Geronimo's Valentine

Author: Geronimo Stilton (Elisabetta Dami's pen name)

Published: In 2009 by Scholastic

ISBN: 978-0545021364

Synopsis: 

      Geronimo's Valentine is the 36th volume in the Geronimo Stilton Series.  Geronimo is a publisher of The Rodent's Gazette, the most "famouse" newspaper on Mouse Island, but his true passion lies in writing adventure stories.  He's a shy fellow who seems to have a knack for finding trouble everywhere he goes and this Valentine's Day is no different.  All his well thought out plans are ruined after he receives an urgent call from his detective friend Hercule Poirat.  "Stilton, I need your help solving a Cheesecake Mystery," Hercule says and before he knows it Geronimo is once again swept up into another crazy, "fabumouse" adventure!  Join Geronimo as he relays his tale through colorful illustrations and uniquely printed text. 

 

My Reaction:

     When I happened upon Geronimo Stilton in a bookstore one day I knew I had found something I had to read.  I was hooked by the colorful and unique fonts used by the author to  emphasize certain words and phrases.  I had never encounter a book written in such an engaging way.  So, of course I immediately paid a visit to my public library.  Although the characters are a bit one dimensional and the mystery plot is formulaic I can't help but love this book.
      Geronimo Stilton is an endearing character with a charming voice.  His first person account makes the story entertaining and adds a personal touch. While reading this book I found myself completely engrossed in the story.  But what is it about this book that is so appealing?  In truth it's really just another story about human-like mice living in a mouse town where strange things are sure to happen.  And yet, it's a bestseller.
      I think the appeal for adults and children alike, rests in the very unique style of these books.   The colorful fonts immediately grab your attention.  I feel like they could make even the most hesitant reader want to know more because it makes the words less intimidating.  The poignant color choices help young readers better comprehend the story, because the selected fonts can act as context clues for certain words and phrases.  The font also helps the reader recognize and identify the current mood and feelings of Geronimo Stilton, the narrator of the story.  For instance, every time Geronimo gets hurt a word like "OUUUUUCH!!!" appears in big squiggly red letters.  Similarly, the reader is able to infer, based on the color and font of the words  Geronimo uses to describe his Valentine's Day plans, that Geronimo is feeling particularly romantic at the start of the book.
     Overall, I think this is a wonderful transitional series for children who enjoyed reading graphic novels like Babymouse.  Geronimo Stilton books rely on illustrations similar to those in these graphic novels, however unlike graphic novels, their is full paragraph narration.  This allows children to adjust to reading a chapter books while still have visual supports to help them comprehend the story.  I hope others enjoy these charming, little books as much as I do.
  

My Rating (1-5 stars):

 

 Still Curious: 

On each of the Geronimo Stilton books the author is officially listed as Geronimo Stilton, the mouse himself.  As much as we'd all like this to be true, it's impossible to not wonder who the real person is behind the words.  Well I'm here to give you an answer.  Her name is Elisabetta Dami and according to The Geronimo Stilton News Site she is an author in Italy.  

For more information about other Geronimo books and similar series visit Geronimo Stilton's World

You can also check out this episode of Geronimo's very own TV show:

 

Just Being Audrey

Author: Margaret Cardillo

Illustrator: Julia Denos

Published: In 2011 by Balzer + Bray

ISBN:  978-0061852831

Synopsis: 

    Welcome to Just Being Audrey; a delightful picturebook biography about the life of the well renowned and celebrated actress Audrey Hepburn.  Although Audrey is famous for her acting career few people may know that as a child she always aspired to be a ballerina, she even held dance performance to raise money for Resistance troops during World War II!  To get acquainted with Audrey for who she was beyond her films just take a peak at this exquisitely illustrated book.  

  

 

 

 

My Reaction: 

    I'd always seen Audrey Hepburn as a wonderful actress so it was a shear delight to realize she was an upstanding citizen as well.  Just Being Audrey is a truly marvelous book.  The illustrations in it are beautiful, as you can see.  They capture the whimsical essence of Audrey Hepburn and her free-spirited, "do my own thing" attitude.  The illustrator, Julia Denos, spent hours doing research before she put pen to paper.  She "pored over Audrey's films, read her biographies, studied her costumes, [and] heard her interviews."  Therefore, it's not surprising, that she was able to portray Audrey so flawlessly.

     The book's narration was just as meticulously researched.  A bibliography was included at the back of the book, which really impressed me.  So far I have not encountered many books that include a complete bibliography.  Most of the author and illustrators references were biographies about Audrey Hepburn, but one in particular stuck out to me.  It was Audrey Hepburn's Official Website.  I was really excited about this one because it gave me a chance to examine this resource first hand from the comforts of my home.  Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this story about Audrey growing up and becoming who she wanted to be.  I hope you will enjoy it just as much as me. 

