Orenda Reads!

Worst of Friends by Suzanne Tripp Jurmain and illustrated by Larry Day

2012-01-25T10:13:00.005-05:00

Reviewed by Miss Dewey at Orenda

Four paw prints. During the late 1700s the American Colonies wanted independence from England and King George. At the heart of the American leadership were two leaders named Thomas Jefferson and John Adams. These two important men were the best of friends, until The Colonies won their independence to become a new nation. Then everything fell apart. Both men had a different opinion about how the new American government should look like and work. One wanted a strong national government while the other preferred a strong state government. These best friends became bitter enemies. Both became president of the United States and the country would never be the same due to their leadership. I really enjoyed this book. I enjoy history stories and this is an interesting story that is rarely told. Many students are taught about the disagreements between these two great leaders, but they are rarely taught about the friendship that developed AFTER they both retired from the presidency. The story was told so well I wanted to read the whole book during one sitting and the illustrations helped tell the story in a humorous way. If you want to find more books by this author and illustrator visit, http://www.suzannejurmain.com/ and http://www.dayhere.com/.
973.4 Jur

I Could Do That!: Esther Morris Gets Women the Vote by Linda Arms White and illustrated by Nancy Carpenter

2011-11-02T10:21:00.001-04:00

Reviewed by Miss Dewey at Orenda

Five paw prints. In the 1800s, only white men were allowed to make major decisions, including voting. Esther Morris didn't think this was right. She was a teenager when she opened her first shop, was a single mother when she left her family in New York to move to the mid-west, and she had no problem "encouraging" the men in the Wyoming Territory to allow her and other women the right to vote. Based on real facts, Esther Morris not only became a leader in her community who helped women get the right to vote, but she later became the first woman in the country to hold public office when she became a judge. I really enjoyed this book. The struggle for women to get the right to vote went on for many decades, and in some parts of the world this struggle continues. It's important for students to learn and understand how important it is to vote. Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton get much of the credit for women getting the right to vote, but maybe Esther Morris should be studied alongside these other important women. To find more books by the author visit, http://lindaarmswhite.com/default.aspx.
921 Mor

John, Paul, George & Ben by Lane Smith

2011-11-01T21:17:00.002-04:00

Reviewed by Miss Dewey at Orenda

Five paw prints. What a fun book! This book "explains" about important people and important events during Colonial America in relation to the American Revolution. First, we learn about the young lives of John, Paul, George, and Ben (oh, we learn about Tom too, but he's too INDEPENDENT to be part of the title) and how they became important men as adults. Then we learn the "real" story of why these men are important. Finally, there is a test to see if you were paying attention to the story. Don't worry, it's a fun test that should be easy. Have I mentioned this is a fun book? I love American history, but I realize many people think history is boring. If more people read books like this, I bet they would look for more books to help them understand the silly fiction from the fun facts. To find more books by Lane Smith visit, http://www.lanesmithbooks.com. Oh, if you decide you want to be like Paul Revere, bell clubs are still popular and there are plenty of bell clubs in town.
E Smi

Grandpa Green by Lane Smith

2011-10-31T14:05:00.002-04:00

Reviewed by Miss Dewey at Orenda

Five paw prints. Somewhere in the world there is a garden. A VERY beautiful garden. In this garden is a boy who is searching for something. He finds a baby made out of a bush, animals made out of bushes, family members, and a number of other things. The boy is also finding garden tools that would be needed to take care of the garden. While this is going on, the plants in the garden are telling a very special story to the boy. The story is of his great-grandfather. The great-grandfather wants to share his life story, but his memory isn't very good and he uses the plants to help him remember. What a wonderful story! I really enjoy books by Lane Smith, but this has got to be one of the best books he has ever created. The story is simple but powerful. The pictures are easy to follow but so detailed you need to "read" the pictures more than once to understand everything that is happening. It's also a good example of a picture book that is not necessarily for younger students because of the maturity of the subject matter. I highly recommend this book to "children" of all ages. To learn more about Lane Smith and his books, visit http://www.lanesmithbooks.com.

The Man Who Walked Between The Towers by Mordicai Gerstein

2011-10-03T21:58:00.002-04:00

Reviewed by Miss Dewey at Orenda

Four paw prints. Once there was a young man named Philippe Petit. He was born and raised in France, and he was expected to be a good student and eventually have a good job. But, this is NOT what Philippe Petit had in mind. Philippe was not interested in school (he was kicked out of a number of schools) but he was interested in circus acts. He was interested in things like magic, juggling, and tightrope walking. He knew he didn't want to be in the circus so he taught himself everything he felt he wanted to learn. Soon he was doing his own shows and "stunts". This led to many interesting tightrope performances. One of his most famous shows/stunts was in New York City, which is where the story in this book takes place. In the early 1970s two new skyscrapers were being built. Most people were interested in the towers, but Philippe was interested in the space between the towers. He wanted to walk between the towers. With the help of friends, he was able to sneak into one of the towers, string strong cable across to the other tower, and walk/dance/bow to the people on the ground. Though his show was beautiful (at least to some) to see, it was illegal. In the end, Philippe was punished for his crime, but it was a very interesting punishment. Strangely enough, I like this book because of the way it handles the events of 9/11. The events of this day are mentioned but they have little to do with the story.
Yet, this is what makes the story work so well. The story is about an important event in New York City history without letting the events of 9/11 overshadow Philippe and his unique accomplishment. This is a (dare I say) wonderful way to introduce young students to the events of 9/11 without focusing on just the sadness of that horrible day. To find more books by Mordicai Gerstein, visit http://www.mordicaigerstein.com/.
791.3 Ger

September Roses by Jeanette Winter

2011-10-03T14:55:00.002-04:00

Reviewed by Miss Dewey at Orenda

Four paw prints. In South Africa there are two sisters who own a flower shop. The flowers they specialized in were roses, and one year they decided they would share their roses with the world. They did this by designing a beautiful display that they would take to the big flower show in New York City. In September 2001 they took approximately 2,000 roses and their ideas to the other side of the world. But, when they arrived in New York they learned something terrible had happened just before they landed. Now, there was no flower show, no hotel rooms, and no way to get home. The sisters weren't sure what to do. Fortunately, all will end well for the sisters, even if the world as they knew it will never be the same. So, why do I like this book? This is an extremely good book that deals with 9/11. The story itself is NOT about 9/11, but the events on 9/11 directly affect the story. The pictures are simple and clear without being scary. And, the story deals with the important events that happened as a result of 9/11 without getting in to the specifics of some very serious topics that may not be appropriate for younger students. To learn more about 9/11, ask a parent or guardian to visit http://www.911memorial.org/ with you.
Fic Win

perfect square by Michael Hall

2011-08-22T23:12:00.001-04:00

Reviewed by Miss Dewey at Orenda

Five paw prints! One day there was a square and it was perfect. It had four perfect sides and four perfect corners. It was happy. Then it was cut, torn, shredded, and shattered...and that was just the beginning of the week. But every time the square was no longer perfect, it became a new picture that was even better than the square. Unfortunately, in the end, the square is no longer happy and there is only one way to be happy again. What a wonderful book! I can't remember the last time I read such a clever and original picture book. If you loved Not a Box but you are ready for the next great book then this is the book for you. But don't take my word for it, visit the book at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JD9PnQFc8Kk.

The Popularity Papers: Research for the Social Improvement and General Betterment of Lydia Goldblatt and Julie Graham-Chang by Amy Ignatow

2011-08-22T19:55:00.009-04:00

Reviewed by Miss Dewey at Orenda

Four pawprints. Lydia and Julie are best friends, are in 5th grade, and they are worried about starting middle school next year. Neither of them have many friends and they are determined to be popular next year, but they are not sure how to be popular. They decide to watch all the popular kids in school and keep notes of their observations. Unfortunately, being popular isn't as easy as they thought and it's not working out the way they hoped. When I first saw this book it was the great visuals that got my attention. The book isn't really a graphic novel, but it is a combination of words and pictures. I really liked this book. I thought the words and pictures worked well together and I loved the idea of two students "observing" popular students to learn how to act. I only had one problem with the book. The story is supposed to be about 5th graders, but NOTHING about their experiences "say" elementary school. This book may claim the girls are getting ready for 6th grade but the plot SCREAMS 8th grade girls getting ready for high school. Though I feel this is a GLARING problem...I still loved the book. The plot (aside from the grade) is very realistic and I think girls will be able to relate to Lydia and Julie. I'm looking forward to reading the next book. In fact, it's already on my nightstand. To learn more about Amy Ignatow, visit http://www.abramsbooks.com/popularitypapers/.

Junonia by Kevin Henkes

2011-07-29T11:46:00.001-04:00

Reviewed by Miss Dewey at Orenda

Four paw prints. It's winter break and Alice is taking her traditional family vacation in Florida to escape the cold in Wisconsin. As luck would have it, Alice's birthday is always during break and this year should be extra special because she is tunring 10. Double digits! Every year Alice and her family stay in the same cottage and get to see all their Florida friends. It's a wonderful time of year. But this year is different. Some of Alice's closest friends aren't able to visit and other people rent their cottages. Nothing is going as planned. This is a lovely and very gentle book. There are no mysteries and no huge adventures, just a simple story about a girl and her family during a family trip. Strangely enough, as gentle as this story is, I couldn't put the book down. I had to read and finish this book as soon as possible. There was just one very small thing I can't get out of my head, but if I told you, I might ruin part of the story. I am happy to say I was one of the first people to receive a copy of this book. The book was released the day I attended Book Expo in New York City. To learn more about the author, visit http://www.kevinhenkes.com/.

Biblioburro: A True Story From Colombia by Jeanette Winter

2011-07-29T10:47:00.002-04:00

Reviewed by Miss Dewey at Orenda

Five paw prints. In South America there is a country called Colombia. There are parts of the country where the people are very poor and there has been lots of fighting for control of the land. People are so poor that many families don't have enough money to send their children to school. A man, named Luis, thinks this is very sad. He is a teacher who thinks books are very important and that ALL children should go to school and learn. If children go to school and learn, then they shouldn't be poor when they are older and they shouldn't want to fight over the land. Luis decided that he needed to help these children so he created a bookmobile using his own books. But there aren't many good roads where he lives so he has a very interesting bookmobile. His bookmobiles are two donkeys named Alfa and Beto. Every weekend Luis, Alfa, and Beto visits villages to give reading lessons to the children and then he leaves books so the children can practice reading while he is gone. As always, Jeanette Winter has picked an interesting subject for one of her books. You learn about Luis and what he is doing. The story is easy for many children to understand, but it's not so long that children would lose interest in the story. And, in case you want more information, there is more detailed information at the end of the book. To learn more about this author and illustrator, visit http://authors.simonandschuster.com/Jeanette-Winter/64041479. To see a video of Luis, Alfa, and Beto, visit http://www.pbs.org/pov/biblioburro/. (Families, please keep in mind that this is a PBS video that may not be appropriate for all children.)
020 Win

of Thee I Sing: A Letter to My Daughters by Barack Obama and illustrated by Loren Long

2011-07-29T10:05:00.001-04:00

Reviewed by Miss Dewey at Orenda

Five paw prints! This story is a simple letter from a father to his daughters that he has decided to share with other families. In this case, the father happens to be the current president of the United States. In this letter the father talks about wonderful traits he has seen in his daughters, and he gives examples of important people in American history who have also shown these traits. Not only are examples given, the people listed are briefly described and include explanations on how these people made others feel. This is a beautiful book. Not only are the words important and powerful, but the pictures are just as important. Without these pictures, I'm not sure the words would be as powerful. Two of my favorite pictures are about Sitting Bull and Maya Lin. This book is an excellent example of the words and pictures working together so well that you can't imagine the words or the pictures being separate from each other. To learn more about President Obama, visit http://www.whitehouse.gov/about/presidents/barackobama. To learn more about Loren Long and his books, visit http://www.lorenlong.com/.

What Does the President Look Like? by Jane Hampton Cook and illustrated by Adam Ziskie

2011-07-29T09:34:00.001-04:00

Reviewed by Miss Dewey at Orenda

Five paw prints. Did you know there was a time when people didn't know what their own United States president looked like? It's true. There were no televisions, movie theaters, magazines,and very few newspapers. Very few people knew what George Washington looked like. It wasn't until his portrait was displayed in public in Philadelphia that people knew how serious he looked. James Polk may have been the first president to have his photograph taken while in office, but because it wasn't easy to reproduce photos in newspapers, no one saw it and it wasn't until Abraham Lincoln was president almost 20 years later that many people knew what a photograph of a president looked like. This book was extremely interesting. It really wasn't about the presidents and what they look like; instead it was about the history of technology while using the United States presidents to show how technology has changed during the history of the country. In less than 300 years the technology has moved from painted portraits, to film, to digital. This is a great book to read whether you like history or technology. Oh, in case you don't know what all the presidents look like, visit http://www.whitehouse.gov/about/presidents.

