Mandymarie Tomes 2014

I'm scaling back my goal this year - it's 100 books.

My previous challenges:
2013 - http://www.librarything.com/topic/147809
2012 - http://www.librarything.com/topic/138476

January Statistics
Books Read - 3
Books Towards Goal - 3/100
Percentage - 3%

February Statistics
Books Read - 8
Books Towards Goal - 8/100
Percentage - 8%

June Statistics
Books Read - 9
Books Towards Goal - 20/100
Percentage - 20%

July Statistics
Books Read - 1
Books Towards Goal - 21/100
Percentage - 21%

October Statistics
Books Read - 15
Books Towards Goal - 36/100
Percentage - 36%

November Statistics
Books Read -
Books Towards Goal - /100
Percentage - %

1. Howard, Ryan - Punch and Judy in 19th Century America
2. Fitzhugh, Louise - Harriet the Spy
3. Erickson, John R. - Secret Laundry Monster Files
4. Moreno, Megan A. - Sex, Drugs 'n Facebook
5. Garcia, Kami and Stohl, Margaret - Beautiful Creatures
6. Novak, Ryan J. - Teaching Graphic Novels in the Classroom
7. Carson, Ben, M.D. - Gifted Hands: the Ben Carson Story
8. Roth, Sarra J. - Not the Quitting Kind
9. Roth, Veronica - Divergent
10. Danielian, Jeff - Best Young Adult Books Contest
11. Curtis, Christopher Paul - Mighty Miss Malone
12. Lansky, Bruce - Early Birdy Gets the Worm
13. Nelson, Kadir - Nelson Mandela
14. Grine, Chris - ChickenHare
15. Lloyd, Natalie - Snicker of Magic
16. Hopkinson, Deborah - Great Trouble
17. Henkes, Kevin - Year of Billy Miller
18. Harper, Charise - Bean Dog and Nugget
19. Gantos, Jack - Dead End in Norvelt
20. Black, Holly - Doll Bones
21. Hopkins, Lee Bennett - Manger
22. Harrington, K.A. - Forget Me
23. Walsh, Liza Gardner - Treasure Hunter's Handbook
24. Hurst, Ellen Burns and Hurst, Michael Richard - Why Can't My Son Read?
25. Delisle, James - Dumbing Down America
26. Holt, K.A. - Rhyme Schemer
27. Nichols, Mary - Scandal at Greystone Manor
28. Mass, Wendy - Space Taxi: Water Planet Rescue
29. Camper, Cathy - Lowriders in Space
30. Daywall, Drew - Day the Crayons Quit
31. Emberley, Rebecca - There Was An Old Monster
32. Leuck, Laura - My Monster Mommy Loves Me
33. Kohara, Kazuno - Ghosts in the House
34. Barrett, Mac - Chloe and the Lion
35. Sendak, Maurice - Where the Wild Things Are
36. Plumley, Lisa - Notorious in the West
37. Norwich, Grace - I Am LeBron James
38. Sloate, Susan - Pardon That Turkey
39. Arnosky, Jim - All About Turkeys
40. Bruchac, Joseph - Squanto's Journey
41. Hennessy, B.G. - One Little, Two Little, Three Little Pilgrims
42. Pilkey, Dav - Twas the Night Before Thanksgiving
43. Waters, Kate - Samuel Eaton's Day
44. Waters, Kate - On the Mayflower

45. to 74. - various student books for school

75. Brown, Jennifer - Life on Mars
76. Perkins, Maripat - Rodeo Red
77.

Yes, you are back for 2014! Happy reading.

Hurray, welcome back! :) Good luck!

Happy New Year mandy and good luck with your challenge.

Welcome back and good luck with your new goal!

Thanks everyone for the welcome back!

I'm off to the start by FINALLY finishing one of my Early Review book.

1. Howard, Ryan - Punch and Judy in 19th Century America - 4 Stars



Punch and Judy are iconic puppets. I have to admit I have always been curious about Punch and his play. You always see it off to the side in Victorian set films, and the people always seem like they are having a good laugh. This book is basically a repository all all the information author Ryan Howard has been able to find pertaining to Mr. Punch and friends. The book is divided into three parts: history of the art, biographical dictionary of the performers, and appendix with articles and scripts. I found the book to be thorough, informative, and fascinating. There is so much information that I could only read it in bits and pieces for there was so much to absorb. My only criticism would perhaps be that there could be more photographs. When reading the biographical section, I think it would have been particularly helpful, but perhaps they don't exist. Also, the focus of the book seemed more inclusive than just 19th Century America. It covered other centuries and frequently of Punch in Europe. I think a different title would be useful.

Well, that looks like a promising start for 2014. Hope the next ones are just as great!

Thanks MissWatson!

That sounds like a good start of your challenge, Mandymarie. And I think you may be right about photograps not existing. There weren't that many camera's around in that time, I imagine.

2. Fitzhugh, Louise - Harriet the Spy - 2 Stars



Harriet likes to be a spy. She writes everything down in her notebook. One day her notebook gets stolen and all her secrets are revealed. I just could not understand why this book is so beloved. I found Harriet, and frankly almost all of the characters, to be horrible. Harriet's nurse Ole Golly was o.k., but everyone else seemed quite wretched. I didn't like the illustrations either. The simplistic pencil drawings were almost scary. It happened to be pretty well written, otherwise I would have given it less stars. A dreadful, and confusingly beloved, classic.

3. Erickson, John R. - Hank the Cowdog 39 Secret Laundry Monster Files - 4 Stars



Hank and his buddy Drover are watchdogs at the ranch where they live. They are always solving mysteries. In this case, there is possibly a ghost on the ranch. I won't give the answer, but the suspects are a cat and a raccoon. Fun, cute mystery book for kids about age 8 - 10.

Mandy - I grew up reading Hank the Cowdog books (and having them read to me - my Dad does the best voices) and I still love them. It's so rare for me to find anyone else that's read them, though! I'm glad you enjoyed it...

Hmm...makes me want to go read Harriet, and see what I think of her. You make a good point; I've always just assumed the book is wonderful because people say it's a great children's book.

