Category: Five Star Kids

THROW BACK: The Candymakers by Wendy Mass

THROW BACK: The Candymakers by Wendy Mass

Posted on by Jaymie

This review was originally posted on my Bring on the Books blog on March 11, 2011. I wasn’t a school librarian yet when I wrote this, but I was running a creative writing club for elementary school students, two different age groups, at the time. This book became the gold standard of middle grade fiction for me. The STRUCTURE of the story is brilliant, with each of the four main characters telling their version of the A section of the story, one after the other. Each new walk through the material gives the reader new information and insights about the characters and the story. Then, the focal point character comes in and tells the B section of the story to wrap everything up. It’s truly brilliant!

Summary

Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a battle you know nothing about.

Four children gather at the Life is Sweet candy factory to prepare for the Annual New Candy Contest. They will spend two days together, learning about candy making and developing their own candy for the contest. Each one has a story – a “secret” – a “battle.” But if they can learn to trust each other, they can make something amazing happen.

 

Review

Outstanding! Fantastic! In a lesson for my writing students about good story beginnings, I read the first paragraph or two of eight different children’s books. This is the book that 21 out of my 22 students in one class said I should read first. They couldn’t have chosen better. Great twists and turns. Amazing connections between the kids that come out little by little. The author starts with Logan’s story and then layers each of the others over that before putting everything together to wrap up the overall story arc.  I cannot say enough about how much I enjoyed this book. And I raved about it to both of my groups of students. I returned the library’s copy as soon as I finished with it and ran out to buy my own copy. Now I can read it again, read it to my son, and share it with more students in the years to come.

5 out of 5 stars

Recommended for: children 8 and up, writing teachers, classroom teachers, summer reading for families

THROW BACK: Goldlilocks and Just One Bear by Leigh Hodgkinson

THROW BACK: Goldlilocks and Just One Bear by Leigh Hodgkinson

Posted on by Jaymie

This review was originally posted on my Bring on the Books blog on November 16, 2012. And I was right – this was a fantastic read aloud for the library. I developed a lesson series for the end of the school year based on fractured fairy tales and this was one of the books I used in that curriculum.

Summary and Review

A bear gets lost and wanders into the big city. Looking for a quiet place to rest and regroup, he wanders into a penthouse where he looks for some “just right” porridge, a “just right” chair and a “just right” spot to nap. When the family comes home, the bear and the mom recognize one another from a long ago adventure when the roles were reversed.

Such a cute twist on the classic Goldilocks story. I can’t wait to read this one to my students. It is a treat! I’m thinking about pairing it with Children Make Terrible Pets or Goldilocks and the Three Dinosaurs for reading time in the library.

5 out of 5 stars

REVIEW: I Am Batman by Brad Meltzer

REVIEW: I Am Batman by Brad Meltzer

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary and Review

From the folks who created the delightful Ordinary People Change the World series comes a new series called Stories Change the World. I Am Batman and I Am Superman kicked off the series last year, and this week I Am Wonder Woman released.

The book tells the story of young Bruce Wayne and his journey to becoming Batman. There are references to some of Batman’s most famous associates – Alfred, Robin, Batgirl (Brad Meltzer – I NEED a Batgirl book!!), and Commissioner Gordon.  We also get to see some of his most recognizable foes – Riddler, Penguin, Poison Ivy, Mr. Freeze, and the Joker.

And through it all, the book focuses on Bruce’s character – just like the Ordinary People books do. This is everything I have come to love and appreciate about the original series, but with a shift from biographies of famous people to an exploration of a fictional character. I cannot wait to see what other stories this series explores. (Maybe, like the Who HQ, these will explore the Star Trek universe!)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥♥ = Outstanding!

 

REVIEW: What Is the Story of Captain Picard? by David Stabler

REVIEW: What Is the Story of Captain Picard? by David Stabler

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

The Who HQ line of nonfiction books for kids adds the story of Jean Luc Picard to their line which also includes What Is the Story of Captain Kirk? This book includes some basic Trek history – from the timeline for TOS (The Original Series) to side bars about Rodenberry, Trek captains, and Picard’s hobbies – as well as background on the actor who plays Captain Picard, Sir Patrick Stewart. Then Picard’s story is told in highlights from key Next Generation (TNG) episodes.

Review

This is really well done! The author does a great job of synthesizing 7 seasons worth of TNG episodes to build a cohesive biography for Picard. A biography for a fictional character! Something not easy to pull off.

