Bibliography
Holm, Jennifer L., and Matthew Holm. Babymouse: Queen of the World!. New York: Random House, 2005. ISBN: 0375832297
Plot Summary
It's the same thing every day for Babymouse. Where is the glamour? The excitement? The adventure? Nothing ever changes, until . . . Babymouse hears about Felicia Furrypaws's exclusive slumber party. Will Babymouse get invited? Will her best friend, Wilson, forgive her if she misses their monster movie marathon? Find out in Babymouse: Queen of the World , a graphic novel with attitude!
Critical Analysis
Jennifer L Holm and Matthew Holm are the brother and sister team behind the creation of the Babymouse graphic novel series. Babymouse is a fun character. She is witty, sassy, and full of attitude. The novel is entirely printed in black, white, and pink. Babymouse has a vivid imagination and the pink pages are used to highlight the scenes that are fantasy. Some examples are when she is sucked into space and pretends to be the captain of the spaceship, when she is at castle Weaselstein, or when her fairy godweasel turns her into Mouserella with a banana carriage (they were out of pumpkins). The black and white pages are used to show her everyday life or reality. Babymouse : Queen of the World! is set in a middle school and children will relate to the common themes of trying to fit in, popularity, and friendship. It’s an easy and enjoyable read.
Awards and Excerpts
Booklist Top 10 Graphic Novels for Youth, 2006 ; Booklist; United States
Children's Catalog, Nineteenth Edition, 2006 ; H.W. Wilson; United States
Choices, 2006 ; Cooperative Children’s Book Center; United States
Core Collection: Great Graphic Novels for Younger Readers, 2006 ; American Library Association; United States
Notable Children's Books, 2006 ; ALSC American Library Association; United States
Gryphon Award, 2006 Honor Book United States
North Carolina Children's Book Award, 2008 ; Nominee; Junior Book; North Carolina
Pennsylvania Young Readers' Choice Award, 2009-2010 ; Nominee; Grades K-3; Pennsylvania
West Virginia Children's Book Award, 2007-2008 ; Nominee; West Virginia
Children’s Literature review excerpt: “Babymouse’s imaginative subplots are hilarious, as are the wonderful illustrations that give life to Babymouse and her friends and acquaintances. A delightful read for the middle elementary female reader who is looking for a quick read.”
Kirkus review excerpt: “Young readers will happily fall in line to follow Babymouse through both ordinary pratfalls and extraordinary flights of fancy.”
Connections
Other books in the Babymouse Series:
Babymouse : Burns Rubber (2010)
Babymouse : Cupcake Tycoon (2010)
Babymouse : The Musical (2009)
Babymouse : Dragonslayer (2009)
Babymouse : Skater Girl (2007)
Babymouse : Puppy Love (2007)
Babymouse : Camp Babymouse (2007)
Babymouse : Heartbreaker (2006)
Babymouse : Rockstar (2006)
Link to the teachers guide:
http://www.randomhouse.com/catalog/teachers_guides/9780375857126.pdf
Visit the Babymouse website:
www.babymouse.com
Look for other graphic novel serials such as Kit Feeny, Stone Rabbit, or Lunch Lady.
Bibliography
Zusak, Markus, read by and Allan Corduner. The Book Theif. New York: Listening Library, 2006. ISBN: 9780739337271
Plot Summary
It's just a small story really, about among other things: a girl, some words, an accordionist, some fanatical Germans, a Jewish fist-fighter, and quite a lot of thievery. . . . Set during World War II in Germany, Markus Zusak's groundbreaking new novel is the story of Liesel Meminger, a foster girl living outside of Munich. Liesel scratches out a meager existence for herself by stealing when she encounters something she can't resist - books. With the help of her accordion-playing foster father, she learns to read and shares her stolen books with her neighbors during bombing raids as well as with the Jewish man hidden in her basement before he is marched to Dachau. This is an unforgettable story about the ability of books to feed the soul.
Critical Analysis
Allan Corduner is the voice of Death, the narrator, of this World War II-era story. The richness and depth of his voice along with his european accent make him the perfect choice to bring this amazing story to life.
