Module 15

 Censorship Issues

My Mom's Having a Baby by Dori Hillestad Butler

Illustrated by Carol Thompson

Bibliography
Butler, D. H.  (2005). My Mom's Having a Baby. Morton Grove, IL : Albert Whitman & Company.


ISBN 0-7085-5344-1

Summary

The story is of a family who is expecting their second child, and they share all of the experiences of being pregnant with their first child, daughter Elizabeth.  They take her to the doctor appointments, and let her hear the heartbeat, and even tell her how mommy got a baby inside of her in the first place.  Which includes the answer to her question of "how dad's sperm and the mom's egg get together?' a graphic answer.

My Impression


I think it's a cute story about mommy having a baby, but it should be for parents to read and share the story with their young kids, only because it's not something they can understand by themselves, and I am not trying to censor it just saying that the parent should discuss it with the child.


Reviews

Children's Literature

Elizabeth's mother is expecting a baby, and the whole family is involved. Most curious about the little brother or sister growing inside of her mom is Elizabeth, the narrator of this fiction-with-a-nonfiction-focus story. Although told within a 32-page picture book format, this fictionalized journey of an infant's development from conception to birth is intended for a slightly older readership. The story is told from a child-centered viewpoint: as baby grows within Mom's womb, Elizabeth traces the baby's monthly growth. Full-color illustrations show both the inside and outside changes that occur throughout the nine months. The pictures are charming, cheery and full of warm emotion. The well-researched text explains things in a manner that is, for the most part, appropriate and understandable for a child. Elizabeth's father and grandmother are involved and supportive throughout her mother's pregnancy, too. The focus here is on an older sibling's curiosity and eagerness for a younger brother and sister—sibling rivalry worries are not part of the plotline—and the overall tone is as upbeat and lively as the bouncy illustrations. 2005, Albert Whitman & Company, Ages 6 to 10. 


From School Library Journal
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Kindergarten-Grade 4–In a conversational tone, Elizabeth describes the month-by-month development of the baby as well as the changes in Mom's body. With a child as narrator, the text naturally includes topics of interest to readers, from the growing size of the fetus to the different ways Elizabeth interacts with him, from Doppler to ultrasound to simply feeling his hard bump of a head through her mother's tummy. Through very direct language and clear illustrations, children will learn about a man's testicles where sperm are made and the fallopian tube where an egg is fertilized. Rather than ending at this clinical description, Mom answers Elizabeth's big question, "how do Dad's sperm and your egg get together?" As part of her measured response, she explains, "The man puts his penis between the woman's legs and inside her vagina. After a while, a white liquid shoots out of the man's penis and into the woman's vagina. The liquid is full of millions of sperm." So, too, details are not spared when the birth is described. The playful and colorful illustrations add exuberance to the text, combining full-page paintings, cartoon panels, word balloons, and free-floating images, many of which are of the developing baby. The joy and love felt by all of the family members is palpable. This volume is an excellent choice for those readers who are ready to ask and be told some of life's basic facts.–Martha Topol, Traverse Area District Library, Traverse City, MI 

Use in Library Setting

This book, I think, can be housed in the 'parent collection' are of the children's room, and at the library I work at that is exactly where it is.  My opinion has nothing to do with censorship, that is actually why I chose and read this book because I was confused as to why this would be one of the censored titles. And I saw why, it's not a big deal but since kids are not mature enough this book is not for them, it's a source for parents to use if and when want it to explain to their little children about mommy having another baby.  I work in a middle school and some kids are still not mature enough for it, some guys had found an atrists work of a women with her top off and they were giggling and asking me if it was appropriate to have a book like that in our school.  It's a cute book but is very graphic and informative, which is great but it obviously is not a typical picture book a toddler can read and understand by themselves.

Review. (n.d.). My Mom's Having a Baby. [Review of the book My Mom's Having a Baby].  

Barnes & Noble. 

Available from

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/my-moms-having-a-baby-dori-hillestad-butler/1112089920?ean=9780807553480

Review. (n.d.). My Mom's Having a Baby. [Review of the book  My Mom's Having a Baby].  

Amazon.com.

Available from

http://www.amazon.com/Moms-Having-Baby-Month---Month/dp/0807553484/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1354989993&sr=8-1&keywords=my+mom%27s+having+a+baby

Image from

http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=my+mom%27s+having+a+baby+book&view=detail&id=F42B08F5BAF08BBB8EC13A431EC693CA6916CC58 

Module 14

 Poetry & Story Collections

Call me Maria by Judith Ortiz Cofer

BibliographyCofer, J. O.  (2004). Call me Maria. New York, NY: Orchard Books.

