Schools Books

Ben Franklin and the Magic Squares
Author: Frank Murphy

Reviewed by: Brianna - a Stockbrideg Central School 3rd Grader
***


This book is about Benjamin Franklin. Benjamin was a very successful inventor. Ben invented: flippers in 1717, the Franklin stove in 1742, and found out that lightning was made of electricity. He all so started: America's first library, America's first fire station, and first hospital too he even helped Thomas Jefferson write and rewrite the declaration of Independence in 1776.
There is narration through out the book and on every page there is information. There is very little text so it is easy to read. The book is told as a story it starts when he is a boy and goes through his life. I like this book because it gives a lot of information. I recommend this book to children who would like to learn about Benjamin Franklin. So read the book or you will be missing out!!!

I love this book! It introduced me to magic squares. Sometimes they're hard but not always. I read the book in 3rd grade. We were doing math groups and Mrs. Wrigely said" Today we are doing Magic squares."
What is a magic square?" I asked.
"It is 9 cubes that all have to equal the same number." Mrs. Wrigely
And that's how I was introduced to magic squares. I recommend this book for kids 6 and above. I think that because some words may be a little challenging for kids that are 5 or 4.


Mitchell S. 4th grade

what other book can make math interesting? and funny? Mr. Murphy has done it once again with his fabulous work! A++++++++++++!
-Stephanie
Connecticut

I thought that ths book was really good! I thoght it was so interesting!! Mr.Murphy is my math teacher... and he is amazing at teaching!!! He did very well with all of the writers craft in it. In class for Language arts he encourages us to use writers crafts and he actually uses them in this book!! This book is very interesting for adults who are interested in math and Ben Franklin. It is also a great book for children who are interested in math and Ben Franklin!! I love math because it is so interesting and because I have a great math teacher!!
[...]

I THINK BEN FRANKLIN AND THE MAIGIC SQUARES IS A REALLY GOOD BOOK FOR KIDS. AND MAYBE PARENTS TOO. I READ MOST OF HIS BOOKS. HE WAS MY TEACHER IN 4TH GRADE. HE IS A VERY GOOD WRITER I THINK. HE WRITES AMAZINGLY AMAZING BOOKS. HE IS A REALLY GOOD TEACHER.


RYAN .B
HOLLAND

Lovelace ends the stories of Betsy's childhood with a warmly written story about thr triumphs and misadventures of being a wife. The story continues to shows Betsy's faithfulness to her family, friends, and now her husband, while giving a glimpse of life in the World War I era.

This book is great for children and teens. They will learn about life in the early 1900s in a very readable and enjoyable way.

This is the best of the Betsy Tacy books. I read them out of sequence having read one earlier childish one and then picking up Betsy's Wedding in the school library because of the awesome cover. I later read the rest of the Betsy books and this one is definitely the best one. I think the author changed the level of maturity to match the age of the characters. I'm definitely a fan of Maud Hart Lovelace in the way that some readers are hardcore fans of the Anne of Green Gables writer (I'm not).

If you haven't gotten into the Betsy-Tacy series of girls' books, based on author Maud Hart Lovelace's childhood in turn-of-the-century Minnesota, treat yourself or a young lady you love. Starting with Betsy's Wedding (or any of the books) is fine; Lovelace began this series about the close friendship of 3 little girls at a reading level appropriate for their age in the first book ("Betsy-Tacy," about age 6), and masterfully upped the reading level to match her growing heroines' ages. Betsy's Wedding is a young adult book with charm, period grace and accuracy (Betsy is very concerned about learning to cook for her wonderful groom Joe) but also prescient in its concerns for her budding career as a writer (a la Jo in "Little Women").
A personal note: I was a close friend of Maud Hart Lovelace's daughter Merian, for whom these stories were originally told as bedtime tales. And Maud was apparently as lovely a person as you'd expect from reading the series--a great lady, capable of being very funny, but never never talking "down" to her young readers.

I love these stories. They are like escapes into the past. Very cute.

