Showing posts with label grades 4-6. Show all posts
Showing posts with label grades 4-6. Show all posts

Saturday, July 18, 2009

Epistolary Novels

Having recently read both The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society (Shaffer and Barrows) and 84, Charing Cross Road (Hanff)--both excellent books; I highly recommend them!--I got to thinking about books written in letters, as both of these are. It wasn't hard to think of several more, for all ages.

For teens there is Daddy Long-Legs, by Jean Webster. I reviewed this one once before, so you can read more about it here. Then there is Karen Hesse's Letters from Rifka, about a twelve-year-old girl fleeing Russia with her family in 1919. Rifka knows that her letters will never reach her cousin, whom she is writing to, so this book is more like a diary than a true epistolary novel, but I thought it worth including here anyway. And for a more modern version of the epistolary style, there is the TTYL series by Lauren Myracle. These books (TTYL, TTFN, and L8R G8R) are written entirely as a series of instant message conversations between three teen girls.

There are a few selections for middle-grade readers, as well, including P.S. Longer Letter Later and Snail Mail No More, both by Paula Danziger and Ann M. Martin; Dear Mr. Henshaw, the Newbery winner by Beverly Cleary; and the Regarding the... series by Kate Klise. The latter is a little different in that the books include things like newspaper clippings among the letters.

And lastly, I even found an epistolary picture book--two, actually: Dear Mrs. LaRue and LaRue for Mayor, by Mark Teague, which are composed of letters from a dog to his owner.

I'm sure there are more--let me know if you've read others! I love to write letters, which is probably why these books have such appeal for me; I'm dreaming of the day when I can exchange long, witty letters with anonymous Englishmen who send me books and invite me to visit their country and stay with their family or the old woman next door. A girl can dream, right?

Books about words (and how to use them!)


I'll admit, I am a word nerd. And a grammar fiend. And a spelling... whatever. I like it all. I've read and loved Eats, Shoots and Leaves (Lynne Truss) cover to cover, as well as Woe Is I: The Grammarphobes Guide to Better English in Plain English (Patricia T. O'Conner), and David Crystal's By Hook or By Crook (a fascinating, humorous look at the English language). I've even read bits of Strunk and White's Elements of Style for fun.

So over the last year or so I've been delighted to see several similar books written for children. First we have two more books by Lynne Truss: Twenty-Odd Ducks: Why, Every Punctuation Mark Counts! and The Girl's Like Spaghetti: Why, You Can't Manage Without Apostrophes! Along the same lines, I recently checked in a book at the store called Greedy Apostrophe: A Cautionary Tale. This should be required reading for anyone who ever writes in the English language--it's funny and it gets the point across. I told my family about this one, and now my younger brothers will see a typo and say, "Is that a greedy apostrophe?"

On a slightly different note, we got a book in a few weeks ago called The Word Snoop (Ursula Dubosarsky). This is a book all about the English language. It starts by telling about the alphabet (how it all began) and the invention of printing; moves forward through American spelling, punctuation, anagrams and pangrams and all sorts of other "grams," oxymorons, Pig Latin, onomatopoeia, tongue twisters, euphemisms, spoonerisms, malapropisms, and more; and ends with a look at "text-speak" and smileys. Everything is explained in a fun, easy-to-understand manner.

Monday, July 6, 2009

Summer Books

What are you reading this summer? I started The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn this weekend--figured it was a good book to start on the 4th of July. Others I've enjoyed during the last couple months include The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society (Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows) and The Help (Kathryn Stockett).

Last week I finally got around to reading this year's Newbery winner, The Graveyard Book (Neil Gaiman). I liked it a lot--more than I thought I would, actually, given the title. (I know, I know, you're not supposed to judge a book by its cover! But really, who doesn't?) So I'd recommend that for the age 10-12 crowd--although, be warned, the first chapter is scary.

For the slightly younger set, there's a new Alvin Ho book (written by Lenore Look) called Alvin Ho: Allergic to Camping, Hiking, and Other Natural Disasters. I haven't read an Alvin Ho book before, but I've heard they're good, and this one sounds like the perfect thing to read during the summer!

And for teens, The Hunger Games is exciting and action-packed, while Thirteen Reasons Why (Jay Asher) is more mysterious and pensive and reveals the impact (whether negative or positive) that people can have on others without realizing it; even what seems like the most harmless action has consequences.

Friday, April 10, 2009

What just arrived...