Saving Audie: A Pit Bull Puppy Gets a Second Chance by Dorothy Hinshaw Patent with photographs by William Munoz

2011-07-27T12:07:00.029-04:00

Reviewed by Miss Dewey at Orenda

Five paw prints. In April 2007, police raided property owned by NFL football player Michael Vick. On the property were 66 dogs (51 were pit bulls) and NONE of them were being treated humanely. These dogs were locked in crates, there was very little in interaction with other dogs, and there was very little interaction with people. The worst part was when the dogs were around other dogs and people, it was strictly for FIGHTING! Each dog involved had a short and sad life. But, in April 2007, all but three of these dogs were saved (three died soon after being found) and were given to animal rescue groups to be retrained to be around other animals and people. One of these dogs was a puppy "named" Number 86. He was one of the pit bull puppies who was sent to California to become a family dog. While in California, Number 86 was sent to live with a foster family (yes, these do exist for dogs) but the family loved him so much they decided to keep him and name him Audie. Audie is much happier now, as are most of the original dogs, and he has many adventures with his family, including being used as a training dog to teach other abused dogs how to behave properly around animals and people. I really loved this book. All animals should be treated well and this book is a wonderful example of what can happen to a dog that is given a second chance. To learn more about the specific dogs that were rescued visit, http://vickdogsblog.blogspot.com/. To learn about the group that rescued Audie and some of the other dogs visit, http://www.badrap.org/rescue/index.html. To learn about a local group that rescues pit bulls visit, http://www.outofthepits.org. And, if this isn't enough information, there are plenty of websites listed at the end of the book.
636.75 Pat

Wideness & Wonder: THe Life and Art of Georgia O'Keeffe by Susan Goldman Rubin

2011-07-21T12:07:00.003-04:00

Reviewed by Miss Dewey at Orenda

Five paw prints. There was a time (a long time ago) when people loved art, but women didn't create art. It wasn't that women didn't want to create art, but many people assumed women could NOT create good art. About 100 years ago there was a young woman who didn't agree. Georgia O'Keeffe wanted to be a great artist and she recognized she would have to travel to different locations across the country (including Lake George, NY) to learn as much as she could to be an artist. Not only was Georgia successful at becoming an artist, but she became one of the greatest artists of her generation. This was such a good book. I already knew about Georgia O'Keeffe, her life, and her artwork, but the book was still a page-turner. I couldn't put the book down. I had to keep reading and reading until I had read the whole book. I now want to read more books by this author to learn about more important people. If you want to learn more about Georgia O'Keeffe visit, http://www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/episodes/georgia-okeeffe/about-the-painter/55/. If you want to read other books by this author visit, http://susangoldmanrubin.com/.
921 O'Ke

Celebritrees: Historic & Famous Trees of the World by Margie Preus and illustrated by Rebecca Gibbon

2011-07-04T23:15:00.004-04:00

Reviewed by Miss Dewey at Orenda

Four paw prints. Have you ever wondered where the tallest tree lives, or the oldest, or the widest? Maybe you have wondered what it would be like to live or work in a tree. No, NOT a tree house, but actually live inside a tree. This book is about famous and fascinating trees around the world. Almost all of the trees listed in this book are still alive, a number of them are in the United States, and many of these are OVER 1,000 years old. This book had so many interesting facts. Who knew that trees could be so interesting? The end of the book even gave basic facts about the types of trees that were listed in the in the story. Not only does the book talk about how to take care of trees, the book was made out of recycled materials. Oh, and if you want to learn more about the moon trees, visit http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/planetary/lunar/moon_tree.html. There was only one thing about this book I didn't like. After learning about so many interesting trees I want to visit some of them, but I can't! The exact location of some trees is a secret. This protects the trees from possible vandalism. Oh, well, I guess I'll have to read more books.
582.16 Pre

First Garden: The White House Garden and How it Grew by Robbin Gourley

2011-07-04T22:44:00.003-04:00

Reviewed by Miss Dewey at Orenda

Four paw prints. In honor of the 4th of July, my mom (Mrs. Manore) and I decided to review a book with a patriotic theme. So, you may be thinking we read about patriotic music, famous people, American History, the military, or even fireworks. Well...no. We read a book about gardening. Specifically, the White House garden. This book was all about the official garden that has been in continuous use since the beginning of the 1800s. Every president and his family have made changes, big and small, from adding a green house to have tropic fruit year round, growing a Victory Garden to show support for soldiers during World War Two, to the most recent changes with First Lady Michelle Obama encouraging local school children to learn about healthy eating by helping in the White House garden. This book was so very interesting. I love American History, but it was interesting to learn about the history of the White House through a garden. Who knew that gardening could be so interesting. To learn more about gardening, visit http://www.kidsgardening.org/.
712.09 Gou

Moon Over Manifest by Clare Vanderpool

2011-04-26T21:00:00.003-04:00

Reviewed by Miss Dewey at Orenda

FIVE PAW PRINTS!! It's the time of the Great Depression and Abilene Tucker and her father Gideon have always lived their lives by "riding the rails", looking for work and looking for food, but they have always been together. But now it's 1936 and Abilene is 12 years old. Gideon thinks it's time for his daughter to have a chance to "grow up" so he sends her to the town of Manifest, Kansas. Gideon spent part of his childhood in Manifest and he thinks Pastor Howard (also known as Shady) would be a good person to leave in charge of Abilene while he works building railroad tracks in Iowa. Though Abilene doesn't agree (she feels abandoned) with her father's opinion, she doesn't have a choice and she moves in with Shady. While in Manifest, Abilene hopes to learn more about her father, who doesn't talk much about his youth, but instead she becomes friends with two local girls and ends up working for an old woman who doesn't have any family. While spending time with Lettie and Ruthanne, they discover a mystery going back as far as World War I. (Her time with Miss Sadie, the local fortune teller, is where she learns all about the people of the town from the past and the present.) When you hear people say something is so good that "you'll laugh and you'll cry", you normally roll your eyes at the exaggeration of the statement. This is one story where this description is NOT an exaggeration. When I first started reading this story I thought I was going to have a terrible time keeping track of all the different characters from the different time periods. Not only was the story so well told that I didn't have any troubles, but I didn't even need the list of characters in the beginning of the book. I'm not sure words can fully capture how good a book this is. You laugh when the underdog wins and you cry when the world comes crashing down on the same underdog. But, to say anything else would completely give the story away. RUN, don't walk to find a copy of this book and don't put it down until you finish reading. To learn more about the author, visit http://www.clarevanderpool.com/home.html.
nook

Miss Spitfire: Reaching Helen Keller by Sarah Miller

2011-02-23T21:38:00.002-05:00

Reviewed by Miss Dewey at Orenda

Five paw prints. By now you have probably heard of Helen Keller. She was born a healthy child in Alabama, but when she was two years old she became very sick and lost her ability to see and hear. It was only with the help of Annie Sullivan that Helen was able to escape from her shell and learn about the world around her. This book is NOT Helen Keller's story. It is the story of how Annie Sullivan came to be Helen's teacher. Annie Sullivan was an orphan who had a very sad early life. Her mother died when she was young leaving her with two younger siblings, and her father was a drunk who wasn't interested in raising children. A relative adopted the youngest sibling while an aunt and uncle agreed to take care of Annie and her younger brother. Unfortunately, this arrangement didn't last long because the aunt and uncle didn't want to take care of a blind niece or the little brother who refused to do anything without his older sister. The uncle then sent the children to a poor house to live with other people without family or money. No one at the poor house wanted to take care of two orphan children under the age of 10 and they were left to take care of themselves. And since no one wanted them around they were forced to live in the morgue. While this was not ideal it allowed the children to live together until Annie's younger brother became sick. A few months after their arrival at the poor house Annie's younger brother died and Annie was now alone. As luck would have it, a famous doctor happened to visit this poor house and "bump" into Annie--actually Annie intentionally bumped into the doctor because Annie had heard the doctor had connections with a school for blind children and Annie wanted to attend school. Though Annie never met the doctor again she was sent to the school where she not only learned braille, but she also learned sign language, and she learned that there was an operation to restore her eyesight. After many years at the school she became a teacher, was sent to Alabama, and the rest is history. I loved this book. I grew up knowing about Helen Keller (just like many school children) but I never knew much about her teacher. Annie Sullivan had such a hard life and in a way it was probably harder that Helen's life. Even when Helen was young and no one understood what she was trying to communicate, she at least had family who loved her. Annie had no one and she had to take care of herself, and even after all she did with Helen, people still know very little about her. I know I will do my best to learn more about Annie Sullivan. If you want to learn more about Annie Sullivan visit http://www.perkins.org/vision-loss/helen-keller/sullivan.html.

Fic Mil

Weird but True Tales by Allan Zullo

2011-02-23T13:58:00.001-05:00

Reviewed by Miss Dewey at Orenda

Two paw prints. Has anything really strange ever happened to you, something you couldn't explain? Well, if you are interested in unusual events that can't be easily explained then this book is for you. This book has true love matched by fate, twins separated at birth, lives saved by accident, and many more weird stories. This book was definitely entertaining but it wasn't very good. These are supposed to be TRUE tales but the beginning of the book states that names, dates, locations, and events have been changed to protect people's privacy. Well, if you change names, dates, locations, and events, are the tales still true? Unfortunately, these tales read like bad soap opera plots; in fact, I think I have seen some of these plots on TV. Oh well, if you want some really interesting tales try visiting http://www.ripleys.com/ and you can decide on your own if you think they are true. Or, you can visit http://www.allanzullo.com/ten_true_tales/ten_true_tales.htm to find more books by Allan Zullo. (I have read other books by this author and they are normally much better.)

Fic Zul

Memories of Anne Frank: Reflections of a Childhood Friend by Alison Leslie Gold

2011-02-23T11:11:00.003-05:00

Reviewed by Miss Dewey at Orenda

Five paw prints! Most people have heard the story about Anne Frank. She was a Jewish girl living in hiding from the Nazis during World War II, but her life was cut short after her family was discovered and they were sent to concentration camps where only her father survived. The world knows of her experiences while in hiding because Anne kept a diary that was published after the war ended. This story is about one of Anne's best friends who managed to survive the war. Hannah Goslar and Anne were best friends, and Hannah was one of the only friends mentioned in Anne's diary. Hannah's story is just as facinating as Anne's, but with a slightly better ending. Instead of hiding from the Nazis (like Anne's family), Hannah's family tried to leave the country. Hannah's father had been a government official in Germany before the war so he was able to use some of his connections to get visas to Paraguay, and the family was included on a wait list to be moved to Palastine. Unfortuantely, the family was deported to a concentration camp before they could take advantage of the visas or the wait list. But, because of these documents, the family was treated slightly better than families who had been arrested after having been caught hiding. This didn't help everyone in Hannah's family, but it did buy Hannah enough time to survive and tell her story. This story was so moving. It was interesting learning about Anne from a different point of view. This story was so well written that even though I had an idea about how the story would end I was still in tears over what might happen to Hannah's family members. There was only one thing I would change about Hannah's story...I want to know MORE. To learn more about Hannah and Anne's experiences, find an adult and visit http://www.ushmm.org/.

Fic Gol

The Pirate of Kindergarten by George Ella Lyon and Lynne Avril

2011-02-08T13:22:00.002-05:00

Reviewed by Miss Dewey at Orenda
Four paw prints. Ginny loves school. She especially loves reading and she loves going to the Reading Circle. But Ginny has a problem. She doesn't know what is real and what is imaginary. Ginny sees two of everything. She sees two of every word on the page, sees two chairs, sees two images on her coloring pages, and sees two teachers. Unfortunately, she doesn't realize she is the only person in her classroom that is having this problem. Luckily, there is a school nurse who recognizes Ginny is struggling in school and recommends she see an eye doctor. Not only does the eye doctor help Ginny see one of everything, but he helps her become a pirate. Now, Ginny is no longer afraid to visit the Reading Circl,e and school becomes a lot more fun. I really liked this book. Not only was the story well told and easy to understand and the pictures were bright and interesting, but the story was about a child who needs help. Stories about children with disabilities aren't a common theme in picture books. To find more books by George Ella Lyon, visit http://www.georgeellalyon.com/ to learn more.

