Module 9: Where's the Big Bad Wolf

 Book Summary: Detective Doggedly is always trying to catch the Big Bad Wolf in the act of terrorizing the three little pigs. When the wolf is in the hospital with the flu, there is still someone huffing and puffing at the pig's house. There is also a new sheep in town giving the pigs some bad advice about how to build their homes. Finally, Doggedly figures out it is just the wolf in sheep's clothing causing problems.

APA Reference of Book:Christelow, E. (2002). Where's the big bad wolf?. New York: Clarion Books.

Impressions: I really liked the language of this book, it had a lot of personality which made this a fun read. As an adult, I was easily able to recognize the wolf in sheep's clothing so there wasn't much mystery but children would most likely enjoy it more. I didn't really like that the illustrations were done with dialogue bubbles in them. I kept jumping back and forth between the text and the the speech bubbles thinking it would provide additional information, but as far as I could tell, it did not. I understood why the illustrator had done it but I would have preferred either text or dialogue bubbles, not both.

 
Professional Review:

Three little pigs get some real bad advice from a wolf in a real goofy sheep disguise in this comical whodunit. The three little pigs are having their homes blown down—and escaping by the hair of their chinny-chin-chins—and Detective Doggedly believes it might be the work of the shiftless, no-account neighborhood wolf, the infamous BBW. But the only character found at the crime scenes is a newcomer to town: Esmeralda the sheep. Sure, kids will note, Esmeralda their foot, for her disguise is pretty transparent. She has also been giving the pigs construction ideas: straw is good, twigs are good, and cardboard’s not bad. Two cows suggest a brick house, which foils the wolf and ends in his unveiling and incarceration. Short-term incarceration, that is, as he’s soon back, this time tricked out as a horse, with more self-serving recommendations: “Pick peas after midnight, when everybody is asleep. They’ll taste sweeter.” So what if there are a few inexplicables here—How did the wolf con his way into that hospital bed?—this is good clownish fun, and the rough-and-tumble art keeps the farce bubbling. (Picture book. 4-7)

[Review of the book Where’s the big bad wolf? by E. Christelow]. (2002, July 15). Kirkus Reviews, 70(14), 1028. Retrieved from http://www.kirkusreviews.com

Library Uses: This would be used for an early childhood mystery program where the children have to come and solve a mystery or scavenger hunt that solves the mystery.

Module 8: Hunger Games

Book Summary:North America is gone and in it's place lies the nation of Panem, twelve outlying districts controlled by the Capitol. The Capitol keeps the districts oppressed each year by forcing them all to send two teens between the ages of twelve and eighteen to fight to the death in the Hunger Games. Sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen volunteers to compete in order to save her younger sister, Prim, from this fate. Her skill with a bow and arrow and alliances with other tributes could make her the winner.

APA Reference of Book:Collins, S. (2008). The Hunger Games. New York: Scholastic Press.

Impressions: I didn't love Hunger Games as much as many people did. I thought the book was entertaining but I actually expected more shock value. I thought that the way that most of the deaths were handled made them very anonymous and thus it didn't really affect me. It was scenes of Katniss looking for water and sleeping in trees and then "Oh 10 people died today". I know some people felt that the victims being faceless made it even more tragic, but it did not strike me that way. However, I do find this to totally be worth reading and, as a whole, the trilogy is very strong. In my opinion, Catching Fire was a stronger book because you developed more of a relationship with the characters. Also, for as much as the love triangle from these books is discussed, its barely present in Hunger Games. Gale is no where around for 95% of the book and, although Katniss interacts with Peeta, it is all very forced. Their relationship builds much more genuinely in book two.
 

Professional Review: Gr 7 Up-- In a not-too-distant future, the United States of America has collapsed, weakened by drought, fire, famine, and war, to be replaced by Panem, a country divided into the Capitol and 12 districts. Each year, two young representatives from each district are selected by lottery to participate in The Hunger Games. Part entertainment, part brutal intimidation of the subjugated districts, the televised games are broadcasted throughout Panem as the 14 participants are forced to eliminate their competitors, literally, with all citizens required to watch. When 16-year-old Katniss's young sister, Prim, is selected as the mining district's female representative, Katniss volunteers to take her place. She and her male counterpart, Peeta, the son of the town baker who seems to have all the fighting skills of a lump of bread dough, will be pitted against bigger, stronger representatives who have trained for this their whole lives. Collins's characters are completely realistic and sympathetic as they form alliances and friendships in the face of overwhelming odds; the plot is tense, dramatic, and engrossing. This book will definitely resonate with the generation raised on reality shows like "Survivor" and "American Gladiator." Book one of a planned trilogy.

Baird, J. (2008). The hunger games. School Library Journal, 54(9), 176-177. 

Library Uses:I think this book is engaging enough that it could be used to help encourage reluctant teen readers to get interested in other books. Specifically, some of the other YA dyspotian novels like Divergent and Insurgent. Teens who like Hunger Games might also like Graceling.

Module 7: Ivy + Bean

 Book Summary: In spite of their mother's urgings, Ivy and Bean had no plans to become friends: they were just too different. However, when bean needs help hiding from her big sister, Ivy steps in. The duo sets off on an adventure to cast a spell on Bean's sister and forges a friendship along the way.

