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After the divorce of his parents Brian Robeson a thirteen year old boy is getting on a plane to visit his father in Canada. His parents divorce is weighing heavily on his mind, especially when he knows the secret that split them apart. Boarding a small engine plane in which he is the only passenger, Brian questions the gift his mother has just given him, a hatchet. With the new hatchet attached to his belt, Brian sits next to the pilot and waits on the plane as it flies swiftly over the Canadian wilderness. Suddenly the pilot begins to groan and clench his chest in extreme pain. The pilot suffers from what appears to be a severe heart attack and Brian is the only other person left to land the plane. With a great amount of luck, Brian crashes the plane into a pond and emerges from the wreckage bruised by alive. With only the clothes on his back and the hatchet his mother has given him Brian must find a way to survive in the Canadian wilderness until help arrives.
For readers who have never read Gary Paulsen this is a must read. This novel is the utter definition of an adventure tale that is loaded with constant action and suspense. In true Paulsen fashion this novel captures every intricacy of the Canadian wilderness from the plant and animal life to the always pesky insects. This book can be utilized with upper elementary students all the way to eighth grade, and with its high level of interest and low readability this book is perfect for struggling readers.

Most modern 13 year olds alone in the Canadian wilderness would die pretty fast, even with a hatchet. A lot of people don't know that many of the berry patches found in seeming strange places were planted by Indians.
Even the Indians are pretty spoiled by modern life : in the past , before the white men nearly wiped them out, they lived all over and survived on what nature provided.
Spring and summer were spent in gathering and drying and smoking
food for the long cold winter. If you got behind it could mean a very hard winter.
The moose attack was the most surprising thing: I had never heard of them being dangerous like that.
Most adults with wilderness training would have a hard time surviving with just a hatchet.

Title: The Hatchet
Publisher: Aladdin Paperbacks
Author: Gary Paulsen
Date: 1987

Reading Level: Flesch Reading Ease: 82.9, Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level: 7.2
Number of Pages: 181 (+ 5 pages about the book and author)
Genre: Realistic Fiction

All Middle School readers should buy themselves a copy of The Hatchet by Gary Paulson because it is a completely mesmerizing book! You will not be able to put it down and can learn so much from this precise and moving story. Read this review by yourself or with your parent to find out more:
The Hatchet, by Gary Paulsen, is a must read for all Middle School students coming of age and figuring out a true sense of self. Brian Robeson was a child of divorce. He was burdened with the secrets of his Mother and was living an in-between life so painful and typical of adolescent children in divorced household. The book opens as he is traveling to the Canadians backwoods for the summer to live with his father who was on site as a mechanical engineer in the oil business. When the pilot of the two-seater aircraft has a fatal heart attack, Brian quickly learns his true survival instincts. He is able to land the plane and survive for fifty-four days in isolation in the Canadian backcountry with only a hatchet, given as a gift by his mother, to help him along the way. Through Brian's life threatening struggles and incredible discoveries, such as figuring out a way to make a fish pond and making fire from flint stones, he is transformed into a young man. He becomes a survivor and brings the reader with him through all of his life changing experiences.
The only potential negative I could foresee, is how well young ladies could relate to a wilderness story where essentially the only character is an adolescent boy. To this critique I would say that girls I've seen are equally gripped by this story. I've seen female students reading this book independently while walking through the halls oblivious to the rest of the school. One young lady in my class actually was in trouble for reading while the lesson was going on. It speaks to anyone who is growing into maturity, male or female, and hits at deeply human emotions that transcend the male/female divide.
My personal appraisal of this book is that it is completely gripping and spun in a tight narrative that stays fresh and interesting. It is one of the few books that I actually remember specific scenes from as a child, and rereading it brought back vivid reading memories that only a select number of books have ever given me. Brian is a personal character and a thoughtful, confused boy. The simplicity of the writing makes the moments deep and fresh. The repetition and descriptive language accentuate Paulson's moving story. When Brian triumphs in creating his shelter and discovering how to make fire you will pump your fist with him. When the tornado takes everything he has worked for away in an instant you will feel his deep crushing despair. When Brian is discovered, he takes the reader with him. Just like Brain you'll be changed.

Brian Robeson finds himself in a predicament! As he is on his way to see his father for the summer, the pilot of the plane has a heart attack and dies. He crash lands the plane in a lake in the Canadian wilderness. Instead of feeling sorry for himself he remembers what his English teacher once told him: "You are your most valuable asset". Brian learns how to survive in the wilderness...he has no other choice. Brian is a character who is full of hope; not to be rescued...just hope about life and survival. It is this hope that changes Brian forever into a person who sees the world now in a different way.

Paulsen has done a great job in portraying realistic fiction in this story. He parallels the divorce of Brian's parents to life in the wilderness. Brian will get through both of these situations through his perserverance and determination. The tone of the story is serious and the character of Brian is believable. This kind of survival story would be great for upper elementary, middle school and high school age children. When done reading this story, it makes the reader think about what could have possibly happened to Brian if he was not rescued. Since many readers felt this way, it is no wonder why Paulsen continued this series with the many adventures of Brian.

