Laura Villanueva

Hitler Youth (Photograph)Retrieved on April 27, 2015 from

www.amazon.com

Bartoletti, S. (2005) Hitler Youth. NY: Scholastic

Hitler Youth is a book written about children in Germany that were basically brainwashed by Hitler himself. At a time when Germany was suffering from a weak and unstable government, high unemployment, and poverty Hitler promised the young generation a brighter future if they joined the Hitler Youth, an organization dedicated to Adolf Hitler. Many joined willingly. At the time Hitler was the leader of the National Socialist Party. Later he became the dictator of Germany. Herbert Norkus was the first youth to die for the cause of National Socialism. Many other young children devoted their lives to Hitler not knowing what they were really doing. They didn’t know that that they were admiring a mass murder. Sophie and her brother Hans Scholl were fortunate enough to discover what was really happening and secretly fought back trying to make people aware of what Hitler was really doing, but unfortunately they were caught and killed. This book tells of the lives of children during the rise of Hitler. It tells how they were devoted to him to the point of going against their own parents. To the point of going against the Jews even if at one point they were friends with many of them.

Spiders (Photograph)Retrieved on March 2, 2015 from

www.amazon.com

Bishop, N. (2007) Spiders. NY: Scholastic.

Spiders are meat eaters that sense their prey through their body vibrations. They use their fangs to inject their prey with venom. The front part of their body is called the cephalothorax where the stomach, eyes, and legs are and the back part is called abdomen where the heart and spinnerets is. Spiders silk is stronger than steel. When the spiders become adults they shed their skin and male spiders look for female spiders. Female spiders wrap their eggs in a soft silk case. Baby spiders look like adult spiders.

How They Croaked (Photograph)Retrieved on April 28, 2015 from

www.amazon.com

Bragg, G. (2011) How They Croaked: The Awful Ends of the Awfully Famous. NY: Walker

How They Croaked is a book about thirteen famous peoples death. It talks about what happened after their death. King Tut’s body was opened and all his organs were taken out and put into jars and taken with him to burry him. His brain was taken out through his nose because at the time they thought the only use of the brain was to keep the ears apart. Beethoven is another famous person included in this book. When he died he wasn’t as famous as he is now. In this book you will read

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about his last days alive and what he went through. You will read about the pain he encountered before his death. After his death his hair was stolen and sold. It was because of his hair that we now know that he had lead poisoning that caused him to dye. These are just two of the thirteen deaths this book talks about.

My Teacher is a Monster! (Photograph)Retrieved on February 11, 2015 from

www.amazon.com

Brown, P. (2014). My Teacher is a Monster. NY: Little Brown Books

A boy named Bobby sees his teacher as a monster. She yells and screams and doesn’t let her students throw paper airplanes. He escapes to his favorite place, the park. One day Bobby is at his favorite place when suddenly he spots Mrs. Kirby seating on a bench. He quietly sits next to her. He spends time with her and realizes she isn’t a monster after all.

Dear Mr. Henshaw (Photograph)Retrieved on April 19, 2015 from

www.amazon.com

Clearly, B. (1983). Dear Mr. Henshaw. NY: Morrow.

Leigh is a young boy struggling with the separation of his parents and being the new kid in school. He deals with his situation by pretending to write to his favorite author Boyd Henshaw. When his teacher requires the class to write to an author and ask questions Leigh of coarse writes to Mr. Henshaw. Leigh writes a short story about his dad and him on a truck drive with him. His story wins honorable mention in the yearbook. Through writing the story, writing in his journal, and writing to Mr. Henshaw he finds a way to cope with his dad’s absence.

Gregor the Overlander (Photograph)Retrieved on April 28, 2015 from

www.amazon.com

Collins, S. (20024). Gregor The Overlander. NY: Scholastic.

Gregor is an eleven-year old who lives with his mom and sister in a New York City apartment. His dad mysteriously disappeared on night never to be seen again. To their knowledge he had left them. It was summer and Gregor had to take care of his two-year old sister. He and his little sister Boots fall into the air duct in the laundry room. They ended up landing in a world of talking animals. There were rats, bats, cockroaches, and spiders to name a few. Most of the story takes place in the underground world with these huge talking animals. Gregor and his sister find their dad whom had

Laura Villanueva

disappeared two years ago. He also had fallen into the air duct. At the end of the story the author brings the characters back to reality when they finally make out of the underground world and enter their apartment in New York City.

