Yard Sale (Eve Bunting)

This story made me a little sad, especially given the economic conditions here these days. Some of the kids in my class seemed to take it kind of serious, and to others it was funny, especially when someone asked if Callie was for sale.

Goodreads Summary:

When a family has to leave their house and move to a small apartment, it’s hard to let go of things—but having one another is what counts.

Almost everything Callie’s family owns is spread out in their front yard—their furniture, their potted flowers, even Callie’s bike. They can’t stay in this house, so they’re moving to an apartment in the city. The new place is "small but nice," Mom says, and most of their things won’t fit, so today they are having a yard sale. But it’s kind of hard to watch people buy your stuff, even if you understand why it has to happen. With sensitivity and grace, Eve Bunting and Lauren Castillo portray an event at once familiar and difficult, making clear that a home isn’t about what you have, but whom you hold close. 

Too Many Books (Gilles Tibo)

We've been reading a lot of Gilles Tibo books in my classroom and really enjoying them. We loved how Nicholas has a book as soon as he needs to learn something :) Book summary: Everytime Nichoals tries to do something - like brush his teeth or ride his bike - someone gives him a book on how to do it right. And he does. But when he's read too many books that tell him what to do, it's time for something new!

Counting Lions (Katie Cotton)

My students were less captivated by the words in this book. It didn't mean a lot to them. We talked a lot through reading it though because they loved the pictures so much. They are amazing. They always love oversized books, as this one is too.

All the animals in the book are close to endangered.

Goodreads Summary:

A spectacular, visually stunning celebration of wildlife—and gentle counting book—that can be enjoyed by the entire family.

Exquisite charcoal drawings of ten endangered creatures—lions, elephants, giraffes, pandas, tigers, chimpanzees, penguins, turtles, macaws, and zebras—startle the viewer with their size and astonishing detail. A poetic text notes each creature’s particular qualities and behavior, while providing a quiet counting exercise and a reminder that these animals must be cherished and protected.

Hurry Up Nicholas (Gilles Tibo)

This  book is along the same lines as The Busy Life of Ernestine Buckmeister. It's only appropriate that this is a topic that gets written about. From the discussions in our class it sounds like Nicholas and Ernestine aren't the only ones who struggle with an over-scheduled life!

We had a good laugh at Nicholas and at the surprise ending in this book.

Goodreads summary:

Nicholas is an over-scheduled child. What happens when he is too exhausted to go on? Every day Nicholas has to attend his after-school activities. Sculpture, violin lessons, swimming, archery there are several every afternoon, and even more on weekends! Back and forth, and to and fro, Nicholas can't take much more of this running around, but what is he to do? His parents come up with a novel solution they just bring the teachers to him! 

Where's My Hockey Sweater? (Gilles Tibo)

I have a soft spot for Canadian authors.

On the first day back to school, this seemed like the perfect book. Some of us had mornings like this!

Goodreads summary:

Will Nicholas be able to sift through his mess and find all of his hockey gear in time for practice? Nicholas’s room is a disaster area - he doesn’t know where anything is. And he still has to get all of his hockey gear together, put it on, eat breakfast and fly out the door in time to make the first practice of the year! Bruno St-Aubin’s colourful, amusing and action-filled illustrations perfectly complement the humorous text and will delight readers of all ages.Any parent who has had to hustle a child out the door for hockey will relate to the hunt for each piece of equipment! 

Ranger in Time - Danger in Ancient Rome (Kate Messner)

I've been meaning to check out this series for a while. I'm excited to introduce it to my students. Look out Magic Tree House! I loved how there was a lot to learn in this book. I would recommend reading the back matter before even starting the story. Goodreads summary: Ranger, the time-traveling golden retriever, is back for the second book in Kate Messner's new chapter book series. This time, he's off to save the day in ancient Rome! Ranger is a golden retriever who has been trained as a search-and-rescue dog. In this adventure, Ranger travels to the Colosseum in ancient Rome, where there are gladiator fights and wild animal hunts! Ranger befriends Marcus, a young boy Ranger saves from a runaway lion, and Quintus, a new volunteer gladiator who must prove himself in the arena. Can Ranger help Marcus and Quintus escape the brutal world of the Colosseum?(

Fuzzy Mud ( Louis Sachar)

This is a great story! It mixes science, honesty, bullying and friendship into one suspenseful story. It has kids who are trying to be independent yet know it is important to listen to parents.

I would love to read this book aloud to students or do it as a novel study.

One reason I love J fiction is many of the truths of "kids" are actually quite eternal. A lot of adults still have the same issues they had as kids. Sometimes the peer pressure still exists and people try to look cool, like they did when they were in school. We are supposed to outgrow the need to look cool as adults, but we don't always.

This book has a bully in it. We learn that he is a bully mostly because he doesn't feel loved. 

P. 5 when did the rules change, she wondered. When did it become bad to be good?

The real strength comes in not worrying about the "cool factor". 

P. 6. Across the lunchroom, Marshakk sat admid a bunch of kids, all laughing and talking loudly. On one side of Marshakk sat one group. On his other side sat a different group. Between these two groups, Marshall silently ate alone.

Marshall is a good kid. Fear gets to him. Chad is a bully. Tamaya knows that if they will just be honest and good to each other, everything will be ok.

Goodreads summary: 

"Be careful. Your next step may be your last."

Fifth grader Tamaya Dhilwaddi and seventh grader Marshall Walsh have been walking to and from Woodbridge Academy together since elementary school. But their routine is disrupted when bully Chad Wilson challenges Marshall to a fight. To avoid the conflict, Marshall takes a shortcut home through the off-limits woods. Tamaya reluctantly follows. They soon get lost, and they find trouble. Bigger trouble than anyone could ever have imagined.

In the days and weeks that follow, the authorities and the U.S. Senate become involved, and what they uncover might affect the future of the world.