Module 15 My Dog, My Hero

Bibliography

Byars, B., Duffey, B., Myers,Laurie (2000). My dog, my hero. New York, NY: Holt

Betsy Byars and her two daughters write a book of short stories based on the true stories of eight brave dogs. They had a contest to choose the most heroic dog. The stories are short and easy to read. Some of the stories are funny and others are heartwarming . Any dog lover would love these stories.

Reviews:
Loretta (BookHive (www.bookhive.org))Eight people have nominated their brave dogs for the My Hero Award. Three judges will decide which dog will wear the My Hero Medal. In this book made up of eight stories, one is about Old Dog. Old Dog has a bad hip, cannot see, and is afraid of thunder. One night a tornado hit and 26 people were buried under rubble. Old Dog kept scratching, digging, and barking, until all were saved. According to the narrator, "Our town had a parade for Old Dog. When they played 'Stars and Stripes Forever', I played the high part on my flute and Old Dog sang and sang." This book is a heart-warming read. Category: Adventure; Realistic Fiction. Grade Level: Primary (K-3rd grade). 2000, Henry Holt and Company. Ages 5 to 9.

Ellen Mandel (Booklist, Jan. 1, 2001 (Vol. 97, No. 9))Newbery Medal-winner Byars and daughters Betsy Duffey and Laurie Myers--dog lovers all--collaborate for the first time in this collection of eight stories about extraordinarily heroic dogs. Each of the first-rate tales is told from the point of view of a contestant entering a dog in the My Hero contest. Among the entries is one from a gruff gardener who has no use for dogs until one alerts him to a poisonous snake lurking in his petunias. In another, a 93-year-old woman relates how a dog's cold nose and loving touch transformed her after she'd given in to depression in a nursing home. Drama, humor, excitement, and love fuel these short, well-written stories that are certain to be relished by dog lovers. The selections can also provide students in English classes with excellent examples of point of view, characterization, and plot construction. Loren Long's evocative full-color artwork not only shows off each canine but also invites readers into the crises and emotions of the episodes. Category: Books for Middle Readers--Fiction. 2000, Holt, $16. Gr. 3-6.

Module 14 THE LLAMA HAD NO PAJAMA

Bibliography

Hoberman, M.(1998). The Llama who had no Pajama: 100 Favorite Poems. San Diego, CA: Harcourt Brace & Co.

The Llama who had on Pajama is a book of poems for kids. One of the poems is Click Beetle. It starts off like this: "Click beetle/ Clack beetle/ Snapjack black beetle." This poem reminds me of Jamberry by Bruce Degan. The books has several poems about insects and animals. The pictures are fun. In one poem Whenever, she talks about making her room spin by turning around and around. The poem is in the middle of a circle of the girl in various poses of turning around. This book is an example of fun poetry for young kids.

Reviews:
Susan Dove Lempke (Booklist, April 15, 1998 (Vol. 94, No. 16))Poems drawn from Hoberman's previous works, published between 1957 and 1981, are packaged to delight a new generation of youngsters. Children may be reminded of A. A. Milne's poetry about Pooh, particularly by the earlier poems, but Hoberman's poetry goes deeper, offering children a new way to look at things. In "Birthdays," for instance, Hoberman wonders what it would be like if the celebration came once a week instead of once a year: "Think of all the gifts you'd get / And all the songs you'd hear / And think how quickly you'd grow up; / Wouldn't it feel queer." Animals and bugs, as well as a variety of ordinary childhood experiences, are featured in poetry that is sometimes funny, and often playful in its rhythm and repetition of sounds. Fraser's illustrations add a cheery, appealing look to the book without overwhelming the text. Use this along with Jack Prelutsky's Ride a Purple Pelican (1986) to sprinkle your story times with poems. Category: For the Young. 1998, Harcourt/Browndeer, $20. Ages 3-8.