ISBN 0-439-38577-6

Summary

The story of Maria Alegre, a.k.a. Maria Triste, is told through: letters, poems, and prose.  It's  about a girl who had to choose to stay in the island of Puerto Rico where she was born and New York--where she lives in the basement apartment with her father.  The choice was not that easy, since she had to either stay with her mom (in the island) or move with her father to the Barrio he grew up in.  Her father, who was born in America, Puerto Rican-America, but moved to Puerto Rico and met her mother (Puerto Rican) fell in love got married and stay there.  But after years of being there, he misses his home and it's causing him to change and go into depression, so he decides to move back.  Unfortunately Maria's mother loves her home and does not want to move, she teaches English and loves what she does.  So in order for maria to get better education (and to take care of her dad) she goes with him to New York, and now she must learn how to be a Puerto Rican American in the Barrio they live in, and find out where she belongs, can she be both Marias?


My Impression

I think this is a nice story and liked its creative writing in all three forms.  It would be a good book for teenagers since they are going through figuring out who they are and where they belong.  It would be a great book to use for ESL classes which are very diverse since it is mainly students coming to a new country and trying to learn the language and fit it.   


Reviews

Editorial Reviews

With Call Me Maria, Judith Ortiz Cofer delivers a poignant story of a sixteen-year-old Puerto Rican girl trying to find her place in the barrio of New York. Maria has gone with her father as he returns to the place of his childhood leaving her mother behind for a temporary time. Maria's father is a superintendent and a jack-of-all- trades as he takes care of the needs of the tenants in the building. Maria accepts the responsibility of making their basement apartment into a home--a home where she sits from her desk doing schoolwork and looking up at the feet that walk down the sidewalk. Maria befriends Whoopie, who teaches her the way of the barrio and how to master Spanglish. When her mother does come to New York a year later, Maria realizes it is only for a visit and not to live. Though both parents want her, Maria decides to stay with her father because she has come to accept the life of the barrio. Maria's voice is a strength in this uniquely written novel as Cofer comfortably transitions between prose, letters, and poetry.  

VOYA

Fifteen-year-old Maria is a Puerto Rican girl living in the New York barrio. She speaks Spanish, English, and is learning Spanglish. Some days she is Maria Alegre, but other days she is Maria Triste living out the battle between her island Puerto Rican mother and her mainland Puerto Rican father. Her mother loves the island with its beaches and sunshine; her father loves his hometown New York-its street life, its pavement, its promise. When he leaves Puerto Rico to return to New York, Maria chooses to go with him, to look after him and to have an American education. It is a decision with sacrifice but she sticks to it. Using a pastiche of poems, letters, and pensamientos, Maria shares her memories, her feelings and her poetically expressed impressions of the world around her. She deftly depicts the characters populating her universe-the people in her building and on the street, her teachers, her family, her free-spirited girlfriend Whoopee Dominquez, her impressionable neighbor Uma, and the fifth-floor Papi-lindo, the Latin lover-in -raining who devastates girls with his charm. This short book is full of lyrical writing, memorable portraits, deep sentiment, and acute observations about being a daughter, a teenager, an immigrant, an outsider, a seeker of beauty, a user of language, and the creator of your own identity. VOYA CODES: 4Q 3P J S (Better than most, marred only by occasional lapses; Will appeal with pushing; Junior High, defined as grades 7 to 9; Senior High, defined as grades 10 to 12).


Use in Library Setting

This book is a great addition to any library.  It would be great for middle and high school students, and/or used as a novel for ESL classrooms.


Review. (n.d.). Call me Maria. [Review of the book Call me Maria]. Barnes & Noble. Available from

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/call-me-maria-judith-ortiz-cofer/1006258175?ean=9780439385787

Image from


http://www.strandbooks.com/hispanic-studies/call-me-maria-a-novel-in-letters-poems-and-prose 

Module 13

 Graphic Novels & Series Books

Junie B., First Grader (at last!) by Barbara Park
Illustrated by Denise Brunkus

Bibliography
Park, B.  (2001). Junie B., First Grader (at last!). New York, NY: Random House.


ISBN 978-0-375-81516-4

Summary

First grade isn't all it's cracked up to be, on top of being in a new school, having a new teacher, having to make friends all over again, could it be that Junie B. Jones may need glasses? As if the year couldn't get any worse, but is it really that bad?

My Impression


I think it's a cute story about going to first grade, all the excitement followed by the nervousness.  I like it, but then again I think the whole series is cute.