And Hank is really cool. :)

4. Moreno, Megan A. - Sex, Drugs 'n Facebook - 4 Stars - Early Reviewer



Social Media is a major part of every teen's life, and parents often find themselves struggling to help and protect their children. From dodging predators to thinking about a teen's digital footprint, this book is a great first step in learning everything a parent might need to navigate the confusion world of teen social media. 'Sex, Drugs 'n Facebook' addresses many of the concerns that arise online: Internet safety, bullying, predators, digital footprints, digital anxiety, sights they shouldn't see, too much Internet, and many more helpful areas. Megan Moreno explains the basics in a clear, concise way with examples for how to practice safe Internet procedures and how to talk to your children about online issues. I would have given it five stars if the author hadn't praised a website I don't support, otherwise it was a good guide

5. Garcia, Kani and Stohl, Margaret - Beautiful Creatures - 2 Stars - Discard



Ethan Wate thinks nothing happens in his small southern town of Gatlin. That all changes when Lena Duchannes comes to town. They have an immediate connection and things start happening in town. His new girlfriend and her family has a major secret: they are Castors, basically witches. But being a Castor isn't all glamour. On a person's sixteenth birthday, they will either be claimed for the dark or the light (claimed by evil or good). As Lena's sixteenth birthday approaches, chaos engulfs the town and Ethan's world will never be the same.

This book is basically Gothic novel light. Teens seem to love it, but I found it frustrating. I found myself just wishing the book was over. I wasn't drawn to any of the characters and felt like the authors just created a caricature of the South. It was a simpering, whiny book. There are so many good books out there I hate that the youth are wasting time on this forgettable derivative book.

6. Novak, Ryan J. - Teaching Graphic Novels in the Classroom - 4 Stars - Early Reviewer



Graphic novels have exploded in popularity about a decade ago. To help integrate this beloved genre in the classroom, Ryan J. Novak has created a good how-to for doing this. Novak breaks down the book into chapters based on genre. He gives a basic background for the genre and then focuses on a particular book that exemplifies that genre. Within each of these chapters, he also highlights the giants of that genre. Luckily for teachers, Novak also includes reflection questions, essay topics, and a great primer on how to help students create their own graphic novels. While this book is catered mostly to teachers in high school, the lessons could be adapted for use in middle school.

7. Carson, Ben, M.D. - Gifted Hands: the Ben Carson Story - 4 Stars



Dr. Ben Carson blew into the scene with a controversial remark during a Barack Obama event. Carson pulled himself up by his bootstraps from a life with a single mom in Detroit to become a world renowned neurosurgeon through hard work and drive. I found his story inspiring and interesting to read about someone in the news whose life I found interesting. He did have a bit of the that surgeon swagger, ie. 'I'm the best', but that's to be expected. I also found it a bit difficult to read the case studies he wrote about because while he wrote in a fairly good layman's English, I still had a little trouble following the surgeries. I also find it quite difficult to read medical books, having too much personal experience, but it was still an interesting read.

8. Roth, Sarra J. - Not the Quitting Kind - 4 Stars - Uncorrected Proof



Story in rhyme of a girl who can't find what she is good at. First she tries bike riding, then ballet, then kung-fu and does not seem good at anything! Luckily, her mom, like all great moms, had some great advice. She shared the timeless lessons of patience, practice, and perseverance. Finally, the girl tries painting. At first, she is unhappy with her work. Then she remembers her mother's words. After taking the time to learn and practice, her work improves.

Tracy Bishop's realistic illustrations are perfect for the story. The girl is adorable, and the mood is perfect for the lesson. My favorite illustration is when the girl's mom teaches her about practice when they are at the park. The mom's position, especially how she holds her glasses, seems perfect and timeless. This illustration definitely exudes the most life.

Learning about patience, practice, and perseverance in this fast-paced world is a difficult - yet extremely important lesson. One children today need very much. This cute picture book is a fun way to teach this important concept to kids. Definitely a fun book worth having.

9. Roth, Veronica - Divergent - 3 Stars



I finally broke down and read Divergent. It was decent, but not great. I can't quite understand why the Dystopian books are such a hit with the teenagers. I often feel like because they have little responsibility and little real hardship, that they are drawn to worlds where there are real consequences and real problems.

This world is divided into factions. When you are of age, you are tested and put into a factions. They are based and skill and heredity. But some people are Divergent: meaning they have skills belonging to multiple factions. They are a threat because they can't be controlled. I won't go into depth about the plot since it's easily found. The plot was intriguing, but it felt forced to me. There were also huge chunks of text I felt was unnecessary. I'm curious if the filmmakers focused mainly on the action sections of the book. It seemed like much of the book is internalized thoughts, which sometimes doesn't translate well to film.

My biggest complaint was who the "bad guy" was. It was Erudite faction - the educated ones. Knowledge is heavily ridiculed these days. Technology is not, but actual facts are. Ask kids what job they'd like and more than likely it's a singer, model, actor, sports star, or other celebrity. I know there is a huge push for science and technology in schools, but there also needs to a push for knowledge of all kinds. If we just teach people to "Google It", how will they know if the information is correct? I fear we are digressing back to the Dark Ages in which knowledge will be held in the hands of only a few and the masses will be subjugated to them.

Thanks for the review! I had been wondering about the hype myself and this tells me I needn't bother with the book.

That's an interesting and important thought, about information. Gives me something to chew on mentally as I read my current book, which is about the history of libraries (and a lot of knowledge).

When I ask my young students what they want to be when they grow up, they almost always want to be a doctor, a lawyer or an accountant. Anything that will make them rich!

Interesting review. I read a sampler text of Divergent (first few chapters I think) and thought it seemed pretty interesting, I might give it a try although I don't usually go for dystopian stories.

10. Danielian, Jeff - Best Young Adult Books Contest - 4 Stars - Early Reviewer



Book Contests are a fun classroom activity. This book has everything in it you would want to hold a book contest of your own. The book contains many activities, with complimentary listing of Common Core Standards. The activities all lead up to a Book Awards show which the students are to perform in. Complimentary activities help students nominate and whittle down choices for book awards winners. I think this would definitely be useful in a classroom or library setting.

Hi Mandymarie! Book number 10, good job. Do you think you will meet your challenge this year?

Goodness, I hope so! It all depends on if I include the books I have to read for work. I still haven't decided since the point of this is to go through my books and weed out the duds to try to get more room in my house.

11. Curtis, Christopher Paul - Mighty Miss Malone - 3 Stars



Deza Malone is an African-American girl growing up during the Great Depression. Although very smart, she encounters poverty, injury to her family, losing her home, racism, and other trauma.

I found this an interesting look into African-American experience during the Great Depression. Many of her experience such as poverty and living in hobo city were interesting and expected for a book written about someone living during this time period, but some plot elements were quite unexpected. I had not expected so much racism from such a northern state as Michigan. I also was surprised at how integral the Joe Lewis - Max Schmeling fight was. This could be a fun break off topic if teaching this novel in school.

I just bought this book. I look quite forward to reading it now. Thanks!