To me, this is one of the essential novels for any kid interested in the wild outdoors. I became entranced by this in elementary school, for it is a haunting story of survival, even if the character is not necessarily the most believable of children's literary characters. Still, Paulsen's melodic detail and pacing paint a terrifying and yet wondrous picture of the wilderness, and the reader becomes obsessed with Brian's trek of survival. In a way, it is the dark twin of Jean Craighead George's "My Side of the Mountain". Paulsen, a naturalist himself, gives plenty of surprisingly practical ideas for survival (though there are some I would not recommend). Either way, Brian's adventure is an admirable one indeed.

Because of Winn-Dixie is about a girl named Opal, her full name is India Opal. Her dad is the preacher.Opal finds a dog and names him Winn-Dixie.
Winn-Dixie has pyschological fear of thunder stoms.Winn-Dixie hated being alone. My favorite characters are Winn-Dixie and Opal. Opal got a job at Gertrude's pets. I would recomend this book for other 5th graders,because it is a good book. Close to the end, a storm starts and Winn-Dixie runs away.But they find him under Gloria Dump's chair.

This book was about a girl named Opal and when she was at a Winn Dixie, she found a dog and she didn't want the dog to go to the pound and so she lied and she said that it was her dog. I loved this book; I would like to read more books by Kate Dicamillo. If I were a character I would be Opal because she nice and cool. I would like to recommed this book to other fifth graders if they like sad books.

When India opal Buloni, the new girl in town, finds Winn-Dixie, the most awesome dog in the world, big things star happening.

The main character Opal is just 10-years-old, when her Father, the preacher, moves her to Naomi, Florida, where he will be taking on the duty of being the new preacher at the Open Arms Baptist Church of Naomi. Opal's Mother left when Opal was 3 years old, and she can hardly remember her at all, which brings Opal down. So she sets out to find out anything she can about her beloved Mother.

I think the theme of this book is to look at the present and the future, not the past. The meaning of the title is the name of the dog that Opal finds at the Winn-Dixie super market. The pacing of this book was just like the others that I have read it starts of slow then goes faster and faster. I think the author's craft is she just wants to make you suspenseful, because when she writes, its always one problem or thing after another.

This book is written from a Christian prospective because the father of India Opal is a preacher; also because there is no swearing or big violence, it is a really peaceful book. The genre is realistic fiction, because this can happen, because someone can find a stray animal any time, they are all over the place. to conclude, this was a wonderful book.

India Opal Buloni, the main character in Because of Winn-Dixie, just moved from Watley to Naomi, Florida. She has red hair and freckles. Opal is very caring and responsible because she gave a home to her dog, Winn-Dixie, and she takes care of him too. Opal is a great girl!

The problem and difficulty Opal faces is that she has no friends and barely anybody talks to her. She just moved into a new town. Opal is also really sad because she misses her mother very much. Opal is a very lonely and sad girl.

The problem is solved when she meets Winn-Dixie and everybody loves him. Opal also had a party and almost everyone she invited had become friends with her. She even became friends with the Dewberry boys. She used to hate the Dewberry boys, but her friend, Gloria Dump, forced Opal to invite the boys to the party.

I think this book is interesting and sad. I think it's sad because Opal didn't have her mother there and she was very lonely. I think it was interesting because they had a party. I also liked when Miss Franny told a story called, "Gone With the Wind". This is my favorite book.


Henry Liu, 3rd grade (NYC)
Rating: five stars

Opal is the main character in "Because of Winn-Dixie". She does almost the same thing every day. Opal is very responsible for Winn-Dixie. Opal also is caring and she has red hair and freckles.

At the beginning, she moves from Watley, Florida to Naomi, Florida. When she moves to Naomi she loses all her friends. The only person that she knows is her father, the preacher.

When she finds a stray dog that she names Winn-Dixie, everything changes. She starts making friends. Some of her friends are Otis, Miss Franny, Sweetie Pie Thomas and Gloria Dump. Now, almost every place she goes to she brings Winn-Dixie. Everywhere Opal brings him she makes friends. In the end there is a party and Opal makes friends with the Dewberry boys.

My rating for this book is five stars! I rated this book second behind "Fantastic Mr. Fox". I approve this book for everyone over seven years old. This book made me feel happy and sad at the same time.


Anthony Scarangello, 3rd grade (NYC)
Rating: five stars

"Hold still," Annemarie commanded. "This will hurt." She grabbed the little gold chain[a Jewish star and a symbol of loyalty to her religion], yanked with all her strength, and broke it. As the door opened and light flooded the bedroom, she crumpled it into her hand and closed her fingers tightly. Terrified, both girls looked up at the three Nazi officers who entered the room." From start to finish, author Lois Lowry, will entrance you in her Newberry Award winning novel Number The Stars. This 140 page book is difficult to put down as you will become entwined in the lives of two young girls, bound by friendship and a kinship, which even the Nazis find difficult to penetrate. Published in Boston, Massachusetts by the Houghton Mifflin Company in 1989, Number The Stars is yet another Newberry winning novel by Lowry. Devastating and heart wrenching, this book will bring you to tears and will dry your eyes with the power of the individual against society. Such, conflict lies at the foundation and heart of Number The Stars.

Growing up together Ellen Rosen and Annemarie Johansen paid little attention to their physical differences and religious affiliations. At ten years old they were more interested in their dolls and sleepovers. One afternoon on the way home from school, the girls have their first encounter with a Nazi Officer. Shaken, the girls return home to the duplex where they reside, though the presence of the Nazis seemed to follow them home.