Death is very busy in Nazi Germany but he does have a little time to tell the story of Liesel Meminger, our book thief. The story line is realistic, the characters are complex, interesting and likable. Even Mama, who calls everyone a pig, grows on you throughout the book. Zusak doesn’t shy away from telling the hard truth of what went on during WWII: discrimination and eventual extermination of the Jews, political propaganda, children being taken away from their parents and placed in foster families due to political beliefs, how boys are expected to join Hitler’s army when they reach a certain age, starvation, thievery, suicide, standing up for what you believe is right, and the human belief in hope. All of these themes combine to create a wonderful, compelling story. I found myself cheering for Rudy, admiring Hans Hubermann, crying for everyone on Himmel street, and hoping for a better future for Max and Liesel. This was by far, the best book I have read all year. I highly recommend it.
Awards and Excerpts
American Booksellers Book Sense Book of the Year (ABBY) Award, 2007 Winner Children's Literature United States
Cuffies: Children's Booksellers Choose Their Favorite (and not-so-favorite) Books of the Year, 2006 Honorable Mention Best Book for Older Teens United States
Cuffies: Children's Booksellers Choose Their Favorite (and not-so-favorite) Books of the Year, 2006 Honorable Mention Favorite Book to Handsell United States
Cuffies: Children's Booksellers Choose Their Favorite (and not-so-favorite) Books of the Year, 2006 Winner Favorite Novel of the Year United States
Cuffies: Children's Booksellers Choose Their Favorite (and not-so-favorite) Books of the Year,
2006 Winner Most Memorable Character in a Lead Role United States
Cybil Award, 2006 Finalist Young Adult Fiction United States
Garden State Teen Book Award, 2009 Winner Fiction Grades 9-12 New Jersey
Heartland Award for Excellence in Young Adult Literature, 2008 Nominee United States
Indigo Teen Read Award, 2010 Nominee Best All-Time Fave Canada
Michael L. Printz Award, 2007 Honor Book United States
National Jewish Book Awards, 2006 Winner Children's and Young Adult Literature United States
Parents' Choice Award, 2006 Gold Fiction United States
Quill Awards, 2006 Nominee Young Adult/Teen United States
Sydney Taylor Book Award, 2007 Winner Teen Book Award United States
Thumbs Up! Award, 2007 Honor Book Michigan
Amazon Editors' Picks: Top 10 Books, 2006 ; United States
Book Sense Children's Picks, Summer 2006 ; American Booksellers Association; Top 10; United States
Booklist Editors' Choice: Books for Youth, 2006 ; Booklist Editor's Choice; United States
Bulletin Blue Ribbons, 2006 ; Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books; United States
Capitol Choices, 2007 ; The Capitol Choices Committee; United States
Choices, 2007 ; Cooperative Children’s Book Center; United States
Horn Book Fanfare, 2006 ; Horn Book; United States
Kirkus Best Children's Books, 2006 ; Kirkus; United States
Kirkus Book Review Stars, January 15, 2006 ; United States
Middle and Junior High School Library Catalog, Supplement to Ninth Edition, 2007 ; H.W. Wilson Company; United States
Notable Books for a Global Society, 2007 ; Special Interest Group of the International Reading Association; United States
Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People, 2007 ; National Council for the Social Studies; United States
Outstanding International Books, 2007 ; USBBY/CBC; United States
Publishers Weekly Best Children's Books, 2006 ; Publishers Weekly; United States
Publishers Weekly Book Review Stars, January 30, 2006 ; Cahners; United States
School Library Journal Best Books, 2006 ; Cahners; United States
School Library Journal Book Review Stars, March 2006 ; Cahners; United States
Senior High Core Collection, Seventeenth Edition, 2007 ; The H. W. Wilson Co.; United States
Senior High School Library Catalog, Sixteenth Edition, 2006 Supplement, 2006 ; H.W. Wilson Company; United States
YALSA Best Books for Young Adults, 2007 ; American Library Association; United States
YALSA Top Ten Best Books for Young Adults, 2007 ; American Library Association; United States
Tayshas High School Reading List, 2007-2008 ; Texas
School Library Journal review excerpt: “Zusak has created a work that deserves the attention of sophisticated teen and adult readers. Zusak not only creates a mesmerizing and original story but also writes with poetic syntax, causing readers to deliberate over phrases and lines, even as the action impels them forward. Death is not a sentimental storyteller, but he does attend to an array of satisfying details, giving Liesel's story all the nuances of chance, folly, and fulfilled expectation that it deserves. An extraordinary narrative.”
