Bridge to Terabithia

Author: Katherine Patterson
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
Copyright: 1977
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Pages: 128
Reading Level: Ages 9 to 12 (Barnes and Noble)
Summary: This story is about Jess. He wants to be the fastest runner in the fifth grade but when the new girl next door moves in and beats everyone in the races he feels pretty frustrated. At least she beat his biggest competitor too though. Then, when Jess comes to realize how much fun this girl is to be around, and how much she knows they become friends. Jess and Leslie have a special friendship and they play in the woods together swinging on a rope over the creek and turning the other side of the wood into their own secret make-believe land of enchantment and royalty becoming queen and king of their own world. Terabithia, their own kind of Narnia, is where the two friends go and explore and learn and read and create. They work together to overcome major threats like the big school bully, Janice Avery. Leslie helps Jess learn valuable lessons about life and friendship. When one of their favorite teachers calls Jess and asks her to go to Washington with her to see all the sights, Jess thinks of inviting Leslie but then decides against it. When he comes home he finds out that Leslie had gone down to Terabithia and when she swung on the rope it broke and she fell in the creek which was dangerously high because of all the rain they were getting. He finds out that she had drown in the creek. Jess is devastated. One day he goes down and makes a fallen tree into a bridge to Terabithia as he goes to mourn the loss of his friend. His little sister follows him and gets scared crossing the bridge. Jess comes to save her and he realizes the courage that Leslie has given him and all that she has taught him in their time as king and queen of Terabithia. He brings his little sister to Terabithia and names her the new queen of their enchanted land.
Who would you recommend this book to? I would recommend this book to older children. It's fun and has a lot of imagination but younger children may not be ready for the thematic elements of it.
Potential problems or conflicts: The book is a little sad because of the death in the end but I think that even this was done well and was tastefully and carefully written.
My reaction: I really liked this book. Even though it's sad it ends on a hopeful note and it's a good book to show that sometimes life is hard but that we can get through it and learn from our time here.

You're All My Favorites

Author: Sam McBratney
Publisher: Candlewick Press
Copyright: 2004
Genre: Picture/Fiction
Pages: 32
Reading Level: Ages 5 to 8 (Barnes and Noble)
Summary:This is about a family of bears. There are three cubs and each wonders if their parents love the others more than them because of some trait. The first one doesn't have patches like the others, the second is the only girl of the three and the third was smaller than the other two. The parents tell them they are all favorites because they are the perfect first, second and third baby bears no matter what they are like. This satisfies the cubs and they go to sleep.
Who would you recommend this book to? Anyone with more than one child!
Potential problems or conflicts: None
My reaction: I love this book! It's a good story and the illustrations are really cute!

Miss Malarkey Doesn't Live in Room 10

Author: Judy Finchler
Publisher: Walker and Company
Copyright: 1995
Genre: Picture/Fiction
Pages: 32
Reading Level: Ages 5 to 8 (Barnes and Noble)
Summary: The story is told by a boy who believes that his teacher lives at the school. He says that he bets the teachers’ room is where they all sleep and that Miss Malarkey, his teacher does all of her stuff in their classroom, room 10. She just stays there and sets up for school the next day. He says he bets the kids aren’t supposed to go into the teachers’ room because the teachers don’t want them to see their messy room. When Miss Malarkey moves into his apartment complex he is bewildered! His mom bakes cookies and tells him to bring some to his teacher at her apartment. He’s shocked when she answers the door with no shoes on and her toenails painted red. He sees her taking out the garbage which she never does at school because the janitor takes it out. He sees her throwing a party. He learns that she lives just like any normal person. He says next year he won’t be in the same apartments as his teacher though because he’ll have Miss Boba next year and he’s sure she lives in room 12 at the school.
Who would you recommend this book to? I would recommend this book to elementary school children--probably on the younger end.
Potential problems or conflicts: None
My reaction: I kind of liked this book just because it's so silly but it really gets you into the mindset of children.

Leo the Late Bloomer

Author: Robert Kraus
Publisher: Windmill Books
Copyright: 1971
Genre: Picture/Fiction
Pages: 32
Reading Level: Infant to Preschool (Barnes and Noble)
Summary: Leo, the tiger sees all the other animals who know how to read and write and draw and talk. Leo is sad that he doesn’t know how to do any of these things. His mom says he is just a late bloomer and will learn. His dad is a little concerned and watches him. But he doesn’t learn. His mom says he won’t bloom if his dad is watching so his dad watches television instead. Eventually, Leo blooms and learns how to do all these things and then he is very happy.
Who would you recommend this book to? I would recommend this to parents with late bloomers or children with developmental delays.
Potential problems or conflicts: None
My reaction: This book was okay. It had a good message. It would be good for parents to read with their children if they are late bloomers.

Click, Clack, Moo Cows That Type

Author: Doreen Cronin
Publisher: Scholastic Inc.
Copyright: 2000
Genre: Picture/Fiction
Pages: 32
Reading Level: Ages 3 to 7 (Barnes and Noble)
Summary: Farmer Brown’s cows have learned how to type. The cows request that Farmer Brown get them some electric blankets because it’s cold in the barn but Farmer Brown refuses because he says they are cows and should not use electric blankets. So the cows respond by saying that the hens need electric blankets too. Farmer Brown to take away their type-writer. The cows say they will hand over the type-writer if he gets the electric blankets. Farmer Brown agrees and Duck is to deliver the type-writer because he’s a mutual party. Farmer Brown gets the electric blankets and leaves them outside the barn but in return he gets a note that says that the pond is boring and the ducks would like a diving board. The last page shows a duck diving off a diving board into the water.
Who would you recommend this book to? Everyone! Especially young children.
Potential problems or conflicts: None
My reaction: Like I said, I love these books! They are really funny. This one was actually a Caldecott Honor book. No wonder! The illustrations are so cute!

Giggle, Giggle, Quack

Author: Doreen Cronin
Publisher: Scholastic Inc.
Copyright: 2002
Genre: Picture/Fiction
Pages: 32
Reading Level: Ages 3 to 7 (Barnes and Noble)
Summary: Farmer Brown goes on vacation and leaves his brother, Bob, in charge. Farmer Brown tells Bob to watch Duck because he causes problems. Duck writes notes leaving them in place of Farmer Brown’s instructions. Duck’s instructions include things like ordering pizza for the animals (he says the hens prefer anchovies), bathing the pigs with Farmer Brown’s nice towels and bath soap, and movie night in which it’s the cows’ turn to pick. The animals had just sat down to watch the movie when Farmer Brown calls. Duck picks up the phone and Farmer Brown hears the commotion on the other end of the line. He shouts “DUCK!” and Duck holds up a note that says, “It’s for you, Bob.” The last page shows Farmer Brown coming home from vacation very upset.
Who would you recommend this book to? Everyone! Really fun book!
Potential problems or conflicts: None
My reaction: I really like this author! These books are so funny! Lots of fun and great illustrations!