Love That Dog (Photograph)Retrieved on April 28, 2015 from

www.amazon.com

Creech, S. (2001). Love That Dog. New York: Harper Collins

If you’re looking for a book on poetry you can understand, look no further! Love That Dog is written in a simple style that is easy to understand. This free verse poetry book can show anyone how easy it is to write your own poetry. Kids will love the story of Jack and how his teacher inspires him to write poetry even though he thought he never could.

The Watsons Go To Birmingham (Photograph)Retrieved on April 27, 2015 from

www.amazon.com

Curtis, C.P. (1995). The Watsons Go to Birmingham, 1963. NY: Delacorte

Kenny Watson is a typical African American ten-year-old boy living in Flint with his older brother, younger sister, and parents. When Kenny’s older brother, Bryon, starts getting himself into trouble at home it causes the Watsons to make a trip to Birmingham where his mother is from. His parents had the idea of taking Bryon to his grandmother’s house to stay for a while so he could straighten up. At this time African American people were fighting for equal rights. In his hometown of Flint there wasn’t much going on compared to the South. Some readers may be able to relate to what the Watsons are going through in this era of time. The Watsons arrived to Birmingham safe but little did they know what was headed their way. Joetta, Kenny’s little sister, awoke Sunday morning ready for Sunday school. What happened next changed Kenny’s life in a matter of seconds. The church where Joetta was attending Sunday school was bombed. Thankfully nothing happened to his sister, but Kenny on the other hand was in shock and it took him awhile to overcome what he had seen at the church that morning. The Watsons Go to Birmingham focuses on the life of Kenny Watson and his family in an awful time in American history.

Laura Villanueva

Martina the Beautiful Cockroach (Photography)Retrieved on March 2, 2015 from

www.amazon.com

Deedy, C.A. (2007). Martina The Beautiful Cockroach. Atlanta, GA: Peachtree

Martina is a beautiful cockroach that turned twenty-one and is ready to get married. Her family started to shower her with gifts, but her Cuban grandmother gave her the best gift of all, advice. Her advice to Martina was to spill coffee on her admires’ feet in order to find the right one to marry. Although Martina wasn’t so sure of her grandmother’s advice she went ahead and did as told. By doing so she scared away Don Gallo, Don Cerdo, and Don Lagarto, but when she tried doing the same to Perez, a mouse, she was in for a surprise. He spilled the coffee on her first. Martina had found her match. He too had a Cuban grandmother.

The Legend of the Blue Bonnet (Photograph)Retrieved February 10, 2015 from

www.amazon.com

DePaola, T. (1983). The Legend Of The Bluebonnet. NY: Putnam.

A young Comanche girl named She-Who-Is-Alone gave up her valued possession (her doll ) to the Great Spirits to end drought and famine in return. This doll is the only thing she has left from her family who has passed away, so that was a huge sacrifice on her part. She goes to the hill where the spirits spoke to the shaman and offered her doll. She falls asleep and awakens to find the whole ground covered in beautiful blue flowers. The people came out and gathered with the young girl to sing and dance in thanks to the Great Spirits. While they where doing this it began to rain. From that day on the girl was given another name; “One-Who-Dearly-Loved-Her-People.”

Out of My Mind (Photograph)Retrieved on April 19, 2015 from

www.amazon.com

Draper, S. (2010). Out of My Mind. NY: Antheneum

Melody is an eleven year old who can’t speak, walk, or write. She is confined to a wheelchair and is going out of her mind. Nobody knows just how smart she is until she able to attend other

Laura Villanueva

classes through the inclusion program at school. Soon she discovers Medi-Talker a machine with millions of words and phrases build into it that will allow her to speak through her pushing buttons. Once Melody’s parents buy her one she is off. There is nothing that can stop her now. Her true brilliance is out in the open for everyone to see.

Olivia (Photograph)Retrieved on February 11, 2015 from

www.amazon.com

Falconer,I. (2011). Olivia. NY: Atheneum

Olivia is a piglet who lives with her brother, mother, father, and cat. She is very active and wears people out. She even wears herself out. She is a typical little girl who gets annoyed by her brother. She tries on everything when getting dressed. Her mother takes her to the beach and the museum. Olivia dislikes taking naps and enjoys her mother reading to her before bed.