12. Lansky, Bruce - Early Birdy Gets the Worm - 4 Stars - Early Reviewer



Wordless picture books are a fun concept. I thinks they are important literacy tool. Without words, the reader is not entirely constricted to what appears on the page. This gives readers the opportunity to elaborate and create their own tale. This book, featuring adorable pictures by Bill Bolton, basically is the story of how a baby worm gets a worm, but beyond that, who knows what it could be? The story is limited only by the reader's imagination.

While this book would never be read in my library because there is no way to create an accelerated reader test from a wordless book, I think this is a wonderful book that can aid in literacy and build a child's imagination.

13. Nelson, Kadir - Nelson Mandela - 4 Stars - Camp Read A Lot



Kadir Nelson's books are amazing, and this biography of Nelson Mandela certainly didn't disappoint. His paintings are amazing, and he has such a beautiful way of telling biographies. Every book he creates is amazing. This is a great addition to his cannon. I thought it was a great introduction into the life of Mandela. While not completely balanced, it is a good start.

While generally well reviewed, I do wish it explained what Aparteid was. One of the problems that happens when writing about a topic occurring during your lifetime is assuming the reader knows what you are talking about. While you probably shouldn't be extremely specific in a picture book, I wish a bit more explanation was included. I also wish the author would have created a pronunciation guide for a few of the words listed in the book such as Amandia and Ngawethu.

From a little research they are Zulu and part of chanting used during Aparteid. I had thought these were Kadir Nelson's choice of words, but it was Nelson Mandela and the protesters words. And Kadir Nelson did translate it without specifically saying so. " Amandia Ngawethu" means "Power to the People". It's a South African political slogan. Does anyone know the proper pronunciation for these terms? I don't want to read them incorrectly.

Accelerated Reader Information
Accelerated Reader Level - 4.8
Accelerated Reader Points - 0.5
Accelerated Reader Test - 156060

The NYC Department of Education created a good guide containing a list of resources to use when studying Nelson Mandela. It lists many great books and websites, including this on
http://schools.nyc.gov/NR/rdonlyres/99AF7577-7563-4648-B9A7-6BD0DCCF3A22/0/Mande...

What I think is really cool about a biography of Mandela is that there is so much information and so many sources students may use to study him. Since it's a relatively recent event, there is tons of press available in written and video form. Also, many people are still alive to witness the events. If you study it in school, the students parents or grandparents were alive during these events. It was major news. The amount of primary source material and opportunities are amazing.

14. Grine, Chris - ChickenHare - 3 Stars - Camp Read A Lot



I did a bit of looking into this book because of all the bad reviews. Turns out it started out as a black and white series of graphic novels. The series was cancelled in 2009 after only three issues. In 2013, Scholastic bought it for some reason and colorized it. In addition, they added pages. I can't imagine how confusing the book was prior to extra pages being added. I also found a 2011 story stating ChickenHare will be made into a CGI film. Yikes! From everyone's descriptions I find it difficult to believe people were clamoring for this title to be re-released.

I finished reading ChickenHare. It was better than I thought, but not the best book I've read. Some of my observations:
 The beginning is odd. I felt like we were missing an origin story. How were ChickenHare and Abe created? Was it a science experiment ala Frankenstein or was it some kind of genetic mutation from a toxin spill? How were they captured?
 I'm thinking Klaus represents Santa Claus - the name, the coat while in the cave looks like a brown version of Santa's red coat, the fact that he "makes toys", and has helpers or "elves.
 In terms of "Krampus", which is said and never explained - Krampus is a traditional folklore character in Alpine countries. Celebrated in conjunction with St. Nicholas, he is basically the opposite of him. Instead of giving good children treats, Krampus steals bad children and takes them in a sack to his lair. I think this tradition inspired the author. This might explain taking Abe and ChickenHare to Klaus's home in a sack, but what bad thing did they do?

15. Lloyd, Natalie - Snicker of Magic - 4 Stars - Camp Read A Lot



When a twelve-year-old girl moves to a Southern mountain town, she sets out to break a century-old curse and bring back a forgotten magic and finds a home for her wandering heart.
This was a really fun book. Frankly, it was magic. Natalie Lloyd created a magical world with magical people. Not so much in the literal sense, but everyone was so special that it was magic. Felicity, her mom, and sister were wanderers. Her mom seemed to be cursed. Ever since her dad left, the three of them went from town to town trying to find a life and peace. Eventually they end up in Midnight Gulch, Tennessee. Midnight Gulch used to be filled with magical people, but the magic eventually diffused or people moved away. But there is a Snicker of Magic remains in every individual. Felicity's magic is that she sees words literally. Words surround things and people. She takes these words and makes poems. Others around her have gifts as well such as her mother who paints. Felicity wants to stop wandering, but the curse that plagues her family and the town must be broken to set things right and end everyone's wandering. This is one of the better juvenile fiction books I have read this year.

Some links:
Natalie Lloyd's Blog - http://natalielloyd.blogspot.com/
Kidsread Interview - http://www.kidsreads.com/authors/natalie-lloyd/news/interview-021214
Activities Guide - http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/sites/default/files/asset/file/snicker-of-mag...

Classroom ideas:
 Folklore - Learn about folklore and place origin tales. What was the origin of your town? Recite local legends in person or on video
 Magic - Learn about magic, famous magicians, view a magic show, learn magic tricks and perform them in person or on video, visit a magic museum, have a magician visit, watch magic tricks performed on Youtube
 Family Tree - Family is very important in this book. Magic is passed down by generation. Research your family tree.
 Duel - Have your own duel. Have a talent contest where everyone performs their talent such as recitation, karate, singing, dance, sports, instruments, etc. Or be like Felicity and perform a poem.
 Music - Music and dance play a major part in the book. Learn to dance. Play an instrument. Learn to listen to or play the guitar and banjo like the Threadbare Brothers.
 Mural - Paint a mural of Midnight Gulch and it's inhabitants like Felicity's mother did. Or create your own mural of your town and community or any subject your want.
 Words - Have the students "collect words" and create poems from them. Have students give each other random words, pull words out of a hat, or randomly select them from the dictionary.
 Science - Stone Threadbare lives in a hot air balloon. Learn about hot air balloons. For extra fun, ride in one. You could also just learn how regular balloons work. There are tons of experiments featuring balloons

16. Hopkinson, Deborah - Great Trouble - 3 Stars - Camp Read A Lot



Eel, an orphan, and his best friend Florrie must help Dr. John Snow prove that cholera is spread through water and not poisonous air when an epidemic sweeps across their London neighborhood in 1854.

