Book Review - by Josh (and mom)

We finished "Ulysses Moore and the Door to Time". Our family read this book together at bedtime. It features three kids (Jason, Julia and Rick) who work together to solve riddles and puzzles and, ultimately, a mystery! This book is the first in a series and we are looking forward to reading more!

In this book, Jason and Julia move into a house on a cliff. They meet Rick and then discover a door that has 4 locks in it. So they set out to find the keys. Every step along the way there are things that have to be figured out. They find the keys, open the door and find themselves in a grotto where they find a very strange looking boat. There are no exits and they wonder how the boat ever goes anywhere. Once they figure out the mystery of how to make the boat move, they find themselves in ancient Egypt!

AND THAT'S WHERE THIS BOOK ENDS!

We have just started book 2. It is called "The Long-Lost Map". The writing is exciting and well done. The author has kept our interest and used clues to keep us guessing what will happen next - or how to solve the next puzzle. We'll keep you updated on the journey of these three friends!

Book Recommendation - by Katie

A favorite book recommendation would be, The Wedding Planner's Daughter By: Coleen Murtagh Paratore.

It is about a girl named Willa, who hates her name. Her Mom is a wedding planner. If anyone comes up to Willa they always ask: "What is it like to be a Wedding Planner's Daughter?" One day Willa is tying the 3rd secret ingredient to the wedding dress of Soap Opera couples, when she has an idea... I would rate this book a 8.5. Good Luck reading the book!

Katie

Book Review - by Jake

The Year My Mom Won the Pennant is about a boy named Nick and his baseball team. The Thunderballs are without a coach but Nick bribes his mom into coaching. Nick starts realizing that people doubt that his mom can coach. Nick and his team are very big rivals with the Tornado’s and have to play them four times. The Thunderball’s record ended up 3-1 against them. If you like baseball you have to read this book.

Jake E.

Click here to visit Matt Christopher's website!

Book Awards Announced!

Each year, the American Library Association recognizes a multitude of books and authors for their quality and impact. Ranging from awards for young children’s books such as the Caldecott and Newbery Medals, to the Belpré award for books celebrating Latino culture, to the Sibert Medal for distinguished informational books, the ALA recognizes a wide range of outstanding material for children, young adults, and adults.

Among other awards, the 2008 Newbery and Caldecott Award winners will be announced today. Here is a link to a site with some opinions on who WILL win and who SHOULD win.

I really want everyone in our class to visit the link above and read all the predictions Elizabeth Bird makes AND the comments that people left in response to her post. That is the type of conversation I'm hoping our blog can lead to - not only about books, but about whatever's on your mind!

Below are two other sites which are great references for finding fantastic books to read. Check them out!

Notable Children's Books (from The Association for Library Service to Children)

100 Best Books for Children (from the National Education Association)

Happy reading!

(source: http://readwritethink.org/calendar/calendar_day.asp?id=625)
(Images Courtesy of ALA)

Books into Movies - by Graham

Speaking of Books becoming movies, there are going to be three more Chronicles of Narnia movies! Prince Caspian, which comes out in May of 2008; The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, which comes out in May of 2010; and The Silver Chair, which has not been oficially filmed yet.

Graham

Book Review - Peter and the Starcatchers

Over winter break I had the chance to read Peter and the Starcatchers by Dave Berry. What a great idea for a book! You all know the story of Peter Pan and his adventures in Neverland. Well, this book is meant to be a prequel to the story of Peter Pan. If you always wondered how Peter learned to fly, where Captain Hook lost his hand or where mermaids came from, this is the book for you.

The story starts with Peter and four other orphans being sent away on a decrepit ship to be servants for the evil King Zarboff. Peter soon finds out that the ship also carries the most precious treasure ever known to man. He also finds out that the feared pirate Black Stache is following the ship in hopes of stealing the treasure for himself. With some help from his friends, Peter manages to foil the pirate's plans, but in the process they get marooned on an island. Unfortunately, Black Stache doesn't give up easily and tracks Peter and the treasure there.