The Graveyard Book (Photograph)Retrieved on April 28, 2015 from

www.amazon.com

Gaiman, N. (2008). The Graveyard Book. NY: Harper Collins

In The Graveyard Book a man named Jack kills an entire family with the exception of a toddler boy who crawls into the graveyard and is taken in by ghosts. This is were the author slowly goes from reality to fiction. The story is about the life of this toddler as he grows up in the graveyard. Fourteen years have passed and Jack is looking for Nobody (the toddler) to finish his work by killing him. At the end of the book Nobody slowly looses his ability to see ghosts and is given money to start his new life elsewhere.

Rosa (Photograph)Retrieved February 11, 2015 from

www.amazon.com

Giovanni, N. (2005). Rosa. NY: Holt.

Rosa Parks was a seamstress in Montgomery. One Thursday she left work early to care for her mother who had been feeling sick. As usual she rode the bus home. At that time African Americans had to sit in designated seats. There was also a neutral seating where both white and black could sit. Rosa sat there on that Thursday. The bus was getting full, so the bus driver demanded that the black people give up their seats. Rosa refused to obey his request. She was tired of putting white people first. Police were called and she was arrested. The African American people of Montgomery were tired too. They showed their support by making signs that said,

Laura Villanueva

“Monday don’t ride the bus, walk instead.” On that day the buses were empty. No African Americans rode the bus. People were ready to stand with her. Martin Luther King spoke for them. From that day on they didn’t ride the bus. One year after Rosa’s arrested the Supreme Court ruled that segregation on busses was illegal.

Rapunzel’s Revenge (Photograph)Retrieved on April 19, 2015 from

www.amazon.com

Hale, S. (2008). Rapunzel’s Revenge. NY: Bloomsbury.

As a young child Rapunzel was kidnapped and taken away to live in a grand villa with who she though was her mother, Mother Gothel. As she grew she always wondered what was on the other side of the grand wall. Mother Gothel never let he leave outside the walls. Until one day she escaped and found out the horrible truth about Mother Gothel. She met a lady that turned out to be her real mother. Mother Gothel captured her again and locked her up in a creepy tree with a hollowed-out room high up. She was there for four years. Eventually she escapes and does everything possible to rescue her real mother form Gothel. Throughout her journey she meets a young guy who ends up helping her. They both go through several obstacles until finally she rescues her mother.

It’s So Amazing (Photograph)Retrieved on April 28, 2015 from

www.amazon.com

Harris, R (1999). It’s So Amazing. Boston, MA: Candlewick Press

It’s So Amazing is a book written for children who have questions about just about anything concerning their body. It is a book that parents can read to or have their children read on their own. If parents aren’t sure how to answer certain questions this book will help them by answering the questions for them. It also has illustrations to help the children understand better.

Comics Squad Recess (Photograph)Retrieved on April 28, 2015 from

www.amazon.com

Holm, J. (2014). Comics Squad: Recess. NY: Random House Books

Comic Squad is a book that consists of eight short stories composed of comics by different authors. You will find fiction and nonfiction stories within this book. It’s great for children who love comics!

Laura Villanueva

This is Not My Hat (Photograph)Retrieved on February 10, 2015 from

www.amazon.com

Klassen, J. (2012). This is Not My Hat. Boston, MA: Candlewick.

A small fish steals a hat from a huge fish while it is sleeping. The small fish tries to convince himself that it’s okay even though he knows it’s not right to steal. He tells himself that the big fish won’t notice it’s gone. He even says the hat is too small for the big fish and it fits him just right. He swims away trying to hide where big and tall plants are close together. He doesn’t think the big fish will find him there but he is wrong. The big fish finds him and takes his hat back.

Skulduggery Pleasant (Photograph)Retrieved on April 19, 2015 from

www.amazon.com

Landry, D. (2007). Skulduggery Pleasant. NY: HarperCollins.

Stephanie’s uncle, a well-known author, dies a sudden death while writing the final chapter of his book. During his funeral Stephanie sees an unknown man standing at a distance wearing a tan overcoat. At the revealing of her uncle’s will the unknown man was present. He was her uncle’s friend named Skulduggery. Stephanie although she was only 12 years old inherited most of he uncle’s possessions including his huge home. On a stormy night Stephanie ends up being left alone in what is now her home when suddenly a man breaks in and attacks her. Skulduggery shows up and protects her. Throughout the remainder of the book he becomes her protector. Together they fight the evil Serpine until they defeat him.