BookList review excerpt: “The astonishing characters, drawn without sentimentality, will grab readers. More than the overt message about the power of words, it's Liesl's confrontation with horrifying cruelty and her discovery of kindness in unexpected places that tell the heartbreaking truth.”
Connections
Other Books by Markus Zusak:
I Am the Messenger (2006)
Getting the Girl (2003)
The first chapter of the book is available at Random House: http://www.randomhouse.com/book/196153/the-book-thief-by-markus-zusak/9780375831003/?view=excerpt
Links to discussion guides on The Book Theif:
http://www.bookbrowse.com/reading_guides/detail/index.cfm?book_number=1755
http://www.randomhouse.com/catalog/teachers_guides/9780375842207.pdf
If you liked The Book Thief, try these:
Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein (2012)
How I Live Now by Meg Rosoff (2006)
Bibliography
Stead, Rebecca, read by Cynthia Holloway. When You Reach Me. New York: Listening Library, 2009. ISBN: 9780739380727
Plot Summary
Four mysterious letters change Miranda’s world forever. By sixth grade, Miranda and her best friend, Sal, know how to navigate their New York City neighborhood. They know where it’s safe to go, like the local grocery store, and they know whom to avoid, like the crazy guy on the corner. But things start to unravel. Sal gets punched by a new kid for what seems like no reason, and he shuts Miranda out of his life. The apartment key that Miranda’s mom keeps hidden for emergencies is stolen. And then Miranda finds a mysterious note scrawled on a tiny slip of paper. The notes keep coming, and Miranda slowly realizes that whoever is leaving them knows all about her, including things that have not even happened yet. Each message brings her closer to believing that only she can prevent a tragic death.
Critical Analysis
One of the themes of this low fantasy, science fiction, and mystery book is time travel. The setting of the book, New York City in the late 1970’s, draws attention to time right from the beginning of the story. Another clue that time is important is that Miranda’s favorite book is A Wrinkle in Time. The main character is Miranda, a sixth grader, and the story is told from her point of view. The story has many little mysteries and puzzles to figure out and the first person narration allows the reader access to Miranda’s thoughts. Friendship is another theme that weaves itself through the book; Miranda’s strained friendship with her childhood friend Sal, her growing friendship with Julia and Annemarie, and the guilt she feels over her new friendship with Marcus.
Cynthia Holloway, a narrator of more than thirty audiobooks, does an excellent job portraying the voice of Miranda. There are many threads to this book; time travel, friendship, single parent family dynamic, social class differences, epilepsy, future goals, and dreams. Rebecca Stead does a great job of tying all the threads into one cohesive tapestry of a very engaging story.
Awards and Excerpts
Andre Norton Award, 2009 Finalist United States
Boston Globe-Horn Book Award for Excellence in Children's Literature, 2010 Winner Fiction and Poetry United States
Cuffies: Children's Booksellers Choose Their Favorite (and not-so-favorite) Books of the Year, 2009 Winner Book You Couldn't Shut Up About United States
Cuffies: Children's Booksellers Choose Their Favorite (and not-so-favorite) Books of the Year, 2009 Winner Favorite Book to Handsell United States
Cuffies: Children's Booksellers Choose Their Favorite (and not-so-favorite) Books of the Year, 2009 Winner Favorite Middle Grade Novel of the Year United States
Golden Duck Award for Excellence in Children's Science Fiction Literature, 2010 Finalist
Eleanor Cameron Award for Middle Grades United States
Great Lakes Great Books Award, 2010-2011 Honor Book Grades 6-8 Michigan
Indies Choice Book Award, 2010 Winner Middle Reader United States
IRA Children's and Young Adult's Book Award, 2010 Winner Young Adult-Fiction International
John Newbery Medal, 2010 Winner United States
National Parenting Publications Award, 2009 Gold Books for Ages 9 & Up United States
Parents' Choice Award, 2009 Gold Fiction United States
School Library Journal Battle of the Kids' Books, 2010 Nominee United States
Waterstone's Children's Book Prize, 2011 Shortlist United Kingdom
Booklist Editors’ Choice: Books for Youth, 2009 ; American Library Association; United States
Booklist Top 10 Crime Fiction for Youth, 2010 ; American Library Association; United States
New York Times Notable Children's Books , 2009 ; United States
Notable Children's Books, 2010 ; ALSC American Library Association; United States
YALSA Top Ten Best Books for Young Adults, 2010 ; American Library Association; United States
School Library Journal review excerpt: “Rebecca Stead's novel pivots around the day Sal gets punched by an unknown classmate and shifts the order of the universe. She skillfully weaves written notes into each scene and repeats clues when necessary. The climax is full of drama and suspense. This story about the intricacies of friendship will be a hit with students.”