I just had the pleasure of checking in a few books that look really good. The first one I pulled out of the box was Nana Cracks the Case!, by Kathleen Lane. The back cover reads, "Nanas, you see, are not supposed to become backhoe operators or marine biologists or circus performers (actually Nana did not join the circus, she only substituted while the trapeze artist recovered from a broken leg), and they must never--because they are so very fragile, you see--become detectives." Tell me you don't want to read the book now! I sure do. It even has a reversible cover, "perfect for sneaky detective work!"

The next one was called Escape Under the Forever Sky, by Eve Yohalem. It's about a girl who is the daughter of the American ambassador to Ethiopia, and she gets kidnapped. It is apparently based on a true story, and looks riveting. (I read a few pages in the middle. Now I want to read the whole thing.)

Finally, for you fans of Amy Krouse Rosenthal and Jen Corace, a book called Little Oink. Similar to their book Little Hoot, in which an owl wishes he could go to bed earlier, Little Oink is about a piglet who wishes his parents would let him clean his room. Cute!

Saturday, October 25, 2008

A Murder for Her Majesty

We all have them. Those books we love, but no one else seems to have heard of. A Murder for Her Majesty is one of mine. I read this book every year, preferably all in one sitting so as to be fully immersed, and practically have it memorized by now. I think it's a perfect comfort read--set in London, starring an orphan girl, full of mystery and choir music and Latin homework (Latin homework is much more fun in books than in real life)... What could be better?

What are your favorite lesser-known books?

Saturday, July 26, 2008

Star Wars: The Clone Wars

So apparently there's a new Star Wars movie coming out? An animated one? I guess I'm a little out of the loop, because I didn't know about it until I checked all these books in. We have a Clone Wars Galactic Photobook, Clone Wars chapter books for two different levels, two early-reader books (levels 1 and 2), an activity book, a sticker book, a picture book, and The Clone Wars: The Visual Guide! Wow. My brothers would have gone crazy for these back in their Star Wars-obsessed phase.

Thursday, April 17, 2008

Leslie Bulion

Leslie Bulion joined us on Thursday, April 10th, for a signing of her latest book, The Trouble with Rules. In the book, the kids have a great time drawing with chalk on the road in their neighborhood. During Ms. Bulion's visit to our store, the kids who attended got creative drawing chalk pictures on some fake pavement indoors!

Thursday, March 27, 2008

Puffin Classics

Looking for a classic? Puffin has just released new paperback editions of several children's classics. Buy two and get a free tote bag!

Titles include:

Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, by Mark Twain
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, by Mark Twain
King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table, by Roger Lancelyn Green
The Secret Garden, by Frances Hodgson Burnett
Journey to the Centre of the Earth, by Jules Verne
A Little Princess, by Frances Hodgson Burnett
The Wizard of Oz, by L. Frank Baum
Call of the Wild, by Jack London
Black Beauty, by Anna Sewell
Treasure Island, by Robert Louis Stevenson
The Wind in the Willows, by Kenneth Grahame

Each book has a nicely illustrated cover and an introduction by a current children's/YA author.

Tuesday, March 11, 2008

Ever

Coming in May: a new book by Gail Carson Levine! So very exciting. Read more at Sarah Miller's blog and go wild.

The Willoughbys

Lois Lowry, author of The Giver and Number the Stars, among others, has written a new book. The Willoughbys are an old-fashioned family: four children, neighbors to a mysterious man on whose front steps they leave the baby they found on their stoop--with the addition of a ransom note... The book is basically a parody of children's classics. Think Hansel and Gretel combined with Mary Poppins and The Bobbsey Twins, with references to Heidi, James and the Giant Peach, and Jane Eyre, just to name a few. It comes complete with a tongue-in-cheek glossary and bibliography. The entry for Mary Poppins states:
Mary Poppins is not at all like the cheerful, spritely movie person played by Julie Andrews. She is a stern, cross, vain and mysterious nanny who arrives on the wind at the home of the Banks family in London to care for their four children... Ms. Poppins does not sing, ever, and would not like being portrayed as someone who did.
So true.

Saturday, February 2, 2008

Allie Finkle's Rules for Girls: Moving Day

Meg Cabot has written a lot of books (The Princess Diaries are her most famous, but there are many more). You'd think eventually she'd run out of funny things to say, and her books would go downhill, but for now she seems to be going strong.

