Reviews

Summary: Pelé, the famous Brazilian soccer player tells of his love for the game, in this fun but intimate portrait of his life on the field. There is much more to soccer, this story says, than fame and winning; being a part of a team is what makes soccer such a special sport. Illustrations of an unmentioned little boy’s efforts to follow in his hero’s footsteps are juxtaposed with … [Read more...]

Summary The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian chronicles the life of fourteen year old Arnold Spirit, Jr. Arnold is an Indian who lives on a reservation  he calls  "a rez in Spokane, Washington."  However, Arnold does not look like most of his fellow tribe members. He is awkward, wears glasses, and stutters all the time. He also loves to draw and records his life in a diary. Fed up … [Read more...]

Summary: As the first book in the series, sisters Sabrina and Daphne Grimm must deal and overcome the struggles experienced since their parents’ disappearance. They are shuffled from foster home to orphanage and eventually end up in the custody of their grandmother. However, they are not sure it is their grandmother since, according to their late parents, all of their grandparents are dead. … [Read more...]

Summary Determined to turn around his ‘awkward-guy-nothing-special’ image, Reginald McKnight tries to channel his self-created superhero comic persona, Night Man, when he gets up on stage to recite the school pledge on the first day of school. However things don’t go as well as he hoped - puking on stage during assembly is not exactly the best way to start off the eighth grade – and … [Read more...]

Summary Four friends have fun together in their close-knit New Orleans neighborhood and we are drawn into their innocent world of friendships, play, favorite toys and childhood haunts. Then Hurricane Katrina hits and the children are separated. In alternating voices, the four child characters describe their lives before, during, and after the storm. Each child’s family copes with the hurricane … [Read more...]

Summary Twelve-year-old Alfonso Perplexon only has one unusual trait: he sleepwalks. But when he does so, he accomplishes remarkable feats. It turns out he is a lost heir of a mysterious civilization of accomplished sleepwalkers. Their lost but appealing land is threatened by extinction and only Alfonso can save it, by replanting the tree that is its source of life. To do so, he must gain control … [Read more...]

Summary A brother and sister learn that they are descended from ancient Egyptian royalty and have unexpected magical powers. They use these powers to confront a series of evil Egyptian gods and their minions, in order to rescue their father, who in turn has sacrificed himself to rescue their mother. The adventure is non-stop, but is tempered throughout with Riordan’s characteristic humor that … [Read more...]

Summary A little, cheerful African-American girl proudly shares her neighborhood with us on the day of a block-party. Children playing double-dutch; men debating in the barbershop; mothers and aunts cooking up oxtail stew and collard greens; friends and family swaying to jazz music in the streets ―these are the sights and sounds of the little girl’s lively neighborhood on a hot summer … [Read more...]

Summary Clementine is a witty third grader that is having a disastrous week. As she recounts the events of this ‘not-so-good’ week she connects with children on their level. Her colorful personality describes that she is not ‘the hard one’ but thinks of things from her own perspective and if everyone would think like her it would make sense. As she describes the events from the week you … [Read more...]

Summary Nine-year-old Liberty Porter is the daughter of the newly elected President. As she starts a new life in the White House and at a new school, she finds that being well-known has its costs. Her struggles to find friendships she can trust will feel familiar to most elementary-school students, and her spunky charm will appeal to them as well. Phonetic Elements The text is appropriate for … [Read more...]

Summary Bobby and Holly have been friends forever, but in the 4th grade that’s no longer as simple as it once was. Each of them has other friends letting them know that boys and girls can’t just be friends. Feeling threatened, Bobby begins to oppose Holly in every way he can, but ultimately his heart isn’t in it. Phonetic Elements The book is generally accessible to 4th-graders reading at … [Read more...]

Author: Miyuki Miyabe (VIZ Media LLC , August 14, 2007) Level: High School/Young Adult Genre:Fantasy Award(s): Mildred L. Batchelder Award (2008) Buy this book at Amazon.com: Brave Story (Novel) Summary Japanese schoolboy Wataru faces an acrimonious split between his parents, shocking him from a complacent childhood. A fantasy world opens to him, presenting an opportunity to reverse his ill … [Read more...]