We Are the Ship

       Nelson, K. (2008).  We are the ship  NY:  Hyperion. We Are the Ship discusses the lives of a group of men that loved baseball more than anything. They had to endure pain, injuries, low pay, and discrimination in order to play ball in fields under terrible conditions. Nelson does a phenomenal job sharing untold or even forgotten stories that depict the lives of black men during the 1920s that paved the way for other African American men to be be able to play in the major leagues. The book is organized by innings instead of chapters and is accompanied by inspiring quotes. Some of the stories may be heartbreaking, but they are very powerful. What makes this book unique is the breathtaking paintings that wonderfully support Nelson's purpose for writing this book. The paintings captivate the reader and forces him to live the pain and suffering these men endured. 

The Watsons go to Birmingham -1963

Curtis, C. P. (1995). The Watsons go to Birmingham, 1963. NY: Delacorte. The Watsons are an African American family that live in Michigan and have three children: Byron, Kenny, and Joetta or Joey. They were having behavior problems with Byron, their sixth grader. They decide to visit Grandma Sans in Alabama hoping she would help them straighten up Byron. Kenny and Byron underestimate Grandma Sans but soon learn she is tough, very tough. Things begin to change. Byron’s behavior starts to improve, but Kenny is the one causing trouble now. He refuses to follow instructions and almost drowns. Luckily, and believe it or not, Byron saves his life. Another tragic accident occurs in a church nearby; a bomb exploded and caused great damage. Kenny rushed to the scene and saw a shoe he believed belonged to Joey trapped under concrete. As he pulled, he felt like Wool Pooh, a scary made up character, was pulling on the shoe. Therefore, Kenny felt fear and ran back home. The family believed Joey had been a victim, but she was not there when it occurred. Not “saving” Joey and not understanding how Whites could have attacked the church took a toll on him and went into some sort of depression. Byron, tries to console him and teaches him that magic exists in your family’s love for you and not behind the couch where Kenny would go to seek magic for healing of his heart. One of the themes that is very difficult to discuss during these times of protests is racial discrimination and violence. Unfortunately, this book takes place during a time where Alabama is still under the curse of segregation and racial discrimination. We see how all this impacts Kenny since he is the narrator. Even though this is a fictional story, it does incorporate historical events such as the bombing of the church and the influence of the Civil Rights movement.  

Out of My Mind

Draper, S. (2010). Out of my mind. NY: Atheneum. Melody is a young girl with an amazing heart and great potential. The only thing stopping her is her inability to speak, move, or even take herself to the bathroom. She is aware of her mental capabilities (even though others do not see her as an intelligent being) and is determined to show others that she is more than her cerebral palsy. Her teacher and  classmates are extremely surprised when Melody makes the team for a trivia competition and moves on to the national competition in Washington D.C. Unfortunately, the team leaves without her. They do come around and apologize to her. Sharon Draper exposes the reader to the challenges a young person with cerebral palsy may face. She changes the reader's opinion of people who have disabilities. They make look different on the outside, but in the inside we are all the same. Melody came to realize that she worries about the same things other girls her age worry about: how she looks, will a boy ever be attracted to her, etc. Draper may somewhat reshape the reader's believe that physical appearance matters. A person's true worth is in his heart and mind and not on the exterior. This would be an excellent book for third through fifth grade students to read as a class. It gives excellent opportunities for discussion and may positively influence a child to focus on the interior and welcoming diversity in their lives. 

The Nest

          Oppel, K. (2015). Nest.  NY: Simon & Schuster. Steve and his family are unable to fully enjoy having a new baby at home because of the worry his condition brings. A strange creature, a large wasp, that communicates with Steve through his dreams, offers him a solution: to build him a perfect baby, and take his broken Theo. Steve agrees, but soon regrets saying yes. In order to save Theo's life, Steve has to destroy the queen. With the help of Mr. Nobody and a very sharp knife, Steve is able to save Theo's life. The plot takes an unexpected turn when the reader realizes the wasps are not there to help, but to cause harm. Oppel exposes the reader to the worry and anxiety an illness brings to a family. What makes the situation worse is that a baby is the one suffering. It shows how as humans, we long to be perfect and how imperfection scares us. Imperfect doesn't mean bad, but through Steve, we learned that accepting our family member with their imperfections, is better than having no family member at all. Besides, perfection does not exist, and we are all broken some way or another. 

