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Children's Books

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SEPTEMBER 26, 2007
Introducing...Sasha Abramowitz* by Sue Halpern

This is the story of Sasha Marie Cure Abramowitz. Sasha is an 11 year old girl, who lives at Krieger College, where both of her parents are professors. Her mother is a brain researcher, and her father is a poet. Sasha herself, would like to be a pastry chef.  Sasha is in the 5th grade, and her best friend is Carla Smith, and Carla is interesting because she has two parents and two stepparents, and each of the stepparents is name Janice and Janusz. 

For this school year, Carla and Sasha have developed a plan to start a detective agency. They decide to name it "Drew Hardy  and Associates," after Nancy Drew  and the Hardy boys. This leads a boy named Andrew Hardy to contact Sasha, wondering why she is using his name. Andrew becomes Sasha's babysitter and friend. When Sasha and Carla become detectives, it leads to a whole string of events including learning and understanding about Sasha's older brother, Danny, who has Tourette's syndrome, Andrew Hardy has a life-threatening illness where he must be saved by someone else's blood and spleen, and Sasha's old babysitter, Jenny Flum, an aspiring actress, who becomes Sasha's substitute teacher when Sasha's real teacher, Mrs. Blank goes to Guatemala to adopt a baby.                                                                  

This story is told in first person narrative from Sasha's point of view. It is a very engaging story and Sasha is a very likeable character. It is humorous and the reader learns a little bit about Tourette's syndrome. However, according to other reviewers, not everything listed about Tourette's is accurate. It is good book though, to make kids aware of this disease. I do think it is important that they learn that a famous baseball player, Jim Eisenreich, has this disease. It can be treated with medication.                                                                                                

In this story, Sasha does come to understand her brother a bit more. He had been away at school, because he had violent tendencies. Danny comes home and Sasha does begin to understand her brother more. Due to her brother's illness, Sasha has been attending therapy sessions and most of the book is therapy for her. Sasha also begins to understand her classmate, James, who has always been quiet. It turns out her has parents who are deaf. He is the one who ends up being the star in the school play. So many interesting characters and they all come together very well. A good book to read, and recommende dd for children in grades 5-8. 

Add a comment  (0 comments) posted by Mrs. Rose

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SEPTEMBER 26, 2007
The Light in the Cellar
The Light in the Cellar, an American Girl mystery, stars Molly McIntyre on the home front during World War II.  She partners with Emily, a British girl, who is living with the McIntyres in order to escape dangerous wartime London.  Although Molly would prefer to be a Junior First Aid helper or a plane spotter, she reluctantly joins Emily in delivering used magazines to the patients at a convalescent hospital as her volunteer effort.  There the girls happen upon one clue after another as to who might be stealing various scarce goods, particularly the sugar and flour needed to make cookies for the troops who travel through their town on their way overseas.  They very sensibly seek help as their sleuthing nears its climax.  Author Sarah Buckey has penned another in a series of mysteries sure to interest third to fifth graders.

Add a comment  (0 comments) posted by Mrs. Bedel

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SEPTEMBER 26, 2007
Marisol by Gary Soto
Marisol Luna is a fourth-grade girl who loves to dance.  She takes dance classes and practices all the time.  Her dream is to become a professional dancer.  Marisol is a little concerned when her parents tell her they are moving to the town of Des Plaines outside  the city of Chicago where they have lived.  Marisol will miss her best friend, Sara.  Marisol is very excited when the family moves and she makes a friend with Karen, also a fourth-grade girl who loves to dance!  The surprise and quandary is that no dance classes are available in Des Plaines.  Marisol does not give up her passion to continue dancing.  Find out how she creatively pursues her love of dance, when you read this book.  This book is a multi-cultural, American Girl Today  book  recommended for girls in grades 2-5.

Add a comment  (0 comments) posted by Mrs. G

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SEPTEMBER 21, 2007
Reaching for the Sun by Tracie Vaughn Zimmer
Josie Wyatt is a girl in the seventh grade that understands what it means to be different.  Different is not exactly what one wants to be in the seventh grade.  Josie lives with her mom and grandmother.  They live in an old farmhouse that belongs to Grandma.  Their house is surrounded by large new homes built on the land once owned by Grandma around her farmhouse.  Not only do these things set Josie apart from her typical classmates, but also, Josie was born with cerebral palsy.  She was born with this physical disability and walks differently than others.  Like all seventh grade girls, Josie longs for a good friend.  Josie finds a friend in a young man named Jordan, who has moved in one of the big houses.  Jordan disregards all that makes Josie different and finds ways  that the two can share in friendship.  Jordan is extremely bright, a science nerd.  Does the friendship become a misfit or will it last?  Josies's story is fictional but reads very realistically.  The story is interlinked with free-verse poems.  The story is more relational for girl readers than boys.  Although, boys play an important part of being in the seventh grade!  Appropriate for readers in grades 4-7.

Add a comment  (0 comments) posted by Mrs. G

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SEPTEMBER 21, 2007
In Real Life: Six Women Photographers by Leslie Sills

Six short biographies are included in this compilation of women photographers including Imogen Cunningham, Dorothea Lange, Lola Alvarez Bravo, Carrie Mae Weems, Elsa Dorfman, and Cindy Sherman. Each biography is limited to information about how each woman was led to the profession of photography and  her eventual career as a photographer. Photos from each woman are also included. It is interesting to note how each woman used photography differently, either to bring an issue to the public's attention or to show human emotion, or to make a viewer think and come up with their own conclusion about a photo. A brief explanation of how a camera works appears at the end of the book along with additional resources for each photographer. Suitable for children in grades 4-8 and those interested in photography or career options.

Add a comment  (0 comments) posted by Miss Jennifer

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