Module 8 - Gregor the Overlander

Citation: Collins, S. (2003). Gregor the Overlander. New York, NY: Scholastic.

Book Summary: Gregor is disappointed when he does not get to go to summer camp because he has to care for his younger sister, Boots.  Things get interesting when Gregor and his sister find themselves in an unfamiliar land known as the Underland.  While in the Underland, he realizes he is the chosen one to fulfill a prophecy that will ultimately lead to him being reunited with his father.  While in the Underland, he has interactions with giant bats, rats, roaches, and spiders, and has to befriend them in order to help them on his quest.

My Impressions: I usually do not care much for science fiction books, but there was something about this book that kept me interested.  I love how Gregor looked after his sister and took such good care of her, even during the strangest of circumstances.  Kids love how the roaches think of Boots as a princess because of the way she smells when her diaper is dirty.  This book leaves readers in suspense and rooting for Gregor to fulfill the prophecy so he can be reunited with his father and return home.  There are many twists and turns along the way that keeps the book interesting! 

Professional Review: Gr 4-8-- In this accessible, almost-cinematic fantasy, Gregor and his two-year-old sister fall into an amazing underground world. Taken in by people who have lived beneath the earth for centuries, the 11-year-old learns about the giant-sized talking creatures that also reside there, including bats, cockroaches, and vicious rats. Gregor just wants to get home, but a prophecy hints that he may be the "overlander" destined to save the humans from the warlike rodents. He is reluctant until he learns that his father, who disappeared from their New York City home a few years before, is a prisoner of the rats. Gregor is not an eager hero, but with common sense, quick thinking, and determination he grows into the role. His sister, who provides some comic relief, also plays a key part because of her ability to befriend creatures, especially the giant cockroaches. Plot threads unwind smoothly, and the pace of the book is just right. Exciting scenes and cliff-hanger chapters are balanced by decisions and interactions that drive the action. Gregor is not the most compelling figure at first, but as the story progresses he becomes more interesting, maturing through the challenges he faces. Supporting characters are generally engaging, particularly the enigmatic warrior rat that claims to support the protagonist's mission. This is an engrossing adventure for fantasy fans and for those new to the genre.

Engelfried, S. (2003, November). [Review of the book Gregor the Overlander, by S. Collins]. School Library Journal. . Retrieved from www.schoollibaryjournal.com

Library Uses: This would be a good book to use for a contest where patrons could design a poster advertising the book.  It would be interesting to see their illustrations of all the Underland creatures.  

Module 7 - There's a Boy in the Girls' Bathroom

Citation: Sachar, L. (1987). There's a boy in the girls bathroom. New York, NY: Knopf.

Book Summary: Bradley Chalkers is a loner who is misunderstood by his classmates.  He is not a good student and constantly gets in trouble.  His actions seem to be a cry for attention.  He remains alone until Jeff Fishkin enrolls at the school and begins to sit next to him in class.  Bradley is surprised when Jeff actually befriends him.  Bradley learns to deal with his problems when the new counselor, Carla Davis, also takes an interest in him and allows him to discuss his problems with her.  Through both of these new relationships, Bradley learns to deal with his problems more appropriately and begins to become a better student, even doing his homework every now and then!

My Impressions: Bradley represents the kid in every school who is alone and isolated from his classmates.  This book helps kids understand these kids better and understand that deep down, they want to be liked, too.  This book is good for kids who feel alone like Bradley, too.  It teaches important life lessons for kids.

Professional Review: Fifth grader Bradley Chalkers is bright, imaginative, antisocial and friendless. Unlike the kids at school, who hate him, Bradley's collection of chipped and broken little pottery animals allows him to be brave, smart and vulnerable; he uses them to resolve the rejection of peers and adults. Jeff, a new boy at school, offers friendship but then withdraws his offer, because Bradley is hard to like. Enter Carla Davis, new school counselor, who is caring and funny, and who gradually helps restore Bradley's self-confidence. Feelings and emotions are strongly evoked in this touching and serious story of a disturbed child that is infused with humor and insight. 
-Publisher's Weekly 1987
(Retrieved February 29, 2012, from http://www.amazon.com)


Library Uses:  This would be a good book to read with an all boys reading club.  Guys could discuss some of the problems they face in their own lives and learn how to handle them appropriately through reading about Bradley's experiences.