I adore historical fiction, however, I was frustrated by this book. I hate when authors have their fictional characters play such an integral role in historical facts. In this book, Eel and his friend Florrie basically do the work of creating the cholera map that Dr. Snow created - fictional characters taking credit for work done by REAL people, people who worked really hard and with skill. I fear it minimizes their contribution to society. I'm also concerned that students may be confused by the facts, even though the author does a good job with providing supplemental information at the end of the book. If you ask a student after reading this book who REALLY created the map, will they say Eel, a fictional character, or Dr. Snow? My guess is they will say Eel. Not to say that historical fiction characters can't interact with real historical figures, I just don't think it's beneficial to have them be responsible for other people's work.

One of my other complaints about this book is the status of children. I don't think it's honest to have Eel and Florrie move up in society. I don't think they would have been in the position to help Dr. Snow like they were nor would increased their position. I feel books written today place our modern sensibilities and morals in historical context. I feel children should be exposed to the honest experience and the morals of the time. It creates many opportunities for discussion.

Accelerated Reader
Accelerated Reader Level: 4.6
Accelerated Reader Points: 7.0
Accelerated Reader Test: 161212
“A delightful combination of race-against-the-clock medical mystery and outwit-the-bad-guys adventure.” —Publishers Weekly, Starred
“Hopkinson illuminates a pivotal chapter in the history of public health. . . . Accessible . . . and entertaining.” —School Library Journal, Starred
“For readers who love suspense, drama, and mystery.” —TIME for Kids

I tend to think this book is geared to a higher audience, only based on dealing with 4th graders. I know this book was written with 4th graders in mind, but I feel it's a 5th grade or higher book - mainly because of the great amount of unfamiliarity the students will have with the words and setting. While students are aware of several British words through Harry Potter, I fear many 4th graders aren't generally exposed to historical fiction enough. I fear they will be so frustrated with the vocabulary that they won't be able to enjoy the book. An older audience might be more familiar with the words. But then, when does one expose children to historical terms? While I would not have had a problem with the terms at that age since I had read such classics as "The Secret Garden" and works by Charles Dickens, I don't know of one student who checked out such books at my work. The statistics reveal no check-outs either. Do children read these gems today? I imagine the high Accelerated Reader Level discourages them and when they can read that level, the subject matter is for younger students. It's my constant occupational struggle - trying to get students to read for interest - not Accelerated Reader, and hoping they won't be discouraged by some to challenge themselves.

Some Classroom Applications
 Vocabulary - There are boatloads of words in this book that will be new to students if they haven't read a book set in Great Britain before. I will be creating on and adding it soon.
 Occupations - Jobs have really changed since Victorian times. Create a match game of jobs and their definitions. Another idea would be to assign everyone a Victorian occupation to research. Have a day where they enact each job or create a video illustrating each occupation.
 Maps - Research or create the cholera map. This could be a real fun project.
 Medicine - Medicine has altered dramatically since Victorian times. There is so much you can do with this: research different diseases and cures, learn about a famous doctor, explore how diseases have changed over the years, learn about famous epidemics, map the spread of a disease,
 Sanitation and Garbage - Learn how sanitation and waste removal has changed over the years. This is gross to me, but I bet kids would love this.
 Child Labor - Learn about child labor and what outlawed it. America and England are two of the few countries where child labor is outlawed. Learn about the history of child labor. The photographs of children working in the textile mills definitely sparks conversation.
 Orphans - Children seem to be fascinated by orphans. Most children's books have at least one orphan, I'm not sure why. This could be paired with everything from the Boxcar Children to Harry Potter to Orphan Train. You could learn about Orphan Trains for that matter.
 Money - Eel constantly is concerned with money. This book could be paired with a lesson about money, budgets, savings accounts, compare British and American money, etc
 Art - Florrie sketches. This seems like a great opportunity to just sketch. Or you could create sketches of people like Florrie did. Compare that to today when photographs are basically taken all the time. Compare instant gratification vs. posterity.
 Food - There are many mentions of food Americans are probably not familiar with. It would be fun to make some of them.
 Names - Eel's name has a meaning. It would be fun to research what everyone's name means. Researching a name could include it's origin, meaning, and whom you were named after

Great list of ideas for use in classroom on The Classroom Bookshelf - http://classroombookshelf.blogspot.com/2013/10/the-great-trouble-mystery-of-lond...
Educator Guide - http://www.randomhouse.com/teachers/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/GreatTrouble_EG_W...
Reading about Pandemics - http://wowlit.org/blog/2013/09/11/21561/

17. Henkes, Kevin - Year of Billy Miller - 3 Stars - Camp Read A Lot



Seven year old Billy Miller starts 2nd grade with a bump on his head and a lot of worries, but by the end of the year he has developed good relationships with his teacher, his little sister, and his parents and learned many important lessons.
I found this to be an o.k. book. I imagine youngsters will like it, but I found it frustrating. Not much going on. I empathize with Billy's poetry distress, but not enough to salvage the book. I honestly can't imagine why this is so beloved and highly praised. Because it is a Kevin Henkes book and his books are usually good? Because in a field of constant fantasy, imaginary, or hard core emotional situations a simple book about day-to-day things is refreshing? I'm not sure. I wish I enjoyed this book more because so many people like it. And it was nice to see references to Minnesota as opposed to New York for once.

Web Sites with The Year of Billy Miller Information
Reviews
 School Library Journal - http://blogs.slj.com/afuse8production/2013/07/13/review-of-the-day-the-year-of-b...
 New York Times - http://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/15/books/review/the-year-of-billy-miller-by-kevin...;
 Publisher's Weekly - http://www.publishersweekly.com/978-0-06-226812-9
 Kirkus - https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/kevin-henkes/year-billy-miller/

Information
 Harper Collins Childrens - http://www.harpercollinschildrens.com/books/Year-Billy-Miller-Kevin-Henkes/
 Kevin Henkes - http://www.kevinhenkes.com/book/the-year-of-billy-miller/
 Teaching Books - http://www.teachingbooks.net/tb.cgi?tid=36052&a=1
 Kevin Henkes Interview - http://www.slj.com/2013/09/authors-illustrators/interviews/small-stories-big-cha...
 Classroom Bookshelf - http://classroombookshelf.blogspot.co.uk/2013/10/the-year-of-billy-miller.html

For a great Teacher's Guide from Kevin Henkes:
Year of Billy Miller Guide - http://www.kevinhenkes.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/Year-of-Billy-Miller-TG-FI...

