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I rated this book as additional purchase primarily because the text is a bit unclear in spots in elucidating the original text. Without having read Charlotte Bronte’s original book, I would have been a bit confused at times, particularly since the story is set in the past when customs and times were quite different. I think . . . → Read More: Jane Eyre: The Graphic Novel I enjoyed this book! The story line is especially well-developed for a young juvenile novel, the sketch illustrations throughout are entertaining and expressive, and the characters are interesting and unique. I also appreciated the Chinese-American culture woven into the story line through the main character’s family. In this story, Ruby Lu’s family receives a shock when . . . → Read More: Ruby Lu Star of the Show This is an early reader horse story from the Breyer Stablemates series. Diamond is an older horse who is purchased by a stable for lessons. Ava is the only girl who realizes the value of Diamond’s experience, everyone else favoring youth. When Diamond and Ava win a competition, the crowd goes wild and the reader gets . . . → Read More: Diamond This was an interesting 32 page non-fiction book about the history and structure of secret codes. Various code styles are described along with techniques for cracking them. It was fun to apply the techniques described in the examples along the way. The answers were in the back to check progress. The format was easy to read . . . → Read More: Breaking Secret Codes I enjoyed this story about Clara Lee, an 8 year old Korean American girl who lives with her parents, little sister and grandfather. There are family and friendship themes, including conflicts that must be resolved along the way. Clara Lee has a dream one night that her grandfather dies. She is frightened and so tells him . . . → Read More: Clara Lee and the Apple Pie Dream This is an excellent 48 page non-fiction book about the history of the Erie Canal. Explained in context with the political events of the time and in particular the development of the United States as a nation, this book is well-written and interesting. The format is also impressive. Rather than a glossary, key words are defined . . . → Read More: What Difference Could a Waterway Make? Mannie is an imaginative little girl who takes her elephant and little doll on a picnic adventure one sunny day. When the sun hides behind some clouds and they all feel cold and a little scared, the usually shy elephant finds his courage, pulls out a giant ladder from Mannie’s little case, and blows away the . . . → Read More: Mannie and the Long Brave Day This is a darling peep hole picture book about the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem. Perfect for pre-k up to 1st grade, students will enjoy the familiar story and colorful illustrations depicting the first . . . → Read More: What Can You See? On Christmas Night I found this 32 page non-fiction book about the Wright Brothers to be easy to read and full of interesting facts. The illustrations are cartoon style with funny captions which should hold the attention of young readers. There are also many good quality photographs of the Wright Brothers and their inventions which brings their . . . → Read More: The Wright Brothers: Inventors whose ideas really took flight This non-fiction book (AR level 6.3, .5 points) about climate change on our Earth is well-written and easy to understand. Difficult concepts are clearly explained and evidence pointing to climate change is presented amongst engaging, colorful and . . . → Read More: Living in a Warmer World This series is a comical and rhyming guide for teachers who are working with their students on grasping various grammatical concepts and parts of speech. The illustrations are funny and colorful. We have several from this series in our school library and teachers do use them with their classes to reinforce . . . → Read More: But and For, Yet and Nor This is a good overview non-fiction book geared for late elementary through middle school aged students who are interested in the events around Hurricane Katrina. Full of engaging, but student-friendly pictures of the disaster, the layout makes the information very readable. The price makes this series very affordable for the quality of . . . → Read More: Hurricane Katrina This was a fun story of a 5th grade girl Abbie, who happens to be a witch. She ends up in one comical pickle after another as she navigates life and works to solve a mystery involving her enchanted cat. As the mystery unravels and the plot thickens, Abbie’s magical skills and courage are tested. The . . . → Read More: Witchy Worries of Abbie Adams This is a 48 page non-fiction book (AR level 5.7, .5 points) about the history of the Transcontinental Railroad across the US. The information is presented in a clearly-written manner with a format full of actual photographs and illustrations depicting the subject. The books in this series are very approachable for kids and even the cover . . . → Read More: The Transcontinental Railroad This is a 128 page well-researched and clearly written non-fiction book about the Iraq War with a target reading audience of 6-12th grade. The facts presented in each chapter are well documented in the chapter notes at the back of the book and information is easy to locate with the thorough index and glossary. The photography . . . → Read More: The Iraq War: A Controversial War in Perspective This is a 48 page biography of Michael Jackson written for juvenile readers. There is an Accelerated Reader test for this title (level 5.8, 1 point). This book provided good coverage of Michael’s accomplishments as an artist and philanthropist. His legal problems were reviewed briefly in a direct but appropriate manner for a young audience. I . . . → Read More: Michael Jackson Ultimate Music Legend This book is difficult to categorize as it appears to be written for a target audience of 3rd, 4th and 5th grade but has content which makes it inappropriate for that age. A border who becomes pregnant by a man she just met and who happens to be in and out of jail because he steals, . . . → Read More: Mary Mae and the Gospel Truth This is one in a series of 10 non-fiction books about Native American Tribes. This book is perfect for elementary and young middle school students who are researching Northwest Coast Indians and would be especially helpful for writing a report. This book is well-written with interesting and engaging facts and pictures depicting the culture, traditions and . . . → Read More: Northwest Coast Indians This is a wonderful biographical series of powerful women over the ages. Agrippina is one of 6 women featured in this series of six books. The other books include Cleopatra, Mary Tudor, Catherine De’Medici, Marie Antoinette, and Cixi. I now have 4 of the 6 in this series for my school library and . . . → Read More: Agrippina “Atrocious and Ferocious” This is the final book in the Hard Pan trilogy and it is a wonderful, entertaining and clean read for 4th – 7th graders. The main character is Lucky, a spunky and smart 6th grade girl who has been adopted after her mother dies. She lives in a small desert town of under 50 people ,which . . . → Read More: Lucky for Good This is one of 6 in the Thinking Girl’s Treasury of Dastardly Dames. Cixi certainly deserved that title as a brutal and temperamental Empress of 19th Century China. This biography tells the story of her life and brings up some issues still in dispute about some of her fabled dastardly deeds. Fascinating and well-written, this book . . . → Read More: Cixi “The Dragon Empress” This book is full of great facts and science projects on the subject of wind, weather and the atmosphere. The experimental procedures are well outlined step by step with good hypothesis questions to consider. Some of the photography was dark and poor quality which detracted from my overall impression of . . . → Read More: A Project Guide to Wind, Weather, and the Atmosphere I loved this bedtime swashbuckler! This clever and richly illustrated picture book captures the imagination as we follow little Charlotte Jane’s early years as the young child of a pirate couple. Well loved by doting parents, Charlotte lives life to the fullest squeezing all the juice out of every day. However, she declares, “bedtime is not . . . → Read More: Charlotte Jane Battles Bedtime Elmer the patchwork elephant saves the day again with this latest story in the series. A little elephant in a torn superhero costume asks for help to repair his suit. Elmer leads him past everyone without being spotted to old Aunt Zelda who sews up the tears and sends Super El on his way for more . . . → Read More: Elmer and Super El Elmer is a darling patchwork elephant who is featured in this series. It’s Christmastime in this story and Elmer is in charge of all the young elephants on a walk up the mountain to choose a Christmas tree while the adults wrap gifts for Papa Red (elephant Santa). That night, Papa Red arrives to pick up . . . → Read More: Elmer’s Christmas |
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