Module 7 - The Penderwicks

Citation: Birdsall, J. (2007). The Penderwicks: A summer tale of four sisters, two rabbits, and a very interesting boy. New York, NY: Yearling.

Book Summary: The four Penderwick sisters go on a summer vacation to a cottage located at the estate of Arundel.  Each sister has a unique personality.  Rosalind is the oldest and is a mother figure to the younger sisters in the absence of their mother.  Jane is aspiring writer whose dream is to have her book published.  Skye is a strong willed girl who is not afraid to speak her mind.  Batty is the youngest and wears butterfly wings throughout most of the book.  The book tells of their experiences while at the estate where they meet Cagney (the gardener on whom Rosalyn develops a crush), Jeffrey, and the mean spirited Mrs. Tifton, who they later discover is Jeffrey's mother.  The group rallies around Jeffrey when his mother wants to send him to a military academy when his true dream is to go to a music school.

My Impressions: This is a sweet story of friendship between four sisters and the people they meet along the way.  I read this book aloud to my third grade students, and everyday they begged me to keep reading!  It is a fantastic book that pulls in the readers and leaves them wondering what will happen next.  Birdsall does an excellent job of character development and helps readers fall in love with the Penderwick sisters, Jeffrey, and Cagney and grow to hate Mrs. Tifton and her boyfriend.  I will definitely add this book to the list of "must reads" every year!

Professional Review: Gr 4-6-- This enjoyable tale of four sisters, a new friend, and his snooty mother is rollicking fun. The girls' father is a gentle, widowed botany professor who gives his daughters free reign but is always there to support or comfort them. Rosalind, 12, has become the mother figure. Skye, 11, is fierce and hot-tempered. Jane, 10, is a budding writer of mysteries who has the disconcerting habit of narrating aloud whatever is occurring around her. Batty, four, is an endearingly shy, loving child who always wears butterfly wings. The family dog, Hound, is her protector. The tale begins as the Penderwicks embark on a summer holiday in the Berkshire Mountains, at a cottage on the grounds of a posh mansion owned by the terribly snobbish Mrs. Tifton. Her son, Jeffrey, is a brilliant pianist, but her heart is set on him attending a military academy like her beloved father. The action involves Rosalind's unrequited love for the 18-year-old gardener, Skye's enmity and then friendship with Jeffrey, Jane's improvement in her melodramatic writing style, and Batty's encounter with an angry bull whom she rather hopefully calls "nice horsie." Problems are solved and lessons learned in this wonderful, humorous book that features characters whom readers will immediately love, as well as a superb writing style. Bring on more of the Penderwicks!

Gray, B. A., Jones, T. E., Toth, L., Charnizon, M., Grabarek, D., & Raben, D. (2005). [Review of the book The Penderwicks: A summer tale of four sisters, two rabbits, and a very interesting boy, by J. Birdsall]. School Library Journal, 51(7), 95-96. Retrieved from www.schoollibraryjournal.com

Library uses: This would be a great book to read as part of a theme on sisters or family.

Module 6 - The Very Hungry Caterpillar

Citation: Carle, E. (1987). The very hungry caterpillar. New York, NY: Philomel Books.

Book Summary: This book tells the story of a young caterpillar who hatches from an egg.  He is hungry and cannot seem to satisfy his appetite.  Each day he eats more and more until he is ready to burst.  When he can't eat anymore, he spins himself into a chrysalis and emerges two weeks later as a beautiful butterfly. 

My Impressions: This is a classic children's book for many reasons.  Kids love the story and reading about all the food the caterpillar eats. It is also fascinating for young kids to see him turn into a butterfly at the end of the story.  The illustrations are what I think keeps readers coming back to read this book again and again.  Carle creates beautiful works of art with his collages.  His illustrations are big and bright and capture the imaginations of kids young and old.  