There’s no info dump here – nothing bogs the reader down. Tidbits of info are offered (with some spoilers) while the author moves quickly through highlights of Picard’s journey. (Although I did take issue with one instance where the author’s summary of the captain’s motives in a situation didn’t match the episode in my opinion). The book is current through initial planning and discussions of Picard season two.

I’m impressed by how deftly the author moves between reality – box office numbers, series actors, the larger Trek universe – and fiction with the life of Picard and to a lesser extent that of some of his friends. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this and highly recommend it for Star Trek fans and newbies alike.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥♥ = Outstanding!

REVIEW: Daisy Woodworm Changes the World by Melissa Hart

REVIEW: Daisy Woodworm Changes the World by Melissa Hart

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received a free electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and North Star Editions in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary

Daisy is a semester away from the shift to high school and the ground beneath her feet has never felt less stable. Her parents have launched a dog poop business, trying to stay afloat after her mom was laid off. And as her parents use every spare moment to secure their own footing, Daisy has to step up at home, including helping her older brother, “Squirrel,” who has Down syndrome.

When Squirrel endures several crushing disappointments in a row, Daisy decides she’s going to help him achieve his dream – to be a YouTube celebrity. Even though her parents have forbidden him from all social media after the #EligibleBachelor incident.

Review

This was quietly amazing. I was hooked by the characters early on, but was starting to feel the stress of the impending doom. You know it’s all going to explode at some point. One minute I was braced for disaster and ready to skim ahead. The next I was wiping away tears, and reading every word. This is SO GOOD.

Like most of my favorite middle grade and older middle grade books (this one is for readers 10-14), this has an excellent teacher at the edges of the story, encouraging and cheering on his students.

If you can work around a few uses of the word “ass” in the text, this would be an excellent class read aloud – or a family/bedtime read aloud. I could also see this being a fantastic book club selection for upper elementary or middle school students.

If you love books with great characters, personal and family growth, and a triumphant ending, don’t miss Daisy’s story! (Includes some examples of online trolls/bullying)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥♥ = Outstanding!

REVIEW: Spellbound by Jess Townes

REVIEW: Spellbound by Jess Townes

Posted on by Jaymie

[The book originally scheduled for review today was NOT a good fit for me, so instead I’m going to share a brief review of a picture book I read in the bookstore earlier this summer.]

Summary and Review

A little girl starts to suspect her new baby brother is a wizard because he enchants everyone he meets, interrupting her own magical little world.

This was OUTSTANDING! I was, of course, immediately drawn in by the purple cover with the darling illustration. But the set up of the magical story, where a charming little girl “enchants” her entire family only to be overthrown when a new baby joins the family, is an absolute delight! It’s clever and sweet.

This would make a lovely gift for a family expecting a second child, or for a story time with children who can identify with how a new baby changes family dynamics. Pair this with The New Small Person, which is another new sibling picture book I loved.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥♥ = Outstanding!

REVIEW: Max and the Midknights: The Tower of Time by Lincoln Peirce

REVIEW: Max and the Midknights: The Tower of Time by Lincoln Peirce

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

As Max longs for answers about her twin, she turns to Mumblin the Magician for help going back in time. But he tells her there’s no spell for that. So the kids head out to find answers for themselves.

Review

This was so fun! It’s a great story – meaty, and it didn’t feel like it was over too soon. It was fun to spend time with Max and her friends once again.

References to the earlier books – Max and the Midknights, and Max and the Midknights: Battle of the Bodkins (♥♥♥½) – reward series readers, but newcomers would probably be all right starting here. The story definitely makes more sense, though, with the context of the earlier books. This is a series I have really enjoyed and look forward to – I think kids will love it!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥♥ = Outstanding!

REVIEW: Off-Limits by Helen Yoon

REVIEW: Off-Limits by Helen Yoon

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary and Review

Dad takes a work break and his daughter slips in to his office to explore.

This is one of the most delightful picture books I have read in awhile!

First there’s the joy of office supplies. That alone caused me to buy the book after reading only the first few pages. Then there’s the art – the portrayal of the child’s glee and the way she plays with everything from tape to binder clips to post-its is fantastic!

And then there’s the surprise ending. Absolutely outstanding! Don’t miss this one!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥♥ = Outstanding!

No REVIEW Today

No REVIEW Today

Posted on by Jaymie

The book I was going to review today was a total bust for me, so I don’t have something new to post.

But in preparation for Friday’s review of Gina and the Big Secret, here’s a link to the first book in this new story arc for the delightful Hilo graphic novel series for kids, Gina: The Girl Who Broke the World.