September 12, 2011
Posted by jcarlson in : Uncategorized , comments closed 
Wonderstruck by Brian Selznick February 3, 2012
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You may be familiar with the author, Brian Selznick, because he wrote and illustrated The Invention of Hugo Cabret. That book had over 250 illustrations. The reader had to study the pictures to fully understand the story.
Mr. Selznick also wrote and illustrated Wonderstruck. This book has over 450 illustrations. The book’s words tell the story of Ben who has just lost his mother and wants to find his father. His story begins in 1977. The illustrations tell Rose’s story. She is a deaf girl who wants to escape from her home and find a place where she’ll fit in. Her story begins in 1927. Eventually their stories connect and intertwine.
If you decide to read this book, you’ll have a tough time putting it down. You’ll have a strong desire to find out if Ben and Rose are successful with their quests. Plus you’ll want to know how the lives of two children who grew up 50 years apart could possibly be connected.
~Mrs. Carlson~
Darth Paper Strikes Back by Tom Angleberger January 26, 2012
Posted by jcarlson in : Friendship Fiction, Humorous Fiction, Realistic Fiction, School Fiction , add a comment
I really enjoyed this book which is the sequel to The Strange Case of Origami Yoda. It combines humor, good advice, origami, and Star Wars.
Dwight and his finger puppet Origami Yoda are suspended from school … and may be expelled. Harvey and his finger puppet Darth Paper may be responsible for Dwight’s problems. Dwight’s friends try to build a case to present to the School Board. They want Dwight and Origami Yoda back. Harvey and Darth Paper fight them all the way to the School Board meeting.
Read this book to find out what happens to Dwight and Origami Yoda. May the force be with you!
~Mrs. Carlson~
The Hound Dog’s Haiku by Michael J. Rosen January 21, 2012
Posted by jcarlson in : Poetry , add a comment
Do you like dogs? How about poetry? If you answered yes to both of these questions, you should try out this book. It’s a collection of haiku which is Japanese poetry. Each haiku is about a different breed of dog. The author uses very interesting and sometimes difficult words and phrases. I really like this book!
~Mrs. Carlson~
A Mango-Shaped Space by Wendy Mass January 14, 2012
Posted by jcarlson in : Family Fiction, Friendship Fiction, Realistic Fiction , add a comment
Have you ever heard of synesthesia? When a person has this condition, one type of stimulation, like a sound or a taste, causes a different sense to react. For example, a person hears a sound and then sees a color. Below is an example of how a person with synesthesia may see the alphabet.
In this book, sounds, numbers, and letters have colors for 13 year old Mia. On one hand, she enjoys it because her world is so colorful. On the other hand, she’s worries about being a freak. She has a tough time in school because sometimes the colors disrupt her learning. She keeps her condition a secret until she realizes she’s going to fail in school unless she gets help. She eventually learns that she has synesthesia and meets other people with the same condition. Now she has to learn how to manage her condition, so she can be successful in school and rebuild her relationships with her family and friends.
Are you wondering about the title and the word Mango-shaped? Mango is a cat. He plays an important part in helping Mia discover how to deal with her new life.
~Mrs. Carlson~
All the Way to America by Dan Yaccarino January 14, 2012
Posted by jcarlson in : Family Fiction, Picture Books , add a comment
This is a charming picture book about four generations of the author’s family. It begins in Italy with the author’s great grandfather. He leaves Italy with his dreams, good advice from his parents, and a little shovel. The belief in dreams, the good advice, and the little shovel are passed on through each generation.
I really enjoyed this book. Each family member had a different dream and a different use for the shovel. However, they all followed the good advice the great grandfather received when he left Italy. The colorful pictures and simple text make for a great book.
~Mrs. Carlson~
The Medusa Plot by Gordon Korman January 14, 2012
Posted by jcarlson in : Adventure, Family Fiction, Mystery , 1 comment so far
This is the first book in the new 39 Clues series, Cahills vs. Vespers. Six of Amy and Dan’s relatives and Nellie, their former babysitter and new guardian, have been kidnapped. A mysterious enemy, named Vesper One, won’t release them until Amy and Dan steal a famous painting and deliver it to him. With the help of their cousins, Amy and Dan attempt to steal the painting. Will they be successful? Will anyone get hurt? Will Vesper One release his seven prisoners? Read this nail-biting book to find out!
~Mrs. Carlson~
Charlie Joe Jackson’s Guide to Not Reading by Tommy Greenwald January 8, 2012
Posted by jcarlson in : Books Fiction, Humorous Fiction, School Fiction , add a comment
If you like the Diary of a Wimpy Kid books, I think you’ll like this one. The main character is a middle school boy who hates reading. He gives the reader 25 tips on how to avoid reading. In between, he tells the story of his brilliant plan to NOT read any books for school. Unfortunately, the plan backfires.
Tommy Greenwald wrote this book for his three sons … who hate reading. Their names are Charlie, Joe, and Jack. Did you notice he combined their names to create the main character’s name? How clever! Actually the whole book is very clever, so give it a try!
~Mrs. Carlson~
Lemonade and Other Poems Squeezed from a Single Word by Bob Taczka January 3, 2012
Posted by jcarlson in : Poetry , add a comment
I really enjoy poetry books. This is a wonderful one filled with poems that are puzzles. Using letters from just one word, each poem describes a single scene. The reader has to follow the path of letters to figure out the story in the scene. This is a fun, clever book!
~Mrs. Carlson~
Lady Lollipop by Dick King-Smith January 3, 2012
Posted by jcarlson in : Animal Fiction, Beginning Chapter Books, Fantasy , add a comment
This book is adorable. Who could resist a story with a spoiled princess, an intelligent pig, and a clever boy? Princess Penelope wants a pet pig, and she wants it to live in the palace. The King and Queen are not happy but agree to let her have a pig who must live outside. Penelope chooses Johnny’s pig, Lollipop. Lollipop and Johnny move into a stall on the palace grounds. Johnny has a lot of work to do. He must train Lollipop to be an inside pig, teach Penelope how to be nice, and convince the Queen that a pig can be a handy pet. Thank goodness he’s a clever boy!
~Mrs. Carlson~