How They Croaked

Bragg, G. (2011). How they croaked: The awful ends of the awfully famous. NY: Walker. Everyone knows that nothing in life is guaranteed except for death. No one can escape it nor cheat it. Maybe it can be cheated a couple of times, but eventually you have to face it. This book discusses what no other children’s author has discussed before. At least not as this detailed. It educates the reader about the death of famous people that we all know about, but never knew exactly how they died. These people include King Tut, Pocahontas, George Washington, Charles Darwin, and many others. At the end of each narration of the victim’s death, the author provides additional information that pertains to the particular text. Georgia Bragg also ensured she provided the reader with important facts as well as gross, but cool, facts that make your stomach turn and your eyes squint! 

Rapunzel's Revenge

Hale, S. (2008). Rapunzel’s revenge. NY: Bloomsbury. A young girl lived in a Villa that was surrounded by a gigantic wall. Indeed the Villa was beautiful, but Rapunzel felt in her heart that she did not belong there. She decided to look over the wall and found a land that was dry and withered. Her mother had magical powers and controlled the growth of plants. When her mother found out that Rapunzel had learned the truth about her real mother, she imprisoned her in a huge, hollow tree. After several years, her hair grew and became her personal weapon. She lived a series of adventures when she met a boy named Jack and both go on a mission to free her real mother. Rapunzel defeats the evil Mother Gothel and the land begins to regain life. And like any fairy tale, Rapunzel and Jack fell in love. Shannon and Dean Hale did a phenomenal job by revamping the typical story of Rapunzel and making her an action hero. The girl was tough and fearless! They also incorporated other stories such as Jack and the Giant Beanstalk making it very interesting and entertaining. Upper elementary and middle school students that like action filled comic books may enjoy Rapunzel’s Revenge. Girls might also get excited about knowing that a female is one of the ones responsible for saving the world! 

Hitler Youth

Bartoletti, S. (2005). Hitler Youth. NY: Scholastic. The Hitler Youth was a very informational book. The Hitler Youth was a group of male and female teenagers who were manipulated into believing that supporting Hitler was the patriotic thing to do for the better of Germany. Throughout the war, they were responsible for getting in fights with any other groups who did not agree with them, spreading propaganda friendly to Hitler, and later on even fighting to the death to defend Berlin. Although, most Hitler youth stayed loyal to Hitler, there were many heroes and heroines who realized Hitler was an evil man and they worked by spreading anti-Hitler leaflets throughout the war. In the end, many Hitler Youth grew up and realized later in life the atrocities they were linked to and spent their lives giving back to society. I believe one of the major strengths in Hitler Youth are the illustrations. The illustrations show the reader the human side of the holocaust and all the suffering. Furthermore, the illustrations are black and white and almost bring the reader back in time to the present situation. The intended audience seems to be geared more for high school. The book is about the Hitler Youth who were mainly recruited into the Hitler Youth from the ages of 15-17 years old. So, it makes sense that the intended audience would be to educate kids of the same age. Also, many of the details in the book are a little too graphic for children of a younger age. The most outstanding theme in Hitler Youth was how Hitler was able to initially manipulate the entire nation into getting him into power by using the Hitler Youth to campaign and spread propaganda for him. Then later on, once he attained full control over the government, keeping his power through torture, fear, and murder. 

Rules

Lord, C. (2008). Rules. NY:  Scholastic. Catherine is an ordinary tween with a not so ordinary life. Her little brother David, is autistic and doesn’t act very “normal.” She has to accompany him to occupational therapy where he meets a disabled child named Jason. Catherine just wants to have a normal life, but having an autistic brother makes it very difficult, according to her. And to help him, she writes down a long list of rules that can help David live a more normal life.  A new girl moves in to the neighborhood, invites her to a dance, and asks her to invite Jason. Coincidentally, the dance is the same day as Jason’s birthday.  Catherine decides to take her special friend Jason to the dance. There they see Kristi and her date. But when she sees Jason, her reaction was not very pleasant. Catherine and Jason ignore the whole situation, danced, and had a great time. Rules is organized in a very creative way. Instead of being divided by chapters, it is organized with rules Catherine has written for her brother and is related to the text in the particular chapter. It is written from Catherine’s perspective, in first person point of view. Through her, we get a better understanding of what autism is and the challenges families go through. Catherine struggled with being embarrassed by her brother and Jason’s disability. Towards the end of the book, we see that Catherine changes her attitude and stops caring so much about what others think. She learned that true friendship is more important than other people’s opinions. 

