Miles Lane School - Library
Here are some
recommended books for you to try:
Gr 2-4?On the
beautiful island of Martinique in the 19th century, good friends Hippolyte, the
son of a French-born widow, and Clement, a rich landowner's son, set out to meet
a young woman Clement has fallen hopelessly in love through her picture. At
their destination, they encounter the prospective bride's frightening uncle,
Monsieur Zabocat, purportedly a quimboiseur, or wizard, of the worst degree.
After overcoming Zabocat's several curses, which lead both young men into many
true tests of friendship, the couple is married and all ends happily. Pinkney's
scratchboard and oil artwork switches from bright daytime hues for most of the
book to purples and grays for scenes with the zombies and snakes, which are very
effective. An afterword gives valuable information about the origins of the
tale, and a glossary with pronunciation makes reading aloud and/or telling the
tale a real pleasure. This excellent title contains all the elements of a
well-researched folktale, and convincingly conveys the richness of the West
Indian culture.?Marlene Lee, Broward County Library, Ft. Lauderdale,
FL
Gr 2-5-This
sparkling picture-book biography is a worthy tribute to an individual whose
greatness extended beyond the baseball field and whose stature continues to
grow. The lively text highlights the achievements of his incredible career: his
extraordinary fielding, his leadership in guiding the Pittsburgh Pirates to two
World Series wins, and the accomplishment of recording 3000 hits. The author
also imbues his subject with character: Clemente was notable for his generosity
and as a trailblazer for Latino ballplayers. He struggled throughout his career
with a condescending press, but after his performance in the 1971 World Series,
no one could deny his greatness. The book ends with Clemente's tragic death in a
plane crash as he was attempting to bring aid to victims of an earthquake in
Central America. The illustrations, with their trademark swirls and detailed
cross-hatchings, are perfectly suited to the text. Col-n alternates between
full-color and black-and-white drawings: they add detail and drama, and the
book's overall design is striking. Both author and illustrator are at the top of
their game here. A delight for sports lovers as well as general readers.-Marilyn
Taniguchi, Beverly Hills Public Library, CA Copyright 2005 Reed Business
Information
Newbery Honor
author McKissack (The Dark-Thirty) teams up with storyteller Moss to relay-with
flair and humor-the tale of a girl with a stomachache who stays at home while
her mother and brother go off to the fields to plant corn. Mama leaves Precious
with a warning ("Don't let nothing and nobody in this house") and Brother slyly
adds that if Precious does let someone in the house, it may well turn out to be
Pruella the Boo Hag ("She's tricky and she's scary, and she tries to make you
disobey yo' mama"). Though the girl tries to reassure herself that there's no
such thing as the Boo Hag, suddenly the honeysuckle wilts on the vine and "the
sunny day took on a dark and dreary disposition." The creature, with "eyes of
burning cinder and hair that shot out like lightning," appears "riding on the
back of a storm," demanding that Precious let her inside with a voice "that
rumbled like rolling thunder." Precious bravely sings a chant announcing her
refusal to let the hag in and the creature disappears-only to return three more
times in various guises, including that of a shiny penny. Brooker (Nothing Ever
Happens on 90th Street) conveys the rowdy, larger-than-life goings-on in
playfully exaggerated, stylized collage art which features a range of textures.
The story's lively language, pleasing cadence and effective repetition of
Precious's chant make this a buoyant read-aloud. Ages 4-8. (Jan.) Copyright 2005
Reed Business Information.
Nolan Byrd single-handedly saved his school from the bullydom of Alvin “Bubba” Bixby. He posted proof of Bubba’s exploits on the Web at Shredderman.com. Now Shredderman is the school hero! But since Shredderman’s identity is a secret, everyone still treats Nolan like . . . a nerd.