Archive for Middle School (6-8)

Face Your Fears

May 20, 2013 · Filed under Fiction, Graphic Novel, High School, Intermediate (3-5), Middle School (6-8), Novels, Realistic · Tagged , , , , , ,

As I was choosing titles for our Spring 2013 webcast, I noticed a theme running through several of the books that ended up on my final list.  Perhaps it is my taste in books showing through my choices or maybe it’s a larger trend in children’s publishing this season. Either way, I highly recommend these books for exploring the idea of facing your fears and moving on.

sleepwalkersSleepwalkers by Viviane Schwarz. May 2013. 9780763662301. Gr. 2-6

If you’re ever afraid to go to sleep, all you need to do is leave a letter under your pillow for the Sleepwalkers.  They will save you from your nightmares.  The Sleepwalkers take on the monsters and scary situations that disturb our sleep by giving the dreamer what they need to face their fears. But the three heroes have been rescuing children from their nightmares for a long time, and they are ready to train their replacements.  This is the story of the new Sleepwalkers as they learn to conquer their own fears right in the dreams of the children they are rescuing.  Viviane Schwartz creates a fantastic world with unusual heroes that just may  have young readers looking at their dreams and fears with new perspective.

aftereliAfter Eli by Rebecca Rupp. August 2012. 9780763658106. Gr. 6-8

It’s been three years since Daniel’s brother Eli died in Iraq.  Though that time has passed, it doesn’t necessarily mean that the pain has lessened.  Daniel still adds names to the Book of Death notebook where he lists the names of people who have died particularly senseless or cruel deaths.  His parents aren’t really present for him anymore, and Daniel is focused on keeping the memory of his brother alive on his own.  When he meets some unconventional new friends, he finds that he is slowly drawn in to their lives, which is what he needs to be able to process his grief and move on.

willandwhitWill & Whit by Laura Lee Gulledge. May 2013. 9781419705465. Gr. 7-10

Wilhelmina Huckstep has an old fashioned soul—she likes old things and a simple life—but she is haunted by shadows, and she has been ever since her parents died. She would love to eschew modern life to spend time with her friends without technology getting in the way, but she’s embarrassed to admit that she’s afraid of the dark.  It turns out that Hurricane Whitney forces the issue when it knocks out the power, and makes Will and everyone else in town to do without for a few days.  Artistically inclined readers may relate to the way Will uses art to face her grief from her parents’ death.  Will is a likable heroine, and her story will have readers alternately cheering for her and tearing up.

There’s a lot more in the webcast on this theme and beyond.  I thought I’d pick just a few of them to share on the blog perhaps to entice those of you who haven’t watched the webcast yet to check it out.  You’ll hear my voice in the sections devoted to realistic teen fiction, graphic novels, and secondary science.  :)

MindyBlogger:  Mindy R.

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Great Contemporary Books for Horse Lovers

May 6, 2013 · Filed under High School, Intermediate (3-5), Middle School (6-8), Primary (K-2), Uncategorized · Tagged , , ,

Many of us avid readers have other passions as well–knitting, soccer, camping, or cars, for example–and mine is horses. While I don’t know much about car stories, I do know there are lots of great stories about horses, caring for horses, and riding horses. Think of the classics: the Marguerite Henry books (Misty of Chincoteague), the Anna Sewell books (Black Beauty), the Walter Farley books (The Black Stallion)…The great thing for horse lovers is an ever-expanding collection of books to embrace. Whether you’re 5 or 50, there are plenty of stories about horses and their people to keep you interested, including some exciting recent and upcoming titles.

MacadooAs with stories that revolve around other popular pastimes, the best horse books–the ones that horse lovers cherish–are written by authors who know the subject matter. The best stories are accurate and reflect knowledge, humor and sadness, and real experiences and relationships, no matter if they’re written for young children, teens, or adults. Luckily, there are many great books featuring horses. Here are some titles fresh off the presses for horsey-minded readers to enjoy.