Do you know about the devastating effects of The Holocaust? Many people in our society know very little about this historical event, led by Adolf Hitler and his Nazi party, which shook Western Europe in the mid 1900s, and was the cause of death for over 11 million innocent civilians. Lois Lowry's Number The Stars allows you to step into the lives of two families, the Rosens and the Johansens, during the occupation of Denmark in 1943 by the Nazi regime. One Catholic and one Jewish, these families come together in their attempts to survive. Set in Copenhagen, Lowry captures the essence of The Holocausts and its effects on Danish citizens. Though this book focuses on the atrocities of The Holocaust, and according to the Fry Readability Scale is at a 9th grade reading level, Number The Stars could certainly be read independently by adolescents in grades 6 and up, with little difficulty. Doing some prior research on The Holocaust may help you understand the context more fully, but the story line in easily followed by readers in the aforementioned grade ranges.

Through the eyes of these 10 year old girls you are navigated through the Nazi occupation, of once neutral, Denmark, and the Danish Resistance's efforts to save its entire 7000 person Jewish population and bring them to Sweden. Though realistic fiction, Lowry brings you into a world of heart breaking facts, unthinkable tragedies and a story, which can be said to be non-fiction for many during this period in history. Lowry presents an astounding account through the lens and interpretations of Ellen and Annemarie. It is a quick and heart felt read. It is a book which will leave you thinking about the effects of war and destruction on entire countries and its citizens.

Title: Number the Stars
Publisher: Laurel-Leaf
Author: Lois Lowry
Date: 1989
Reading Level: 4.9
Pages: 137
Genre: Historical Fiction

Number the Stars is the story of a young girl growing up in Denmark at the onset of World War II. The story follows the protagonist, Annemarie, through the Nazi occupation of Denmark and chronicle the effect the occupation had on her family and close friends. The story opens as the Nazis begin thier "relocation" of Jews in Copenhagen. Annemarie's best friend, Ellen, is Jewish, so Annemarie and her family must do what's in their power to help their dear friends. With the help of those involved in the Danish resistence movement, Annemarie's family takes Ellen and her family to the seaside fishing village, Gilleleje, in an effort to get them safely to the neutral shores of Sweden. Annemarie's is a story of courage in the face of fear, and the book addresses what it means to be truly brave.
This is an engaging and touching story, especially suitable for middle level readers, but enjoyable for people of all ages. The one drawback is that while World War II and the Holocaust comprise the backdrop for the novel, very little time is spent addressing the actual history of this time period. Much background information needs to be given to young readers beginning this book. Annemarie's family faces much tragedy at the hands of the Nazis, but the truly gruesome and horrific nature of the Holocaust is never addressed. In order for young readers to truly understand the significance of this story, the missing information must be provided.
Despite that, Number the Stars is an excellent story and an engaging read. The story is filled with secrets and surprises that will keep readers turning pages. The relationships and themes are relevant for young readers, as it explores the meanings of courage and friendship. The friendship between Annemarie and Ellen is one that readers will easily identify with. This book has been a favorite of mine since elementary school and continues to be a book I love revisiting.

Title: Number the Stars
Publisher: Laurel-Leaf
Author: Lois Lowry
Date: 1989
Reading Level: 4.9
Pages: 137
Genre: Historical Fiction

This poignant book tells the story of Annemarie Johansen, who is 10 years old and her friend Ellen Rosen in Copenhagen in 1943 (near the beginning of World War II). The story shares the perspective of Annemarie, a young girl who is not Jewish, who begins to experience how Jews are treated in Denmark during the German occupation through Ellen's experience as a Jew. While Annemarie and all the people of Denmark are experiencing food shortages, rationing, and a pervasive soldier presence, Ellen's experience becomes vastly different. After a raid at their synagogue, Ellen's parents must leave immediately. Ellen moves in with Annemarie and her family, and pretends to be a part of their family. Things continue to become more dangerous, however, and both of the young girls are asked to be brave beyond their years.

While the book has an amazing story to tell, there are a few things about the book that might not appeal to some readers. One is that, for history buffs, there isn't a lot of information about the Holocaust, and very little about its politics. Because the book takes place in Denmark, the incredible violence and inhumanity of the Holocaust is not addressed. To some, this may be a positive aspect of the book (especially for younger readers), but it should be paired with some historical information for older readers. Keeping a computer nearby for internet searches would be a great idea.

Number the Stars was a favorite of mine through middle school, and a book I loved revisiting, I would not hesitate to recommend it to people of any age. Very little young adult fiction about World War II is written from a perspective like this, an innocent bystander rather than a direct victim. It is easy to relate to Annemarie as she wrestled with the normal problems of being a 10-year-old, an older sister, and a daughter in school and at home. In addition, Annemarie's questions and thoughts about what was happening to her friend are the same questions I have looking back. Why did this happen? What can I do? What is the right thing to do? These questions not only are a good reflection on what happened during World War II, but can also help as a guide to thinking about current issues in the world.

My favorite book is NUMBER THE STARS the author is Lois Lowry. The genre is historical fiction. The theme is there is a war going on and people are suffering. My favorite character is Kirsti. It's because of how she talks to the soldiers. She thinks their playing a game. She talks to them like their her friends. The writing style has a lot of action. Why I like this book is because just when the book is getting good there is a chapter. Plus it is suspenseful. There are too many questions you want to ask. You can't put the book down. This book is good for ages10-15.