Reviews

Children's Literature

This chapter book is the most recent book in "The Junie B. Jones Series." Junie B. brings her saucy, irreverent, honest humor to first grade and so copes with a number of upsetting surprises. Her "bestest friend" from kindergarten Lucille (a pretty Southern-belle type) has dumped her for new friends. Grace, her old bus buddy, has taken up with a new bus buddy. Junie sits next to "goodie-two-shoes" May in class, who finds nothing but fault with Junie. And worst of all, Junie discovers she needs glasses! Fortunately, she gets help with her problems. Mr. Scary, her new teacher, helps solve the eye mystery, and a new friend, Herb, saves Junie from humiliation. The book includes Junie's forthright entries in her school journal (though it seems premature to ask students to start a journal the second day of first grade and for Junie to correct her spelling of mustache). The book captures Junie B.'s particular way of speaking, grammatical oversights included. Young readers should have fun with precocious Junie B., though first graders may need to have the story read to them. The illustrations are on the mark in interpreting some amusing and dramatic scenes. 2001, Stepping Stone/Random House, 

From School Library Journal

Gr 1-3-While first grade offers a whole year of exciting possibilities for Junie B., things get off to a confusing start. Feeling tentative about her new teacher, she renames him Mr. Scary. Her last year's best friend now has two new best friends and her old bus pal has a new buddy. Then, Junie's teacher discovers that she needs glasses. Now that is something to worry about. "What if Room One laughs their head off at me? What if I look like a goonie bird and no one wants to be my friend?" However, her classmates, who already agree that twins with rhyming names, a boy with a spiky gel hairdo, and bilingual Jose are fascinating, determine that Junie B. and her purple glasses are definitely cool. As always, Park is in touch with what the kids know and how they feel. A satisfying read, especially for fans.
Sharon R. Pearce, Geronimo Public School, OK

Use in Library Setting

This book is a great small chapter book, it can be at any library in the children's section.  It can be used in a first grade classroom to show that they are not the only ones who are nervous about going to school and starting something new.  I can be in elementary and middle school libraries, just for easy reading.

Review. (2001). Junie B., First Grader (at last!). [Review of the book Junie B., First Grader (at last!)]. 

Barnes & Noble. 

Available from

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/junie-b-first-grader-barbara-park/1100009747?ean=9780375815164

Review. (2002). Junie B., First Grader (at last!). [Review of the book Junie B., First Grader (at last!)]. 

Amazon.com.

Available from

http://www.amazon.com/Junie-First-Grader-Last-Jones/dp/0375815163/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1354986461&sr=8-2&keywords=junie+b+first+grader

Image from

http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=junie+b+first+grader+at+last&view=detail&id=D983DC55B72A2156B0AFD98158D280F9DD532FC0 

Module 12

 Biography & Autobiography

Just Being Audrey by Margaret Cardillo

Illustrated by Julia Denos

Bibliography
Cardillo, M.  (2011). Just Being Audrey. New York, NY: Harper Collins Publishers.


ISBN 978-0-06-185284-4

Summary

This book was as beautiful as Audrey herself, and that's not easy to be.  All Audrey wanted to do was be a ballerina, but she was made fun of by the other kids, she was told she was: too tall, her feet were too big, her neck was too long, but she never gave up nor did she get discouraged.  The reason for this is she had her mother who told her to never give up and instilled in her that above all she must be kind. The book follows her through her war-torn Europe to her Broadway debut.  She ended up being one of the biggest and seeked after start  of her generation and all because of her features she was made fun of, her height, her long and beautiful neck.  She also stayed kind like she was told to be, she was one of the first Hollywood actresses to use her fame for something great, such as her work with UNICEF. 

My Impression

All I have to say about this book is, WOW.  It was such a gorgeous book, the story, the person it was about, and the illustrations, they were so great, very good job both to the author and to the illustrator.  I loved it so much, I ordered it for myself.  The readers will also love the 2 page foldout of all the characters she portrayed.


Reviews

Publishers Weekly

Audrey Hepburn proves as irresistible a character in the pages of a children's book as she is in those soigné roles of the silver screen. Denos (Grandma's Gloves) is spot-on in her watercolor portraits of Hepburn at each stage of her life; even those readers who haven't seen Sabrina, Roman Holiday, or Charade (at least not yet) will understand instantly how Hepburn's ballerina bearing, gamine chic, and openhearted worldliness made her a one-of-a-kind star and fashion icon. Debut author Cardillo's literal, matter-of fact storytelling could have used a little more élan (especially given that her subject once spoke the urbane words of Peter Stone, Billy Wilder, and George Axelrod), but she gets her point across: "Audrey had become more than an actress; she was an inspiration. While most Hollywood starlets were curvy and wore glamorous outfits, Audrey would only be herself." And the story is packed with fascinating details about Hepburn's upbringing in WWII Europe and foray into acting. Any grownup who bemoans the way Katy Perry et al. dominate contemporary popular culture should buy this for their favorite girl—ASAP. Ages 4–8. (Feb.)


