The World According to Humphrey by Betty G. Birney December 2, 2009
Posted by jcarlson in : Animal Fiction, School Fiction , 4comments
Humphrey is a hamster, and he’s the narrator of this book! He lives in Room 26 of Longfellow School. Room 26 is filled with interesting students like Raise-Your-Hand-Heidi and Repeat-That-Please-Richie. Humphrey enjoys watching the students and the staff. Each weekend one of the students or staff members takes him home. Humphrey discovers that each family has a problem or challenge to face. He uses his wisdom and kindness to help them.
I really like this book. Humphrey is funny, sweet and very smart. He helps the children and adults with their problems by showing them how to help themselves. Humphrey reminds me a bit of Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle from the book by the same name by Betty MacDonald. Just like Humphrey, Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle helps children. In this case, the children have bad habits like refusing to take a bath and never picking up toys. Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle gives the parents advice on how to get rid of these bad habits.
If you like hamsters and school stories, you will enjoy this book. You may also want to try Friendship According to Humphrey, Adventure According to Humphrey, Surprises According to Humphrey, and Trouble According to Humphrey.
~Mrs. Carlson~
A Bear Called Paddington by Michael Bond September 28, 2009
Posted by jcarlson in : Animal Fiction , 1 comment so farThis story is about a bear named Paddington. Paddington’s grandmother sent him away, and he ended up 
in Paddington train station. That’s how he got his name. A nice family finds him there. He goes to a lot of places like the mall and the beach. Paddington gets into so much trouble no matter where he goes. If you like a book about a bear, this is for you! So check it out!
~Emma, Fifth Grader~
Poppy by Avi September 21, 2009
Posted by jcarlson in : Adventure, Animal Fiction , 1 comment so far
I have been meaning to read this book for a while. I really like 
the author, Avi, who often writes realistic fiction about kids. This adventure-filled book is an animal story. A deer mouse family needs to move because there is not enough food at their present home. Mr. Ocax, a nasty owl, rules the area and won’t allow them to move. Poppy, a young female deer mouse, decides to help her family and challenges Mr. Ocax. She receives help from another animal, Ereth. I won’t tell you what kind of animal he is, but I will tell you that he’s funny. If you like animals and survival stories, give this book a try!
~Mrs. Carlson~
Strider by Beverly Cleary April 25, 2009
Posted by jcarlson in : Animal Fiction, Realistic Fiction , 1 comment so far
If you liked the book Dear Mr. Henshaw, you should read its sequel, Strider. Once again Leigh Botts is recording his thoughts in a diary. Leigh writes about his old troubles - his parents’ divorce, his father’s lack of interest in his life, and his desire to have friends and be popular at school. Leigh also writes about his new concerns which include going out for the track team, a girl named Geneva, and a dog.
Life seems to get better when Leigh and his friend Barry find an abandoned dog. They name him Strider and decide to try “joint custody.” Joint custody means the boys will share the dog. Strider lives part-time at each house. At first it seems to work out, but then Leigh becomes very attached to Strider while Barry is away and no longer wishes to share the dog. How will the boys resolve this problem? Read this book and find out!
~Mrs. Carlson~
Stuart Little by E.B. White April 9, 2009
Posted by jcarlson in : Animal Fiction, Friendship Fiction , 12comments
This book is about a mouse named Stuart Little. Stuart is in a family of 4 with a cat named Snowbell. This family contains a mom, dad, and a brother named George. Stuart likes to go on outrageous adventures. One day, a bird named Margalo shows up at Stuart’s house. Once when Stuart gets trapped in a garbage truck, Margalo came and saved Stuart. Margalo gets lost one day, so Stuart goes out to find her. A lot of things happen to Stuart while he is out to find Margalo. Will Stuart find Margalo? Just read this great book to find out!
Also this book is a great reader (1 pt.)
~Jack #1, Jack #2, and Jillian, Fourth Graders~
Shiloh by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor April 9, 2009
Posted by jcarlson in : Animal Fiction, Realistic Fiction , 12comments
This book is about a boy named Marty that likes a dog he named Shiloh. But the dog is actually Judd Traver’s dog. Marty keeps Shiloh in a pen behind a hill. Marty is trying to hide Shiloh from Judd, his mom and his dad. Judd starts looking for Shiloh. Marty wants to keep Shiloh away from Judd because Judd kicks Shiloh. Will Judd find Shiloh? Read this great book to find out!
~Carmen, Fourth Grader~
Shiloh is a great book. It is about a boy named Marty, who finds a dog which belongs to a guy named Judd Travers, who treats him really bad. But when Shiloh gets hurt, everything goes wrong. And for people who like dogs, this is not the book for you. But at the end of the book, something really good happens. Read the book to see if Marty gets the dog or will he stay with Judd Travers.
~Gus, Fourth Grader~
Shiloh is a very popular book. If you want to read other reviews about it, type the title in the search box and click on “go!”
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.
For the Love of Autumn by Patricia Polacco February 23, 2009
Posted by jcarlson in : Animal Fiction, Picture Books , 4commentsDo you believe in love at first sight? Danielle Parks does! Miss Parks fell 
in love immediately with Autumn, her playful kitten companion. Autumn attacked her ankles, knocked over the trash, and would lie right in the middle of any papers that Miss Parks tried to grade! At the end of each day Autumn would snuggle up in Miss Park’s arms until they both fell asleep. Miss Parks seemed to have everything going for her… she loved her job teaching, her cottage by the sea, and especially Autumn. Then one night there was a terrible storm, and Autumn disappeared. Miss Parks and her students looked everywhere for little Autumn. After several weeks, they began to believe she was gone forever. They were wrong! Autumn, also known as Stormy, was living a double life! Read For the Love of Autumn to find out how Miss Parks lost her cat, temporarily, but gained a family in the end!
The Mouse of Amherst by Elizabeth Spires February 3, 2009
Posted by jcarlson in : Animal Fiction, Podcasts, Poetry Fiction , 4comments
The narrator of this book is a mouse named Emmaline. Emmaline feels that she is “nothing more than a crumb gatherer, a cheese nibbler, a mouse-of-little purpose.” She moves into the Dickinson family’s house, into Emily’s bedroom to be exact. Emmaline discovers that Emily is a poet. She also discovers her own talent for writing poems. The two poets exchange their lovely poems which are inspired by their daily experiences. Eventually Emmaline has to leave. Read this book to find out why!
Emily Dickinson, one of the main characters in The Mouse of Amherst, is a real American poet who lived in Amherst, Massachusetts in the 1800’s. Emily was very quiet and stayed at home most of her life. She hid in her bedroom like a mouse hides in the wall. After her death, her sister discovered that Emily had written almost 2,000 poems. Although this book is fiction, it does contain some true information about Emily Dickinson as well as some of her poems.
~Mrs. Carlson~
To hear one of Emily Dickinson’s poems, listen to the podcast by Mrs. Carlson.