Sweet Clara and The Freedom Quilt

Title: Sweet Clara and The Freedom Quilt
Author: Deborah Hopkinson
Historical Fiction (Primary Level)

Sweet Clara is a wonderful book about a young slave girl who is separated from her family and is taken to work in the fields of a planation. She soon discovers that fieldwork is not for her, and is permitted to work in the house, helping with the sewing and mending. She then begin to hear about others who have escaped their plight, and comes up with a brilliant idea. She uses the left over scraps of cloth from her sewing to begin to make her own quilt, this is a map that will lead her to her family and then ultimately to freedom.

This book is a great book for children to read for when their learning about slavery and freedom. I really enjoyed reading this book and I recommend that every teacher should use this book in their classroom. The style of this book is very creative and interesting.

Morning Girl

Title: Morning Girl

Author: Michael Dorris
Historical Fiction (Intermediate Level)

This book is a beautiful and powerful book that makes a distant culture familiar and its loss quietly devastating. This story is told through a lyric feel, with an ending that is incredible.

Morning Girl and her brother, Star Boy may not always get along but, when it counts they stand by each other. This book takes place in the 1400s. Morning Girl, and Star Boy's life is going to change forever. This book is told by alternating each chapter between siblings. Telling the story about their life and family living on a Bahamian island. At the end of the book Morning Girl meets a group of strangers.

I would recommend this book be read. This is because I believe that everyone can take from this book.

Indian Shoes

Title: Guy Time
Author: Sarah Weeks
Contemporary Realistic Fiction (Intermediate Level)

This book is about a thirteen year old, Guy Strang. Guy's life seems to have turned totally upside down. He parents are divorced. Guy is asked out by a girl, and for some reasons he just doesn't understand.Guy answers the question with a maybe and that is when the trouble really begin.

This book was a fun book to read because of the humor and the troubles that Guy gets into. I would recommend this book for all ages. This book really reminds me of the book, " The Absolutely True Diary of A Part Time Indian", this is because his best friend Buzz, will desert his forever if he goes soft. This book is a great story and everyone should read it.

My Name Is Yoon

Title: My Name Is Yoon
Author: Helen Recorvitz
Contemporary Realistic Fiction (Primary Level)

My Name Is Yoon is a story about a Korean girl who moves to the United States. The story is told through the perspective of Yoon. Her name in Korean means "Shining Wisdom," and Yoon absolutely loves how her name looks when written in Korean. Now that she is going to school in America, her father tells her that she has to learn how to learn her name in English. When her father teaches her how she becomes upset. She then tells how much more she likes to write her name in Korean because all of the lines in the character "dance together." Instead of writing her actual name on her papers, she wants to write other words that she learns because they make her happy.

I really enjoyed reading this book because it is a very creative and imaginative book. It is wonderful to see how the Yoon feels about her name when it is written in two different languages. I would recommend this book for all ages because it will teach everyone an important lesson.

CInderella

Title: Cinderella
Author: Barbara McClintock
Fantasy (Primary Level)

This book is a remake of Cinderella. Poor, Cinderella, who is relegated to a dirty room by her horrible stepmother and nasty stepsister, who never gives into hostility or revenge. Instead, Cinderella remains loyal to her kind and gentle ways. This tale of virtue rewarded as charming and rich as any prince.

This book is a good book for little children to read because everyone knows the story of Cinderella and this book is a little different and this could help them make connections. This book was a delight to read.

Twilight

Title: Twilight
Author: Stephenie Meyer
Fantasy (Intermediate Level)

This book I believe to be is an amazing book. It is a fun fantasy and romance combined. This book takes place in Arizona which then progresses to Forks, Washington. This is where Bella Swan moves to. When Bella moves to Forks, she believe it is going to be boring but she moved here because of her mother, her mother and her boyfriend went to Florida to pursue the boyfriends dream in playing in the majors. Bella is now living with her father. When Bella meets the mysterious and shimmering Edward Cullen, Bella's life takes an adventurous and terrifying turn. This book has girls dream about their prince charming and guys hating Edward for being so dreamy just in words.

I believe this book to be an amazing book. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. It has a mix of Beauty and The Beast and Dracula. This book was really easy to read and to imagine what is happening to the characters. The only down side to this story is that part with it makes guys look hopeless and there is no one good out there.

The Glory Field

Title: The Glory Field
Author: Walter Dean Myers
Multicultural/ International #3

This book is a great book to read. This story is about one family. A family whose history saw its first ancestor captured, shackled, and brought to this country from Africa. A family who can still see remnants of the shackles that held some of its members captive. This story shows the pride of a family and determination, struggle and love.

This book really hit home for me, this is because I really can't believe that this happened to people in the past and I feel horrible that it was my ancestors who did this. This family had to struggle for their lives and I feel that they deserve a better life.

