Speak- Book Review

Kathey Smith

Bibliography-
Anderson, Laurie Hasle, Speak, Mandy Siegfried, Listen Library: New York 2006, ISBN-0374371520

Plot Summary- Attending a party high schooler Melinda is raped by a popular senior and calls the police.  She becomes an outcast at school for runing the party.  Melinda is so tramatized she can not speak about what happened and the ordeal haunts her over and over.  A few postive people in Melinders life work to crack the shell.  When Melinda can no longer take the trauma she yells out


Analysis- Anderson captured the listners attention in the audio with her interesting and personal plot.  She really captured the feelings of Melinda and the listener can imagine the look on Melinda's face as she expresses her negative views " It was ugly but I'm not going to think about it" as a peer stated she hated melinda.  Anderson also introduce Melinda as she comes to herself and realizes that she is not the cause of what happend to her when she surrender and say" not going to let it kill me".  Anderson captured the high school scene perfectly.   This audio book is very believable.

Excerpt(s)
" This is a gripping account of personal wounding and recovery"  The Bulletin of the Center for Children's books.
" The plot is gripping and the characters are powerfully drawn" Kirkus
" the novels real power lies in the story of Melinda's gradual reclaiming of herself through the help of acompassionate art teacher, her concerned parents, and some caring students, and her ultimate redemption" Children's Literature.

Connections-
Activities- encourage students to write about issue that may have happened to them or someone else and how they reacted allow to share if they choose.
This book is a good resource to talk about rape, or drinking.

Related books- 
A Separate Peace by John Knowles ISBN- 0743253973
Night by Elie Wiesel ISBN- 0374500010

Lunch Lady and the Summer Camp Shakedown

Kathey Smith

Bibliography- Krosoczka , Jarrett. Lunch Lady and the Camp Shakedown, Alfred A. Knopf, New York: 2010. ISBN 9780357860959

Plot Summary-  Three elementary students attend a summer camp in an area that has a reputation of a swamp monster that appears at night.  The lunch lady and her assistant  from the elementary school are working at the camp.  The lunch lady prepares food items to use to attack the monster, the kids help by using squirt guns to squirt food at the monster.  

Analysis-  This graphic novel by Krosoczka  with two-color art is fun, silly, and really lends a hand for the reader to use their imagination even beyond the book.  This book is great for grades 3-5 with a superhero theme that comes from a all too familiar territory the cafeteria. 

Excerpt (s)

"Younger kids with an appreciation for silliness will love it"- Children's Literature

" A delightfully fun escapist read." Kirkus

" A tough, capable herine plenty of silliness and slapstick" Publishers

Connections- 

Other related books-

 Judy Moody and the not Bummer Summer by Megan McDonald ISBN- 9780763653514

 Junie B. First Grader Toothless Wonder by Barbara Park ISBN- 9780355822230

Have students create their own fiction, fantasy, and young adult literature.





Joey Pigza Loses Control

Kathey Smith - Book Review










Bibliography- Gantos, Jack, Joey Pigza Loses Control, Listen Library, 2009, ISBN 31668042690542

Plot Summary- Joey is  young boy with behavior problems who lives with his mother.  She decides he needs to visit his father for about six weeks so the Joey and his mom take a drive to another city where Joey's father lives.  Although Joey has not seen his father  he is determined to gain the likes of his father.  Joey's father posesses little postive parenting skills and thinks it's best to teach Joey how to take control of his life by not encouraging his to use his medicine as needed for his behavior. Joey knows whats best for him however he wants to please his father.  Joey has a hard time by trying to live up to his fathers instruction and his keep his mothers instructions as well.  Evidence of Joey's wanting his fathers approval is presents in the story when he compares his encounter of snipping the end of a girls nose to his father butting someones nose at a bar.  Joey worked hard to connect with his distant father who suffered from the same behavior disorded as Joey but he still missed his mother and felt as it was a Joey for mom and a Joey for dad because of the two different life styles of each parent.