Comics Squad Recess!

 Krosoczka, J., Yang, G. L., Wight, E., Holm, J. L., Holm, M., Vernon, U., . . . Pilkey, D. (2014). Comics Squad: Recess! New York, NY: Random House. A group of hilarious authors joined their talents to compile a collection of stories that make readers of all ages roll on the floor laughing.  Readers can enjoy stories about super-secret ninjas, magic acorns, and even a cupcake that gets super powers when he eats a peppermint and freezes bullies to save the day! This collection of comics shows off different illustrations due to the contribution of different authors with unique styles. This collection of comics is written for kids that have a recess! Of course, adults are not likely to pick up this book and start reading it! But, if they did, they would have a blast!

Bridge of Terabithia

Paterson, K. (1972). Bridge to Terabithia. NY: Crown. Jess wanted to be the fastest runner in the fifth grade and loved to draw. To achieve his running goal, he woke up early to practice because he wanted to beat the kids in school. Leslie Burke became his neighbor, classmate, and his toughest running opponent. At the beginning, Jess was not very fond of Leslie.  But, they became inseparable when together they created a secret magic kingdom in the woods. They named it Terabithia and were the rulers of the land where their imaginations ran wild. Unfortunately, Jess has to suffer the loss of Leslie whom drowned in the creek. Now, Terabithia was queenless. Jess goes back to their magical kingdom to mourn and apologize to Leslie for not asking if she could go with his on a trip to Washington the day she died. To keep Leslie’s memory alive and cope with her death, he continues to keep Terabithia alive. The book ends with Jess appointing his sister, May Belle, queen of Terabithia. This enchanting and magical story discusses death and the pain it causes when a close friend dies. And also touches the controversial topic of cremation. These topics are not frequently discussed in the dining table. Therefore, this book brings children exposure to such debatable topics. Friendship is probably the central theme in Bridge to Terabithia. They both accepted each other for who they were and neither had to worry about pretending to be someone else. When they found themselves in their magical kingdom, they were able to forget about the pressures of the outside world and rejoice in their friendship.

The Invention of Hugo Cabret

      Selznick, B. (2007). The invention of Hugo Cabret NY: Scholastic. Hugo Cabret was a happy child, but life quickly changed for him. His father was locked in the museum where he worked on a mechanical man, and a fire consumed his father’s life. His uncle takes him in to the train station and makes Hugo his “Apprentice Timekeeper.” He also teaches him how to steal to survive. One day, his uncle disappears; Hugo does his job for him, and collected his checks to avoid being detected. The mechanical man, or automaton, belonged to George Melies, a retired film maker, and now owner of the toy booth.  A terrible accident, took his friends’ lives, but left him a gift, a little girl.  Because of all the tragedies, he ended the film making chapter of his life, and never wanted to relive it again. Hugo Cabret makes certain discoveries that reopen this chapter of his life.  Thanks to Hugo and the young girl, people learn that Melies is alive and his fans celebrate his talent. Hugo is taken in by the Melieses and love him as one of his own. Hugo grows up and builds a more sophisticated automaton that was able to write and illustrate this book. The book begins with illustrations that capture the reader’s attention since he expected to turn to the beginning and see pages filled with words. We all know that pictures speak louder than words. Instead, the sunrise in Paris welcomes the reader and gets him ready for an unforgettable adventure.  Selznick offers the reader two page illustrations, but then elegantly focuses on a specific detail.  

The Legend of the Bluebonnet

      dePaola, T. (1983). The legend of the bluebonnet. NY: Putnam. A village was suffering a terrible drought, for it was extremely selfish; it just took from the Earth, but never gave anything in return. The Spirits were angry, and they demanded the sacrifice of a beloved possession. She-Who-is-Alone unselfishly gave her only memory of her family, a doll, as a burnt offering. The Great Spirits accepted her offering, and blessed the land, now Texas, with rain and gorgeous blue bonnets. To many, a doll, may be something insignificant, but to this young girl, it meant the entire world. Her offering, in the eyes of others, may be worthless, but just like Mother Theresa said, "It's not how much we give, but how much love we put into it." Tomie dePaola does an extraordinary job and teaches the importance of giving and sacrificing for the greater good. 