Gabby & Gator by James Burks

2011-01-12T21:59:00.004-05:00

Reviewed by Miss Dewey at Orenda

Four paw prints. Gabby is a girl who likes vegetables, her tuba, and recycling. But, as a result, she doesn't have many friends and she is lonely. Gator lives by himself in the sewers and he likes computers, books, music, and small animals (especially dogs), but he's misunderstood. Together Gabby and Gator make a great team. Gator helps deal with Gabby's bully problems and Gabby helps Gator deal with his animal control officer problem. They're the perfect team. Now, about Gabby being a vegetarian and Gator liking small animals... I really liked this book. I had doubts when I opened the book because the story description didn't really grab my attention and I'm not a big fan of graphic novels, but I'm so happy I read this book. I loved Gabby and Gator's friendship and how they helped each other while having fun, and I especially loved Gabby's hair and Gator's stripes. They were perfect together. To learn more about author and illustrator James Burks, visit http://www.jamesburks.com/.
Fic Bur

Knuffle Bunny Free by Mo Willems

2011-01-11T21:38:00.002-05:00

Reviewed by Miss Dewey at Orenda

Five paw prints. Well, Knuffle Bunny is back with his best friend Trixie. This time they are on a new adventure to visit Trixie's grandparents in Holland. This means taxi rides, plane rides, and train rides to safely visit Oma and Opa. But, as always, Trixie gets excited and becomes separated from Knuffle Bunny. Unfortunately, this is not a problem that Daddy can easily fix because Trixie didn't leave Knuffle Bunny at the laundromat or school. Knuffle Bunny was left on an airplane and the plane has left for China. Knuffle Bunny is gone and there is nothing Daddy can do about this problem. Trixie now has to make a decision. Can she live (happily) without Knuffle Bunny? In the end, Trixie makes a decision that surprises everyone, including herself. In the final Knuffle Bunny book, Mo Willems tackles the problem of Trixie growing up, whether she wants to or not, and what the future look may look like in a world without Knuffle Bunny. I'll admit it, I loved this book so much it almost brought me to tears. I know all children grow up, including Trixie, but did she have to grow up in the book too? And I LOVE Knuffle Bunny. I DON'T WANT HIM TO GO AWAY! Oh well, I guess bunnies have to grow up, too. If you want to learn more about Mo Willems, visit http://www.mowillems.com/.

We Are in a Book by Mo Willems

2011-01-09T21:31:00.004-05:00

Reviewed by Miss Dewey at Orenda

Five paw prints. Well, Elephant and Piggy are at it again and not only are they in a new book, they have discovered they are IN the book. This leads to many interesting ideas. The funniest idea is trying to make the reader read the book out loud to a group of children and make the reader say funny words. Of course, if you read the book out loud then their plan works. There is just one problem. Gerald (the elephant) has found something new to worry about and the cause of his worry is on page 57. Normally, it is up to Piggy to help calm Gerald down and come up with a solution to the problem but there is NOTHING Piggy can do about page 57. Fortunately, Piggy does have an idea, but it is up to the reader to make it successful. As always, the newest Elephant and Piggy book is wonderful with its innocence, and children will love, and identify, with both the main characters. But the best part of this book is the inclusion of the reader. I have yet to meet a child who doesn't like to be included in the book with Elephant and Piggy.To find more great books by Mo Willems visit http://www.pigeonpresents.com/.

Wilfrid Gordon McDonald Partridge by Mem Fox and illustrated by Julie Vivas

2011-01-04T13:23:00.011-05:00

Reviewed by Miss Dewey at Orenda

Four paw prints. Wilfrid Gordon McDonald Partridge is a little boy with a very long name. He is also a very lucky little boy. He has many friends who live in the home next his because this is a home for old people. He has friends who like music, play cricket, and tell stories, but his favorite friend is Miss Nancy Alison Delacourt Cooper. Miss Nancy Alison Delacourt Cooper has four names just like Wilfrid Gordon McDonald Partridge. But Wilfrid is worried. His parents say that Miss Nancy is losing her memory. Wilfrid wants to help Miss Nancy find her memory but he's not exactly sure what a memory is or how it can be found. His friends at the home for old people offer to help Wilfrid, but will the help be enough for Miss Nancy? This is a wonderful book. It is a good way to introduce young children to the problems of memory loss and what children can do to help old people still feel good about themselves. I especially like Wilfrid's innocence when he is trying to help Miss Nancy find something she has "lost". If you want to learn more about Mem Fox and her books then visit http://www.memfox.com/.
Fic Fox

A letter from Miss Dewey and Mrs. Manore

2010-12-02T13:51:00.007-05:00

Hello,
Recently, we have made some small changes to the Orenda Reads blog and we wanted to let everyone know what we are doing.

If the book is available in the Orenda library then you will see RED call letters and call numbers at the end of the review. This information will help you find the book in the library.
We are going to start make book trailers to go with some of the book reviews. Please watch for this soon to be added feature. The label will be "Book Trailer Video".
You may notice another new label called "nook". The Orenda Library Media Center is using nooks with the 5th grade students for the first time, starting with the 2010-2011 school year. If a title can be found on a nook, you will see nook at the bottom of a review.
Some people have asked if they could make references to the Orenda Reads blog. You are more than welcome to reference this blog. Please understand these reviews are opinions that you are free to agree with or even disagree. (As the students are taught, you may disagree but you must always be polite.) If you would like to reference this blog, we would love to know. Please email us as deweyreadwell@gmail.com and let us know!
We have received compliments about the look and feel of this blog. THANK YOU. Blogger/Google does most of the work with the options that are offered, but we always appreciate kind words.
If you would like to know what Miss Dewey looks like, please visit the bottom page of this blog. She is a whippet who thinks she is very beautiful. (She's a bit vain.)

Keep reading,

Miss Dewey and Mrs. Manore

Where the Mountain Meets the Moon by Grace Lin

2010-12-01T13:19:00.010-05:00

Reviewed by Miss Dewey at Orenda
Five paw prints! Minli lives a hard, simple, but happy life. She works in the field during the day and at night she lives with her parents who love her and take care of her. Though they are very poor and can't afford gifts for her, Minli's father gives her gifts by telling her wonderful stories about animals, emperors, dragons, and mountains. Minli believes these stories about talking animals to be true and as a result she buys a goldfish. Minli's mother is very upset that Minli would spend what little money she had on a goldfish, but Minli loves her fish and in return the goldfish also tells Minli stories. Minli comes to believe that if she leaves her home and finds the Old Man of the Moon she will learn how to make her family wealthy and then her parents wouldn't have to worry so much about money. On her trip Minli meets many new people and has many more questions for the Old Man of the Moon, but in the end he will only give her one answer. It's not the answer to the question she left home to ask, but it's the only answer she needs. This book was wonderful. If words can be described as beautiful, then this was a beautiful book. I think all children should read this book, but, more importantly, I think all children should have the chance to read this book with an adult they love and trust. It's definitely a book that should be shared as a family. If you want to read other books by this author then visit http://www.gracelin.com/ to see what other wonderful stories she has created.
Fic Lin

When Marian Sang by Pam Munoz Ryan and illustrated by Brian Selznick

2010-11-30T21:13:00.009-05:00

Reviewed by Miss Dewey at Orenda

Five paw prints. When Marian Anderson was a girl she began to sing. Actually, most people who knew her would say she was born singing. By the time she was in elementary school she was already the youngest member of the People's Chorus in Philadelphia. She was so small, she had to stand on a chair to be seen. Her voice was so good the people in her church helped pay for her singing lessons and they offered to help pay for her to attend a professional music school. There was just one problem. Marian was black and black students were not allowed to even apply to attend the school, no matter how musically talented they were. But her friends and family didn't want her to give up her dream of singing so she was given a chance to sing before the famous music teacher, Giuseppe Boghetti. He was stunned by how wonderful her voice was and promised that after training with him for two years, she would be able to sing "anywhere for anybody". And after two years he was right. She was able to travel and perform with famous musicians in front of some of the wealthiest and most influential people, including European royalty, all over the world. There was just one problem. It didn't matter how talented or famous she became; when she was back in the United States, she was still treated poorly by some people simply because she was black. Luckily, she didn't let that stand in the way of following her dreams. This was a great book, not just because it was about an African American growing up during the time of segregation, but by showing people she could doing something just as well, if not better, than a white person. Not only did a poor child grow up to become famous, but it shows that no matter who you are, if you work hard at something you enjoy, then you can be very successful. To learn more about Marian Anderson visit, http://www.library.upenn.edu/exhibits/rbm/anderson. To read more books by the author and illustrator visit, http://www.pammunozryan.com/ or http://www.theinventionofhugocabret.com/.
921 And

"A Free Woman On God's Earth" by Jana Laiz & Ann-Elizabeth Barnes and illustrated by Jacqueline Rogers

2010-11-10T20:24:00.009-05:00

Reviewed by Miss Dewey at Orenda

Four paw prints. During the late 1700s, before the United States even existed, slavery was legal in the 13 British colonies. In 1751,a seven-year-old girl was taken from her family in New York and given as a "gift" to a family in Massachusetts. This girl was named Elizabeth and she grew up to become Mumbet, a respected member of her community. But she was a slave and respect doesn't mean much without the addition of freedom. During the time leading up to the American Revolution and the creation of the United States of America, Massachusetts created its own constitution stating that all men are born free and equal. Mumbet was smart; she knew some of the men who created this Constitution and she used these new laws to sue for her freedom. Mumbet became the first slave in Massachusetts to sue for her freedom and WIN! Her legal case even led to the freedom of other slaves in Massachusetts. This book was wonderful. I had never heard of Mumbet before, but I found this book and her story to be fascinating. Who could have guessed that a woman who was born and raised as a slave, had never been to school, and had never learned how to read, could be smart enough to understand new laws enough to sue for her freedom? I think all young students should be taught about Mumbet and her contribution to the end of slavery in Massachusetts. There isn't much information about Mumbet on the web but http://www.mumbet.com/ should be a good place to start.

The Sons of Liberty created and written by Alexander Lagos and Joseph Lagos, art by Steve Walker, color by Oren Kramek

2010-11-08T20:09:00.010-05:00

Reviewed by Miss Dewey at Orenda

One paw print--and that is being nice. Imagine, it is the late 1700s and the American colonies are on the verge of declaring their independence from England and the rule of the King. No one likes being told what to do or how to live, and no one knows how terrible this feels as much as a slave. There are two young slaves, Graham and Brody, who have decided they have had enough of slavery and escape from their master. Along the way they meet some people who want to help them and some people who want to hurt them. One of the people who wants to help them is the famous Benjamin Franklin. One of the people who wants to hurt them is Benjamin's son, William Franklin. William is just as interested in science experiments as his father, but he likes to test his theories on living creatures, including humans. During these experiments, Graham and Brody are hurt and they will never be the same again. Now the question is...Who will be hurt next? Run, don't walk, away from this book. This was one of the worst books I have ever read. British soldiers scared of slaves, William Franklin conducting science experiments on humans, ancient African martial arts... WHAT?!?! American history is fascinating and full of great stories with LOTS of real adventures without anyone having to make up such terrible lies. I believe in and encourage GOOD historical fiction but this isn't it. If you want to read a good historical book about the Revolutionary War then visit the library because there are plenty. Some of the titles are even in graphic novel format. Don't get me wrong, I will be putting this book on the library shelves, and I know it will be very popular. But being popular doesn't always mean being good. To learn more about this new series of books visit, http://www.thesonsoflibertybooks.com/. The website is a slightly better than the book.

Fic Lag

Almost Astronauts: 13 Women Who Dared to Dream by Tanya Lee Stone

2010-11-05T18:43:00.009-04:00

Reviewed by Miss Dewey at Orenda

Five paw prints. Have you heard of Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, or Michael Collins? Probably. They were famous astronauts and while Michael Collins piloted the command module, Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin were becoming the first men to ever walk on the moon. But have you ever heard of Jerrie Cobb, Jan Dietrich, or Rhea Hurrie. No? I'm not surprised. In the 1960s, while NASA was testing and training seven men to see if they had the "right stuff" to go into space, there were 13 women who were taking many of the same tests. Not only were these 13 women taking many of the same tests as the men, but in many cases the women were doing better than the men on the same tests. But one day the women were told they were not going to be allowed to finish taking the tests, and only people who took, and passed, all the tests would be allowed into space. It would be almost another 20 years before women would, again, have the chance to go into space. So why did it take so long for women to be allowed into space? There were a number of reasons, but the main reason was they were women. In the early 1960s, when NASA was beginning its space program, ALL the people in charge of making the decisions were men. The men liked to believe they were stronger than women and that women should stay at home, take care of the home, raise the children, and be waiting for their husbands to come home from work. The men wanted to believe they were superior to the women, and the men didn't want to change their ways or their thinking. This was a great book. It had everything I enjoy in a good story: history; drama; and underdogs who may not have won the battle but they certainly won the war. There are so many websites that go along with this book that there is not enough room to list them all, so I will list two here, but you will have to look at the back of the book for the full list of recommended websites. The two websites I would recommend starting with are The International Women's Air & Space Museum at http://www.iwasm.org/ and NASA Kids' Club at http://www.nasa.gov/audience/forkids/kidsclub/flash/index.html. 629.45 Sto

Ninth Ward by Jewell Parker Rhodes

2010-10-13T11:04:00.009-04:00

Reviewed by Miss Dewey at Orenda

Four paw prints. It's 2005 and Lanesha lives in New Orleans, Louisiana. Her neighborhood is called the Ninth Ward. She has a good life. She lives with Mama Ya-Ya, she gets good grades in school, and she gets along well with the adults in her neighborhood. But as happy as she is, Lanesha is also a little sad. Her biological family doesn't want her (Mama Ya-Ya was the midwife who helped bring her into the world and who has been taking care of her for 12 years) and she doesn't have many friends. Other kids don't like to be around Lanesha because she can see ghosts, including her own dead mother. The ghosts don't really bother Lanesha, but they are starting to change. There is a hurricane approaching Louisiana and it's BIG. It's so big, the local meteorologists are telling people to get out of New Orleans. Even the ghosts seem to be aware of the coming storm and they are warning Lanesha. But Lanesha doesn't know what to do. Mama Ya-Ya, who can also communicate with spirits, is also unsure what to do. The spirits keep telling Mama Ya-Ya that danger is coming, but it is NOT from the hurricane. Though this story is not true the events in the story are true. In 2005, Hurricane Katrina made landfall near New Orleans, Louisiana and the entire American Gulf Coast was devastated by the wind and water. New Orleans was especially hard hit when the levees broke and water poured into the city. And though I loved this book, and I highly recommend it to students, I still want to know what happens to Lanesha and her friends. To learn more about this author, visit http://www.jewellparkerrhodes.com/children.