Critical Analysis- Gantos author and reader of this audio book does a wonderful job with voice inflections and keeping the listener engaged.  Gantos lays out each charcters personality well enough that the listener can imagine how they look and sound.  Gantos shows that Joey is an intellegent kid and is well aware of what is going on with him Joey says " I knew I could be wrong most of the time"  Gantos make Joey a very in touch kid inspite of the behavior problems.

Excerpt (s) "Readers will sympathize with Joey and his father" Children's Literature
"This story is more than a message it is a truly memorable read" Booklist
" A tragic tale in many ways, but a triumph too" Kirkus
 Awards-    Newbery Honor Book 2001, Maine Student Book 2002, Parents Choice 2000 , 2003, White ravens 2001.

Connections- This would be a great book for middle school students who has ADD or know someone with ADD, this book could as be used to help students talk about alcohlism, or father son relationships.

One Crazy Summer

Kathey Smith- Book Review

Bibliograpy- Williams-Garcia, Rita, One Crazy Summer, Amistad, New York: 2010 ISBN 978006076885

Plot Summary-  One Crazy Summer tells the story of an eleven year old African American by the name of Delphine who is sent to Oakland CA from Brooklyn she also has two sisters who go alone with her to visit their mother who abandoned them.  In 1968 the girls father sent the girls to visit their mother. Their mother does little to embrace them and sends them to a camp ran by a Radical group the Black Panthers where they learn new prespectives. Delphine shows her mature skills by watching over her sisters and handling her mothers unwelcoming attitude. "Just like I know how to lift my sisters up, I also knew how to needle them just the right" Delphine has perfected her lifestyle of rearing herself and her silblings.

Critical Analysis- The author did a great job at setting the scene in the late 1960's  by using a main focal point of that era that affect the African American culture.  This book was an easy reader with bold titles for each section the presented  the reader with a great clue of what was up coming. 

Excerpt (s)/ Award (s)

"It's a must for library"- Children's Literature

"She's created a small masterpiece of middle-grade novel that will have broad child appeal- CCBC

This depiction of time is well done, and while the girls are caught up in the defficulties of adults, their resilience is celebrated and enegetically told with writting that snaps off the page- Kirkus Reviews

National Book Award 2010

Parent's choice Award 2010

Audie Award 2011

Coretta Scott King Book Award 2011

Connections- Activities- encourage student to interview family members of friends of the family to reveal who remember activities or participated in activiies of a particular era such as the march with Martin Luther King, The Black Panter rallies.

Related Books- Holm, Jennifer L., Turtle in Paradise, ISBN 0375836886

Vanderpool, Clare. Moon Over Manifest ISBN 0385738838



Hattie Big Sky

Kathey Smith- Audio Book Review

Bibliography- Larson, Kirby., Hattie Big Sky, Delacorte Press, New York: 2006, ISBN 9780385735957

Plot Summary-  Imagine being sixteen and moving from one place to another never really having a place to call home.  The young lady in the book Hattie Big Sky was faced with  this challenge.  Hattie Brooks an sixteen old german orphan in 1918 during world war one has gotten her fill of moving from one place to another. Hattie sats out to Montana to work a homestead left to her by her uncle.  Hattie meets people who helps her find herself and understand the true meaning of friendship.

Critical Analysis- This audio book was eight hours and thirty one minutes long, this is a book for an older student.  The author does a good job presenting the feelings of Hattie just listening to the story you can imagine what Hattie is going throgh and feel the relief when she gets help and realizes the home is what you make it.  " Neither here nor there" gives the listner a clue that Hattie wants more but knows it has not been in her past. 

Excerpt (s) / Award (s)
This  fine offering may well inspire readers to find out more about their own family histories- Kirkus Reviews.
" She creates a richly textured novel full of memorable characters-  Booklist
"This is a delightful and empowering book for young women who will enjoy some of the eccentric Montant characters"-  Children's Literature
Cybil Award 2006
John Newbery Medal 2007
Montana Book Award 2006

Connections- Activities- encourage students to trace their family history and write about it.

