Themed Reviews Back to School

Themed Reviews

Back to School

The end-of-summer can be a tricky time for all of us, so we've selected books to help you tackle this busy time. They cover a range of practical and emotional topics regarding the classroom, as well several new and energetic stories sure to incite laughter. From the most excited child to the most trepidatious, books are a great way to help navigate new waters.

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Contributor: Emily Griffin

Reviews

Access Denied (and other eighth grade error messages)
Denise Vega
After enduring total humiliation (and surviving) the year before, Erin Swift is ready to begin eighth grade. She has high hopes for moving on from her seventh grade disaster when the whole school read her not-so-private blog and hated her for it. Like many eighth grade girls, Erin hopes the year will bring with it a boyfriend, less rule enforcement by her too-strict parents, and of course ruling the school! Through a witty combination of prose and access to Erin's online (this time private for real) blog the reader follows Erin in her eighth grade year. The novel is light and fun with little or no major topics that would worry parents of a middle school reader. Erin deals with the important topics of friend choice, overbearing parents, school issues, and first boyfriends. The writing style and blog entries create an endearing character in Erin Swift that readers will root for and honestly want to succeed. 2009, Little Brown, and Company, Ages 10 up, $16.99. Reviewer: Jeanna Sciarrotta (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 978-0-3160-3448-7

Also Known as Harper
Ann Haywood Leal
Harper Lee Morgan has to get to school. The poetry contest for which she's been waiting all year is coming soon, and she has to show her poems to her teacher. But her family suddenly finds itself homeless. Her father left them, and her mother's jobs no longer cover their rent. Harper Lee has to stay with her brother and keep her family together, risking her own dreams. While trying to find a new way of life, they meet another homeless family and become fast friends. Harper Lee's story is beautifully written, with full and heartbreaking characters. The ending is happy and hopeful, but a little too contrived to make the reader believe that all families in this situation come out as well. The content is heavy for the age group, although several circumstances may have been harder for me as an adult reviewer to accept than they would be for a child. This book will not be for all readers, but those with some maturity or difficult experiences will appreciate the powerful text and the honest, sensitive look at these issues. 2009, Henry Holt and Company, Ages 9 to 12, $16.99. Reviewer: Jennifer Lehmann (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 978-0-8050-8881-6
ISBN: 0-8050-8881-4

Best Friends and Drama Queens
Meg Cabot
Christmas vacation has ended. There is big news in Allie's classroom. Allie can barely contain herself, and she can't understand why her friends aren't as excited as she is to learn that a new girl is starting at their school. Allie was the new student at the beginning of the school year, so she understands how scary it feels and how important it is to make a good first impression. She is suitably impressed when the new girl introduces herself to the class. However, Allie's excitement quickly turns to anger and fear when the new girl reveals herself to be a bully and manages to turn Allie's world upside down in only a few days. However, as with most bullies, as soon as someone--in this case, Allie--stands up to her, things settle down and return to normal. The fourth grade is full of drama and uncertainty, but thanks to Allie's compilation of rules, she is able to navigate her way through the first few weeks of the new girl's reign and come out the other side without any problems at all. 2009, Scholastic Press/Scholastic Inc, $15.99. Ages 8 to 12. Reviewer: Danielle Williams (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 978-0-5450-4043-3

Chrissa
Mary Casanova
When Chrissa begins classes at a new school, she is eager to make friends. But it isn't easy being the new girl. On the first day of school, Chrissa overhears children talking about her. When she steps into Edgewater Elementary, Chrissa meets several mean girls. Tara and Jadyn are determined to make Chrissa's life miserable, and Sonali is torn between joining the Queen Bees and making new friends. It doesn't help that today is Valentine's Day – and that Chrissa received just one valentine in her box. Did the entire class forget to send her a valentine? During her early days at this school, Chrissa is bullied by Tara and Jadyn. But slowly Chrissa makes friends with Gwen, Sonali, and other girls. Then a terrible thing happens – and the Queen Bees of Edgewater Elementary School point their fingers at Chrissa. Should Chrissa tell the truth? If she tells what really happened, will everyone think she is a tattletale? In this well-crafted story, Mary Casanova brings the issue of bullying to life through the eyes of a spirited and sympathetic heroine, Chrissa. 2009, American Girl, Ages 8 to 12, $6.95. Reviewer: Suzanna E. Henshon, Ph.D. (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 978-1-5936-9566-8

