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 , 4comments
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~
Amelia Lost by Candace Fleming December 30, 2011
Posted by jcarlson in : Biography, Nonfiction , add a comment
I am fascinated by Amelia Earhart, who is probably the most famous female pilot of all time. I have read many books about her, trying to learn more about her life and her eventual fate. In 1937, she attempted to fly around the world. Sadly, she disappeared in the Pacific Ocean.
I think this book about Amelia is fabulous. The author carefully researched Amelia’s life and separated the facts from the myths. She presented the facts in a very interesting fashion, alternating the pilot’s life story, from birth to death, with details of her last flight. The book is filled with wonderful photographs, maps, and hand-written documents.
If you’re interesting in learning about this bold woman who inspired other women to go after their dreams, you really should read Amelia Lost.
~Mrs. Carlson~
It’s the First Day of School … Forever! by R.L. Stine December 27, 2011
Posted by jcarlson in : Horror Fiction, Humorous Fiction , 1 comment so far
If you like R.L. Stine’s Goosebumps series, you’re sure to like this book. Artie’s first day of school is unbelievably awful. At breakfast, his brother squirts syrup in his hair. Walking to school, he gets splashed by a truck driving through a huge puddle. It looks like he wet his pants! Artie’s dog follows him to school and rips the principal’s suit. The day gets weirder by the minute … and scarier. Artie’s second day starts out just like the first day. Oh no! He’s reliving the first day of school. Over and over. This book is filled with humor and horror. Plus it has an awesome ending!
~Mrs. Carlson~
January’s Sparrow by Patricia Polacco December 23, 2011
Posted by jcarlson in : Historical Fiction , 1 comment so far
Patricia Polacco is a very talented storyteller and artist. In this book, she tells the story of the Crosswhite family and their escape to freedom. The Crosswhites are slaves who live in Kentucky. Their master is very cruel. They take off one night and wind up in Marshall, Michigan. Four or five years later, their master tracks them down and tries to take them back to Kentucky. The citizens of Marshall come to their rescue. However, the Crosswhites must move on. If you enjoy historical fiction and want to find out what happens to the Crosswhites, read this book.
~Mrs. Carlson~
Fame and Glory in Freedom, Georgia by Barbara O’Connor December 23, 2011
Posted by jcarlson in : Friendship Fiction, Realistic Fiction, School Fiction , 3comments
I think I have enjoyed every book I’ve read by Barbara O’Connor. I sure enjoyed this funny book. Burdette Weaver, known as Bird, only has one friend, Miss Delphine. At school, kids make fun of her. Bird has two goals in life. The first is to experience one day of fame and glory. The second is to go to Disney World. She finally has a chance to reach both goals because of the state spelling bee. She chooses Harlem Tate as her partner. He’s a lot like her. He doesn’t have any friends and doesn’t seem to fit in. It seems like they have a chance at winning the spelling bee, but Harlem has a secret that’s holding them back. Read this charming book to find out what happens.
~Mrs. Carlson~