BookList review excerpt: “The '70s New York setting is an honest reverberation of the era; the mental gymnastics required of readers are invigorating; and the characters, children and adults, are honest bits of humanity no matter in what place or time their souls rest. Just as Miranda rereads L'Engle, children will return to this.”
Connections
Other books by Rebecca Stead:
First Light (2007)
Liar & Spy (2012)
A Wrinkle In Time by Madeleine L’Engle (1962)
Play one of the various versions of the Pyramid board games:
Link to the Educators Readers Guide:
http://www.randomhouse.com/catalog/teachers_guides/9780375850868.pdf
Bibliography
Klages, Ellen. The Green Glass Sea. New York: Scholastic Inc., 2007. ISBN: 9780545036139
Plot Summary
In 1943, eleven-year-old Dewey Kerrigan lives with her scientist father in Los Alamos, New Mexico, as he works on a top secret government program, and befriends an aspiring artist who is a misfit just like her
Critical Analysis
Dewey Kerrigan’s mother is dead, her grandmother who she has been living with is no longer healthy enough to take care of her, and her father, a mathematician, is to busy working on a top secret project for the government and can’t spare the time to collect Dewey from the neighbor who is temporarily taking care of her. it’s 1943 and Dewey at 10 years old is put on a train to travel across the country to New Mexico by herself. During the trip we learn that Dewey is mechanically oriented and is designing a radio. Because of this she is disliked by the other girls in Los Alamos. She eventually becomes friends with Suze when she is sent to live with the Gordon’s when her father has to go to Washington.
This story of friendship, loss and belonging is set against the backdrop of the making of the atomic bomb. Klages adds authenticity to the stories setting with carefully chosen dialog such as calling the refrigerator and ice box and food choices like Ovaltine warmed on the stove. Authentic, historically significant characters, McKibbin, Feynman and Oppenheimer, also make appearances throughout the novel. The book would be a good companion story to those studying WWll and the atomic bomb.
Awards and Excerpts
Scott O'Dell Award for Historical Fiction, 2007 Winner United States
Quill Award - 2007 Nominee
Locus Award - 2007 Nominee
Nene Award - 2007 Nominee
Rebecca Caudill Young Reader's Book Award - 2007 Nominee
Maine Student Book Award - 2007 Nominee
School Library Journal review excerpt: “Many readers will know as little about the true nature of the project as the girls do, so the gradual revelation of facts is especially effective, while those who already know about Los Alamos's historical significance will experience the story in a different, but equally powerful, way”
Booklist review excerpt: “The novel occasionally gets mired down in detail, but the characters are exceptionally well drawn, and the compelling, unusual setting makes a great tie-in for history classes.”
Connections
Other Books by Ellen Klages:
White Sands, Red Menace, 2008. Sequel to The Green Glass Sea
Portable Childhoods, 2007
Additional reading about the Manhattan project and Los Alamos, NM:
American Prometheus, 2005 by Kai Bird
The Manhattan Project : the birth of the atomic bomb in the words of its creators, eyewitnesses, and historians, 2009 by Cynthia C Kelly.
The Ultimate Weapon : the race to develop the atomic bomb, 2007 by Ed T. Sullivan.