Good Masters! Sweet Ladies!

Schlitz, L. A. (2007). Good masters, sweet ladies Boston, MA:  Candlewick Press. This collection of testimonies and monologues give a glimpse of villager’s lives during medieval times. They portray the villagers’ religious beliefs, economic status, and individual personalities. Will, the plowboy, worked the land, but couldn’t understand why the land was able to rest, but he couldn’t.  The reader may feel moved by the story of the hare his father brought home, for they were very excited about being able to eat meat, even though he risked being hanged.  Among the different characters, the reader may feel sympathy for Taggot, the blacksmith’s daughter. She feels ugly and fat. Her parents fear she will never marry. Still today, we see self-esteem issues and how it affects women who have not married. This book is filled with stories of adversity that people may still face today. Shlitz does a phenomenal job painting a picture in the reader’s mind of each of the 23 characters’ lives and challenges by using lyrical language, adding footnotes, and by providing the reader with background information or facts that can help him appreciate and understand medieval times. 

Skuldugerry Pleasant

Landry, D. (2007). Skulduggery Pleasant. NY: HarperCollins. Stephanie suffered the loss of her uncle, Gordon Edgley, a writer of horror stories. In his funeral, she met a mysterious man that caught her attention, Skulduggery Pleasant, who changed her life forever and uncovered family mysteries. Together, they formed an alliance to ensure an ancient evil doesn’t bring the end of life as we know it. Using magic and wit, they fight evil and experience great adventures.  This nail biting novel combines horror, mystery, and magic to keep the reader wanting more. Older children, young adults, and even adults will certainly enjoy it! It is a book that is most likely going to become a movie, and if it does, it is likely to be a number one film!

Spiders

Bishop, N. (2007).   Spiders.  NY: Scholastic. This non-fiction book discusses spiders' body parts, hunting habits, webs, and many other interesting things. Bishop presents this information by incorporating fascinating photographs that one could only think of finding in the National Geographic magazine! He added fun facts in colorful bold letters that stand out and jump out of the text! Spiders is the perfect book for the inquisitive child that loves to take a good look at these tiny creatures and in some cases, not so tiny.  

The Graveyard Book

 Gaiman, N. (2008).   The graveyard book.   NY:  HarperCollins. Unfortunately, a toddler's family is slaughtered by a man named Jack that belonged to a brotherhood which believed that if he grew up, it meant the end of the organization. This child, was adopted by the inhabitants of a cemetery and all worked together to raise him. As he grew older, Nobody Owens, got the opportunity to avenge his family's massacre. Gaiman used supernatural characters such as ghosts, ghouls, and werewolves to create a fantasy packed adventure with breath taking suspenseful events. Even though the theme of death hovers over the entire book, there is also compassion, unity, and commitment  because it certainly took an entire "graveyard" to raise this poor orphan. 

Balloons Over Broadway

          Sweet, M. (2011). Balloons over Broadway: The true story of the puppeteer of Macy's parade. NY: Houghton. Tony Sarg was born with an inquisitive and curious personality. He began to use his imagination as child and came up with a way to feed his chickens without getting out of bed. His creativity and desire to invent new things, led him to create the helium filled, giant, upside down marionettes that captivated the entire city of New York! They continue to amaze millions of people around the world who sitting behind the television enjoy the Macy's parade every Thanksgiving Day. Teachers and librarians can use this book to teach children about the history of the Macy's parade and Tony Sarg in a fun and enjoyable way. Children will be hooked by Melissa Sweet's eye catching illustrations that capture Sarg's love for toys, puppets, and how things move.

Magic Windows

      Garza, C.  L.  (1999).  Magic windows.  San Francisco, CA:  Children’s Book Press. Magic Windows is an invitation to experience the culture in South Texas. Garza's  paper cut art has created magic windows that allows us take a peek at her life, her memories, and the things that surround her.We get to see her grandfather, the celebration of the Day of the Dead, and even smell the exquisite scent of home made corn tortillas. This book is filled with folklore and unique illustrations. Garza took the beautiful talent of making cut-paper art and included it in her book to add beauty, color, and life! Even though this book focuses on the Mexican American culture and South Texas, people from all races will certainly enjoy Magic Windows. 

Its' So Amazing!