One of my favorite books is Number the Stars by Lois Lowry. It's a realistic fiction book and full of adventure and suspense. It's about a brave girl who has to help her family lead Jewish people to freedom in Sweden. My favorite character is Peter Nielsen because he's very brave and determined. If you like suspenseful books, and are about 10 or over, read this book.

This book brings back good memories of my childhood and all the great books my teachers suggested. I am an avid reader and I bought this book so that I could have my own copy and re-read it whenever I wanted to. I plan on keeping this for my own children someday...I hope they enjoy it as much as I did.

My daughter received this book for Easter. She loved it so much that she read it on Easter night. She said it was as great book. It must have been because she read it nonstop for a few hours.

I read Island of The Blue Dolphins sometime before Christmas this year. It was a pleasure to read--it was simple, brief, and the characters were fresh and realistic. O' Dell used very descriptive writing, nevertheless, it did not go to where it is tedious to read because of the overload of words.

If you do not like novels without much action besides attacks with sea critters I would not recommend this book. This book has a place in my heart because it is 'warm', and just tells about someone's life. If novels were just about a regular school child's life, it would be drab, I admit. But with the novels written in this form, the main character usually has a twist--this one is that it is about a girl who lives on an island long ago, and has to fend for herself until she finds away to leave the island.

It certainly has earned its Newbery Award.

--Willow, aged 11

By: Allie

The book Island of the Blue Dolphins is about a girl named Karana who gets stranded on a desert island. She had to wait for 18 years for people to come back for her. Overall, this book is a great read. What's cool about this book is that is based on a true story. My favorite part of the book was when she finds Rontu aru, a dog. I recommend Island of the Blue Dolphins for anybody who enjoys adventure stories. I give it 5 stars.

Bethany - Island of the Blue Dolphins the story of a young girl who survives on a deserted island. While trying to survive she finds a lot of friends along the way. I think that Island of the Blue Dolphins is an outstanding book. I think that it should be a book that everybody should read because it is a touching story but this is not for all ages because in some parts lead to killing. On a scale of one to five I would probably give it a four.

By: Brandi B.

In the book The Island of the Blue Dolphins an Indian girl named Karana becomes stranded on the Island and has to defend for her life from the dogs. She finds out that one of the Aleut dogs has been trapped on the Island with her and becomes her friend after abandoning his pack. Karana had named the Aleut dog Rontu.


My favorite part of the book would be when she tries to kill the Devilfish, Rontu got into the grasp of the Devilfish, and when Karana had saved Rontu's life.

If I could change the ending I would because it dropped off right when I was wondering what happened to Karana. I would change it to when Karana was going to England, and when Rontu and Karana got to England.

Overall I can say that the book was awesome. It had clear understandings and Scott O' Dell had explained the story very well.

Out of 5 stars I would have to say I give it 4.5 stars.


By Dakota R.


Island of the Blue Dolphins is about a girl named Karana. Karana lives on an island with her tribe, but one day her tribe leaves but she gets off to go get her brother but later he dies. I liked the book I thought that it was very interesting. I would give the book four stars, because I think that the author explained everything very well. Karana has a dog-named Rontu but he later dies. That reminded me of my first dog because Rontu was her first dog and he died and my first dog died. I would recommend this book to people who like to explore and like animals. Lastly I enjoyed reading Island of the Blue Dolphins.


By Leah

Island of the Blue Dolphins is a book about a girl named Karana who is stranded on and Island with her brother but he dies from a pack of wild dogs. They have a lot of adventures. My favorite character is Rontu because he a wild dog and he is cute and fluffy. One of my least favorite parts is when Rontu dies, it is really sad. If I got to change a part of the book it would definetly be when Rontu is dying. My thoughts about this book is that it's a pretty good book but very sad. I recommend this book to people who like survivor books. I rate this book a three star book.

By Mark L

Island of the Blue Dolphins is about 24 year old woman trapped on a island since the day the Aleuts came. The Aleuts came to the island to fish but soon they took some of the natives on the island of the blue dolphins to where they live. But the woman was left on the island her name was Karana. She has to make her own weapons food and shelter. Karana becomes friends with a lot of animals like a dog, birds, and a otter.
Two years later Karana is about 27 years old and is wondering if the Aleuts will ever come and rescue her. But one day a ship come but it was not the Aleuts so Karana tries to hide herself until the leave. 1 year later she is still on the island and her dog dies, but she sees that the dog had a son so she tries to find him and keep. Then about 1 month later Carana sees a ship and it is the Aleuts to come and save her.
I would say this book wasn't very exciting. You would kind of know what would happen next. Like when she gets off the island, you would have guessed that would happen. So I give this book 7 out of 10 exceptional but not great but you won't be disappointed.



McKinley Y.

Island of the Blue Dolphins is a book about a girl named Karana that lives on an island then her tribe moves away and she gets left behind on the island and how she survives for years alone. I think this book is exiting and good for anyone how likes adventure. The author is descriptive and makes you feel like you are there. The author also has sad parts but then does something happy happens and makes you feel better. I recommend this book to anyone who likes adventure and books where you see how someone survives on their own. Over all I would give this book 4 out of 5 stars.

