Summer Reading Challenge - Days 1-4

I'm so excited that some of you have joined the summer reading challenge! Our challenge thus far started on Friday.

My goals include:

• Read 300 picture books or easy readers with my 5-year-old by September 4th 
• Read with my 2-year-old every night 
• Read something for myself every night. This is a tough one because I'm pooped by the time I get the kids to bed, but I've neglected my personal reading for a while. 

So, here's how it's gone so far:
Since Friday, my daughter and I have read 15 books. We normally average about five books a night, but we had a super busy weekend and didn't read as much on Saturday and Sunday.

1. The Cloud Spinner by Michael Catchpool
2. Dear Tyrannosaurus Rex by Lisa McClatchy
3. Potty Poo-Poo Wee-Wee! by Colin McNaughton
4. Machines Go To Work by William Low 
5. Are You Ready to Play Outside? by Mo Willems
6. Listen to My Trumpet! by Mo Willems
7. I Am Invited to a Party! by Mo Willems 
8. Naked Mole Rat Gets Dressedby Mo Willems (We are fans of Mo) 
9. Monkey with a Tool Belt and the Noisy Problemby Chris Monroe
10. The Monster at the End of this Book by Jon Stone and Michael Smollin
11. The Cajun Cornbread Boy by Diane de las Casas
12. The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein
13. What Dat? The Great Big Ugly Doll Book of Things to Look at, Search for, Point to, and Wonder About by David Horvath and Sun-Min Kim
14. Scholastic Discover More: See Me Grow by Penelope Arlon and Tory Gordon-Harris
15. Snow Rabbit, Spring Rabbit: A Book of Changing Seasonsby Il Sung Na 

285 to go!

My son and I have also read every night. He normally listens while I read with my daughter, but I'm making sure to give him his own special reading time as well. Here are some of his favorites:

1. Where Are Baby's Easter Eggs? by Karen Katz
2. Baby Lamb Finds a Friend by Laura Gates Galvin
3. The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle

It is so fun to watch him grow and learn to love books. He actually loves to read to my daughter and has many of the words memorized. So adorable.

As for me, I'm reading the following books:

1. The Story of Beautiful Girl by Rachel Simon. 
2. Child of God by Cormac McCarthy 

So, that's today's update. What have you been reading? Feel free to leave your links in Mister Linky or comment below!

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Summer Reading Challenge: Quest to 300

My little chica will be starting Kindergarten in September. We attended the Kindergarten Open House at her school a couple of weeks ago where they passed out a list of reading recommendations for the summer. I'm still a little in shock how quickly the little baby in my arms grew into a sassy and spirited five year who walked into the school like she owned the place.  When I told her she had to read five books by the end of summer, she scoffed and said we would read 300.

I'm always up for a challenge, so this past Friday, we started our quest to read 300 books together by September 3. We're talking about picture books and easy readers here because she's five, and we haven't been very successful with chapter books thus far.

I'm using this blog to keep track of the challenge. If you'd like to join in, please feel free to leave a comment. I'll attempt to post daily.

Happy reading!

 

Waiting for the Biblioburro by Monica Brown, illustrations by John Parra

A bookmobile frequently visited the little valley where I spent the first five years of my life. The closest "real" library was a good half hour across a mountain full of twists and turns, so the to the bookmobile was such a treat. I still remember stepping into the bookmobile, inhaling the smell of books and looking at shelves packed with books. I'd check some out and have my mom read them to me over and over until the next time the bookmobile pulled into the valley, and I could exchange them for more.

Monica Brown's Waiting for the Biblioburro takes readers to a place far more remote than my little valley. Ana, a young girl, lives in a small village in Colombia. Because she only owns one book, she makes up her own stories and tells them to her brother. She has a beautiful imagination but longs for more books. Her wish comes true one morning when she sees a man ride into the village with two donkeys, one holding a sign that reads "Biblioburro." As children gather round the man and his donkeys, named Alfa and Beto, he tells them stories and allows them to check out some books that he's carrying on his donkey. While Ana is awaiting his return, she reads the books over and over again and is inspired to write her own story to share with children in other villages.