Bibliography
Schmidt, Gary D. Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boy. New York: Clarion Books, 2004. ISBN: 0618439293
Plot Summary
In 1911, Turner Buckminster hates his new home of Phippsburg, Maine, but things improve when he meets Lizzie Bright Griffin, a girl from a poor, nearby island community founded by former slaves that the town fathers, and Turner's, want to change into a tourist spot
Critical Analysis
It’s 1912 and 13 year old Turner Buckminster and his family have just moved to Phippsburg, Maine from Boston where Turner’s father in the new minister of the First Congregational Church. Turner has a hard time fitting in. Everything is different, they even play baseball differently in Maine. Then one day Turner meets Lizzie, an African-American girl from nearby Malaga Island. Lizzie teaches him how to play Maine style baseball, how to harvest clams, and takes him out in her boat to watch the whales. Everything changes when the town elders plan to boost the town’s economy with tourism and decide that the African-American community of former slaves on Malaga Island needs to be removed. Through a series of tragic events we witness the growth of Turner from the miserable boy who first arrived into a thoughtful, compassionate young man.
This novel is based on the true story of the removal of the residents of Malaga Island and Schmidt does a good job building credible characters that touch the reader’s emotions. It is a tragic story of greed and power. There is no happily-ever-after, but I believe readers will connect with the honesty of the characters and story.
Awards and Excerpts
John Newbery Medal, 2005 Honor Book United States
Lupine Award, 2004 Honor Book Maine
Michael L. Printz Award, 2005 Honor United States
Thumbs Up! Award, 2005 Honor Book Michigan
Dorothy Canfield Fisher Children's Book Award, 2005-2006 ; Nominee; Vermont
Garden State Teen Book Award, 2007 ; Nominee; Fiction Grades 6-8; New Jersey
Isinglass Teen Read Award, 2005-2006 ; Nominee; New Hampshire
Maine Student Book Award, 2005-2006 ; Nominee; Maine
Sequoyah Book Award, 2007 ; Nominee; Young Adult; Oklahoma
Virginia Readers' Choice Award, 2007-2008 ; Nominee; Middle; Virginia
Volunteer State Book Award, 2006-2007 ; Nominee; Grades 7-12 (YA); Tennessee
West Virginia Children's Book Award, 2006-2007 ; Master Booklist; West Virginia
Young Hoosier Book Award, 2006-2007 ; Nominee; Middle Grades; Indiana
School Library Journal review excerpt: “Schmidt's writing is infused with feeling and rich in imagery. With fully developed, memorable characters and a fascinating, little-known piece of history, this novel will leave a powerful impression on readers.”
Booklist review excerpt: “Schmidt weaves history into a powerful tale of friendship and coming-of-age, adding a lyrical sense of the coastal landscape. Characters are drawn without reverence in this haunting combination of fact and fiction that has a powerful and tragic climax”
Connections
Other Books by Gary D Schmidt:
Okay For Now, 2011
Trouble, 2010
The Wednesday Wars, 2007
Straw Into Gold, 2001
Gary D. Schmidt based his novel on true events. Do your own research and learn more about Phippsburg, Maine and Malaga Island.
Bibliography
Cushman, Karen. Catherine, Called Birdy. New York: HaperCollins Publishers, 1994. ISBN: 0060739428
Plot Summary
The thirteen-year-old daughter of an English country knight keeps a journal in which she records the events of her life, particularly her longing for adventures beyond the usual role of women and her efforts to avoid being married off
Critical Analysis
The story is told through the diary of Catherine, the 13 year old daughter of a medieval knight. She goes by the nickname Birdy after the pet birds she keeps in her chamber. Her father is trying to marry her off to increase his wealth but all Birdy longs for is adventure. Through several resourceful tricks she she scares off most of the suitors her father has chosen, until her compassion for a wounded animal, and her unselfishness toward a village couple, traps her into a betrothal with the older Shaggy Beard .
The book is filled with historical information about the food, religion, medical practices and herbal remedies, lack of cleanliness, and social order of medieval people. Cushman does a good job realistically portraying issues of the time such as, child marriages, death, miscarriages, and that marriages of the time were based on economics not love. At the heart of the story is Birdy’s realization that she cannot escape what the future has in store for her, but she can decide how she faces it, with courage and determination. Cushman successfully blends historical facts with entertaining characters and a realistic story.
