Fiction Books

Barack Obama: Son of Promise, Child of Hope

Nikki Grimes

Amazon Price: $11.55 List Price: $16.99 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing Amazon Marketplace: 43 new & used starting at $9.99

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Subjects -> Children's Books -> People & Places -> Biographies -> People of Color
Subjects -> Children's Books -> People & Places -> Biographies -> Political
Subjects -> Children's Books -> People & Places -> Biographies -> United States

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 8 Average rating: 3.5 of 5

A review from a teacher...If this were a read aloud book 1 out of 5 stars.
19 of 27 people found this review helpful.

I'm a 2nd grade teacher. I went to Barnes and Noble tonight and one of my missions was to look at the picture books regarding the presidential candidates (I knew that there had to be a few by now) to read to my students during our daily read aloud times. I want to be able to present each of the candidates in a fair manner. While at the store I found this book.

The books is SO heavy-handed (I looked to see if it hadn't been written by, endorsed by, or if the profits weren't going directly to the DNC). Barack comes across as a Moses for our times. He is spoken to by "Hope", and later on it seems that Hope turns into the voice of God. God doesn't just stir his soul but recites sentences/a paragraph, and seems to anoint him a modern-day prophet. The child in the book even compares him to Joseph of the new testament. This is going WAY too far (unless of course we are to expect The Book of Barack to be added to the Bible any day now). Actually, the heavy-handed writing made me laugh as I rejected even the possibility of bringing it into the classroom.

I do, though, allow adult guest readers to bring in books of their choosing when they join us for read alouds. I started to wonder how I would handle the situation if someone brought in this book. My solution will be to apologize immensely and then mention, "Oooops, we were suppose to go to the art room for a special presentation. We'll have to reschedule this read aloud."

There is no way I could present this book to my students. I might as well read the Bible and replace major names with Barack.

PLEASE publishers! Give us DECENT books about the candidates.

(*A note to Barack (though I doubt he will be taking time to read my little review):
Do you endorse these books or comments that compare you to Biblical figures???? I think you would do your campaign well to tell people to start considering you to be a mere man. You aren't a rock star. You aren't a prophet. I think these comparisons might wear on people and lose you an election.)

Editorial Review:

Ever since Barack Obama was young, Hope has lived inside him. From the beaches of Hawaii to the streets of Chicago, from the jungles of Indonesia to the plains of Kenya, he has held on to Hope. Even as a boy, Barack knew he wasn't quite like anybody else, but through his journeys he found the ability to listen to Hope and become what he was meant to be: a bridge to bring people together.

This is the moving story of an exceptional man, as told by Nikki Grimes and illustrated by Bryan Collier, both winners of the Coretta Scott King Award. Barack Obama has motivated Americans to believe with him, to believe that every one of us has the power to change ourselves and change our world.

Fablehaven

Brandon Mull

Amazon Price: $7.99 List Price: $7.99 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Aladdin Amazon Marketplace: 64 new & used starting at $2.76

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 99 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Awful 1 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

I'm an adult who thoroughly enjoys the fantasy genre. I had high hopes for this series because of the positive reviews. I decided to buy all three books at the same time because, when I get "into" a series, I really want to read all there is that's available as soon as I can get my hands on them.

With that said, I'm very disappointed with the first book. The writing itself is unimaginative. After reading the first several pages of "Kendra said," "Seth said," " Grandpa said," I started to miss the more descriptive writings of real authors. There is also not much of an atmosphere set. It's hard to describe, but Rowling's or Angie Sage's world is much more detailed and well-thought out than the sparse pedestrian descriptions that Mull lends to us.

The characters are also very unsympathetic and can be pretty annoying. After the nth time that Seth disobeyed his grandfather, even after he's had first-hand experience of the dire consequences, I just wanted to throw the book out the window. Is this boy dense? Adventurous, sure. But does he have to border on stupid? His sister Kendra does nothing really than threaten to "tell" on Seth, and is mostly passive and officious.