Waiting for the Biblioburro is based on the real-life story of Luis Soriano, a librarian who travels throughout Colombia and brings books and the gift of literacy to children living in the villages and mountains. The story itself is simple and heartwarming and illustrates the impact one person can have not only like a child like Ana but an entire village and country. Spanish words are sprinkled throughout the story, and a pronunciation guide and glossary are in the back.

John Parra's brilliant folk-like illustrations give the story a sort of magical feel and offer glimpses of a simple, yet rich culture. A portion of the proceeds from the sale of book go to Luis Soriano's BiblioBurro program.

 Publisher: Tricycle Press (August 9, 2011) |  ISBN-10: 1582463530 | ISBN-13: 978-1582463537 | Source: Review copy from publisher


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How to Save a Life by Sara Zarr

Happy New Year! I'm super excited about the new books 2012 will bring, and when looking back on my favorites of 2011, Sara Zarr's How to Save a Life stands at the top of the pack. I'm always eager to get my hands on Zarr's new books as soon as I can because her fiction offers a raw and realistic look at humanity that draws me in from the very first line. I read How to Save a Life in one sitting, staying up late into the morning.

Jill MacSweeny is grieving over the sudden death of her father, the parent she most identified with and felt closest to. She's effectively shut out all of her friends, her boyfriend, and her mother who is also grief stricken.  When Jill's mother decides to adopt a baby, Jill can't help but feeling that her mom is trying to replace her dad with a new baby.

Mandy has grown up in a world completely different than Jill's. Her mother has gone from man to man, in search of the one that will take care of her, making Mandy feel unwanted and like a burden for her entire life. When Mandy ends up pregnant, she is sure of one thing - she must give her baby a better life and seeks out a family who will adopt the newborn.

When Mandy comes to live with the MacSweenys until the baby is born, it's heartbreaking, yet sometimes humorous. While Mandy is getting accustomed to living in a wealthy home and eating "chewy" bread forced on her by Jill's health-conscious mother, Jill teases her for her naivety and is less than welcoming. But as time progresses, they all learn how to deal with grief and change and come to understand the true meaning of family.

Sara Zarr expertly weaves a beautiful story together with the alternating voices of Jill and Mandy. The pain they're both experiencing is raw and heart wrenching. Jill works at a bookstore, and that's the only place where she can be herself:

The sad fact about me and work is that I'm my best self when I'm here. I can be human to strangers and coworkers, just not to the people who actually care about me. Pg. 81

When the baby's birth is getting closer, Mandy finds herself having to make a courageous decision:

All my life the only reliable person, the one I could count on, the one who hasn't abandoned me, is me. What I can't figure out is what staying means and what leaving means. If I stay, it means I'm willing to abandon my daughter. If I leave, I think maybe I'm abandoning myself. And that's one thing that, through all of this, I've never done. Page 294.

 In the end, Mandy realizes she can't make her decision alone, and a tiny baby brings them all together in a way they never expected.

This is a powerful story that I highly recommend.

Reading Level: Young Adult | ISBN: 978-0316036061 | Source: Bought personal copy

Author's Website: http://www.sarazarr.com/

Buy this book! 

• IndieBound
• Amazon
• Kindle
• Barnes & Noble 

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National Geographic Little Kids First Big Book of Animals by Catherine D. Hughes

My little girl is going into her third month of Pre-K, and she's having soooo much fun. I think I was more excited than her when she brought home her first Scholastic Book order form. I let her pick out two books, and her first choice was National Geographic Little Kids First Big Book of Animals. Since it arrived a few weeks ago, we've read it cover to cover at least three times. She also used it as last week's book report in Tae Kwon Do.

