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| Barrows, Annie |
Ivy + Bean
Seven-year-old Bean likes action, doesn't like to read and definitely doesn't like Ivy, the new girl on the block who always looks perfect and just seems to sit and read. BORING! But when a trick that Bean plays on her sister goes awry, Ivy comes through in surprising ways.
Cute book which looks like the beginning of a new series.
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1 - 3 |
| Barrows, Annie |
Ivy + Bean and the Ghost that Had to Go
Ivy and Bean are back, firmly established as best friends. They even get to share a table in Ms. Aruba-Tate's second grade class. Ivy discovers a ghost in the bathroom and soon the entire second grade is afraid to use that bathroom. After the second grade is forbidden to talk of ghosts and told to use the bathroom, Ivy and Bean decide that they would work up a ghost expel potion to take care of the problem.
This book was not as charming and fresh as the first. The girls, instead of showing spunk and imagination, seem to this reader to be manipulative liars.
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| Gifford, Peggy |
Moxy Maxwell Does Not Love Stuart Little
Moxy Maxwell is facing down the last day of summer knowing that she has not yet read her assigned summer reading book, Stuart Little. It's not like she hasn't tried! Of course, her twin brother, Mark, read the book on the first day of summer and now her mom is threatening to ground her from her synchronized swimming number with the Daisy Petals at the "Goodbye to Summer Splash" if she doesn't finish reading that darned book! |
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| Howe, James |
Screaming Mummies of the Pharaoh's Tomb II
This is book #4 of the Tales from the House of Bunnicula series. Each book seems to stand on its own although Howie, the wire-haired dachshund refers to the previous books. The book is a combination of Howie's journal and chapters of the latest novel that he is writing. In the case of Screaming Mummies, he is co-writing with his pal Delilah. Howie is a bit miffed at some bad reviews his books have been receiving and wants to win a "Newbony Award," so Delilah is trying to punch up the quality of his writing. |
2 - 4 |
| Hurwitz, Johanna |
Mostly Monty
Six-year-old Monty is an only child who has asthma and wants a pet and a friend. He worries that his teacher, Mrs. Meany is mean. He becomes a finder of lost things and finds out that he reads at a fourth grade level. This sweet story breaks no new ground, but is a pleasent read. |
1 - 3 |
| Lowry, Lois |
Gooney the Fabulous
The amazingly diverse and wonderful Lois Lowry brought the memorable Anastasia Krupnik to life for older elementary readers. Gooney Bird Greene is to second graders as Anastasia Krupnik is to fifth graders. Gooney is an individual alright, from her unusual lunches to her eccentric outfits, she proudly states, "I am never, ever embarassed." While she is clearly quite bright, as well as a bit bossy, her confidence inspires some of her classmates as they learn about Aesop's Fables and begin writing their own fables.
This is the third book in a series that need not be read in order. The first title in the series is Gooney Bird Greene, followed by Gooney Bird Greene and the Room Mother.
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1 - 3 |
| McDonald, Megan |
Stink:The Incredible Shrinking Kid
This book is dedicated to Judy Moody fans who asked for a book about Stink and it does not disappoint. Stink is tired about being the shortest kid in his family and his class, 2D. He has Judy measure him daily with her Elizabeth Blackwell Women of Science ruler. One evening, after eating all his peas and drinking all his milk, he asks Judy to measure him again to find out if that helped him grow and discovered that he lost a quarter of an inch since the morning measurement! How could this be? |
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| McDonald, Megan |
Stink and the World's Worst Super-Stinky Sneakers
Stink is so excited about his field trip to a science museum. He especially likes the Gross-Me-Out exhibit where he is able to identify every disgusting smell correctly. He also learns about a contest he is sure to win - the World's Worst Smelling Sneakers.
There is a lot to like about the Stink (and Judy Moody) books. The characters are endearing and funny. The illustrations are cute. The larger print and generous white space is helpful to newly fluent readers while maintaining its chapter book feel.
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1 - 3 |
| Pennypacker, Sara |
Clementine*
Clementine is the irrepressible third grade heroine in this hilarious romp through a "not so good of a week." She spends a good deal of time in the principal's office because she doesn't "pay attention." However, she does pay lots of attention and notices a great many details such as the kiss between the custodian and the lunch lady, the egg stain on her art teacher's scarf that looks like a pelican and the scrunched up, don't cry face on her friend Margaret's face as she asked to be excused. When Margaret doesn't come back, Clementine goes in search of her and finds her curled up under the lavatory sink on the floor which surprises Clementine because Margaret is known for her cleanliness. When Margaret shows Clementine her bald spot after she tried to cut glue out of her waist length hair, Clementine offers to help and then gets blamed when the art teacher finds Clementine cutting off the rest of Margaret's hair. Well, she was only trying to help! No one seems to understand that. |
2 - 4 |
| Pennypacker, Sara |
The Talented Clementine*
She's BA-ACK! The third and fourth graders are putting on a talent show and it seems that everyone in her class has a talent except Clementine. Of course, perfect Margaret has hundreds of talents and she even tries to share some of them with Clementine. Tap dancing might have worked but Margaret's shoes were too small for Clementine. Then she had a great idea! We all know what happens when Clementine gets one of those!
Move over Ramona and Judy Moody, make room for Clementine! She's a handful, maybe even infuriating, especially when she has to make a choice, but she's oh so endearing.
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2 - 4 |
| Willems, Mo |
Today I Will Fly!**
My Friend is Sad**.
What can't Mo Willems accomplish? The man has more creativity in his little finger than, well, me. After winning Emmy Awards for his cartoons, he won a Caldecott Honor for his very first picture book, Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus. He followed up with Knufflebunny which won him a second Caldecott Honor. Now it seems he has set his sights on The Theodore Seuss Geisel Award, which is awarded by the American Library Association to excellent beginning reading books. Indeed, judging from the absolute delight of listeners in nearly every grade at Haworth Public School, Willems might just be the 21st century equivalent of Dr. Seuss.
Today I Will Fly! and My Friend is Sad are part of a series called Elephant and Piggie Books. These books feature Gerald, and elephant and his friend Piggie in some humorous situations that good friends might find themselves in. There is plenty of white space, the requisite controlled but hilarious vocabulary and of course, Willems' expressive characters. Click on Willems' name at the left and visit the clever animated website that features all of his characters complete with bios containing birth dates and coloring pages.
Every library, school library and primary classroom should own multiple copies of this promising series. Two more titles are due out in July - I'm Invited to a Party! and There's a Bird on Your Head!
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K - 2 |
* Excellent book, one of my favorites.
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