The Red Pencil by Andrea Davis Pinkney

The Red Pencil by Andrea Davis Pinkney tells a story using poetry. Amira is a twelve year old girl living in South Darfur, Africa. She lives simply and happily with her Muma, Dando and little sister, Leila on their family farm. She loves to draw pictures with a stick in the sandy soil. Unfortunately, the peace will not last as her family gets caught up in a war that Amira can not understand. She must flee with the last of her village as she leaves her family home in ashes.

The story begins in 2003 and brings the conflicts between fighting factions in Africa to a personal, understandable level for students. Amira's story will help develop empathy in anyone who reads it. Although it is a story of fiction, the topics covered in the book; death, war, grief, refugee camps, and loss are very real. This would be an ideal read aloud with students. Plan on sharing Amira's drawings with your document camera. It is a story of war and hardship, but also a story of family and ultimately hope. RICBA nominee 2016

Reviewed by Mrs. Castro

The Mostly True Adventures of Homer P. Figg by Rodman Philbrick

The Mostly True Adventures of Homer P. Figg by Rodman Philbrick was an exciting book to read. This historical fiction book will definitely appeal to students who love adventure and are war buffs. Philbrick writes a lively tale about Homer, whose older brother Harold is illegally sworn into the Union Army by their crabby Uncle. Homer runs away to find his brother and bring him home. I really like Homer's personality. He is quite the storyteller and it's funny when he misleads the adults he encounters on his quest. As entertaining as this book was, it actually takes the Civil War battle scenes to an intense level. Be prepared to have your heart gallop along for the ride!                                                                                                                                    
Reviewed by Mrs. Castro                                                                                                                    

Counting by 7s by Holy Goldberg Sloan

Counting by 7s written by Holy Goldberg Sloan is a delightfully quirky story about a girl named Willow. On the front cover of the book is a quote, "If you're lost, you might need to swim against the tide." Willow Chance certainly begins this story quite lost. She is an oddball in a new school where she is struggling to fit in. To make matters worse, her teacher thinks she cheated on a standardized test. Life only gets harder for Willow after she is sent to see the school guidance counselor, Dell Duke, and shortly afterward a terrible tragedy strikes her family. Willow has to rely on the kindness of strangers, but in her own very unique way, she ends up giving back to everyone who helps her. I loved Willow's personality! She is brilliant and sensitive and a great role model for kids struggling to be comfortable with their own differences.

Reviewed by Mrs. Castro

Gregor the Overlander by Suzanne Collins

Gregor the Overlander by Suzanne Collins is book one of The Underland Chronicles. Suzanne Collins is the author of the Hunger Games series.  I really enjoyed this adventurous fantasy story.  Gregor and his funny little sister, Boots, fall through a grate in the laundry room of their apartment building in New York city and enter into a world that exists beneath the Earth's crust. There, in the Underland, they are met by huge cockroaches and enormous bats, strange pale people and their deadly enemies, the rats. How will Gregor get back home to his mother? She is surely frantic about his disappearance, especially after dealing with the disappearance of her husband, who has been missing for the past two years.

Suzanne Collins once again wrote an exciting story. Read it, then look for the rest of the series coming to our library shelves soon!

Reviewed by Mrs. Castro

El Deafo by Cece Bell

El Deafo by Cece Bell is about a girl named Cece who became deaf. She was always lonely at school. Cece also had to wear hearing aids that make her feel different. I think you should read this book, it's very inspiring.

El Deafo reminds me of my friends deaf cat .It reminds me of Buddy because he's just like Cece. He's just like Cece because he's deaf. I feel very bad for Buddy and Cece. This is why I like the book, El Deafo.

By #Unstoppable  Princess

El Deafo by Cece Bell is a graphic novel and a Newbery Honor book.  I am highly recommending this book to teachers and students.  It is a great book to help us celebrate our differences.  The author is an author/illustrator and this is her life story, so it is in the Biography section of the library.  I have included a link to a youtube video by the author promoting her book and telling a little about herself.

As a young child Cece gets sick, and as a result of that illness, loses her hearing.  She has to wear large hearing aids and hates how they look and how they make her feel different.  El Deafo is a character that Cece creates in her imagination to help her deal with frustrating situations she faces because of her hearing problems.  It is hard for Cece to make friends and she is lonely much of the time.  Read El Deafo and learn how Cece manages to get along in school and turn her difference into a super power. El Deafo is a 2016 RICBA nominee.

Reviewed by Mrs. Castro

El Deafo by Cece Bell is about a girl named Cece Bell. She is just a regular girl with a very creative imagination until her world is turned upside down. She is deaf and she must wear an FM and she has some funny moments with it, like when she heard her teacher going to the bathroom.  She calls herself El Deafo a superhero and she fights crime, but only in her mind. Will she make it through the sixth grade? Read it to find out.

I thought the book was really cool and I really liked it. I think you should read it too. It is a really nice book. This book is so much like my life. I am hard of hearing and I wear an FM like her, but mine is more advanced. So, for example, mine is small and hard to see but her’s is a big box on her chest and it was made in the 1970’s.  Except  for the part where mine just recently broke, they are fixing it now but luckily I got a replacement. If you read this book you would understand but if you have not then you should read it NOW! It is a super duper great book and Have Fun Reading!