Told from the point of view of a large Belgian draft horse, Macadoo of the Maury River is the tale of a colt, born at a large breeding establishment in Alberta and sold at auction to a kindhearted person who saves him from the kill buyer. Macadoo grows from a brave colt into a gentle soul of a horse satisfied with his place in the world. Named after the man who bought him at the auction–because the man’s name is on the halter the colt is given–Macadoo is moved from place to place as the situations of his humans change. He is always treated properly, but his story reveals his sorrow at being torn from his mother’s side and later at losing the boy he has developed a bond with. Macadoo finds himself at a riding stable for children, where he finally comes to terms with his role helping young people gain confidence. This book, to be released in August, is the second installment in Gigi Amateau‘s Horses of the Maury River series. (ISBN 9780763637668. Gr 4-7.)Mystery

Mystery at Black Horse Farm by Jenny Hughes is a high-action whodunit with a little harmless romance thrown in for good measure. Tweens and teens at a summer horse camp practice their jumping, venture out on trails, and even swim in the ocean with their horses. Meanwhile, the protagonists try to figure out who is trying to steal a necklace belonging to the girl whose family owns the property.The mystery thickens to reveal dangerous thieves, a hidden treasure, and a heroine on horseback. Other books in this 2013 series include Fantasy Horse and Model Horse. (ISBN 9781621240037. Gr 4-6.)

In Samphire Song by Jill Hucklesby, fourteen-year-old Jodie finds solace working at a horse stable after her father is Samphirekilled in an airplane accident. When her mother’s financial situation suddenly improves, Jodie finally is able to search for her dream horse. She chooses Samphire, a part-Arabian stallion with some emotional baggage of his own, but the two bond and develop a strong relationship, allowing Jodie to heal and make friends with the other girls at the stable. When Jodie’s younger brother suddenly needs a new kidney, the health costs lead to losing Samphire. Distraught but resigned to abide by her family’s needs, Jodie moves on after his sale, but is determined to one day get him back. A perilous evening in a horse yard with dangerous thugs features Jodie fleeing on her faithful steed, and a satisfying ending leaves the reader cheering for girl and horse. (ISBN 9780807572245. Gr 5-7.)

Jessie Haas‘s Bramble and Maggie books are super for young horse lovers, but they will be eagerly read by other young readers as well. In the first book, Bramble and Maggie: Horse Meets Girl, Bramble is revealed to be an opinionated pony no longer interested in giving lessons at the riding school. Maggie is looking for her first mount and the two find themselves to be a good match. Realistic in characterization and description, as well as in the charming illustrations, the book is a great introduction to how a girl and her first pony get to know one another. In Bramble and Maggie: Give and Take, Maggie learns that in order to get Bramble to cooperate, she must also understand and respond to her pony’s preferences. Little girls who pore over horse care encyclopedias and dream of their own ponies will love these books! (ISBN 9780763662516, 9780763650216. Gr 1-3.)Bramble 2   Bramble 1

For a full list of contemporary books for horse lovers, click here. For even more horse books, click here. Giddyup!

Blogger: Lori C. Lori

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Series Review: Disgusting and Dreadful Science

April 29, 2013 · Filed under Intermediate (3-5), Middle School (6-8), Nonfiction, Science · Tagged , , , , ,

Disgusting and Dreadful Science series:

Ear-Splitting Sounds and Other Vile Noises by Anna Claybourne. 2013. 9780778709251. Gr. 3-6.

Electric Shocks and Other Energy Evils by Anna Claybourne. 2013. 9780778709268. Gr. 3-6.

Glaring Light and Other Eye-Burning Rays by Anna Claybourne. 2013. 9780778709558. Gr. 3-6.

Gut-Wrenching Gravity and Other Fatal Forces by Anna Claybourne. 2013. 9780778709503. Gr. 3-6

We all know that students learn in different ways and at different rates.  Sometimes we need to be tricky in how we get kids interested and invested in learning.  There are a lot of high-interest titles out there for reluctant readers, and here I review one series I have recently come across that is highly interesting and entertaining, and should have kids of all learning styles excited and engaged.

The Disgusting and Dreadful Science series should be especially attractive to boys.  With the popularity of humorous fiction such as Captain Underpants, it is no secret that if you deem any title “disgusting”, boys will want to check it out!

The great thing about this series is that there is a wealth of scientific knowledge “disguised” as fun.  Each two-page layout is on a different area of the main subject.  For example, in Ear-Splitting Sounds, there is the page title of Ear-Splitting Science,  which is an introduction to the decibel scale; the pages below it are filled with fun pictures and fact boxes, as well as an experiment that helps further understanding of the concepts. On this particular topic, there is a decibel meter chart and various comparative sounds.  Would you have guessed that the loudest burp ever (107dB) was almost as loud as a rock concert (115 dB)?  Now you begin to see the creative ways in which science is tied into disgusting fun.  It is not all goofiness, though.  There is also a See for Yourself section that instructs readers to make a paper megaphone and explains how the sound is directionally amplified when the megaphone is used.