Lena could have been interesting, but the character turned out flat and one-dimensional. Grandfather is also flat. I just can't believe how a world that's supposed to be filled with wonder can, in this author's hands, turn out to be totally uninteresting. Even the fairies! Nobody has any personality worth spending time with. Unless it's annoying, I guess.

You know what this book really reminds me of? A very boring version of Dragon Tales!

I thought about returning all three books, but I think I'll keep them as a reminder to not rely on reviews on Amazon.com. And just in case I wasn't clear: Stay away from this series. Get Bartimaeus, or re-read Tolkien (which I'm doing now). Even The Last Apprentice series is more interesting, or The Ranger's Apprentice.

Fablehaven? Eh. Picking lint off the floor is more interesting and ultimately more satisfying than this book.

Editorial Review:

For centuries mystical creatures of all description were gathered into a hidden refuge called Fablehaven to prevent their extinction. The sanctuary survives today as one of the last strongholds of true magic. Enchanting? Absolutely. Exciting? You bet. Safe? Well, actually, quite the opposite.

Kendra and her brother, Seth, have no idea that their grandfather is the current caretaker of Fablehaven. Inside the gated woods, ancient laws keep relative order among greedy trolls, mischievous satyrs, plotting witches, spiteful imps, and jealous fairies. However, when the rules get broken -- Seth is a bit too curious and reckless for his own good -- powerful forces of evil are unleashed, and Kendra and her brother face the greatest challenge of their lives. To save their family, Fablehaven, and perhaps even the world, Kendra and Seth must find the courage to do what they fear most.

All the Places to Love

Patricia Maclachlan

Amazon Price: $11.55 List Price: $16.99 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Joanna Cotler Amazon Marketplace: 47 new & used starting at $7.99

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Subjects -> Children's Books -> People & Places -> Family Life -> New Baby -> Fiction

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 26 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

A heart warming masterpiece 5 out of 5 stars.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful.

Patricia MacLachlan creates a heart warming masterpiece through a simple country family's connection with each other and their land. All the Places to Love begins with Eli's birth and his first view of the countryside his family calls home. Eli would soon grow to love this countryside through his experiences with his mother, father, and grandparents. They each have a place on the farm, which holds a special place in their heart. Mama loves the hill where she can see the sun rise on one side and set on the other. Papa love the fields and working in them. Grandma shares her love for the river with Eli as they sail notes down stream to one another. The barn grows special to Eli's heart after sharing experiences with Grandpa working in a place that brings joy to his life. Eli creates his personal getaway where the spring rains come and turn the meadows into marsh. The paintings by Mike Wimmer combined with the words by MacLachlan capture the passion filled anticipation of Eli as he awaits the birth of his baby sister. Eli is eager to show Sylvie "all the places to love."

Editorial Review:

Within the sanctuary of a loving family, baby Eli is born and, as he grows, "learns to cherish the people and places around him, eventualy passing on what he has discovered to his new baby sister, Sylvie: 'All the places to love are here . . . no matter where you may live.' This loving book will be something to treasure."'BL."The quiet narrative is so intensely felt it commands attention. . . . a lyrical celebration."'K.

The Watsons Go to Birmingham - 1963

Christopher Paul Curtis

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Subjects -> Children's Books -> People & Places -> Multicultural Stories -> African-American

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 625 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

The year is 1963, and self-important Byron Watson is the bane of his younger brother Kenny's existence. Constantly in trouble for one thing or another, from straightening his hair into a "conk" to lighting fires to freezing his lips to the mirror of the new family car, Byron finally pushes his family too far. Before this "official juvenile delinquent" can cut school or steal change one more time, Momma and Dad finally make good on their threat to send him to the deep south to spend the summer with his tiny, strict grandmother. Soon the whole family is packed up, ready to make the drive from Flint, Michigan, straight into one of the most chilling moments in America's history: the burning of the Sixteenth Avenue Baptist Church with four little girls inside.

