Module 8- Mystery: The Trouble With Chickens: A J.J Tully Mystery by Doreen Cronin

*Summary:

JJ Tully is a retired search and rescue dog who has found himself enjoying a retirement in the country, when he is approached by a chicken who has lost one of her chicks. She offers JJ a cheeseburger for his help in finding the lost chick. JJ follows many clues that lead him to Vince the Funnel, an inside dog who has it out for JJ. Yet, nothing is as it seems, and each character has their own agenda.

*Bibliography:

Cronin, D., & Cornell, K. (2011). The trouble with chickens: a J.J. Tully mystery. New York, NY: Balzer + Bray.

*My Rating:

Out of all the mystery books I read this week, I waited to read this one last. I thought that it would be predictable and silly. I was wrong! This was such a refreshing read for me! I loved the silliness in this book and the mystery had me guessing the whole time. Kids would love this book and it had me laughing out loud more than one time. Also, the illustrations were really funny.

*Review:

JJ. Tully, retired search-and-rescue dog, is one tough cookie - laconic, unflappable, and master of speech noir: "Sometimes there's a plan, sometimes there's only adrenaline. Sometimes adrenaline is all you need." He is lured out of retirement by a determined chicken who promises him a cheeseburger if he'll take on the case of her kidnapped offspring. The perp is Vince the Funnel, who looks like "a cross between a dachshund and a lamp" (he's a wiener dog with a cone on his head), and the victims (or so we think) are a couple of chicks, Poppy and Sweetie. Perfect pacing and reliably placed zinger lines keep us engaged and pulled into the next short chapter. A genial denouement involving the pleasures of community and the power of reading is fully earned. Tidily embedded clues, a generous scattering of vignette and full-page illustrations, a dandy plot twist, and a cast of hilarious characters add up to a treat of particular delight to fans of the mystery genre, dog lovers, and the chicken positive. SARAH ELLIS

Ellis, S. (2011). The trouble with chickens: A J.J. tully mystery. The Horn Book Magazine, 87(2), 113-114. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/852999894?accountid=7113

*Uses in a library:

A librarian could use this book to create a mystery program at the library. Kids could look for clues throughout the library that lead to this particular book. The first to get there could win a prize. 
Here is a book trailer from this book that the author has created: 
http://readinginaction.org/bookcasts/trouble-chickens-jj-tully-mystery

Module 8- Mystery: Hostage by Willo Davis Roberts

*Summary:

Kaci loves to read books with tons of action and adventure, but when this adventure enters her own life she is not so thrilled. Kaci's family is moving away from the home where he has grown up because the neighborhood is getting "too dangerous." The new home where they are moving is in a beautiful neighborhood that seems safe, calm, and quiet. The only thing wrong with the new house is the pesky next door neighbor who is in everyone's business. One day, Kaci has to run home from school to get her allergy medication in the middle of the day and it met with surprise by a group of robbers who are in her home. Kaci is taken hostage, along with her next door neighbor. The book follows Kaci throughout her ordeal and Kaci and the neighbor are eventually found unharmed.

*Bibliography:

Roberts, W. D. (2000). Hostage. New York: Atheneum Books for Young Readers.

*My Rating:

I thought this book was okay. As a kid, I probably would have liked this book, but as an adult I found the story line rather predictable. There were some moments of suspense, but these were short-lived. Also, I did not find the main character all that lovable. The book was good, but not great, to me.

*Reviews:

Gr 4-7-Kaci's family's new house has everything-bathrooms and bedrooms for everyone, room for her brother's grand piano-and a sense of security lacking in her old community. Shortly after the move, Kaci goes home in the middle of the school day to get her allergy medication and stumbles upon a burglary in progress. The robbers kidnap her, and when a nosy neighbor suspects that something is wrong and tries to help, they take her as well. At first, Kaci discounts Mrs. Banducci's ability to help them escape, but quickly discovers that the elderly woman not only has some good suggestions, but also helps the girl keep up her courage. By the time they are rescued, the two have become friends and Kaci has discovered the value of faith and resourcefulness. Roberts blends an exciting, well-crafted plot with strong characters. As in Pawns (Atheneum, 1998), her emphasis on friendship, trust, and respect between older adults and teenagers provides a welcome change from much young adult literature. Without being preachy, she also introduces the idea of a sustaining faith in God. Fast paced and entertaining.-Janet Hilbun, formerly at Sam Houston Middle School, Garland, TX

Hilbun, J. (2000). Hostage. School Library Journal, 46(2), 125-126. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/211723757?accountid=7113

**BEST BOOK REVIEW EVER…NOT JUST DIGGING FOR BROWNIE POINTS PROFESSOR HILBUN ;)  

 

*Uses in a library:
This book could be used in a library scavenger hunt. Library patrons could search for clues that include excerpts or quotes from the book. 