Children's Literature

When Audrey Hepburn was a little girl, she wanted to be a prima ballerina more than anything. But she was too tall, and so she decided to become an actress instead. This book describes the events that led to Ms. Hepburn's career as a beloved Hollywood movie star, and to her nomination as Goodwill Ambassador for UNICEF. The illustrations in the biography capture both the spirit and the beauty of Ms. Hepburn. For young girls who have seen "My Fair Lady," the pictures are themselves worth the price of the book. The text, however, is unfortunately flat and does not echo the drama, excitement, or inspiration of Ms. Hepburn's life. Her family's experiences in World War II, their poverty, her big Hollywood break, and her desire to help the children of the world are all powerful stories, but this biography presents everything in a straightforward, journalistic format that doesn't do justice to the material. Nevertheless, little girls who admire the actress who landed the role of "Eliza Doolittle" (without being able to sing the main part, no less) will undoubtedly enjoy the illustrations and, perhaps, be encouraged to find out more about this remarkable actress and UNICEF spokeswoman. Reviewer: Leona Illig

Use in Library Setting

I was saddened to find out that my city's public library didn't own this book, I think they should get it, it is such a great book to have for our generations to come to know one of the greatest actresses Hollywood had.  It can be a great addition to school libraries too, for biography projects.


Review. (n. d.). Just Being Audrey. [Review of the book Just Being Audrey].
Barnes & Noble. 
Available from


http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/just-being-audrey-margaret-cardillo/1100718440?ean=9780061852831


Image from
http://bookbuyitscover.tumblr.com/

Module 11

 Informational Books

George Washington's Teeth by Deborah Chandra & Madeleine Comora

Pictures by Brock Cole

Bibliography
Chandra, D., Comora, M. (2003). George Washington's Teeth. New York, NY: Square Fish.


ISBN 978-0-312-37604-8

Summary

According to a letter Washington wrote he did at one time wear false teeth secured by wires hitched around his remaining teeth, which were not many. His last set of dentures were made by a Dr. Greenwood, and carved from hippopotamus ivory.  There are many rumors about our first president and his teeth, and now we can say that he didn't have a set of wooden teeth, but they were not much better either.  This cute rhyming story tells the story of hie teeth and how he always had issues with it, he lost a tooth every year after he turned 24. 

My Impression

It was an interesting and informative book for our young readers, recommend it for kids, since it is a fast read and full of great pictures and makes him so human.

Reviews

Amazon.com Review

The creators of George Washington's Teeth unhinge the jaws of history to examine the mouth of America's first president, tracking the poor man's dental woes as he gallops to war, crosses the Delaware, and, with only two teeth left, takes his place as leader of the country. Washington was plagued by black, rotting teeth from the time he was 22, losing about one a year until he was nearly "toofless" and had to have his first dentures made from a hippotamus tusk (that's right, not wood!). Poets Deborah Chandra and Madeleine Comora begin their quirky historical tale at a lively clip: "The Revolutionary War/ George hoped would soon be won,/ But another battle with his teeth/ Had only just begun..." Indeed. Evidently he was losing teeth even as he crossed the Delaware: "George crossed the icy Delaware/ With nine teeth in his mouth./ In that cold and pitchy dark,/ Two more teeth came out!" (Cleverly, illustrator Brock Cole mimics Emanuel Leutze's famous painting "Washington Crossing the Delaware," making Washington seem more uncomfortably tight-lipped than dignified.) The story ends happily ever after with the crafting of a nice new pair of ivory false teeth that allow George to dance around the ballroom through the night. Truth be told, however, he would be deeply troubled by his teeth until the day he died. A four-page, illustrated historic timeline of Washington's life (and mouth) completes this carefully researched, very funny, charmingly illustrated picture book that works to humanize a larger-than-life historical figure and in turn, history itself. Brilliant! (Ages 7 and older)

From Publishers Weekly

In a clever approach to history, Chandra and Comora string together spry stanzas describing the dental difficulties that plagued George Washington. Rhyming verse explains how the general's rotten teeth gradually fall out during the Revolutionary War: "George crossed the icy Delaware/ With nine teeth in his mouth./ In that cold and pitchy dark,/ Two more teeth came out!" Cole complements this verse by rendering a sly watercolor twist on Emanuel Leutze's famous painting George Washington Crossing the Delaware, in a full-spread treatment: Washington still stands in quiet dignity, but the boatmen are grinning. By the time Washington is elected president, just two teeth remain in his mouth. Kids will love the details, such as the way Washington uses a pair of his molars to fashion a mold from which the dentist makes a set of dentures (these are carved from hippopotamus ivory, and even shown, in a photograph in the afterword). Infusing his bustling watercolor vignettes with comic hyperbole, Cole easily keeps pace with the lighthearted narrative. One especially funny image shows the president sprawled on the floor, legs in the air, after viewing a newly painted portrait ("George stood up to have a look-/ He fell back on his fanny./ `It doesn't look like me!' he roared./ `It looks like Martha's granny!' "). An annotated timeline at the end includes quotes from the leader's letters and diaries chronicling his relentless efforts to hide his dental problems and the extent to which they caused him chronic pain and embarrassment. A highly palatable historical morsel. All ages. 