Jan Lieberman (Children's Literature)Mary Ann Hoberman has charmed us for years with her singable, readable, factual, fantastical poems. Now we have a collection of 100 of her favorite poems in The Llama Who Had No Pajama, stylishly illustrated by Betty Fraser. Whether writing about animals or insects, e.g. "O Mrs. Mosquito, quit biting me please! I'm happy my blood type with your type agrees..." or about the human condition as in "Changing"--I know what I feel like; / I'd like to be you/ And feel what you feel like/ And do what you do..." or chanting an ode to the letter O--"O is open/ O is round/ O's a circle/ O's a sound..." her musicality sparkles. What fun she has with the sound "bit" in "A rabbit/ bit/ A little bit/ An itty-bitty/ Little bit of beet. /Then bit/ By bit. / Because he liked the taste of it..." 1999, Browndeer Press/Harcourt, $20.00. Ages 4 to 8.
Marilyn Courtot (Children's Literature)Mary Ann Hoberman pulls together 100 of her poems on a variety of subjects. Many of them of appeared previously, but this compilation is made particularly appealing due to the lovely artwork of Betty Fraser. Many will tickle the funny bone such as "Ducks," "Waiters," and "Applesauce," while others are riddles and still others just take a fresh look at everyday events, insects and things. 1998, Browndeer/Harcourt, $20.00. Ages 4 up.
M. Thomas (Parent Council Volume 6)A wonderful way to introduce poetry to children, this collection of more than one hundred lyrical poems with colorful illustrations will delight children of all ages. Poems are about everyday events and the nature of the world around us. A beautiful gift idea. 1998, Browndeer Press, $20.00. Ages 3 to 12.

Module 13 Babymouse Heartbreaker

Bibliography

Holm, J. and Holm, M.(2006).Babymouse Heartbreaker. New York, N.Y.: Random House Children's Books

Babymouse Heartbreaker is on of several Babymouse graphic novels. Babymouse Heartbreaker is about the Valentine's Day dance. As time approaches for the dance, Babymouse wonders if anyone will ask her to the dance. When no one does she decides to ask someone herself, but no one will go with her. So Babymouse goes to the dance alone, but will she find someone at the dance?

Reviews:
Amie Rose Rotruck (Children's Literature)As Valentine’s Day approaches, Babymouse’s head is filled with romance. Who will invite her to the school dance? As the days go by and no one asks her, Babymouse comes up with more and more elaborate plans to get a date (including a rather elaborate makeover inspired by Cosmouse magazine). Finally, she decides to ask someone herself, but even that fails to yield a date. Amidst Romeo and Juliet--and Gone With the Wind--inspired daydreams, Babymouse tries to navigate the winding path of adolescent love with often wacky results. This highly amusing graphic novel is a entertaining Valentine’s story skillfully balancing romantic fantasy and school situations without ever being sappy. The illustrations are black and white with, of course, some valentine pink. The comments to the characters by the mysterious narrator/artist add another dimension to the story, ensuring that people of all ages can enjoy this tale. 2006, Random House, $5.99. Ages 7 to 12.

Module 12 The Burn Journals

Bibliography



Runyon, B. (2004). The Burn Journals. New York, NY : Random House

The Burn Journals is an autobiography based on the story of Brent Runyon a 14 year old boy who steps in the shower, pours gasoline on himself and sets himself on fire. The story is difficult to think about, but the story is told through the thoughts and conversations Brent has with others. Brent goes through a lot of physical pain because of his emotional pain. His journey helps Brent realize how this affected others as well as himself. With help from family, friends, doctors and nurses, Brent begins to heal both physically and emotionally. This is an excellent book to help teens realize that their are serious consequences to their actions and their actions not only affect them, but others who know and love them. Hopefully, they would realize that there are people who can help them if they ever feel that desperate.



Reviews:

Patricia Moore (KLIATT Review, November 2006 (Vol. 40, No. 6))Not for the faint of heart, The Burn Journals chronicle the life of 14-year-old Brent Runyon from the day he stood in the shower, poured gasoline over his bathrobe and set himself on fire. Now in his late 20s, Runyon wrote this book as therapy to set down what he remembered of the year it took for him to recover enough to return to school. He writes of what he saw as his failure in school, his failure within his family, and his determination to kill himself. As soon as the flames encircled him, however, he turned on the shower to douse them and cried for help. The Journals tell of his painful hospitalization, his gradual recovery and realization of the harm he had done himself, and his constant apologies to his distraught parents for his actions--which they insisted on calling his “accident.” Gradually he became more mobile, better able to interact with his family, friends and the hospital staff, although never with the string of psychologists and psychiatrists who tried to get him to analyze his self-destructive motives. At the end of a year, Brent was ready to return to his high school, and the reader holds his breath. Category: Biography, Narrative. KLIATT Codes: JSA--Recommended for junior and senior high school students, advanced students, and adults. 2004, Random House, 325p., $12.95. Ages 12 to adult.
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Module 11 What if you met a pirate

Bibliography:

Adkins, J.(2004). What if you met a pirate?: an historical voyage of seafaring speculation. Brookfield, CN: Roaring Brook Press.