How can you understand the searing desire to open a vein unless you are one of the many who use SI as a coping method? For those uninitiated who wish to see into the mind of a cutter, Melody Carlson has crafted an amazing glance into one branch of SI.

Ruth Anne is a brilliant student, with a close group of friends, and a family that looks normal on the outside; however, once through the doors of her parent's ranch-style house it is revealed that her father is verbally abusive, her mother is more ghost than person, and Ruth and her brother Caleb are struggling to cope with the chaos their life has become.

As a former member of the SI community, I really enjoyed how clearly this book portrayed the emotions and thoughts that can go through a cutter's mind before, during, and after breaking skin. My single complaint with the book was the rather sudden appearance of God in the storyline; while I was aware of the fact that the book was classified as religious, I was still slightly disappointed by Carlson's need to get the message of God out as the only way to truly quit cutting.

However, I still believe that this book can be a wonderful resource for creating a bridge of understanding between a teenage cutter and their parents, and for giving all involved a sense of hope that there is a light at the end of the tunnel.

this book is still good. i felt there were times that EVERYTHING was working so well for her, but then there would be realistic moments, so that was okay. Would have liked a little more of a look into the attributes of older cutters, and with maybe a more vague ending, because it's an addiction, a rehab cannot cure, but suppress.

However, with all that little nit-picky stuff, it is a book about cutting that is witten by someone I can actually belive interviewed cutters. So hats off, especially that it's a got a little notion of Christianity, haven't run across a book like this elsewhere, so that's why I continued to give this a five star rating.

I am so glad Carlson started writing teen literature. She has done miracles through her work. Thanks to her, we are seeing a refreshing vein in young adult Christian literature. There is now an alternative to the bland novels that Christian authors have written in the past for teens. Either we have the Lurlene McDaniel books where everybody dies, the perky Christy Miller series, or the historical fiction like Anne of Green Gables or Christy by Katherine Marshall which has little relevance for today's teen. I know that all of these have their audience, but what was missing was Christian fiction for today's teen. What teens seem to want these days is books about REAL problems they are facing daily in their schools: drugs, sexual pressure, and self-injury.

Carlson's books fill a much needed gap. I think her books could be enjoyed by Christians or non-Christians because it is real teens with real problems told in a non-judgmental way. Each character does use their faith to help them cope with a traumatic incident, but it is not done in a preachy way.

Blade Silver is part of the TrueColors series, with each book in a different color cover. The lead characters have all been girls, so far, and each book has been excellent. The voices of her characters are realistic and the voice is true to life.

In Blade Silver, Ruth has started cutting herself as a way to cope with the pain she is feeling. Her father verbally abuses her and her brother constantly. Her mother, also a victim, tried to kill herself and now lives in an almost catatonic state. Basically her mom sits in a bathrobe in her bedroom and sleeps all day, leaving Ruth and her brother to do all the chores and take the brunt of her husband's wrath. The reader follows Ruth as she starts to become more and more controlled by the urge to cut herself, at first only once a day and then finally three times a day. Ruth shows how a cutter thinks, wearing long sleeves to hide the slash marks, working in a detailed way to cut, stop the flow of blood, and clean up. I really like the descriptions Carlson gives of the pain Ruth is feeling inside:

"Like a drug, that warm feeling rises up in me, a sense that I have control again, that everything's going to be just fine. Then I watch the red ribbon of blood for just a split second before I press the toilet paper onto it. I breath deeply, and for the moment I am fine. Perfectly fine."

Ruth finally seeks help from a school counselor and ends up in a group home for girls like her. One of the counselors there ends up being a Christians, but these scenes are done in such a natural, non-preachy way that I don't think they would make anyone feel uncomfortable.

I encourage all young adult librarians to familiarize yourself with this series because they fly off the shelf at my library, and they booktalk great. I have also read Deep Blue: Color Me Lonely about a girl who is lonely when her best friend abandons her for a more popular crowd and Bright Purple: Color Me Confused, which deals with a character who learns her best friend is a lesbian. By the way, I wasn't sure if Carlson could pull off such a controversial topic without getting preachy, but she did. Thumbs up to Carlson!

