by Jeff Bishop
Review by David R. 11th Grade
A Heavy Dose of Allison Tandy surprised me. Based on the cover, I thought it would be too romantic and light. I was wrong. This book is darker and definitely more suspenseful and interesting than you would think by looking at its pink cover. I definitely recommend it, especially for guys who want to read a romance from the boy’s point of view.
By Estelle Laure
An empowering novel with a lot of heart. Jo Beckett is still reeling from the death of her dad; he was her best friend and lifelong wrestling coach. Looking for comfort, Jo gets into romantic relationships with several different guys on the wrestling team. Each time Jo thinks it’s true love, but the guys don’t feel the same. Soon Jo finds out that the guys on the team have a nickname for her, “practice girl.” She’s someone to practice sex with before moving on to a real relationship. This revelation is crushing. Jo feels betrayed by her teammates and her own heart. Not willing to give up on herself, Jo makes a plan to show the guys that she’s more than a “Practice Girl.” Her initial intention is revenge, but what she finds is healing.
This realistic novel about the double-standards girls face and the labels society places on them for being sexually active is given a unique spin by being set in the world of high school wrestling. Many teens will connect with Jo’s struggle to distinguish between physical attraction and true affection. Although this is a needed story, with a strong heroine, the novel is hampered by character voices that are not distinguishable from one another.
Mouse loves playing alone with his ball and then he starts playing with Elephant and they start playing together. Then Elephant and Mouse meet Giraffe and start playing with him. Each time they don’t think they need anyone else until they meet someone new and get to know them and discover a great friendship. The illustrations are beautiful and the expressions on the animals faces are detailed and add to the story. The message that we all have value and each add something beautiful to the group.
Nina lives in San Francisco and visits her Nana in England and her Nenek in Malaysia. The similarities and differences between the two visits give us a peek into the places that her grandmas live. She wears different clothes, eats different foods and plays different games, but she loves her grandmas and they love her. The side-by-side colorful illustrations show the similarities and differences between the places Nana and Nenek live.
The text spans across both pages when it is talking about both Nana and Nenek. This can be confusing for readers as sometimes you read the text on one side and others you have to read across the gutter. Without reading the book jacket or the dedication the readers would not know where Nana or Nenek live since it is not mentioned in the story.
The story would be good for reflecting on families, identity and different cultures that make us who we are.
Written and Illustrated by Tomie dePaola
Pascual was touched by God at a very young age. Initially, he was a shepherd but as a young adult he felt the desire to feed the poor and thus he decided to become a friar. He traveled to a Franciscan monastery where the friars asked him to become their cook. Not knowing anything about a kitchen, he prayed to God and angels came to the kitchen where they made incredible meals. Pascual never did learn to cook but by the gift of God he provided food to the friars as well as the poor. An author’s note at the end of the book explains that Pascual is the patron saint of cooks and the kitchen. The illustrations are beautiful and the story is light. I would recommend this book as an extra purchase for an elementary library.
Ayaan, a young African American boy, speeds around the playground at school wearing a cape and helping his friends. He feels proud of his efforts until some classmates laugh at him and tell him he can’t be a superhero – real superheroes don’t look like him. With the support of his father, Ayaan realizes that superheroes come in all shapes and sizes and their most important identifying characteristic is that they are committed to helping others. By continuing to be kind, helpful, and brave, Ayaan can live up to his superhero cape.
While not likely to engage most elementary school children, this book speaks to the preschool child through the relatable experiences, cute illustrations and clear language.
Moving to a new country and leaving extended family is hard. Rocio misses so much of her old life. Most of all, Rocio misses her Abuela. Rocio and Abuela used to spend a lot of time together and their love for each other is evident in the many small rituals of their lives together. Missing that connection to her Abuela, one night Rocio finds the brightest star and makes a wish. Her family wakes her the next morning singing Las Mañanitas for her birthday and she finds a package from her Abuela. That night she sends her love back across the sky to her Abuela.
Sprinkled with Spanish words and phrases, the story will resonate for children with similar immigration stories. The themes of family, relocating, and staying connected to family and traditions make this a meaningful story for all young children.
With rhyming repetitive text, Step by Step shows how many activities that can appear daunting or impossible for a child can be conquered with one small action after another. “Stride by stride, one by one” a child can make it to school. “Smile by smile, one by one” a child can make new friends. “A to Z, one by one” a child can learn the alphabet. And when working together with friends, children can accomplish even more. The story ends with a challenge to continue to learn and grow by tackling future adventures “step by step, one by one”. The illustrations are cheerful and optimistic, featuring diverse children and supportive adults.
Step by Step would be a great read aloud to encourage the reluctant student on the first day, promote perseverance when learning new things, and celebrate the next steps at the end of of the school year.
Daddy Speaks Love explores the special bond between father and child. Daddy speaks of nurturing though love, truth, joy, and comfort. Daddy also speaks of learning with dream, future, unity, and pride. The book then circles back to love and promise of together. The author’s note indicates that the story was inspired by words of 6 year old Gianna Floyd after her father’s death.
Beautifully warm illustrations feature father-child relationships of various races and ethnicities and children various genders.
What are some of the smelliest things in the world? Why do some things smell bad? Where do smells come from? These are some of the questions answered in this Ready to Read Level 2 book. Dr. Ick and his friend Sam the dog take us through why some things smell. There are 2-3 sentences per page and includes illustrations as well as photographs. Important vocabulary words are in bold and many also include a pronunciation guide. The glossary is located at the front of the book and an experiment is located at the back of the book.