All pirates are fancy dressers brandishing multiple weapons and wearing lots of jewlery,right? Not according to Jan Adkins. Instead most pirates were actually common sailors who occasionally stole. On board a pirate ship, the men worked and slept in shifts. I finally learned why Navy personal refer to the bathroom as "the head." "The head" was holes in a board hanging over the side of the ship at the front of the ship. Pirates didn't live to be very old. They usually died from disease or were hanged.

Reviews:
Carolyn Phelan (Booklist, Oct. 15, 2004 (Vol. 101, No. 4))Can it be that walking the plank was a fictional punishment invented by illustrator Howard Pyle? In this appealing book, Adkins gives readers the lowdown on what life under the pirate flag was really like. After setting up the conventional portrait of swaggering, singing sailors in colorful duds, he replaces it with a more realistic picture of hard-working sailors who "might swashbuckle just a few hours each month" and bathed considerably less. Yet this realistic portrayal of pirates and their activities is even more intriguing than the romanticized version he debunks. Adkins strikes just the right note in the text, always informative and frequently entertaining as well. Bright with color washes, the excellent, energetic drawings show pirates engaged in a variety of activities, from pumping out the bilge to braiding each other's hair to using the open-air bathroom at the front of the ship. In a send-up of current book marketing, the back cover carries appreciative comments by the likes of Queen Elizabeth I and Leonardo da Vinci. Where pirate fever runs high this spirited presentation will find an enthusiastic audience. For more titles, see the Read-alikes, "Ship Ahoy!" [BKL S 1 04]. Category: Books for Middle Readers--Nonfiction. 2004, Millbrook/Roaring Brook, $16.95. Gr. 3-5. Starred Review

Sheree White (Children's Literature)Meet the pirate we all know from books and movies. He has a dagger, cutlass, pistols, silver-buckled boots, a fancy jacket, and maybe a wooden leg and the occasional parrot. The author then tells us in What if You Met a Pirate? that he would not be a successful pirate. The rest of this lengthy picture book is fascinating and full of facts, anecdotes and detailed illustrations. Adkins draws interesting connections between pirates and the British Royal Navy, and between being a pirate and a privateer (a more respectable name). Did pirates really spend most of their time sailing the cannon-loaded ships you see in the movies? Not! He draws illustrations of the different types of boats pirates actually spent most of their time sailing in, like schooners which were slim, shallow, and fast; briggs, which were pirates’ favorite sailing vessels. What did pirates eat? Try hardtacks for a start. “A dried brown biscuit called hardtack that kept for years, drank beer, wine and grog (water mixed with rum) and salamagundi, a favorite dish make from several kinds of meat, fish and fowl cooked in spiced wine… .” The pictures are simply drawn, but detailed illustrations. Adkins’s description of how a canon works and what malfunctions could occur would please those interested in weapons. Pirates had an orderly and sophisticated social order on board. They were hard working and fair. Though they practiced a strong code of ethics among themselves, they were much more devious in capturing their prizes from other boats. The very brief biographies of such famous sailors and pirates as Walter Drake, Walter Raleigh, Blackbeard and Captain William Kidd were incredibly fascinating, showing us that truth is stranger that fiction. The book also included an index and glossary of pirate words. This book would make a great gift for anyone remotely interested in pirates. 2004, Roaring Brook Press, $16.95. Ages 6 to 12.

Module 10 Al Capone does my Shirts

Bibliography:

Choldenko, G. (2004). Al Capone does my shirts. New York, N.Y.: G. P. Putnam.

