Seedfolks / Paul Fleischman / 69 pages / Color in the title / Required Reading / Tasty cover

In Cleveland of 1997, a young girl takes inspiration from her late father, who was a farmer, and plants some lima beans in a dirty vacant.  At first, it starts off as her own private garden, but as soon as more and more people find out about it, the vacant transforms into the neighborhood's community garden, where people from diverse races and cultures come together to work, celebrate, and even look after one another.

It was a nostalgic read, as this was a book I had to read in my 6th grade English class, almost ten years ago.

Liar & Spy / Rebecca Stead / 180 pages

     This Mark Twain nominee is about Georges who has moved to an apartment since his father lost his job and their house.  His mom is always at "work" and he is bullied at school.  How will he ever get through this year?
     He meets a boy in his apartment building who runs a "spy club".  through his relationship with Safer and his sister Candy, Georges eventually resolves his problems; even the state of denial he has been living in about his mother.
     It is an okay book, but not great.  On the cd, the narrator says Georges with a hard "G" which is not how to pronounce his name so I'm not sure the author really knew that either.  He wouldn't have had a problem with his name if he had actually used a French pronunciation.  Of course, I'm sure that the kids would have found some way to pick on him.

Theodore Boone Kid Lawyer / John Grisham / 263 pages

This is the first John Grisham book tha I have read.  There is a plot, but so much more.
There seem to be complete tutorials on the court system, mortgages, forclosure and bankruptcy law, how to beat a drug arrest or dui and much more.  Maybe this is John Grisham's mission in life to prepare kids for the world legally, but none of it actually advanced the small plot of the murder trial.  It was not my usual book choice. The "How-to's"
in the books I read are more on the order of how to build a log cabin or get supplies for winter in the 1800's.  On the whole, the book was ok.  When I need to learn more legal stuff, I'll check out book 2.  I understand that it will be everything you want to know about abduction.

Star in the Forest / Laura Resau / 144 pages

    This is a very timely book about an 11 year old girl who lives in a run down trailer park in Colorado.  She is in fifth grade and wants to have friends and tries to fit in.  Her name is Zitlally and she is an illegal immigrant from Mexico.  Her family is far from rich, but they are together until that fateful day when her father is pulled over for speeding and is deported.  
    This begins to tear the family apart.  Her mother has to start two jobs and is not able to watch the kids as well.  Some men must move in to help with the rent so the family spends most of the time in the mom's bedroom.  Zitlally's older sister is absent and edging toward trouble.  Her younger sister is with a babysitter.  Zitlally is lost.  She can't focus at school.  She has no one to talk to about her father and her deep pain over his loss.
    She finds a dog chained in the junkyard behind her trailer park and this dog becomes the help for her life.  She also finds that another trailer park girl, Crystal, is a true friend despite her many issues.  This story makes a very satisfying circle where all elements tie in together by the end.
      On the author's website www.lauraresau.com There is also a teacher's guide for this book.  She is not writing out of the blue.  She spent 2 years in Oaxaca as a teacher and anthropologist and then 10 years in the southwest teaching English to immigrants.  The issue of illegal children living in the U.S. is not going to go away.  Reading this book would be a good way to start the discussion.

One Crazy Summer / Rita Williams-Garcia / 218 pgs.

"In the summer of 1968, after traveling from Brooklyn to Oakland, California, to spend a month with the mother they barely know, eleven-year-old Delphine and her two younger sisters arrive to a cold welcome as they discover that their mother, a dedicated poet and printer, is resentful of the intrusion of their visit and wants them to attend a nearby Black Panther summer camp." - From Catalog.

This is a very sweet tale of three young girls, who spend their summer attending a Black Panther summer camp.  The story introduces to the readers the issues of  African Americans in the late - 60's, as the girls are learning more about their culture and issues that their race is facing at the camp.  They (and the reader) also see that there were many facets to the Black Panther movement, and not everyone in the group held extreme radical beliefs.  Informative, charming, and entertaining; I would recommend this book for elementary / junior high school age.    

Flyaway / Lucy Christopher 328 p.

Thirteen year old Isla and her father have a deep bond with wild swans that migrate from Iceland each year. On the trip to see them returning, her father collapses with a heart attack. Isla is plunged into dealing with her father's health crisis, his estranged crusty grandfather, and social isolation when her best friend moves away. At the hospital she finds solace in a friendship with an optimistic leukemia victim of her own age. Helping her develop swan wings for a school art project so engages her grandfather that she sees an entirely different side of him. She vows to help her father, Harry, and a lone swan. Christopher wonderfully weaves this story about nature, coming of age, family in crisis, and friendship.

2012 Notable Children's Books

Okay for Now / Gary Schmidt 360 p.