Use in Library Setting

It should be available to younger readers, and used in classrooms as a resource for their projects and to set the record straight about him having wooden teeth.  The kids will get a kick out of this story.

Review. (n.d.). George Washington's Teeth. [Review of the book George Washington's Teeth]. 

Amazon.com. 
Available from

http://www.amazon.com/George-Washingtons-Teeth-Deborah-Chandra/dp/0312376049/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1354847658&sr=8-1&keywords=george+washington%27s+teeth

Image from

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/george-washingtons-teeth-deborah-chandra/1102949112?ean=9780374325343 

Module 10

 Historical Fiction

Pink and Say by Patricia Polacco

Bibliography
Polacco, P.  (1994). Cam Jansen and the Chocolate Fudge Mystery. New York, NY: Penguin Young Readers Group.


ISBN 0-399-22671-0

Summary
This book was written so well, and was a very sad book, and what made the book even better than it already was, was the fact that it is the true story of the great great grandfather of the auther, makes it that much better and real.

The book highlights the very short yet intimate and now timeless relationship of Pinkus Aylee (Pink) and Sheldon Curtis (Say), which is also the story of a beautiful interracial friendship, which in those times was unheard of.  It took place during the Civil War, where a wounded Say attempts to escape and is found near death and rescued by Pink.  Pink and his mother Moe Moe Bay nurse him back to health.  They experience the sad death of Moe Moe Bay, who was now loved by both of the boys.  I do not want to give away any more of the story, but I highly recommend this book to any and everyone that knows how to read.

My Impression
It was one of the saddest and the best stories I read, I can't believe I never read this book before.  I loved it, it shows the friendship of two young boys that will live on forever and thanks to the author, who is the the great great granddaughter of Say (Sheldon Curtis).  This is a great book about the ugly truth about how things were.

Reviews

From Barnes & Noble

There are few picture books written about the Civil War, and none are as powerful as this one. This story, about how a young black soldier rescues a white soldier, opens young readers' eyes to the injustices of slavery and the senselessness of war. Highly charged emotionally, this masterful retelling of a true story, narrated through the white soldier's eyes, is made all the more powerful when it is revealed that the soldier was the author's great-great grandfather.

From Booklist

Ages 5-9. Hands and gestures have always been important in Polacco's work. Here they are at the center of a picture book based on a true incident in the author's own family history. It's a story of interracial friendship during the Civil War between two 15-year-old Union soldiers. Say, who is white and poor, tells how he is rescued by Pinkus (Pink), who carries the wounded Say back to the Georgia home where Pink's black family were slaves. In a kind of idyllic interlude, Pink and his mother nurse Say back to health, and Pink teaches his friend to read; but before they can leave, marauders kill Pink's mother and drag the boys to Andersonville prison. Pink is hanged, but Say survives to tell the story and pass it on across generations. The figure of Pink's mother borders on the sentimental, but the boys' relationship is beautifully drawn. Throughout the story there are heartbreaking images of people torn from a loving embrace. Pictures on the title and copyright pages show the parallel partings as each boy leaves his family to go to war. At the end, when the friends are wrenched apart in prison, the widening space between their outstretched hands expresses all the sorrow of the war. Then, in a powerful double-page spread, they are able to clasp hands for a moment, and their union is like a rope. Say once shook Lincoln's hand, just as Say held Pink's hand, and Say tells his children, who tell theirs, that they have touched the hand that touched the hand . . . Hazel Rochman

Use in Library Setting
It should be available to everyone who knows how to read.  It is one of the saddest stories I read, and I think it shows a different side of the war and the reality of what the world used to be, I am not saying it is perfect today but it is better than what prior generations went through.  It is just sad.


Review. (n.d.). Pink and Say. [Review of the book Pink and Say]. 

Amazon.com. 
Available from

http://www.amazon.com/Pink-Say-Patricia-Polacco/dp/0399226710/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1354844800&sr=8-1&keywords=pink+and+say

Review. (n. d.). Pink and Say. [Review of the book Pink and Say]. 

Barnes & Noble. 
Available from

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/pink-and-say-patricia-polacco/1101545720?ean=9780399226717 

Image from

http://www.thereadingnook.com/civil_war2/

Module 9

 Mystery 

Cam Jansen and the Chocolate Fudge Mystery by David A. Adler
Illustrated by Susanna Natti

Bibliography
Adler, D. A.  (1993). Cam Jansen and the Chocolate Fudge Mystery. New York, NY: Puffin Books.


