Shiloh Book #12 (chapter)

Shiloh
Written by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
Genre: Fiction
Theme: lies, abuse, ethics, religion and morality, and animal–human relationships
Primary character Marty Preston and Shiloh. Secondary characters
Newbery Medal 1992
Publication 1991
Published by Maxwell Macmillan International Publishing Group

Shiloh is a story about a boy, Marty Preston, who enjoys spending time outside and shooting his .22 rifle. One day while Marty was walking he discovered a young beagle. The dog follows Marty. However, the dog has an owner who mistreats the dog. Marty chooses to hide the dog, who he names Shiloh, and creates several lies to keep him. Then Marty finds out about Shiloh's owner doing illegal hunting. He uses this to his advantage.

This is a good book for students to read and she the struggles that can happen in today's time. There is a great relationship between boy and dogs. Children with a love for animals can relate to the character.

Arthur and the Perfect Brother Book #11 (chapter)

Arthur and the Perfect Brother
Written by Stephen Krensky
Genre: Fiction
Theme: family, jealous, manners
Primary charater is Arthur. Secondary charaters are Brain, D.W., Mom, and Dad
Publication 2000
Published by Little, Brown and Company

In this story, Arthur finds out that his friend Brain will be spending the weekend at his house. Arthur imagines that Brain and he will have a great weekend of advantages. D.W., on the other hand, believes that it will be like having two Arthurs in the house. Arthur then learns that it was nothing like he imagined. Brain is very polite and does his homework before the weekend begins. He helps around the house. Arthur's whole family enjoys spending time with Brain. He is very helpful around the house. Arthur gets jealous and upset because Brain is spending more time with his family then him. The weekend did not turn out how Arthur planned it.

This story is good for children to read. They can enjoy and relate to the charaters. They learn about how to act polite as a guest in a friends home. This is a good book for pleasure reading.

Morning Girl Book #10 (chapter)

Morning Girl
By Micael Dorris
Genre: Fiction
Theme: siblings, growing up, new living area. family
Primary character Morning Girl. Secondary character is Star Boy
Publication in 1992
Published by University of Oklahoma Press

Morning Girl is a tale based off entries from Christopher Columbus's diary. It talks about a native family living in a vibrant community striving to coexist with the natural world, not to dominate it. The story stresses the bonds of family and behavioral changes involved in growing up, and raises the issue of culture differences in a powerful way.

It is a good book for children who like characters that they can relate to some. And the children can also learn what it was like for families in the New World.

The Maze Book #9 (chapter)

The Maze
By Peni R. Griffin
Genre: Fiction
Theme: magic, stepfamilies
Primary character Caroline and secodary character Hector
Publication 1994
Published by Macmillan Publishing Company
On her first visit to her father's new home, eight-year-old Caroline and her older stepbrother enter a magical painting left by one of her father's art students and they find themselves trapped in a maze that is inhabited by mermaids, minotaurs, and other mythical creatures. They must find their way out of the maze and back to Caroline's father's house.
This book is good for students who are into fiction characters. It is great for student with wide imagination and who are into mythical creatures. It is also good for students interested in adventures.

Rapunzel Book #8 (picture)

Rapunzel
Written and illustrated by Paul O. Zelinsky
Genre: Fiction
Subgenre: Fairy tales, folklore
Theme: family, loneliness, jealous, true love, trust
Primary character Rapunzel. Secondary characters the sorceress and king's son.
Caldecott Medal 1998
Publication 1997
Published by Dutton Children's Books

Rapunzel is a fairy tale about a girl who never meet her really parents because she was taken by a sorceress when she was born. Rapunzel grew beautiful, long, silky hair. The sorceress decides to put her away in a tall tower deep in the forest. The tower has no doors or window to enter in except for at the very top of the tower. Rapunzel lives in the tower alone. The sorceress visits Rapunzel and in order to get in the tower the sorceress yells to Rapunzel and she then would let done her long hair and then the sorceress would climb up her hair. One day Rapunzel has an unexpected visitor, the king's son. They both connect and then Rapunzel's life changes complete.
This story is great for older children. It is a good classic folklore. This verison has a different twist then one that might have been told when you were a child. It opens up children to traditional literature.