Chrissa Stands Strong
Mary Casanova
Chrissa can't wait for swim team tryouts, which are coming soon at the Edgewater Swim Club. She has been practicing her dives and strokes all summer. While Chrissa is back-to-school shopping with her mother, Tara approaches and acts friendly. But can Chrissa trust Tara, who was so mean last year? Or is Chrissa better off sticking with Gwen and Sonali, her two best friends at Edgewater Elementary School? Chrissa starts receiving mean text messages – and then there are cruel notes posted on the swim team club website. Who can Chrissa trust? Does she have any genuine friends at her new school? To make matters worse, a terrible accident happens to Tyler, Chrissa's brother, as he dives during practice. Chrissa's life turns upside down while she is at the hospital – and the young girl worries that fifth grade will be a nightmare. What can Chrissa do to stop bullying at her school? Can one girl make a difference by standing strong? In this well-crafted story, Mary Casanova tackles the issue of bullying with sensitivity, creating a story that readers will take to heart. 2009, American Girl, Ages 8 to 12, $6.95. Reviewer: Suzanna E. Henshon, Ph.D. (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 978-1-5936-9567-5

Cool Dog, School Dog
Deborah Heiligman
Illustrated by Tim Bowers
Tinka is a golden retriever who offers a rather distinctive take on the separation anxiety that is triggered on many levels when a young child begins the great adventure of schooling. We are told just a bit about the joy shared by a boy and his dog when we see a boy going for the school bus while Mom holds onto the dog who is suddenly "A sigh dog,/ a cry dog,/ a has-to-say-good-by dog." Tinka finds her way into the school even so and while at first all the adults are for banishment, Tinka quiets down and becomes "A look dog, a nook dog, a loves-to-hear-a-book dog." Bowers perky stylized illustrations match the highly rhythmic text. This emphasis on the dog missing its master rather than on the trauma of leaving home for the child could prove to be an effective way for teachers and parents to talk about the challenges and benefits of participating in the world of school. 2009, Marshall Cavendish Children, Ages 5 to7, $15.99. Reviewer: Mary Hynes-Berry (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 978-0-7614-5561-5

Countdown to Summer: A Poem for Every Day of the School Year
Compiled by J. Patrick Lewis
Illustrated by Ethan Long
The premise of the book is a poem a day for the entire school year, and Lewis comes through. The poems aren't necessarily attached to specific times of the year, although there are Thanksgiving, Christmas/Hannakuh/Kwanzaa, St. Patrick's and Easter poems around the general dates those holidays are found during the school year; the book counts down from 180 days of school left to 1 day left. The poems focus on a variety of topics, from bigfoot to toilet inspectors, principals to The Kentucky Derby. There are also a number of poem types, useful for teachers interested in using this book on a regular basis to entertain and to educate. One of my favorite uses of Haiku was found on day 57, entitled "Country Haik-lues." In this section, a haiku provides a clue as to the country it describes; for example, "Where everybody/wears a caste, curries favor,/ and favors curry." Limericks, riddles, shape poems, free verse and nonsense verse are also found throughout. Illustrations for the various pomes were done in pencil on paper and are consistently detailed and humorous. This is a fun book that could suit a number of classroom purposes. 2009, Little Brown and Company, Ages 5 to 12, $15.99. Reviewer: Jean Boreen (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 978-0-3160-2089-3

Dead is a State of Mind
Marlene Perez
Daisy and her sisters are typical teenage girls dealing with the ups and downs of high school, particularly nearing prom night. As if those struggles were not enough at times, their hometown of Nightshade adds in the challenges of coping with supernatural powers, hauntings, and werewolves. Each of the sisters works to refine her powers, both in her personal relationships and as she joins the community in an effort to solve the mysterious death of a loved teacher. As the characters are developed, the reader becomes a student at Nightshade High, feeling the excitement, frustration, and suspense as the prom plans are made, suspicious new students join the school, and investigations continue, complete with aid from a variety of powers. This quick read includes some romance in relationships with slight innuendo and substance use but is appropriate for a young adult. It is also part of the "Dead Is" series. 2009, Graphia/Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, Ages 14 up, $7.99. K. Meghan Robertson (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 978-0-1520-6210-1