ISBN 0-14-130648-3

Summary


This book is just one of many from the Cam Jansen Series.  It is set around a little girl named Jennifer Jansen, who everyone calls Cam short for "The Camera" because of her photographic memory. In this book Cam and her friend Eric, who are trying to raise money for "Ride and Read" which helped take home-bound elderly people to the local library.  In the middle of raising money, Cam and Eric catch a bank robber and his accomplice and make friends with a bunch of cops.

My Impression


I liked it, it was a cute book for our young readers, who are in a hurry to read chapter books.

Reviews

From Booklist

Gr. 2-4. Cam (short for Camera) Jansen and her faithful companion, Eric Shelton, encounter yet another mystery as they try to raise funds for charity by selling fudge bars and rice cakes. (They never do explain the mystery of that unlikely combination.) This time Cam spots a woman behaving suspiciously in the vicinity of a supposedly vacant house. It requires only Cam's photographic memory (which she activates by saying "Click" constantly), deductive reasoning, and a short surveillance for the duo to ascertain that a criminal is hiding out and to alert a grateful police force. Cam satisfies the childhood fantasy of being smarter than adults and dealing successfully with mystery and danger, and young readers seem to be able to tolerate the clicks and to suspend reality in order to marvel at her wonderful ways. Another fix for the beginning readers who demand mystery books.

Children's Literature - Children's Literature

Jennifer a.k.a. Cam (short for "The Camera") Jansen is a detective with a photographic memory. Like a pit bull with a Porterhouse, Cam won't let go of a mystery until she gnaws it to the bone and bares the truth. In this book, the fourteenth in the "Cam Jansen Adventure" series, our sleuth and her friend, Eric, (under the watchful eye of Mr. Jansen) sell fudge bars and rice cakes door-to-door to raise money for a local charity. En route, they spy a mysterious woman walking alongside a seemingly deserted yellow house. She hurries past them, deposits a bulging trash bag into someone else's garbage, then disappears into the house across the street. Upon closer examination, they discover that other strange things are going on at the yellow house. With a click of her mental camera, Cam records them all. Her determination, fast thinking, and unique ability enable her to solve this mystery and help the police capture an elusive thief. 


Use in Library Setting


It should be available to younger kids, it is a great book for the little ones who are transitioning from picture books or easy books to small chapter books.  It would be great in elementary and middle school libraries as well


Review. (n.d.). Cam Jansen and the Chocolate Fudge Mystery. [Review of the bookCam Jansen and the Chocolate Fudge Mystery ]. 

Amazon.com. 
Available from

http://www.amazon.com/Cam-Jansen-Chocolate-Fudge-Mystery/dp/0142402117/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1354835188&sr=8-1&keywords=cam+jansen+and+the+chocolate+fudge+mystery

Review. (n. d.). Cam Jansen and the Chocolate Fudge Mystery. [Review of the book Cam Jansen and the Chocolate Fudge Mystery]. 

Barnes & Noble. 
Available from

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/chocolate-fudge-mystery-david-a-adler/1100553199?ean=9780142402115 


Image from
http://victorianrose.ecrater.com/p/15605761/cam-jansen-and-the-chocolate-fudge 

Module 8

 Fantasy and Science Fiction

Twilight by Stephenie Meyer

Bibliography
Forman, G. (2005). Twilight. New York, NY: Hachette Book Group.


ISBN 978-0-316-03837-9

Summary

Twilight starts with 17 year old Bella Swan moving to Forks, Washington, to live with her father Charlie Swan.  Bella hates the constant raining in Forks but she wanted to give her mother and her new husband some time to themselves and a way for them to travel for Phillip's career.  Forks, Washington can be the worse decision Bella ever made, that is until she meets Edward Cullen and his whole family.  Bella's life changes completely and she is in love with Edward, and once she finds out Edward is a vampire things get even more complicated and Bella's life is in danger, will Edward be able to save Bella, read to know.

My Impression

I really enjoyed this book and the rest of the Twilight Saga.  It is interesting, and a page turner, way better than the movie, as books usually are.

Reviews


From Barnes & NobleStephenie Meyer's thrilling debut novel is a love story with a bite. In this suspenseful and sensual tale, 17-year-old Isabella moves to a small town in Washington State and gets more excitement than she bargained for when she falls for an enigmatic classmate -- who happens to be a vampire. Filled with fantastic mystery and romance, it's a heart-stopping novel that captures the struggle between defying our instincts and satisfying our desires.