Module 7- Informational Nonfiction/Biography: Manjiro: The Boy Who Risked his Life for Two Countries by Emily Arnold McCully

*Summary:

In this book, a young Japanese boy whose father has died goes on a fishing boat to earn extra income for his family. At the time, Japan has a creed that anyone who leaves Japan cannot come back. Manjiro and his stranded shipmates wait for a boat to save them, but they know they will not be able to return home. Instead, the crew is taken to America and the captain of the ship takes Manjiro as his own son. In the states Manjiro learns about ships and navigation; but all the while he dreams of being re-united with his mother in Japan. Manjiro eventually saves enough money to sail back to Japan, hoping that he will be allowed to re-enter the country. Manjiro teaches the Japanese the knowledge of technologies he has learned in America and helps Japan and America set up peaceful trades.

*Bibliography:

McCully, E. A. (2008). Manjiro: the boy who risked his life for two countries. New York: Farrar Straus Giroux.

*My Rating:

I thought this book was interesting. I'm not much of a history buff, so I had never heard of many of the concepts in this books. The book was well written, but honestly did not really catch my attention all that much.

*Reviews:

McCully traces the adventures of Manjiro, the nineteenth-century Japanese teen who went to sea on a fishing boat, was swept away in a storm with his comrades, and was stranded on an island until their rescue by a passing whaler. One might expect that a voyage home would be all that stood between the fishermen and a happy ending, but a Japanese edict dating from 1638 that made travel outside Japan punishable by death made the men fearful of returning. Manjiro, who was a quick study in both English language and the workings of a Western ship, chose to stay with his rescuer, Captain Whitfield, and relocate to America, where he overcame the suspicious, often bigoted attitudes of his new neighbors and became a respected member of the community. Homesickness finally drove him to make his way back to Japan, where he was imprisoned, interrogated, and eventually released to the family he left nine years before. A detailed note continues his story into adulthood, when Manjiro became an emissary between America and his Westernizing homeland, but McCully wisely focuses her picture-book text on the castaway adventure and risky journey home, leaving subsequent international matters for a later exploration. Text is lengthier and typeface smaller than one expects in picture-book format, but the narration is smooth and the watercolor scenes that span two continents and a roiling ocean are rendered in engrossing detail. A map, bibliography, and thumbnail photograph of adult Manjiro are inclusions that will make this title as welcome to social studies teachers as it will be to armchair adventurers.

Bush, E. (2008). Manjiro: The boy who risked his life for two countries. Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, 62(2), 87. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/223697708?accountid=7113

*Uses in a library:

As a librarian I would probably not use this book in a story time as, in my opinion, there are more fast-paced books that kids might like better. If a librarian keeps a blog or suggest books on the web, this could be included as a suggested book. This would be a good way to introduce the topic of trading to young readers.

Module 7- Informational Nonfiction/Biography: Fabulous! A Portrait of Andy Warhol by Bonnie Christensen

*Summary:

This book gives a biography of the famous pop artist Andy Warhol’s life. The child of immigrant parents and the sibling of two brothers, Andy grew up in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in a two room apartment. Andy was always small and frail for his age, and on the first day of school a girl hit him and Andy cried and refused to go back. Andy’s teachers recognized his artistic abilities and helped him cultivate his love of drawing. However, in the third grade Andy became ill with a disease called Sain Vitus’s dance, which caused severe muscle spasms and permanently blotchy skin. As Andy grew up, he was relentlessly teased and called a sissy. Andy was able to escape the pain through his art, and he eventually graduated from Art school and hopped on the first train available to New York City. NYC was a whole different world. Here, Andy achieved instant success and fame. His most popular works included his painting of the Campbell’s Soup cans and his portraits. Andy then enjoyed a life of fame and notoriety. 

*Bibliography:

Christensen, B. (2011). Fabulous: a portrait of Andy Warhol. New York: Henry Holt and Co..

*My Rating:

 I learned a lot about Andy Warhol that I did not know from this book. I tend to enjoy informational books that are in a narrative form, so this book was right up my alley. The illustrations in the book were so great! I think kids would really enjoy this book, and the possibilities of its uses in the library and classroom seem endless.

*Reviews:

This biography of Warhol focuses on his youth and uses very little of his art, relying instead on mixed media to show Andy's surroundings. It begins in New York City in 1966, where Andy was a star, then flashes back to his beginnings in Pittsburgh, PA. Andy is portrayed as quiet and different, a good observer and very much true to himself. Once he left Pittsburgh, he found work as a commercial artist and then evolved into the well-known Andy Warhol. The book contains a lengthy author's note, bibliography and timeline and complements other Warhol biographies. Betsy Russell, Media Specialist, Bradley Elementary School, Columbia, South Carolina

Russell, B. (2011). Fabulous!: A Portrait of Andy Warhol. Library Media Connection, 30(2), 83.