Dork Diaries: Tales from a Not-So-Fabulous Life
Rachel Renee Russell
Have you ever felt like a dork? In Dork Diaries, Rachel Russell has created a humorous account of the middle school years. If you've ever been left out of a clique, not invited to the party of the season, or wondered where to sit in the school cafeteria, you'll understand how Nikki Maxwell feels when she starts classes at a new school. She doesn't know a single person and her outfit isn't cool enough to fit with the popular girls. What can a dork do to win friends and influence people? While Nikki doesn't make it to the top clique at Westchester Day School, her account of surviving the perils of middle school is hilarious. She makes friends, creates a sensation with her amazing tattoos, and connects with a cool boy named Brandon. And even though she isn't the most popular girl in school, Nikki remains true to herself and to her ideals. Young readers struggling through the middle school jungle will love Nikki Maxwell immediately. After all, what reader can resist a charming, inquisitive, self-proclaimed dork? 2009, Aladdin/Simon & Schuster, Ages 8 to 12, $12.99. Suzanna E. Henshon, Ph.D. (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 978-1-4169-8006-3

From Russia with Lunch
Bruce Hale
Installment number 14 of Hale's "Chet Gecko Mystery" series has Chet investigating some strange happenings at Emerson Hicky Elementary School. When Russian scientist and inventor Dr. Tanya Lightov appears on the scene with her Bibliomalgamator to streamline library research, Munchmeister 2000 to automate the cafeteria, and Yard Czar contraption to simplify yard work, more changes follow than anyone bargained for. Kindergartners rule the playground, class pets sass their teachers, and worst of all, Chet's partner Natalie is falsely convinced that he has been badmouthing her sleuthing skills. Who is behind all these alarming developments? Dr. Lightov? The disgruntled school employees who have been replaced by her newfangled machinery? Or perhaps the coven of witches that now meets at the school? Hale continues his popular mix of hardboiled detective story, rollicking school story, talking animal story, and endless-bad-pun and endless-bad-simile story. Lines like "Hurt filled her eyes like the gooey center of chocolate-covered chigger mites" and "My legs and arms went stiffer than a freeze-dried centipede" will keep Hale's fans groaning, laughing – and reading. 2009, Harcourt, Ages 8 to 12, $15.00. Claudia Mills, Ph.D. (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 978-0-1520-5488-5

In Memory of Gorfman T. Frog
Gail Donovan
Illustrations by Janet Pedersen
Fifth grader Joshua Hewitt feels completely misunderstood. He tries to follow the rules set up by his mother, teacher, principal, and lunchroom ladies, but he always seems to be in trouble. His talking is seen as excessive and rude. One morning before school, Joshua finds a deformed frog with three back legs in the garden pond. He is excited about his discovery and decides to bring the frog to school to possibly improve his image with his teacher. Ms. O'Reilly, a no-nonsense teacher, allows Joshua to show the class his unusual frog. The class takes one look at the unique amphibian, and all chaos breaks out. Screaming, yelling kids standing on desks were not what Joshua expected. Ms. O'Reilly finally gets the class under control, and kids start asking questions about the frog. This interest prompted a library visit to investigate amphibians and causes for the frog's multiple legs. Joshua should be pleased, but a series of events involving the frog get him sent to the principal's office, silent lunch for the whole lunchroom, and trouble on the bus. Then, his frog suddenly dies. A visit to his grandparents' house over the weekend helps Joshua understand more about the frog and himself. He meets a biologist and some sympathetic friends while attending church. They all help him understand that Gorfman T. Frog's death was not his fault. This is a great choice for beginning chapter book readers who request a book that is not too long or short. Readers will enjoy and relate to the school scenes with an unsympathetic teacher and principal, the din of the lunchroom, and parents who sometimes just do not understand. 2009, Dutton Children's Books/Penguin, Ages 7 to 10, $15.99. Nancy Baumann (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 978-0-5254-2085-9

Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side
Beth Fantaskey
Senior year of high school is supposed to be FUN. But when a Romanian exchange student shows up at Jessica's high school, she fears that he may be the one to damper what was supposed to be a fantastic year. It only gets worse when Lucius Vladescu claims to be Jessica's betrothed as a result of some pact that Jessica's Romanian birth parents agreed upon. Oh, and one more thing: Lucius claims he is vampire royalty, and Jessica is too. As unbelief turns to uncertainty, eventually, Jessica not only understands that she and Lucius truly ARE vampires, but she begins to fall in love with him. Yet Lucius begins to withdraw and calls off the pact, and now Jessica will do anything to convince Lucius that they are meant to be together – even if it means risking her own life. The book is interspersed with Lucius's letters home to his uncle in Romania, where he comments on American euphemisms and lifestyles as if he were an alien from another planet. With the theme of a romantic, destined vampiredom, this book reads much like those other well-known vampire books. The twists and turns of the plot make this story a page-turner; however, the ending is not fluent with the rest of the story, with a hurried climax and falling action followed by an abrupt denouement. But for young adults with an affinity for a dark fantasy, this will surely satisfy their thirst. 2009, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company, Ages 15 to 18, $17.00. Reviewer: Jillian Hurst (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 978-0-1520-6384-9

Jumped
Rita Williams-Garcia
The voices of three young teenage girls perfectly capture the culture of a big inner city public high school. Leticia is the onlooker, devoted to her cell phone whom she lovingly names "Celina." She's flunked math and is forced to attend Zero Period early in the morning to make up for it. She relates her every move via cell phone to her friend Bea who is off-campus in a work study program. As Leticia leaves class she is witness to a confrontation between Dominique, a large girl with an anger management problem, and Trina, a dangerously naïve art student who thinks the world is a bowl of cherries and everyone in it adores her. Trina is blissfully unaware that Dominique is planning to "jump" her after school. Leticia knows this, but despite pleas from Bea (Leticia's conscience?) to warn Trina, Leticia refuses to get involved with disastrous results. There is humor as well as danger as all three girls exhibit total self-absorption as we are privy to their thoughts. At one point, Leticia is witness to a teacher having a heart attack, and she whips out her cell phone, not to call 911, but to give Bea the gory details. Trina is permanently destroyed, Dominique is arrested, and Leticia remains uninvolved and unaffected by the tragedy. A chilling look at three young lives, devastated in different ways. 2009, HarperCollins, Ages 12 to 16, $16.99. Reviewer: Quinby Frank (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 978-0-0607-6091-5
ISBN: 978-0-0607-6092-2

Marigold
Florence Parry Heide
Illustrated by Jill McElmurry
Marigold, a vivacious young monkey, definitely has a mind of her own! In the first of four short stories, she remains stubbornly loyal to her beloved, ragged purple coat. Her fashion show of trying on coats that are pretty, fuzzy, blinking, striped, plain, and fancy is a delight, but Marigold ultimately chooses a purple coat just like her old one--even though it is too small. In the second episode, Marigold pursues her hobby of making lists. Maxine, the hippo, is not pleased to see Marigold's old coat listed first on the friends' list. So, Marigold makes a list of ways to bug Maxine. This list becomes the topic of the next tale. Marigold sets up a "Special Surprise Treasure Stand" across the street from Maxine's lemonade stand. Then, she entices Maxine to spend her lemonade money on colorful packages filled with worthless items. The last installment begins with Marigold considering and rejecting everything in her wardrobe as she prepares for the first day of school. Her mother had refused to buy her the fancy dress she wanted. So, Marigold puts on her coat and hat and refuses to take them off, telling Maxine that she is wearing beautiful clothes underneath. Maxine is well-outfitted in new school clothes, but she exhibits true friendship by covering them in a raincoat and cap in a show of unity. The simple illustrations on white backgrounds compliment the text perfectly, presenting a spunky heroine, a distraught mother, and a frustrated friend in humorous and endearing ways. This is likely to become a storytime favorite. 2009, Schwartz & Wade Books, $16.99. Ages 5 to 8. Reviewer: Phyllis Kennemer (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 978-0-3758-4031-9

Miss Fox's Class Goes Green
Eileen Spinelli
Illustrated by Anne Kennedy
A teacher's turning green encourages her class to become more eco-friendly. This, in turn, inspires the whole school to turn green. Through simple sentences and concepts appropriate to young children, Spinelli draws attention to the easy and fun ways children can help save their environment. The colorful pictures draw attention to the page and help illustrate the concepts presented through the text. This work is valuable in a science, ecology, and community curriculum, as well as showing how students can work together to bring about a large change. Not only the teacher brings up ideas, but she encourages the children to do so. Both in class and alone, the students' thought processes are demonstrated as to how they work to save the environment, in both humorous and straight situations that can occur to almost any child. This volume reintroduces Miss Fox's class where serious subjects become fun and inspiring for children. 2009, Albert Whitman & Company, Ages 4 to 8, $16.00. Reviewer: Sara Rofofsky Marcus (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 978-0-8075-5166-0