Get Ready for Second Grade, Amber Brown Book #7 (picture)

Get Ready for Second Grade, Amber Brown
By Paula Danziger
Illustrated by Tony Ross
Genre: Fiction
Theme: first day of school, rules, new teacher, bully, friends, changes
Primary charater is Amber Brown. Secondary charaters are Dad, Justin, Hannah Burton, Ms. Light
Publication 2002
Published by G.P. Putnam's Sons

Amber Brown is getting ready for her first day of second grade. She has a lot to get ready for before going to school. She also has many different ideas of how school is going to be and what some of her friends are going to say about the new changes. The biggest change is the fact that she doesn't know anything about her new teacher. She is worry that the new teacher is going to be mean or not like her. As she gets to school, she see all here old friends. She reconnect with many or them and they talk about the new teacher. The other children do not help Amber Brown with her fear of the new teacher. Amber Brown is still not sure about the new teacher even when she finally meets her. However, things begin to change once she is finally in the classroom with her new second-grade teacher, Ms. Light.

This book is good for students that might be a little worry going to a new grade, school, or classroom. This show the students different out looks on teachers and school. It helps prepare them for a change in their life.

Big Talk Book #6 (picture)

Big Talk: Poems for Four Voices
By Paul Fleischman
Illustrated by Beppe Giacobbe
Genre: Children's poetry
Subgenre: American poetry
Theme: life, family, pre-teen drama, country life
Publication 2000
Published by Candlewick Press

Big Talk is a collection of three poems that are to be read aloud by four people. It is spilt up so that each person can read different parts of the poems. With each poem, it becomes more difficult for the readers to get the flow and rhythm of the poems. Each poem has a different subject. The first is about simple, country living. The second is about a seventh-grade soap opera. And the last is about how important it is to treasure a family meal.

This book would be great for fourth grade and above. It is a great way to get children interested and excited about poetry. The children can read it in small groups. It has great rhythms and themes for the children to connect with on different levels.

Best Best Friends Book #5 (picture)

Best Best Friends
Writen and Illustrated Margaret Chodos-Irvine
Genre: Fiction
Subgenre: Picture Book
Theme: best friends, friendship, nursery school, struggles
Primary characters are Clare and Mary
Publication 2006
Published by

The story is about two girls, Clare and Mary, who are the best of friends. They do everything together at school. Until one day when Mary gets the most attention from the whole class. This changes the relationship for the two friends. They then go through a difficult time.

This is a good book for pre-schoolers. It is a good book to show how friendship can be for young children. It helps them see a difficult situation through another's eyes.

The Garden that We Grew Book #4 (picture)

The Garden That We Grew

By Joan Holub

Illustrated by Hiroe Nakata

Genre: Fiction

Subgenre: Story with rhyme

Theme: gradening, pumpkins

Characters are just some children

Publication 2001

Published by  The Penguin Group

Children plant pumpkin seeds and tend to them as they grow. Once they are grown the children then use the pumpkins for various things.

The students can learn different things about pumkins and gardening. It is a great book for the fall. The students can then experience some of the same activities as the children in the book.

Ten Seeds Book #3 (picture)

Ten Seeds

Written and Illustrated by Ruth Brown

Genre: Fiction

Subgenre: Juvenile literature

Theme: Counting, plant life cycles, nature

Primary character the plants

Secondary characters would be the different animals

Publication 2001

Published by Random House, Inc.

This book begins with ten seeds that are planted. As the book goes along, one at a time something happens to the seed by different animals. It shows the plants as the grow and how different animals may use them in different ways.

This book would be good for very young students. It is a way for them to count and see the plant life cycle and process.

Score! Book #2 (picture)

Score! 50 Poems to Motivate and Inspire

By Charles Ghigna

Illustrated by Julia Gorton

Genre: Fiction

Subgenre: Juvenile Poetry

Theme: Motivate, inspire, encourage

No primary or secondary characters
Publication 2008

Published by Harry N. Abrams, Inc.

It is a energizing collection that encourages children to reach for their dreams and stay on the path to success. It consist of short, easy to read poems that will uplift students and help them see the brighter path.

This book would be great for young athletes, students studying for a test, class graduation, or any student with goals. It can help the students have the courage to set goals and reach for what they desire most in life.

My Big Brother Book #1 (picture)

"My Big Brother"

by Miriam Cohen

Illustrated by Ronald Himler
Genre: Fiction
Subgenre: Primary School
Theme: Family and social structures, role model, brothers, solidersPrimary character is the middle child and the secondary characters is the oldest child
Publication 2005
Published by Star Bright Books, Inc.

This book is about a big brother that teaches the middle brother different things. Then the big brother leaves for the army and now the middle brother is the "big brother." He then see the responiblities of a big brother.

This book and teach the students about being a sibling. It shows also the effects of children leaving to join the military. It shows the struggles that the are on the parents and children both. It is also a great way to show the importance of being a good role model.