Chapter Book 14: Notes from a Liar and Her Dog



Notes from a Liar and Her Dog
By Jennifer Choldenko

Genre: Juvenile Fiction     Sub-Genre: Realistic Fiction

Themes: Coming-of-age, family, lying, friendship, misunderstanding, fantasy & escape, humor

Primary Characters: Antonia "Ant" MacPherson
Secondary Characters: Ant's best friend Harrison; her mother and father; her two sisters Katherine and Elizabeth

Awards:
IRA Book Award
School Library Journal Best Book of the Year
California Book Award
Junior Library Guild Selection
Published June 23, 2003 by Puffin Books

This book tells the story of young Antonia ("Ant") MacPherson. Ant appears to have a healthy dose of what is sometimes referred to as "middle child syndrome"; she has a younger sister and an older one, Katherine and Elizabeth, who seem to get all of their parents' attention. Meanwhile, Ant is left out most of the time and floats between clever ruses to get her mother and father to notice her and tiptoeing along in the shadows in hopes of never being noticed. She even keeps a diary of "letters" to her fantasy family that she has dreamed up for herself; a family that she often wishes she belonged to, rather than to her own. Her art teacher, Carol, decides to take Ant and her best friend, Harrison, under her wing and gets them to volunteer their time at the local zoo. This is an enjoyable task, although Ant's hijinks threaten to get her in trouble, and even danger, at times! I would use this coming-of-age novel as a literature circle book for an upper-elementary grade class; also, it could perhaps be an interesting whole-class read, as most students will be able to relate to having issues with their siblings when it comes to the attention of their parents.

Chapter Book 13: Money Hungry

 

Money Hungry
by Sharon G. Flake

Genre: Juvenile Fiction    Sub-Genre: Realistic Fiction

Themes: Avarice, friendship, priorities, family, class discrimination, racism, urban life, determination

Primary Characters: Rasberry Hill
Secondary Characters: Rasberry's mother; her classmates at school; her friends Mai Kim and Ja'nae; her father (implied); and her neighbors, Check and Shoe.

Awards:

Coretta Scott King Honor Award

Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh One Community One Book

Starred review in Booklist Magazine

New York Public Library Top Ten Books for the Teen Age

LA Times Recommended Books for Teens

Carolyn Field Honor Book

Published August 2007 by Perfection Learning

This is a sweet little story!! In this book, we meet saucy, thirteen-year-old Rasberry Hill. Some time ago, Rasberry's father was busted for drugs, a situation that forced her and her mother out into the streets. Since the two overcame their state of homelessness, Rasberry has been bound and determined not to find herself there again. Thus, she does everything she can think of to scrounge and save any money that she can get her hands on: She sells "discount" (i.e. outdated) holiday candy, does without lunch at school so she can save the funds instead, washes cars, cleans houses, etc. Her peers at school consider Rasberry to be somewhat stingy, a factor that puts a strain on her relationship with her friends at times. She stashes all of her cash in her bedroom; having it makes her feel "safe". Trouble strikes when her mother discovers the stash and believes it to be stolen; in a fit of rage at her daughter's alleged behavior, she throws the money out of their apartment window! Matters are complicated further when the more well-to-do residents of a neighborhood that the Hills were all set to move into complain about the pending arrival of the lower-class mother and daughter.
I would use this book as part of a unit on human equity or perhaps diversity; it would make a good literature circle read so that students could have close discussion with their peers about the book's colorful characters. It would be best suited for a class of upper-elementary grade students.

Chapter Book 12: Me, the Missing, and the Dead



Me, the Missing, and the Dead

by Jenny Valentine

Genre: Juvenile Fiction   Sub-Genre: Mystery

Themes: Coming-of-age, mystery, death, family, comedy, tragedy, supernatural

Primary Characters: Lucas Swain
Secondary Characters: A deceased lady named Violet (implied), Lucas's mother, sister, and grandfather; also, his missing father (implied)

Awards: William C. Morris Award finalist

Published on April 1, 2008 by Harper Teen

This book is about a boy named Lucas, a fifteen-year-old who lives in London, England. His father disappeared years ago, and he considers himself to be the only person in his family who cares much what happened to him. An odd thing about Lucas is his keen interest in the deceased; while waiting in an office lobby in the city, he spies an urn and feels a strong urge to "know" the person whose remains are inside. This turns out to be a lady named Violet Park, a once-famous piano player who oddly enough possessed a connection with Lucas's missing father. As Lucas sets about researching Violet's life, he discovers bits and pieces of his father's story. Finally, he is able to solve the mystery of his dad's disappearance and become at peace with the situation. I would use this novel in a class of upper-elementary grade students (sixth grade at youngest). It's a bittersweet, coming-of-age story that I think could be enjoyed by a class as a whole (both male and female students equally), or in separate literature circle groups.