Mostly Monty
Johanna Hurwitz
Six-year-old Monty Morris has asthma. He knows how to control it using an inhaler, but his condition means that he has to spend most of his time indoors, making it really hard to play with other kids or to make friends. He wonders, "Who would want to be friends with a boy like him?" Spending full days at first grade is a big worry for Monty, who spends most of his first days of school observing his classmates and wondering what it would be like to be more normal, more interesting—more like them. But Monty is a good reader, and he has an energetic, sympathetic teacher in Mrs. Meaney (even if he is scared of her name), kind neighbors, and loving (if a little overprotective) parents. Eventually even Monty realizes that he has a lot going for him after all. Hurwitz's gentle, reassuring text shows Monty as a lonely boy who is initially more comfortable in the world of grownups than that of his classmates, but she effectively illustrates Monty's growing self-confidence through his interactions with others and plausibly demonstrates how Monty develops friendships by showing others his genuine self. Monty's story will appeal to many new readers who want to be accepted despite their perceived shortcomings. This is the first book in a projected series about Monty and his friends. 2007, Candlewick Press, Ages 6 to 9, $5.99. Reviewer: Norah Piehl (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 978-0-7636-4062-0
ISBN: 978-0-7636-2831-4

My Teacher Dances on the Desk
Eugene Gagliano
Illustrations by Tatjana Mai-Wyss
This entertaining book of poetry is targeted at elementary children, as it should be. The prose is quick, sometimes repetitive, and humorous. Most of the poetry is written from a non-gender point of view, allowing any student to easily identify with the humor. Topics of the poems are the first day of school, wanting to see the nurse, stinky sneakers, a boa constrictor, bubble gum, and more. All are fun subjects. Each poem should appeal to kindergarteners through second graders; they would be a great choice for a bedtime read, too. The title poem is the final poem, and it reinforces the fun and affection every elementary student hopes for. The cartoonish illustrations are drawn with black ink; they should appeal to small children. This poetry book would be an especially good selection for kindergarten classes. 2009, Sleeping Bear Press, $6.95. Ages 5 to 9. Reviewer: Debby Willett (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 978-1-5853-6446-6

Officer Spence Makes No Sense!
Dan Gutman
Illustrations by Jim Paillot
A.J. is a student at Ella Mentry School, where school is anything but boring. A missing peanut butter sandwich at lunchtime in the vomitorium brings about another day of weirdness, where Officer Spence accuses one and all of stealing A.J.'s sandwich, starting with the teachers and eventually arresting the entire school. Told from A.J.'s view, complete with commentary on adults and the English language, the child reading this next volume in the "My Weird School Daze" series will enjoy the story while the adult will appreciate the puns. Whether considering that WOW is MOM upside down, or listening to Officer Spence listing all the synonyms for jail, the reader will be in hysterics, wondering at the lunacy of the police in this school's community where a crossing guard is arrested for jaywalking and a bus driver for drinking coffee while driving. 2009, HarperTrophy, Ages 7 to 10, $3.99. Reviewer: Sara Rofofsky Marcus (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 978-0-0615-5409-4

Princess K.I.M. and the Lie That Grew
Maryann Cocca-Leffler
Kim is very nervous about starting in a new school. She fears the other kids will not like her. So when she learns that there is another girl named Kim, she announces that her name is K.I.M. for Katherine Isabella Marguerite and that she is from a royal family. This gets her lots of welcome attention, so her fanciful story grows. But she has told everyone that her grandmother is the queen, so when she announces that grandmother is coming to visit, Kim does not know what to do. Fortunately, Grandma Betty and Kim work it all out. Kim decides that it does not pay to lie and that she is really happy just being plain Kim. The cartoony characters behave like typical kids in a variety of spaces from small vignettes to streams across a double page. The text varies in size and placement, mostly in blocks of a few short lines, but becoming large and sweeping as Kim's imaginative stories are told. Glitter adds to the appeal of saucy Kim on the jacket while the end pages overflow with the trappings of royalty. Readers will be amused by Kim while they understand her predicament and perhaps learn a lesson. 2009, Albert Whitman & Company, $16.99. Ages 4 to 8. Reviewers: Ken Marantz and Sylvia Marantz (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 978-0-8075-4178-4

