In the Vietnam War, U.S. Troops fought in Vietnam in Southeat Asia.  Some soldiers had enlisted voluntarily, but others were forced to join the military.  Far from home, they all faced great hardships, including deadly jungle insects, monsoon rains, and an enemy they could rarely see.

Life on the Front Lines takes one behind the scenes of the major conflicts.  I liked that it used eyewitness accounts, revealing photographs and detailed text to let you feel like you were standing in the soldiers’ shoes and experiencing all parts of their lives in the conflicts.

The A.R. reading level for this book is a 5.9 and would likely appeal to late elementary and middle school students…boys and girls.

The Long Way Home is Book 2 in the series Family Tree by Ann M. Martin.  This series covers four generations of mothers and daughters, sisters and aunts…four different girls.

Book 2 is about Dana who loves loving in New York City. Yes, her twin sister, Julia, can get on her nerves.  And the heat in the summer can drive people a little crazy.  But it feels like she is in the heart of the world, and she is living to its beat.  Her father is a famous writer and takes her to parties most people can only read about in newspapers. It’s an exciting life.

Then things start to go wrong.  Dana’s father dies in a tragic accident, and Dana’s family must move to Maine for financial reasons.  Dana vows that it won’t be forever and somehow she will make her way back home to New York City.

There was enough suspense in every chapter to hold my attention and to draw me back to the book on my nightstand.  The setting is in the early 1950’s and Ms. Martin makes accurate reference to the Cuban Missile Crisis and the Assassination of President Kennedy.

I look forward to ordering Books 1, 3 & 4 which will introduce Abby, Francie, and Georgia and the challenges they will face.  This is a family I’ll never forget.

Robots at Home is part of a series which features robots in various locations.  There isn’t a great deal of detail as to how they work or how they are programmed, but it’s basically a picture book showing the robot and telling what it does.  I kind of wondered if they can be customized, where to get one, how much they cost, etc., but I guess the target audience doesn’t ask those kinds of questions.   Some of the robots mentioned are familiar to students, such as the robot pet, the floor cleaner, and the wheelchair.

Goodnight Football is such an appealing books on many different levels.  First of all, the text is in rhyme, and clearly explains the different parts and players of the game.  Secondly, the illustrations are colorful and clear and not cluttered with unnecessary details. And, thirdly, and perhaps most importantly, it is reminiscent of the classic children’s book Goodnight, Moon, in which the little boy (instead of bunny) says goodnight to all the football related items he’s seen that night.  This book is a terrific introduction to the game for those kids who aren’t so familiar with it and also for those kids who love the game.  How great to find a book in which football doesn’t depict violence and toughness.  This is a must purchase for all elementary school libraries.

2014 was the 100th anniversary of WWI. Author, illustrator Michael Foreman brings to readers a taste of what it was like in the trenches of the Western Front of France and Belgium through the eyes of his four uncles- WWI soldiers.

The young men of England were recruited to fight for “King and Country.” “As strange as it may seem today, football [soccer] played an important part in the First World War. It was used to recruit volunteers and to drive men on as they went ‘over the top’ into no-man’s-land; and it famously brought together the warring armies during the historic Christmas truce of 1914.” (page 78)

Young men who had never been away from home volunteered to fight. It would be an adventure, a chance to see the world. At first, it was parades and cheering later as the troops traveled toward the front line they encountered families fleeing the war zone and saw their first wounded troops. Eventually, they entered their life in the trenches: mud, little shelter, poor food, and firing on the Germans at dawn and dusk. Other than sentry duty, not much happened mid-day.

Enemy line could be as close as 30 yards away. Voices and the smell of food could drift in from the other side of no-man’s-land. And no-man’s-land often contained barbed wire, artillery crater holes, and dead bodies.

The war was not over by Christmas, as had been thought when the men were recruited.

Christmas Day of 1914 brought a quiet. Little by little, both sides came out of their trenches and buried their dead. Later, a Christmas tree was brought out, little gifts were exchanged, then a football [soccer ball] came out and the rest of the day was spent with both sides playing friendly, but crazy football  together.

In the days that followed, both sides saw troops moved to different parts of the front because how could the war continue to be fought if the enemies were so friendly towards each other.

In an Alaskan setting, the story of a 14-year-old dog sledder and a lost city boy collide. The dog sledder, Victoria Secord, and the city boy, Chris, are lost in the woods together after Chris has a snowmobile accident. Together the two of them and her dog sled team have to survive the cruel Alaskan night and the dangers of the wild forest to make it back to civilization before they both die.
This fast-paced novel will keep the reader wanting to know if the pair survived the night. Victoria is bullheaded and stubborn; if she puts her mind to it, she will do it. Chris is sensitive and doesn’t understand new surroundings very well. The author brings the characters to life making them very believable. This is a powerful story for those who enjoy reading survival or dog stories.
— Kellyn S.

Based on a true story, this novel is about a young Russian boy who is abandoned on the streets of Russia during a great time of poverty where children are abandoned in abundance. A pack of dogs find the boy and start treating him better than the other homeless children where he eats and sleeps with the pack. He takes care of the dogs and they take care of him. This book is told through the eyes of a five-year-old child. It is about survival in a harsh world. The moral of the story is that one can find love and family in the most unlikely circumstances.

At first, I did not realize that this was a true story. I was really connected to the realism of it all – everything that happened I believed to be true. The author’s writing was very vivid – written from a child’s perspective. The story was so well-written that it felt like it was a biography. The book paces itself with heart-felt moments and action-packed adventure. This is a compelling read for those who like stories about animals, survival and family. I highly recommend this book.

–Hannah M.

In large text, this 300 foot national symbol is described and explained.  The statue is of a woman holding a torch signifying the light of freedom while holding a tablet representing our laws.  Built in France, it was delivered to the U. S. in 1884.  Photographs and illustrations portray different aspects of the statue – construction, placement in New York, cleaning, and as a tourist destination.  Sentence structure is simple yet full of significant facts.  Great introduction to a national symbol for young readers.  Glossary, index, bibliography, internet sites, and three Common Core questions are included.  Other titles in the set are: The American Flag, The Bald Eagle, The Pledge of Allegiance, The Star-Spangles Banner, and Uncle Sam.  Judging from the quality of this book, I would recommend acquiring the series.

A young girl and her favorite stuffed toy, Bubbit, learn there will soon be a new baby in the house.  Told in the third person, the girl and Bubbit decide to draw a welcome picture for her new brother.  When grandma Nonni arrives with her sewing basket, the two of them create a new stuffed toy for her newborn brother.  They fashion a yellow elephant out of fabric from an out-grown jacket.  Sewing steps are beautifully illustrated as the text portrays the love and friendship between Nonni and the granddaughter.  Colorful digital artwork is detailed, warm, and engaging.  This story can be used with a variety of themes and/or writing skills: new siblings, family, sewing craft, and word choice.  Pleasant book filled with the special relationship between granddaughter an grandmother.