Reviewed by Doggie G

The Crossover by Kwame Alexander

The Crossover by Kwame Alexander is about twins whose whole lives revolve around basketball. The older twin, Filthy MCnasty, and JB, his younger brother are both basketball stars. Their dad went to the world championships when he was younger and when he was doing a slam dunk, he hurt his knee. He could have had surgery for the injury but he decided not to. That was the end of his career and he never competed again. Skip foward years now and he is teaching his twins to be basketball prodigies.

One day in school JB finds a new girl walking in the cafeteria, and she is a basketball player too. Filthy MCnasty doesn’t approve of “Miss Sweet Tea”, the new girl, aka JB’s girlfriend. He starts spending all his time with her and he starts skipping practices and games. Meanwhile, the twins dad starts getting sick and he won't do anything about it. Will the twins make up and go to the championships? Is their dad going to be ok? What will happen to Miss Sweet Tea?

This book is both intense and caring. I give this book four and a half stars because the detail is AMAZING and you can feel the tense times the character goes through. You feel and live what is written on these pages. I like this book because it reminds me of the hard times but you will make it on the other side eventually, because life gets better.

-amazinga142

The Crossover by Kwame Alexander is the well deserved winner of the 2015 Newbery Award.   Wow, what a great book!  Told in poetry that is bold and powerful, this book sings!  The author tells the story of twin brothers who are basketball stars on their school team.  Lots of fast action on the court will thrill basketball fans.  The book goes deeper than basketball, because what is happening on the court reflects the complications of life off court.  Drive toward the hoop with this heart hammering winner of a book.  I finished it in a single reading.  Could not put it down!

Reviewed by Mrs. Castro

Brown Girl Dreaming by Jaqueline Woodson

I am reading my way through the 2015 Award books.  The first one I am reviewing is a Newbery Honor book by Jaqueline Woodson, called Brown Girl Dreaming.  I have always loved Ms. Woodson's books and her writing style.  Some of my fiction favorites are Locomotion and Feathers, and a picture book entitled, The Other Side.  She is an extremely gifted poet and with minimal, beautiful text she takes complex situations and makes you see them and understand her point of view.  Brown Girl Dreaming is Ms. Woodson's memoir, so it will be found in the biography section of the library.  In the book, Jacqueline describes her life as a little girl.  She introduces you to the events and important family members that loved her and shaped the person she became.  She does all of this through powerful poetry.

This would be a great read aloud for teachers that want to discuss poetry, memoirs, and race relations in the United States.  You will be impressed by the beautiful style of Woodson's writing, and who knows, maybe your students will be inspired too!

Reviewed by Mrs. Castro

Insurgent by Veronica Roth

Insurgent is the second book in the Divergent series.  It is a fun and exciting book!  If you ever read the Twilight saga or the Hunger Games series, you would love this book.  Tris is an amazing girl, no matter what the circumstances are she will do what’s right.  At one part Tris secretly disobeyed Four to save what is left of her parents past.  As she is going to the place she slips on a ladder she put between two buildings.  Does she fall? Does she stop Four, or will she be too late?  Veronica Roth, the author, did an amazing job of describing what is happening.  You can see it in your mind like a movie.  You can see what’s happening as Tris’s brother is in jail and Four comes to get him and Tris’s brother hits Four with a metal chair and runs.  It was bad timing.  So if you like action books, this book will be great for you.                                                         

Reviewed by doggy64

Bird and Squirrel on the Run! by James Burks

If you like humorous, graphic novels then you will love Bird and Squirrel on the Run! by James Burks. The main characters are Bird, Squirrel, and Cat.  I’ll tell you one main event.  Squirrel loses all of his food while trying to save Bird.  The story takes place in a forest at noontime in fall. The author’s purpose is to tell the message, Don’t leave you’re friends; you don’t know what is around the corner. Did you know that Bird and Squirrel is like Bone?  If you like Bone then you will love Bird and Squirrel. After reading Bird and Squirrel, recommend it to a friend.       

Reviewed by Pit bull 471

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl is about a young boy Charlie, whose family is very poor. Charlie walks by Willy Wonka's chocolate factory every day to get to school. Willy Wonka had a contest of five golden tickets hidden in his chocolate bars. Everyone wanted to win the lucky golden ticket, but only four people won. The winners who get a golden ticket will get a tour of Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory. There might even be a surprise in the chocolate factory. Did Charlie get lucky and win a golden ticket?  

I loved how the author made a book about a chocolate factory, and how the surroundings made the book more interesting to read. Personally I am a fan of chocolate, which made the book more relatable in my opinion. I also loved that the author made images of candy and chocolate in my mind. I love to read fiction books, especially one that's relatable for me.

Reviewed by: Dancer206

Do you like fiction books?  Do you know the author Roald Dahl?  If so, you’ll probably know the book called Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. This book is about a boy named Charlie who lives with a poor family.  Charlie lives in a city with a chocolate factory owned by Mr. Wonka.  When Charlie was young, the factory closed.  The factory reopens, and Mr. Wonka gave out Golden Tickets.  Golden Tickets are used for admission for a factory tour.  Charlie was one of the people who got the ticket, and so does four other people.  Soon the people that had Golden Tickets were given a tour.  Four kids however did what they’re not supposed to do.  The kids were sent home, but in a miserable way.  The characters are Mr. Wonka, Charlie, and Grandpa Joe (he took Charlie to the factory). There is more, but you’ll have to read the actual book!  The book is exciting.  When I read it, Charlie is going inside the factory and I don’t know what will happen.  I have a text to world connection, and it is to never do things you shouldn’t be doing.  If we hadn’t, the world would just be peaceful.  I guarantee this book will make you excited and laugh.

Reviewed by theboredtimeseditor21