Royal Blood
Ellen Schreiber
Raven Madison is not your average Dullsville teenager. While her preppy peers are playing soccer or shopping at the local mall, Raven spends her summer days at the macabre mansion of her boyfriend, Alexander Sterling—who just happens to be a vampire. As the summer draws to an end, Raven must return to high school and a more traditional lifestyle. There will be no more midnight romance in the cemetery or sleep-filled days in Alexander's coffin. To make matters worse, Alexander's mysterious parents are returning from a hiatus in Romania, the family's homeland. Elegant yet ghastly, Mr. and Mrs. Constantine Sterling represent an underworld that Raven yearns to join. The manuscript is rich in dialogue and features the ever-popular theme of forbidden love between vampire and mortal. Schreiber broaches the teenage romance appropriately for a young adult audience. Royal Blood is the sixth novel in the "Vampire Kisses" series. 2009, Katherine Tegen Books/Harper Collins Publishers, Ages 12 up, $16.99. Reviewer: Jennifer Morrin (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 978-0-0612-8887-6

Safety at School
Marylee Knowlton
Photography by Gregg Andersen
Each book in the Staying Safe Series, which includes Safety Around Water, Safety at Home, Safety at School and Safety at the Playground, offers safety scenarios and situations including consequences that would be common to children. Readers are offered three options and asked to choose the one that is the safest. Each scenario includes a reflection piece asking the children to think about what has been learned from this scenario. The combination of choosing the option and reflecting upon it are empowering for the reader. The books contain a Table of Contents, Index, Glossary and list suggestions of resources for further learning. While the books in the Staying Safe Series are full of eye catching colour photographs and worthwhile topics, I do not believe that children would be drawn to or choose to read these books on their own. The Staying Safe Series when used by a parent or teacher would make a good resource for discussion. Although the books are quite comprehensive, in many ways, they contain almost too much information and could be information overload for the reader. I think that the Staying Safe Series would make a good resource for a classroom or school library and when used with teacher direction would be a worthwhile resource. Category: Non-Fiction Grades K-6. Thematic Links: Safety Education; Accidents. Resource Links Rating: G (Good, great at times, generally useful!), Gr. K-2. 2009, Crabtree Publishing, 32p. Illus., Hdbk. $20.76 ea. Ages 5 to 8. Reviewer: Deb Nielsen (Resource Links, February 2009 (Vol. 14, No. 3)).
ISBN: 978-0-7787-4322-4

Sammy Spider's First Day of School
Sylvia A. Rouss
Illustrated by Katherine Janus Kahn
Sammy Spider is off on another adventure. He crawls onto Josh's lunchbox to go to school with Josh. At school, Sammy crawls out and joins the children as they listen to Miss Sarah, the teacher, read the book about Noah's Ark. During the group discussion, they talk about kindness to animals. The day at school continues as the children participate in a number of activities that Sammy observes unnoticed by the children. Outside during the break after snack time, one of the children spots Sammy. Some of the children are afraid of the spider and one child says to step on it. However, Josh reminds the students about their discussion on kindness to animals; he lets Sammy crawl on his hand. The children are less scared and they take turns holding Sammy until it is time to let the spider go back to its environment. Sammy crawls back into the safety of Josh's backpack so that he can go home. Colorful, cut-out paper illustrations work together supporting the story. Readers who enjoyed this story of Sammy Spider will find several more books about him and his adventures. 2009, Kar-Ben Publishing, $7.95. Ages 4 to 6. Reviewer: Carrie Hane Hung (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 978-0-8225-8583-1

