The Boxcar Children #123 The Amazing Mystery Show Created by Gertrude Chandler Warner

Title/Series:   The Boxcar Children # 123 The Amazing Mystery Show

Created By: Gertrude Chandler Warner

Pages: 111 pages

Copyright  Date: 2010

Reading Level: 3^rd  grade

Interest Level: 3^rd  – 5^th grade

Summary:  Join the four Alden children as they work together to win on the TV show “The Amazing Mystery Show”.  They travel to Philadelphia to solve clues which lead them to gold coins.  Something seems fishy when their map has been tampered with and Benny’s special pink cup goes missing!  Will they be able to overcome someone misleading them and still win the show?

Educational: Great –teaches the history of Philadelphia (historical landmarks, Betsy Ross), shows using small clues to come to a good conclusion

Content: Good – easy to read fun mystery series

Message: Good – working together can accomplish large tasks

Chronicles of Ancient Darkness - #1 Wolf Brother by Michelle Paver

Title/Series:   Chronicles of Ancient Darkness - #1 Wolf Brother

Author: Michelle Paver

Pages: 320 pages

Copyright  Date: 2004

Reading Level: 5^th grade

Interest Level: 6^th – 8^th grade

Summary:  Six thousand years ago, twelve year old Torak is suddenly alone when his father dies.  Torak is now on his own with an impossible mission to complete.  He must find the Mountain of the World Spirit to stop the evil demon bear from destroying the world.  Torak bonds with a wolf cub who will be his guide to the Mountain or death.

Educational: Good – well researched information on the lives of people 6,000 years ago

Content: Good – the action makes the reader want to keep reading, theme of being respectful to nature

Message: Average– courage and resourcefulness are useful throughout life

    

Samuel Eaton's Day by Kate Waters

Title/Series:   Samuel Eaton’s Day – A Day in the Life of a Pilgrim Boy

Author: Kate Waters

Pages: 39 pages

Copyright  Date: 1993

Reading Level:  3^rd grade

Interest Level:  2^nd -4^th grade

Summary:  This historical fiction book tells the story of the pilgrim Samuel Eaton’s first rye harvest with his father.  If Samuel Eaton can prove that he is a good worker, he will be able to help with all of the harvest!  The day begins with getting dressed with his garters and doublet.  Before Samuel even begins to harvest he has fetched water, set his snare, and gathered firewood!  Will Samuel have the strength to do well with his first rye harvest?

Educational: Great– This book does an excellent job of describing and showing the life of a pilgrim boy.  The photographs of the Plimoth Plantation and everyday life of pilgrims really shows how life was during the seventeenth century.  The story is also excellent as it tells details of what a day would be like for a pilgrim boy.  It describes things such as clothing, meals, chores, family, and traditions.  This story would be a good addition to a discussion on Thanksgiving.

Content: Good – teaches about the life of children in the seventeenth century, but also tells a good story of a boy becoming a man

Message: Average– shows the benefit of hard work

Sara Morton's Day by Kate Waters shows the day in the life of a pilgrim girl.  This story also includes excellent photographs with a detailed story.

Rainbow Magic - The Music Faries - #4 Danni the Drum Fairy by Daisy Meadows

Title/Series:   Rainbow Magic – The Music Fairies - #4 Danni the Drum Fairy

Author: Daisy Meadows

Pages: 64 pages

Copyright  Date: 2008

Reading Level:  3^rd  grade

Interest Level:  K – 3^rd grade

Summary:  Jack Frost has stolen the Music Fairies’ magical instruments.  Music in fairyland and the human world is out of tune!  Rachel and Kristy need to act fast to help the magic fairy Danni find her drum set.  If they are careful, maybe fairyland and its magic can be kept secret.  Will they be able to get the fairy drums back from Jack Frost’s goblins?

Educational: Average– vocabulary words (dainty, harmonious)

Content: Average – magic fairy makes the story fun, good read out loud for younger children

Message: Average– work together to solve problems

    

Junie B., First Grader #26 Aloha-ha-ha! by Barbara Park

Title/Series:   Junie B., First Grader  #26 Aloha-ha-ha!