Because it's a NatGeo book, there is naturally amazing photography of all types of animals, but what makes the book stand out is its child-friendly format and content. I've seen TONS of non-fiction for kids that is packed with big words and tons of details, but this one presents information in easily digestible chunks and the author chose facts that seem to be naturally interesting for young children. The book is organized into different habitats with spreads of the types of animals that live in those habitats. The book is oversized (10x10), so there is plenty of real estate for fun facts. Each spread contains a call-out box with quick facts such where the animal is from, what it eats, and how many babies it normally has at once. The pictures also have captions and call-outs with fun facts. There are also typically a couple of paragraphs that provide more detail.

I tend to prefer non-fiction that tells more of a story or narrative, but this is a great choice for a quick reference. I can see it being used across the curriculum for language arts, geography, and science. This would even be good in math and technology classes.

4-Year-Old's Review:

"I like this book because it has a red-eye tree frog. The red-eye tree frog has red eyes all of the time, but that doesn't mean he's sad. It lays its eggs on a leaf, and they look like fish when they hatch. And I like all of the pictures, especially the one of the giraffe drinking water. Next time I go to a pond, I'm going to try to drink like that if the water isn't green."

ISBN: 978-1426307041 | Publisher: National Geographic, 2010 | Source: Purchased copy

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Bone Dog by Eric Rohmann

Sometimes I'll see a picture book, and without even opening it, will know that I'll love it. That's what happened with Eric Rohmann's Bone Dog. The cover shows a boy in a skeleton costume with his arm around a skeleton dog. They are sitting on the grass, their backs toward the reader, the skeleton dog wagging his bony tail. Something about that tender moment between a boy and his dog tugged at my heart a bit, and of course, the idea of a boy and a bone dog was intriguing.

I'm a fan of Eric Rohmann. I think he's a fantastic storyteller and artist, so I had high expectations for the book. I was surprised when the story exceeded my expectations. I absolutely loved it.

The plot begins with Ella (a furry brown dog) and Gus (the young boy on the counter) playing. One night, under a full moon, Ella tells Gus that she's old and won't be around much longer but promises that she will always be with him (pretty sad, huh?) Then she seals the deal by saying, "A promise under a full moon cannot be broken." Then the story cuts to a time when Ella is no longer around, and Gus seems to be moving through the motions of life and forcing himself to do things like leaving the house and doing chores even though he doesn't really want to. On Halloween, he doesn't even want to go trick or treating, but he pulls on his skeleton costume and goes anyway. On his way home from trick or treating, Gus meets up with some spooky skeletons in a graveyard, and Ella's fulfills her promise and comes to Gus's rescue.

This book is bittersweet, a bit spooky, and funny all at the same time. And the illustrations are superb and full of emotion. But above all, in just a few pages, Eric Rohmann is able to capture the love between a boy and a dog and tell an exciting story.

It's not often that I experience such a range of emotion in a children's book. Highly recommended.

I nominated this book for the picture book category for the 2011 Cybils. Head on over and vote for your favorite children's and YA books published between October 16, 2010 and October 15, 2011.
Nominations close at midnight (Pacific time) on October 15, 2011.

Publisher: Roaring Book Press, July 2011 | ISBN: 978-1596431508 | Source: Advanced Reader's Edition from Publisher

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School for Bandits by Hannah Shaw

My four-year-old often tells me, "It's really hard to be good all day." Ralph the Racoon has a different problem. He is so "disturbingly" well behaved and "shockingly polite" that his parents are extremely worried. They decide to send him to bandit school where he will hopefully learn to be a bad bandit like his Grandpa Cutlass and Uncle Whiskers. Poor Ralph does poorly in school from the very first day. When the teacher Mrs. Mischief presents the first lesson on unpleasant behavior, Ralph says "pardon me" on the instruction to burp, causing the other students to laugh at him. The rest of the term didn't get much better at all, and when it's time for school vacation, Mrs. Mischief hands out loot bags telling the students that the racoon who fills his or her bag with the most loot will win the Best Bandit in School competition. It looks hopeless for Ralph until his natural good behavior surprisingly earns him a lot of loot.

