Harriet Beecher Stowe: Author and Abolitionist

Biographies are a great way to learn, learn not only about a particular person but a period of time in history. For some reason I checked out Harriet Beecher Stowe from our library. You probably haven't seen her on television or in the newspaper because she was born in 1811. She had many brothers who were ministers and family conversations revolved around political and social issues. Owning slaves and the laws concerning the people in the northern states who help free slaves was a passionate topic. Stowe was a writer and she wanted to do something to change things. so she wrote. Her most famous book was Uncle Tom's Cabin, which educated people about the realities of slavery. We have other books in our American Women of Achievement series, be sure to take a look in the biography section for your next book!

Space Station Science

People live in outer space on a space station. I read the book because I like space science. Someday I may want to live in outer space like the scientists in the book. About six men and women live at the space station and conduct experiments.
By Mickey gr 5

Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney

Yes, I finally read the book. The book, the one everyone is reading. I resisted. Did I want to read about a middle school boy's thoughts during a typical day? I am a little surprised at myself, I made it through the whole book. What kept me reading was.....when is it going to get to the climax? What is the plot? I asked the students in my classes.....they said there wasn't one. They were honest. Not my type of book, but I did make it through and it was harmless. The one thing that surprised me—it was actually written by an adult!—I was totally thinking I was reading a diary (opps, I mean journal) of a twelve year old boy. Watch out for the cheese!

When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead

I just finished this year's Newbery Medal winner and now I'd like to reread A Wrinkle in Time, by Madeline L’ Engle. A Wrinkle in Time was also a Newbery Medal winner back in 1963 and shares the concept of time travel. The main character in When You Reach Me has an immense fondness for A Wrinkle in Time and is carrying the book around and rereading it herself. There may be other similarities. Miranda, the protagonist in When You Reach Me has received several notes and the anonymous letter writer conveys things that haven't happened yet and knows things that make Miranda uncomfortable and a little afraid. When and how did the person leave the notes? Who is this person?

Emmy and the Incredible Shrinking Rat

The first thing that caught my attention was the great drawing of the rat on every page so as you flip through the pages it looks as though the rat is falling out of the tree.
Emmy's classroom rat speaks and Emmy can hear him. Good thing because no one in her class notices her. As Emmy befriends the rat and discovers a classmate who can also hear the rat they work together to solve their own problems using the magical powers that have been used against Emmy and her parents.
Many unusual and ratty characters in this book make for a very entertaining story and who would have thought that the rodents would be the good guys?
This Maud Hart Lovelace Nominee is written by Minneapolis author Lynne Jonell. Check out her web site.

The Homework Machine

Lots of interesting things take place in this Maud Hart Lovelace nominee. I like the first-person entries written by the different students in the class. The entries are mostly by the four kids whose desks are arranged together in Ms. Rasmussen's fifth grade class. Four very different students, unlikely to end up friends begin to spend time together. Each one has a unique story and outlook on the homework machine and their relationship with Brenton (the creator of the machine) and each other. A moral dilemma arises. How would you deal with this? Read this book and let's talk about your reaction to Mr. Milner, the police who get involved and the new teacher at the school—Ms. Rasmussen.

The Magician's Elephant by Kate DiCamillo

I read this book to myself in one sitting and I felt as I was reading it that I should be reading it aloud. It has lots of quirky and bizarre characters whose voices needed to be heard. A very different book from DiCamillo's other books, very haunting and dark. Everyone in the book had losses and needs. I felt frustrated with the caretaker of 10 year old Peter Augustus Duchene, who didn't have his best interests at heart. But the magic and poetry of the writing and the possibilities of Peter being reunited with his "dead" sister kept me enchanted until the end.

Denied, Detained, Deported: Stories from the Dark Side of American Immigration

Have you read the poem by Emma Lazarus a the foot of the Statue of Liberty? The last line says " I lift my lamp beside the golden door!" This book published by National Geographic and written by Ann Bausum is powerfully written and full of unbelievable injustices. True stories of people you will meet are: Herb Karliner, age 12 and his Jewish family, escaping Germany's concentration camps being denied entry into the U.S.; Mary Matsuda, a 16 year old Chinese-American teenager and her family and neighbors, rounded up, given a number and detained at Tule Lake Relocation camp. Though camp is a flowery word for what really was a prison. Chinese and Mexican workers, deported when their services are no longer needed. Even a law forbidding Chinese Americans from becoming citizens. Throughout this 112 page book there is archival photos and a six page detailed time line, resource guide and bibliography are in the back. This book will have you thinking about the United States being a land of opportunity. Arguments for and against immigration tend to repeat themselves, maybe looking at our past, we can learn from our mistakes.