Awards and Excerpts
ABC Children's Booksellers Choices Award, 1995 Winner Young Adults United States
American Booksellers Book Sense Book of the Year (ABBY) Award, 1996 Honor Book United States
Bay Area Book Reviewers Association Award, 1995 Winner Children's Literature United States
California Book Awards, 1994 Winner Ages 11-16 United States
Carl Sandburg Literary Arts Awards, 1994 Winner United States
Golden Kite Award, 1995 Award Book Fiction United States
International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY) Honor List, 1996 Winner Text International
John Newbery Medal, 1995 Honor Book United States
Parents' Choice Award, 1994 Gold Fiction United States
Parents' Choice Award, 2003 Gold Best 25 Books in 25 Years United States
Reading Magic Award, 1994 Winner United States
West Australian Young Readers' Book Award (WAYRBA), 1998 Reading List Older Reader Australia
School Library Journal review excerpt: “A feminist far ahead of her time, she is both believable and lovable. Superb historical fiction”
Children’s Literature review excerpt: “Cushman brings the Middle Ages alive with a revealing, humorous and riveting story of a young girl.”
Connections
Other Books By Karen Cushman:
The Midwife's Apprentice, 1996
The Ballad of Lucy Whipple, 1998
Matilda Bone, 2000
Rodzina, 2003
Alchemy and Meggy Swann, 2010
Will Sparrow’s Road, 2012
Other books on the middle ages:
The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer, 1964
Life in a Medieval Castle by Joseph and Frances Gies, 2008
Growing Up in Thirteenth Century England by Alfred Duggan, 1980
Bibliography
Kerley, Barbara. What To Do About Alice?: How Alice Roosevelt Broke the Rules, Charmed the World and Drove Her Father Teddy Crazy!. Illustrated by Edwin Fotheringham. New York: Scholastic Press, 2008. ISBN 9780439922319
Plot Summary
A brief biography in pictures and simple text of Alice Roosevelt, the daughter of Theodore Roosevelt and his first wife.
Critical Analysis
Alice had a pet snake that lived with her in the white house, she drove a car when other young girls rode in carriages, she never attended school but was very well educated, she acted as a goodwill ambassador for her father, the president, and she loved to dance all night at parties. These are just a few of the facts about Alice Roosevelt that are brought to life in this engaging story. Barbara Kerley brings the precocious Alice Roosevelt to life in this picture book biography about her life. Humorous, digital media illustrations complement the outrageous Alice’s character. Newspaper clippings and excerpts from letters help authenticate the story. Alice was a girl ahead of her time. She pushed the boundaries of expected behavior for girls. She was also genuinely interested in people and politics and this helped offset her unconventional behavior and earned her the nickname Princess Alice. I found the story very entertaining.
Awards and Excerpts
Boston Globe-Horn Book Award for Excellence in Children's Literature, 2008 Winner Nonfiction United States
Cybil Award, 2008 Finalist Non-Fiction Picture Books United States
Garden State Children's Book Award, 2011 Nominee Non-Fiction New Jersey
Irma S. and James H. Black Award for Excellence in Children's Literature, 2008 Honor Book Ages 4-8 United States
Parents' Choice Award, 2008 Approved Non-fiction United States
Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Medal, 2009 Honor Book United States
School Library Journal review excerpt “This book provides a fascinating glimpse into both a bygone era and one of its more interesting denizens as well as a surefire antidote for any child who thinks that historical figures are boring.”
BookList review excerpt “Irrepressible Alice Roosevelt gets a treatment every bit as attractive and exuberant as she was.”
Connections
Other books by Barbara Kerley:
The Extraordinary Mark Twain (according to Susy) (2010)
Those Rebels, John & Tom (2012)
Greetings From Planet Earth (2007)
Walt Whitman: Words for America (2004)
Other books on Alice Roosevelt:
Mind Your Manners, Alice Roosevelt! by Alice Kimmelman (2009)
Alice : Alice Roosevelt Longworth, From White House Princess to Washington Power Broker by Stacy A. Cordery (2007)