Allie Finkle's Rules for Girls: Moving Day is her first book for middle-grade readers. The protagonist is a nine-year-old girl who likes rules, because, as she explains, "Rules help make our lives easier. For instance, the rule about not killing people. Obviously, this is a good rule." What she doesn't like so much is the fact that her family is moving. Having to move to a different place makes everything seem unstable, so she makes a list of rules to compensate. Rules make the world seem sturdier--even rules as simple as "Rule #1: Don't stick a spatula down your best friend's throat."

I know there are plenty of books out there for the grades 4-6 reading level about moving, but I especially liked this one because I found Allie so easy to relate to. I remember being nine. I also remember moving when I was seven. It all felt pretty much like Meg Cabot describes it through Allie Finkle's eyes.

Thursday, January 3, 2008

Pippi Longstocking

I love Lauren Child. Her illustrations have such a simple, happy style; they make me want to get out lots of fabric scraps and pretty papers and markers and go to town with them.

Recently Lauren Child has added her touch to a classic children's book: Pippi Longstocking, by Astrid Lindgren. Her illustrations are the perfect match for this peppy tale of an odd little girl with braids that stick out who lives with a horse and a monkey and only decides to go to school because she wants to have school vacations.

This gorgeous edition of Pippi Longstocking is a great gift idea for girls of almost any age. The reading level is approximately grades 4-6, but the story is appropriate for ages 6 and up.

Monday, December 31, 2007

Happy New Year!

Here we are at the end of 2007 already. One of my goals for the year was to read 100 books (grades 4 and up--i.e. not picture books). I met that goal yesterday after reading all afternoon to finish book #100, The God of Animals, by Aryn Kyle. My favorites of the year:

The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane, by Kate DiCamillo. I know, I just posted about this one, but to reiterate: I find this reminiscent of The Velveteen Rabbit, but less abstract. A fairy doesn't appear to make Edward real, but he does realize that even after having lost everyone he loved, it is still worth it to love again. (OK, that sounds cliché, but really. It's a lovely book.) Edward Tulane is aimed at grades 4-6.

The Book Thief, by Markus Zusak, tells the story of a German girl during World War II. The book is written from the perspective of Death, which sounds weird, but works well. Zusak writes with powerful descriptions: "A single hour can consist of thousands of different colors. Waxy yellows, cloud-spat blues. Murky darknesses." (and that's only the 4th page.) As he writes, "It's just a small story really, about, among other things: *A girl *Some words *An accordionist *Some fanatical Germans *A Jewish fist fighter *And quite a lot of thievery." The Book Thief has been marketed to teens, but it was one of my mom's favorite books of 2007, as well.

While we're on the subject, Tamar, by Mal Peet, is another good World War II book for teens. The story alternates between the 1940's and the present day as a girl uncovers the mystery of her grandfather's past.


The Mysterious Benedict Society, by Trenton Lee Stewart, is a bit hard to describe. Four children, some very tricky tests, a villain bent on taking over the world, plot twists and dry humor add up to an eminently enjoyable tale. (Grades 7-9, give or take.)


Edward's Eyes, by Patricia MacLachlan. It's a tear-jerker, I admit. But first it's a story of family and summer sun and neighborhood baseball and old family friends, with a little James Taylor thrown in. (Grades 4-6.)


Solomon Snow and the Silver Spoon, by Kaye Umansky. The first word that comes to mind to describe this book is "Dickensian," as it is set in turn-of-the-century London, with orphans and a chimney sweep and names that betray their characters' personalities (who else could Miss Starch be but a prim schoolteacher?). However, I don't think I've ever laughed out loud at a Dickens novel. I did at Solomon Snow. (Grades 4-6.)

So there you have it. (A select few of) my favorites of the grades 4-and-up books I read in 2007. What were your favorites this year?

Wednesday, December 26, 2007

After-Christmas Titles

I hope you all had a lovely Christmas and were granted many new books to take you into the new year!

Today is the on-sale date for a few new books:

One is a new picture book version of The Ugly Duckling, retold by Stephen Mitchell and beautifully illustrated by Steve Johnson and Lou Fancher.



Another is Dark River, the second book in the Warriors: Power of Three series, written by Erin Hunter for grades 4-6.




My personal favorite, though, is The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane, by Kate DiCamillo, which is now out in paperback. This is a story similar to The Velveteen Rabbit in that it is about a toy rabbit, love, and loss. However, I think that The Velveteen Rabbit can be rather abstract and not always easy to understand, while Edward Tulane is more straightforward and equally beautiful.

All three are now available at The Alphabet Garden. Call (203) 439-7766 to reserve a copy!