Christopher Paul Curtis's alternately hilarious and deeply moving novel, winner of the Newbery Honor and the Coretta Scott King Honor, blends the fictional account of an African American family with the factual events of the violent summer of 1963. Fourth grader Kenny is an innocent and sincere narrator; his ingenuousness lends authenticity to the story and invites readers of all ages into his world, even as it changes before his eyes. Curtis is also the acclaimed author of Bud, Not Buddy, winner of the Newbery Medal. (Ages 9 to 12) --Emilie Coulter

The Witches

Roald Dahl

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 254 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Danielle's Favorite Book 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

I think this is a really good book. It is mainly about a nine year old boy who has a very sweet grandma and sets off to stop the witches from vanishing all the children. It is not just funny, it is also frightening. The part I like the best if when the witch turns the boy into a mouse.

Disasterously wicked, with a smile 4 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

This will continue to be one of the most dazzling examples of children's literature. How can you not love something of so much horror that comes off with such humor and charm?

In classic Dahl fashion, a boy is horrible orphaned to be left with his grandmother, a woman who belives in the dangers of witches.

What follows is a hotel adventure that manages to make witches villainous and yet as properly British as possible.

It's tongue-in-cheek and continuinly clever. I also think it is some of the best imagination Dahl has ever shone.

Editorial Review:

This Roald Dahl classic tells the scary, funny and imaginative tale of a seven-year-old boy who has a run-in with some real-life witches! "In fairy tales witches always wear silly black hats and black cloaks and they ride on broomsticks. But this is not a fairy tale. This is about REAL WITCHES. REAL WITCHES dress in ordinary clothes and look very much like ordinary women. They live in ordinary houses and they work in ordinary jobs. That is why they are so hard to catch." Witches, as our hero learns, hate children. With the help of a friend and his somewhat-magical grandmother, our hero tries to expose the witches before they dispose of him. Ages 7-12.

When I Was Young in the Mountains (Reading Rainbow Books)

Cynthia Rylant

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Subjects -> Children's Books -> People & Places -> Where We Live -> Country Life
Subjects -> Children's Books -> Series -> Early Reader

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 19 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

LOVE THIS LITTLE BOOK. 5 out of 5 stars.
5 of 5 people found this review helpful.

This work is rather realistic. For anyone who grew up in similiar surroundings, it brings on waves of nostalgia. Growing up in the Ozark Mountains was quite similar to the setting of this story. These were simpler times, for good and bad, and it is good that we have something like this to pass on to our children. The illustrations in this book are soft and wonderful. The text is quite to the point and quite readable and understandable. The book leaves much room for open discussion, although it helps a lot if you actually grew up in these conditions, when discussing it with the young ones. I find that the simple fact there there was no electricity, no T.V., no radios, no running water, etc. quite difficult for children to understand and grasp. This book helps a lot. Recommend this one highly.

Editorial Review:

"An evocative remembrance of the simple pleasures in country living; splashing in the swimming hole, taking baths in the kitchen, sharing family times, each is eloquently portrayed here in both the misty-hued scenes and in the poetic text."--Association for Childhood Education International. Caldecott Honor Book. Full-color illustrations.

Rock, Brock, And the Savings Shock

Sheila Bair

Amazon Price: $10.85 List Price: $15.95 Usually ships in 2 to 3 weeks By: Albert Whitman & Company Amazon Marketplace: 5 new & used starting at $10.70

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 1 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Great Surprise! 5 out of 5 stars.
12 of 12 people found this review helpful.

I bought this as a baby shower gift for a friend whose boy baby name is Brock. I wasn't thinking too much of it from what I saw, but when I got it I was pleasantly surprised. It is a great rhyming tale of two twins, and how one saves while the other spends. Really cute! I especially liked how the last two pages give a comparison of how money compounds and gives advice to kids on how to save. As a parent and a teacher, I highly recommend this book to share with children to teach monetary values!

Editorial Review:

Rock and Brock may be twins, but they are as different as two twins can be. One day, their grandpa offers them a plan-for ten straight weeks on Saturday he will give them each one dollar for doing their chores. But there is a catch! Each dollar they save, he will match.

