Shen Kids Read!

The Magician's Elephant by Kate DiCamillo and illustrated by Yoko Tanaka

2009-09-25T21:34:00.003-04:00

Posted by Miss Dewey at Orenda

Four paw prints. A long time ago in an old city there lived a sad boy, Peter, who wanted nothing more than to learn what happened to the baby sister he was told died at birth. One day a gypsy tells the boy that an elephant will help him find his sister. But Peter has just one problem with the gypsy's story. There are no elephants in his city. (In other parts of the city there is a magician who can do great magic even though he only wants flowers, a police officer and his wife who have no children, a wealthy woman who must use a wheelchair, a beggar with a blind dog, a sculptor with a broken back, a woman with a house big enough to house an elephant, and a small girl in an orphanage who wishes she had a family.) On one hand this is a very lovely and simple book to understand. You meet all the characters at the beginning of the book and you think you know exactly what is going to happen. But you would be wrong. Nothing happens the way you expect, but the results are so wonderful that you won't care. If you want to learn more about the book then you should visit http://www.themagicianselephant.com/. (This review is based on the uncorrected proof. The final book was scheduled to be published on September 8, 2009.)

Sir Cumference and the Isle of Immeter by Cindy Neuschwander

2009-08-27T16:42:00.003-04:00

Reviewed by Mrs. Russell at Shatekon

During the times of knights and dragosn, two cousins, Per & Radius travel to the island of Immeter to solve the riddle found in their game box of "Inners and Edges". Their adventure begins with a riddle to get into the castle followed by other riddles to move from room to room. Can Per and Radius battle the fearsome sea dragon who may hold the solution to the final riddle? Test yourself as you solve the riddles in this challenging math adventure picture book. Discover the final solutions and learn how you can create rectangles from circles. You may surprise yourself how easy it really can be!

Eleven by Patricia Reilly Giff

2009-08-27T15:58:00.004-04:00

Reviewed by Mrs. Russell at Shatekon Fifth-grader Sam is prowling through the attic the night before his birthday trying to find where his grandfather Mack hid his present. Tomorrow, April 11 is his eleventh birthday. Instead of a present, he uncovers a newspaper clipping with a picture of him as a 3 year old with the name caption "Sam Bell" instead of his current name. This unbelievable and confusing discovery along with nightmares about drowning start Sam on a search for the truth about himself and his real family. Unfortunately, because of his reading disability, Sam can barely read the article or other clues. He finds a reading helper in his class partner the new girl, Caroline. As the two of them build their wooden castle school project they piece together the clues to Sam's past. His 11th birthday is the beginning to the surprising mysteries of the number 11 in Sam's life.

Another letter to families from Mrs. Manore and Miss Dewey at Orenda

2009-08-26T08:57:00.003-04:00

Dear Families,
Once a year the publishing industry holds a convention called Book Expo America. At this time people who work directly with books are able to talk with publishers, meet authors, and receive free books. These books are either recently published or they will be published by the end of the year. These soon to be published books are called "uncorrected proofs". Some of the books we have been reading this summer are uncorrected proofs. This means there is a chance there may be some changes with the book between the time we read it and when a student has the chance to borrow the book from the library. All of these books, whether recently published or uncorrected proof, will be labeled as BOOK EXPO AMERICA. When possible, the proposed publication date will be listed with the uncorrected proof book.

Joan of Arc by Josephine Poole and illustrated by Angela Barrett

2009-08-25T22:29:00.006-04:00

Reviewed by Miss Dewey at Orenda

Three paw prints. You might be wondering who Joan of Arc was? She was a teenager who lived a quiet life in the country as a farmer's daughter. One day she was visited by a stranger who told her she was to become a soldier, form an army, and save the prince from his enemies. Joan lived in France in the 1400s and her country had been at war for many years. Joan did as she was told, and she saved the prince. But Joan didn't stop there. She also protected poor villagers and the towns they lived in from invading armies. Officials in France began to wonder who Joan (a young teenager) was and who was helping her. Joan said she was given direct orders to help others, including the prince, as a direction from God. This made French officials nervous. Why would God talk to "a girl" instead of them? And if Joan wasn't talking to God (since God would NEVER talk to a girl) who was she talking to? Officials felt there was only one logical answer. Joan was talking to the devil and people who talk to the devil needed to be arrested and put on trial. I had mixed feelings about this book. I liked the story and the pictures but I had concerns over the words. I couldn't decide if this book was supposed to be a picture book that had too many words or a detailed non-fiction book that could have used more pictures to help break up the given information. If you would like to learn more about Joan of Arc ,a website to start your investigation would be: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joan_of_arc.