      Harris, R. (1999).    It’s so amazing.  Boston, MA:  Candlewick Press. The topics your parents never spoke about or the questions adults have trouble answering are discussed in It's So Amazing! It talks about how babies are made, how the body changes as we grow up, the differences between boys' and girls' bodies, and many other topics. This book can be used at home or in school because it's comic-book style  and colorful illustrations make it simple for children to learn about their bodies. 

The Three Pigs

    Wiesner, D. (2001). The three pigs. NY:Clarion. The story begins like your typical story of the three little pigs. But this story is far from typical. The pigs find a way to stay safe and away from danger by escaping into another world. They not only protected themselves against the evil wolf, but they also saved other characters from different stories.  Wiesner did an amazing job by taking the reader through an adventure. The main characters took total control of the story and of the design of the book by adding and removing pages from the story. He added an unexpected twist to the typical story and added much more such as talking bubbles and even threw in a nursery rhyme! 

Mirror Mirror

      Singer, M.  (2010). Mirror, Mirror.  NY:  Dutton. This book is made up of a collection of reversos, poems that when are read up, they take a whole new meaning. These fairy-tale poems are filled with twists and surprises! They are accompanied with beautiful, colorful, and bright illustrations. Singer not only plays creatively with language but also accomplished a very challenging task that was inspired by a poem she wrote that could be read both up and down. This could be a wonderful book to read to 4th grade students who are going to be taking the STAAR test. They can definitely copy Singer and try it themselves. This book can help our fourth graders fall in love with poetry and writing!

Diary of a Wimpy Kid Old School

1         Kinney, J. (2015). Diary of a wimpy kid: Old school. New York, NY: Amulet Books. Technology is taking over the world, and Greg Heffley's mom knows it. After her desire to stay away from technology (and forces everyone around her to do the same), a series of events lead Greg to live several days without it. He ends up in a camp due to an unfortunate, but minor, car accident. To avoid his dad and suffering consequences, he ends up at Hardscrabble Farms Camp. But, the camp actually brought him closer to his dad than he could ever imagine! Kinney's black and white stick figures look like cartoons drawn by a 5th grader. The doodling and the journal entry format are probably some of the reasons why Kinney's books are so popular. Anybody who loves funny graphic novels would love to get his hands on this book.

Rosa

1     Giovanni, N. (2005).  Rosa.  NY:  Holt. Rosa Parks could not understand why after the United States Supreme Court rule that separate is unequal there is still a separation between the White and Black community. One day, when she was exhausted, she refused to give up her seat on a bus and was arrested. She became an important figure in the American Civil Rights movement. Giovanni depicts Rosa as a hero that was a light in the darkness. Illustrator, Bryan Collier, uses this to portray Rosa as a radiating light in his illustrations that gives hope to her people and describes her as as radiant chandelier.

Where the Wild Things Are

Sendak, M. (1963).  Where the wild things are.  NY: HarperCollins. Max gets in  trouble, and Mom sends him to his room on an empty stomach. Instead of focusing on his hunger, he begins to use his imagination and turns his room into a forest. He also uses an imaginary boat and lands on an island where the wild things are. He becomes their king, but the desire to be loved is stronger and more important than being a king. He returns home and finds a warm meal waiting for him. Sendak's illustrations speak more than a thousand words. Even non-readers can understand the plot, for the illustrations provide all the details readers needs. 

It's a Book

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

     Who would imagine that an artifact that doesn't blog, tweet, or uses Wi-Fi would be so much fun? Now a days, no one can imagine that! Neither could Jackass! But when he laid his hands on a book, he couldn't let it go! What a creative way for Smith to remind the reader that nothing beats a good old book. Even though it is a picture book, it may be for upper elementary or middle school students that do not feel uncomfortable hearing the word "jackass!"

This Is Not My Hat

      Klassen, J. (2012). This is not my hat. Boston, MA: Candlewick. A brave little fish took a hat that fit him perfectly. Unfortunately, we all know that stealing is not good. And, we also know that if you steal from a big fish, he is going to get his stuff back. Even though the little thief tried to hide, he was found and gladly returned the stolen hat. Well, probably not gladly! This Is Not My Hat is a perfect book for parents and teachers to teach that stealing has consequences. Its dark but beautiful pictures take up both pages. They give you an opportunity to experience the darkness of the ocean and allow you to swim with the fish.