To hide my lies and my problems is one thing to make sure that they never get out is a completely different thing. No one must ever find out the humiliating secrets that I have kept so long. The longer I hide them the worse they seem to get.

In this book Blade Silver by Melody Carlson, Ruth has a lot of family problems and her mom is very "sick". Her dad is abusive and Caleb, her younger bother is talking back a lot to their dad. Ruth has a very terrible secret that no one knows about. For the last year and a half she has been hiding this awful thing from everyone that she loves. Abby her best friend finally finds out what the secret is and Abby is in shock, disappointment and in disbelief that Ruth has never told her the secret.

I believe the beat part is when Ruth is starting to realize that a lot of people actually do care about her and want to help her out. After she realizes that then she starts to accept the help she is getting, then she starts to respect herself a lot more.
The entire theme or the main idea of this book is that you need to love yourself and after you do that then a lot more people will start to take you more seriously. This book really does teach you that you need to love yourself.

This book was the best book that I have ever read. I would recommend this book to mostly girls because it is a little girly, but a lot of people can relate to this book. I just think that this book is all around the best book that I have ever read. I gave this book four stars because it was so hard to put it down. I just wanted to see what was going to happen next.

To say that Ruth doesn't have issues in an understatement. Her family is having problems. Her brother keeps running away from home. Her mother is depressed all the time. Her father is verbally abusive towards everyone in the family. Ruth is tired of putting up with all this, but feels that nothing she does can change it. The only thing that makes her feel better is when she cuts herself. The pain that comes from seeing her blood flow gives her a sense of calmness. But even Ruth knows that this wrong, but she can't seem to stop. She tries to hide it from others but someone wearing long sleeves in summer looks suspicious. It finally takes Ruth's admittance that cutting is an addiction that needs to be stopped for her to realize that she can do something to break the cycle that she's been living in.

This was one of the most difficult and painful teen fiction books I have ever read. It was so real, like I was reading an actual account of a teenage cutter. I wish that no one ever has to go through what Ruth did, but I know that there are so many kids who share the same experience. I could not stand Ruth's dad. I believe that verbal abuse is just as bad if not more so than physical abuse as inner scars are slower to heal. There is an explanation as to why he acted that way but I was glad that the story did not portray him unrealistically changing at the end of the book. It was horrifying to read about how Ruth would get a "high" from hurting herself in such a matter. Even worse because she would feel sometimes that she deserved it. I think that it was very sad that her extended family did not do anything to protect the kids from their abusive father. Ruth's recovery did not seem fake, in fact it only made it more realistic because it took her so long to accept help. Melody Carlson is gifted at bringing touchy subjects like this to life. The subjects in this series are difficult and not ones many Christians like to face. In fact, there are some who think that teens only face these kinds of issues because of a lack of faith. Thus, many teens especially those who are Christians find that they have no one to go to about their problems. This series shows readers what really happens out there, allowing for questions and advice about where to turn for help. I believe this is the first Christian book to mention cutting. There needs to be more books that talk about this subject as there are many people out there who need help.

Libby Koponen's novel Blow Out the Moon is based on her own experiences growing up. She includes photographs and drawings throughout the book.

At dinner one evening, Libby's father informs her and her siblings that they would be traveling by ship to live in England for six months. Her father would travel ahead and meet them when the ship docked.

Libby would be leaving her home, her school and her best friend Henry, but it was a short-term adventure. That's what she thought. The six months turned into eighteen months and Libby wasn't happy about the extension.

Everything in England was different. She wasn't happy until she left for boarding school. There she meets new and interesting people, learns how to do things the way the English do them and even learns to ride a horse. But she refuses to sing "God Save the Queen."

During Libby's adventure she leaves childhood and becomes a young lady. And just before she leaves England, she decides it wouldn't hurt to sing "God Save the Queen," just one time.

Koponen's book is interesting but it's not particularly exciting. It reminds me of a story one would write for a family member, not the world.

Armchair Interviews says: If you are interested in learning about the way other people live, you might be interested in this story. If you're looking for an exciting novel with a plot, you might not choose this book.