 

My Rating (1-5 stars):

 

Still Curious: 

 

Audrey Hepburn has an amazing website.  On this page you can navigate through a timeline of her life complete with real pictures!

You can also watch this documentary about Audrey Hepburn (note it is in three parts):

 

Part 2

Part 3

 

 

Who Was Sacagawea?

Author: Dennis Brindell Fradin and Judith Bloom

Illustrator: Val Paul Taylor

Published: In 2002 by Grosset & Dunlap

ISBN: 978-0448424859

Synopsis: 

      On April 7, 1805 a sixteen-year-old Shoshone girl named Sacagawea (Sa KA ga WE a), along with her husband and infant son, joined William Clark, Meriwether Lewis and 43 other men on one of the most important American expeditions of all time.  It is known today as the Lewis and Clark expedition.  Over the next year Sacagawea would prove herself to be an indispensable asset to the team.  She would rescue their supplies, help them converse with different Native American peoples and even find food.  Today she is still honored and remembered for her actions.  Mountains in four different states have been named after her, there are a number of statues of her across the country, and her face even appears on our golden dollar coins.   But who was this girl really?  Where did she come from?  How long did she live?  And what happened to her during the other twenty-four years of her life?  If your interested take a look at Who Was Sacagawea?  It is an informative biography of Sacagawea's life, from the time she was born in either 1789 or 1790 to her death in 1812.

 

My Reaction: 

      I've never been a fan of biographies because they often feel like they just drag on and on to me.  I think it has something to do with the writing style.  In order to try and maintain historical accuracy biographies avoid telling anything but the direct truth.  For me this ends up feeling like a string of facts without a real context.  When I read books I want to be transported to another time or place.  I think that's why historical fiction has always interested me more than nonfiction.  In historical fiction the authors are aloud to give the people thoughts and a more realistic, though possibly inaccurate, voice.  Unfortunately, because of this personal characterstic I didn't particularly enjoy reading Who Was Sacagawea? 

Illustration on pages 28-29

    The experience was made worse by the fact that many of the illustrations did not match the information on the page.  In fact, in many cases the illustrations really detracted from my reading experience.  Often I found myself confused by them.  For instance at the end of chapter two the illustrator includes a two page cross section of the "Interior of [a] Mandan Earth Lodging;" it depicts an earthen dwelling built by the Mandan people (28-29).  The illustration itself is labeled and fairly informative, however nowhere in the previous chapter had the author mentioned the Mandan people.  They had discussed the construction of Fort Mandan, "a cluster of cabins" that Lewis and Clark built and lived in during the winter of 1804-1805.  However, if you look at the illustration it is obviously not depicting the Fort, since there are no European Americans included in the picture and the dwelling is clearly not a log cabin.  Therefore, when I turned to this picture I was perplexed.  I thought that maybe I had misunderstood who lived at Fort Mandan.  I ended up skimming the whole chapter again in an effort to find the mysterious Mandan people.  A few pages later, in chapter three I finally found them.  This example demonstrates how poorly integrated the illustrations are in the text.  There were a number of inaccuracies depicted in them as well.  At one point the author describes how Sacagawea's baby's "cradle board was swept away," in a flash flood forcing Sacagawea to carry her son in her arms, but in the next illustration of Sacagawea and her son, there he is strapped in the cradle board on her back (49, 54).
      These inconsistencies were very disappointing.  However, it is important to recognize the fact that the narration in the book is very well researched.  It provided a number of details that I had not encountered when I researched Sacagawae and the Lewis and Clark expedition in sixth grade.  I was pleased to learn about some of the other travelers, such as Clark's slave, York, and the Dog Seaman, who also traveled on the journey.  Furthermore, the authors do a good job of providing phonetic pronunciation for Native American names and words.  But best of all the utilize primary sources; they include actual excerpts from Clark's traveling journal as evidence!  I loved this aspect of the book because who could be a better authority of the Lewis and Clark expedition than William Clark himself?  I also think it a great way to expose children to primary source documents.  It's a pity the illustrations were not as carefully thought out.

 

My Rating (1-5 stars):

 

Still Curious:

If you watch this video you can listen to a biography of Sacagawea's role during the Lewis and Clark expedition as well as hear how her name is supposed to be pronounced.

Judy Moody Was in a Mood

Author: Megan McDonald

Illustrator: Peter H. Reynolds

Published: In 2000 by Candlewick Press

ISBN: 978-0763606855

Synopsis: 

      For Judy Moody nothing could be worse than end of summer and the first day of school in a a new seat in a new classroom with a new teacher and no pet porcupine named Roger.  The very idea of it put her in a mood, not a good mood, but a bad, mad-faced mood.  Judy Moody was not excited to start the third grade.  However, once the school year begins she quickly discovers that things may not be quite as bad as they appeared.  Sometimes the worst situation results in something better than you ever anticipated.  Meet this aspiring young doctor with attitude in a fun tale filled with exotic pets, secret clubs and hilarious experiences! 