12 year old Moose moves to Alcatraz with his parents and sister Natalie during a time when notorious gangsters such as Al Capone are in incarcerated at the prison. His family relocates so that his sister who suffers from autism can attend a special school near by the island. Moose, the warden's daughter and a handful of other kids live on the island, but they attend school in San Francisco. Natalie is turned down for the school on the first try, so her mom goes to work teaching piano lessons to earn money to hire a tutor for Natalie. With both of his parents working, Moose is left in charge of Natalie. When the school turns Natalie down a second time in spite of her progress, Moose looks to Al Capone for help. This book shows the ups and downs of dealing with an autistic child. This is an excellant book to help children learn compassion when dealing with a disabled child.




Reviews:
Ed Sullivan (Booklist, Feb. 1, 2004 (Vol. 100, No. 11))Twelve-year-old Moose moves to Alcatraz in 1935 so his father can work as a prison guard and his younger, autistic sister, Natalie, can attend a special school in San Francisco. It is a time when the federal prison is home to notorious criminals like gangster Al Capone. Depressed about having to leave his friends and winning baseball team behind, Moose finds little to be happy about on Alcatraz. He never sees his dad, who is always working; and Natalie's condition-- her tantrums and constant needs--demand all his mother's attention. Things look up for Moose when he befriends the irresistible Piper, the warden's daughter, who has a knack for getting Moose into embarrassing but harmless trouble. Helped by Piper, Moose eventually comes to terms with his new situation. With its unique setting and well-developed characters, this warm, engaging coming-of-age story has plenty of appeal, and Choldenko offers some fascinating historical background on Alcatraz Island in an afterword. Category: Books for Middle Readers--Fiction. 2004, Putnam, $15.99. Gr. 5-8.

Della A. Yannuzzi (Children's Literature)Author Choldenko has written a funny and clever middle grade novel about a boy named Matthew (Moose) Flanagan who is living on Alcatraz Island with his family. The family has moved to the Island because Moose's father has found work as an electrician, and because his sister Natalie, who is autistic, can go to a good school nearby. Moose is not happy about living on the island, especially after meeting the Warden's daughter Piper who is bossy and a bit of a troublemaker. Moose's father has warned him to stay out of trouble because he needs this job and Natalie needs to go to the special school. Moose's life becomes miserable when Piper involves him and a few other island kids in a moneymaking scheme to have their schoolmates' clothes laundered by the convicts on Alcatraz Island. Piper tempts her school chums by claiming that Al Capone, the famous gangster, may even wash their shirts. The scheme falls apart when the Warden finds out what his daughter and friends are up to. Then, to make matters worse, the school that Natalie attends doesn't want her and she has to come home. Moose winds up watching her and has to forego his Monday after-school baseball game. This is an amusing book about interesting characters placed in a different and unlikely setting and trying to make the best of their situation. 2004, G. P. Putnam's Sons, $15.99. Ages 10 up.


Susie Wilde (Children's Literature)It is 1935 and Moose’s family has just moved from Santa Monica to Alcatraz, “a twelve-acre rock covered with cement, topped with bird turd and surrounded by water,” where his father is a guard. As if this were not difficult enough, his sister is autistic and Moose is largely responsible for looking after her. There are more troubles--the warden’s daughter is a brat bent on getting him in trouble, Moose has baseball talent, but cannot play because of his sister, and he is butting heads with his mother constantly. Sound like a problem novel? Problems abound, but the humor, careful historical detailing, tightly woven subplots, and realistically portrayed emotions lift this far above any problem novel. Choldenko has done an incredible job of weaving fact and fiction and she clearly draws the lines between the two in her author’s note. This is an incredibly readable book; its chapters are short, its plot driving, its characters well-rounded and intriguing, and the setting fascinating. 2004, Putnam, $15.99. Ages 10 up.