I love this book. It reminds me of being a kid again. I forgot what it was like until I read this book. I can't wait for Ms. Koponen to write another book. I'm going to gobble it up!!!!

"Libby's joyous times at Sibton Park make you laugh out loud."
--A 6th grader writing in Just Books.

"Koponen's tightly written prose is laced with humor." --Seattle Times

Yes, I'm the author -- but this is what OTHER people said. I get emails from kids all the time saying they loved the book; maybe you will too.

This is the story of Libby, a young American girl who lives in England for a year and a half. She is naturally independent and spunky, yet learns that being polite means caring about others' feelings. Overall, this book is wonderful; it's engaging in a way that too few books are. Schoolgirl Libby is a joy to watch as she travels to England and attends boarding school, encountering difficulties and misadventures along the way. Unfortunately, author Libby Koponen's writing is a tad overly simplified, and she fails to fully transform her voice into that of a true child. Koponen instead comes across as an adult trying to write like a child. Still, that's my sole complaint about this great book.

Libby Koponen's 1950s childhood was given an exciting spin when her family moved to England for a year and a half. Eight-year-old Libby, a headstrong child who loved to write, looked forward to the adventure though she knew she'd miss her friends in New York.

"Blow Out the Moon" is Libby's memoir, written for the 9-to-12 age group. She tells of the family's ocean voyage on the Liberte and their new life in a London flat. The gloomy London winter and her isolated, unhappy days at school tarnished the adventure. Fascinated by stories about boarding school, she persuaded her parents to send her away to school in the Kent countryside.

At Sibton Park Libby learned to ride horses and to behave with proper English manners. Today's more sophisticated children have grown up at Hogwarts with Harry Potter, as pointed out by Megan Tingley, editor in chief for young readers at Little, Brown. They may find 1950s England a bit tame; but as long as there are kids interested in looking over the horizon, charming books like this will be well-loved.

The book is illustrated with photos of Koponen and her family, and other related drawings and photos. They are somewhat poorly rendered in the book, but come to life on the author's web site, ifyoulovetoread dot com.

"Blow Out the Moon" was marketed in an unusual way: Koponen put the entire book on the internet and after collecting raves from kids, was accepted for publication by Little, Brown. The web site is a feast of photos, reviews, and extra chapters. Anyone interested in this aspect of the book business should check out the Boston Globe article under the REVIEWS section of Libby's web site.

I recommend the book as a nostalgic memoir of another time and place; there is much for children and adults to enjoy here.

Coert Voorhees' debut novel is provides a compelling and brilliant insight into one of life's greatest and most awkward transitions: the coming of age in high school. As someone with limited free time (i.e. a dad), I expected to read this book in small pieces over a few weeks -- so it was a complete surprise to find myself still turning the pages of The Brothers Torres long after midnight, and to finish the book in one evening. I simply couldn't put it down!
Highly recommended.

Frankie Towers is an awkward and self-conscious guy who's low on the social ladder, unlike his older brother Steve. That's why Frankie looks up to Steve so much; Steve seems to have it all: popularity, girls, a soccer scholarship, even respect from the dangerous cholos. Unfortunately, Steve doesn't have time for his brother Frankie anymore with his current image to uphold. But when Frankie makes an enemy of rich white boy John Dalton, Steve steps in to help his brother. Although Frankie's social status is raised with the help of his brother Steve, landing him a date with his dream girl, sometimes Frankie feels that his brother is a complete stranger to him. He finds himself wondering why he has to lie all the time for Steve and just how far Steve plans on taking the conflict with Dalton. In this beautifully written coming-of-age story, Voorhees explores the bonds of brotherhood and friendship and the importance of thinking for yourself.

I'm not kidding when I say that The Brothers Torres is an incredibly written and amazing story. Frankie's character is so well-developed that I was sucked into his story even when I felt like criticizing him for being a jerk. Even though I've never been to anyplace from Frankie's New Mexican hometown Borges, everything from the limited date spots to the potential threat of the cholos felt completely natural. There's something so honest and profound about Voorhees' writing that leaves room for other laughs and life lessons. I was a little irritated that I couldn't understand all of the Spanish phrases with my limited Spanish skills, but that's where my negative comments about his novel end. The Brothers Torres has culture, an exciting plot, believable characters, and a meaningful moral.