 

My Reaction: 

      Judy Moody is quite a character!  She's the embodiment of a new third grader; spunky, self-assured and just a little bit grouchy when things don't go her way.  All of her problems, though they might seem slight to an adult, are ones that I can remember being very preoccupied with when I was younger.  Where you sit in the classroom, what you wear on the first day of school and what kind of crazy adventures you'd had over the summer all matter immensely to elementary-aged children because they have a powerful sway over early peer relationships.  Based on my memories, I know my friends and I were always looking for the newest, most exciting and daring stories we could find.  A story like Judy's, about eating shark, would have become the talk of the town around my friends. 
         The way Judy approaches life greatly resembles my memories of third grade and I believe they probably parallel many students' experiences today.  The emotional moods she encounters throughout the book mirror emotions many young students have faced themselves.  Furthermore, her fascination with rare and exotic rainforest animals, such as her pet Venus Flytrap Jaws, and her obsession with collecting things, like broken doll parts and different types of band-aides are qualities that I believe many children can relate to.  I know I certainly could have.  In third grade I was obsessed with collecting discarded pencil lead.  Every time one of my friends' pencils broke I would scoop up the lead and put it inside my portable pencil sharpener.  By the end of the year I had quite a collection, the colored pencil tips were the ones I coveted the most because the bright colors contrasted beautifully against the dull grey of most pencil lead. 
       For these reasons I feel Judy Moody Was in a Mood is an excellent piece of realistic fiction for newly independent readers.  It utilizes realistic situations, that many children have experienced themselves, in fun and adventurous context that children when enjoy reading.

My Rating (1-5 stars):

 

Judy Moody and her little brother Stink

Still Curious:

Did you know Judy Moody's Birthday is April 1st!?! It's not a joke.  You can learn more interesting facts about Judy and find other Judy Moody books.  It even has a section with activity ideas and teaching guides for parents and teachers! In Judy's words "it's a really Rare and awesome place to visit."  Click on the link below and you'll be transported to the world of Judy Moody!

Judy Moody's Rare and Awesome Website

 Would you like your very own pet Venus Flytrap?  PetFlytrap.com is a website devoted to selling carnivorous and other unusual plants, like Judy's favorite pet Jaws. 

There's also a Movie:

Judy Moody and the NOT Bummer Summer

 

 

 

 

Busy Boats

Author: Tony Mitton

Illustrator: Ant Parker

Published: In 2005 by Kingfisher

ISBN: 978-0753459164

Synopsis: 

     Busy Boats is an enjoyable way to introduce your child to the characteristics of many types of ships.

                                                                       Boats

                                                                       Are discussed

                                                                       Some with motors,

                                                                       Some with only sails, 

                                                                       Some that simply float

                                                                       Some the size of whales 

                                                                       Not only does it illustrate

                                                                               These many types of ships;

 it  also tells of how their used and where they take their trips. 

 It's   prefect  for  the  one  who  dreams  of  sailing  out  to   sea, 

or for the child who's never chanced to step beyond the trees.  

With bright pictures and enchanting rhyme,

 you'll want to read it one more time.

So go ahead and take a peak 

at this charming, book.

 It's quite unique.  

 

My Reaction: 

      If you want in depth information about ships this book is definitely not for you.  However, if you're looking for a basic information about the different parts of a ship, how a ship works and what the different types of ships are used for you've found a good place to start.  Busy Boats does an excellent job of providing basic facts in a memorable way.  For instance, Mitton uses the rhyme

"A boat sits on the water
like an empty bowl or cup.
It's hollow and it's full of air
and that's what keeps it up," 

to help explain to young children how boats are able to stay a float on top of the water.  The clear rhythm and fun rhymes will increase the likelihood of children revisit the book and therefore the information multiple times.  The increased exposure will help children retain the information they encounter.
    The illustrations in the book also help make the information more salient, because each individual illustration focuses on a separate type of boat; for example when the author discusses fishing boats the illustration only includes depictions of fishing boats.  By organizing the book so that each page deals with one type of ship, the author and illustrator highlight the differences between each boat.
        All in all, I think this is a wonderfully designed book for very young children.  It is well researched, seeing as the National maritime Museum in Greenwich, England helped develop the book, but it does not overwhelm readers with complicated or unnecessary facts.  It also includes a short picture dictionary at the end of the book to further explain the different parts of a ship, such as the anchor, propellers and oars, for any child who wants more detailed information.  Busy Boats is an endearing little information book that is joy to read.