Hannah Shaw's School for Bandits is full of wit. My four-year-old just started Pre-K and is learning about school rules, so she thinks it's pretty hilarious when the teacher tells the class to burp. Shaw's quirky illustrations, rendered in pen and ink, printmaking techniques, and Photoshop, are full of detail and provide many opportunites for laughter.  The twist at the end is a clever way to show that good manners aren't so bad at all. This is a great choice for a funny, read aloud.

Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers | ISBN:  978-0375867682 | Source: Review copy from publisher

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Library Finds: Seashells!

I'm always finding surprises in drawers, boxes, and closets that my little four-year old explorer finds on our nature walks - pine cones, leaves, rocks, flowers, etc.

Her latest fascination is seashells, so we stopped by the library to find photo books of shells. Here are our two favorites.

The World's Most Beautiful Seashells  by Leonard C. Hill, photography by James H. Carmichael (ISBN: 978-1884942037)

This is our favorite. The book contains more than 300 stunning photographs of rare and beautiful seashells. The text is a high level, but we really got the book for the pictures.

Seashells: Jewels from the Ocean by Budd Titlow (ISBN: 978-0760325933)

This is also a great find. The book features tons of different types of shells, and most of the captions for each photo are just the right length for young readers.













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Back to School Books

We had a super busy summer, and I stayed true to my promise of spending more time with the kids and family and less time on the computer. I also stayed true to my Book A Day pledge and read with my kids every day. My little daughter, who was just seven months old when I started this blog, is starting Pre-K next week, and she is so excited she can hardly stand it. I, on the other hand, am probably like most parents when their kids go to school for the first time - proud of the little girl she's become but also a little tearful because she seems to be growing up so quickly. She is SO eager to learn how to read. We've been practicing letters and sounds, and I keep telling her that it takes time and that she's still very young. A part of me is super excited to see her reading books, and another part is secretly hoping that she'll still want me to read to her when the time comes. It's become such a routine that I think she will. She's only 4 1/2, so there's time before she starts to read independently.

The little dude is 19-months-old now and has started developing a real interest in books. He's starting to name the objects he sees in books and brings me books to read to him. Our reading sessions last about 10 minutes before he gets restless, and it's definitely fun to see him show an interest and get excited when he sees something he can name.

Now that school's almost here, my daughter has asked me to find books for her about kids starting school. We have a few that she loves (Splat! The Cat is one of her favorites), but the books we've found so go something like this:

Kid is nervous about going to school. Kid goes to school and discovers that it's a wonderful place. Kid can't wait to go back the next day.

Until we read some of these, my daughter didn't even think about being nervous. Do any of you have recommendations for books in a school setting where the kid is happy and excited about being back to school?

Thanks, and I hope everyone has a very happy school year!

If Rocks Could Sing by Leslie McGuirk

Alphabet books are a dime a dozen, but once in a while, I come across truly unique alphabet books, and Leslie McGuirk's If Rocks Could Sing is one of them.

The book is a collection of "found rocks" that just happen to look like letters and other things like ghosts, toast, a nose, and more. The book goes through each letter of the alphabet featuring a rock in the shape of that letter along with an object or concept that illustrates the letter.

For example, T is for toast. 

The rock really looks like a delicious slice of toast.

Some are a little more abstract. For instance O stands for "Ouch" and the rock on that page looks like it's wincing in pain.

G is for "Ghost," and it features a spread full of eerie looking rocks that really do resemble floating ghosts.

Check out N:

Seriously cute, right? What I really love about this book the most is the creativity it inspires. My daughter loves rocks, and on our daily walks, she hunts rocks and points out the things she sees. This is a truly unique book that is definitely worth checking out.  

Reading level: Ages 4-8 | Publisher: Tricycle Press (May 24, 2011) | ISBN-13: 978-1582463704 | Source: Review copy from publisher


Images from If Rocks Could Sing by Leslie McGuirk, copyright © 2011 by Leslie McGuirk. Reprinted by permission of Tricycle Press, an imprint of Random House Children’s Books, a division of Random House, Inc.