Fic Rho

Countdown by Deborah Wiles

2010-08-21T21:58:00.011-04:00

Reviewed by Miss Dewey at Orenda

Five paw prints! It's 1962, the beginning of a new school year, and Franny has a lot on her mind. Her teacher seems to be ignoring her no matter how hard she tries to be noticed, her older sister seems to have run away from home, her mother seems to be on edge all the time, her brother only wants to read a book about atoms, her uncle (a veteran who fought in World War I) in losing his mind, and her father is rarely around because he is an Air Force officer assigned to the president of the United States. All of this wouldn't be so bad if the United States wasn't so scared about the Soviet Union trying to bomb the United States, starting with Washington D.C., which is where Franny and her family lives. Franny is constantly having to practice duck and cover drills in school and planning how to live in a bomb shelter in her house. Life couldn't get any worse, or could it? Did I mention Franny's best friend isn't speaking to her, a cute boy just moved in across the street, and she has just been invited to her first boy/girl party? Franny just knows that if she lives until Halloween her life MIGHT get better. This book was very interesting. Not only was the story so good I had a hard time putting it down, but all the pictures between some of the chapters were great. Throughout the book there are pictures and quotes from the time of the Cold War which is the time when Franny is in school. The Cold War was a time when the United States and the former Soviet Union were just waiting for a war between the two countries to start, and people in both countries were living their lives in fear. There are pictures of duck and cover drills, government officials, musicians, athletes, and quotes from many famous and important people from this time period. It really helped to have an idea of what Franny was experiencing in school. If you like this book and you want to read other books by this author then visit http://www.deborahwiles.com/ or visit the official Countdown website at http://scholastic.com/COUNTDOWN.

Fic Wil

The Dreamer by Pam Munoz Ryan and Peter Sis

2010-08-19T11:02:00.017-04:00

Reviewed by Miss Dewey at Orenda

Five paw prints! This is the fictionalized story of world famous poet Pablo Neruda. Pablo Neruda was a man who was fascinated by the world around him. He wrote poems for everyday "common" people to understand and not just for professors at universities. He was such a good poet that he won the Nobel Prize for literature. But before he became a world famous poet he was Neftali Reyes, a small boy from Chile whose father was so embarrassed by his son's daydreaming that Neftali had to change his name to Pablo so his father wouldn't know about the poems. Neftali grew up small, gentle, and quiet, but he made up for it by having good grades in school. But this wasn't enough for his father. His father wanted Neftali to be big, strong, athletic, and eventually go to college to study business. Neftali's father was NOT pleased that Neftali was curious about the world around him, and he hated that Neftali would be kind to other people...even people who didn't look, think, or act like his father or his father's friends. His father would go so far as to call Neftali an idiot in front of his friends from work. Luckily, Neftali had support from his mother, uncle, brother, sister, and local librarian, and they each helped him follow his dream of becoming a writer. I loved this book. It was beautiful. The story was as gentle as Neftali. You wanted to learn and understand the world with Neftali, and you hurt with Neftali when he was hurt by his father. Not only were the words important in this book but the pictures were important too. The pictures were like poems that helped the story come alive. I had a hard time putting this book down. If you like this book and want to read other books by this author or illustrator then visit http://www.pammunozryan.com/ or http://www.petersis.com/.

Fic Rya

Theodore Boone: Kid Lawyer by John Grishan

2010-08-19T09:38:00.008-04:00

Reviewed by Miss Dewey at Orenda

Four paw prints. Theo knows exactly what he wants to be when he grows up. At least he has it narrowed down to one of two careers. He either wants to be a great lawyer or a fair judge. His mother is a lawyer, his father is a lawyer, is uncle was a lawyer, and he spends all his time hanging out at the town courthouse. Regardless, he know he wants to be a part of big and challenging cases. Currently, Theo is very excited about an upcoming trial. It's a murder trial. It's the biggest trial to be in his community in years. He wants to watch the trial every day but, unfortunately, his parents won't let him miss school to watch. There's just one problem. Theo has evidence that none of the adults know exists, and if Theo doesn't speak up, the family of the dead woman may never know what really happened. But this is the real problem. If he speaks up, an innocent person may end up in jail. This was a great book. I don't usually read crime/mystery books but I really enjoyed this story. I actually had a hard time putting the book down. There was just one part of the story I didn't like; it was the ending. It felt like there were too many loose endings that weren't resolved. I'm wondering if there is going to be a second book to resolve these loose endings. I hope there is. Oh, but I did like the last conversation Theo had with one of his teachers. It was great! Believe it or not, Theo has his own website. Visit http://www.theodoreboone.com/ to see Theo's "office".

Fic Gri

Driven: A photobiography of Henry Ford by Don Mitchell

2010-08-16T18:39:00.007-04:00

Reviewed by Miss Dewey at Orenda

Four paw prints. What can you say about Henry Ford? He invented cars? No, he didn't, but he did make cars affordable for everyday Americans. He gave jobs to people that most other companies would ignore, he made sure children knew how important it was to get a good education (even though he didn't have a college education), and he gave back to the community he lived in to make it a better place to live for families. He was also very forward thinking when he realized oil is NOT a renewable resource and new technologies would need to be developed so people would have a lesser need for oil. But, unfortunately, as good as he was to others there were some things he did that would NEVER be accepted in today's age. This book was very interesting. I thought I knew about Henry Ford but I was so wrong. I was amazed at all the things he did with technology and the communities where his factories were located. But I was also saddened by his treatment of people he didn't like. Henry Ford was a very complex man. So what about the pictures? They were wonderful. I love biographies that have many pictures because it helps to make the book and the person seem much easier to understand. If you like this book and you what to learn more about Henry Ford then visit, http://www.henryfordestate.org/ and http://www.efwefla.org/.

921 For

How to Clean a Hippopotamus by Steve Jenkins and Robin Page

2010-07-23T13:22:00.006-04:00

Reviewed by Miss Dewey at Orenda

Five paw prints...no, two...no, five...no... As you can tell I'm not sure how to rate this book so let me begin with a description. This book is about how different animals around the world survive by working together. There are birds that eat meat out of crocodiles' teeth and the crocodile does NOT eat the bird. There are birds that eat parasites off fish but don't eat the fish. There are fish that clean turtles. And my favorite, dogs who help people. This book really is very interesting with bright and detailed illustrations and lots of really interesting facts. At the end of the book there are descriptions of every creature that was mentioned on the previous pages. There were over 50 creatures! This book really does deserve five paw prints so you might be wondering why I would even consider only two paw prints if I thought the book was so good. IT WAS GROSS!! I made the mistake of reading this book while in bed before I fell asleep. I was creeped out, I couldn't fall asleep, and I had nightmares. In other words...kids will LOVE this book. To learn more about books by this team visit, http://www.stevejenkinsbooks.com/.

E Jen

The Junkyard Wonders by Patricia Polacco

2010-07-22T22:12:00.006-04:00

Reviewed by Miss Dewey at Orenda

Five paw prints. At some point in everyone's life there is at least one teacher that makes such an impression that you remember that teacher as having a huge impact on your life. For Trisha that teacher is Mrs. Peterson. In California, where she lived with her mother, Trisha had been in a special class because she had a hard time learning to read. Now that she can read, she and her parents decide she deserves a chance at a fresh start in a new school, so she moves in with her father and gramma in Michigan. Unfortunately, her old school in California sends her school records to the new school in Michigan and Trisha is again assigned to a class for "special" students. The other kids in the school call her class the junkyard class because no one else in school wants them. This is not what Trisha wanted, but Mrs. Peterson helps Trisha and all the other kids in this class realize they are not "dumb" and many treasures can be found in a junkyard. As always, Ms Polacco has created a wonderful book. Most schools have a class of "leftover" students that may need extra help, and this book shows how special AND SMART these students truly can be with help from a wonderful teacher. To learn more about Patricia Polacco visit, http://www.patriciapolacco.com/.

Rocky Road by Rose Kent

2010-07-10T21:52:00.008-04:00

Reviewed by Miss Dewey at Orenda

Five paw prints. Tess has a problem. Actually she has a few problems. Her brother is deaf and her mother has decided to move from Texas to Schenectady, NY in the middle of winter to open an ice-cream shop. Her mother says there are a lot of good opportunities to start a business in Schenectady, and there are better schools for the deaf. Tess wouldn't mind all of this except for the biggest problem--her mother gets "shooting stars". When her mother is coping with the world well (the stars are up) then the family is fine, but when she can't cope (the stars are falling) then she losses her job, her apartment, and Tess has to skip school to take care of her mother and little brother. It's a lot of work for a middle school student. But Schenectady is going to be "better". They already have a furnished apartment (in a retirement community), she has been introduced to the mayor (her mother hit his car on their way into the city), and the family soon owns an old ice-cream shop (with no place for ice-cream because the chiller is broken beyond repair). I really enjoyed this book. I loved the cast of characters from the kids at school, the merchants in Schenectady, and I really loved the characters living at the retirement community. I especially liked how accurately Schenectady was described. I grew up in Schenectady County and I could picture everything that was being described in the story. I also liked that this was a story about a teenage girl who has more problems than your typical girl, but the story would be enjoyed and appropriate for girls as young as 4th grade. If you want to learn more about Rose Kent and her books then visit, http://www.rosekent.com/ or if you would like to learn about the real Schenectady then visit, http://www.dailygazette.com/news/2010/jul/10/0710_summernite/.

Candy Bomber: The Story of the Berlin Airlift's "Chocolate Pilot" by Michael O. Tunnell

2010-06-28T13:58:00.020-04:00

Reviewed by Miss Dewey at Orenda

Five paw prints. At the end of World War II the allies (the United States, the United Kingdom, France, and the Soviet Union) had defeated the Nazis in Germany and Germany was left in ruins. In the hopes of preventing another war, Germany was divided into two pieces. The eastern part of Germany was controlled by the Soviet Union while the western part of Germany was controlled by the remaining allies. Not only was the country divided, but so was Berlin, the capital of Germany. Berlin was deep inside the Soviet controlled section of Germany and the Soviet government did not like Berlin being controlled by two different groups. The Soviet government decided it was going to try to "discourage" the United States, the United Kingdom, and France from supporting West Berlin by blocking all road, water, and rail access to the city. The Soviets hoped by cutting off supplies to Berlin residents, the western part of the city would have to agree to Soviet control. But the Soviets underestimated the response the people of West Berlin received from its supporters. The United States, the United Kingdom, and France created the Berlin Airlift to bring supplies to the city 24 hours a day for seven days a week. The Berlin Airlift took hundreds of people to make it successful, but there was only one person the children of Berlin cared about: he had many names, including Uncle Wiggly Wings, but his name was Lieutenant Gail Halvorsen. During one of his days off, Lt. Halvorsen visited what was left of West Berlin, and near the airport runway he meet some children. These children had spent their young lives knowing of nothing but war and Lt. Halvorsen wanted to give them something special. He promised to drop chocolate from his airplane. Since all the airplanes looked the same, he told the children to look for the airplane with wiggling wings. That one gift of candy led to much more candy from people from across the United States offering to help Lt. Halvorsen deliver candy. This book is Lt. Halvorsen's story. I loved this story. It's one of those rare true stories where there is a "good" guy (the Western Allies) and a "bad" guy (the Soviets) but the "good" guys win without ever having to hurt another person. The Western Allies could have tried to help the people by using force against the Soviets but instead used food. And one soldier in particular who decided to use candy to make a difference in the lives of a few children. Now those children try to teach their children about kindness because of this one man. It seems (to me anyway) that many people could learn something about kindness from Lt. Halvorsen. To learn more about Lt. Halvorsen and the Berlin Air Drop visit, http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/airlift/sfeature/candy.html, http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/airlift, and http://www.trumanlibrary.org/whistlestop/study_collections/berlin_airlift/large/.