The Sisters 8, Book Three: Georgia's Greatness
Lauren Baratz-Logsted with Greg Losted and Jackie Logsted
Illustrations by Lisa K. Weber
A rainy March finds the Huit sisters wondering when the rain might stop. This story is the third adventure in the Sisters 8 series and it is Georgia's turn to receive her gift and her power. Georgia receives a jeweled compact and discovers her power with the help of her cat: she can become invisible! At first, Georgia sees nothing good about her gift or her power. When the girls return to school on Monday, they discover that a beautiful substitute teacher, Ms. Harkness, is stepping in for their teacher, Mrs. McGillicuddy. At first, Ms. Harkness appears out of a fairy tale as she leads the students into endless recess and planning for a parade. After Mrs. McGillicuddy stays absent for an entire week, the Huit sisters become concerned. The girls have a rather formidable foe in Ms. Harkness, but Georgia's power helps the sisters rescue their beloved teacher. This book, like the others in the series, could benefit from more focus on the narrator and the mystery of the missing Huit parents. Readers in second or third grade and those who enjoyed the first two books of the series can look forward to Georgia's story. 2009, Houghton Mifflin, Ages 8 to 10, $15.00. Reviewer: Elizabeth Fronk (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 978-0-547-13349-2

Stargazer
Claudia Gray
In this sequel to Evernight, Bianca begins another year at Evernight Academy, a boarding school mainly for vampires. Bianca, whose parents are vampires, will one day fulfill her destiny and become a full vampire herself. For now, she is busy keeping her secret from her human roommate and pretending to date Balthazar, a respected and powerful vampire at school, while really still dating Lucas, a vampire hunter. Both Bianca and Lucas want to know why the academy admits human students at all, when everyone must go to such great lengths to keep the true nature of the majority of the school's students a secret. Their investigation takes many twists as they meet up clandestinely, encounter a young and seemingly innocent vampire with connections to the school, and work to overcome their preconceived notions about both vampires and vampire hunters. When the school becomes plagued with wraiths, or ghosts, seemingly intent on harming Bianca, a long kept secret comes out and a master of manipulation instigates a vicious battle. The future of the school is left uncertain and Bianca finds herself making a surprising alliance. It is necessary to read Evernight to really understand Stargazer. The plot is interesting enough, but poorly drawn out suspense and an abundance of flat characters mar the story. The narrative is often dull, with surprisingly little action, given the subject matter. Indiscriminate fans of this genre will probably enjoy this supernatural romance regardless of its flaws. 2009, HarperTeen/HarperCollins Publishers, Ages 14 up, $16.99. Reviewer: Amanda MacGregor (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 978-0-0612-8440-3

Talia Talk
Christine Hurley Deriso
Talia is going into middle school and dreads what her mother, a local television host, tells the viewers. Everything in Talia's life gets shared with the television viewers. To make things even worse, Talia's group of four friends seems to be reduced to herself and loud, bossy Bridget. Meredith and Brynne want nothing to do with Talia if she is with Bridget. Bridget has been Talia's best friend forever, and Bridget has great plans for Talia. She wants her to join the Oddcast, the school's daily TV show and do a daily commentary. As Talia works on her commentary for the "Talia Talk" segment, Talia's mother, a widow, begins dating Jake, the local sportscaster. Talia must figure out who her true friends are, her feelings about this new man in her mother's life, and how to behave in middle school. The ending of this fast-paced novel ties up too many loose ends too quickly, but this is a minor quibble, as Talia's voice strikes the right tone of some embarrassment, some contentment, and some confusion that will resonate with many middle school girls. 2008, Delacorte Press, $15.99. Ages 10 to 14. Reviewer: Elizabeth Fronk (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 978-0-3758-4496-6

Teacher: Sharing, Helping, Caring
Patricia Hubbell
Illustrated by Nancy Speir
This is Hubbell's third offering in a series about community helpers/heroes. As was true of her celebration of firefighters and police, Hubbell uses a simple rhyming text to list the many roles a teacher plays during the week with her young class. Speirs' illustrations are sprightly, somewhat reminiscent of popular children's cartoons; in that spirit, she depicts the young woman teacher and the politically correct diverse class as relentlessly cheerful and well-behaved. The classroom calendar helps us keep track of the week's passing. One posted notice promises that a special visitor will be coming soon. Sure enough, on Friday, Fireman Fred shows up and we learn "Today we have our special guest--/a treat because we did our best." Young children who are curious or apprehensive about the transition to kindergarten or primary school may find it reassuring to look through this book. 2009, Marshall Cavendish, Ages 4 to 6, $16.99. Mary Hynes-Berry (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 978-0-7614-5574-5

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Updated 07/29/09

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