The 21 Balloons by William Pene du Bois

Every summer I try to take the time to read an old Newbery Medal winner.  This past summer I read The 21 Balloons by William Pene du Bois this book won the Newbery in 1948 and I believe it deserved to win!  Once I began reading I could not put it down.

This is a great story about Professor William Sherman's adventure of flying across the Pacific Ocean.  However it does not quite work out as he planned.  He leaves San Francisco (August 15, 1883) in a balloon and he is picked up three weeks later in the Atlantic Ocean holding onto a raft that has evidence of 21 balloons?! How did this happen?  Once rescued, he travels by train from the east coast to the west coast and has a grand welcoming upon his return to San Francisco.  This is where he finally tells his story.  About his landing on an island and the people he encounters there. The community of people on Krakatoa are unique and interesting.  Some of their homes are unlike anything you have seen or heard about before.  I am sure you will never forget these people, once you read this story.  Professor Sherman's time on a this very special island, Krakatoa, is amazing you just may want to visit it yourself.

After reading this story you might want to find out more about hot air balloons.  Perhaps find a place nearby where you can ride in a hot air balloon and have your own adventure.

Happy Daily Reading
Deanna

Out Of My Mind by Sharon M. Draper

This book is a MUST read for everyone over the age of 10.  Out of my Mind by Sharon Draper is a story that will stay in your heart forever, and most likely change you for the better.

Melody has a photographic memory she remembers everything she sees and hears.  She sometimes wishes she had a delete button on her wheelchair so that she could forget some of the things she knows.  Melody was born with cerebral palsy and is unable to communicate.  This is her biggest frustration she knows a lot but, she cannot communicate with others.  She does not mind the wheelchair, other than the color, which is pink!  When she was five and it was time to start school she was unable to show the teachers how much she knew because she could not write or move her arms to do what was asked.  So, her school life is in the special education class where she hears the same things day after day.  She is able to get a new wheelchair that enables her to move around better but she still cannot communicate.  This changes, in the fifth grade, when she is given a computer that enables her to "talk" and once she begins to communicate there is no stopping her. Teachers quickly learn how smart she is and soon she is on the school academic team.  Because of Melody the team makes it to the final competition.  However, the other students on the team, although they love winning, are embarrassed by Melody's looks and her wheelchair.  This is where we see the true feelings of the other students, are they really Melody's friends?

Out of my Mind is a great story about friendship and acceptance of others.  Melody is one special girl and someone I'm glad I got to know through this story.

After reading this book think about ways you can be a better friend to others.

Happy Daily Reading
Deanna

Cam Jansen and the Chocolate Fudge Mystery by David A. Alder

David A. Alder is the author of the Cam Jansen series of books.  Cam is a nickname for Jennifer Jansen, she has a photographic memory.  Cam is short for "the camera" which was her original nickname.  Cam uses her gift to solve a number of mysteries.

In the book Cam Jansen and the Chocolate Fudge Mystery Cam and her friend Eric are selling chocolate fudge bars and rice cakes to raise money for the city's Ride and Read program.  This is a program that takes homebound elderly to the library.  Something seems a bit strange to Cam at one of the houses when she sees a lady wearing a raincoat and sunglasses leaving with a trash bag and placing the trash bag into the trashcan of a different house.  Cam wants to know what is in the trash bag so she digs it out and sees a variety of food containers.  Cam and Eric notice newspapers in front of the house that are the exact same, why have more than one copy of a newspaper in your driveway??  Cam takes Eric to the back of the house and there they see a box of groceries, the same food items that were just thrown into the trash, something is not right!

Play a game with your family, have a person look around the room then have them close their eyes and see how much they can remember about the room.  Go to different places in the house and have a different person close their eyes and see who can remember the most.  Also, enjoy some chocolate fudge!

Happy Daily Reading
Deanna

Press Here by Henre Tullet

Press Here by Henre Tullet might not look like much of a book but children love it.  I found this story much more fun when read aloud.  Press Here will be a book I read to new students each school year.