Although this is a long book, the chapters are short making it a pretty quick and easy read. Dave Barry has a humorous writing style and includes so much adventure and detail that I found it hard to put down.

Former Student Book Recommendation

Here's a recommendation of a book, sent by Will, a former 5th grader. Thanks, Will!

Book Recommendation
By: Will H

Magyk

Septimus Heap, the seventh son of a seventh son, disappears the night he his born, pronounced dead by the midwife. That same night, the baby’s father, Silas Heap, comes across an abandoned child in the snow- a newborn girl with violet eyes. The Heaps take her into their home, name her Jenna, and raise her as their own. But who is this mysterious baby girl, and what happened to their beloved son Septimus.

Andrew - Book Summary

The Twenty-One Balloons Summary
By : Andrew B.

The book I read for my Newberry award was the Twenty-One Balloons. The author is William Pene du Bois. The Twenty-One Balloons is a story about Professor William Waterman Sherman, a college professor that is tired of teaching for 40 years, sets out on a balloon-house adventure for pleasure. While he is flying, a seagull rips a miniscule hole in his immense balloon so he slowly descends. Sharks are snapping at his feet while he throws things overboard to make the balloon ascend. His balloon gets stuck in a palm tree. What he doesn’t realize until he meets civilization is that the land is Krakatoa, a mysterious volcanic island. There he meets Mr. F. a citizen of the Krakatoan government. He then shows around the island where he discovers many things he wouldn’t expect. The volcano erupts so everyone had to flee including Professor Sherman who doesn’t have a parachute so he lands in the Atlantic which is where the story started. That is my summary of The Twenty-One Balloons.

Andrew - Book Recommendation

The Kingdom Keepers is a book about a boy named Finn Whitman who has a “dream” in Disney World where he meets Wayne, an employee who knows about the Overtakers, Disney villains who are led by Maleficent or so it seems. During his second dream he meets two other DHI’s who are called Philby and Charlene. With them, he encounters robotic pirates and their leader, Blackbeard, who seems almost too real. When the pirates see them, they jump in to cars from the Buzz Lightyear ride and he realizes – too late – that the lasers are real and he gets zapped and Wayne immediately shows them a red button. When they push it they go back to the real world and wake up.


* * * *

In an Indian tepee . . . . . .
It started to feel cold in the tent and we heard someone circling it. Someone cackled “I know you’re in there Finn Whitman”. Maleficent looked in the tent and said “Where are you, sweetie?” We were invisible! Suddenly Charlene bolted from the tent and then Philby too. Then I said “Run”. Maleficent started to chase us and then she yelled “Finn, I am one of the weakest in the Overtakers. I am just one of the errand runners. There are many more powerful than me . . . . . . .

Dominic - Book Recommendation

Castaways of the Flying Dutchman
Book by Brian Jacques
Review by Dominic F.

In this exciting book, an orphaned boy, Neb, washes up on a ship and is forced to work in the gallery for the cook. On the ship he finds the captain and the rest of the crew to be horrible. When the captain curses the heavens an angel comes and the captain and crew are forced to sail the ship forever and not age.

Years later the boy has not aged and comes across a town. The boy has a serious problem -- the town is going to be destroyed for limestone. In this stunning adventure there is adventure around every corner.

Roman - Book Recommendation

Gregor the Overlander
Book by: Suzanne Collins- Review by: Roman G.


I would highly recommend this book. I read this series a year ago so I do not remember it very well, but I know that I liked this book very much.

What I can remember about it is that it’s about a person named Gregor and his baby sister, Boots, whose father mysteriously disappeared years ago and still isn’t with them. They live in a New York apartment and Gregor and Boots gets sucked into an air vent in the laundry. They end up in a whole different world and learn about different creatures and have many adventures.

Carolyn - Book Summary

The Adventures of Hugo Cabret

This book is about a boy named Hugo. His father died in a fire and his uncle came to take Hugo away. His father left a mechanical man and Hugo was trying to figure out how to get it to work. Then he met a girl named Isabella. Her godfather made the mechanical man. If you want to know what happens you have to read the book!!

Carolyn