Christensen masterfully portrays Warhol's life from the time he was an ashy, sickly, bullied child who drew constantly to keep himself company to his later years as a pop culture icon. In particular, the story focuses on his growth as an artist, discussing his college years, his success as a commercial artist in New York, and his dreams of something more - to have his art displayed in fine galleries and to experience the fame and admiration that accompanies such work. Replicas of Warhol's paintings appear in the superb illustrations, which are collaged photo transfers on canvas, painted in oils. Readers will marvel at the endpaper illustrations of Campbell's soup cans, the Marilyn Monroe portraits on the cover, and Warhol's face repeated on the page opposite the title page, all rendered in the style of his art.

Wendelin, K. (2011). Fabulous! A portrait of andy warhol. School Library Monthly, 28(3), 42. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/1018180018?accountid=7113

*Uses in a library:

Kids would LOVE reading this biographical tale of Warhol’s life. A librarian could put together an art program that begins with a reading of this book. The librarian could ask a local artist to come and discusses art and then leads a class about painting. In my area, there are a lot of those “Painting With a Twist Studios” that might be a good place to get a volunteer artist to teach the class. The kids could create their own “Warhol style” portrait.

Module 6- Historical Fiction: The Dreamer by Pam Munoz Ryan

*Summary:

In this book, the reader watches as a young Chilean boy grows up right before our eyes. Neftali is a sutterting, sickly, perpetual daydreamer; all qualities his father hates. Neftali's father wants him to grow strong and become a doctor. As Neftali grows older the reader sees him begin to grow as a writer and as a thinker. The book includes images that portray the boy's daydreams and poems and phrases that float throughout Neftali's mind. Neftali is happiest when he is left alone to explore, draw, and write. However, he wants nothing more than his father's approval. At a family vacation to the ocean, Neftali begins to realize that he does not need his father's approval, only his own. This is the turning point where Neftali begins to follow his own path. After becoming an apprentice at his uncle's newspaper, Neftali grows his talent as a writer; to his father's dismay. Eventually, the reader finds out that Neftali is actually the famous Chilean writer who goes by the pen name of Pablo Neruda.

*Bibliography:

Ryan, P. M., & Sís, P. (2010). The dreamer. New York: Scholastic Press.

*My Rating:

This was one of my favorite books I have read for this course so far. I loved the interspersion of images, phrases, and poems throughout the book. I felt like the format really followed Pablo Neruda's mind. I felt like I was in his head. I also loved that Pam Munoz Ryan waited until the end of the story to reveal the who Neftali really was-- Pablo Neruda.

*Review:

A shy, stuttering, daydreaming child blossoms into an influential poet in this skillfully crafted fictional biography of the Nobel Prize–winning Chilean writer Pablo Neruda. Told through stories, bits of poetry, and interwoven illustrations, the book follows Neftalí (Neruda's given name) through childhood, focusing on small incidents with large significance, such as Neftalí's lifelike daydreams, a toy sheep gifted through a hole in the fence between backyards, and his grief after an unsuccessful attempt to save an injured swan. The author traces influences on Neruda's writing, from his father's strict countenance and near-abusive demands, to a love letter that spurred Neftalí's interest in writing, and to his early political activism while working for his uncle's newspaper. Ryan's writing is fittingly poetic, echoing the voice of Neruda through bits of original poetry and evocative questions modeled after The Book of Questions, such as "Is fire born of words? Or words born of fire?" Delicate and pointillistic, Sís' art provides a dreamlike, almost surrealistic, backdrop for the story, reflecting plot points and expanding beyond them, breathing life into ideas. The attention to detail reflects a careful regard for Neruda; for instance, both art and text are printed in green ink (Neruda's preferred color because to him it represented hope), and Neftalí's stepmother is referred to as Mamadre (the family's nickname for her). While the considerable length contrasts with the fairly young-aimed text, the story is a readable blend of fiction and biography. The representation is impressionistic rather than expository; without the author's note or prior knowledge of Neruda, a reader might not easily identify this as biographical material. This is a striking, loving portrait, which does justice to Neruda's life and also stands as an accomplished work of art in its own right. An author's note and small selection of Neruda's poems are included.

Hommel, M. (2010). The dreamer. Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, 63(11), 498-499. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/609963229?accountid=7113

 

*Uses in a library:
A librarian could create a bulletin board featuring this book. The board could include quotes and some poems and images from the book. This display would make students more interested in reading the book. Also, the librarian could get an expert on Latin American history to come lead a short discussion and read excerpts.