943 Tun

Sparky: The Life and Art of Charles Schulz by Beverly Gherman

2010-05-30T22:07:00.011-04:00

Reviewed by Miss Dewey at Orenda

Four paw prints. Poor ol' Charlie Brown. He never kicks the football, he never wins the baseball game, and he never wins the love of the little red headed girl. But his life has never been horrible. He has a best friend in Linus, a crazy dog named Snoopy, and a whole cast of characters in his town who are his friends. You might be wondering how he can have all these friends when he appears to be such a, well...loser. It's all because of his creator Charles Schulz. Charles Schulz (known as Sparky to his family) was an awkward boy. He was very shy, he didn't have many friends, he couldn't talk to girls, he was even too shy to talk to some of his teachers. But there was one thing that he could do well and that was draw, and his dream was to draw comic strips in the newspaper. He lived what many people would consider an ordinary (some would say boring) life. He was close to his family, he rarely traveled (except for his tour of duty during World War II), and he enjoyed working hard to be the best at what he did. It was this ordinary life that helped him create a comic strip about a bunch of kids living ordinary lives, and it was their ordinary lives that people read every day for over 50 years to help themselves get through everyday life. Who would have thought living a plain life and doing everyday things could be so rewarding? Over the years I have read many books about artists and illustrators, including Charles Schulz, and I thought this book was good. I would have preferred a few more details about his life but I don't think kids will notice that there a few gaps in his life. I do think this is a very good book to introduce Charles Schultz to kids, and I think most kids would enjoy reading this book. To learn more about Charles Schutz visit: http://www.schulzmuseum.org/.

921 Sch

Heros of the Environment by Harriet Rohmer and illustrated by Julie McLaughlin

2010-05-30T21:29:00.007-04:00

Reviewed by Miss Dewey at Orenda

Five paw prints. Everyday, in the news, you hear reports of the environment being hurt by people who do NOT think about the future. Rarely do you hear of people helping the environment and making the world a better place. I guess this is understandable. Bad events made for good news. But this book is different. This books has selected 12 problems in the environment and the people who are the "heroes" trying to fix these problems. What's nice about this book are the heroes themselves. They aren't only scientists (though there are a few scientists), they are kids, teachers, retired grandparents, Native Americans, and even a masked wrestler. (If you want to know what a masked wrestler has to do with the environment you'll have to read the book.) This book was wonderful. Every chapter explains a problem, why the problem exists, who is trying to fix the problem, and how the problem is being fixed. Not only does the book give all this detail, it is done in a way for students to understand AND enjoy the book. I wish more science books were written in this way. To learn more about helping the environment visit the Environmental Kids Club at Environmental Protection Agency at http://www.epa.gov/kids/.

333.72 Roh

Noah Webster: Weaver of Words by Pegi Deitz Shea and illustrated by Monica Vachula

2010-05-30T09:56:00.007-04:00

Reviewed by Miss Dewey at Orenda

Five paw prints. I'll admit, when I first saw this book I was unimpressed. A book about the man who helped to create a dictionary? Boring! But I was so wrong. Noah Webster was a very interesting man. He grew up during a very important time during American history. He was a soldier in the American army, he attended one of the most challenging and oldest colleges in the country, as a teacher he wrote important books for teaching children how to read, and he became famous for creating the first in depth dictionary. Noah Webster wanted all people to understand each other, and he felt one of the best ways to do this was with a common language. As I said in the beginning I wasn't looking forward to reading a book about the creation of the dictionary, but this book was great. Not only do I want to know more about Noah Webster, but I want to know more about dictionaries...especially Webster's Dictionary. To learn more about Noah Webster, visit http://www.noahwebsterhouse.org/.

921 Web

Stand Straight, Ella Kate by Kate Klise and illustrated by M. Sarah Klise

2010-05-03T21:32:00.008-04:00

Reviewed by Miss Dewey at Orenda

Four paw prints. Do you know what it is like to be tall? I don't just mean being the tallest person in your family or your class? How would you like to be the tallest person in your town or your state? Ella Kate was the tallest woman in the world, and this is her true story. Ella Kate was a shy girl who "grew up" to become a world famous woman. Her height was her biggest problem, but it was also her greatest asset. As a girl she was made fun of for standing out in a crowd but her height gave her the chance to earn money (in a side show) and travel the world. This book is very interesting. I don't know anyone who would want to be as tall as Ella Kate, but I know plenty of people who would love to travel the world. I wonder how many people would be brave enough to leave home and travel as an attraction in a side show? It really makes you appreciate how lucky you are when you can easily blend in with a crowd. There is only one change (addition) I would have liked to see to make this book even better. I would have liked to see maybe one pull-out page showing the actual size of Ella Kate's shoes or gloves or something. (Actually, this was an idea from one of my students, and I thought it was a very good idea.) If you like this story and you want to read more books by the Klise sisters, visit: http://www.kateandsarahklise.com/.

921 Ewi

The Day-Glo Brothers: The True Story of Bob and Joe Switzer's Bright Ideas and Brand-New Colors by Chris Barton and illustrated by Tony Persiani

2010-02-04T13:40:00.007-05:00

Posted by Miss Dewey at Orenda

Five paw prints! Do you like bright colors? Have you ever wondered what the world would look like without bright colors? Well, it wasn't that long ago when there were NO bright colors. It wasn't until brothers Bob and Joe Switzer made an interesting discovery that people were able to enjoy colors in a new way. But Bob and Joe hadn't planned on inventing new colors. Bob wanted to help sick people be healthy and Joe wanted to entertain people with magic. They ended up inventing something together that was so new (Day-Glo colors) that people could be helped and entertained with the same invention. I loved this book. I grew up loving bright Day-Glo colors, but it never occurred to me that someone invented these colors. What I liked most about this book was the way the information was presented. The story is told in a picture book format and all the pictures in the beginning are in black and white. As the brothers learn more about color, more and more colors are added to each page until the last pages are filled with Day-Glo colors. This book was wonderful. If you want to read more books by this author visit: http://www.chrisbarton.info/.

The Case of the Case of Mistaken Identity by Mac Barnett and illustrated by Adam Rex

2010-01-27T12:42:00.008-05:00

Reviewed by Miss Dewey at Orenda

Four paw prints. Steve has a problem. It's Friday, his teacher just assigned a report, and the report is due on Monday. This is bad enough, but his topic is quilting (he hates quilts) and his friend's topic is detectives (Steve wants to be a detective when he grows up). Life is just too unfair. For most kids this would be a huge problem, but Steve's life is about to get worse. He ends up spending his weekend trying to escape evil thugs, secret agent librarians (it seems they are mad he borrowed a quilt book from the public library), and he needs to find a missing quilt that holds the key to national security. Oh, did I mention Steve is only 12 years old? I love this book. It has mystery, action, adventure, humor, quilting, and some very intertesting librarians. What more does a good book need? How about a good sequel? It's coming...this book is the first book in a new series called The Brixton Brothers. If you want to learn more about books by Mac Barnett visit: http://www.macbarnett.com/.

Fic Rex

Claudette Colvin: Twice Toward Justice by Phillip Hoose

2010-01-26T20:48:00.009-05:00

Posted by Miss Dewey at Orenda

Five paw prints! She was small and quiet and she looked like a good kid who would do what she was told. Well, she was all of those things, except for one: she would not always do what she was told. She was told she had to give up her seat on a bus. But not just any bus, this was a bus in Montgomery, Alabama in 1955. So why would she have to give up her seat? Claudette Colvin was a black teenager growing up in the segregated south. But Claudette knew her rights and she knew she shouldn't have to give up her seat to a white woman. You might be wondering why Claudette's story is so important. It's important because she refused to give up her seat nine months before Rosa Parks. Not only did she refuse to give up her seat, she challenged the laws of Montgomery, Alabama stating that being separate can really be equal. AND SHE WON! I love this book. Growing up I had heard there was a girl who challenged the bus rules in Montgomery, Alabama before Rosa Parks, but I could never find any information about who this girl was. I was beginning to believe I had imagined the story, but the author managed to find Claudette and interview her in New York City. Most people know the story of the many adults who helped end segregation, but not many people know of the children who also helped. Hopefully, with this book, now more people will learn about Claudette and the sacrifices she and other children made. This isn't the only wonderful book by Philip Hoose. If you would like to read more books by him, visit: http://www.philliphoose.com/ to see his other award winning titles.
nook

Murder at Midnight by Avi

2009-09-26T22:28:00.013-04:00

Posted by Miss Dewey at Orenda

Four paw prints. Fabrizio has a problem. He is an orphan and this, of course, leads to other problems like where will he live, who will take care of him, what should he do when he is accused of helping a traitor to the king. Fabrizio is taken in by Mangus the Magician and his wife to help with small chores around the house. While he is there, Mangus is trying to teach Fabrizio how to read and to understand that there is no such thing as magic but it is possible for a person to create illusions to look like magic. Fabrizio and Mangus live in an Italian city where magic is against the law and everyone is surprized when Mangus is arrested for performing real magic and using magic to threaten the life of the king. Now Fabrizio has a real problem. Should he help the man who has given him a home or should he help the king and tell the king everything he knows. I really enjoyed this book. Even though I had an idea of how the magic was created I wasn't sure if I was right until the very end of the story. And, even though I figured out how the magic was made, I wasn't sure how Mangus would be able to escape the king since everyone, except Fabrizio, believed him to be guilty. If you like this book try reading the sequel Midnight Magic or visit http://www.avi-writer.com/ to find more great books by Avi. (This review was based on an uncorrected proof. The final edition was published on September 1, 2009.)

Fic Avi

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

2009-09-25T21:34:00.004-04:00

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.)

Fic DiC

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.

The Surrender Tree by Margarita Engle

2009-03-29T21:56:00.003-04:00

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.
811 Eng

When I Grow Up by Jessica Loy

2009-03-18T22:26:00.003-04:00

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.
331.7 Loy

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

2009-03-10T21:09:00.004-04:00

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.
590 Bay

All the Blue Moons at the Wallace Hotel by Phoebe Stone

2009-03-09T21:28:00.006-04:00

Reviewed by Miss Dewey at Orenda

Four paw prints. Fiona remembers what life was like when she was younger. Her father was a successful art dealer, her mother was an artist, her little sister was curious about everything, they had two homes, her parents hosted fancy parties for important people in the art world, and her father always took her to her ballet classes. She loved when her father took her to ballet classes. But her father is gone now and everything has changed. Her mother sold their winter home, kept the summer home but sold everything in it, closed up most of the summer home except for the living room (where they sleep in separate parts of the room) and the kitchen. The worst part was losing her ballet lessons. She didn’t just lose an activity she loved; she lost something special she shared with her father. Her one regret is that her father never saw her in a ballet recital. The only thing that hasn’t changed is her sister’s curiosity. Unfortunately, it’s this curiosity that could ruin Fiona’s chance to have her one dream come true. Through humor and understanding, Fiona’s story teaches that even an ordinary life that seems sad can be wonderful when shared with the people you love the most. If you like this book please read other books by Phoebe Stone. A list of her other books can be found at http://www.phoebestone.com/. And if you want to learn more about Captain Kangaroo visit http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Captain_Kangaroo.