Phineas Gage: A Gruesome But True Story About Brain Science by John Fleischman

2009-08-24T23:16:00.004-04:00

Reviewed by Miss Dewey at Orenda

Four paw prints. Imagine minding your own business just trying to do an honest day's work and all of a sudden a very long metal rod goes through your jaw and explodes out of your head. And your brain...the rod goes through that, too. In the 21st century you might have a chance to live another day, but odds are you would die. But what if the year was 1848? YOU WOULD DIE! Unless, of course, you are Phineas Gage. Phineas was a hard working man who helped build the railroad in Vermont, but one day he had terrible accident. Everyone thought Phineas was indeed dead, but instead he told everyone, including the town doctor, what had happened to him. Since the doctor knew exactly what happened (thanks to Phineas) he was able to put Phineas' skull back together...minus a few missing pieces. Phineas went on to live another 10 years, with a hole in his head, but he was never quite the same. So, was this a good book? Well, I liked reading about the history of the 19th century and about Phineas' life. Unfortunately, I had a very hard time understanding some of the science explanations. I have always had a hard time understanding science terms, but I think students will still enjoy the book, especially since many of the explanations and pictures are graphic. (Yes, graphic does mean gory.)

Anastasia's Album by Hugh Brewster

2009-08-11T21:08:00.004-04:00

Reviewed by Miss Dewey at Orenda

Four paw prints. Imagine living in Russia 100 years ago. Your father is Tsar Nicholas II emperor of all Russia and you are "Her Imperial Highness the Grand Duchess Anastasia Nicholaievna", also known as Anastasia the youngest daughter of the king of Russia. Anastasia's Album is a book about Anastasia's life of privilege while growing up in Russia at the beginning of the 20th century. The book is set up like a real photo album (or scrap book) with pictures of the royal family taken by friends and family members and not just members of the press. The most interesting aspect of this book is that many photos and illustrations were created by Anastasia herself so you can see what was most interesting to her when she was alive. Unfortunately, Anastasia was not a grand duchess very long. There were may poor people in Russia when her father was emperor and they were not happy. Some of these people decided if they worked together they could overthrow Anastasia's father and take control of the country. The result was very sad for Anastasia and her family. Though the ending is sad I did like this book and if you like history you will probably enjoy this book too. If you like this book and would like to read more great history books by Hugh Brewster visit http://hughbrewster.com/. You won't be disappointed.

A letter to families from Mrs. Manore and Miss Dewey at Orenda

2009-08-11T20:41:00.003-04:00

Dear Families,
At the end of the school year I promised the 5th grade students Miss Dewey and I would read some books with them in mind. Specifically, we would read some of the books from the 6th grade reading list to let students know what we liked and what we thought would be more challenging. Since these books are aimed for 6th graders the reviews on the blog will only be labelled at MIDDLE SCHOOL. This does NOT mean these books are only for middle school students. A number of these books can be found in our elementary library media centers. But since some of these books may have more advanced subject matters and language they will not be listed in any of the other labels. Also, throughout the year Miss Dewey and I preview books that we like a lot but feel these may be better for middle school students than elementary students. These books will also be labelled as MIDDLE SCHOOL. What is really important is that families choose books together and families enjoy reading. Thank you.

Ivy + Bean (Book One) by Annie Barrows

2009-07-14T21:35:00.005-04:00

Reviewed by Mrs. Bruno at Arongen

Despite her mother's wish that she befriends Ivy, Bean has no intention of following through. But when Bean plays a trick on her sister, Nancy, Ivy helps to scheme against her. The two girls become partners in a plan. Ivy, who is practicing to become a witch, has devised magic spells. When the magic backfires, other mischief ensues. Will the girls get in trouble? Or do they realize they have a lot in common after all? For other books in the series, go to the author page at http://www.anniebarrows.com/.