The other titles in the series follow a similar formula.  In Electric Shocks a (hopefully Photoshopped) picture of an elephant on a toilet accompanies an infobox about how some zoos collect animal waste in order to recycle it to use its methane gas as fuel to generate electricity.  In Glaring Light, information about the electromagnetic spectrum is presented with factoids about how scorpions glow under ultraviolet light, and how bioluminescence in different animals works. In Gut-Wrenching Gravity, G-force is explained by relating how rollercoasters create them, and show how Air Force experiments in the 1940s and 50s exposed airmen to incredible g-forces that caused broken bones and burst blood vessels!

All of the above examples just scratch the surface; each of the books in the series are filled with hundreds of similar examples, and it is a safe bet that everyone can find something that interests them here.  So, if you are looking for a nonfiction series that kids will be curious about, and will teach them some science along the way, check out Disgusting and Dreadful Science!

Ryan H.

Blogger: Ryan H.

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Book Review: Dark Lord : The Early Years – An April Fools’ Joke?

April 1, 2013 · Filed under Fantasy, Fiction, Magic, Middle School (6-8), Novels, Reviews · Tagged , , ,

Dark LordDark Lord : The Early Years by Jamie Thomson Dirk Lloyd. 9780802728494. 2012. Gr 5-8.

My dad loved jokes and pranks, and I am my father’s daughter.  The difference between us is that my dad could keep up a joke quite a while;  my jokes have to be quick, or my face gives me away—and at my victim’s first sign of doubt, I cave. One year, when a disappointing winter yielded no school cancellations, I woke up my boys on April Fools’ Day with “Guess what?!!!!  It’s a snow day today!!”  After a couple cheers, Alex (a champion at making jokes himself and thus a bit leery of the attempts of others) complained, “Why did you wake us up then?”  End of joke.

Our protagonist in Dark Lord : The Early Years thinks that he is being fooled with.  He remembers falling, a long fall, and when he hits bottom, his world has changed drastically.  Instead of his dark, imperious voice, he hears a high-pitched, boyish squeak.  His Helm of the Hosts of Hades is gone, as are the horns and knobby edges of bones on his skull, to be replaced with a mop of hair.  Where are his tusks and his yellowed fangs, which are so good at striking fear into his enemies?

And what happened to his spell which has covered the sky with the Black Vapors of Gloom?  The warm sun in the blue sky almost gives him a feeling of…”hmmm, let’s see now, something he hadn’t felt in eons, a sense of…peace came over him!”  Ugh!  What would happen to his reputation if his enemies and underlings found out that he was all getting all mellow and everything?

When people come to his rescue, they see only a young boy.  He tries to tell them that he is the Dark Lord, the Incarnation of Evil, the World Burner, but they misunderstand, and so he is given the name “Dirk Lloyd.”  An ambulance takes him to the hospital, where a social worker sets him up in a foster home.   No one believes that he is anything but a twelve-year-old boy with an obsession for fantasy games and movies.

But Dirk knows that he is really “from the Iron Tower of Despair, beyond the Plains of Desolation, in the Darklands.” He must find some way to get back there, because he is the Dark Lord, and his forces are in the midst of a battle with the forces of the White Wizard, Hasdruban the Pure.

But first, he has to go to school and get his homework done.

Dark Lord : The Early Years is hilarious, a great “boy book” for readers reluctant or not.  As the mother of two boys who loved love fantasy worlds, I can relate to all the talk about spells and magical weapons, like rings that can send a Blast of Ravening Flame, a Cloak of Endless Night filled with Bloody Glyphs of Power, and the spell of Agonizing Obedience.

The best part, though, is the doubt in both Dirk’s and the reader’s mind:  Is Dirk just a confused twelve-year-old boy…or could he really be a powerful and monstrous ruler?  Are all his memories just a big joke?

TraceyBlogger : Tracey L.