Professional Review: This book begins with a tiny egg lying on a leaf. When Sunday morning comes, the bright sun comes up and the caterpillar comes out of the egg. This is no ordinary caterpillar. This is a very hungry caterpillar. The caterpillar goes on a search for food. He eats one through one apple on Monday and two pears on Tuesday. On Wednesday he munches through three plums. Thursday he is still hungry so he finds four strawberries to eat, and nibbles on five oranges on Friday. On Saturday, he is still so very hungry, so he eats through a lot of unusual things for a caterpillar, things like salami, cherry pie, ice cream, and even watermelon. Saturday night he has a tummy ache. It is Sunday again, and the caterpillar is still hungry so instead of more junk food, he finds a nice green leaf to munch through. This makes his tummy feel much better, too. Because of all the things he eats, he isn’t little anymore. He is a big, fat caterpillar. The big caterpillar builds a cocoon around him and stays inside for a couple of weeks. Soon he is ready to get out of his house. The book concludes with the caterpillar nibbling his way out - and becoming a lovely butterfly. A great introductory science lesson for preschoolers 2 years and up.

Wood, L. (n.d.). The very hungry caterpillar. [Review of The very hungry caterpillar, by E. Carle] Retrieved from http://www.preschooleducation.com/br85.shtml

Library Uses: This would be a good book to use for a storytime with younger kids.  This book could be read along with a non-fiction book about the life cycle of a butterfly.  Kids could create the life cycle of a butterfly out of pasta at the conclusion of the storytime.

Module 5 - Remember: The Journey to School Integration

Citation: Morrison, T. (2004). Remember: The journey to school integration. Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin Co.

Book Summary:  This book starts off by explaining how different schools were years ago.  Schools were to be separate but equal, but the reality was that the schools, while separate, were anything but equal.  The photographs help tell the story, while the author writes from the perspective of the people on the pictures.  While these are not their actual words, it helps bring the people to life and Morrison's words are probably not far from what they were actually thinking or saying.

My Impressions: I read this book to my third grade students and they loved it.  I love the photographs that the author uses to illustrate what life was like during the time of segregated schools.  The real photographs really helped my students understand what life would have been like.  They find it hard to believe that life was really like that, and seeing the pictures really helped them understand what it would have been like to grow up that way.  I love how the author writes from the point of view of the people in the photographs.  This is a very good book to read to children to help them understand segregation and how it effected children who grew up during that era.   I also love how she provides the background information that explains each picture at the back of the book.

Professional Review: In her introduction, Toni Morrison describes the racial climate in the U. S. in the 1950s— the burgeoning civil rights movement and the impact of Brown v. Board of Education. Morrison reaches out to engage readers in this pictorial essay on the topic of school integration with the brief and thought-provoking words she imagines being spoken by the children, youth, and adults captured in the photographs. The images, spanning the years 1942 to 1989, document segregated and integrated schools and the civil rights movement. A timeline and photo notes at the end of the text give dates and descriptions to help readers correlate these images to the country’s history.

[Review of the book Remember: The journey to school integration, by T. Morrison]. (2010). School Library Monthly, 27(2), 28-28. Retrieved from www.schoollibrarymonthly.com.

Library Uses: This book is a good opportunity for the librarian to talk to children about standing up for what they know is right, even if it goes against what everyone else is saying or doing.  The librarian could lead a discussion on how kids would have felt if they had grown up during the time when schools were segregated and how different their life would have been.  The librarian could also bring in a guest speaker who grew up during the time period of segregated schools to share their experiences.    

Module 5- Moses: When Harriet Tubman Led Her People to Freedom

Citation: Weatherford, C. B. (2006). Moses: When Harriet Tubman led her people to freedom. New York, NY: Hyperion Books for Children.


Book Summary: This book tells the story of Harriet Tubman's spiritual journey as she escaped from slavery and helped others escape as well.  The book narrates Tubman's possible conversations with God, asking him to give her signs and watch over her as she planned her escape.  After her escape, she thinks of her family and decides she must go back for them.  The last page compares her to Moses because they both led their people to freedom. 

My Impressions: The line where Harriet Tubman says she would rather die than live as a slave really made an impact on me.  Too often, we take our freedoms for granted.  I can't imagine being enslaved for my entire life, but I don't know if I would have been as brave as Tubman was to try to escape.  The pictures in this book are beautiful and help show what Tubman's life was probably life as a slave and during her escape.  The pictures get dark during her escape as a visual reminder that Tubman had to be very secretive and stay out of sight. 