Related books- Larson, Kirby. The Dear America: The fences Between Us the Diary of Piper Davis. ISBN 0545224187

Laeson, Kirby. The Friendship Doll. ISBN 0385737459

Catherine Called Birdy

Kathey Smith - Book Review

Bibliography- Cushman, Karen, Catherine Called Birdy, Harper Trophy, New York, 1995. ISBN 0788795201

Plot Summary- A thirteen year old girl in the medieval era does not feel very happy about her life.  She understands that it is custumary for young girls to be married off and is not happy about it.  She fights against her fathers plans to marry her off by drooling, dressing out of charcter and making herself unattractive to prospective suitor.  Catherine writies in her diary things she likes and dislikes.  Catherine presents behaviors of a typical teenager.  Catherine shows her strong will to her family by honoring her father and marring but choosing to make the best out of  the sitiuation and staying real to herself and her idenity.

Critical Analysis- The audio format of this book is good, and able to keep the listener engaged, however at a point I wished I had the book to follow along.  The narrators voice was fitting for this story.  The audio was over six hours long so time should be planned well to enjoy this piece of art.  The author capatured todays teen in several aspects "I loathe my life" said Catherine which is compatible to today's teen statements such as "I can do nothing" or " I hate it here".  even the bad behavior to foil her parents plans for her, as well as shoeing the teens special talant that she wants to explore.   

Excerpts- This book is a peek into the private thoughts of a 13 year old ,somewhat privileged girl, living in the 13th century - Children's Literture

Using diary format, we learn of life, family, joys, and tribulations of a young woman born to title but not wealthy circumstances- Children's Literture

Readers will learn much about the historical time period- KLIATT Review.

Far ahead of her time, she is both believable and lovable  Superb historical fiction - School Library ournal, Starred Review.

Connections- Enrichment activities-

•  Compare and Contrast today's teens to Catherine
•  Discuss diary writting and practice
•  Cause and Effect of Catherines behavoir

Our Eleanor - Book Review

Kathey Smith

Bibliograph- Fleming, Candace. 2005. Our Elenor: A Scrapbook at Eleanor Roosvelt's Remarkable Life. New York: Atheneum Book for Young readers. ISBN 9780689865442

Plot Summary-  Fleming presented a great biography scrapbook style piece of work.  Roosvelt's life is presented from beginning to end.  The photos are in good taste and plenitful, notes ,sketches, and letters help keep intrest flowing.  One question question presented in the book was " Was she or wasn't she" plays a part in keep the readers interest.  This book is full of information not only about but a bit of information about her husband as well which may be a good resource for middle schoolers and high schoolers.  Unfortunately this book did not appear very attractive which may not encourage children to willingly read.

Critcal Analysis- This book is made up with a scrapbook appearance and detailed photos VOYA "each page is indulgently browsable, with well-chosen photographs pulling the reader's attenton from one snippet of text to the next".  There are personl items displayed in the book about the subject and things she created herself such as notes, list, letters, sketches, and photos.  Information about Eleanor Roosevelt's life was very detailed  from beginning to end. 

Review Excerpts-

Publishers Weekly- "Fleming allows readers to draw their own conclusions; they will come away with an understanding of a woman who shaped her times and left a lasting imprint on the future.

School Library Journal "Pages are jam-packed with information in varying fonts and formats, yet still manage to remain clearly and logically laid out."

Kirkus " had Eleanor Roosevelt kept a scrapbook an incredibly well-organized and thorough scrapbook- this is how it might feel to look through it"

Connections-

This book may be fine to use with other resources about Roosevelt for a social studies project or research paper. Other books and websites that are related biographys

Fleming, Candace. Ben Franklin's Almanac:Being a True Account of the Good Gentleman's Life. ISBN 0689835493 

Freedman, Russell. Eleanor Roosevelt: A Life of Discovery. ISBN 0395845203

Website- http://www.biography.com/famous/index.jsp

http://www.famouspeople.co.uk/