Bibliography

 Krosoczka, Jarrett J. 2009. Lunch Lady and the League of Librarians. Random House Children's Book.  ISBN-13: 978-0375846847

Plot Summary

Action! Silliness! Pictures galore!  It's no wonder why comic books are such a big hit with children.  In this Lunch Lady series, the lunch ladies are a secret crime fighting duo that takes on the scheme of the librarians that join together from different librarian positions.  The librarians want to take over the children by destroying all video games and then claim domination over the entire world. 

Critical Analysis

In this high interest graphic  novel, the author created an action packed comic book with a certain goofiness that will hook the younger audience.  This series isn't like some other comic books with a super hero that has a dark undertone that is commonly found in most comics.  This book is made to hook readers and make them laugh, so there is not a lot of character development. The meaning behind the story really sticks out to an actual librarian and readers.  I love that the librarians want children to read more but the book adds the silliness of video games corrupting their brains.  This book will entice the boys and girls with its usage of the snazzy gadgets they use to capture the librarians.  The illustration is fun, light and consistent.  This book will make you want to become a super hero librarian!

Reviews Excerpts/Awards

-WINNER 2010 Cooperative Children's Book Center Choices

-Children's Literature Review: When her Apple Alarm alerts her to a crime in progress, crime fighter Lunch Lady knows it is time to leap into action! Armed with her Taco-Vision Night Goggles and aided by her trusty sidekick/assistant server Betty, Lunch Lady serves up justice to everyone from muggers to crime syndicates, but, when Lunch Lady's young informants, the Breakfast Bunch, alert her to an evil plot by the League of Librarians to destroy all video games, can even a super-powered cafeteria worker stop a group of villains capable of sending an evil Black Stallion or Cheshire Cat against her? Inspired by author/artist Jarret J. Krosoczka's crazy ideas about his own elementary school lunch lady, much of the book's humor comes from Lunch Lady's cafeteria-themed gadgets, including the Spork Phone, Hairnet Nets, and Sonic Boom Juice Box. For a graphic novel meant to encourage reading, however, the story delivers some mixed messages about librarians, as the librarians are portrayed as video game-hating villains who knock people out with dictionaries and attack superheroes with evil versions of literary characters. At one point, the heroes even toss the librarians' books into the river to defeat the villains. Overall, the book plays with some clever concepts and provides some diversionary entertainment but is not particularly filling.

Connections   

-The students can create new gadgets the librarians can use.

-Read other books in this series, such as Lunch Lady and the Cyborg Substitute.

-Create a comic book using another person from a school, for ex: principal, custodial worker, a music teacher etc.

-Write about what makes a super hero?

BLOG VIEW:FANTASY, REALISTIC FICTION-SPEAK

Bibliography

 Anderson, Laurie Halse. 1999. Speak. U.S.A Penguin Putnam Books for Young Readers. ISBN-13: 978-0142414736

Plot Summary

Speak is an absorbing story of a 9th grade girl named Melinda who rarely speaks.  She doesn't speak to her peers at school, teachers, nor her parents.  There's a haunting secret within Melinda that is trapped she wants to say something but can't.  This secret has transformed her from a happy normal high school girl to a non sociable girl who has lost friends and starting to make failing grades.  No one knows how to help because she won't open her mouth and say anything. But reliving a painful experience might trigger something that will cause her to say something.

Critical Analysis

Anderson creates a character that is so real it's impossible to not have any feelings for Melinda as she goes through her difficult journeys.  The author writes this story and it portrays a great deal of emotion.  Melinda shows a great deal of character even though she is silent.

 This book is an easy to read book because it covers  subjects on bullying, outcast, losing friends, feeling of being ignored, parents not understanding and rape.  All of these things can occur while in high school, that's why this book can be relatable. Melinda has an art project that speaks for literary symbolism from within. Her assignment is a tree which she has trouble creating, however Melinda branches out and makes the tree come to life.  The project becomes an outlet for Melinda's pain. 

Reviews Excerpts/Awards

-National Book Award Finalist

-Booklist: “In her YA fiction debut, Anderson perfectly captures the harsh conformity of high-school cliques and one teen's struggle to find acceptance from her peers. Melinda's sarcastic wit, honesty, and courage make her a memorable character whose ultimate triumph will inspire and empower readers.”

-School Library Journal Best Books, 1999

-Booklist Editor’s Choice: Books for Youth, 1999 (ALA)         

-Sequoyah Book Award, 2002

Connections   

-Read other books by the author, Catalyst and Fever 1793.

-Write about if someone took advantage of you, what would you do?

-Have a speaker come in and address the issue of rape.