Accelerated Reader Level: 4.2
Accelerated Reader Points: 3.0
Accelerated Reader Test: 161077

Book Awards
Amazon Best Books of the Year 2013; Ages 9 - 12
Kirkus Review Best Children’s Books of 2013
School Library Journal’s Best Books of 2013, Fiction
Newbery Medal Honor Book
HornBook Fanfare, Best Books of 2013, Fiction
American Library Association’s 2014 Notable Children’s Books, Younger Readers, 2014
E.B. White Read-Aloud Honor, Middle Reader

18. Harper, Charise - Bean Dog and Nugget - 3 Stars - Camp Read A Lot



Bean Dog and Nugget lose Bean Dog's shiny new ball in a bush. They dream up elaborate and silly ways in which to get it back. Bean Dog and Nugget, however, don't agree with how to do that. Eventually they decide on a plan and work together to get it back.
Told in basically 3 colors (orange, white and black) in a cute stick figure way. One of my biggest complaints is the lack of colors. The format the book is in reminds me of the pre-1990's kids books that were made with few colors to be as cheap as possible. Where this really becomes a problem is when Bean Dog and Nugget mention particular colors. They talk about the green grass and the green bushes when it is basically gray. I can see this being confusing to some kids. Couldn't they have added green to the palette for that reason alone? You know someone is going to confuse gray and green now or think they are colorblind. Or can this be an opportunity to teach kids attention to words - not just illustrations. This seems like the perfect "Gotcha" moment or quiz question. I can definitely see this as a question on an Accelerated Reader test.

School application ideas:
 Cook bean dogs and nuggets
 Learn martial arts ala Ninja Nugget
 Learn or read about other super heroes
 Obviously, you could play a game or sport with a ball
 Learn about plants and bushes
Websites
 Charise Harper - http://www.chariseharper.com/books/early-readers/17431721
 Inspiration for Bean Dog and Nugget - http://taralazar.com/2013/05/14/bean-dog-nugget/
 Random House Kids - Bean Dog and Nugget - http://www.randomhousekids.com/books/detail/218305-bean-dog-and-nugget-the-ball?...
 School Library Journal - 100 Scoop Notes - http://100scopenotes.com/2013/05/01/review-bean-dog-and-nugget-the-ball-by-chari...

Accelerated Reader Level: 1.4
Accelerated Reader Points: 0.5
Accelerated Reader Test: 158555

19. Gantos, Jack - Dead End in Norvelt - 3 Stars - Camp Read A Lot



Jack is grounded for the summer. As punishment, he is supposed to help his neighbor write obituaries of the original members of the town. Mysteriously, they are all dying off. But his neighbor, Miss Volker, has taken it upon herself to remember and write the obituaries of all of these wonderful people.

I thought this was a good book until the end. I loved how the relationship of Jack and Miss Volker developed. I adored how it taught Jack to appreciate people, help others, and bring his town’s history to life. Then the ending ruined everything!

Spoiler – The murder mystery ruined it all. Some guy is in love with Miss Volker and believes if all the original townspeople are dead and she’s done with her work, she will marry him. Naturally, he takes matters into his own hands and speeds their deaths along.

The ending made me extremely angry. How could he ruin such a delightful book that way? I adored the relationships and the people and how the story progressed. The murder was completely unnecessary and muddled the plot and lesson of a beautiful story. If only it had ended 20 pages earlier!

I definitely think this is for older readers, 4th-5th grade+ I just don't like the Joey Pigza or Rotten Ralph books, so I gave this one a try. Disappointed again.

Jack Gantos Website - http://www.jackgantos.com/
Teacher's Guide to Dead End in Norvelt - http://media.us.macmillan.com/teachersguides/9780374379933TG.pdf

20. Black, Holly - Doll Bones - 4 Stars - Camp Read A Lot



Three friends, Poppy, Zach, and Alice, have created a fantasy world of play together. But as they start to become teenagers, their change starts to change. Zach seems to feel it the most, and since the story is told mostly through his eyes, we experience his changes and concerns. The three are confused about how their relationship will change and fear of losing the world they've created. Unfortunately, this is forced when Zach's recently returned dad throws away his action figures to force him to be an adult. Instead of being honest, Zach lashes out and ends the game.

But Poppy doesn't think the end is over. She has another quest. The old doll in her house, the children call the Queen, has one last adventure for them. She apparently is a doll made from the ground up bones of Eleanor, a child who died, by her father who made china and couldn't live without her. This creepy tale is the start of a memorable journey full of adventure, life lessons, and finding yourself.


I thought this was a wonderful tale. It had everything: adventure, creepiness, good characters, and freshness. it was a page-turner. The duel journey into adolescence and the actual trip itself was intriguing. While not being an omg thriller, there was enough adventure and mystery to keep you interested. The characters were wonderful, and the best part. The creepiness was also a great treat. A wonderful surprise.

Doll Bones Curriculum Guide: http://www.teachingbooks.net/media/pdf/SimonSchuster/DollBones_CG.pdf

Finally able to get some more reading done, and thankfully, I'm finally to a reasonable goal, 1/5 to my goal.

June Statistics
Books Read - 20
Books Towards Goal - 20/100
Percentage - 20%

You go, Mandymarie, just keep reading.

Keep reading, but be sure to enjoy it!

21. Hopkins, Lee Bennett - Manger - Early Reviewer - 5 Stars



"Manger" is a compilation of poems featuring animal poems relating to the birth of Jesus. Lee Bennett Hopkins selected poems by many famous children's book authors including Jane Yolen, Alice Schertle, and Alma Flor Ada. Hopkins herself also wrote 1 poem, "Fish", for the book. Each page features an animal with their poem. Many kinds of animals are featured - not only those traditionally found at the manger.

Helen Cann created beautiful illustrations of the animals in the manger (for those who could have been there) or their natural setting for those that would not such as fish or owls.

"Manger" is a great example of how poetry can bring a religious event to life in an accessible way to kids without sounding overly preachy. A great addition to any library.

>33 mandymarie20:, What a pity the Kevin Henkes book was a disappointment, especially as there is such a need for chapter books for readers just starting to enjoy real chapter books. May I recommend Justin Case: School, Drool, and Other Daily Disasters instead? I found it absolutely delightful!

You reviewed two books that are on my upcoming reading list. I appreciate the heads up on Dead End in Norvelt. Maybe I'll have a better reading experience just keeping in mind that the weird plot twist is coming. And now I'm really looking forward to A Snicker of Magic! Thanks!

Thanks Merryann for the recommendations. I've been reading these books for a class I'm taking this summer, so I didn't have very much choice. I debated reading "Justin Case" and I definitely should have gone with that instead from everything I've read (and your great recommendation).

Thanks again for stopping by!