CCBC (Cooperative Children’s Book Center Choices, 2005)When Moose Flanagan moves to Alcatraz Island so his father can work as a prison guard, he’s concerned about leaving his friends and his baseball team behind. He quickly discovers that living on the same piece of ground that harbors Machine Gun Kelly and Al Capone is a whole new ballgame. Along with the children of the other prison employees, Moose takes a boat to San Francisco each weekday to attend school. There the Island kids milk the mystique of their home for all it’s worth, concocting an ingenious scheme that involves smuggling their classmates’ dirty clothes into the prison laundry system – for a price. The humor of Moose’s escapades is balanced with a more serious issue that his family deals with daily: his older sister Natalie has a condition that keeps her from functioning as a typical teenager. Unidentified in this story set in the 1930s, Natalie’s condition would be diagnosed as autistic today. Desperate to find help for Natalie, Moose’s mother insists that her 16-year-old daughter is only ten, an age when she’s still eligible to attend special schools rather than being relegated to an institution. A concluding author’s note describes life on Alcatraz during its tenure as a working penitentiary from 1934 to 1963, solidly grounding this piece of fiction within fact. In a similar vein, Gennifer Choldenko’s sister served as inspiration for the character of Natalie, who is portrayed with respect and intimacy. The author’s dedication reads, “To my sister, Gina Johnson, and to all of us who loved her – however imperfectly.” CCBC categories: Fiction for Children. 2004, Putnam, 225 pages, $15.99. Ages 10-14

Module 9 Sammy Keyes and the Art of Deception

Bibliography


Van Drannen, W.(2003). Sammy Keyes and the Art of Deception. New York, N.Y.: Dell Yearling.

Samantha (Sammy) Keyes is a 13 year old girl who lives with her grandmother in a retirement community where children are not allowed to live. When Sammy's art teacher assigns her class to attend the renessaniance faire she complains to Hudson her grandmother's friend. Hudson suggests she attends an artist reception. Sammy, her grandmother and Hudson all go to the reception, but Sammy still wears her high tops. During the reception someone breaks into the reception with a gun and begins to steal some of the art. Sammy with her detective senses notices that the gun is actually a water gun so she tackles the guy. He gets away, but without the art. Sammy starts investigating the incident and the artists whose work was on display. Her grandmother joins her on this investigation for a fun time.

Sammy is a girl who overcomes the difficulties in her life and finds ways to enjoy life in spite of the problems of an absent mother and having to hide when anyone vists her grandmother. She is a good example for kids whose life is not so perfect.