BLOG REVIEW: FANTASY, REALISTIC FICTION-JOEY PIGZA LOSES CONTROL

Bibliography

 Gantos, Jack. 2000. Joey Pigza Loses Control. New York: Harper Collins. ISBN-13: 978-0064410229

Plot Summary

Joey Pigza has ADHD and is very impulsive, living with his divorced mother.  Joey's father wants him to come stay with him for a few weeks in the summer time.  Joey's father is dealing with legal problems and alcoholism as well as some symptoms of  ADHD.  While living with his father, Joey is made to stop taking his medication for ADHD because his father wants to see what  he might become without it.  Joey wants to stop taking the medicine but doesn't think his dad will be able to handle  him off the medicine or if Joey can stay under control without them.  Can Joey's father pull himself together and help Joey live without his medicine?

Critical Analysis              

In this novel the author creates a realistic fiction impression of Joey as a strong character even though he is suffering with ADHD he can still deal with different situations that occur.  The author uses great imagery to describe Joey's feelings.  This book is very serious yet is relatable to the young children because it's very normal to live with a divorced parent and to live with ADHD.   This book deals with complex issues such as alcoholism, parental disagreements about medicine, and custody disputes.

Reviews Excerpts/Awards

-Kirkus Starred Reviews- “Sad, scary, blackly funny.”

-Publisher's Weekly- In a starred review, PW said, "Like its predecessor, Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key, this high-voltage, honest novel mixes humor, pain, fear and courage with deceptive ease." Ages 10-up. (Mar.) Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.

-Newbery Medal

-Publisher's Weekly Best Children's Books

-Young Hoosier Book Award

-Young Readers Choice Award

Connections

-Read Joey Pigza Swallows His Key, What Would Joey Do?, I Am Not Joey Pigza by Jack Gantos.

-Do research on ADHD and ADD and compare the symptoms to Joey Pigza.

-Write about a person they know living with a divorced parent and how it feels.

           

Historical Fiction Book Review: Penny From Heaven

Bibliography

Holm, Jennifer L.. 2006. Penny From Heaven. New York: Random House Children’s Books. ISBN 0375836896

Plot Summary

Penny's father is deceased but she has the next best thing, his brothers.  Penny's father came from a large Italian- American family with uncles that adore her so much.  Penny's mother married into the Falucci clan, and after Penny's father's death her mother and grandmother do not mingle with her dad's crew and vice versa.  Penny is about to turn twelve and all kinds of things are starting to happen to her.  She's starting to notice boys and she sees how overprotective her mother is.  She's hanging around her cousin Frankie who is getting into trouble left and right.  Penny's mother starts dating the most unpopular guy-the milkman.  When Penny gets involved in a gruesome accident, the truth about her father's mysterious death begins to unravel.

Critical Analysis        

This is a special book because the characterization is detailed, realistic and multi-layered.  The post-war 1950's are so vivid you feel as though you are a character in this novel. Many of the events in the book are based on anecdotes told by Holm's family members. And it explores a forgotten bit of WWII history that I've never read about before.  Just as this book talks about death, family, pets, miracles, and love of all kinds, these are all things everyone can relate to and sympathize with.  

Reviews Excerpts/Awards/Honors

John Newbery Medal Honor Book

American Library Association Notable Children’s Book

SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL: “Penny and her world are clearly drawn and eminently believable, made up of seamlessly interwoven details from everyday life.”

KIRKUS: “Penny’s present-tense narration is both earthy and observant, and her commentary on her families’ eccentricities sparkles.”

BOOKLIST: “…this languidly paced novel will appeal most to readers who appreciate gentle, episodic tales with a nostalgic flavor.”

Connections       

-Read Our Only May Amelia by the author Jennifer L. Holm.

-Read other books about Italian families such as, The Boy of San Joaquin by D. James Smith, or Granny Torrelli Makes Soup by Sharon Creech.

-Look for additional information on the author. Biography Resource Center

“Jennifer L. Holm.” Contemporary Authors Online, Gale, 2007 Reproduced in

Biography Resource Center. Farmington Hills, Mich.: Gale, 2007.

http://www.inspire.net

Historical Fiction Book Review: Lily's Crossing

Bibliography

Giff, Patricia Reilly. 1997.  Lily's Crossing. New York: Random House Children’s Books. ISBN 9780440414537

Plot Summary

Lily made a great new friend in Rockaway.  Albert, was a Hungarian boy who escaped from the Nazi's, Lily met him during the summer of 1944 at the peak of World War II.  Everything started to occur when her best friend Margaret left Rockaway, Beach because her father was transferred to a wartime factory in Michigan.  Lily also had a tough time dealing with her father leaving to win the war.  Lily and her new friend Albert can't seem to stay out of trouble with the lies that Lily tells.  One lie may jeopardize the friendship between Albert and Lily.

Critical Analysis

This is a great book about friendship with hard and happy times.   The book presents life during World War II. It presents the reader with a whole new world in the little town named Rockaway, New York where families and friends become close knit and help each other out. Also, by inviting everyone over to dinner. The war helps Lily become closer to her friends and family during these rough times. It also helps her to become trustworthy with her friends and to stop lying to everybody.  This book is very suspenseful and easy to comprehend. 