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Three Humorous Graphic Novels for Kids

March 21, 2013 · Filed under Graphic Novel, Humor, Intermediate (3-5), Middle School (6-8), Primary (K-2) · Tagged , , , , , , ,

I mostly read realistic teen fiction, and often these books deal with young people in difficult situations. Frankly, sometimes I need a bit of a break from the heavy stuff. Maybe you do too.  Here are some humorous graphic novels that have crossed my desk recently that just might be the break you need.

benjaminbearBenjamin Bear in Bright Ideas by Philippe Coudray. March 2013. 9781935179221. Gr. PS-1.

Benjamin Bear has lots of ideas. Unfortunately, they are not always good ideas.  Kids will laugh at the antics, but they may also glean some good ideas about cause and effect or creative problem solving in the one-page comics in this book.  French artist Phillippe Coudray has created another winner for emerging readers (or anyone with a silly sense of humor) in this series with Bright Ideas.

Aariolriol: Just a Donkey Like You and Me by Emmanuel Gilbert. February 2013. 9781597073998. Gr. 3-6.

Don’t let the all animal cast in this graphic novel fool you.  It is indeed realistic fiction.  Ariol and his friends have comical mishaps in chapters that feel like short stories.  It is easy to read and highly relatable.  It’s a great choice for the in-between kids who are young enough to enjoy Ariol’s wild imagination and old enough to sympathize when Ariol embarrasses himself in front of his crush.

chickenhareChickenhare by Chris Grine. February 2013. 9780545485081. Gr 6-8.

Looking for something kind of unusual? Meet Chickenhare. He has just been captured by a trapper who intends to sell his unusual captive to an exotic animal collector.  You might be wondering what a  chickenhare actually is.  Well, it’s half chicken, half rabbit, of course.  And he is in quite a situation because this exotic animal collector is actually a twisted taxidermist determined to turn him into home décor.  Chickenhare and a few odd friends are determined to escape and that’s where the adventure begins.  There is plenty of action along with a mix of horror and humor that will have plenty of appeal to readers who like offbeat adventure/comedies.

MindyBlogger: Mindy R.

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Women’s History Month Marches Forward

March 14, 2013 · Filed under Biography, High School, Intermediate (3-5), Middle School (6-8), Nonfiction, Picture Books, Primary (K-2), Social Studies · Tagged , , , , ,

For good reason, March is Women’s History Month. One hundred years ago on March 3, 1913, more than 5,000 suffragists marched in Washington, D.C., underscoring what was called “a national policy of nagging” by those who disapproved of women’s rights. It wasn’t until 1920 that the 19th Amendment became law in the United States, finally allowing women the right to vote. Decades later, the Equal Rights Amendment made its way through the legislature, but it wasn’t ratified by all the states by the 1982 deadline and was never adopted.

More than 50 years before the women’s march on Washington, strong female leaders gathered for the Seneca Falls Convention. The abolitionist movement and the early rumblings of the women’s rights movement in many ways went hand in hand, and strong female voices made their voices heard as the Civil War  loomed. During the war itself, a number of determined young women got involved. Here are some of their stories:

3083852Lincoln and Grace: Why Abraham Lincoln Grew a Beard by Steve Metzger, illustrated by Ann Kronheimer, tells the story of Grace Bedell, a young girl whose admiration for Lincoln and disdain for slavery led her to send the soon-to-be-elected president a letter. Lincoln even responded and the two met briefly while he was on his way to Washington for his inauguration! (9780545484329. Gr 2-5.)

One of the ways women contributed to the Civil War effort was in the field of medicine. Louisa May’s Battle: How the Civil War Led to Little Women by 3079431Kathleen Krull, illustrated by Carlyn Beccia, is the story of Louisa May Alcott’s involvement–first as a part of the Underground Railroad and later as a nurse at the Union Hotel in Washington, D.C. There to witness celebrations in the streets as the Emancipation Proclamation was issued, she was struck by typhoid fever a few weeks later and had to return home, where she went on to write one of the most famous books of all time.  (9780802796684. Gr 2-5.)

3073348Elizabeth Blackwell defied those who told her that women couldn’t be doctors. In Who Says Women Can’t Be Doctors? The Story of Elizabeth Blackwell by Tanya Lee Stone, illustrated by Marjorie Priceman, we learn that Geneva Medical School let the students vote on whether or not to allow her to attend and that the boys, figuring it was a joke, voted yes! She went on to graduate at the top of her class in 1849 as well as to gain the respect of her peers and professors. Elizabeth was a key figure in training women as nurses during the Civil War. (9780805090482. Gr K-3.)

