James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl March 29, 2009
Posted by jcarlson in : Fantasy , 7comments
James Henry Trotter and his mother and father lived by the seashore. One day his mother and father went to London to do some shopping. They suddenly got eaten by a huge rhinoceros. Then James had to live with his two aunts, Aunt Sponge and Aunt Spiker, who lived on the top of the hillside. “Get to work, you pest!” Aunt Spiker said, yelling at James. Crying, he went over to a bush. A little man walked out and gave James a bag with magical creatures inside. James tripped and the creatures went near the peach tree. Soon after the peach tree grew a peach the size of an elephant. To see the peach, you had to pay. That night James found a hole in the peach, and that’s where the adventure begins. If you want to hear the rest of the great adventure, you should take out James and the Giant Peach. This is one of the best books Roald Dahl has written.
~Emma, Fourth Grader~
Silly Dilly Song Books by Alan Katz March 26, 2009
Posted by jcarlson in : Podcasts, Songs , 15comments
Alan Katz has written for children’s television shows on Nickelodeon, CBS, and NBC. He is one funny guy and has proven it by writing the Silly Dilly song book series. The series includes Take Me Out of the Bathtub, I’m Still Here in the Bathtub, Are You Quite Polite, and Smelly Locker. Katz takes old familiar songs, like “Take Me Out to the Ball Game” and “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star” and creates hilarious new words. They are fun to sing by yourself or with a group of friends. The illustrations are hilarious too. They were created by David Catrow. Katz’s lyrics plus Catrow’s pictures equal fantastic song books in the 700’s section of the library.
~Mrs. Carlson~
To hear a silly dilly song performed by the Library Cool People, listen to this podcast.
The School Story by Andrew Clements March 24, 2009
Posted by jcarlson in : Realistic Fiction , 4comments
This book is about a girl named Natalie and her best friend, Zoe. Zoe insists that Natalie’s book is good enough to get published, but how does a 6th grader get published? Well, it actually turns out that Natalie’s mom works for a publishing company. Still Natalie is only 12. She can’t get a book published. So Natalie and Zoe go to their writing teacher, Ms. Clayton, for help, and they start a publishing club. Now that Natalie and Zoe have a teacher for help they think that’s all they need for Natalie’s book to get published, but it’s not. Ms. Clayton has read Natalie’s book, and she also thinks that Natalie’s book is good enough to get published. Natalie doesn’t want to become famous, so she comes up with a pen name so her mom and everybody else that reads the book doesn’t know that Natalie wrote it. Her pen name is Cassandra Day. After a few days, Natalie and Ms. Clayton finally send the book to Natalie’s mom’s office. The next night Natalie’s mom comes home and says to Natalie that she loves the book that Cassandra Day wrote and that all she needs to get the book published is a lawyer and an agent. Will Natalie get a lawyer and an agent? But more importantly, will Natalie get the book published and will her mom find out that her daughter is Cassandra Day? You’ll just have to read the book to find out!
~Jillian, Fourth Grader~
Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Do-It-Yourself Book by Jeff Kinney March 20, 2009
Posted by jcarlson in : Humorous Fiction , 19comments
Want to make a funny diary like Greg Heffley? Well you can in Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Do-It-Yourself Book. This book came out October 1, 2008. You can do activities then make your own diary. It is a fun book. I love this book because you can make a diary.
~Keanu, Second Grader~
Diary of a Wimpy Kid - The Last Straw March 17, 2009
Posted by jcarlson in : Humorous Fiction , 25comments
The new book of Diary of a Wimpy Kid is out! This new book is about Greg’s school time and a girl whom he loves. It turns out that she likes someone else, and Greg gets really jealous. Greg keeps trying to impress the girl with humor and coolness, but it seems like she just doesn’t care.
Manny, Greg’s little brother, just keeps getting Rodrick and Greg into so much trouble. When each of them swear, one of them has to put money in Manny’s “swear jar.” Manny is making a living out of their swearing. Manny learns a new word, “Ploopy,” and he keeps calling Greg that name. I can’t tell you the rest because you have to read it.
~Jacob I, Fifth Grader~
Buddy by Ellen Miles March 13, 2009
Posted by jcarlson in : Animal Fiction , 6comments
Do you like puppies? Lizzie and Charles Peterson do, who are the main characters. Lizzie volunteers at Caring Paws, an animal shelter. Lizzie finds out about Skipper and her litter of puppies who are left in the back of a supermarket by the dumpsters. Policemen found them. The Petersons get to keep Skipper and her litter, and then they start training the puppies. But how will they find a home for them? I have given just a hint of what is to come. Read the book and find out what happens next. 
I think the book was very cute as the author wrote in the dedication to her dog that died. I liked the book as the author described the puppies in all their glory!
~Kasturi, Third Grader~
Louise, The Adventures of a Chicken March 11, 2009
Posted by jcarlson in : Animal Fiction, Picture Books , 4comments
Mrs. Meyer insisted that we read the book, Louise, The Adventures of a Chicken, because of who the author is… Kate DiCamillo! Yep, that’s right! She’s also the author of The Tale of Despereaux and The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane. Louise is a chicken in search of adventure. She goes out to sea and gets attacked by pirates. Barely escaping death, she manages to make it back to the farm. Her friends are anxious to hear where she has been; however, Louise is not interested in sharing her adventures. The safety of the farm soon becomes boring, and she seeks more adventures. Louise joins the circus. She finds adventure under the big top, but eventually she has a heart-racing fall that almost lands her in the mouth of a vicious beast. Louise narrowly escapes and returns home. Again, she does not share her adventures, and again she grows bored of life on the farm. This time she travels to far away land where a fortune teller predicts she will meet a dark stranger. Are you wondering what happens next? Do you think Louise will continue to seek out dangerous adventures? Will Louise ever share her experiences with her friends back at the farm? Will she even make it back to the farm? You’ll have to read, Louise, The Adventures of a Chicken to find out!
Teachers will love how this book is organized into mini-chapters for each adventure. There are also a lot of opportunity to use context clues and inferring throughout this story. Kate DiCamillo does not disappoint her readers with this quick one sit read!
Mrs. Meyer’s Enrichment Reading Class
To hear Louise and her friends chatting in the farmyard, listen to the podcast.
Mr. Peabody’s Apples by Madonna March 7, 2009
Posted by jcarlson in : Realistic Fiction , 2comments
Have you ever had a rumor spread about you? Madonna writes a great book about how powerful words are. Mr. Peabody is an elementary teacher who coaches a boys’ baseball team during the summer. Every morning Mr. Peabody stops at Mr. Funkadeli’s stand and picks up the paper, and after every game he picks up an apple. One day Billy notices that Mr. Peabody doesn’t pay for the apple. He goes to tell Tommy on the team, and Tommy then goes and tells everyone else. Nobody shows up for the next baseball game, and Mr. Peabody notices that people in Happville do not wave back to him. Billy tells Mr. Peabody that everyone thinks he stole the apple. Read to find out if Mr. Peabody really stole the apple and how words can be so powerful!
~Miss Overberger~