What I read this week

Citation: Aston, D. & Long, S. (2006). An egg is quiet . San Francisco : Chronicle Books. Summary: This is a children's book about eggs. Each page of the book gives information about eggs from the life cycle that takes place inside them to the shapes and sizes of the eggs themselves. Each page has illustrations done scientifically accurately , or noted when they may not be to-size. My thoughts: This is a great informational book for children second grade and older reading on their own, or Kindergarten and older being read to. the book is informational, but still speaks at a child's level of understanding and is eye catching. Quite a fun read. Professional Review: "K-Gr 2-An exceptionally handsome book on eggs, from the delicate ova of the green lacewing to the rosy roe of the Atlantic salmon to the mammoth bulk of an ostrich egg. Aston's simple, readable text celebrates their marvelous diversity, commenting on size, shape, coloration, and where ...

Citation: Zusak, M. (2005) The book thief.  New York : Alfred A. Knopf : Distributed by Random House. Summary: This story is a third person omniscient novel as told by Death. Death tells the story of the book thief, Liesel, who grew up in Nazi Germany. Unlike many novels written about this time, it is not about the concentration camps, though they are mentioned and not glossed over. This is about Liesel, a little girl who lost her family (because her parents were communists and her brother dies on the way there), and was put into the care of Hans and Rosa Hubermann. Liesel's life was pretty simple for a few years, she got a best friend (Rudy) and Hans and Liesel worked on her reading, since she was behind. Then Max comes in the picture. Max is Jewish and the son of the man who saved Hans's life. As the war seems to be progressing it gets more and more dangerous for the Hubermanns to keep Max a secret. My thoughts: What a compelling story. I have read many stories about ...

Citation: Jinks, C. (2008). Evil genius. Boston : Graphia, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. Summary: Cadel Piggot is smart. He is smarter than most adults, in fact. So when he figures out how to start using his smarts to cause trouble, the adults finally start to treat him like a problem. First they take away his computer and make him go to therapy. This happens to be a mistake on their part because the therapist is his biological father's right hand man. Cadel's biological father is an world renowned evil genius and wants to ensure that Cadel is smarter than him but grow in his footsteps. With the help of the right hand man, Thaddeus Roth, Cadel develops his skills as an evil genius and is eventually admitted to an undercover evil genius school. My Thoughts: This story, for the most part, is cute and entertaining, however most of the women mentioned in the story are bland, one-note, stereotypical women. This turned me off of the book after a while. I do not think thi...

Citation: Meyer, M. (2012). Cinder.  New York: Feiwel & Friends. Summary: In a future world, Cinder is a cyborg living with her adoptive father's widow. She's the best mechanic in town. So good, in fact, that the Prince himself brings his own android to be fixed by Cinder. When the plague hits the shop down the street from hers, Cinder sneaks back home and then takes her step sister with her to salvage some pieces for the Prince's android.  The plague then gets her step-sister while they are at the junkyard, and being upset, cinder's stepmom/guardian volunteers her for the draft for cyborgs. Cinder is to go in to help with research on the plague to find a cure. The doctor doing this research discovers that Cinder is immune to the plague meaning she is from the moon, or lunar. Lunar people are feared and illegal on Earth. Cinder keeps running into Kai, the prince, and he eventually asks her, several times to the ball. Cinder knows she won't be able to go...

  Citation: Paulsen, G. (2006). Hatchet. New York: Simon Pulse. Summary:  Brian is flying in a small plane on his way to visit his father when the plane crashes. Stuck alone, after the pilot dies in the crash, in the wilderness, he must learn survival skills and even has time to prioritize his life. He gains skills like starting a fire, in unexpected places and learns how pety his problems really are. My thoughts: Though this is not typically my type of book, I can see the appeal for the reader into introspective books. Brian's struggle with his parents and his desperate attempts to survive, create a great story. I would recommend this to those who enjoy a more intense survival type story. Professional Review: "Gr 8-12 Brian Robeson, 13, is the only passenger on a small plane flying him to visit his father in the Canadian wilderness when the pilot has a heart attack and dies. The plane drifts off course and finally crashes into a small lake. Miraculously ...

Citation: Thomas, A. (2017). The hate u give. New York, NY: HaperCollins Summary:  Starr lives in the "poor" neighborhood, but goes to a school in the suburbs. She attends a party with her half sister and runs into an old friend, Kahlil. When gunshots are fired at the party, Starr and Kahlil run out of the party and Kahlil drives home. On their way home, a police officer pulls them over and kills Kahlil, despite him being unarmed and following his directions. The story follows Starr in the aftermath of her friend becoming a hashtag, of her choosing to keep her secret, and of the decision of the courts. My thoughts: I haven't cried because of a book in a long time, but this one got me several times. A gut wrenching tale that puts you in the shoes of someone dealing directly with police violence, why you might stay silent, speak up, or even get violent in these occasions. The book also deals a lot with racism obviously and how to navigate being an ally, through St...

Citation: Stead, P. C. (2016). Ideas are all around . New York, NY: Roaring Book Press.  Summary: This is book is written in the first person. Wednesday, the author's dog, wants the author to stop writing and go for a walk.  The author has no idea what to write about so he complies. They run into great friends, things, and ideas. One friend, Barbara, reminds the author that Ideas are all around. My Thoughts:  This book is fun. The art in the picture book is beautiful and the story is great. This is the book for those who need inspiration, a nice reminder for those of us who think we run out of ideas or have no ideas. Professional review: " K-Gr 3-What does a writer do when ideas elude him? He allows his adorable canine to tempt him outdoors for a walk. Stead writes in the first person, describing settings and the characters he meets: a turtle he calls Frank, who "makes quick for the dark water and disappears"; ducks who withhold any advice the...