 

My Rating (1-5 stars):

 

Still Curious: 

 If you liked Busy Boats take a look at some of the other books created by this author and illustrator team:

            Amazing Airplanes                              Terrific Trains                                Flashing Fire Engines

We Are Extremely Very Good Recyclers

Author: Lauren Child and Bridget Hurst

Illustrator: Tiger Aspect

Published: In 2009 by Dial

ISBN: 978-0803733350

Synopsis: 

      We Are Extremely Very Good Recyclers is an engaging and instructive story about two lovable siblings: Charlie and his younger sister Lola.  One day Lola decides she is not going to keep all the random things she has been collecting, like old boxes and broken toys, but before she can throw them away Charlie stops her and suggests that she recycle some of the things instead.  Unfortunately, Lola has never heard of recycling before, so she has no idea how to do it.  Luckily that's what big brothers are for!  Join Lola and Charlie to learn about why recycling is important, what can be recycled and how you can help recycle too! 

 

My Reaction: 

      I love this book!  It does an excellent job of breaking the practice of recycling down into a concrete and digestible form for young readers.  Students can easily comprehend the present tense narration in the story.  While the easily identified and common place objects included in the illustrations build on students preexisting knowledge.  I think one of my favorite images is toward the beginning, when Charlie explains to Lola why recycling is so important.  I think the "massive, huge pile of garbage" depicted in this illustration is a powerful visual representation of the world's waste problem.  It places it in a concrete and visual context that they can easily understand.
     Another way Extremely Very Good Recyclers draws in readers is by focusing on Lola's growing excitement and activism as she explores the process of recycling.  Children who have little to no experience with recycling can connect to Lola's discoveries and growing excitement.  As Lola brings the information she has learned to school the other students' excitement and anticipation is almost palpable as the pass the message "I want to do recycling... pass it on."  When I read this passage I could imagine a class of kindergartners sitting in a circle together noisily chanting "I want to do recycling too!" me it felt like the authors were inviting students to participate.  That's what I really love about this book.  It is written with the intention of engaging students.  It allows students to decide, like Lola, that they want to make a difference in the world.
   As an added bonus, the book includes a checklist of "espeically good promises to help you look after you planet," on the bright green endpapers at the start and end of the book.  Overall, I think this is an excellent teaching tool for teacher and parents alike.

 

My Rating (1-5 stars):

 

Still Curious: 

How good are you at categorizing different recyclable items?  Hone your skills by playing a recycling game on Charlie and Lola's website :)  To get to the game click on the link "fun stuff" and then on the computer monitor when it says "Planet"

Mummies

Author: Joyce Milton

Illustrator: Susan Swan

Published: In 1996 by Penguin Young Readers

ISBN: 978-0448413259

Synopsis: 

      Want to know something about Ancient Egyptian burials?  Take a look at Mummies level three Easy Reader book.  It provides information on the construction of the pyramids and the process of mummification.  It also discusses modern peoples' change in attitude toward the use and study of Ancient Egyptian mummies.

My Reaction:

Here's an example of one of the illustrations in Mummies 

      Mummies is perfect for newly independent readers because it uses commonly encountered and easily understood vocabulary. Furthermore, it directly defines any new vocabulary that it presents, such as "natron," and provides phonetic pronunciations for each foreign term, like "pharaohs" (say: FA-rows) or "Khufu" (say: KOO-foo). Mummies is written with children in mind. By using a child's vocabulary and relate-able explanations, Mummies can convey complex historic, scientific and ritualistic concepts to children in a clear and accessible way. They will not need to ask adults to translate the information into words that they can understand. In this way it allows the student to take control of their knowledge acquisition. Furthermore, the book uses direct questions and answers and attractive cut-paper illustrations to engage the reader. If you take a look at the example illustration on the left you will notice that they greatly resemble actual Egyptian art, depicted below. This acknowledgement of Ancient Egyptian art is an excellent addition to the book because it exposes students to a culturally accurate and specific art style.     

Here's an example of actual Ancient Egyptian Art

 

     Reviewers offer a few criticisms about the breadth of facts included in Mummies. Many people wish Milton had included more information. The School Library Journal stated it that it was unfortunate that "the author does not explain when pharaohs began and ceased building pyramids, and when modern adventurers and archaeologists started exploring and studying these historical artifacts." I agree that it would have been beneficial for the author to incorporate some kind of concrete timeline for students, so they could better understand when these events occurred within history.

       Despite this critique, I feel Mummies is an excellent resource for teaching students about how and why the pyramids were constructed. It appears to be a well-researched book, however nothing other than an inscription thanking James F. Romano, PhD; Curator, Department of Egyptian, Classical and Ancient Middle Eastern Art at the Brooklyn Museum, is included to indications where and how the information reported in this book was collected.

My Rating (1-5 stars):

Still Curious: 

If you want to know more interesting information about Mummies check out this website

You can also investigate some of these other resources:

Secrets of the Mummies                                             National Geographic Kids Readers: Mummies