Mary Edwards Walker graduated from medical school in 1855. An outspoken campaigner for women, she was also known for shunning the uncomfortable 3115160clothing of the era in favor of…pants! Mary Walker Wears the Pants: The True Story of the Doctor, Reformer and Civil War Hero by Cheryl Harness, illustrated by Carlo Molinari, tells her story. A staunch opponent of slavery, Mary was determined to help during the war and volunteered doing whatever she could to help, treating wounded soldiers while repeatedly requesting to join the army as a surgeon. Finally in 1893, her role became official, and she would later earn a medal of honor for her service. (9780807549902. Gr K-3.)

Other new books of note:

30835683053209316326930735603073557Look Up! The Story of the First Woman Astronomer by Robert Burleigh, illustrated by Raúl Colón. (9781416958192. Gr K-2.)

Buffalo Bird Girl: A Hidatsa Story by S. D. Nelson. (9781419703553. Gr 2-5.)

Bad Girls: Sirens, Jezebels, Murderesses, Thieves & Other Female Villains by Jane Yolen and Heidi E. Y. Stemple, illustrated by Rebecca Guay. (9781580891851. Gr 5-8.)

Women of the Frontier: 16 Tales of Trailblazing Homesteaders, Entrepreneurs, and Rabble-Rousers by Brandon Marie Miller. (9781883052973. Gr 9-12.)

Double Victory: How African American Women Broke Race and Gender Barriers to Help Win World War II by Cheryl Mullenbach. (9781569768082. Gr 9-12.)

LoriBlogger: Lori C.

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WWII Fiction and Nonfiction for Middle School

March 9, 2013 · Filed under Fiction, Historical, Mackin Picks, Middle School (6-8), Nonfiction, Novels, Reviews, Social Studies

Hero on a BicycleHero on a Bicycle by Shirley Hughes. April 2013. 9780763660376. Gr 6-8.

When I heard the Candlewick rep say, ” Hero is about a 13-year-old boy during World War II, living in Italy,” I wanted to read this book.  World War II is my favorite period of history. We meet Paolo Crivelli, his older sister Constanza, and their mother Rosemary living in the hills of Florence. It is 1944, and the Allied forces are trying to push the Nazis north of Florence to the Italian border. Paolo wants to be part of the war efforts, but is too young to enlist as a soldier and is bored staying home. So he daily plans his escape and rides his beloved bike through the darkened streets of Florence late at night.

One night on his way back home, he is stopped by some Partisans who want help from Paolo’s family. Rosemary agrees to hide Allied prisoners until they can be moved to safety. By hiding prisoners, she puts her whole family at risk of being shot. Paolo, Constanza, and Rosemary show their bravery and courage.

This story captured my attention from the first page. It is Shirley’s first novel, but she has known since she visited Florence at the end of World War II that she would someday write a story about this beautiful area. That someday has come—sixty years later. Her teenage characters seem very authentic, because she based them not only on her own memories as a teenager living in England during this war, but also on a family she met in Italy after the war.

Courage Has No ColorMackin PicksCourage Has No Color : The True Story of the Triple Nickels : America’s First Black Paratroopers by Tanya Lee Stone. 2013. 9780763651176. Gr 5-8.

Courage Has No Color  is also a story about World War II, but it is based here in the U.S. Think about it, we had troops in Europe and the Pacific fighting Hitler’s injustices. But in the United States, men of black skin didn’t have the same rights as those with white skin. German and Italian prisoners of war, who had killed American soldiers, were allowed into the post exchange, but the black soldiers in uniforms were not allowed in. Black soldiers could not even sit at a table with the white soldiers to eat. They were treated as servants.

I had not heard of this group of paratroopers before, but I have gained much respect for them from this book. In the fall of 1943, first sergeant Walter Morris started a training program modeling that of the white paratroopers. Within a week his men began to act like soldiers. Sixteen African-American men made history on February 18, 1944, when they became paratroopers. The Triple Nickels were never sent to the war front, but were transferred to Pendleton Air Base in Oregon. At Pendleton, the Triple Nickels became smoke-jumpers, putting out fires started by bomb-laden balloons. These balloons had been floated by the Japanese on the jet stream to the west coast of the U.S.  I found this story as fascinating as the Red Tails story of the Tuskegee Airmen, the first African-American group of pilots from World War II.