Third Annual Book-A-Day Challenge

Donalyn Miller, aka, The Book Whisperer is hosting her third annual Book-A-Day challenge. (Thanks to Jen Robinson for tweeting about it and raising my awareness of the challenge.) You can read all about here, but the idea is pretty simple. Read one book every day during the summer. You pick the start and end date, and all books and genres count - picture books, nonfiction books, etc.

My kids aren't in school yet, but I have definitely noticed that during the summer, reading with my kids every day gets more challenging since we are busier with more outdoor activities. So my goal is to read at least one book a day with my kids, and if we read more, that's great!

Tonight was our first night, and we immersed ourselves in Rob Scotton's Splish, Splash, Splat! . We've been Splat the Cat fans for quite a while, and in this book, Splat comes face to face with his fear of the water as well as the dreadful Spike who steals all of his toys.

The illustrations are amazing as always, and the storytelling is engaging and charming. Highly recommended.

Interview at Children's Books and Reviews

Aaron Mead, who blogs at Children's Books and Reviews, recently interviewed me about The Well-Read Child and my thoughts on reading and children's literature. It was really fun to be the interviewee and answer his thought-provoking questions.

If you haven't checked out Children's Books and Reviews, take a minute to explore the site. Not only does Aaron feature interviews with children's literature bloggers, but he helps adults find great books for kids. I particularly enjoyed reading his "How to Choose Children's Books" series.

A big thanks to Aaron for the opportunity!

When a Dragon Moves In by Jodi Moore, illustrated by Howard McWilliam

When a Dragon Moves In by Jodi Moore, illustrated by Howard McWilliam

When a little boy builds a sandcastle at the beach, an impressive fire-breathing dragon moves in. At first, it's pretty cool to have a dragon living in your sandcastle. He does things like scare away the beach bullies and roast marshmallows. But when no one but the boy believes a dragon moved in, the dragon gets a little more mischievous and claws the brownies and eats all of the sandwiches. Soon, the entire family, including the boy have had enough of the dragon.

This is a super cute book that celebrates the imagination. My daughter has asked me to read it to her many times and never fails to laugh at all of the mischief the dragon and little boy get into. Because the story never directly tells you whether or not the boy is imagining the dragon, she always asks, "Is the dragon real? Or is the boy making it up?"

The illustrations really steal the show though. Howard McWilliam brings the story to life, from the vivid images of the beach setting to the expressive faces of the characters. Check out the publisher's website to see some of the excellent illustrations. They certainly inspire my daughter and I to go the beach and see if a dragon moves into our sandcastle.

I highly recommend this book for a fun, engaging read.


Reading level: Ages 4-8  | Publisher: Flashlight Press (May 1, 2011) | ISBN-13: 978-0979974670 | Source: Review copy from publisher

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Guys Lit Wire Book Fair

I just learned of this awesome book fair Guys Lit Wire is holding for Ballou Senior High School in Washington, D.C. When the fair was announced on May 1, the school library only 1,185 books for a student population of 1,200.

Check out the full details about the book fair here, but the gist is simple. Guys Lit Wire has teamed up with Powell's books. Those wishing to donate can choose from a wishlist of over 900 books and send them to the school. Here are some instructions from Guys Lit Wire that will ensure your books are going to the right place:
According to Guys Lit Wire,

Once you have made your selections head to “checkout” and you will be prompted to inform Powells if the books were indeed bought from the wishlist. This lets the store know to mark them as “purchased” on the list. After that you need to provide your credit card info and also fill in the shipping address. Here is where the books are going to:

Melissa Jackson, LIBRARIAN
Ballou Senior High School
3401 Fourth Street SE
Washington DC 20032
(202) 645-3400

As of yesterday evening, 500 books had already been purchased. I'm heading over now and buying some books for this very worthy cause. I hope you'll consider doing so as well.