July Statistics
Books Read - 21
Books Towards Goal - 21/100
Percentage - 21%

Only 1 book this month. Yikes! It's just gone way too fast.

July did go awfully fast! I couldn't believe it. Hope August will stick around for a while.

Looks like some very good books!

22. Harrington, K.A. - Forget Me - 4 Stars



Morgan's mysterious boyfriend Flynn dies in a hit-and-run accident which turns her life around. She suddenly realizes that she knew absolutely nothing him. Morgan is obsessed with finding out more about the mysterious boy and figure out how he died , , , or did he, really? After placing Flynn's photograph on a Social Media site, the site recognizes him as someone named Evan who is very much alive. Evan looks just like Flynn, so could he really BE him? This fast paced mystery has everything you'd want in a good story - a fascinating premise, shady characters, corruption, and a surprise ending all wrapped up in the nestle of a teen book, filled with all of the love and angst you expect from one.

Harrington did an amazing job of creating a tense atmosphere full of mysteries and twists. Morgan, as her heroine, was strong enough. The characters around her were much more real and vibrant than she was unfortunately. It was easy to view the story through Morgan's eyes, but she just seemed too perfect in comparison with the characters around her. An integral plot point surrounds the decay of her town. The major business, Stem Pharmaceuticals, closed because people died from a migraine medication they created. While her friend Toni's family is incredibly poor with a bad home life, Morgan is perfectly pretty, her parents have wonderful jobs and enough money to have everything they want, Morgan herself has a job in photography, and everyone thinks she's great. Aside from her dead boyfriend, life is wonderful for her. It seemed like everyone in the town suffered from the loss except Morgan's family. A bit unrealistic, if you ask me.

Language was another concern I had. Some of the language just seemed too old to be coming from teenagers. It's almost what someone thinks teenagers say as opposed to what they really do say. Not that the texting wasn't pretty good, but there were just certain interactions that didn't seem authentic to me. What comes to mind specifically is the use of the term "tonsil hockey" instead of making out or pda or something else they're saying these days. The term seemed dated when I was a teen in the late '90s.

It's refreshing to see a book like "Forget Me" published these days. With the glut of dystopian literature on the market, I am thrilled K.A. Harrington took the reader to a different place. I've always loved mysteries, and she created an atmospheric town full of mystery and corruption. It's a very satisfying teen read.

>46 mandymarie20:.
Sounds intriguing!

23. Walsh, Liza Gardner - Treasure Hunter's Handbook - 4 Stars - Early Reviewer



Every child dreams of finding buried treasure. Liza Gardner Walsh has created a wonderful manual for the hunt. This treasure hunting manual is written for children and families. With wonderful photographs by Jennifer Smith-Mayo, children are taught the art of treasure hunting in an easy to understand and respectful way. How-to's, tips and tricks, and terms make treasure hunting sound fun. Treasure hunting methods include: pirate treasure, panning for gold, metal detecting, geocaching and letterboxing, rocks and minerals, sea glass, fossils, meteorites and more. This is may be one of the best manuals for kids I've read.

While this book is well written and fun, there is one point that bothered me. It pertains to finding artifacts. Walsh encourages kids to dig things up and be their own scientist. She forgets, however, that many of the fields have standards. For example, archaeologists don't just dig things up - the context and how and where things were found are just as important - if not more - than the actual discovery. Without documentation, a find just is not as valuable. This is not mentioned, that I recall. I'm concerned about the valuable information that will be lost when the sciences have improved so much. The author sites Mary Anning, a girl who was a paleontologist at age 11 in England. What the author doesn't stress is that in 1810 just digging up things and keeping it was what people did. There was no context. Finding them was certainly a feet, but not explaining that today things would be measured, photographed, drawn, soil sampled, painstakingly dusted and more is a bit misleading and could be detrimental to science, the scientific community, and more importantly, to history.

Walsh created a fun how-to guide for kids and families on how to treasure hunt. Hunting for treasure has long captured our imagination. Through a multitude of methods, the reader will certainly be able to find the perfect method for them. I can't wait to start the hunt!

24. Hurst, Ellen Burns and Hurst, Michael R. - Why Can't My Son Read? - Early Reviewer - 4.5 Stars



Boys often seem to get left behind in school - especially where reading is concerned. This book tries to address the many issues that can hinder boys when they are learning and practicing reading. Written with parents in mind, 'Why Can't My Son Read?' tries to explain the many factors that can contribute to poor reading skills. Starting with the development of boys, the authors try to bring to light the learning to read process along with a variety of ways in which to teach reading.

Bringing to light the way reading is taught illustrates what is difficult for boys. Reading in schools seems to favor a girl's brain, This book tries to give parents all the tools they need with which they may help their boys catch up and succeed. Through in depth descriptions of the many different ways boys may be tripped up by reading, the authors try to give parents the tools to help their kids. Through practice, creation of games, and the use of websites and aps, the authors try to provide multiple ways in which to enhance a boy's reading experience based on what an individual needs.

A few things that were troubling to me:
I didn't realize "w" is sometimes a vowel. The authors say 'a, e, i, o, u' and sometimes 'w' and 'y'. I don't remember this from school. When did this become the standard?
The authors used the spelling 'rime' instead of 'rhyme' in several places. Just one of my pet peeves.
Some chapters referred to author Ellen Hurst in the third person. Perhaps Michael Hurst wrote these chapters and is referring to the practices she uses. It was just a bit distracting when the text would say "Ellen does (this)". I kept asking myself who Ellen was. Then I would remember, oh yeah, it's the author. I think perhaps since I think the authors are married, there is a bit of familiarity in the text which they did not notice or didn't believe was detrimental to the text.

I found this a very useful and inspiring book. I can definitely see this being used with my classroom, but still easy enough and useful for parents to use on their own. I'm always looking for more ways to get boys to read and I think there are many wonderful ideas in this text that can aid this.

I hadn't come across "w" as a vowel before so I had to Google it. According to Dictionary.com ""Cwm" (a steep-walled semicircular basin in a mountain, sometimes containing a lake; a cirque) and "crwth" (an ancient Celtic musical instrument), both from the Welsh, use w as a vowel - standing for the same sound that oo stands for in boom and booth. "Crwth" is also spelled "crowd." However, in words like "low" and "bow," one can make a good case that the letter w represents a vowel."

You learn something new every day!

As far as the "w" as a vowel.....now remember, I'm older than dirt, but in 1st grade we had to recite vowels: a,e,i,o, u and sometimes w,y!

Yes, w definitely seems to be a vowel in Welsh, which is why it always looks so completely incomprehensible (to me!). I love hearing it spoken though!

