Peggy

Peggy: A Brave Chicken on a Big Adventure By: Anna Walker

Peggy lives in the yard and does the same thing every day.  One day a gust of wind carries Peggy to a new place. A place with a lot of people, and none of them will help her find her way home.  Peggy has many adventures in the city, but is lucky to see some sunflowers, like the ones in her yard. Peggy follows them as far as she can, and is still not home. Her pigeon friends find Peggy and help her get the rest of the way. 

This was a cute story.  Elementary school children would love it, even the bigger ones.  Peggy is an adventurer, and it would help with a discussion on what types of adventures the kids would like to go on. The illustrations are beautiful in this book.


I borrowed this from the public library
ISBN: 978-0-544-25900-3

Across The Universe

Across The Universe By: Beth Revis

Amy and her family have been frozen, and will be awoken in three hundred years to start a new colony.  As she is frozen she dreams on.  Elder has only ever known life on the Godspeed.  He is to take the place of Eldest when it is time, and is learning how to run the ship.  When Amy is pulled from her frozen sleep early, things start to change.  It becomes apparent that things are not what they seem on the ship, and the future they were all hoping for may not come true. Amy is going to fight for what she thinks is right, and to stay alive herself.

While I don't know that I really liked this book, I did  not put it down.  I was hooked on finding out the answer to the crimes that were being committed. I wanted to make sure that Amy survived, and wanted to see what she would do as she found out more and more.  I also so hoped throughout the book that Elder would make the right choices. Interesting book.

I borrowed this from the public library
ISBN: 978-1-59514-397-6

George's Secret Key To The Universe

George's Secret Key To The Universe
By: Lucy and Stephen Hawking

George lives a very different life. His parents do not believe in any modern technology, that includes even a phone, a dishwasher, and a washing machine.  All George really wants in life is a computer and he is saving his money for one, but knows it will be a very long wait.  One day George's pet pig escapes into the house of the neighbor, in his hunt for the pig, he meets his new neighbors.  They have what George really wants, a computer, and not just any computer, one that can take George to space! But others are looking for this computer too!

What a great read!! I cannot wait for my kids at home and school to read it.  With a fun imaginative story and facts about space it's a winner!  George's life is so different from all the kids I know, that I know they will love it.  And George's story continues in George's Cosmic Treasure Hunt


This book was donated to my classroom
ISBN: 978-1-4169-8584-6

Waiting For Normal

Waiting For Normal By: Leslie Connor

Addie really wishes that her life could be normal.  It really isn't though, her father died when she was little and her mother has just gotten a divorce from her husband.  Dwight is very nice to Addie and treats her as his own, but she isn't and so instead of moving with him and her little sisters, Addie is forced to live in the tiny trailer with her mother.  Mommers is not great at taking care of Addie and she spends a lot of time alone, but she makes friends with Soula and Eddie that run the gas station next door.  As Addie's mom continues to leave Addie for longer and longer, and Dwight moves away, Addie has to fend for herself, and she gets more and more lonely.

I loved this story, but it broke my heart. I felt so sorry for Addie, she really just wanted a family and know that she was loved and cared for.  She had so many in her life that tried to help her.  I wish every kid in her situation could have the heroes Addie had.

I was given this book.
ISBN: 978-0-06-089090-2

The Birchbark House

The Birchbark House By: Louise Erdrich

This is Omakayas' story.  She lives in her village and works along with the others.  She loves living in the birchbark house more than the cabin for winter.  When everyone in her village gets sick with smallpox, Omakayas does not, and she cares for those around her.   During her growing up she finds out many things about how she can take care of others, how she is connected to the land, and then how Old Tallow was the one who saved her from the village that she was orphaned in.

This was a great read for upper elementary or middle school readers.  It was true to the historic nature of the Native Americans it represented.  The story of Omakayas was a wonderful tale for any young person growing up and one that many could relate to.

I was given this as a gift
ISBN: 0-439-20340-6

Maple

Maple By: Lori Nichols

When Maple was going to be born, her parents planted a tree for her.  Maple loved her tree and spent a lot of time around it.  The only problem was that sometimes a tree is not the best of friends, as it cannot throw snowballs with you and she tried to give her tree someone to play with.  One day a new little tree appears in her yard, and Maple becomes a big sister.  She loves and takes care of her sister, Willow, and they both love to lay underneath their tree.

This is a simple, wonderful story perfect for any age reader.  The illustrations were beautiful.  Lovely book.

I borrowed this from the public library
ISBN: 978-0-399-16085-1

Escape From Memory

Escape From Memory By: Margaret Peterson Haddix

Kira's friends think it would be fun to hypnotize her at a party.  She agrees, but what happens is more than she expects.  She starts getting memories of a time that she doesn't know about in her life.  Determined to get the answers her mother will not get her, Kira sets off to find them.  But when Kira's mother disappears, and a strange women who calls herself Aunt Memory takes Kira she knows something is wrong.  Aunt Memory takes Kira to a strange place Crythe, and tells Kira that it is where she is from.  Luckily for Kira her friend Lynne somehow managed to sneak along for the trip, because they are going to need all the help they can get to escape.

I love Haddix's books, and this one was no different.  I was instantly drawn into the story, because it was so strange that I knew something was up.  The relationship between Kira and her mom was a strange one, and the way her mother acted about everything was off.  As soon as Kira went with Aunt Memory, I knew bad things were going to happen, as who goes with strangers.  Great teen read

I borrowed this from the public library
ISBN: 978-1-4424-4602-1