Rock is excited-there are all sorts of things he can buy for one dollar. So each week he spends his money on something different-a toy moose head, green hair goo, white peppermint wax fangs. But while Rock is spending his money, Brock is saving his. And each week when Rock gets just one dollar, Brock's savings get matched. By summer's end, Brock has five hundred and twelve dollars, while Rock has none. When Rock sees what his brother has saved, he realizes he has made a mistake. But Brock shows him that it is never too late to start saving.

Zen Ties

Jon J Muth

Amazon Price: $12.23 List Price: $17.99 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Scholastic Press Amazon Marketplace: 48 new & used starting at $7.20

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 13 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Wonderful! 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

This is a wonderful book. I have a 5 and a 3 year old and they ask for this book every night. There is not an awful lot of action, befitting a Zen Panda, but the kids love it. And it is a book with unquestionably positive themes. The illustrations are really lovely, as well. I am glad my kids like the book because I like reading it, too. I also recommend Zen Shorts and Stone Soup by the same author.

Zen lessons perfect for young picturebook readers. 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

Summer has arrived and so has Koo, Stillwater Panda's haiku-speaking young nephew. When Stillwater encourages Koo and friends to help a grouchy neighbor in need, their efforts are rewarded in this appealing, fun blend of panda and Zen lessons perfect for young picturebook readers.

Editorial Review:

Summer has arrived -- and so has Koo, Stillwater's haiku-speaking young nephew. And when Stillwater encourages Koo, and his friends Addy, Michael, and Karl to help a grouchy old neighbor in need, their efforts are rewarded in unexpected ways.

Zen Ties is a disarming story of compassion and friendship that reaffirms the importance of our ties to one another.

Rise of the Evening Star (Fablehaven)

Brandon Mull

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 7 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

fablehaven 2 5 out of 5 stars.
2 of 3 people found this review helpful.

I enjoy this book, However I liked the 1st one better. Looking forward to reading the 3rd edition.

amazing book! 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

I enjoyed the fablehaven books so much. They were a great read for the whole family. Brandon Mull does a superior job keeping the action going and the fun. I had lots of laughs. Everyone who loves young adult fiction/fantasy has to read these!

Editorial Review:

At the end of the school year, Kendra and her brother Seth find themselves racing back to Fablehaven, a refuge for mythical and magical creatures. Grandpa Sorenson, the caretaker, invites three specialists -- a potion master, a magical relics collector, and a mystical creature trapper -- to help protect the property from the Society of the Evening Star, an ancient organization determined to infiltrate the preserve and steal a hidden artifact of great power. Time is running out. The Evening Star is storming the gates. If the artifact falls into the wrong hands, it could mean the downfall of other preserves and possibly the world. Will Kendra learn to use her fairy gifts in time? Will Seth stay out of trouble?

The Old Woman Who Named Things

Cynthia Rylant

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 26 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

What's in a Name 5 out of 5 stars.
6 of 6 people found this review helpful.

Cynthia Rylant has done it again-- this story tells of an elderly woman who has outlived most of those she loved and doesn't want to risk a new attachment-but but a nameless stray dog changes her mind. The story is done with a wonderful blend of humor and poignancy. It is a favorite in one pre-K classroom I know--wonderful way to positively approach those tricky issues of aging and death with young children.

Fabulous Book To Share as a Family! 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

We bought this book for our 5-year old son after reading a positive magazine review of it. Still, when we received it, it surpassed our expectations. This is a great book! Our son has read it over and over with our family and he even asked to bring it to school for the "hundredth day" of school. It also was timely because our family had suffered some losses this past year and the book provided a good reason for us to talk about why the old lady may have been reticent to name something and how her feelings changed by the end of the book. It's a somewhat silly (in a good way) book to read yet it still has a wonderful message. Our 8-year-old daughter loved it too. We all did, actually! Great book - buy it and enjoy!

Editorial Review:

How does an old woman who has outlived all her friends keep from being lonely? By naming the things in her life she knows she will never outlive--like her house, Franklin, and her bed, Roxanne. When a shy brown puppy appears at her front gate, the old woman won’t name it, because it might not outlive her. Tender watercolors capture the charm of this heartwarming story of an old woman who doesn’t know she’s lonely until she meets a plucky puppy who needs a name--and someone to love.