Reviews Excerpts/Awards    

SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL: “Giff's well-drawn, believable characters and vivid prose style make this an excellent choice.”

American Library Association Notable Children’s Books

Jefferson Cup Award Honor Book

Boston Globe- Horn Book Award for Excellence in Children’s Literature Honor Book

KIRKUS: “It's a strong ending to a deftly told story.”

John Newbery Medal Honor Book

BOOKLIST: “With wry comedy and intense feeling, and without intrusive historical detail, Giff gets across a strong sense of what it was like on the home front during World War II.”

Connections

-According to the book, have students write a paragraph telling how they think life was like back in 1944. 

-Students can watch this movie, Since You Went Away (1944) Anne Hilton must cope with life while her husband is fighting in World War II.  This relates to Lily's father leaving because of World War II.

-Research more about the Holocaust at this website.  http://www.holocaustsurvivors.org This Web site contains survivor stories, photographs, discussions, an audio gallery as well as a historical introduction to the Holocaust.        

Historical Fiction Book Review: Elijah of Buxton

Bibliography

 Curtis, Christopher Paul. 2009. Elijah of Buxton. New York: Scholastic Press. ISBN-13: 978-0439023450

Plot Summary

Elijah of Buxton was known for being born free in a settlement in Canada.  He is eleven-years old and wants to be a man but has a hard time convincing everyone including himself that he's ready to be one.  His parents constantly refer to Elijah as being "fragile" and weak because he cries a lot.  Elijah is confronted with life or death situations and learning about slaves on his journey.  

Critical Analysis

Elijah of Buxton is an interesting character that slowly evolves in each chapter until the end of the story.  From the introduction, Elijah was the average eleven-year old trouble maker that turned out to be a brave young boy who made man decisions.  The history of Buxton was really precise from the start of the story.  The subject matter was awesome-he had great settings and talked about a wide array of issues that would catch the reader off guard.  The book has heavy dialect of the way people probably talked back then.  The language seemed very authentic and it added interest to the reading.   Elijah of Buxton leaves readers with a universal truth understood by all groups who have been oppressed and enslaved; as long as hope survives, a brighter tomorrow exists for future generations.

Reviews Excerpts/Awards

Coretta Scott King Award Winner

Jane Addams Children’s Book Award Honor Book

John Newbery Medal Honor Book

Scott O’Dell Award for Historical Fiction Winner

ALSC American Library Association- Notable Children’s Books

Publishers Weekly Best Children’s Books

Starred Review in BOOKLIST: “A fine original novel from a gifted storyteller.”

Starred Review in KIRKUS: “This is Curtis’s best novel yet…”

Connections   

-Read and research more books about slavery.

-Read more book from the author Christopher Paul Curtis such as, Bucking the Sarge, Mr. Chickee's Funny Money, and Mr. Chickee's Messy Mission.

-Write about being a slave versus born free.

Informational Text: Actual Size

Bibliography

Jenkins, Steve. 2011.  Actual Size.  Sandpiper.  ISBN 10: 9780547512914

Plot Summary

In this picture book, Steve Jenkins shows a variety of animals and animal parts at their actual size.  This book will allow children and adults to compare their body parts to the body parts of these abnormally small and abnormally large animals.  Also, this book will allow the viewer to learn about the actual animal facts.

Critical Analysis        

This book gives an authentic look of how actual animals can be related to human body parts according to their size.  Each page is devoted to a familiar animal and it gives specific details about the animals' size, characteristics, and habitat.  "In this book seeing is believing as Steve Jenkins illustrates animals both large and small at the ACTUAL SIZE."  The illustrations are very unique.  The pictures are composed of cut and torn pieces of paper put together to form the picture of the animal.  The first attraction to the book are the pictures and then the text.  The eyes are drawn to the picture first and then it makes you want to read more about that particular animal.

Reviews Excerpts/Awards/Honors         

School Library Journal, "A thoroughly engaging read-aloud and a must-have for any collection."

Starred The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Book's, "Jenkins' imaginative paper collages work their usual magic in transcending their medium to capture the spirit and detail of their subjects. The real triumph here, however, is the compositions...the book makes brilliantly creative use of its tight focus, resulting in startling close-ups."

Starred Booklist, ALA, "Jenkins' artwork is gorgeous (a gatefold of a frog in mid-leap is particularly memorable)... An unusual, unusually effective tool for connecting children to nature's astonishing variety."

Connections

*Students can measure the body parts in the book.

*Complete additional research on the animals pictured in the book.

*Try to duplicate an animal body part in this book by using clay or play-dough.

*Classify all the animals in this book (mammal, reptiles, and amphibians).

*Distinguish which animals are prey and which are predators.

*Read this book then take a field trip to the zoo and discuss any animals that they saw that were in the book.