Bumped by Megan McCafferty

Imagine a world where a virus prevents people older than 18 from conceiving a child. A world where teenagers are encouraged to have babies and sell them to the highest-bidding families. A world where even teenagers can go "pro" and get paired with the best "breeds" in hope of making the perfect baby, where brokers get paid a nice sum to make a match.

Now imagine the world of the "churchies," a fundamentalist group that takes in the weak, sick babies that no one else wants. A group that refers to themselves and the "Goodside" and arranges the marriages of their youth, where babies are born to families the "old-fashioned" way.

This is the world that Megan McCafferty has created with Bumped.

Twin sisters Harmony and Melody have never met each other and never knew the other existed until recently. Harmony was raised on the Goodside and is betrothed to a man she doesn't love. She decides to leave Goodside to save her sister from the evil of the "Otherside" and bring her back to her community.

Melody has lived a life under the constant scrutiny of her adoptive parents who want her to be perfect. She was the first girl in her school to get a "conception contract" with the Jayden family who are willing to pay a lot for the baby she produces. It's just up to the broker to find the perfect father for the baby. But time is running out. She only has a couple of years before she'll be unable to conceive.

When Melody and Harmony meet, both of the girls begin to question the worlds in which they grew up and have to make tough decisions about their futures.

 I expected it to be a little more dark and dreary like most dystopian novels are, but this was very satirical. McCafferty pokes fun of the social media that has consumed the lives of everyone. No one can do anything without it popping up on "MiNet." And the commercialization of the teenage pregnancy phenomenon looks downright ridiculous from the outside. Girls who aren't yet pregnant can try on "Fun Bumps," lifelike baby bellies that actually wiggle. When the book starts, Melody is wearing a 40-week twin fun bump. Jingles, products, and commercials that encourage girls to "bump" with a guy and have a baby permeate their lives.

At times, the conversations between Melody and her friends were annoying and superficial, and I found myself rolling my eyes a lot. But that was definitely McCafferty's point. These girls have been programmed from early on to get pregnant and give their babies away. It's the norm for them and consumes their daily lives.

This book is entertaining and gets a little provocative at times. The ending leaves room for a sequel, and it hooked me enough to read it if one does come out.  

Reading level: Young Adult | Publisher: Balzer + Bray (April 26, 2011) | ISBN-13: 978-0061962745 | Source: Purchased Kindle book



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Shine by Lauren Myracle

Shine by Lauren Myracle
16-year-old Cat lives in Black Creek, a poverty-stricken town in North Carolina. Two years earlier, one of her brother's friends sexually assaulted her, and she's shut out the world and her friends since. She even shut out her best friend Patrick, with whom she used to spend nearly every waking minute. Then Patrick is brutally attacked in a hate crime, and Cat must face the demons of her past to help bring his attacker(s) to justice.

When trying to write this review, I really tried to avoid overused descriptors like "gritty," "raw," and "profound," but those words really do describe this book. There are so many issues that are addressed in this book that it could have gone horribly wrong - homosexuality, poverty, religious intolerance, discrimination, sexual assault, drug abuse. But it didn't. Lauren Myracle masterfully addresses these issues through the perspective of a character who is strong, unique, and oh-so-vulnerable. It's Cat who makes the story real and believable.

The small town setting plays a crucial role in this book, and at times, I felt as if I was stepping into the town where I spent my childhood. From the gossipy neighbors to the intolerance that still seems to permeate some areas, any other setting would have done this book injustice. Without writing in dialect (which is super difficult and often done poorly), Lauren Myracle added touches that made the small town setting believable, such as having Cat's aunt exclaim things like, "Holy creamed corn."

Cat's character is spunky, strong, and inspiring, and the story is thrilling up to the very end.  Highly recommended.