I came away from reading this novel thinking, "wow" in a slightly stunned way. I don't think I expected this novel to be this good. The Brothers Torres is a definite must-read. I look forward to more wonderfully-written novels from Voorhees in the hopefully near future.

I am sitting with my father. We are both reading. He asks me, "what does orale mean? " and I know he is reading The Brothers Torres.
I had the extreme pleasure of reading this book a few months ago and literally enjoyed every word of if. I tried to read it slowly and savor it, but instead ended up reading most of it in one sitting as if it were a pint of Ben and Jerry's Coffee Heath Bar crunch ice cream I'd only meant to have "a couple spoonfuls" of. The books is just that good.
So often when an adult writes as a high school kid, you can tell it's not really a kid. The words the adult uses sound stilted, like ones some anthropologist claims teens of that culture speak, and the experiences the kid character is having just don't ring true. In his debut novel, it's as if Voorhees is Frankie, the perfectly imperfect protagonist of the Brothers Torres. His language, interwoven with authentic latino-American adolescent slang, is beautiful in how it shows Frankie's raw vulnerability to the very real conflicts of high school: being sweet on a girl who may or may not like you back, being bullied by older, "cooler" kids, and wanting to be accepted and loved by one's friends and siblings.
I don't want to give anything away because I want all the many, many future readers to get to go on Frankies journey like I did having no idea what was going to happen in the end. I will just say that the conflicts and successes Frankie has with his best friend Zach, his love-interest Rebecca, his brother Steve, and his nemesis Dalton are riveting to the last word. The interactions among the characters in this book also feel very true-to-life and Voorhees not only writes in a way that is vintage teenage boy but also the feelings of angst and joy he expresses through Frankie are authentic.
I know what I'm talking about because I spent 10 years working with incarcerated and "troubled" youth most of whom were full latino or "half-breeds" (latino and Anglo mixes) just like Frankie. Voorhees really gets what it is to be in two worlds and writes about the experiences of these kids with grace and fall-out-of-your-chair-'cause-it's-so-funny humor. I finished The Brothers Torres and actually hoped Voorhees had written a sequel that I didn't know about yet but could read right away. I can't wait for the next installment!
If you are lucky enough to read this book you, like I am, will be transformed. The amazing thing is that despite Voorhees's ability to write authentically as a high school sophomore, Frankie's journey is also epic and universal. Frankie learns crucial lessons in The Brother's Torres and the reader gets to become wiser and more compassionate along with him. In his very first novel Coert Voorhees has accomplished what all great literature does: a cathartic experience that is not only transformative but transcendent. Like I said, The Brother's Torres is that good.

Frankie and Steve Towers are brothers. Frankie is a freshman and Steve is a senior. Frankie has always looked up to his older brother, who has gotten a soccer scholarship, is one of the most popular guys in school, and is very friendly with the ladies. Frankie spends most of his time with his friend Zach shooting off fireworks in his back yard while Zach's mom makes them Kool-Aid flavored popsicles. The remainder of his time is put in to trying to impress Rebecca, the girl he has had a major crush on since grade school, and working at his parent's restaurant.

Recently, Steve has been hanging out with the local "cholos" (aka bad boys) and Frankie hasn't really thought anything of it until he gets in to a fistfight with John Dalton. John has always been on Steve's bad side and is one of the richest, preppiest kids at their high school. After Frankie gets beaten to a pulp by John and two of his sidekicks, Steve stops ignoring his brother and tries to help him out.

Soon, with Steve's help, Frankie finally has the attention of Rebecca in the form of a Homecoming date, and life is going pretty well until another incident with Dalton happens. This time, Steve really wants payback and will stop at nothing to get it. And Frankie has to decide whether he wants to help Steve retaliate or stand on the sidelines and watch.