A Beginning, A Muddle, and an End: The Right Way to Write Writing by Avi

2009-07-14T21:23:00.004-04:00

Reviewed by Mrs. Bruno at Arongen

In his pursuit to write a book, Avon the snail, realizes that the process is very challenging and difficult. He starts writing his book with one word, "Something," and that is all he can capture on the page. But what should he write next? Discouraged, he turns to his friend Edward the ant for wisdom and inspiration. In their quest to find "something" to write about, an adventure brings them closer to the story. Lucky for Avon, he has Edward to encourage him.

Middle School is Worse Than Meatloaf by Jennifer L. Holm, pictures by Elicia Castaldi

2009-06-23T12:07:00.005-04:00

Reviewed by Ms. Pierce at Tesago
This hilarious book tells the story of Ginny's year in seventh grade. Lots of crazy things happen: Ginny accidently dyes her hair pink, and oops - gets sent to detention for throwing FROGS in class! This book is funny and interesting and fun, but the coolest part of the book is that it isn't told in the regular way with chapters and paragraphs, it's told through Ginny's "stuff." Stuff like report cards, to-do lists, journal entries, newspaper clippings, and notes from friends. The author (the same awesome author who wrote the Babymouse books) and illustrator tell the story of Ginny's seventh grade year in a totally new and creative way. It's a perfect pick for fans of graphic novels, neat artwork and funny stories - check it out!

The Dragon's Child: A Story of Angel Island by Laurence Yep with Dr. Kathleen S. Yep

2009-06-10T16:57:00.004-04:00

Reviewed by Mrs. Bruno at Arongen

The year is 1922 and Gim Lew Yep is a ten-year-old boy living in southern China. His father, a stranger to him, visits from San Francisco and wants to take Gim Lew back to Ameria with him. First, Gim Lew must learn not to stutter, write with his right hand and memorize details of his home, family life and village, in order to undergo a strict test upon his arrival on Angel Island. Will he pass the test and be permitted to enter California or be sent back to China? This book is based on Laurence Yep's family history.

For more information on Angel Island visit Angel Island Immigration Station at: http://www.angelisland.org/immigr02.html and the Angel Island Immigration Station Foundation at http://www.aiisf.org/.

Savvy by Ingrid Law

2009-04-28T11:36:00.005-04:00

Reviewed by Ms. Pierce at Tesago

Do you think your family is weird? I'll bet they're not nearly as weird as the Beaumont family! Mibs Beaumont cannot wait to turn 13. In the Beaumont family, 13 is when you get your savvy (a supernatural magical power). Each one of Mibs's family members has a totally different savvy. Her brother Fish causes hurricanes, her Grandma could capture songs from the radio and store them in glass jars, her cousin Olive can melt ice just by looking at it. Mibs is excited (and nervous) to find out what her savvy will be, but suddenly her Poppa is injured in a car accident. Mibs is left at home to take care of Grandpa and her younger brothers and sisters and, oh yeah - it's her 13th birthday! Yikes! Suddenly Mibs is off on a huge adventure to figure out her savvy, find Poppa and get everything back to normal. Why does she sneak onto a school bus? Why is she so afraid of people drawing on their hands? How will this amazing story end? Read the book and then figure out what your savvy is - click here.

Little Hoot by Amy Krouse Rosenthal and Jen Corace

2009-04-28T11:18:00.004-04:00

Reviewed by Ms. Pierce at Tesago

Little Hoot is a very happy little owl. He loves going to school. He loves playing hide and seek. There is just one thing that Little Hoot does not love - staying up late! He HATES it. All Little Hoot wants to do is go to bed, but his parents keep saying "No, no, no!" What will he do? Pick up this book and find out!

Walk-Around Tacos and Other Likeable Lunches by Nick Fauchald

2009-04-27T14:26:00.007-04:00

Reviewed by Ms. Pierce at Tesago

Attention future chefs and hungry students everywhere - looking to make some fun and easy food? Grab the Walk-Around Tacos cookbook and hit the kitchen! These recipes are yummy and the instructions are clear. The beginning of the books lists all of the tools you will need to cook with and each recipe has step by step instructions and illustrations to help you out. So, the next time you're hungry grab this book and make some Tuna Stuffed Tomatoes, Nutty Butter Triangles, Super Hero Subs or (my favorite) Puffy Pizza Rolls!