Reading level: Young Adult | Publisher: Amulet Books (May 1, 2011) | ISBN-13: 978-0810984172 | Source: NetGalley ARC



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The Greedy Sparrow: An Armenian Tale by Lucine Kasbarian, illustrated by Maria Zaikina

I adore folktales. I love storytelling and grew up in an area with a rich oral history. The idea of stories being passed down from generation to generation – that my children are hearing stories that other children across an ocean heard a hundred years ago is amazing. True – many are didactic – which normally turns me off in a children’s book, but folktales get a pass. It’s in their very nature to teach you some sort of lesson. Plus, the stories are often so well told and entertaining that it’s okay.

 The Greedy Sparrow: An Armenian Tale is retold by author Lucine Kasbarian, whose father told the story to her at bedtime when she was young. In the book, a sparrow gets a thorn in his foot. As he’s flying through the countryside, he happens upon a woman baking bread and asks her to remove the thorn. She happily obliges and the sparrow is on his merry way. However, he soon returns and demands that the baker return his thorn. When she says she threw it in the oven, he demands that she give him a loaf of bread in return. She does, and the sparrow files away, carrying a loaf of bread. The story repeats itself as the bird flies across the Armenian countryside, asking locals to keep an eye on whatever he has and demanding something in return when the original item invariably goes missing. At one point, he even finds himself with an Armenian bride. As folktales go, the greedy sparrow eventually gets his comeuppance. This is the part where readers realize the importance of sharing, being nice to your neighbors, etc.

The story is simple, yet very entertaining. The illustrations give the book an old-fashioned feel – what you would expect to see in Armenian villages of long ago. Word bubbles appear over the bird and the people he interacts with, offering ease in readability for young readers and a bit more interaction. Humorous facial expressions on animals and humans add a nice touch.

This is definitely worth checking out.



Reading level: Ages 4-8 | Publisher: Marshall Cavendish Corp/Ccb (April 2011) | ISBN-13: 978-0761458210 | Source: Review copy from publisher


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The Dark and Hollow Places by Carrie Ryan

Annah is scarred - scarred from an accident that disfigured one side of her face and body; scarred by Elias's apparent abandonment three years ago; scarred by leaving her twin sister Abigail behind in the zombie-ridden Forest of Hands and Teeth when she was five years old.  She's survived on her own in the Dark City for three years, and is on her way out when she notices someone who looks just like her - except this girl has no scars and appears to walk with the confidence of someone who's led a better, even happy life. Soon, she's reunited with her sister and Elias and meets Catcher, a guy who is amazingly immune from the "Unconsecrated" who roam around in search of human flesh. Like Gabry, he's broken, and she finds herself strongly connected to him.

But life is less than happy. A massive horde of the  Unconsecrated has awoken and is feverishly invading the Dark City. The only safe place is the "Sanctuary," an island run by the recruiters, and they need Catcher to bring him supplies. The recruiters keep Annah, Elias, and her sister on the island to keep Catcher coming back, but they soon learn that zombies are not the only threat. They have to escape before it's too late, but how?


The Dark and Hollow Places is the third book in Carrie Ryan's "The Forest of Hands and Teeth" trilogy. It's fast-paced, exciting, and full of lots of gory zombie action. Oh yeah, and there's also a pretty good love story that unfolds along the way.

Of the three books, Annah is the lead female character that I like the most. She has an inner strength that she's had to rely on for a very long time, but as the story unfolds, you realize just how vulnerable she is and much of a toll a lifetime of living in fear has taken on her. Unlike the second book, which takes place about 17 years after the first one, this one picks up right after the end of the second. Yes, zombies are a central theme, but the book is smartly written and is much more about survival, growth, and learning not only to love yourself but to open your heart to others.

Very well done.

In Front of My House by Marianne Dubuc

One of my favorite things about reading with my kids is finding books in which we can participate together, and Marianne Dubuc's In Front of My House is a really good book for doing just that. It's a circular book, meaning that the book begins and ends in the same way - in a child's house on a hill.

It begins with an unseen child narrator saying, "On little hill, behind a brown fence, under a big oak tree, is..."