It does sound lovely in Welsh. I just didn't think of it as an English characteristic.

25. Delisle, James R., Dumbing Down America - Early Reviewer - 1 Star



'Dumbing Down America' by James R. Delisle makes a compelling argument for improving the education of gifted children. Unfortunately, his enthusiasm for the subject makes it virtually impossible to appreciate his points. Delisle was not objective in the least, creating a book that is almost unbearable to read. I support gifted programs but the condescending way the author refers to everything he disagrees with was embarrassing. I wish Delisle could have made his important points in a different way. The best way to explain it is through a quote Delisle made about another education advocate, Alfie Kohn, which sadly, also applies to himself " (his) good points about how to improve instruction for all students get lost in his biased rhetoric that serves little purpose other than to inflame his readers" (page 60).

Delisle's condescending attitude permiates the book. From his unnecessary and ignorant statements, one can only assume he lives a sheltered life and believes all southern people to be ignorant. After chastising states for not adopting Common Core Standards, Delisle addresses the next set of standards to possibly be adopted, Next Generation Science Standards. His impression of the south is "If you think it was a maelstrom in states like South Carolina when it came to standards that dealt with Shakespeare and Pythagoras, can you imagine the hues and cries when science standards that raise the specters of climate change and evolution come up for adoption? The Luddites are likely to come out in full force when these"theories" are announced as being scientific enough in origin that our children should learn about them in school. (page 108)." I don't know what he thinks happens in schools, but these issues are discussed. This jab at the south was completely unnecessary and does nothing to help his cause. Why couldn't he have left his opinions to himself? All it does is make him sound prejudiced.

The newest teaching practice, teaching the 4 C's (Critical Thinking, Communication, Collaboration, and Creativity) seem to suit gifted students, according to the author. Insisting that the gifted child knows everything in their grade level and is bored, the best teachers can do is have the students create projects. I don't think we can make this assumption and don't know how Delisle can make it when he dislikes testing. From the text, I inferred that what he advocates is finding an area the gifted children are interested in and do projects - aka, the problem-based learning. While I think this is important, I think a base of knowledge is a neglected and just as important aspect of education. I do appreciate the author's questioning of the current obsession with STEM in education. No one seems to question it. I don't know if this is the way of the future or a fad, but as someone who adores the Humanities, I don't know why we are basically throwing them out. While math and science is important for many careers, the Humanities are important for living. To repeat a fantastic Bob Schultz quote from the book: "The Humanities teach us all how to interact with others; how to see our lives through the eyes and viewpoints of others. Philosophy allows us to grapple with big ideas and realization that some questions just don't have answers that are permanent. Theatre and visual and performing arts teach us how to communicate and express ourselves effectively. We need more than science, technology, engineering, mathematics, or medicine. We need individuals who are thinkers, tinkerers, and dreamers" (page 161).

Not only are people, cultures, and politicians objects of Delisle's disgust - corporations are, too. After presenting a plea to businesses to support gifted students with grants and money (which they do), he then chastises these companies for contributing to "math and science education, vocational education, early childhood assistance to at-risk young learners, and small-scale teacher grants to buy basic school supplies" (page 194). I don't know much about asking for help, but I'm 100% sure the way to beg isn't to tell people that poor children shouldn't receive help. I also question the author's insistence that none of these grants benefit gifted children. How do you know the math and science grants aren't used for them? Don't gifted children earn scholarships? They surely use the school supplies.

But if I were to ignore all those troublesome things, it still would not make the author's disability argument palatable. Delisle argues that we spend too much money educating disabled people. He seems to think the current practice of integrating disabled people in the classroom costs too much money - money that should be spent on gifted students. The only conclusion I can take from his argument is that disabled people - like myself - should be segregated. While my physical disability required no assistance, I fought very hard to be accepted by my peers and found these arguments incredibly disgusting. I understand the author's passion. Everyone wants money for their cause and never think it's enough, but Delisle is so obsessed with the plight of the gifted student, that he obviously did not notice his repulsive insinuations about disabled people. Maybe we should all just be put back up in the attics?

Calling this book a disappointment is an understatement. While I was looking for a well-rounded, objective book explaining the plight of gifted students and ways in which to better their situation, I found defamation and ignorance. So if you are looking for a prejudice-laden, grandstanding book which insists gifted students are the only people that matter, this book is for you, James. The rest of us educators value ALL of our students.

26. Holt, K.A. - Rhyme Schemer - 3 Stars - Early Reviewer



Kevin has always been the bully. He hates everyone, loves bullying and wishes his family was like the Cosby Show. One day he decides to start expressing the emotions he feels as the impermeable rock he is starts to crack and crumble. His expression comes out through poetry he writes in a notebook and ripping pages out of library books and altering them to create poems he posts on the school wall. But his life is suddenly turned around when a boy he bullies finds his notebook of poetry and starts blackmailing and bullying him to try to become the most popular kid in school. Kevin finds solace in poetry and working in the library, punishment for one of his bullying exploits.

This book is the definition of what a bullying and young adult book is. If you would ask me what the cliche would be, this would be it. Not that the book isn't good, but this is exactly what young adult books became late 1990's, when I was a teen - sympathy for a misunderstood kid, book in verse, poetry as the only outlet for someone emotionally distressed, cool teacher who realizes a child's distress and helps him, cliche coffeehouse poetry open mic night. I know the author believes they were innovative by having the bully become bullied, but the rest of it was so cliche.

27. Nichols, Mary - Scandal at Greystone Manor - 3 Stars



Jane Cavenhurst is an old maid, and happy to be so. She decides since she was never able to marry to man she loved ten years ago, she will instead run a school for orphans. Jane soon becomes embroiled in the drama involved in her sister Isabella's marriage to their neighbor, Mark Wyndham, and the gambling debts of her brother Teddy. When her old crush turns up, chaos ensues. Suddenly, Isabella prefers Jane's former crush, Jane and Mark are in love with each other, and a random bad guy, Lord Bolsover seems intent on marrying Jane and punishing their family.

I found the characters interesting, but the plot frustrating. While the taking care of the orphans and love triangle are par for the course in a romance novel, many of the plot elements were so forced. For the first 150 pages, nothing happened. Then all of the sudden things exploded. The author suddenly concluded Jane had loved Mark forever, even though at the start of the book, she was still in love with the previous beau. Mark liking her back seemed out of the blue. The scheme with Lord Bolsover was forced and came out of nowhere. The author could have taken the time develop these plot elements instead of pages of fluff.

While the characters are interesting, the plot elements were just too frustrating to enjoy the book properly.