We are a group of third grade students and we have read the book Island of the Blue Dolphins. The boys in our group would give this book 4 ½ stars and the girls would give it 5 stars. The boys would give it a 4 ½ because of the slowness at the beginning and because of the sadness throughout the book because most of the people die. Overall, though, the boys say it's a good book. The girls give it a 5 because it's sad and exciting at the same time. The main character is a girl and in many other books the main character is a boy.



This is a book about a girl named Karana and her survival by herself on an island.

It is based on a true story that happened in the mid 1800's.



If you like animals, then we recommend that you read this book because it has a lot of animals in it. The beginning is kind of slow and a little bit sad but the book does become exciting. In this book, a lot of characters die, but that shouldn't be too scary to people unless they're under the age of eight or nine. If you don't like really sad books, this may not be the best pick, but it's a really good book in part because Karana leaves her fears behind and goes on with her life in an exciting, inspiring way.

It is in our most difficult times that we discover our true character and that of those around us. This type of discovery is at the heart of the tale of Bud, the 10 year-old main character of Bud, Not Buddy (Random House 1999), a novel by Christopher Paul Curtis. In this wonderful piece of historical fiction, Curtis artfully crafts Bud's story, weaving together inspiration, humor, and the realities of the Great Depression to create a heartwarming and upbeat story about the power of the human spirit.

Bud's story is a fast-paced narrative describing a resilient, determined orphan in search of a new home at a time that was difficult for many Americans. After running away from an abusive foster family, Bud is forced to move through a difficult world in search of a compassionate and caring new home that he hopes he will find with the man he believes to be his father. Armed with a beat-up suitcase filled with all of his possessions and only a flyer as his guide, Bud sets out to find a better life and ends up finding more than he could have imagined.

In his search, Bud encounters a number of helpful and interesting individuals who assist him along the way. At one point, Bud meets a homeless family who helps him sneak into a line to get bread. Bud also encounters a shantytown, known as a Hooverville, where families sleep in tents after becoming homeless. Bud meets families who wait while fathers and husbands hop trains in search of work. Bud's tale recounts the difficulties for many individuals, especially African Americans, during the Great Depression. Throughout his travels, Bud encounters the difficulties of finding food, shelter, and money, as he looks to others and his own strength to continue his journey.

Fortunately, Bud meets a number of individuals who are willing to share the little bit that they have in order to help him. Bud's search eventually leads him to the man in the poster that he believed to be his father. Although Bud's final destination may not be exactly what he thought when he set out, it is exactly what he needed. Despite the difficult times, Bud's journey is a heartwarming tale about the compassion of strangers, the beauty of music, and the power of family.

Curtis' novel is a great read for families and a perfect selection for middle school children. The 243-page novel moves quickly as Curtis' narrative-style leaps off the page. Based on the Fry readability formula, this book has a fifth grade reading level, but it may be a great for students above that level as well. Although the realities of the Great Depression may be difficult for younger readers to grasp, the life lessons that Bud encounters are valuable for any student. Despite the bleakness and difficulty of the historical setting, Curtis does an excellent job of describing the strength and compassion of the individuals. I personally enjoyed this book a great deal and would recommend it to others.

My 3rd grade class really enjoyed listening to this story. The adventures of Bud, while many times being funny, touch my students and help them to see what another 8 year old in a past era had to endure. Great story line.

I am the parent of a 6th-grade reluctant reader. Luckily, he will still cuddle up to listen to a good book read out loud, though his preference is for plots involving dragons, elves, and convoluted quests. I have occasionally been able to slip in a more realistic novel, but more often than not, my son will dismiss it as "BORING" just as I am getting absorbed. "Bud, Not Buddy" has been an exception. Bud comes across as a real kid with a real kid's voice and my son has found himself drawn to the character as well as the adventure (and it is quite an adventure that Bud has). I appreciate Curtis's ability to conjure Flint, Michigan, and the Depression so vividly for the reader and I love the incidental learning that goes along with the story, from the existence of Hooverville(s) to the early days of unionizing. I highly recommend this book for 10-12 year-old kids and their parents. It is a wonderful book to read out loud.

Ten-year-old Bud, living during the Great Depression in Flint, Michigan, was left after his mother's death with only a suitcase of band fliers and a bag of stones. He leaves his latest foster home and ventures on a Steinbeck-like odyssey to find his father--whom his believes to be the man on the fliers. Excellent coming of age tale that beautifully captures the voice of both a young adult and the time period. Grade: B+

The book I read was Bud, Not Buddy. It was by Christopher Paul Curtis. He also wrote The Watsons Go to Birmingham. This book was Historical fiction.
In this book Bud was adopted from an orphanage. He goes to live with this really mean family who locks him in a shed. He breaks out and runs away to a library. On the second night at the library his friend Bugs finds him. Together they walk to Hooperville. They were going to hop a train that left from Hooperville the next morning. Bugs makes the train but Bud doesn't. Bud walks back to Flint and back to the library to get direction on how to get to another town called Great Rapids. He was told it was a twenty-four hour walk. He started to go to Great Rapids that evening. One guy saw Bud and asked where he was from and why he was walking to. Bud lied and said he was from Great Rapids. The guy drives Bud to Great Rapids and drops him off at his dad's house. Bud's dad didn't know he had a son so he was confused.
I like this book because it tell me about people who aren't as lucked as I am. I think this book would be good for greedy kids because it teaches them how they are luckier than others. I was inspired by this book because of the message it sent out. I recommend this book for all kids because it is really good.