I would suggest that third graders or above read this book because I feel that they can get the most out of what is happening. I would suggest this book to other people and teachers to read.

All for the better: A Story of El Barrio

Title: All For The Better: A Story of El Barrio
Author: Nicholasa Mohr
Multicultural/International #2

All For The Better A Story of El Barrio is about an eleven year old, Evelina Lopez during the dark day of the Great Depression. Evelina Lopez leaves Puerto Rico to live with her aunt in New York City. In this story Evelina learns that one person can make a difference as she adjusts to her life in her new home. Evelina in this story made a difference in her community.

I truly enjoyed this book because it was very enlightening to see what this girl had to go though during the great depression. I would recommend that children should read this book because it could help them see what hard times this was on people.

Too Many Tamales

Title: Too Many Tamales
Author: Gary Soto
Multicultural/International #1

This book was an interesting book to read because of the Mexican culture. This book is about a Mexican American Maria. Marie tries her mother's wedding ring on while she is making tamales for Christmas dinner. When the ring goes missing, Maria is sure it is in one of the tamales. She and her cousins try to eat their way out of trouble.

This book is a fun kids book for children to read. This is because of the mystery of where the ring is at. This book tells the lesson of why it is better to tell the truth rather than to panic and try to cover up a problem. I believe that parents will find this book fun to read because what Maria does is typical for any child to do.

Artemis Fowl The Eternity Code

Title: Artemis Fowl The Eternity Code
Author: Eoin Colfer
Series Study: Book #3

Artemis Fowl the Eternity Code is the third book in the Artemis Fowl series. This book is about a thirteen year old boy, again named Artemis Fowl II who is a criminal mastermind, who created a supercomputer which he calls the "C Cube", form a stolen fairy technology. This C Cube is more advanced than any human technology that has been made. This book now travels out side of Ireland, it goes straight to Chicago. This is where Artemis Fowl meets a businessman Jon Spiro, he is meant to show Artemis who the Cube works. Though out traveling to Chicago, Butler the trusty sidekick is killed by one of Spiro's staff. Spiro is quite a challenging opponent for Artemis. He has impressive security devices, and the vault containing the C Cube is nearly unbreakable. Then Commander Julius Root is concerned that Artemis is becoming too much of a liability to the people. Artemis and his staff have submitted to mind-wipes, which will erase anything fairy related from his memory.

This book is a very interesting one because of all the things that happen though out the book. I Still wouldn't recommend this book to any child who is younger than sixth grade because students might not understand what is happening in the story. Parents might have a problem with this book because of the fact of the mythical component.

I truly didn't enjoy this book, it reminded me too much of Harry Potter. I believe this book is not a good book for students to read in school.

Artemis Fowl The Arctic Incident

Title: Artemis Fowl The Arctic Incident
Author: Eoin Colfer
Series Study: Book #2

This book is the second book of the Artemis Fowl series. This book tells the story of Opal Koboi's rising alongside the rescue of the abducted Artemis Fowl the first and second. This book starts with Jerbal Argon, indicating that the book is a report on Artemis Fowl II's behavior, commissioned by the Lower Elements Police. After a quick flashback to the kidnapping of Artemis I, the book then has Artemis Fowl II undergoing an unsuccessful counceling session at the Saint Bartleby's School of Young Gentlemen. Then you read about Butler when he call informing Artemis that a movie file containing footage of the missing Artemis Fowl I had been emailed to him and that the Russian Mafia were responsible. Then going on in the book Artemis Fowl decides to create a rescue force and called in Holly Short (the fairy he kidnapped in the first book) to help rescue his dad. At the end of the story it end with a fight that deals with the return of the Artemis Fowl II and the Artemis Fowl I to the Fowl Manor.

I think this book was an interesting read because of what happened though out the book. I believe that this book should be read in middle school because I think this book is to far fetched for children any younger that they might not be able to understand the story.

Artemis Fowl

Title: Artemis Fowl

Author: Eoin Colfer

Series Study: Book #1

This book is a very interesting book. The book takes place in Ireland with a eleven year old boy named, Artemis Fowl. This book is interesting because of how the book is told. Artemis is a evil mastermind who is trying to get his families fortune back. In this book there are fairies, elves, trolls, and other mythical creatures. After the disappearance of Artemis's father his mother has been in denial and Artemis is left on his own. Along with Artemis he has a trusty sidekick called, Butler. During this book Artemis and Butler end up kidnapping a fairy which, makes the LEPrecon's go nuts.

This book is a good book for children to read because it will help them evolve their imagination. This book is similar to the Harry Potter series because of the out of the box creatures. This book will also help children who read this book be able to create a whole new world for themselves. The only problem I feel I have with this book is that it is a way out there kind of book and it talks about stealing and kidnapping that it could send the wrong message to children and could effect their morals.