ReviewPraise for Twilight:A New York Times bestsellerA New York Times "Editor's Choice"A Publishers Weekly Best Book of the YearA Publishers Weekly "Kids' Book Adults Would Love" An Amazon "Best Book of the Decade * So Far" An ALA "Top Ten Books for Young Adults" 


Use in Library Setting

It should be available to anyone who enjoys a vampire/human/werewolf story anywhere.  I think it is age appropriate after 12+.  It can and is everywhere, public and school libraries.  


Review. (n.d.). Twilight. [Review of the book Twilight]. 
Amazon.com. 
Available from


http://www.amazon.com/Twilight-Saga-Book-1/dp/0316038377/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1354830622&sr=1-1&keywords=twilight


Review. (n. d.). Twilight. [Review of the book Twilight]. 
Barnes & Noble. 
Available from


http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/twilight-stephenie-meyer/1100269742?ean=9780316015844 


Image from
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twilight_(novel)

Module 7

 Realistic Fiction

If I Stay by Gayle Forman

Bibliography
Forman, G. (2009). If I Stay. New York, NY: Penguin Group.
ISBN 978-0-525-42103-0


Summary

At 17, Mia's life changes in a blink of an eye, it was so fast that Mia doesn't even remember it, if it had not been for the tragedy after it, you wouldn't even think it was real.  Mia's life was perfect, for her, she had great parents who every teenager would kill to have, she had a younger brother whom she loved, and a great boyfriend, who loved her family and they loved him.  We follow the story, with Mia who is in a coma, and the accident and its 24 hours following it.  We are with her as she discovers her father's brain all over the the same road they were just driving on, her mother too.  We are with her as she runs to a hand sticking out thinking it has to be of her brother, but instead she is faced with her own broken body, and we are with her as they hurry her younger brother into surgery.  And anything else that takes place after this horrible accident, and there when she decides to live or to die, since there is nothing left to live for.


My Impression

 I love this book, it is well written, and you find yourself so into the story that you do not want to put it down, maybe hoping it was all a nightmare--in my case.  I finished it in a day and I was so emotional the last chapter, which by the way I had to stop myself from going to it in the middle of the book.


Reviews


 From Publishers WeeklyStarred Review. The last normal moment that Mia, a talented cellist, can remember is being in the car with her family. Then she is standing outside her body beside their mangled Buick and her parents' corpses, watching herself and her little brother being tended by paramedics. As she ponders her state (Am I dead? I actually have to ask myself this), Mia is whisked away to a hospital, where, her body in a coma, she reflects on the past and tries to decide whether to fight to live. Via Mia's thoughts and flashbacks, Forman (Sisters in Sanity) expertly explores the teenager's life, her passion for classical music and her strong relationships with her family, friends and boyfriend, Adam. Mia's singular perspective (which will recall Alice Sebold's adult novel, The Lovely Bones) also allows for powerful portraits of her friends and family as they cope: Please don't die. If you die, there's going to be one of those cheesy Princess Diana memorials at school, prays Mia's friend Kim. I know you'd hate that kind of thing. Intensely moving, the novel will force readers to take stock of their lives and the people and things that make them worth living. Ages 14–up. (Apr.)


From School Library JournalStarred Review. Grade 9 Up—Forman creates a cast of captivating characters and pulls readers into a compelling story that will cause them to laugh, cry, and question the boundaries of family and love. While out on a drive with her family, 17-year-old Mia is suddenly separated from her body and forced to watch the aftermath of the accident that kills her parents and gravely injures her and her younger brother. Far from supernatural, this shift in perspective will be readily accepted by readers as Mia reminisces about significant events and people in her life while her body lies in a coma. Alternating between the past and the present, she reveals the details and complexities of her relationships with family and friends, including the unlikely romance with her punk-rock boyfriend, Adam. An accomplished musician herself, Mia is torn between pursuing her love for music at Julliard and a future with Adam in Oregon. However, she must first choose between fighting to survive and giving in to the resulting sadness and despair over all she has lost. Readers will find themselves engrossed in Mia's struggles and will race to the satisfying yet realistic conclusion. Teens will identify with Mia's honest discussion of her own insecurities and doubts. Both brutal and beautiful, this thought-provoking story will stay with readers long after the last page is turned.—Lynn Rashid, Marriotts Ridge High School, Marriottsville, MD 

Horn Book. . . the stakes are poignantly conveyed through Mia's vivid memories of a rich, rewarding life.


Use in Library Setting

 I would say it's for YA or middle and high school readers, or anyone older than 12, only because then they can understand and appreciate the book more, and because of some language in the text, other than that if was a great book and should be available to our YA+ readers.  It's a great book for parents, teachers, students and just about anyone who likes realistic fiction (with a twist).