Title: Shiloh
Publisher: Aladdin Paperbacks
Author: Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
Date: Paperback edition 2000

This is a fantastic book for all ages. Shiloh deals with important ethical issues that anyone can relate to. I especially recommend this book for middle school students, as I think they will find its message especially compelling.

In 1990, Shiloh won the coveted Newbery Award. It is a quick fiction read, with only 156 pages. According to Scholastic, the book is at a Grade Level equivalent of 4-6, a Lexile Framework of 890, or a 5.6 Reading Level.

Shiloh tells the story of Marty, an eleven-year old boy living in rural West Virginia. His family has close relationship and strong values. Living in the country, there is an established set of social norms that all families live by. When Marty stumbles across a young beagle hiding behind a bush, he is forced to grapple with these strict social norms in his quest to define right from wrong.

After spotting the Beagle, Marty notices that the dog won't stop following him. The dog is skinny and desperately in need of a meal and some love. After coxing the dog into his arms, Marty quickly falls in love with his new found friend. He names him Shiloh, and because of his owners apparent neglect and abuse, Marty vows to take care of him.

Marty quickly discovers that the dog belongs to ornery man by the name of Judd Travers. After taking care of Shiloh for some time, his parents discover the dog and demand that Marty return him to his owner. In spite of his better instincts, Marty returns Shiloh to Judd Travers.

Adding to the plot, Shiloh manages to escape again and find his way back to Marty. This time Marty is faced with a difficult ethical dilemma: should he return the dog to his abusive owner, or should he defy his parents to keep and protect Shiloh?

After an accident in the woods, Marty's parents once again discover his secret. Despite their growing affection for the dog, his parents demand that he return the dog again to its rightful owner. At this point , Marty is so desperate to keep the dog, he offers to do almost any thing for Judd, so long as he can have Shiloh back.

The book is riveting and keeps the reader engaged all the way to the last page. The characters are well developed; the reader truly feels Marty's pain as he grapples with his difficult situation. This book is a must read for all animal lovers or anyone learning to make difficult decisions.

As a caveat, children without a rural background may have trouble understanding or relating to Shiloh. The book uses beautiful imagery to describe the scenery of rural West Virginia; however, this may not appeal to someone who grew up in an urban setting.

This is a wonderful book that well describes the meaning "dog is man's best friend." Shiloh is about a boy named Marty and a dog named Shiloh. Shiloh is an abused dog so Marty tries to save him. This is a very adventurous and exiting book that I would recommend to anyone of any age.

This book is a poorly written adventure. From the start you know that he is going to get the dog in the end. It is not an enjoyable reader its just a book torchering you to stop all the way through it. Its insigneficant charecters have no meaning they all seem to go against marty, and are all cruel. This is a book of pain, dont read it. It will waste your money and your time.

Every single book I've had to read in school has stunk and this one is no exception. It was boring and so dumb I could barely finish it. I just wish we could read good books like Harry Potter or any book by Nancy Farmer

`Shiloh' was one of my favorite novels as a young boy. I can still remember reading it in school and being fascinated with the concept, with the storyline and underlining morals that forced me to think about things in a way I never had before. The overall plot may seem to be simple enough. A young boy named Marty finds a beagle he names Shiloh (after the place he found him). The dog, as it so happens, is being abused by his master Judd and Marty vows to rescue the dog whatever way he can. The great thing about `Shiloh' is that it's not that simple.

Phyllis Reynolds Naylor beautifully creates a moral battle within this young boy and everyone around him. Ethically taking this dog would be stealing, and stealing is wrong. But on the other hand of ethics there is the fact that bringing this dog back to his owner would mean subjecting a helpless creature to pain and fear. When his parents are telling him the right thing is to return the animal that is not rightly his, but his heart is telling him that returning him is not an option Marty has to decide for himself the right path to take.

Children's novels have a history of presenting moral issues subtly, but here the conflict of morality is presented bluntly and left for the reader to learn along with Marty. When Marty becomes determined to keep Shiloh any way that he can he comes up with an idea that may appease both side of the issue. I'll leave that for you to read on your own.

Be aware that `Shiloh' is classic children's literature and will remain in your hearts forever after your first reading. It's the definition of satisfying reading no matter what your age is, boy or girl, man or woman I promise that this is not an experience you'll regret. It's a relatable story because it exposes a principle that all humans, children and adults alike with be tested on in there day to day and despite what you may initially think, there's a lot to be learned from this boy and his dog.

I somehow tragically managed to make my way to adulthood with never reading anything but the kiddie version of this book. When I found this book for super-cheap in the teachers' lounge book sale and I figured "hey, why not?" And thus I picked it up and immediately fell in love with the sheer Old-South charm that only Twain can deliver. Really, people, it is no wonder that this book is such a classic! It may not have the soulful human reflections of "Huckleberry Finn", but in the solemn concern for the pleasures of boyhood it certainly makes its own mark.

Mark Twain tells the story purely from a storyteller's view. No deep analysis of character that takes you right inside of Tom Sawyer's psyche, nothing blatantly philosophical. It is as if Mr. Twain lives to simply tells us into what trouble Tom is getting. He does not go out of his way to give lengthy, dull descriptions or even fully flesh out the details of just what Tom and his friends are doing. It gives it a charming, folksy style that allows for plenty of plot and action. Even, so the writing is unparalleled.

