Wonderstruck by Brian Selznick February 3, 2012
Posted by jcarlson in : Family Fiction, Realistic Fiction , add a comment
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~
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~
Faith, Hope, and Ivy June by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor December 13, 2011
Posted by jcarlson in : Family Fiction, Friendship Fiction, Realistic Fiction , add a comment
Ivy June lives in a small frame house in Thunder Creek, Kentucky. She doesn’t have a telephone or an indoor bathroom. Catherine lives in Lexington, Kentucky. She lives in a beautiful house with her own bedroom. These two girls are part of a student exchange program. They will take turns living with each other for two weeks and recording their experiences. Neither know what to expect and worry that they are too different to be friends. Both girls wind up facing a difficult situation involving a loved one. They learn that when it comes to family, they are very much alike. This is a wonderful book about acceptance and friendship.
~Mrs. Carlson~
Fever 1793 by Laurie Halse Anderson December 3, 2011
Posted by jcarlson in : Family Fiction, Historical Fiction , 2comments
As you can tell from the title, this book takes place in the year 1793. Mattie Cook, a 14 year old girl, lives with her widowed mother and grandfather in the rooms above their Philadelphia coffeehouse. She’s rather lazy but has big plans for the future. Then the yellow fever epidemic hits. Thousands of people in Philadelphia die. Mattie’s mother is the first in the family to get sick. Mattie and her grandfather flee the city at her mother’s urging. Will Mattie or her grandfather get sick? Does her mother survive? Does Mattie return to the coffeehouse? To find out the answers to these questions, read this well-written historical fiction book.
~Mrs. Carlson~
Me and Rupert Goody by Barbara O’Connor November 21, 2011
Posted by jcarlson in : Family Fiction, Realistic Fiction , add a comment
Barbara O’Connor is quickly becoming my favorite author. Have you read How to Steal a Dog or Greetings from Nowhere? She wrote these books and many others. I will warn you about Me and Rupert Goody. Some of the characters use words that you should never use at school. They live in a rural area in North Carolina and live a rough life, so it makes sense that they use bad words.
Jennalee, who is “Me” in the title, spends a lot of time in Uncle Beau’s store. Beau is not really her uncle, but she loves him. They have a daily routine that begins before school and lasts until dark. Their routine is interrupted when Rupert Goody shows up. Jennalee doesn’t want Rupert to stay, but there’s a good reason he’s moved in with Uncle Beau. Read this book to find out why Rupert arrives and whether Jennalee accepts him.
~Mrs. Carlson~
A Little Bit about Sundee Frazier November 12, 2011
Posted by jcarlson in : Family Fiction, Realistic Fiction , add a commentI see that there’s an interest in Sundee Frazier and her first book, The Other Half of My Heart. Did you know she was on Al Roker’s television show as a book-of-the-month author? Did you know she received the Coretta Scott King/John Steptoe New Talent Award? Did you know her book received the 2011 Skipping Stone Honor Award?
To find out more about Sundee Frazier and her book, visit http://www.sundeefrazier.com/index.php.
The Other Half of My Heart by Sundee T. Frazier November 6, 2011
Posted by jcarlson in : Family Fiction, Realistic Fiction , 6comments
I read this book because Jenna, a fifth grader, recommended it to me. It’s a cute book with some funny parts. It also teaches a good lesson about standing up for what’s right.
Keira and Minni are biracial twins and best friends. Keira is black like her mother. Minni is white like her father. Keira knows what it’s like to feel different because the family lives in a town that’s almost totally white. Minni learns what it’s like to feel different when she travels south with her sister to compete in Miss Black Pearl Preteen of America. Everyone in the competition looks black except for Minni. Minni realizes what Keira has had to deal with back in their hometown. She also realizes that she has not always stood up for Keira when others have ridiculed or shunned her.
I think most girls will enjoy this book. It’s funny and touching. Are you wondering if either of the sisters will win the competition? Read this book to find out.
~Mrs. Carlson~
The Lemonade Crime by Jacqueline Davies October 27, 2011
Posted by jcarlson in : Family Fiction, Friendship Fiction, Realistic Fiction , add a comment
This is the sequel to The Lemonade War. School is back in session. Jessie wants to prove that Scott stole Evan’s money, the money he made selling lemonade. A trial is held. Does Jessie prove that Scott stole the money? Read this book to find out and learn many legal terms along the way.
~Mrs. Carlson~