Review. (2002). If I Stay. [Review of the book If I Stay]. 
Amazon.com. 
Available from


http://www.amazon.com/If-I-Stay-Gayle-Forman/dp/product-description/014241543X/ref=dp_proddesc_0?ie=UTF8&n=283155&s=books


Review. (n. d.). If I Stay. [Review of the book If I Stay]. 
Barnes & Noble. 
Available from


http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/if-i-stay-gayle-forman/1100060881?ean=9780142415436


Image from

http://www.rallythereaders.com/2012/11/review-if-i-stay-by-gayle-forman.html




Schooled by Gordon Korman

Bibliography
Korman, G. (2007). Schooled. New York, NY: Hyperion Books for Children.
ISBN 978-1-4231-0516-9


Summary

 This is the story of a Capricorn (Cap) Anderson who was home-schooled by his grandmother Rain, and they lived on a farm community known as Garland, that used to house hippies back in the day but is now just home to Rain and Cap.  Cap is not your typical teenager, he has never seen let alone watched television, no computer, no cell phone, ipod or any other fancy technologies teenagers have these days.  He had a very simple life up to the day that Rain had to go to the hospital that is.  Cap gets arrested by cops for driving her there since he does not have a license, but soon they realize he doesn't even know what a license is.  He is forced to live with his social workers family, and attend public school, which is not one of the best places to be when you are as nice and as naive as Cap is.  He is ridiculed for his long hair, his hemp clothes and shoes, and he is made into the joke of the class.  But to their surprise he survives them all, even with practicing tai chi on the school lawn everyday.  Read the book if you want to know how he overcomes public school.


My Impression

 I liked this book, even if at times I hated the other kids for doing what they were doing to Cap, and the Administration for ignoring what was going on in their school, year after year, under their nose and they knew about it but never thought to put a stop to it.  I found myself cheering Cap on, and laughing through some of the parts of the book.  It's a great book overall.


Reviews


From Booklist*Starred Review* Homeschooled on an isolated "alternate farm commune" that has dwindled since the 1960s to 2 members, 13-year-old Cap has always lived with his grandmother, Rain. When she is hospitalized, Cap is taken in by a social worker and sent—like a lamb to slaughter—to middle school. Smart and capable, innocent and inexperienced (he learned to drive on the farm, but he has never watched television), long-haired Cap soon becomes the butt of pranks. He reacts in unexpected ways and, in the end, elevates those around him to higher ground. From chapter to chapter, the first-person narrative shifts among certain characters: Cap, a social worker (who takes him into her home), her daughter (who resents his presence there), an A-list bully, a Z-list victim, a popular girl, the school principal, and a football player (who unintentionally decks Cap twice in one day). Korman capably manages the shifting points of view of characters who begin by scorning or resenting Cap and end up on his side. From the eye-catching jacket art to the scene in which Cap says good-bye to his 1,100 fellow students, individually and by name, this rewarding novel features an engaging main character and some memorable moments of comedy, tenderness, and reflection. Pair this with Jerry Spinelli's 2000 Stargirl (the sequel is reviewed in this issue) for a discussion of the stifling effects of conformity within school culture or just read it for the fun of it. Phelan, Carolyn


Children's LiteratureHow many 13-year-old kids living in America can say that they have NEVER watched television? Probably very few. Cap Anderson can say it, however, with all the honesty in the world! Living on an almost abandoned alternative farm commune, his entire life has provided Cap with a childhood distinctly different from others; he was homeschooled, had no telephone, and was therefore oblivious to the generally accepted ways of the world. When his only companion on the commune (his grandmother, Rain) is hospitalized, Cap is sent to live with a former inhabitant of the commune and her snarky teenage daughter, who is less than receptive to Cap’s unusual ways. Sadly, many of the students at his public school decide to capitalize upon his ignorance by attempting to make a fool of him at every opportunity. Interestingly enough, they turn out to be the fools! Written in an alternating chapter format, this book is engaging even though it plays heavily on such classic characters as the class nerd, the reluctant hero, and well off, popular class bullies. The author has written over fifty young adult novels and lives in Long Island. All in all, this is a recommended read. Reviewer: Cindy L. Carolan


Use in Library Setting

 This could be housed in the children's room of a public library but can be enjoyed by all ages, since it is a nice story.  It can also be added to elementary and middle school libraries or any teacher's own classroom library, even to high school libraries.  

Review. (n.d.). Schooled. [Review of the book Schooled]. 
Amazon.com. 
Available from


http://www.amazon.com/Schooled-Gordon-Korman/dp/1423105168/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1354830151&sr=8-1&keywords=schooled 


Review. (n. d.). Schooled. [Review of the book Schooled]. 
Barnes & Noble. 
Available from

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/schooled-gordon-korman/1100489396?ean=9781423105169 


Image from
http://www.hicklebees.com/book/9780689717383