And it truly is a great story. It's fun! I don't know how many poor students have been tricked into believing it is not. It has all the great elements of a good boy story, what with the murders and buried treasure and faked deaths and hoodoo--not to mention the delight taken away by discovery of bacteria.

I'm also a huge fan of this Whole Story edition. It's beautiful, easy to carry around, and I guess I'm a sucker for the documentary feature.

Fantastic, fun story. Everyone should read it.

These audio books help children that are having trouble with the written word. I also use them in the car, so each trip we hear more of the story. The kids love them and I think it makes them interested in reading.

To understand America in the nineteenth century, you must understand Tom Sawyer. His life, so full of adventure set amidst the bustle of a changing nation, is in many ways the dream of nearly all male children. To spend your time swimming in the creek, gathering "treasures" and eating goodies is truly the good life. Tom's romance with Becky is also the way it is with most boys. Girls are universally considered to have some kind of contagious disease, when I was young, they had cooties, until you see that one perfect girl that you will share everything with.
The wonder and mischief of Tom and Huck are captured in this book, superbly illustrated by Michael Ploog. Tom is wide-eyed, freckled and has bulbous cheeks. Huck has a pointed nose, bright eyes and a suitably scruffy demeanor. With the exception of Sundays, the boy's clothes consist of a series of patches sewn over rags. This book is an excellent introduction to what is the tale of American youth of the nineteenth century, very appropriate for classes in English. Of course, after covering this book, the students should be required to read the original.

This book is a great example of what makes Twain one of America's most belvoed writers. Twain's unique sense of humor and his keen insights into human nature shine through in this book. Twain's style is wonderful, the characters are dynamic and the plot never hits a snag. Twain has created a novel here that is light enough on the surface to entertain young readers yet contatins enough substance to speak volumes to an adult audience. You are sure to love this one is you have read any of Twain's other works. If you haven't read Twain, delay no further--this book is the perfect starting point.

Ever since my dad first read this timeless classic to my sister & me as kids, while camping in our trailer during the summer, it has left its indelible impression upon my imagination. How I too wanted to shove off from shore on my "skiff" and have my own adventures down the Mississippi! I know of no other book that so wonderfully captures the essence and joy of carefree boyhood.

When I say "carefree", however, I am not forgetting the grim and serious elements of the novel. But these work just as well as the sunnier and funnier parts. In fact, just when the narrative needs it, a murder comes along which boosts the plot most effectively, giving it a shot in the arm. And speaking of the darker aspects, does not Injun Joe have to rank highly on the list of greatest villains in the history of literature? I can assure you that as a boy listening to the cave chapters, his menace was palpable and unforgettable.

Unfortunately, literary snobs have often found it fashionable to belittle Tom Sawyer as inconsequential and a 'lightweight' seen against the towering greatness of "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn". I couldn't disagree more. (I love Huckleberry Finn dearly and plan to review it soon as well). I read a quote in a foreword that I thought was very insightful: "Huckleberry Finn is a greater book, but not a better one." I think this is exactly so. Extol the greatness of HF by all means, but don't make the mistake of downgrading Twain's other masterpiece, just because its theme is not so weighty and grave. In fact, the episodic nature of the telling of Tom Sawyer fit Twain's particular brand of genius perfectly (whereas there were some sub par stretches in Huck Finn).

Loved it as a boy, love it no less as a man. Thank you, dad, for imparting such an enduring gift.

My kids have loved this book for years! The board book is sturdy, even with the short pages in the middle. The colorful illustrations entice babies & preschoolers alike. It teaches them how to count as well as learning a great story about the development of a caterpillar to a butterfly! A classic MUST-HAVE book!

Excellent book to use for counting, hands on the children, good size, toy the same as the book.

A beautifully illustrated book based on poor scientific knowledge. Butterflies do not come from cocoons - moths do. When butterfly caterpillars pupate, they do not spin silk to make a cocoon. If you want your child to learn inaccurate science, use this book with them.

My husband bought this book for our 9 month old daughter, Hayley and this and the Busy Spider are two of her favourites. She loves us to read it to her and she puts her little fingers in the caterpillar's holes. Love this book!

The Very Hungry Caterpillar is a picture book that teaches not only the days of the week, but numbers and sequencing through the use of the life cycle of a butterfly. Like other Eric Carle's books, the colors are bright and the illustrations simple.

A classic book in many Pre-Ks, there are several visual aids and puppets that can help a child re-create the book. What kid does not love puppets?

This book will almost certainly be a favorite of young children and one they will remember for years to come.

Too annoying and choppy sounding to read aloud to a small child (if you want them to pay attention) ...I never bring it out any more, though it IS a sweet story.

Perhaps when she's older.

This is one of my favorite books. I love this author and highly recommend this book. My boys love it to!

I bought this when my daughter was 7 months old. She liked looking at the pictures, but simply couldn't sit through the entire book. I often found myself skipping pages to get to the end. I think maybe around a year she'll be able to sit through the entire thing.

This is a sweet little story about a little nut brown hare and a big nut brown hare. It is a story my child and I both enjoy. It is the whole book in it's entirety, not just a shortened version of the hardback as many boardbooks can be. My child loves when I substitute our names for the word 'hare'.

I love, love, LOVE this book. I had it when my older kids were babies and now my youngest loves it just as much. We even did his nursery in this theme!! The back and forth about love between a parent and child is heartwarming. The illustrations are beautifully done. This is a must have for any little one!!!