Doug Swieteck moves to "The Dump" in Marysville, New York where his father has found employment. He is saved by weekly visits to the public library where the librarian is teaching him to draw using the Audubon’s Birds of America as models. Doug keeps many secrets as he lives down the thug reputation of his middle brother. His father’s abuse is so realistic that you feel for Doug and his family. Doug uses what he learns from the bird prints as he moves from edgy to more open to life in Marysville. Schmidt amazingly integrates baseball, gym teachers, principals, theatrical escapades, and timely preoccupations like the Moon landing and the Vietnam War. This realistic story will resonate with you. And you will want to cry at times.

Return of Doug Swieteck who first appeared in Gary D. Schmidt's Newbery Honor book: The Wednesday Wars.

2012 Notable Children's Recordings

Breaking Stalin's Nose / Eugene Velchin / 150 pages

This children's book is a well-written, fascinating look into the past. It only spans two days in the life of Sasha, but they are life-changing. The author does set up all the background knowledge needed for reading the book, but it may be difficult for children today to grasp what that communist culture of the late '40's was really like. For me, reading it, was affirmation of what I had always heard and believed about the Soviet Union. People betraying each other and living in fear of the secret police.

I loved how he showed indoctrination in progress in the classroom and the deep need and desire to be a Young Pioneer. I think this book would be a great book for children and all ages to read and discuss. It only took me an hour to read the book so it would not be a burden to read. The author left Soviet Union when he was 27 so he knows what he is talking about. There is also a great website: www.breakingstalinsnose.com

I can't imagine what it would be like to never be free to say or do what you want for fear of being watched and arrested. This is a must read. It is also a Newberry Honor Book.

Penderwicks on Gardam Street/ Jeanne Birdsall/ 308 pages

I listened to the 2nd book about the Penderwick family on CD and it was lovely. The voices of the girls are very engaging and help the listener to understand the personality of each. (Okay, you have to hear Batty....she's totally adorable.) By hearing the story, you also appreciate the beautiful writing and language of the book. You will love these books and this family. Highly recommended for all families to share and young readers about grade 4 & up. These would be great for those precocious kids who read on a higher level and need appropriate content.

The Penderwicks at Point Mouette / Jeanne Birdsall / 295 pages

Ah, I love the Penderwicks! If you want to read a book that makes you feel good and that all is well with the world, pick up any of the books about the Penderwicks. In this 3rd story about the family, they are off to Point Mouette, Maine for a 2 week vacation and Skye must stand in as the OAP (oldest available Penderwick) since Rosalind is on vacation with her friend Anna at the Jersey shore. Here you have a story about a contemporary happy family....not as easy to find as you might think. Love the Penderwick books because they include the books the Penderwick sisters like to read, the girls love sports & are very good at them, Skye loves science & math, their friend Jeffrey loves music, and most all of the adults are wonderfully wise, loving and understanding. Read these as a family, use in an intergenerational book discussion, hand to any younger precocious reader, buy them and keep them in your family collection.

Ninth Ward / Jewell Parker Rhodes / 217 pages

This is a wonderful book. This book is about surviving. It's about surviving when your mother dies at birth and your family doesn't want you, it's about surviving when you're 12 years old and you are different from the other kids at school, it's about surviving when you are underprivileged and your future is uncertain. Sounds depressing but it isn't! Lanesha is raised by a wonderful, loving woman who teaches her that love is about doing not saying and that you are never alone and whatever life throws at you, you can keep going. Throw in a good description of what it's like to be in Hurricane Katrina, survive the aftermath of the flood and seeing ghosts and you have a winner. This book would make a great book discussion title for kids or adult/child groups.

No More Dead Dogs / Gordon Korman / 180 pages

Funny and a great book for boys. Wallace Wallace can only tell the truth and boy does it get him in trouble. Great middle school or upper elementary read that will have kids laughing and thinking about kids in different groups and what it really means to be a friend. Sort of a heads up about how kids might feel about books that receive adult-selected awards as well.

Gordon Korman / Framed / 234 pages

Griffin Bing, the Man with the Plan, must rely on his friends to help him get out of his latest dilemma...being accused of stealing a Super Bowl ring on display at his middle school. This book has it all: humor, a puzzle, mystery, evil adults, bad kid goes good, technology, etc. Great selection for guy readers. Third in the series of stories featuring Griffin and his friends. Other titles include Swindle & Zoobreak. PS The dog Luthor is quite adorable...for a huge slobbery doberman. Recommended for upper elementary and middle school.

Autumn Street / Lois Lowry / 188 pages

This is one of Lois Lowry's earlier books and it is very moving and thought-provoking. Lots to think about and talk about in this story of a family who move in with grandpa and grandma when dad goes off to WWII. Elizabeth's, the young narrator, perceptions of war, race issues, inter-generational relations, friendships, sibling issues etc are all brilliantly related. Characters are skillfully drawn. This is a good one to read to comprehend how children perceive war and some of the other things they are told or overhear adults say every single day. It's a difficult book in more ways than one. It's a book that will stick in your head. Read it and let me know what you think.