The Seer of Shadows by Avi

2009-04-19T23:11:00.004-04:00

Reviewed by Mrs. Bruno at Arongen

The year is 1872 and fourteen-year-old Horace Carpentine is an apprentice to Enoch Middleditch, a NYC photographer. Middleditch concocts a plan to swindle Mrs. Von Macht, who is from a rich Dutch family. She asks for a self-portrait and comes to find the ghost of her daughter Eleanor lingering in her picture. When Horace learns the truth about Eleanor demise from Peg, the Von Macht’s servant, serious action is needed to undo the damage of Middleditch’s trickery. Will Horace and Peg be able to stop Eleanor’s ghost from seeking revenge? Find out by reading The Seer of Shadows by Avi.

Lexi by

2009-04-19T23:06:00.003-04:00

Reviewed by Mrs. Bruno at Arongen

Do you remember when you were first born? It is highly unlikely. How about the second time you were born? Well, that is what happens to Lexi. One day she wakes up in a forest all by herself and she doesn’t know who she is or how she got there. She lost her memory. After wandering aimlessly, she approaches a city. A kind stranger named Joe saves her life from a speeding car. He takes her to a safe house. With the help of some adults and friends she makes, they help her discover the person she was before the accident. Several surprises are in store for Lexi in her rebirth.

Melonhead by Katy Kelly

2009-04-19T23:02:00.003-04:00

Reviewed by Mrs. Bruno at Arongen

Ten-year-old Adam Melon is known by his classmates as Melonhead. He is an active boy who gets himself into various predicaments from his impulsive behavior. Some of his quirky ideas, like getting his foot caught in a tree, bringing a snake home that gets loose and climbing on rooftops, gets him into heaps of trouble. However, there is a reason for his actions. At school there is a contest for students who can design an invention using recycled parts. Will Melonhead and his best friend Sam win the contest and make it to first place? Can these budding inventors stay out of trouble long enough to develop their invention? Will their invention come from some lessons they learn along the way?

Zach's Lie by Roland Smith

2009-04-19T22:57:00.003-04:00

Reviewed by Mrs. Bruno at Arongen

Due to his father’s deception, the Osborne family is in jeopardy. Jack Osborne and his family are placed in the witness protection program. In order for them to be protected, their names and identity have been changed. They are now the Grangers. Jack is now Zach. They have been relocated to Utah under their new aliases. Starting a new school can be difficult, but Zach is adjusting and now feeling settled. But can feeling too comfortable come at a price? When Zach’s mother makes the mistake of mailing a postcard to a friend from their previous life, the postcard is intercepted by the enemy revealing their location. Will they be able to save themselves?

The Old Willis Place by Mary Downing Hahn

2009-04-19T22:53:00.001-04:00

Reviewed by Mrs. Bruno at Arongen

Diana and her brother Georgie are comfortable living in the woods behind the Old Willis Place. When the new caretaker arrives with his daughter Lissa, Diana is desperate to make friends with her. It is against her brother’s wishes and the inexplicable “rules” which they live under. However, Diana breaks them seeking friendship. Lissa is not afraid of anything and persuades Diana to join her in exploring the deserted mansion that once belonged to Lilian Willis. Despite Diana’s warnings and pleas not to go into the haunted house on the property, Lissa does not heed to the warning and unleashes the ghost of Miss Lilian. It seems the ghost is looking for Diana and Georgie and their worst fears come true.

The Surrender Tree by Margarita Engle

2009-03-29T21:56:00.002-04:00

Reviewed by Miss Dewey at Orenda

Four paw prints. Once there was a land that was very beautiful. It was an island with warm weather, mountains, and lush land for farming. There was just one problem. The people who ruled the island, the Spaniards, believed in slavery. This is the story of one of those slaves. Through poems, Rosa explains how she learned about medicinal plants as a child slave. As she grows older we learn of the many civil wars that take over her island that cause a number of slaves to run away from their masters, including Rosa. Rosa and her husband start healing clinics throughout the island helping anyone in need, whether the injured is a friend or foe. After many years and many civil wars Rosa and her Cuban friends win their freedom, but it isn’t necessarily what they expected at the Surrender Tree. This is the true story of Rosa la Bayamesa who grew up and experienced many of Cuba’s civil wars and eventually saw freedom for all the people who lived there. What’s nice about this book is the way the story is told. Instead of reading a factual book that would probably be very hard to understand, the information is told through short, easy-to-understand poems. This then becomes a good book for American children to introduce a culture many of them know very little about. To learn more about Margarita Engle visit http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/article/CA6640331.html.