Tanya Lee Stone asks, “What did it take to be a paratrooper in World War II? Specialized training, extreme physical fitness, courage, and—until the 555th Parachute Infantry Battalion (the Triple Nickels) was formed –white skin… What is courage? What is strength? Perhaps it is being ready to fight for your nation even when your nation isn’t ready to fight for you.”

Guestblogger : Kathy V.

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World Read-Aloud Day Coming — How About Poetry?

March 4, 2013 · Filed under High School, Intermediate (3-5), Middle School (6-8), Poetry, Primary (K-2), Uncategorized

Wednesday is World Read-Aloud Day. In thinking about books appropriate for reading out loud, I landed on poetry as the one literary form I’d rather listen to than read silently. Poems have rhythm, alliteration, rhyme, and many other sound qualities that make them ripe for a voice full of enthusiasm, enunciation, and emotion. Here are some great poetry books to get your hands on before Wednesday!

2959615Water Sings Blue: Ocean Poems, by Kate Coombs and illustrated by Meilo So, features beautiful strings of words along with soft, rich watercolor paintings, describing everything from tide pools and jellyfish to sharks and shipwrecks. The rich descriptions of the ocean’s creatures and elements not only entertain but also teach the very young about different players in the earth’s largest bodies of water. (9780811872843. 2012. Gr PS-3.)

Shiver Me Timbers! Pirate Poems & Paintings, by Douglas Florian and illustrated by Robert Neubecker, uses rich language and 3034578wave-bouncing pirate dialect to create lively poems about a topic children love. Neubecker’s fun illustrations help bring the poems to life. This poetry picture book isn’t just fun–it’s also an adventure in pirate vocabulary and a great starting point for demonstrating voice in a writing lesson. (9781442413214. 2012. Gr 2-5.)

3206995Indivisible: Poems for Social Justice, edited by Gail Bush & Randy Meyer, is a collection of poems written by a wide variety of well-known poets, from Langston Hughes and Pat Mora to Billy Collins and Joy Harjo. While it addresses the subject of social inequity, the anthology also points out what is just and right, ending with a poem by William Stafford entitled “Being a Person.” The book ends with a Biographical Notes section that provides anecdotal information about each poet (although it does contain a disclaimer that the notes are “certifiably uncertified”). (9781603574174. 2013. Gr 7-adult.)

Other poetry books you may wish to consider:

In the Sea by David Elliott and illustrated by Holly Meade (9780763644987. 2012. Gr PS-2.)

Follow Follow: A Book of Reverso Poems by Marilyn Singer and illustrated by Josée Masse (companion to Mirror, Mirror) (9780803737693. 2013. Gr 2-6.)

Arrow Finds Its Mark: A Book of Found Poems by Georgia Heard and illustrated by Antoine Guillope (9781596436657. 2012. Gr 4-6.)

When Thunder Comes: Poems for Civil Rights Leaders by J. Patrick Lewis (9781452101194. 2013. Gr 4-7.)

Partly Cloudy: Poems of Love and Longing by Gary Soto (9780547577371. 2012. Gr 7-12.) 

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Lori

Blogger: Lori C.

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Book Review: Freaks

February 25, 2013 · Filed under Fiction, Historical, Humor, Middle School (6-8), Mystery, Novels, Reviews · Tagged , , ,

Freaks by Kieran Larwood. March 2013. 9780545474245. Gr. 6-8.

There are a lot of great new books out there.  I am always amazed at the variety and diversity of books for kids; it seems that there is something for everyone.    However, I sometimes get jaded with media, as it seems like everything is too derivative of something else.  I like things that are unique, that haven’t been overdone.

A few things about Freaks piqued my interest and assured me that it would be unique. First, there is the eye-catching cover, depicting three of the “freaks”.  Second is the tagline, “Weirdest. Crime Fighters. Ever.”  Finally, the publisher’s note on the inside that describes it as the X-men meet Oliver Twist assured me that this title would be nothing if not unique!