Chapter Book 11: The Girl With a Baby



The Girl With a Baby
by Sylvia Olsen

Genre: Juvenile Fiction    Sub-Genre: Realistic Fiction

Themes: Family, morality, personal choices, determination, strength of character, identity, purpose, coming-of-age

Primary Characters: Jane, Destiny (Jane's daughter), Tet (Jane's Indian grandmother)
Secondary Characters: Jane's classmates at school, her older brothers, her parents

Awards: nominee for Saskatchewan’s Silver Birch Award, B.C. Teen Readers' Choice Stellar Award
Published January 1, 2003 by Sono Nis Press

Jane is a 14-year-old girl who is a good student, popular at school, and a member of the school drama club; she is also a new mother. When Jane returns to high school with her new baby, who she has named Destiny, she fears that she will no longer be well-liked and respected due to the social stigma that surrounds teen motherhood. She is pleased to find, however, that her family offers her much support and encourages her to keep expecting the best from herself and others (Destiny included). Her Native American grandmother is particularly encouraging; she tells Jane that she (Jane) is a descendent of many very strong women, and that she, too, will overcome the obstacles of her life. Jane's determination to raise her baby with respect for Native American traditions as well as familiarity with modern life keeps her going during her trying times as Destiny's father deserts the two of them.
This would be a good choice for a literature circle group, perhaps containing mainly female students who could relate best to the story's main characters. I would use it in a class of only the oldest elementary-grade students due to its adult-like nature (teen motherhood, moral consequences, relationships, etc.).

Chapter Book 10: The Missing Manatee



The Missing Manatee
by Cynthia DeFelice

Genre: Juvenile Fiction     Sub-Genre: Mystery

Themes: Mystery, family, justice, ambition, determination & perseverence

Primary Characters: Skeet Waters
Secondary Characters: Skeet's mother and father, Dirty Dan (a fisherman), Blink (Dan's son), the Sheriff of Skeet's hometown

Awards: Nominated for the 2006 Edgar Award for Best Juvenile Mystery

Published March 24, 2005 by Farrar, Straus and Giroux

In this book, an 11-year-old boy named Skeet Waters begins his first day of his long-anticipated spring break by overhearing a terrible fight between his mother and father. Mom eventually tells Dad to leave (permanently, so it would seem), and Skeet leaves the house to go fishing as a means of escape. His excursion offers little peace, however, as he comes upon a manatee floating in the water. The animal appears to have been shot in the head, and an upset Skeet quickly goes ashore and calls upon the local sheriff. The two return to the spot where Skeet found the manatee, only to find that the body is missing. Skeet's determination to solve the mystery of the animal's death is derailed briefly by a fisherman who goes by Dirty Dan; Dan offers to take Skeet fishing for tarpon and Skeet eagerly accepts. Once out on the water, Dirty Dan partakes of some adult beverages and lets slip to Skeet that he knows who is responsible for the manatee's death: His special-needs son, Blink.
This was a heart-wrenching story, but a good mystery nonetheless! I would use it with a class of older elementary-grade students; its content is probably suitable for those in the sixth grade and up, perhaps also for the more mature fifth-grader. It would be a good choice for a smaller literature circle; I would assign it to students who express an interest particularly in animals and mysteries when filling out an interest inventory.

Chapter Book 9: Invisible



Invisible
By Pete Hautman

Genre: Juvenile Fiction      Sub-Genre: Mystery

Themes: Mental instability, suspense, popularity, bullying

Primary Characters: Doug Hanson, his best friend Andy Morrow
Secondary Characters: Doug and Andy's classmates, Doug's psychiatrist, Doug's parents, Andy's parents

Awards: Iowa Teen Award 2009-2010

Published November 28, 2006 by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers

This book tells the story of a seventeen year-old boy named Doug Hanson. Doug is a lonely, non-sociable high-schooler with only one real friend and a limited grasp on reality. As the story unfolds, we realize more and more just how unstable his mental health is as we learn of his psychiatrist and medication that he refuses to take. It also becomes clear that he and his best friend Andy (ironically, one of the most popular boys at school) were involved in an accident with a fire when they were younger. The mystery of past events makes this dark book very suspenseful! Due to its intense nature I would only use this with the oldest elementary-grade students; sixth grade at the youngest. It would make for a good whole-class read, I think, because discussions on it would be most interesting!

Picture Book no. 26: "Let's Get a Pup!" Said Kate



"Let's Get a Pup!" Said Kate
Written and Illustrated by Bob Graham

Genre: Picture Book     Sub-Genre: Fiction
Themes: Family, pets, love, emotion, loss, humor

Primary Characters: Kate, her mother and father, the two dogs they adopt from the Rescue Center
Secondary Characters: Other dogs at the Center, Kate's cat who has died recently (implied)

Published July 14, 2003 by Candlewick Press

Awards:
Australian Children's Book of the Year
ALA Notable Book
Boston Globe Hornbook Award

In this heartwarming story, we meet Kate and her Mom and Dad. They have just lost Kate's beloved pet cat, but she is beginning to move on and has now decided that she would like for the family to get a new pet-- a pup! The family goes to the local animal shelter, where they visit with many dogs and finally decide on a particular puppy, Dave. Everyone is happy with their choice. However, on their way out the family sees another dog that "speaks" to them in a way; she is older and grayer than most of the dogs at the shelter. Once home, they can't stop thinking about her..so they go back and get her! As a lifelong animal lover, I was tearfully relieved when Kate and her parents returned to the shelter to adopt "Rosy". =) This sweet story would be a good storytime read-aloud for a class of young children because almost all of them will be able to relate to having (and, unfortunately, losing) pets at some time or another. One thing in particular that I liked about this book by John Graham was his illustrations; Kate's parents are made out to be somewhat unconventional (they each have peircings, and her mother even sports a small tattoo!). In spite of their appearances, however, they are perceived as a "normal" family as you read the book, going through "normal", everyday situations. I think showing/reading a book that depicts a family that appears some way other than "traditional" is a good thing, simply because times are changing and this type of personal appearance is becoming more accepted and prevalent in today's society. It is more than likely that some of the children's parents will, indeed, look this way; perhaps books like this will help to keep those children from being made to think that there is something not quite "okay" about their parents' personal appearances.