Author: Barbara Park

Pages: 119 pages

Copyright  Date: 2006

Reading Level: 2^nd  grade

Interest Level: 3^rd  – 5^th grade

Summary:  Junie B. and her family are going to Hawaii!  Throughout the trip, Junie B gets ready to share the adventures with her first grade classroom by using the camera and photo journal that her teacher Mr. Scary gave her.  The trip starts out rough when Junie B. has trouble with the grouchy ladies on the plane.  Next, the parrot inner-tube squeezes the life out of Junie B..  The jellyfish attack made another bad picture for the journal.  Will Junie B. have a great or horrible vacation photo journal to share with her first grade class?

Educational: Poor – poor grammar, poor spelling, explains idea of photo captions

                Note: The Junie B. Jones series as a whole is not the best reading material for young minds.  If your child is a reluctant reader, any book that interests them is fine to read.  The important thing for a beginning reader to do is read anything from a cereal box to a great novel.  If your child is already an interested reader though, this series should be avoided.  Children learn vocabulary, grammar, and  spelling through reading.  Throughout the Junie B. Jones series bad spelling and grammar is used.  The Junie B. First Grader books do not have as many spelling errors as the Junie B. Jones books, although they do have many grammar errors.  This seems funny to the advanced reader, but can be confusing to a beginning reader. 

Content: Average – shows what not to do in a structured setting such as a classroom or airplane (example if the teacher isn’t looking at you, stand up and shout), teaches about Hawaii

Message: Good – give new things a chance 

  

Babymouse #8 - Puppy Love by Jennifer L. Holm and Matthew Holm

Title/Series:   Babymouse #8 -Puppy Love

Author: Jennifer L. Holm and Matthew Holm

Pages: 91 pages

Copyright  Date: 2007

Reading Level:  3^rd grade

Interest Level:  2^nd -6^th grade

Summary:  Babymouse has had five pet fish who have all died suddenly, so she wants to get an animal she can touch and play with.  All of the animals that Babymouse tries to keep as pets keep disappearing!  Babymouse doesn’t know what is wrong.  She really wants a dog, but mom doesn’t want to keep spending money on disappearing pets.  What will happen when Babymouse tries to keep a stray dog as a pet?

Educational: Average– has a brief daydream of Charlotte’s Web while Babymouse imagines a pig as a pet

Content: Good – the funny illustrations and text will make reluctant readers want to read more(graphic novel which means it looks similar to a comic book), the text inside the pictures will help children read all of the items on the page (this is a good skill for reading nonfiction books)

              Note: Graphic novel series, such as the Babymouse series, are great for motivating reluctant readers.

Message: Average– owners of pets must be responsible to keep their pet happy and safe

Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson

Title/Series:   Bridge to Terabithia

Author: Katherine Paterson

Pages: 128 pages

Copyright  Date: 1977

Reading Level: 6^th grade

Interest Level: 4^th – 7^th grade

Summary:  This classic children’s book begins with a fifth grade boy who dreams of winning the school yard races.  He practices so that he will win, but the unexpected life twist of a new girl in the school changes his victory.  As the boy Jess becomes friends with Leslie, the new girl in school, he discovers an imaginary world.  Together Jess and Leslie create a magic world of their own, Terabithia.  Through their friendship they conquer bullies, family issues, and even loss.

Educational: Average– an essay written by Leslie shows the power of words

Content: Good – this book covers the topics of bullying successfully (shows why someone may bully and what a victim can do), the other strong idea in the book is loss (the topic of a child dying could be hard for younger readers – this would be a good discussion starter on death),  imaginary world makes the story exciting for readers

                Caution- This book contains language which may be inappropriate for young readers.  The word hell is used repeatedly throughout the book.  In the beginning of the book, it is used as a swear word.  As the book continues the word hell is used to describe the afterlife.  A discussion on the use of this word may help the child understand why the word is being used so frequently. 

Other words that are inappropriate for younger children such as teats , pervert, and bosomy also appear throughout Bridge to Terabithia.

Message: Good – deals with how to move past a great loss at a young age.