Fic Sto

We Are The Ship: The Story of Negro Baseball by Kadir Nelson

2009-01-19T11:00:00.009-05:00

Reviewed by Mrs. Manore at Orenda

Five paw prints!! First, I realize Miss Dewey usually does these reviews, but she is still in bed because she says the weather is too cold to come out and read. Second, I LOVE baseball stories and I’m especially interested in Negro baseball. I grew up hearing baseball stories and hearing about baseball history. So, when I saw a new book about Negro baseball by Kadir Nelson (a nationally known, award winning illustrator) I knew I had to read this book. I am so happy I read it. In fact, I had a hard time putting this book down. I liked reading about how early players black played with more enthusiasm then the traditional major leagues players. They played year round around the world because they loved to play. Black players were treated very poorly in white towns where segregation was the law. Yet a baseball commissioner and a baseball team owner were willing to risk their lives to allow a black baseball player to join a major league team. Jackie Robinson may not have been the best black baseball player, but he was the best person to join major league baseball. In my opinion, this book should win MANY awards, including the Newbery, Coretta Scott King, and Sibert honors. I will be very disappointed if it doesn’t. Please visit the following websites, http://www.nlbm.com/ and http://web.baseballhalloffame.org/index.jsp to learn more about Negro Baseball.
796.35 Nel

Lincoln Shot: A President's Life Remembered--Chief Writer: Barry Denenberg--Artist: Christopher Bing

2009-01-07T19:33:00.004-05:00

Reviewed by Miss Dewey at Orenda

Five paw prints. Now I realize most people know the story of Abraham Lincoln, poor boy born in the Midwest, not much formal schooling, teaching himself the rules of law by reading as many books as possible, growing up hating slavery, marrying a wealthy woman whose family owed slaves, two children who died before becoming adults. He moved his way up through state and national politics to eventually become president of the United States. He guiding the country through the Civil War. And, he was the first president to be assassinated, by a Southern sympathizer, while in office even though he wanted to welcome the southern states back “home” to the United States without punishing the states that joined the Confederacy. What makes this book so wonderful is the way the information is presented. The inside of the book looks like a newspaper. This special edition “newspaper” came out on Saturday, April 14, 1866 on the first anniversary of Lincoln’s death. The articles in the newspaper begin with his assassination and the hunt for his killers. From there the articles describe his youth and all the events in his life that led to the assassination. This was such a unique way of reading about the life of a public figure. If more books were created in such a wonderful way, there would never be a problem convincing children to read. If you want to learn more about Abraham Lincoln you can visit one of the following national park websites, http://www.nps.gov/abli/, http://www.nps.gov/liho/, or http://www.nps.gov/linc/.
921 Lin

Penny From Heaven by Jennifer L. Holm

2009-01-03T10:09:00.004-05:00

Review by Miss Dewey at Orenda

Five paw prints!!! Penny has a pretty good, if not unusual, life. She lives with her Anglo/Protestant mother and her mother’s parents, all of whom are very quiet. She goes to the local public school and summer vacation is about to begin. This means she will have more time to spend with her father’s Italian/Catholic family that lives a few blocks away. Her father’s family is anything but quiet. There are always kids running around making noise. There are always adults having loud conversations (Italians don’t argue, they just have loud conversations), especially about food. And there is more than enough going on in her father’s family to keep Penny and her cousin Frankie busy all summer. But there is just one problem. Penny’s father is dead and no one will talk about him. All she knows is that he died during World War II. But this summer Penny wants to learn what happened to her father, and she might not like what she hears. Penny From Heaven is a wonderful story about a girl, her family, and what happened to her family because of the American government’s fear of the “enemy” during World War II. Most Americans know how poorly the American government treated Japanese Americans during the war, but very few people know that Italian Americans were treated poorly too, including Penny’s father. To learn more about World War II visit http://www.nps.gov/nwwm/ or visit http://www.nps.gov/features/nama/feat0001/index2.html to watch a short video.
Fic Hol

Angel Girl by Laurie Friedman and illustrated by Ofra Amit

2009-01-02T11:21:00.004-05:00

Reviewed by Miss Dewey at Orenda

Four paw prints. So, what do you do with a book that was promoted as a true story but was later discovered to be a work of fiction? Well, you read the book and appreciate it for what it is…a good story. Angel Girl is the story of a boy named Herman who lived in Europe during World War II. Unfortunately, Herman is Jewish and during this time anyone who was Jewish and living in Europe was probably in jail. You may be wondering what Herman had done to be put in jail. I can tell you…NOTHING! Herman was a Jewish boy and that was enough to be put in jail. Most Jewish people who were put in jail died, but Herman was lucky. He met a little girl at the jail fence who gave him food when the guards weren’t looking. This little bit of food helped Herman survive until the war ended and he was released from jail. Over the years Herman wondered what happened to his “angel girl” from the fence, but he never knew. When Herman grew up he moved to America and fell in love with a beautiful and kind woman. Herman later discovered this beautiful woman was his “angel girl” from the fence. There was just one problem with Herman’s story. It’s NOT true. Herman was in jail during World War II because he was Jewish, but the rest of the story is from his imagination. Herman wanted to create a story of hope and love for all people. And though some people are very upset with Herman about the story he has told, I still like his story. His story does what he hoped; it introduces some of his experiences during World War II while telling a story of hope and love. If you would like to learn more about the problems with this book please visit http://www.publishersweekly.com/article/CA6625433.html?desc=topstory or http://www.tnr.com/story_print.html?id=f458c2c8-0d4f-4dc7-8cba-15e465c2201a. If you want to learn more about World War II and the Holocaust you may visit http://www.ushmm.org/ with guidance from an adult.
Fic Ami

Deep Down Popular by Phoebe Stone

2008-11-17T21:34:00.001-05:00

Reviewed by Miss Dewey at Orenda

Five Paw prints!!! Jessie Lou has a small family. She lives with her grandfather who loves her dearly but is worried about his favorite hardware store being forced to close, her older sister who is beautiful and wants to be a beauty queen, and her mother who wants her older daughter to be a star. That leaves Jessie Lou with just her good grades and her poems because her family is too busy for her and she doesn’t have any friends at school. But there is one boy in school she wishes she were friends with. Conrad Parker Smith. More importantly, she wishes Conrad Parker Smith knew she was alive. Conrad Parker Smith is the most popular boy in school. Everyone wants to be his friend, be on his team, be his partner in school, and just be with him all the time. One day Conrad hurts his leg and he can no long keep up with the other kids. The teacher decides Jessie Lou should be the student to help Conrad because they live on the same rural street. But is it possible for Jessie Lou to become brave enough to talk to Conrad to help him the way the teacher wants? This book is wonderful. I think at some point in everyone’s life a person feels like Jessie Lou. Lost and alone. But even Conrad, no matter how popular he is, also feels lost and alone. So the questions Jessie Lou has to answer are, is it worse to always feel lost and alone or is it worse to know popularity only to become lost and alone? And, does she want to remain lost and alone or does she want to risk making a friend? To be honest…this is probably one of the best books I’ve read in a very long time. If you like this book visit http://www.phoebestone.com/ to try more wonderful stories.

Thank You Sarah: The Woman Who Saved Thanksgiving by Laurie Halse Anderson illustrated by Matt Faulkner

2008-10-30T13:34:00.004-04:00

Reviewed by Miss Dewey at Orenda

Five paw prints. Did you know we didn’t always celebrate Thanksgiving? It’s true. Oh sure, some states in the Northeast celebrated Thanksgiving but they didn’t necessarily celebrate on the same day. Well, Sarah Hale thought this was wrong. She felt all Americans should have a day of thanks and for families that could be shared together. There was just one HUGE problem. In the 1800s only men were in charge of the country and no one was interested in listening to a woman. But that didn’t stop Sarah. She just worked harder. You obviously know the ending but you should still read this book. Sarah Hale is a fascinating figure from American history that more students should know about. She wasn’t just concerned with Thanksgiving; she was also concerned with rights for women, public education for children, and the treatment of slaves. Sarah was a very busy woman who didn’t like to slow down. This book is wonderful and not just for the information on Sarah. The pictures are great too. They are full of details and if you look closely you will realize you can learn a lot even though some of the pictures are supposed to be very funny. If you want to see Sarah’s letter to Abraham Lincoln then visit http://lcweb2.loc.gov/learn/features/thanksgiving/timeline/1863.html.
921 Hal

We the People: The Story of Our Constitution by Lynne Cheney and illustrated by Greg Harlin

2008-10-29T15:24:00.003-04:00

Reviewed by Miss Dewey at Orenda

Four paw prints. Most people know that on July 4th, 1776 the American Colonies declared their independence from Britain. Most people know this led to a long war between the American Colonists and the British and that the British expected to win. Most people know that in October 1781 the Colonists did beat the British and the American Colonies were finally free from British rule. What most people don’t know is that even though the American Colonists won, they still weren’t a country. This book very carefully tries to explain how the Colonies became a country and how the country tried to make government fair for everyone (even if it didn’t always succeed). In the process, a student learns why decisions were made, even if by modern standards these decisions would be unacceptable. The best part of this book is the quotes. On every page there is a quote by a different famous person who was somehow connected with the Constitution. Though some of the concepts may be difficult for some students to understand, with an adults’ help a student can learn a lot about where our country was and where it is today. To learn more about the United States Constitution please visit http://www.whitehouse.gov/kids/constitution/.
342 Che

Robert Smalls: The Boat Thief by Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. and illustrated by Patrick Faricy

2008-10-29T13:51:00.004-04:00

Reviewed by Miss Dewey at Orenda

Five paw prints! So, who was Robert Smalls? That was my question when I first read this book. It turns out Robert Smalls was a very impressive man. Born during the time of slavery, Robert and his mother were owned by a wealthy South Carolina family. Though they were treated better than slaves owed by other families they still were not free. Robert’s mother always made sure Robert knew what it meant to be free when ever she had the chance. Since Robert was a slave he wasn’t allowed to learn how to read but Robert was very smart. Instead of reading words he “read” ships, stars, water currents, and sounds. His knowledge helped him lead his family and a few close friends to freedom at the beginning of the Civil War. But he wanted more than freedom, he wanted to be able to help the Northern States defeat the Southern States and put an end to slavery. Finally, after the war, he and his family moved back to South Carolina. He did everything he could to help make the South a better place for all citizens no matter what color they were. I LOVED this book. I had never heard of Robert Smalls before reading this book and I couldn’t read and learn about him fast enough. If you’re like me and you want to learn more about Robert Smalls visit http://www.sonofthesouth.net/leefoundation/civil-war/1862/june/robert-smalls-planter.htm.

Amelia Rules: The Whole World's Crazy by Jimmy Gownley

2008-10-14T19:08:00.003-04:00

Reviewed by Miss Dewey at Orenda

Four paw prints. Amelia is having a bad year. Her parents just divorced so she is forced to leave the city, her friends, and her dad. She now lives with her mom and her Aunt Tanner in Tanner’s house in the suburbs, goes to a new school, and she has to make new friends. What’s worse…the group she becomes friends with is part of the “nerd group”. What a way to begin 4th grade! But through it all Amelia becomes a superhero, gets to know the school principal very well (for all the wrong reasons), takes on the school bullies, learns a lot about Santa Claus, and she learns even more from her Aunt Tanner. I guess you can learn and survive when you are in 4th grade. This is a great book to read whether you are having a bad year or not. Even if you only read for fun you may actually learn (On no, not learn!) something…especially about Santa. If you want to learn more about Amelia then you should visit the Ameliaverse website at http://www.ameliarules.com/. You can even listen to her TALK about “nowhereville” Pennsylvania.
Fic Gow

The 39 Clues: The Maze of Bones by Rick Riordan

2008-10-05T11:05:00.002-04:00

Reviewed by Miss Dewey at Orenda

Four paw prints. Amy and Dan have just lost the one family member who cared about them, Grace, their grandmother. Their parents died when they were young and Grace had been raising them until recently when they had been sent to live with Grace’s sister. Great Aunt Beatrice has no interest in children, refuses to live with them, and is constantly hiring and firing au pairs who take care of them. Aunt Beatrice has no interest in them until Grace dies. Grace doesn’t single Amy and Dan out (to their disappointment) for any special inheritance but instead leaves a number of relatives the same “opportunity”. They can each inherit one million dollars OR a clue that “might lead you to the most important treasure in the world and make you powerful beyond belief”. Unfortunately, if you accept the clue you might get killed. To escape from Aunt Beatrice, Amy and Dan turn down the money and accept the clue. This mystery is part of a new series that will be stretched out over 10 books with 10 different authors. The most interesting part of the mystery is you can try to solve clues with Amy and Dan. There is a 39 Clues website where readers can read and solve clues. The website is http://www.the39clues.com/ and if you want to solve clues with Miss Dewey see Mrs. Manore in the media center for the Orenda username and password.
Fic Rio

Not A Stick by Antoinette Portis

2008-10-02T22:35:00.002-04:00

Reviewed by Miss Dewey at Orenda

Four paw prints. In the beginning there was a child, or in this case a bunny, with a box. But it wasn’t really a box. It was a car and a mountain and a rocket ship. Now the author is back with another child, or in this case a pig, who has found a stick. But what is a stick when it’s Not A Stick? In this case a stick can be a fishing pole, a paint brush, or a sword. This is a book that all children love because it encourages imagination. And, this is a book that is best shared with an adult because while a child enjoys the silly adventures of a pig, a parent will love remembering what it was like to be a child. If you would like to learn more about art because you found a stick and tried to paint with it then visit http://www.nga.gov/kids .
E Por

Gone Wild by David McLimans

2008-10-02T22:05:00.001-04:00

Reviewed by Miss Dewey at Orenda

Five paw prints! This book is an alphabet book about endangered species. No, it’s really about endangered species told using the alphabet. No, it’s really an art book using the alphabet. Or, is it really an art book showcasing animals? I’m not sure what type of book this really is but I do know Gone Wild is just an incredible book. Every letter of the alphabet is represented by an endangered animal and the letter is in the shape of the animal. In addition the reader learns information like where the animal currently lives and why it is endangered. This is a wonderful way to introduce endangered animals to children and will lead to more research of these animals. And if these animals are lucky, children will want to help animals so they always have a safe place to live. To learn more about helping animals visit http://www.bronxzoo.com/help-wildlife.aspx .