You turn the page and see, "My house. In front of my house..." [Turn the page again] "a rosebush. On the rosebush..." The story continues in the same pattern throughout, turning the pages to reveal what's next. At first, it's pretty typical of what you'd see, a bird, a window, the child's bedroom, a sock, etc. Then comes the fairy tale book, and the child's imagination soars. Soon, we're seeing things like a princess, a prince charming (a frog with a crown), the big bad wolf, a vampire, a pirate ship, a lion, a zoo, a shooting star, and more until it eventually gets back to the house on the hill.

What I really love about this book is the anticipation it brings. You have no idea what's going to come up on the next page, and on the first read, my daughter loved to yell out what she saw. After a couple of reads, she knows what's coming next and yells it out before I can even turn the page. In one section of the book, we go inside a dark cave and before I even turn the page, my daughter screams and covers her eyes, hiding from the abominable snowman who is hiding inside the cave. It is so much fun.

I can't forget to mention the illustrations. The book itself is a chunky square book and it's chock full of wonderful, whimsical illustrations that look like the child narrator drew them. Some pictures like the lion are colored in a bit unevenly, giving the appearance that a kid colored it in.

The text and pictures are simple and fun, and kids who can't read or who are just beginning to read get the opportunity to participate in the reading experience. I highly recommend this book for the younger set of children. I can even imagine it being a fun book for an older child to read to a younger child.

Learning concepts: 

• Grammar - Prepositions 
• Literacy/Reading - Prediction

Ages: 4-8 | Publisher: Kids Can Press, September 2010 | Source: Review copy from publisher | ISBN: 978-1554536412




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Amelia Lost by Candace Fleming

As long as I can remember, I've always been intrigued by Amelia Earhart's story. Her courage was inspiring, and her disappearance always seemed very sad to me. But I've never really read a lot about her life or her disappearance in 1937. As soon as I received a copy of Candace Fleming's, Amelia Lost: The Life and Disappearance of Amelia Earhart, I was eager to read it.

First off, I have to tell you that I always love reading Candace Fleming's work. Her non-fiction is always thoroughly researched, and she does an exceptional job of weaving her research together to tell a compelling, engaging story. This was definitely the case with The Lincoln's: A Scrapbook Look at Abraham and Mary (my review here). And her fiction picture book Clever Jack Takes the Cake is well, clever, and very well-written (my review here). So, I expected to find a clever, thorough, and engaging story about Amelia Earhart, and of course, I did.

I wondered how Ms. Fleming would address all of the myths surrounding Earhart herself and her disappearance, and in the very beginning of the book, Ms. Fleming describes how she spent two years digging through research to find the real Amelia. She says, "...the person I eventually uncovered surprised me. Amelia Earhart was so much more than a pilot. She was a savvy businesswoman...a popular lecturer; a fashion icon;.... But most important, she symbolized the new opportunities awaiting women in the twentieth century"  (ix).

And with that, Amelia's story begins. The book alternates between July 1937 -- the time of her disappearance and the days of searching that followed it -- and the story of her life from the time she was born. The different chapters present an Amelia Earhart that is not only courageous but super smart and savvy and likable. There are photos of Amelia and her family, pictures of Amelia's report card from school, pilot's license, newspaper clippings, and handwritten notes from Amelia herself. Informative sidebars are weaved throughout the book and provide even more interesting information about Amelia. There's even a sidebar that introduces the Morse Code.

The back matter includes an extensive bibliography, websites where readers can learn more about Earhart, source notes, picture credits, and an index.

The story itself really takes you back to the past, and the chapters about her disappearance provide an excellent picture of what the entire country was feeling when her plane disappeared.

I think anyone who reads the book will learn more about Amelia Earhart than they previously knew, and kids who are interested in aviation, women's history, non-fiction, or who just want to read an interesting story will enjoy this book. I give this my highest recommendation.

Age range: 9 -12 | Publisher: Schwartz & Wade, February 2011 | ISBN: 978-0375841989 | Source: Review copy from publisher

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