The Thing About Georgie

Is there something about you that makes you different from everyone else in your class? Are you well known for this distinguishable trait? The thing about Georgie is that he is a dwarf. It is hard not to notice. But being a fourth grader has its other factors that occupy Georgie's life, such as having a best friend who wants to include another person in their duo dog walking business, or an annoying girl who calls him nasty names is his partner on a project for school, or finding out your parents are having another child, all these concerns just as any fourth grader would have regardless of having body issues. You learn about what being a dwarf is like but the novel also focuses on the part of being a kid that everyone hopes— that they can be appreciated by others and themselves for a variety of skills and interests. This Maud Hart Lovelace Nominee by Lisa Graff is the author's first book and I hope she writes many more.

The Wright 3

Several years ago, a student recommended that I read all the books by the author Blue Balliett. I only read one of her books, Chasing Vermeer, which I really enjoyed. Recently my women's book club read Loving Frank, about the architect Frank Lloyd Wright and I remembered another of Balliett's books, The Wright 3 about the famous architect.

Calder and Petra (the sleuths who uncover the Vermeer in her previous book) are working together again along with Tommy who returns to Chicago and resumes his friendship with Calder. The three of them are inspired by their sixth grade teacher to care about and possibly save the historic Robie House designed by Frank Lloyd Wright which is scheduled for demolition soon. But while they are admiring its unusual characteristics, the windows and shadows and certain people begin to be more than just a coincidence as they follow up on clues which propel them to do some dangerous spying. This fast moving 314 page book is filled with illustrations by Brett Helquist who visited the Robie House to accurately create the drawings.

The Secret of Zoom

Do you like books that have a bit of adventure, heroism, mystery and fantasy? Then this book is for you. Minnesota author, Lynne Jonell (author of Emmy and the Incredible Shrinking Rat) has come up with plenty of clever ideas for this book. Christina's parents are scientists and she lives a secluded life in an old mansion. I hesitate to say too much about the story and ruin all the surprises for you. But as you can see from the cover illustration and the title, the two main characters have discovered a secret and are on their way to ....

Iqbal

The book Iqbal is about a boy who gets sold into slavery and works at a carpet factory. Iqbal has been working in a carpet factory since he was 7 years old. He was sold to a carpet factory, this carpet factory has a girl named Fatima. Iqbal inspires Fatima and gives her courage to try to escape. When Iqbal escapes he talks about the cruelty about what they do in carpet factories. Then he was murdered on Easter Sunday 1995 by his carpet factory master for speaking out.

Review written by Ellie S grade 5
Iqbal is written by Francesco D'Adamo

The Liberation of Gabriel King

Frita is black and Gabe is white and the two of them are best friends. The story takes place in a small town in Georgia during the summer of 1976—the Bicentennial! That may seem like a long time ago to you but I was alive during that time and let me tell you living in the south was different in many ways then living in Minnesota or Wisconsin. At least I don't remember any Ku Klux Klan members in my small town near Milwaukee but there was racism. But I do remember summer days between my 4th, 5th and 6th grade as ones for goofing off and with no care in the world days. You are probably wondering about the title word—liberation. The two friends set free and release from control some of their fears and help each other in the process. I highly recommend this growing up book for its seriousness, its problem solving and hanging out having summer fun book. This Maud Hart Lovelace Nominee is by K.L. Going and it was a Michael L. Printz Honor Winner.

Star Jumper: Journal of a Cardboard Genius

Do you have a younger sibling who bugs you to no end? Want a way to get away from him? (or her)? In this short book by Frank Asch, Alex has come up with a solution and he tells us all about it in his journal. He says he is a genius and he has an awful lot of inventions to prove it. I like all the drawings in Alex's journal and it is amazing all the cool stuff he makes out of recycled objects. This book will get you thinking of inventions you may need.

Home of the Brave

Did you ever wonder what it would be like to come to Minnesota from another country? How about a country that never saw snow? The main character in this story is a refugee from a country in Africa. He is in the United States because of the violence in his own country and he misses his parents and older brother. Fortunately he has an aunt and cousin he can live with here. With all the tragedy in this young person's life, there are funny moments in the book because of the way he describes things that are very common to us. Kek, the protagonist tells his story in a unique style and the words paint an amazing picture. Katherine Applegate is the author of this award winning book.