Rules (Photograph)Retrieved on April 19, 2015 from

www.amazon.com

Lord, C. (2008). Rules. NY: Scholastic.

Catherine is a twelve year old that wants to live a normal life. The fact that her brother is autistic makes her feel like she has to hide him from the world. What she doesn’t realize is that she is the one with the problem. When she finally realizes this she starts to live a happy life without caring what anyone thinks about her brother. She no longer has to hide him away form anyone.

Laura Villanueva

Me…Jane (Photograph)Retrieved on April 28, 2015 from

www.amazon.com

McDonnell, P. (2011). Me…Jane. NY: Little Brown Books

Me…Jane is the story about Jane Goodall as a child. It tells about her growing up with her special chimpanzee toy that she carried everywhere. It also tells about how young Jane loved the world around her especially animals. He dream of caring for animals comes true as an adult. She grows up to become an animal activists.

Paper Bag Princess (Photograph)Retrieved on April 19, 2015 from

www.amazon.com

Munsch, R. (1992). Paper Bag Princess. Canada: Annick Press

Elizabeth is a beautiful princess that was going to marry prince Ronald, but a dragon came and burned everything and left with Ronald. She sets off to rescue her prince. She over comes obstacles to reach her prince. When she finally defeats the dragon and reaches Ronald he sees what a mess she is and insults her instead of being grateful that she rescued him. She tells him what she thinks of him and doesn’t marry him.

We Are Ship (Photograph)Retrieved on April 27, 2015 from

www.amazon.com

Nelson, K. (2008). We are Ship. NY: Hyperion We Are The Ship is a book based on great African American baseball players and the struggles they went through to play the game. Dating back to the early 1900s we see how these ballplayers were treated. Some of them were forced to leave the field in crutches due to runners spiking them. At the time protective gear wasn’t required so there was a lot of mistreatment against them. Soon Rube started The Negro National League. It was different from the majors. The Negro League was fast, flashy and daring. Throughout the book we learn about many gifted African American players such as Satchel Paige and Jackie Robinson. We learn about the struggles these players had to overcome such as having to play on a daily basis without any rest as well as not being able to eat in certain restaurants due to their skin color. Soon some of these ball players where moved up to the majors. This may have started the end of the Negro League. Jackie faced some hard times during his time in the major leagues. To the extent of his family being threated. This book is based in time era when African Americans were looked down upon because of their skin color.

Primates (Photograph)

Laura Villanueva

Retrieved on April 28, 2015 fromwww.amazon.com

Ottaviani. J, &Wicks, M. (2013). Primates. NY: Little Brown Books

Primates is a book about three passionate women, Jane Goodall, Dian Fossey, Birute Galdikas. These three primatologist were students of Louis Leakey. Each one of them made a profound contribution to primatology. Goodall was passionate and was great at observing. Through her observations we now know more about our closest relatives. Dian fought for what she believed in. She fought for the gorillas she loved. Birute was patient. She went and loved it so much that she stayed all because of the love she felt for the gorillas.

Timmy Failure (Photograph)Retrieved on April 28, 2015 from

www.amazon.com

Pastis, S. (2013). Timmy Failure. Somerville, Mass: Candlewick

Timmy is a young boy who runs a made up detective agency with his partner Total, a big stuffed bear. Timmy dislikes school especially his teacher and Corrina, his rival. Rollo Tookus, the smartest kid is probably his only friend since that’s who he gets paired up with during school.

Bridge to Terabithia (Photography)Retrieved on March 2, 2015 from

www.amazon.com

Paterson, K. (1987). Bridge to Terabithia. NY: Crown

Jess lives with his parents and three sisters. One summer he wakes up early everyday to practice running. He wants to be the fastest fifth grader, but he wasn’t count on Leslie moving in next door and joining the race on the first day of school. Leslie and Jess become best friends and make up their own pretend kingdom called Terabithia in the back woods. Leslie shows Jess that he is strong and courageous to standup to the school bully. Jess leaves with his music teacher without inviting Leslie. When he returns he finds out that Leslie has had an accident and dies. At first he blames himself for not being there with her but later comes to realize the strength that Leslie has given him.