THE BROTHERS TORRES was great! I loved Frankie's character and how he acted around Rebecca. I could totally see the events in this book actually happening in real life, which indeed made the book a bit scary at times. But it also made it even more great. I love real life situations. Coert Voorhees is a really strong writer and I loved his style. This book had me laughing at times and on the verge of tears at others. Overall, it was really a great book and I can't wait to read more by this wonderful author.

Reviewed by: Breanna F.

Frankie and his brother Steve are very different. While unpopular Frankie spends his time playing with explosives with his best friend, working at his parents' restaurant, and dreaming about Rebecca Sanchez, Steve is the widely respected soccer star with a scholarship and the perfect social standing.

But then John Dalton, son of the man who practically owns their little New Mexican town, picks a fight with the brothers, and Steve is bent on retaliation, especially when John starts fights with Frankie when he's alone and outnumbered. As things escalate and Steve begins to take more and more risks all in the name of respect, Frankie will come to realize that garnering respect and doing the right thing don't always go hand in hand.

The Brothers Torres is an unassuming novel that carries a powerful message within its pages. This unlikely coming of age story is punctuated by the rich Hispanic culture and influence and its pages are scattered with Spanish words and phrases that give it a completely authentic and genuine feel. All at once serious and humorous, poignant and full of everyday occurrences, this book speaks volumes about what it is like growing up in today's society, with the urges to do what is right and the expectation of acting tough. Voorhees gives his characters a larger than life feel and wields control of his plot with great skill. His wholly unique and entirely relatable cast of characters and clock of situations make him an author to watch.

"Charlie's First Day in First Grade" uses humor and robust illustrations to tell the story of Charlie's attack of classroom performance anxiety. It is a cute story that can also be used as a launching point for discussing school anxiety with your children. We see the situation unfold through Charlie's eyes, complete with the cognitive distortions that feed anxiety: everyone is looking, everyone cares, everyone else knows the answer, everyone will remember this moment from now on. Of course, with just a little bit of time and advice from family, he is able to return to school and have a nice corrective experience, which he also distorts and amplifies in his mind but this time for good use.

I'd love to suggest a sequel, where Charlie masters a course of bio-feedback and goes on to a career as a virtuosic bassoonist. He goes on to marry a pagan librarian and together they discover the manuscripts of the lost Mozart bassoon concerti, but in the process inadvertently get themselves embroiled in an international conspiracy involving Russian submarines, Wal-Mart, Aer Lingus, and Larry King. Wait, wait, maybe I'll write that story. Never mind. You can't have it, Janice, I said it here first, August 15, 2007, M. Libman.

Beyond the value of the story and illustrations themselves, it is also a brisk read, so a very practical book to have around at bedtime when the children are clambering for just one more book.

For children who are starting Kindergarten OR first grade, this is a cute, but somewhat repetitive 29 page set of ribald pictures and text featuring the fright of the little boy Charlie on his first day of First grade.

Aside from bright blues, greens, oranges and illustrations of chalk boards with arithmetic equations the frightened Charlie can't add, the book has some fearful feelings to which the very early student can easily relate.

The book doesn't deal with the anxiety about crowds, or caged public school stairwells, so much as that of not knowing the answers--which is a fear that strikes most kids later than First Grade.

Bur never mind. School is pretty anxiety producing when you're little--even if you HAVE already been to preschool or kindergarten.

This little book is sure to hold the attention of your new student this coming fall. Particularly if they're more fearful of answering wrong on the arithmetic than of the other kids.

The book is easy to read. My daughter reads it to her brother. He loves the pictures. My daughter completed first grade and she related to Charlie's first day of first grade.

Author and illustrator Janice V. Savage's second full-color story book is geared towards slightly older children than her debut book (I Have 4 Feet He Has 2). Charlie's First Day in First Grade is a perfect book for calming first day fears in school-age children. As a bonus, math problems are drawn in bold clarity on the chalkboard in Charlie's classroom, so young readers can solve the addition facts as well as follow along with the text.

Charlie's classmates have bright faces of all shades and shapes. Watch out for our hero's hair to stand on end in a particularly stressful (but funny) moment!