APA Reference of Book:Barrows, A., & Blackall, S. (2006). Ivy + Bean. San Francisco, Calif.: Chronicle Books.

Impressions: This is an adorable with a charming story and quirky drawings that is perfect for young and reluctant readers. The illustrations do a nice job of aiding in the story telling so that children who might struggle with the text can look to them for clarification. I very much enjoyed reading this book and I would definitely recommend it for young girls, especially since it is a series. I would easily draw the reader in and make them want to continue reading the next book.
 
Professional Review:  Seven-year-old Bean likes stomping in puddles, climbing fences into neighbors' backyards, and playing tricks on her older sister, Nancy. She wears dresses as seldom as possible and avoids big books. Her new neighbor appears to be a quiet, orderly girl who sits on her front step day after day reading tomes. The two seem to have nothing in common, and Bean is not interested in getting to know Ivy, despite her mother's prodding to make friends with the nice girl next door. Then Bean gets into trouble, and Ivy helps her out. She discovers that Ivy is practicing to be a witch, and when they decide to cast a spell on Nancy, their friendship is sealed. With echoes of Beverly Cleary's "Ramona" series, this easy chapter book will appeal to children who are graduating from beginning readers. The occasional black-and-white illustrations highlight the text and provide visual clues. The characters are appealing, the friendship is well portrayed, and the pranks and adventures are very much on grade level.

Stone, E. (2006). [Review of the book Ivy and Bean, by A. Barrows and S. Blackall]. School Library Journal, 52(7), 68. Retrieved from http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/

Library Uses: I think this would be the perfect book to recommend for first or second graders who are not yet interested in reading. it would probably work well for a book talk at a school setting or for children who have come into the library looking for suggestions.

Module 7: The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants

 Book Summary: Four best friends are about to be separated for the summer when they find a pair of magical jeans that fit all of them - even though they are all different sizes. Sending the pants back and forths connects the four girls during their time apart as they each experience life changing events. Lena travels to Greece to spend time with her grandparents and falls in love. Bridget goes to soccer camp and gets involved with her older coach. Carmen, expecting to have the summer alone with her Dad, finds him distracted by his new fiancee and family. Tibby is stuck at home working and working on a film making project with a 12 year old who has leukemia.

APA Reference of Book:Brashares, A. (2001). The sisterhood of the traveling pants. New York: Delacorte Press/Random House Children's Books.

Impressions: I originally read this book when I was a young teenager and fell in love with the characters. Now, as an adult, rereading it reminded me of why I became so attached. The book deals with such a variety of characters and the issues they are facing that it is easy to find one of them to relate to. The issues faced by the girls are very realistic to teenagers of that age. I think that is is able to appeal to girls from middle school and high school who may be facing many of these same situations.
 
Professional Review:

The pants were magic--worn, thrift-shop jeans that made each of the four best friends look absolutely fabulous. Obviously they were life-changing pants. Thus the plan: route them to each of the four at their various summer destinations, with appropriate rules attached, of course, and watch wonderful things happen. Only they don’t. Carmen’s dad still remarries; Lena’s trip to Greece to visit her grandparents is still marred by a terrible misunderstanding with a gorgeous Greek teen; Bridget still does dumb things at a Baja California soccer camp; and Tibby must work at Wallman’s. The pants are just pants, and life is just life, full of joys, sorrows, living, and dying. This is the charm of The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants. Carmen, Lena, Bridget, and Tibby are growing to adulthood, and Brashares accurately portrays one glorious, painful summer in their evolution. Young teens will identify with one, or even all four, of these interesting, funny young women, and they’ll be on the lookout for their own pair of traveling pants.

Bradburn, F. (2001, August).  Reviews the books [Review of The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, by A. Brashares].  Booklist,97(22), 2106.  Retrieved from http://www.booklistonline.com
Library Uses: This would be a good choice for a teen book club because there are a lot of emotional situations to discuss and there is a lot to be learned from the characters.

Module 6: Skippyjon Jones

Book Summary: Skippyjon Jones does not want to be an ordinary Siamese kitten, he wants to be a chihuahua bandito. So Skippyjon becomes El Skippito to fight a bean stealing Bumble-beeto.

APA Reference of Book:Schachner, J. B. (2003). Skippyjon Jones. New York: Dutton Children's Books/Penguin Young Readers Group

Impressions: I adore this book. Firstly,  Skippyjon could not be a cuter character with those great big ears and tiny body. Secondly, it's a really cute tale about using your imagination and playing pretend. The way that the little songs are written really makes you want to sign them out loud as you read. Such a fun book with tons of energy.
 
Professional Review:

Skippyjon is a young, irrepressible Siamese cat with a vivid imagination. His mother sends him to his room to contemplate what being a cat means, but instead he dons the Zorro-like outfit of his alter-ego, Skippito Friskito, and enters his closet for an adventure. The fiesta-colored pictures add zip, but the humor is heavy-handed and the story tedious.

[Review of the book Skippyjon Jones]. (2004). Horn Book. Available from http://www.hbook.com/
 

Library Uses: This is such a great book to read aloud during a storytime because of the little songs that Skippyjon sings and how he uses an accent for his bandito persona.