decent but one that won’t likely win any awards.

Reviews:

“This is another "Table Two" adventure about Richard and his friends who are second-graders in Miss Zookey's class. Richard's problem is with "Patrick the Pest" who likes to play tricks (mostly mean ones), and then say "Gotcha!" Richard tries unsuccessfully to get back at him with a "Gotcha" of his own. Richard has to be partners with Patrick on the field trip to the lake to learn about spiders. Things get very exciting when Patrick swings on a limb and lands in the lake. After he is rescued by the principal, Patrick appears to have changed for the better. Richard and Patrick talk it over and decide not to do any more tricks. But Patrick has another one--he shows Richard the snake in his pocket. The garter snake releases its musky smell and all the class smells stinky. Patrick gets embarrassed, and he and his father have to take the snake back to the lake. Richard gets the last laugh when he tells Patrick, "I think that garter snake already did say something. I think it just went, 'Gotcha'!" Readers will learn interesting facts about spiders and snakes while enjoying the adventures of this endearing classroom. Cute illustrations are interspersed throughout the chapters.”  – Vicki Foote (Children’s Literature)

-          Foote, V. (2006). Gotcha! Review. Children’s Literature. Retrieved from http://libproxy.library.unt.edu:2378/cgi-bin/member/search/f?./temp/~QPQFgd:2

“Richard is fed up with archnemesis Patrick. In just one morning, Richard has been zapped by a rubber band and has his nose bloodied in a scuffle. It's Patrick's fault, but Richard's name is still written on the blackboard. Then Patrick gleefully flashes a sign proclaiming "Gotcha!" just to rub it in. To make matters worse, Mrs. Zookey pairs up Patrick and Richard on a field trip to Green Lake, where the class is going to observe spiders. After Patrick falls into the lake, Richard loses his motivation for payback, and hopes that the troublemaker has learned his lesson: that the natural consequences to breaking rules can be worse than punishment. Gilson weaves a web of interesting facts about spiders and other crawly things into this fourth book featuring Mrs. Zookey's second-grade class. The reading level may be too tough for some second-graders, but kids will have no trouble recognizing the emotions and experiences captured by the story or Wummer's simple drawings.  – Nancy Kim (Booklist, Apr. 1, 2006)

-          Kim, N. (2006). Gotcha! Review. Booklist, Vol. 102, No. 15. Retrieved from http://libproxy.library.unt.edu:2378/cgi-bin/member/search/f?./temp/~QPQFgd:2

Suggestions for Use in a Library:

This book can be used to launch a discussion on bullies.  The librarian and children in a group can discuss how to deal with a persistent bully.

Module 4: Frindle

Bibliography: Clements, A. (1996). Frindle. New York, NY: Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing.

Summary:  Frindle tells the story of a young boy named Nick Allen.  Nick is a very bright student who decides to invent a new word for pen which he decides should be called a frindle.  This decision starts a battle of words with his fifth grade language arts teacher Mrs. Granger.  Mrs. Granger believes that pen is a perfectly fine word and does not need to be changed.  Nick recruits other students to his cause and despite staying after school as punishment most students stick with him.  This battle of wills leads to a local news story, a spot on national television, talk shows and even a merchandise line.  Years later Nick’s word makes its way into the dictionary and he discovers that Mrs. Granger, despite her initial resistance, was actually very proud of his accomplishment.

Impressions: A great story that captures perfectly the battle of wills that almost every young student engages in with his or her teacher (although this one was taken to a whole new level)!  Nick is a perfect example of that precocious child that simultaneously delights and frustrates teachers the world over.  Frindle teaches us that we should not be afraid to express ourselves and challenge conventional wisdom of what is right and proper in the world.  If we did then the last thousand or so years of progress would never have occurred.  Though young readers will have an easier time connecting with the main character, this book is a fun read that I recommend for all ages.

Reviews:

“Ten-year-old Nick Allen has a reputation for devising clever, time-wasting schemes guaranteed to distract even the most conscientious teacher. His diversions backfire in Mrs. Granger’s fifth-grade class, however, resulting in Nick being assigned an extra report on how new entries are added to the dictionary. Surprisingly, the research provides Nick with his best idea ever, and he decides to coin his own new word. Mrs. Granger has a passion for vocabulary, but Nick’s (and soon the rest of the school’s) insistence on referring to pens as “frindles” annoys her greatly. The war of words escalates--resulting in after-school punishments, a home visit from the principal, national publicity, economic opportunities for local entrepreneurs, and, eventually, inclusion of frindle in the dictionary. Slightly reminiscent of Avi’s Nothing but the Truth (1991), this is a kinder, gentler story in which the two sides eventually come to a private meeting of the minds and the power of language triumphs over both. Sure to be popular with a wide range of readers, this will make a great read-aloud as well.” (Reviewed Sept. 1, 1996)— Kay Weisman

-          Weisman, K. (1996). Frindle Review. Booklist Online. Retrieved from http://www.booklistonline.com/Frindle-Andrew-Clements/pid=1018944

“Nick's idea to invent a brand new word is both a challenge and a tribute to his dictionary-loving, language-arts teacher. He devises ingenious ways to encourage people to start referring to pens as "frindles." Chaotic events follow as the word becomes a national phenomenon and, finally, an actual dictionary entry. Along with the humor, there are plenty of thought-provoking insights about the nature of words and their importance to the lives of regular people.”  - Steven Engelfried

-          Engelfried, S. (2004). Playing with Language. School Library Journal. Retrieved from  http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/article/CA421164.html

Suggestions for Use in a Library:  Bring a children’s dictionary, some markers, and a poster board.  After reading the story aloud, give a marker to each child.  They can pick one work from the dictionary they would like to rename and write it on the poster board which can then be displayed in the children’s section.