Freaks is set in Victorian London, a time when sideshow freaks work in less-than-optimal conditions, and “street urchins” beg for money or work long hours at terrible jobs.  Both of these play central roles in Freaks.  The main character is Sheba, a wolf-girl who works as a sideshow attraction in Grunchgirdle’s World of Curiosities, alongside a two-headed sheep named Flossy.  Grunchgirdle is a despicable man that Larwood describes as, “…a rheumy, skinny old man with the aroma of a long-dead trout.” Soon, Sheba is sold to an equally unsavory man named Plumpscuttle.  It is here that she joins a group of other Freaks, including a giant named Gigantus, a ninja-like girl named Sister Moon, a rat-wrangler called Mama Rat, and Monkeyboy, who has a penchant for all things disgusting.

When a girl that Sheba befriends at the sideshow goes missing under mysterious circumstances, the sideshow performers team up to find out what is going on in the city.  Why are poor kids who work near the river disappearing? What is the monstrous, crab-like thing that has been sighted there? Who could be behind all of this?  Sheba convinces the other Freaks that they have to act and try to answer these questions, which takes them on an adventure throughout the city, culminating at the Crystal Palace of London’s Great Exhibition of 1851.

Freaks won the prestigious Chicken House/London Times Children’s Fiction contest.  Kieran Larwood is a Kindergarten teacher in Britain, and one can see this in his writing.  He obviously knows what children find funny, as Monkeyboy provides lots of one-liners and bathroom humor.  Larwood concludes the book with some teaching, in this case about real Victorian London.  He provides a nice history lesson about the impoverished state of the city, the history of freak shows, and the Great Exhibition.

In the book, a sign at the entrance of the freakshow reads, “A Collection of the Hideous, Horrid, and Humongous. Terror and Amazement Await You.  You Are Advised to Bring a Change of Trousers.”  While I won’t go that extent in encouraging you to read this book, I will say that it is a fun and unique story that I thoroughly enjoyed.  Freaks will be released in March.

Ryan

Blogger: Ryan H.

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Series Review: Both Sides of the Story

February 11, 2013 · Filed under Middle School (6-8), Nonfiction, Reviews, Social Studies · Tagged , , , , , ,

Animal Rights by Patience Coster. 2012. 9781448871841. Gr. 5-8.

Arab-Israeli Conflict by Nicola Barber. 2012. 9781448871834. Gr. 5-8.

Cloning and Genetic Engineering by Nicola Barber. 2012. 9781448871872. Gr. 5-8.

Death Penalty by Nicola Barber. 2012. 9781448871858. Gr. 5-8.

Ethics of War by Patience Coster. 2012. 9781448871889. Gr. 5-8.

Euthanasia by Patience Coster. 2012. 9781448871865. Gr. 5-8.

As you probably noticed during the recent Presidential election, the United States is a very polarized country on many issues.  While I love a passionate, energetic debate as much as anyone else, it has gotten a bit ridiculous on the news channels; pundits are seen shouting over one another, expounding upon their opinion (of which they are certain is the only correct opinion). I worry that this is the contemporary model of discourse that our students have.

The Both Sides of the Story series seems to be an antidote to this, aiming to present arguments about controversial issues in an even, level-headed way that allows readers to think for themselves and form their own opinions.

Each volume begins with some background and history about the topic, laying the groundwork for the more detailed arguments that follow.  The books are full of information boxes, pictures, and illustrations that support the text nicely.  A feature that I particularly like is the information boxes that contain quotes by experts or contemporaries from opposing sides of the issue.  Here is an example of this from the Death Penalty title:

“The bumper sticker says ‘Why do we kill people who kill people to show that killing is wrong?’ And I agree with that.” – Richard Hughes, drummer in rock band Keane 2010.

“It is by exacting the highest penalty for the taking of human life that we affirm the highest value of human life.” – Edward Koch, US politician, from his 1985 essay “Death and Justice: How Capital Punishment Affirms Life.

There is consistency between all of the titles in the series; no apparent bias exists on the topics, and careful language is used in the presentation of arguments.  For example, often you see the phrasing, “some people argue…” or “opponents of this believe…” or “many supporters dismiss…”.  This neutral language is essential in presenting both sides of the issue, allowing readers to consider both sides as they form their opinions.

I can see Both Sides of the Story being an excellent resource for educators who want to stage classroom debates on contemporary issues.  This series would also be an excellent starting point for researching a writing assignment on the topics covered.

And you never know, these books may play a role in the development of a new generation of cable news pundits.  But, please, if you have the chance, tell these future talking heads to talk a little quieter and not interrupt!

Ryan

Blogger: Ryan H.

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