28. Mass, Wendy - Space Taxi Water Planet Rescue - 4 Stars



Archie Morningstar and his dad are space cops and taxi drivers of the universe. With the aid of a talking space cop named Pockets, they travel the world on great adventures and solve puzzling crimes.

In this book, Archie, his dad, and Pockets fly to an underwater planet, sort of in the mold of the mythical Atlantis. All of the water is mysteriously being drained from the planet and mysterious twisters.

I love that the premise involves basically an almost all male set of characters. It's so difficult to find great books boys will read, and this would fit the bill. This is a fun book with a fun premise - mystery, adventure, fantasy, space cops, talking cats - what else could a kid want?

29. Camper, Cathy - Lowriders in Space - 3 Stars



Lupe Impala, El Chavo Flapjack, and Elirio Maleria love automobiles and lowriders. They want to open up their own garage, but they need money. Luckily they notice a contest for a car contest. So they take a junky car and make it a magical lowrider. Luckily for them, the cool car takes flight and gets decorated by all the beauty of space such as the planets and stars.

I thought this was a fun graphic novel. While I don't particularly understand a lot of the culture, I thought it was really cool that the author included a lot of lingo I think is a part of the lowrider culture. It was very helpful the author defined the terms at the bottom of the page.

The illustrations for the novel were intriguing. Since I have only an Advance Reader's Copy I'm not exactly sure how the finished product will look - especially the illustrations. From the notation inside the cover, the illustrator, Raul the Third, will use primarily use colored pens. I'm definitely intrigued by this. I love this idea. It's almost like a teenager could do it themselves. I hope kids can appreciate this and not be disappointed that the illustrations are not full color.

I think this book is definitely a graphic novel star. It definitely meets an underserved clientele, the Latino population. We need diverse books and as a school librarian, I this book is a great addition to our library.

For school:

30. Daywall, Drew - Day the Crayons Quit - 5 Stars



31. Emberley, Rebecca - There Was An Old Monster - 5 Stars



32. Leuck, Laura - My Monster Mommy Loves Me - 5 Stars



33. Kohara, Kazuno - Ghosts in the House - 5 Stars



34. Barrett, Mac - Chloe and the Lion - 5 Stars



35. Sendak, Maurice - Where the Wild Things Are - 5 Stars



I read each of them at least 5 times. I don't suppose I could count each book that many times? :)

I think that would be cheating on your own challenge ;-))

36. Plumley, Lisa - Notorious in the West - 3 Stars



Morrow Creek's resident beauty, Olivia, is beautiful, smart, and has everyone in town at her beckon call. Every man wants to marry her and every woman is her friend. One day her world gets turned upside down when the "Boston Beast" Griffin Turner turns up. He is heartbroken from a denied proposal so he holes himself up in a hotel he holds stake in, The Lorndorff, which happens to be the hotel owned by Olivia's father.

I found Olivia an unsympathetic character. The author made efforts to describe her life as miserable. When she was a known beauty, everyone loved her, and she was smart to boot, I found it hard to feel bad for her. How can one feel bad for someone who has everything?

Griffin was the more sympathetic character to me. He had wealth and power, but was ugly. Plumley clearly was writing a poorly disguised 'Beauty and the Beast'. Olivia was clearly the bookish beauty, Griffin the ugly, brutish beast. But when one feels the beauty is not worthy of the beast, the book just doesn't work.

37. Norwich, Grace - I Am LeBron James - 4 Stars



Good biography of basketball superstar LeBron James for kids and teens. It's not my thing since I'm not into basketball, but good for what it is.

38. Slote, Susan - Pardon That Turkey - 5 Stars



Wonderful story of how Thanksgiving became a holiday for kids. This non-fiction reader covers the creation of the holiday, focusing on the establishment as a national holiday as opposed to a book about the Pilgrims. It covers Sarah Hale's drive to create a national holiday to celebrate thanks and bring the country together. (Side note, Hale also created the rhyme 'Mary Had a Little Lamb'). Her drive to create this holiday is amazing. The book also cover the strange practice of pardoning turkeys and it's possible origins. Great book for kids. A must for a school library.

39. Arnosky, Jim - All About Turkeys - 5 Stars

40. Bruchac, Joseph - Squanto's Journey - 4 Stars

41. Hennessy, B.G. - One Little, Two Little, Three Little Pilgrims - 5 Stars

42. Pilkey, Dav - Twas the Night Before Thanksgiving - 5 Stars



Classic Thanksgiving fun from the master of kids books, Dav Pilkey.

43. Waters, Kate - Samuel Eaton's Day - 5 Stars



44. Waters, Kate - On the Mayflower - 5 Stars



Kate Waters has created some wonderful non-fiction books about the lives of children living during the First Thanksgiving. They are must-haves in any school library.

Love the Kate Waters books! Used them in my classroom and also purchases them for my grandchildren.

Those covers are so adorable!

I read at least 30 books for school. No time to list them individually. Nothing extremely interesting or memorable about them. I'm adding 31 books. I'm restarting the count at 75.

75. Brown, Jennifer - Life on Mars - 4 Stars



Artey Betelgeuse is obsessed with space. His family always has been. His father is an astronomer and everyone in his family is named after stars. Artey is even determined to contact Mars through light by signaling them nightly for the past two years. But his life gets turned upside down when his father loses his job and the family must move to Las Vegas. This is like death to an astronomer. The bright lights would ruin any view of the stars. Another wrench gets thrown into the works when he is thrust on a crabby old neighbor next door whom Artey is convinced is a zombie or alien. But when Artey finds old his neighbor's secret, Artey finds a friend, mentor, and lifeline.

This book was touching in a surprising way. When I think of a science obsessed kid's book, I don't often think of a book with such heart. While I am not entirely convinced the author was able to inhabit the voice of Artey - especially when reading the 'Fun Facts About Mars' - I enjoyed the book. I think it is the perfect addition to a school library. Boys and girls would love the characters in this book. I can see a lot of applications when using the book in the classroom - Astronomy, Mars, space, Morse Code, Samuel Morse himself, etc. with the obvious application being to build your own HUEY (Artey's transmitter to Mars) and/or testing it out. I would love to see what students come up with!

You are having some great reads!

76. Perkins, Maripat - Rodeo Red - 5 Stars



Rodeo Red is a rodeo gal who loves to rule the roost. But one day a buckaroo - namely a new baby brother - invades her corral and Rodeo Red is NOT pleased.

I loved this book! The illustrations fit perfectly into the world of this cowpoke. The voice of Rodeo Red was great. Peppered with western slang, this book is a great fun for any buckaroo.

A very happy Christmas and a good New Year.