Although the book is a bit dated, it is still a fun book to read. I thought he presented a somewhat plausible initial scenario to explain the reason for the war. Too often in wartime books the "why" aspect is completely ignored in favor of excessive heroics and impossible scenarios. What was nice about this book is that the initial "why" played a pivotal role throughout the story. It wasn't a war just for the sake of war.

It was also good for bringing back the old cold-war jingoistic feelings. During some of the more intense parts of the book I couldn't help but think "U-S-A, U-S-A!"

Additionally, the "bad guys" aren't simply bad guys. There is a sense of humanity on both sides of this conflict that made it more interesting than just a plain war book. I've read it more than once and one day when I'm bored I will probably pick it up again.

It's a great airplane/vacation book. It's broken up enough that you can pick it up and put it down often, without losing what is going on in the story. And it's long enough that you won't finish it on one plane flight.

I bought this book right after I reported to Germany in 1987. Wow, what a read. Like a few others said, it did start a little slow but it didn't take long to cause me sleepless nights getting through it. Never strayee from my mind when I was pulling duty up on the East German border or reacting to an alert, going to the ammo point and drawing a combat load of ammo for who nknew what?? Riveting book, made me feel like I was in it. Old school combat for us old school soldiers. Buy it now, maggot! Then drop and give me 20 pages!

Probably one of the best of Clancy's books, before he went into mass production of hyper-chauvinistic fantasy pulp fiction.

I'd admit it. I used to love this book when I was like 13. Now I'm 21. 8 or so years of military amateurism and general maturity growth has changed my view. It is with the latter heart that I write this.

First, Clancy's strength - Technical. Superficially, it looks good, but closer looks suggest otherwise. If there's a fuzz zone (particularly common in Cold War texts), it is used for NATO's benefit. Soviet subs have no towed arrays, fighters have no IRSTs, tanks don't have dedicated loaders (autoloading or human) nor ammo that can penetrate early M1s (DU-armored tanks are years in the future). NATO of course has deadly fire control, God's-eye-view, near unjammable Intel assets .... etc. All of it adds up until the real miracle is that the Soviets are advancing at all. This is not only UNrealistic, but does nothing to promote exciting battles where all have a real chance.

Tactics. Kinda same as Technical. NATO made maybe 2 "real" mistakes without being made to pay the full price. The Soviets slowly fritter advantages away, and in contrived ways. Western theory holds that the Soviets lack of initiative will hurt them. Clancy seems to agree. Fine, let's see how it is implemented.

1) 3rd Shock Army schedules an attack. The commander of the Western TVD fires 3rd Shock commander for lack of progress. Instead of just sticking to the plan and attacking at the scheduled time, the deputy does not give the call. This is, actually, an act of initiative (though utterly stupid), and of course it buys the Germans a chance to counterattack.

2) A Soviet motor-rifle division NEARLY blows a hole through the American lines. An extra regiment is required. The only one close by happens to an OMG unit, and thus unmovable without talking to Moscow. Alekseyev mutters about Soviet inflexibility. This is not Soviet inflexibility, guys. If an American formation was declared out of bounds by the Pentagon, American commanders will be equally forbidden to move it. This is contrived stupidity to delay the attack, allow the Americans to reinforce, and wipe out the rest of the motorized rifle division and the tank regiment.

3) A division rushes through a hole in the advance. They fight their way towards bridges. A short-sighted Sov regimental commander calls for artillery to fire ON the bridges to stop the NATO escapees. In Soviet theory, he should only have direct and rapid access to his regimental arty group (a battalion of light howitzers). Soviet centralization should at least stop his stupidity at that level, since the divisional arty would be under divisional control, especially since they have their own fire missions already assigned and executing. But of course, the Soviets CAN'T be given that advantage, so divisional arty drops its own fire missions and fires on the bridge with rockets.

This stuff adds up, and the Soviets are defeated. Is anyone shocked?

Characterization: Cardboard cutouts. Protagonists are at best one and a half dimensional, goody-goody personalities. Subprotagonists like Sgt Mackall (commander of an Invincible M1 Tank) are maybe zero dimensional. Worst of all, you quickly get the idea they won't die. So much for sympathizing with them.

Conclusion: Read this off the library. Then read something like "Red Army".

I have just recently re-read this book (the first go around was back in high school, some 15 years ago) and I was once again enthralled by the extremely vivid descriptions and very tense environments created in this book.

Red Storm Rising describes a scenario for World War Three, between the Soviet Union and NATO. Keep in mind this was written in the mid 1980's, when the Soviet Union was still alive and kicking. The scenario is very well thought out, well researched and developed, and somewhat plausible. The political machinations of the Soviet Politburo prior to the conflict is described, as are the military preparations and the justifications for starting the war.

The character development necessarily must focus on only a small handful of characters in the book, but I did not think that was a detriment, because to flesh out several dozen characters would have made the book 2000 pages long, which I'm sure nobody would be brave enough to read. Of course, if you want to read this book, it's probably because you enjoy books about war in general and understand at least a little bit about tactics and strategy, but if you're looking for an easy to digest read with complex characters, you're going to be disappointed. If you're looking for a taut, suspenseful, well-written thriller, than I definitely recommend this book.

Even though it's a long read, it's well worth it.