Listeners to this story are told what to do and when the page is turned they discover that what they did created differences on the next page.  For instance "rub here" changes the color of the dot.  Look out when the listener begins to "clap" you won't believe what happens!

After reading this book you can talk about primary colors and what happens when you mix them.  You can have a fun time giving commands and coming up with new outcomes with your directions.  Share your experiences in the comment section of this review.

Happy Daily Reading
Deanna

The Pigeon Needs A Bath! by Mo Willems

 It is here!  The newest book in the Pigeon series by Mo Willems.  The Pigeon Needs A Bath! is just as good as the rest of the Pigeon books.  I had to get my copy the day it arrived at the bookstore because the Pigeon is my favorite picture book character.

The Pigeon Needs A Bath! is a book that needs to be read aloud.  The listeners get involved with the story which is what makes these books so much fun.  All of my classes, kindergarten through sixth grade, have enjoyed hearing The Pigeon Needs A Bath! this week.

The Pigeon is a character to which children of all ages can relate.  He wants to do things that he cannot do.  He wants things he cannot have.  In this new book, he has to do something he does not want to do.  At some point in all of our lives we did not like to take baths and we certainly tried some of the tactics used by the Pigeon to get our way.  Children always laugh when the Pigeon throws a tantrum because they see that the tantrum strategy does not always work.  


After reading this book, take some time to talk to your child about what the Pigeon learned in the book.   Be creative and make up your own story with the Pigeon as the main character, talk about what will happen next in his life.  The Pigeon series is treasured by me and my family and I hope your family will treasure the series as well.

Happy Daily Reading
Deanna

Beyonders - A World Without Heroes by Brandon Mull

If you are a fan of fantasy books A World Without Heroes by Brandon Mull is a book you must read.  This is the first book of the Beyonders Trilogy and you will want to read the entire series.

Brandon Mull pulls the reader immediately into this amazing story.  Imagine being swallowed by a hippopotamus or chasing a butterfly and then finding yourself in a new world, unlike anyplace you've seen before.  This is how the main characters (Jason and Rachel) arrive in Lyrian.  Brandon Mull writes so well, you feel like you are in Lyrian too.  Jason meets a blind king and finds a book with an eyeball on the cover, after reading just one page of the book Jason is compelled to go on a quest to overtake the evil emperor, Maldor.  In order to overtake the emperor Jason and Rachel, need to find the syllables of the word that will end the life of Maldor.  Each syllable is being protected and many obstacles have to be overcome in order to obtain each syllable.  Many have tried but nobody has succeeded, will Jason and Rachel be the heroes that Lyrian so desperately needs?  Jason is not sure he can be a hero until he learns that "a hero sacrifices for the greater good.  A hero is true to his or her conscience. . . Heroes do the right thing regardless of the consequences."  This is what we see Jason and Rachel do during each of their quests to obtain the syllables of the word.  As they travel through Lyrian searching for the syllables they meet all kinds of interesting people.  The most interesting to me is the displacer, Ferrin.  Ferrin can take himself apart and then put himself back together.  Displacers are usually spies for the governor but they find a friend in Ferrrin, well they think he is a friend.  Jason also visits a land where the people just eat and play all day long.  A place nobody ever leaves, until Jason.  Read this book and you will cheer when you see that Jason and Rachel are indeed the heroes Lyrian needs.

After reading this story you will be busy reading book 2 in the series Seeds of Rebellion.  However, take sometime to imagine some different types of people and lands that may be fun and/or dangerous to visit.

Happy Daily Reading
Deanna

Biscuit Finds a Friend by Alyssa Satin Capucilli

Who doesn't like puppies?  I'm not really a pet person, but I do think puppies are cute.  The Biscuit series by Alyssa Satin Capucilli is a wonderful series for children who are beginning to read on their own.  I love all of the books in this series but I especially enjoy Biscuit finds a friend.  I believe that friends are important to us all and friends come in all shapes and sizes.  You will be surprised to see who is Biscuit's new friend and I am sure your child will giggle at the fun they have together.

After reading this book, take some time to play with some old and new friends.

Happy Daily Reading
Deanna