Like Charlie, my little boy is starting first grade in just a few weeks now - and my little boy is experiencing anxiety even this far away from school and we are using Janice Savage's brightly illustrated, cleverly told story of Charlie to ease him into the idea that he will actually be in first grade soon, not kindergarten... that he will have a new teacher and some new friends... and it is ok to be scared, we understand.

Charlie is happy to be at school, it is a beautiful day surrounded by friends when the unthinkable happens - too many numbers and a question tossed his way that he can not immediately answer. (It reminds me of a recurring dream I had for years after I graduated from college, too, for that matter!)

None of his classmates are mean to him about it, though - they all continue to go about their business from what we see and read... and Charlie gets advice from his parents, which reminded me that one of the ways to help my little almost-to-be first grader is to tell stories of first grade, so he knows we have all gone through first grade and come out ok. Right now when we mention first grade, he has been known to lie on the couch and pull a blanket over his head.

So we leave "Charlie" on the coffee table where he can see it and pick it up when he is ready. The older children read it aloud so he can hear it but it isn't "pushed" on him. It engages even without him looking at the illustrations when we read it, but those illustrations are classic, exceptionally enjoyable.

Highly recommended.

This book is weird when the fish fly onto land; that makes it cool. It's really, really weird when the boat flies. The pictures are great!

I adore this book. I find it absolutely enthralling.

I love the quiet poetry, the calm illustrations, the strange details (flying sail boats? A sand fish (that looks like a cat on the side) that comes to life?) - everything.

Unfortunately, my nieces (5 and 2.5) don't love it quite as much as I do. Maybe they'll grow into it? I suspect they find it somewhat lacking in story.

The artwork in this fantastic tale of a boy 'saling' off to a magical island to frolic with lions and sea creatures make the book. My son (3) and I love it.

Eric Rohmann's imagination is a place I'd like to live in. His imagery is stunning in The Cinder-Eyed Cats. He has created a book that you will pick up again and again, if only to flip through the beautiful images. It will become a well-loved part of your library.

This book is a small boy's dreamlike journey to an island inhabited by the cats. He flies there in a boat and falls asleep. That's when the wonderous events begin.

You'll see flying fish, slinky cats, all revolving around and around in giddy circles. When the morning comes, the boy must return home and the cats get their rest.

Parents will have a good time reading this book to their younger children, while slightly older (5 - 8) will enjoy reading it to themselves.

Rohmann is also the creator of Time Flies, a Caldecott Honor Book, that is just as beautiful as this one.

Kimberly Pauley
YA Books Goddess @ Young Adult Books Central

...thoroughly enjoy the pictures and the story. The art work is fabulous. Great for any age.

The cons, lifers, p.c. punks, jailhouse lawyers, snitches, cellblock queens, inmates; all hustling for scraps, all scrapping for survival until that big day when freedom beckons. Whether it is in the form of a parole decree or a daring break-out, they will be free to repeat the abhorrent behavior that landed them in the clink in the first place. Like a shiv to the ribs, this book will penetrate your preconceived notions about life behind concrete walls.

A bunch of two-fisted prison stories focusing on what hard-bitten cons do best: kill snitches and blast their way out of the stir. Once free to flex their oily muscles, they gleefully break every law of man and God until the weight of law comes crashing down, burring them six feet under. There are also some reform school debs thrown into the mix, but their delinquent and promiscuous antics seem to pale in comparison to the wanton, testosterone-fueled violence of the other stories. There is also a companion volume,Hellcats, Vixens, & Vicedolls: Women, Crime, and Kink of the Fifties , that's keeps the havoc going!

"One shot, one gas bomb and all 5 of you screws die!" So boast an prisoner leading his escaping gang to freedom; only to end up in a full blown riot complete with National Guardsmen, tanks, search lights, tear gas and machine guns. This rebellious attempt at a big bust out is just one of the 30 exciting stories convicts running wild; until, that is, they are captured and put to death in the gas chamber. I recommend this book to any fan of George Raft or James Cagney movies.