When I Grow Up by Jessica Loy

2009-03-18T22:26:00.002-04:00

Reviewed by Miss Dewey at Orenda

Four paw prints. When I was in elementary school I knew exactly what I wanted to be when I grew up. I wanted to be a library teacher…just like my mom. I thought the library was the coolest place in school. The library had the newest books, the newest technology, the newest AV equipment, and LEGOS. I was lucky because I knew what I wanted to be and I worked hard to achieve my goals. But I realize that not all kids know what they want to be and that’s where this book will come in handy. This book describes 14 jobs that kids may never have thought of before. Some of the described jobs are kite designer, archaeologist, game designer, and (my personal favorite) master cheese maker. This isn’t just a good book, it’s a fun book to read and it makes you think about jobs you would never dream about trying. One of the best parts of this book is the websites in the back. Almost every job has a website for kids about the different jobs and many of websites are places located in the northeast. So, why is there a northeast connection? The author lives near Albany. There’s just one problem. I think "elementary library teacher" should have been one of the jobs recommended in the book. To learn more about the author visit http://www.jessicaloy.net/index.html.

The Adirondack Kids (Book One) by Justin and Gary Van Riper

2009-03-16T16:02:00.005-04:00

Reviewed by Mrs. Bruno at Arongen

Ten-year-old Justin Roberts is a true "naturalist." He enjoys camping, nature and animals. After an eight month period, he is excited about returning to the camp his great-grandfather built. He is reunited with his best friends, Jackie and Nick. They play a game called Pioneer Village. Each one of them have a role and responsibility to the group. Together they discover a buried treasure. The summer is going very well for them until some disrespectful jet skiiers violate the rights of the protected Common Loon at Moss Lake. With the help of Jackie and Nick, who share in his cause, Justin takes action to find the culprits and protect the natural habitat of the birds. For information about other books in the series go to http://www.adirondackkids.com/

The Giants and the Joneses by Julia Doanldson

2009-03-16T15:40:00.002-04:00

Reviewed by Mrs. Bruno at Arongen Library

Jumbeelia is an eight-year-old giant who ventures down the beanstalk to the land of "iggly plops" (little people). She is looking for toys to play with and finds Stephen, Colette and Poppy. They are wisked away in one swip of Jumbeelia's hand and taken up the bimplestonk (beanstalk) to the land of the Groils (Giants). She puts them in her dollhouse and keeps them a secret from Mij (Mom) and Pij (Pop). When her brother Zab finds them, he tries various ways to harm them. Stephen escapes unscathed. But Colette and Poppy are still treated as toys, now back in Jumbeelia's possession. Will Stephen develop an escape plan for them all. Or will they remain captives in the land of giants?

Bubbles Homes and Fish Farts by Fiona Bayrock and illustrated by Carolyn Conahan

2009-03-10T21:09:00.003-04:00

Reviewed by Miss Dewey at Orenda

Four paw prints. Well, I know what you’re thinking. If you’re a kid you’re thinking… “What an awesome title. I’ve GOT to read it!” If you’re older than a kid you’re thinking… “Not another lousy book using bodily functions to get a kid’s attention.” I admit it; I was with the second group. But I decided to flip through the book and I was pleasantly surprised. The pictures were beautiful, soft water color paintings with lots of details. So I decided to read the book to see if the information was as interesting as the pictures. I had no idea there was so much that bubbles could do. Some animals use bubbles for traveling, some animals use bubbles to keep warm, some animals use bubbles to find food, and fish use bubbles to…well…you’ll have to read that for yourself. If you like this book you should visit the author and illustrator websites at http://www.fionabayrock.com/ and http://www.carolyndigbyconahan.com/ to see what other books they have made. Or, if you want to learn about more interesting animals visit http://nationalzoo.si.edu/default.cfm. But you might be wondering why I only gave the book four paw prints. I still don’t like the title.