JANUARY 11, 2012
Jeremy Bender vs. the Cupcake Cadets by Eric Luper
Eleven-year-old Jeremy Bender wants to prove to his father that he is responsible in order to take the prized Cris-Craft boat out alone. Instead, he and his friend Slater accidentally spill Orange soda, and then green spray paint, all over the carburetor while attempting to tighten the belts. They don’t have enough money between them to replace it, and there is no way Jeremy is going to confess to his father. The boys are determined to find a way to raise enough money to replace the engine. When they hear about a model sailboat tournament with a $500 prize, the boys are convinced they can win it, especially since they’d be competing against the girls in the Cupcake Cadets. But to enter the race, you must be a Cupcake Cadet, have earned three badges and sold the required number of cupcakes. The boys think it will be a “cupcake walk” and agree to dress like girls to infiltrate the club. But selling cupcakes isn’t as easy as they thought it would be. Neither is earning badges. They lost the Pie-Making badge when their burnt apple pie made the troop sick. And the girls weren’t the ones to score a goal for the opposing team in field hockey, which cost them the Sports Star Calliber Badge. Their attempt to earn the Wilderness Survival Caliber Badge was a disaster from pitching the tent to finding out their tent-mate Margaret has won the Windjammer Whirl three years in-a-row and is working on her third prototype for this year’s vessel. They hadn’t even begun to build theirs yet. But worse than that is that they’ve been found out! Now how will they earn enough money to repair Jeremy's father's boat? This humorous story is recommended for readers in grades 3-6. Girls will appreciate that they perform better than boys in certain activities, while boys will get a lesson in what it's like to be a girl.
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JANUARY 10, 2012
Yours Truly, Lucy B. Parker: Girl Vs. Superstar by Robin Palmer
Lucy B. Parker is your average 6th grader who just wants to fit in. She enjoys going to the mall, to sleepovers, and has the auspicious job of recording when each girl gets her period. Lucy is still waiting to get hers. All is well, that is, until she gets “friend-dumped,” by her two BFF’s Rachel and Missy. Marissa, who can be rather annoying, now considers Lucy to be her BFF.
As if this isn’t bad enough, Lucy discovers that her mother has been dating Laurel Moses’s father. Laurel Moses (think Hannah Montana), of tv/movie/music fame! In this first book in the series, Lucy, at first, feels that Laurel hates her, due to the “Hat Incident.” (You’ll have to read the book!) Then, as their parents get more serious about each other, Laurel and Lucy start to get to know each other better, and realize that each one has more to her than meets the eye. I especially liked that this story took place in Northampton, Massachusetts (my hometown), and New York City. There are many references to local establishments. This is a fun read for tween girls who are looking for something quick and airy. Recommended for grades 5-7.
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JANUARY 5, 2012
Fractions=Trouble! by Claudia Mills
Third-grader, Wilson Williams struggles with math. First his challenge was multiplication as seen in the book,
7x9=Trouble! (by Claudia Mills). Moving on, Wilson now struggles with fractions. Wilson's mom arranges for Mrs. Porter to tutor Wilson on Wednesdays after school to help him with his understanding of fractions. Wilson is so embarrassed. He does not want anyone, not even his best friend, Josh, to know he is being tutored. Wilson feels he must be the only kid that needs a math tutor. The Science Fair is coming up at his school. Wilson is hopeful he will do an outstanding job with his project. His project will include a study involving his pet hamster, Pip. The judges will like Pip. Josh is trying to discover how hot it must get before a pickle will explode. Wilson knows that Josh is really good in math. Wilson thinks his friendship with Josh could explode, if Josh finds out about Wilson's tutoring sessions. This story is an honest look a the feelings of third graders and the shame they feel, if they have difficulities in any area of academic expectations. The story is positive in that it shows we all struggle in some area and getting the help we need is a smart thing to do. This book is most suitable for readers in grades 2-4
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JANUARY 3, 2012
A Value Tales Treasury Stories for Growing Good People by Spencer Johnson, M. D.
This delightful collection of five imaginographies ("a new kind of story about a real person that helps children imagine the kind of person they want to become") is depicted in chapters but with a format of a picture book. The content is inspiring and has a positive impact on a child's thinking of character qualities important to growing up into successful adulthood. Five famous people from history are developed into five stories based on a character quality they each possessed to become and do the famous accomplishment they were known for in history. Louis Pasteur respresents the value of believing in yourself. Harriet Tubman represents the value of helping others, Confucius-the value of honesty, Helen Keller-the value of determination and Will Rogers-the value of humor. The book is most suitable for readers in grades 2-4. However, this is a wonderful family read even with younger children and would lend itself to much discussion. The author is known for his New York Times #1 Bestselling book,
Who Moved My Cheese? Parents, please take a look at this book!
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