This book is like "the cycle of life" for criminals! From the youthful discretions of a juvenile delinquent destined for reform school, to a cold-blooded double homicide from a harden jail bird who's murderous actions condemns him to a meaningless and violent existence as a convict on death row; all stages and facets of the "left-hand path" are vividly detailed from this collection of detective magazine articles from the 50s.

Convicts, Jail Birds and Reform School Girls is a wild ride through the most sensational and lurid true crime cases of the 1950s --- and a few before that. Many different crimes are covered but the outcomes are all the same: prison or death for the criminal and a deeply satisfying feeling for the reader.

Being a new mom of a toddler I really needed help with activities for my son. This book is great. The information and charts are a great way to keep take of my son's development. A must for new mom's

This is a great book. all the developmental areas have been discussed. Good resource book for parents and for early childhood teacher just lke me.

If you plan on working with the younger crowd, then this is a great book for you. It has a lot of creative ideas to help children in your classroom along developmentally. If you are running out of ideas for your classroom, I suggest buying this book. It will ensure you never get into an idea slump again.

I ordered this book when I started teaching in an infant/toddler classroom. Despite my five years of college, I had little knowledge on what these little guys could do. This book has been an AWESOME resource. I love how the lessons are separated by age groups. It provides detailed explanations as well as additional information on why and how each activity is developmentally appropriate. Of the several books I ordered, this one is most professional and designed for teachers. I highly recommend it!

Creative Resourcees for infants & Toddlers (Creative Resources for Infantas and Toddlers) is a great book, I wish that I would have gotten it alot sooner. It has really helped me with my homework assignments.

This book talks about friends putting on a magic show for Hank's cousins. Frankie, one of Hank's friends, is the magician. He remembers that he wants to see a monster movie so Hank says he's going to record it.But he presses the wrong button. Frankie gets mad when they get home. Hank is so sorry he takes the cable box apart. They buy a new one the guy for the cable company has a copy of the movie that Hank didn't record. Then Hank invites Frankie over to see the movie.I like this book because it has a good ending and it like he's talking to you.

This is a good book because it has a lot of action. The book has a lot of action because Hank thought his sister iguana laid eggs in a cable box. Read on to see what happens.

The Day of the Iguana tells the story of a fourth grader named Hank Zipzer and his sister's iguana. Science projects are coming due for Hank, so he has to find a project and fast. He gets the idea to take apart his cable box and see what's inside. Wha† he didn't count on is his sister Emily's iguaua laying 23 eggs.
This book gives you a look at a boy called Hank Zipzer and how he gets through a few months of fourth grade with his best friend Frankie and his sister Emily and her iguana Catharine. The story starts in the beautiful modern city of New York. Hank has to put on a magic show for his twin cousins and promises Frankie to tape a monster movie when there doing the show but he accidentally presses the wrong button and tapes something else. Hank feels so guilty that he decides to take apart a cable box and see if he can prevent that from happening in the future. My favorite part in the book is when the baby iguanas are born. They are so cute. I recommend this book to children and family because it is about honor and trust. It is a great book and teaches kids that iguana birth can make a big change to your life. It also teaches you how to be a great friend.
W.S.

A story about three friends Hank, Frankie, and Ashley. Hank and his friends are a magic act they call themselves The Magik 3. Hank's twin cousins are turning four years old. The twin's parents hire a clown but the clown gets sick. Hank's aunt needs to find an act for the birthday party. She askes Hank if he and his friends would perform. Hank and his friends agree to perform. Then Frankie remembers that there is a monster movie marthon that he can't miss. Read the book to see what happens.

The way I see it, any book that can keep a 10 year old boy away from his video games, gets 5 stars and then some. "Day of the Iguana" and the other eight books will do for boys what "The Babysitters Club" did for girls. I've been waiting a long time for something boys can relate to other than "Yu Gi Oh" comic books and "Captain Underpants." Henry Winkler has done that with Hank Zipzer and his friends, he's made reading fun for boys. You can count on Hank getting himself in a situation that would be best handled being straightforward and you can count on him going out of his way being anything but. The best part is watching you kid choose Hank over the TV. Parents all over will understand just what an accomplishment that is.