The Journey That Saved Curious George: The True Wartime Escape of Margret and H. A. Rey by Louise Borden and illustrated by Allan Drummond

2008-10-02T11:55:00.004-04:00

Reviewed by Miss Dewey at Orenda

Five paw prints. Did you know Curious George was originally named FiFi? It’s true. Margret and Hans each grew up in Germany during the early 1900’s. Life was very good when they were children. Eventually they met each other (while living and working in Brazil), fell in love, and married. While living in Brazil they would write and draw to earn money. They even became citizens of Brazil because they loved the country so much. AND…they had a pet monkey. Eventually they returned to Europe to visit their families and they decided to stay in Paris, France for a few years. While there a man named Hitler became the leader of Germany and he started to invade countries, including France. This made the Rey’s nervous because Hitler hated people who were Jewish and the Rey’s were Jewish. The majority of the book is about the Rey’s escape from France and how they saved their children’s stories during this escape. Told with words, illustrations, and photographs, this book is great for anyone who loves history, adventure, or Curious George. If you love Curious George as much as I do visit http://www.houghtonmifflinbooks.com/features/cgsite/ you’ll love this website.
921 Rey

Love to Langston by Tony Medina and illustrated by R. Gregory Christie

2008-10-02T10:54:00.003-04:00

Reviewed by Miss Dewey at Orenda

Four paw prints. James Langston Hughes was born on February 1, 1902 in Joplin, Missouri. As an African American living during the time of segregation, life wasn’t always easy for Langston. This book tells the story of Langston’s life through poems. You learn how Langston was made fun of by school teachers, how he didn’t get along with this father, traveled the world, and loved libraries. After the last poem, at the end of the book, all the poems are explained and you learn how the different poems show different times in Langston’s life. With bright pictures to go with short poems, Love to Langston is a wonderful way to introduce children to poems, especially one of America’s most famous poets. If you love this book as much as I do be sure to visit http://www.americaslibrary.gov/cgi-bin/page.cgi/aa/hughes to learn more about Langston Hughes.
811 Med

Fashion Kitty by Charise Mericle Harper

2008-09-29T17:51:00.003-04:00

Posted by Miss Dewey at Orenda

Four paw prints. KiKi Kittie is a typical girl. She lives with her parents and little sister, she goes to school everyday, and she has some close friends. The only unusual thing about KiKi and her family is the fact they are vegetarians and they have a pet mouse. KiKi’s favorite hobby is fashion (especially helping her little sister dress well) but she doesn’t always have the best fashion sense. Life is good until KiKi has a birthday. While blowing the candles out on the cake a book shelf above her brakes and all the magazines on the shelf fall on her head. KiKi is knocked out but when she wakes up she has become a fashion expert. She can make no fashion mistakes. (Oh, she can fly too but that’s not as exciting as knowing not to mix stripes with dots.) Now her goal in life is to secretly help fashion victims dress better while not allowing fashion bullies get their way in school. But the best part of the book is Fashion Kitty’s vocabulary. Fashion Kitty uses HUGE dictionary words. And don’t worry about not understanding the words. Fashion Kitty explains all the HUGE words she uses. It’s awesome. Of course you must visit the Fashion Kitty website…especially if you need fashion help. It’s at http://web.mac.com/chariseharper/Site/FASHION_KITTY_COMICS.html .
Fic Har

Hopeful Tails: Stories of Rescued Pets and Their Forever Families compiled by Shelley O'Hara

2008-09-28T22:30:00.004-04:00

Posted by Miss Dewey at Orenda

Five paw prints!!! Every year hundreds (unfortunately, it’s probably thousands) of animals are abused and neglected by people who shouldn’t be near animals. This book is full of stories of animals who are the lucky survivors of abuse and neglect. Of course, my favorite stories were about dogs who visit libraries to help children read. Many people think when they get a pet they want a puppy or kitten or they want a purebred. They think puppies and purebreds are the best. But they are wrong. Many times older and previously unloved animals have the most to give a family. You may wonder how I know this since I was a purebred dog who was brought home as a puppy. That’s easy. I’m the middle child of three. My older brother is a cat named Figgy who was adopted from a rescue group as an adult cat (my Mom, Mrs. Manore at Orenda, says Figgy is one of the best cats she’s ever know but I’m not always convinced) and my younger sister, Harmony, was so scared of other people and animals when she was brought home she wouldn’t even come near me. But Mom and Dad worked really hard with her and now she loves people. She even loves the new baby Mom brought home from the hospital over the summer. If you love animals you should read this book. If you REALLY love animals you should help as many animals as possible. You can do something little like donated food to an animal rescue group or you can do something big like adopted an animal who needs a home. Whatever you do there is an animal who loves you because you helped. If you would like to learn more about helping animals please visit http://www.aspca.org/site/PageServer?pagename=kids_home because the animal you help could be yours.
363 Hop

Sticky Burr: Adventures in Burrwood Forest by John Leckner

2008-09-28T13:49:00.003-04:00

Posted by Miss Dewey at Orenda

Four paw prints. Sticky Burr loves art, has lots of friends (who aren’t Burrs), and he likes to help others. Three wonderful qualities…unless you are another Burr. Most Burrs don’t like art and don’t like to help others. This becomes a problem for Sticky Burr when the Burr bullies try to get him kicked out of the Burr family. There is just one bigger problem. Sticky Burr is missing! Apparently Sticky Burr was out with some (non-Burr) friends, they were attacked by wasps, and when he tried to help his friends escape the wasps they all became lost in a huge tree. Poor Sticky Burr. Of course don’t forget to visit Sticky Burr at http://stickyburr.com/main.html and if you like this book, try visiting the author’s website at http://www.johnlechner.com/, not only does he create books but he creates movies too.
E Lec

Rapunzel's Revenge by Shannon and Dean Hale and illustrated by Nathan Hale (no relation)

2008-09-28T11:07:00.004-04:00

Posted by Miss Dewey at Orenda

Five paw prints! I know you think you know the story of Rapunzel. Her mother (really the evil witch) locks her in a tower, her hair grows long, the handsome prince rescues her, and they live happily ever after. Well, if this is the way you think the story ended you would be WRONG! Rapunzel didn’t need a prince to rescue her. She helped herself escape with her hair (of course), told the handsome prince where to go, and tries to find her real mother. Along the way she becomes friends with a boy named Jack, helps many people who were hurt by her “mother”, and she tries to find a way to have revenge on the “mother” who raised her. Not bad for an orphan with really long hair. If you like this book you are sure to like other books by this author and illustrator so visit http://www.squeetus.com/stage/main.html and http://www.spacestationnathan.com/ to learn more.
Fic Hal

An American Plague: The True and Terrifying Story of the Yellow Fever Epidemic of 1793 by Jim Murphy

2008-09-24T22:19:00.003-04:00

Posted by Miss Dewey at Orenda

Five paw prints! What happens when you get sick? You take medicine. What happens when you are very sick? You go to the doctor. Right? What if you became sick in 1793? Remember, in 1793 there were very few doctors and even less medicine. Well, if you were a member of the upper class community you would leave the city to live in the country to try to escape the sickness. You would probably live. If you were a member of the middle class community you would try to find a doctor who may be able to help you. But you may not be able to afford to pay the doctor. You might have a chance to live. If you were a member of the lower class community, well…just read the book, you’ll love it. Oh, don’t forget to visit the author’s website, http://www.jimmurphybooks.com/, to see his other great books.
614.5 Mur

Babymouse: Monster Mash by Jennifer L. Holm and Matthew Holm

2008-09-04T21:50:00.003-04:00

Reviewed by Miss Dewey at Orenda

Four paw prints. Her favorite colors are black, white, and orange. And, she’s back! Babymouse is getting ready to celebrate one of the best holidays of the school year. HALLOWEEN!! She and her friend Wilson are planning to be very scary and then host a party at Babymouse’s house. But too many people think they have been invited to the party. The ending could be anything but TYPICAL. Oh yea, pink is still her favorite color…but not at Halloween. And don’t forget to visit her website http://www.babymouse.com/ .
Fic Hol

Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boy by Gary D. Schmidt

2008-08-27T11:43:00.002-04:00

Reviewed by Miss Dewey at Orenda

Five paw prints. Have you ever had a best friend? I mean a REALLY good best friend? A friend who is willing to show you new wonders, will be your friend no matter what others say, and can still play a good game of baseball. Turner has such a friend and her name is Lizzie Bright. When Turner’s father, a minister, moves the family from Boston to a small town on the coast of Maine, Turner’s world is turned up-side-down. Turner has no friends, his father doesn’t have time for him, his father wants him to behave like a “proper” son of a minister, and his father doesn’t approve of baseball. Worse yet, the other boys don’t want to play baseball with Turner because he doesn’t know how to play “Maine” baseball. But his world changes for the better when he meets Lizzie Bright and he can be himself around her. Lizzie and her family live on Malaga Island but this is a HUGE problem. Malaga Island is the home for many poor families who are the descendents of former slaves. In Turner’s town “good” boys are not friends with children from Malaga Island. Town leaders tell his father Turner MUST NOT be friends with Lizzie Bright. So, here’s the problem. If Turner remains friends with Lizzie his father could loose his job. But if Turner denies his friendship then Lizzie’s life could be put in danger. To learn what life may have been like for Lizzie visit http://www.visibleblackhistory.com/19th_century.htm .
Fic Sch

Coraline by Neil Gaiman

2008-08-27T10:37:00.004-04:00

Reviewed by Miss Dewey at Orenda

Four paw prints. Summer is almost over, she lives in a new house, it rains everyday, and Coraline is bored. She’s stuck in the house and there are no kids to play with. Since it’s an old house her parents suggest she explore the different rooms and meet some of the other residents. Since the other residents are old (and in Coraline’s opinion—a little weird) she decides to explore. She explores every room except one. One door won’t open. When she can finally open the door she discovers a hallway to another house. It looks a little like her house, the neighbors look a little like her neighbors, and her “parents” look a little like her parents. But something is wrong. The adults are all acting strange and Coraline’s “mother” doesn’t want her to go back through the door. Coraline is scared but she doesn’t know who to trust. Maybe she should trust the talking (talking?) cat. Finally, there’s a rumor this story is going to be a movie in 2009. To learn about the movie or find other books by this author visit http://www.mousecircus.com/ .
Fic Gai

The Missing: Found by Margaret Peterson Haddix

2008-08-26T22:48:00.003-04:00

Reviewed by Miss Dewey at Orenda

Five paw prints. Thirteen year ago a mysterious plane appeared at an airport unexpectedly. The plane was filled with babies. There was no pilot, no stewardesses, NO ADULTS! Just babies. Thirteen year old Jonah has always known he was adopted and his younger sister wasn’t. But he’s fine with that. He’s not even all that interested in learning about his birth family. Jonah’s friend Chip is different. Chip is also adopted and he wants to know everything about his birth family. But when both boys receive a letter saying “You are one of the missing.” They know they are a part of something big. But why is the government trying to prevent them from learning the truth? To find more books by this author visit http://www.haddixbooks.com/home.html .
Fic Had

Knights of the Lunch Table: The Dodgeball Chronicles by Frank Cammuso

2008-08-24T14:05:00.003-04:00

Reviewed by Miss Dewey at Orenda

Five paw prints. So you like graphic novels, like Babymouse, but Babymouse has too much pink for you? Have you tried the new series Knights of the Lunch Table? In The Dodgeball Chronicles, the first book in this series, Artie has moved to a new school and he’s miserable. He has no friends, all the “cool” kids play dodgeball (he’s terrible at dodgeball), and he has quickly become a target of the school bullies. What’s a new kid to do? Well, he becomes friends with other outcasts, opens the hardest locker in school, and challenges the bullies to a “winner take all” game of dodgeball. This may not be Artie’s best week in school but it may be his last. To learn more about this book visit http://www.cammuso.com/ .
Fic Cam

Gods of Manhattan by Scott Mebus

2008-08-24T13:19:00.003-04:00

Reviewed by Miss Dewey at Orenda

Five paw prints! Have you ever seen a rat and a squirrel kung fu fight, a stone gargoyle eat a pigeon, or talked to a cockroach? No? Well, Rory Hennessy has and he wished he hadn’t. Rory lives in New York City and he has a gift and a curse. Rory can see Mannahatta a city that exists in and around New York City. The residents of Mannahatta are former New York City residents (real New York State historical figures for anyone who likes American history) who were so famous in life that when they died they became Gods in Mannahatta. But there is a problem in Mannahatta. Gods don’t die but someone has created a knife that can kill gods and he wants to take over Mannahatta. Rory has the power to help the residents of Mannahatta but he doesn’t know who to trust. If you love fantasy or historical fiction you should love this book. Luckily this is the first book in a new series and if you want to learn more then you will have to visit http://www.godsofmanhattan.com/ .
Fic Meb

The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate DiCamillo and illustrated by Bagram Ibatoulline

2008-08-24T11:43:00.003-04:00

Reviewed by Miss Dewey at Orenda

Five paw prints. Edward is a bunny. More specifically, he is a toy bunny and he is the much loved toy of a little girl. He is handsome, wears the most beautiful clothes, and he thinks he is the best toy anyone could ever own. Edward thinks he is perfect. The result…Edward is not very nice to other toys. But one day Edward is lost and the little girl is no longer able to protect him. Next is a series of adventures that Edward must go on to find his way back to the little girl. As Edward becomes older he is loved, hated, broken, and repaired, and he learns how to love others. This modern day retelling of the Velveteen Rabbit to wonderful for older students to read alone and it is perfect for families to read together. To learn more about this book visit http://www.edwardtulane.com/ or to find other great books by this author visit http://www.katedicamillo.com/ .