Professional Review: Weatherford’s poetic telling of Harriet Tubman’s role as a conductor on the Underground Railroad combines with Nelson’s larger-than-life illustrations to portray the spiritual life of the African American visionary. The story takes readers from Tubman’s early days as a slave, through her decision to escape, and into her life as a free person who detested the institution of slavery so vehemently that she returned to the South nineteen times to free some three hundred slaves, including her family members. Weatherford uses three different narrative voices to explore Tubman’s relationship with God: a third-person narrator, telling of her life and trials; the voice of Harriet herself, who (in an italicized font) speaks her doubts and pleas directly to God; and God’s words to Harriet—“ HARRIET, I WILL MAKE A WAY FOR YOU”—set in large, translucent type. The interaction between these narrative voices makes clear that it was Tubman’s strong faith that sustained her on the freedom journeys so dramatically evoked in Nelson’s richly atmospheric nightscapes. Several key scenes bring Harriet in close visual proximity to the reader to emphasize both her emotional turmoil and her strength. Moses offers a visual and literary experience of Tubman’s life on a par with Alan Schroeder and Jerry Pinkney’s Minty.

Martin, M. H. (2006, February). [Review of the book Moses: When Harriet Tubman led her people to freedom, by C.B. Weatherford] . Horn Book Magazine, 82(6), 737-738. Retrieved from http://www.hbook.com/horn-book-magazine/.

Library Uses: This would be a good book to use during a story time, especially during Black History Month. 

Module 4 - Bud, Not Buddy

Citation: Curtis, C. P. (2004). Bud, not Buddy. New York, NY: Laurel-Leaf Books.

Book Summary: This is an inspirational story about a 10 year old orphan who goes on an adventure to find his father, whom he believes is a popular musician. Bud's  mother is deceased, but she left clues about the identify of his father in a suitcase that he carries around with him everywhere he goes. Throughout the book, Bud is faced with many obstacles, including racial prejudice.  He remains upbeat and positive throughout it all. 

My Impressions: This is a book that makes readers want to keep reading.  Curtis' writing makes readers root for Buddy and wonder if he will ever find his father.  Though the book is serious at times, Curtis also keeps readers laughing.  I loved reading Bud's "Rules and Things for Having a Funner Life and Making a Better Liar Out of Yourself". I like how the author explains at the end of the book that some of the characters are based on some of his own family members.  He even includes pictures of them. 

Professional Review: In a story that's as far-fetched as it is irresistible, and as classic as it is immediate, a deserving orphan boy finds a home, It's the Depression, and. Bud (not Buddy) is ten and has been on his own since his mother died when he was six. In and out of the Flint, Michigan, children's home and foster homes ever since, Bud decides to take off and find his father after a particularly terrible, though riotously recounted, evening with his latest foster family. Helped only by a few clues his mother left him, and his own mental list of "Rules and Things for Having a Funner Life and Making a Better Liar Out of Yourself," Bud makes his way to a food pantry, then to the library to do some research (only to find that his beloved librarian, one Charlemae Rollins, has moved to Chicago), and finally to the local Hooverville where be just misses hopping a freight to Chicago. Undaunted, he decides to walk to Grand Rapids, where he hopes his father, the bandleader Herman E. Calloway, will be. Lefty Lewis, the kindly union man who gives Bud a lift, is not the first benevolent presence to help the boy on his way, nor will he be the last. There's a bit of the Little Rascals in Bud, and a bit more of Shirloy Temple as his kind heart and ingenuous ways bring tears to the eyes of the crustiest of old men — not his father, but close enough. But Bud's fresh voice keeps the sentimentality to a reasonable simmer, and the story zips along in step with Bud's own panache.

Sutton, R. (1999, November/December). Bud, not Buddy. [Review of the book Bud, not Buddy, by C.P. Curtis]. Horn Book Magazine, 75(6), 737-738.

Library Uses: This would be a good book to include in a book talk on books that take place during the Great Depression.