Reviews:
Ilene Cooper (Booklist, Feb. 1, 2003 (Vol. 99, No. 11))Sammy Keyes returns, as feisty as ever, this time lurking around the art world to learn the secret a painter is keeping. As with other books in the series, there's more going on than just sleuthing. Sammy and her nemesis, Heather, mix it up once more. And there's some romance here for Sammy, but mostly for her grandmother, with whom she lives, and for Hudson, Sammy's 72-year-old best friend, who appears to be more interested in artist Diane Rejiden than in Grams. Van Draanen only makes slight concessions to her audience. Her tone is sharp, her dialogue fast, and the mystery, on the face of it, is not particularly kid-friendly. Yet Van Draanen's fresh take on things, painted with a patina of realism, will attract a new audience and also keep fans turning pages. Category: Books for Middle Readers--Fiction. 2003, Knopf, $15.95. Gr. 5-8.
Valerie O. Patterson (Children's Literature)Feisty seventh grader Sammy Keyes is sleuthing again--this time solving a crime in the art world. At a local art gallery reception that she attends with her grandmother and their 72-year-old friend, Hudson, a robber ties to steal one of the artist’s paintings. Realizing the robber is armed only with a water pistol, Sammy comes to the rescue. The would-be robber escapes, but when the artist does not want the police to investigate, Sammy--and her Grams--become suspicious. Hudson’s interest in the artist whose work was the robber’s target only upsets Grams and further motivates her and Sammy to uncover the truth. In addition to the mystery, Sammy wrestles with her school relationships, including with nemesis Heather and Heather’s older brother, Casey, the boy Sammy likes, and seeks to understand the meaning of art and friendship. Sammy is a delightful character, full of sass and energy and unafraid to speak her mind, whether to a rude artist or her best friend, Marissa. The complicated mystery plot keeps readers guessing and the ending satisfies on multiple levels. Another book in the series, Sammy Keyes and the Hotel Thief, won the Edgar Allan Poe award for best children’s mystery fiction. 2005 (orig. 2003), Dell Yearling/Random House, $5.99. Ages 10 up.
Kirkus (Kirkus Reviews, March 1, 2003 (Vol. 71, No. 5))Shenanigans take a back seat to affairs of the heart in this teenaged Sherlock's eighth outing. Assigned to find and analyze "art" at either a local gallery or an upcoming Renaissance Faire, Sammy tries both, and stumbles into a tangle of vicious intrigue, inflated egos, hidden motives, and general bad behavior-not unlike junior high school, where Sammy continues to be whipsawed by encounters with archenemy Heather Acosta and her friendly, disturbingly attractive brother Casey. Having foiled an attempted robbery at the gallery that looks more and more like a setup, Sammy smells something fishy-and finds an unlikely ally in her grandma, with whom she lives illegally in a seniors-only apartment, and whose budding romance with Sammy's septuagenarian confidante Hudson seems headed for the rocks after a charming artist turns his head. Despite robberies, shocking revelations, mysterious strangers, and pumped-up language ("Anyhow, I blasted over to art class, and the minute I blew through the door . . . "), Sammy's preoccupation with Gram's love life and getting her own feelings for Casey in order, along with ruminations about good art vs. bad, orient this episode more toward character and personal issues than its suspenseful, danger-laden precursors. Still, thoughtful readers will understand from Sammy's anguish, when she sees a work of art that had moved her profoundly destroyed by its larcenous owner, that there are moral felonies at least as wicked as the more conventional legal kind. 2003, Knopf, $15.95. Category: Fiction. Ages 11 to 15. © 2003 Kirkus Reviews/VNU eMedia, Inc. All rights reserved.
Claire Rosser (KLIATT Review, March 2003 (Vol. 37, No. 2))This is the eighth book about Sammy Keyes, the middle-school sleuth who lives with her grandmother while her mother pursues a film career in Hollywood. For an art project, Sammy goes to an art gallery to try to understand what art is, accompanied by her grandmother and 72-year-old Hudson. A relationship seems to be forming between Grams and Hudson, but then Hudson develops a crush on one of the artists featured in the exhibit, making Grams furious. It is this artist who becomes the focus of the mystery of the book. How can such a selfish, small-minded person be capable of producing such wonderful paintings?--paintings Sammy loves, and paintings Hudson becomes obsessed with. Meanwhile, Sammy's social life at school is changing. The menace Heather still makes Sammy's life miserable, but Heather's brother Dan seems especially interested in Sammy--and this is confusing. There is a Renaissance Faire, and a play. Throughout, the story offers what we expect from a Sammy Keyes mystery: smart young people who are independent thinkers. Grams' character is developed more thoroughly in this story, and we can see where Sammy gets some of her strength and intelligence. The thorough discussion of what makes art meaningful is quite an achievement. Category: Hardcover Fiction. KLIATT Codes: J--Recommended for junior high school students. 2003, Random House/Knopf, 272p., $15.95. Ages 12 to 15.
Eileen Kuhl (VOYA, August 2003 (Vol. 26, No. 3))Irrepressible, spunky heroine Sammy is back solving the mystery of an art gallery theft in this eighth title of the Sammy Keyes series. Sammy's school assignment is to interview a professional artist and learn what art is about. She attends an art gallery premier with her grandmother and older friend, Hudson, but the event is interrupted when a bandit attempts to steal local artist Diane's paintings from the wall. Sammy foils the robbery and then pairs up with her grandmother to discover why the thief would want only this particular artist's work. They discover that the art world is full of petty, competitive people and that Diane might not be as blameless as first believed. Their investigation is further complicated by other characters who have hidden motives. Propelled by numerous plot twists, sneaky characters, and intrigue, this story does not have as much adventure and daring as other series titles. The danger does not seem convincing, and the potential villains do not appear wicked. More an insightful study in character, this installment features the gutsy Sammy relentlessly investigating, analyzing, and using the little information she has discovered to successfully solve the mystery. The middle school subplot of cat fighting between Sammy and her nemesis, Heather, and Sammy's crush on Casey provide a realistic backdrop and will involve readers. Sammy is still a funny, smart, and independent character who will keep readers cheering and waiting for her next adventure. VOYA CODES: 3Q 3P M (Readable without serious defects; Will appeal with pushing; Middle School, defined as grades 6 to 8). 2003, Knopf, 272p, $15.95. Ages 11 to 14.