Fic DiC

When Pigasso met Mootisse by Nina Laden

2008-08-18T21:33:00.003-04:00

Reviewed by Miss Dewey at Orenda

Boys and girls, do you enjoy drawing? Have you ever heard of the famous artists, Picasso and Matisse? As talented as each artist was, jealousy over the other’s accomplishments destroyed their friendship for many years. With time, they learned to respect each other’s artistic gifts, and their rivalry turned to friendship and support. Pigasso and Mootisse are just the same. When they were rivals, Mootisse called Pigasso an “Art Hog”, and Pigasso said that Mootisse’s paintings looked like “color-by-numbers”. But they, too, learned to get along. That’s what growing up is all about. Miss Dewey thinks you’ll enjoy reading When Pigasso met Mootisse. You’ll learn about famous artists, you’ll feel better about treating others with respect…and you’ll laugh at the silly exploits of this pig and this moose. This is a colorful, fun story with a lesson. Miss Dewey easily awards it 5 paw prints.
Nina Laden has written other books you may enjoy as much as When Pigasso met Mootisse. You can find them on her website: http://www.ninaladen.com/

Colonial Voices Hear Them Speak by Kay Winters and illustrated by Larry Day

2008-08-18T11:28:00.004-04:00

Reviewed by Miss Dewey at Orenda

Five paw prints. This is one of Miss Dewey's favorite books. First, it describes the happenings in Boston just before the American Revolution, from the viewpoint of a young messenger. Second, we find out what kinds of jobs helped Bostonians make a living in those times. Third, and most important, the author explains to us that there were honorable people supporting the sides of both the Patriots and the British. Miss Dewey thinks Colonial Voices is especially helpful because it talks about personal feelings that history books leave out. Third and fourth graders, you'll enjoy this story of early America, and by the time you finish the book you'll feel that you, too, like our young messenger, Ethan, have spent a day amid the excitement and turmoil of revolutionary Boston. This book gets a big, "Paws Up!" from Miss Dewey.
If you want to learn more about how colonists were affected by the American Revolution, there is a book list for you at: www.royalprovincial.com/etc/read/children.htm

973.3 Win

Now & Ben: The Modern Inventions of Benjamin Franklin by Gene Baretta

2008-08-18T11:05:00.004-04:00

Reviewed by Miss Dewey at Orenda

Five paw prints! Miss Dewey just loves this book! After reading Now & Ben, Benjamin Franklin has become her hero. With one side of an open page showing Franklin's invention or achievement, and the other side showing how we use each of them today, Gene Barretta has created a most effective way of illustrating Mr. Franklin's many accomplishments. Everyone will smile when they see how Mr. Barretta pictures Ben Franklin as a lovable genius. Moms and Dads, this is a perfect story for introducing your children to important people who have influenced the way we live today. There is little doubt that, because of the method used in presenting Benjamin Franklin, the information found in Now & Ben will be remembered and respected by the young reader. "Paws Up" to Gene Barretta for creating this book, and bigger "Paws Up" in recognition of an American hero, Benjamin Franklin. After reading Now & Ben, boys and girls will enjoy spending time at Gene Barretta's web site: http://genebarretta.com/.

609 Bar

Amulet by Kazu Kibuishi

2008-08-14T21:02:00.003-04:00

Reviewed by Miss Dewey at Orenda

Four paw prints. Miss Dewey wants you to know, up front, that you won't get a conclusion to the story by reading this book. It's only Book One: The Stonekeeper. The amulet is a stone with magical powers, and is the only weapon young Em is given in order to retrieve her captured mother. Amulet is a graphic novel with dark, dark artwork and enough scary creatures to keep Miss Dewey, and most older readers at the edge of their seats. If you're the type of reader who enjoys thriller chiller stories...and cute pink rabbits...Amulet won't disappoint. If, like Miss Dewey, you prefer American Girl adventures, this may not be the book for you.
For any student who loves to read graphic novels, or comic books, the web site, Kids Love Comics! may offer more suggestions for rainy-day enjoyment. You can find it at: http://www.kidslovecomics.com/

Fic Kib

Dog and Bear: Two Friends. Three Stories by Laura Vaccaro Seeger

2008-07-07T10:42:00.003-04:00

Reviewed by Miss Dewey at Orenda

Five paw prints. Bear is lucky to have a friend like Dog, whose friskiness can make him smile. Dog is lucky to have a friend like Bear, who is always ready to play. Sometimes you can have a best friend who is braver or more timid than you. Miss Dewey is happy for best friends, and she is really happy when friends can read all the words in this book. That is why she gives a big, “paws up”, for Dog and Bear. She only wishes she had a teddy bear friend as colorful as Bear. To learn more about the author and illustrator visit http://www.studiolvs.com/website_root/StudioLVS_Home/Home.html
E See

Dogku by Andrew Clements and illustrated by Tim Bowers

2008-07-06T20:55:00.013-04:00

Reviewed by Miss Dewey at Orenda

Duh…five paw prints
Everyone should have a dog
Wow…what a great picture book about a rescued dog
Everyone should read a book told in haiku
You can visit http://www.andrewclements.com/
or http://www.timbowers.com/ to learn more

811 Cle

The Little Engine That Could by Watty Piper and Illustrated by Loren Long

2008-06-27T19:16:00.003-04:00

Reviewed by Miss Dewey at Orenda

FOUR paw prints. I like books that have really nice stories. I like books that have pretty pictures in them too. But the books that I like best are the ones that have both! The Little Engine That Could is a book like that. As the story of the determined train is told, Loren Long makes it come alive with his beautiful artwork. The giraffes and elephant and toy soldier are drawn with both whimsy and substance. The details in the artwork are extraordinary, like the floppy little hat that the clown wears. It almost seems like you can touch the puffs of steam coming from the train’s smokestacks. The only thing that could have been better would have been more pictures of puppies but I’m a little biased. This is a great book for preschoolers and early elementary school students. It also makes a lovely addition to the collections of those who were fans of the original story. To learn more about the illustrator visit http://www.lorenlong.com/.

Once I Ate a Pie by Patricia MacLachlan and Emily MacLachlan Charest and Illustrated by Katy Schneider

2008-06-17T20:36:00.009-04:00

Reviewed by Miss Dewey at Orenda

FIVE paw prints. This book is wonderful. Never have I read such a good book that knows what dogs are really thinking. This book describes the world around us from the point of view of 13 dogs. You can learn why Mr. Beefy loves pies, Lucy loves her pillow, and why Pocket is huge. But my favorite poem is Three because it’s about whippets. I don’t care what you say…it’s NOT about greyhounds. It’s about WHIPPETS! So why would I recommend this book? Not only is it a book about dogs, but you learn about the dogs through individual poems. It’s a good way for families to introduce poetry to younger students because each poem is told as an individual story. It’s also good for older students, especially students reluctant to read poetry, because many students love dogs and these poems are very easy to interpret and understand. The pictures are nice too. They are clear enough to recognize while being grainy enough to leave some of the poem to your imagination.
811 Mac

Babymouse (series) by Jennifer L. Holm and Matthew Holm

2008-06-10T20:18:00.006-04:00

Reviewed by Miss Dewey at Orenda

FOUR paw prints. Let’s get one thing straight…I LOVE BABYMOUSE! She’s fun, she’s sassy, she’s willing to try (and sometimes fail) new things, she’s imaginative, and she wants a dog. In the first eight books she has been a hero in gym class, learned a new instrument, learned how to ice-skate, and attended a school dance. All this while trying to survive school with her friends and trying to avoid the school bully. These books are graphic novels and only three colors are used in every book, black, white, and pink. Pink is Babymouse’s favorite color. I realize not all kids like to read so Babymouse is perfect because there are very few words. But you must read the words to understand the pictures and you must look at the pictures to understand the words. Graphic novels can be kinda tricky that way. Well, if you decide you like Babymouse as much as I do, don’t forget to visit her website. It can be found at www.randomhouse.com/kids/babymouse/homepage.htm.

Fic Hol

Fireboat: The Heroic Adventures of the John J. Harvey by Maria Kalman

2008-06-10T19:30:00.006-04:00

Reviewed by Miss Dewey at Orenda

FOUR paw prints. In 1931, New York City was growing and needed more and more fireboats to help put out fires from the river. The most famous of these fireboats was the John J. Harvey fireboat which was named after a famous New York City firefighter. The John J. Harvey was used for years and years but by 1995 it was no longer needed and it was left to rust. A group of friends, who just happened to like boats, decided to buy the Harvey to fix her up and give rides, but no one thought to check to see if the fire hoses still worked because no one needed them. But on September 11, 2001 everything changed. There was a huge fire near the river in New York City and the friends who owned the Harvey were asked to make the fire hoses work. They did and the friends of the Harvey and the Harvey itself became heroes. So why include this book for elementary students? Many elementary students were babies or weren’t even born when these events happened. This book is a good introduction to the events of that day without getting into the politics over why it happened.

974.7 Kal

I Love My New Toy by Mo Willems

2008-06-09T22:32:00.007-04:00

Reviewed by Miss Dewey at Orenda

FOUR paw prints. Have you ever had a new toy that you loved so much you wanted to show it to everyone you saw? And, has someone accidentally broken the new toy? (Or in my case, my little sister Harmony broke the squeaker in the new chew toy.) Well, then you should read I Love My New Toy, one of the two new Elephant and Piggy books that just came out in May. In this Elephant and Piggy book Piggy has received a new toy and she wants to share it with Gerald (Elephant) but he breaks it. He doesn’t do it on purpose but it still happened. Piggy, of course, is very upset and she doesn’t know what to do. Will Piggy ever forgive Gerald and be his friend again? I really love this book. The pictures are simple but the expressions are detailed enough that you can understand the story even when there are very few words on a page. And about the words…all the characters speak in speech bubbles. Not only do they speak in speech bubbles but the bubbles are the same color as the characters that are talking. This is very helpful for younger students who are learning to read independently and may have a hard time recognizing different speaking characters. Best of all, if you like Pigeon, he is usually hiding someplace in the book. You may be wondering why I only gave this book 4 paw prints. Well, I like My Friend is Sad better and I compare all Elephant and Piggy books to this earlier title. If you want to learn more about My Friend is Sad, I Will surprise My Friend (the other new Elephant and Piggy book), or any other book by Mo Willems then I would recommend visiting http://www.mowillems.com/.
E Wil

Dark Day in the Deep Sea by Mary Pope Osborne

2008-06-02T19:53:00.007-04:00

Reviewed by Miss Dewey at Orenda

THREE paw prints. I must admit I usually love any Magic Tree House book so I was really looking forward to #39. In this new adventure, Jack and Annie land on an island during the 1870s. While on the island they meet some sailors who are traveling the world to study the ocean and the creatures who live in the ocean. In the process Jack and Annie try to teach the sailors how to learn from ocean creatures without hurting them. As I said earlier I love the Magic Tree House series but unfortunately I didn’t think this particular book was very good. It felt like there wasn’t enough information. I think I wanted to learn more about life as a scientist/sailor on the ship. Of course, this doesn’t mean I won’t read any new Magic Tree House books in the future and I would like to see the Magic Tree House show coming to Proctors Theater next year. You can learn more about the show by visiting www.proctors.org/events/2305. But in the mean time I will have to content myself with the Magic Tree House website at www.randomhouse.com/kids/magictreehouse. I highly recommend the website (5 paw prints)…it’s lots of fun.

E Osb

The Pigeon Wants a Puppy! by Mo Willems

2008-06-02T19:05:00.006-04:00

Reviewed by Miss Dewey at Orenda

FIVE paw prints. In the past Pigeon has wanted to drive a bus, eat a hot dog by himself, and stay up late. Now Pigeon has created a new list of all the things he wants and coming in at #30 is Pigeon’s wish for a puppy. Pigeon promises to take good care of a puppy. He would water the puppy once a month and give it plenty of sunshine. Pigeon especially wants a puppy for piggyback rides and as a partner to play tennis. But is a puppy really the best pet for Pigeon. I loved this book. The pictures have lots of details without being busy. There are not many words on the pages so a student who needs help with reading won’t be overwhelmed yet there are enough “big words” to challenge stronger readers. Finally, Pigeon wants a puppy! How can anyone dislike a book with a puppy? Now in case you want more PIGEON you can visit his website at http://www.pigeonpresents.com/.
E Wil

Shen Kids Read!

2008-05-20T15:12:00.007-04:00

Your Orenda Elementary School library teacher (Mrs. Manore) and her library mascot (Miss Dewey) want to share good books with you! Take a look at what we are reading and often adding to the shelves of YOUR school library! If you would like, post a comment, but remember to use only your first name and last initial and the name of your school in order to keep safe on the web. Enjoy your summer reading.