Good Masters, Sweet Ladies (Photograph)Retrieved on April 27, 2015 from

www.amazon.com

Laura Villanueva

Schlitz, L.A. (2009). Good Masters, Sweet Ladies Boston, MA: Candlewick Press

Good Masters, Sweet Ladies is a book that consists of seventeen short plays based on medieval times. The setting is based on a medieval manor so some of the characters know each other. For example,

Taggot, the blacksmith daughter meets Hugo the Lord’s nephew while working on his horse. Thomas is the son of the Lord’s doctor. When reading this book the reader will learn how people survived during the medieval times. Each character plays a different role in the manor. They all some how interact with each other. We see how each one deals with their own problems in their own way.

Wonderstruck (Photograph)Retrieved on April 28, 2015 from

www.amazon.com

Selznick, B. (2011). Wonderstruck. NY: Scholastic.

Wonder Struck is two stories in one that will surprise you at the end. It is a must read novel that tells one story through pictures and the other through words. Find out how these two stories come together to give you an unexpected ending that you never saw coming.

Where the Wild Things Are (Photograph)Retrieved February 10, 2015 from

www.amazon.com

Sendak, M. (1963). Where the Wild Things Are. NY: HarperCollins.

Max is young boy with a huge imagination. Right before dinner one night, his mother called him “Wild Thing” after seeing all the mischief he had caused. Not happy with her comment he replied, “I’ll eat you up.” His mother sends him to his room with out any dinner. His room starts converting into a jungle where he sails away to an island full of wild things. He finds a way to tame them and becomes their leader. After a while Max becomes hungry and wants to go back home where there is food to eat. Although the wild things don’t want him to leave, he sails away into his room where his dinner is waiting for him.

Mirror, Mirror (Photograph)Retrieved on April 28, 2015 from

www.amazon.com

Singer, M. (2010). Mirror, Mirror. NY: Dutton.

Mirror, Mirror is a unique kind of book that tells two sides to each story. It is literally said backwards like a mirror gives a reflection so does this book. It gives the reflection of what is being said. By doing so it changes the meaning of the story. There are different stories written within the book.

Laura Villanueva

It’s a Book (Photograph)Retrieved on April 28, 2015 from

www.amazon.com

Smith, L. (2011). It’s a Book. NY: Roaring Brook

It’s a Book is about a monkey trying to read a book. His friend the donkey constantly keeps interrupting him by asking if the book has a password or if you can scroll down. The monkey simply answers no it’s a book. The donkey wants to know if it is anything like a computer. At the end the donkey borrows the book and can’t seem to put it down.

Balloons Over Broadway (Photograph)Retrieved on April 28, 2015 from

www.amazon.com

Sweet, M. (2011). Balloons Over Broadway: The true story of the puppeteer of Macy’s parade. NY: Houghton

Balloons over Broadway is the true story of Tony, the inventor of the puppets of Macy’s parade. It talks about how Tony first started making his puppets and how he moved on to make the balloons we see now every Thanksgiving Day.

A Crooked Kind of Perfect(Photograph)Retrieved on April 28, 2015 from

www.amazon.com

Urban, L. (2007). A Crooked Kind of Perfect. Orlando: Harcourt

Zoe is like any other child her age. She has dreams just like we all do, but we don’t always get what

we want. Zoe wants a piano but instead gets an organ. She looses her best friend to a new girl in school. Her dad hardly ever lives their house due to his fear of being around people. Through out the book you see how they both change. Her dad overcomes his fears with the help of one of Zoe’s classmates and Zoe finds a great friend in him.

The Three Pigs (Photograph)Retrieved on February 11, 2015 from

www.amazon.com

Wiesner, D. (2001). The Three Pigs. NY: Clarion.

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There are three pigs that are brothers and they each built their own house. The first pig built his house out of straw, but a wolf comes along and blows so hard that he blows the pig straight out of the story. The first pig goes and tells his brother that it’s safe out there, so the two pigs join the first pig. The three of them made an airplane out of a page and flew it straight into other storybooks. They passed through Hey Diddle, Diddle and the dish that ran away with the spoon until they came to a dragon that guarded a rose made out of gold. The pigs rescued the dragon by taking him out of the page and brought him home to scare the wolf away. They all lived happy ever after.