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Gentle readers, great parents and grandparents!
So glad you are joining me for the second installment of my ‘beat the summer slide’ series. Please click here to read more about the summer slide and my first book review of the series.
I have invited a number of my librarian and teacher friends to share a review for one of their favorite children’s books so that you aren’t just hearing about books I like. If you have been following my blog for any length of time, you have probably picked up on my interest in the Holocaust and all things WWII. Even my summer book list is heavily populated with books that share this theme. Check it out here.
So, in an effort to provide a better balance of books to my summer slide series titles, and in recognition of the fact that not everyone is as interested in that dark period in history, I bring you the lighthearted choices of my equally lighthearted and fun-loving baby sister, Valerie.
In all fairness, I need to admit that I haven’t read either of the books, Val is recommending. But I did buy both of them for the elementary school from which I retired. Both titles were on the Texas Library Association Bluebonnet Reading Program 2014-2015 Master List.
Click on the document above to see all of the Master List nominees for 2014-2015.
Now, onto our first review.
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Pickle: The (Formerly) Anonymous Prank Club of Fountain Point Middle School by Kim Baker is a humorous book about a new boy in school, Brian Diaz, who decides to branch out and make new friends by playing a prank on his class. Brian wants to include his friend Hector in on the prank, but knows that Hector cannot keep the secret from his grandmother, the school principal. Once Brian’s first prank is a success, he decides to continue with more tricks but realizes he needs the help of other students for some of the new plans to be successful. The League of Picklemakers club is a group of three boys and one girl created to provide cover for the planning and following through of future pranks. The characters of this book are likable and there is plenty of fast moving humor to keep even a reluctant reader captivated.
My sister has a wonderful sense of humor and makes me honestly LOL in person, through emails and text messages. If she appreciates Pickle for its humor, then this is one funny book. But she isn’t the only one laughing at Brian’s pranks; Amazon customers also loved Pickle and gave it a resounding thumbs up with 4.6 out of five gold stars. The suggested age range for this book is 8-12 years. AR BookFinder rates Pickle at a reading level of 4.6 (fourth grade, sixth month) and the book is worth 7.0 Accelerated Reader points. It has 256 pages. Read their reviews and order your copy here.
PLUS
You and your children can learn more about author Kimberly Baker, her book Pickle and see a whole list of other Kimberly Baker approved, funny books on her website here. She even provides a link for ordering an autographed copy of Pickle! I will be ordering my copy as soon as I publish this post.
Valerie’s second review is for another Texas Library Association Bluebonnet Award Reading Program 2014-2015 Master List nominee. Whew, that is a mouthful!
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Athlete vs. Mathlete by W.C.Mack is a book about the Evans twins and what happens when their roles are reversed. Owen Evans is a basketball player and his brother Russell is very smart and participates in Masters of the Mind competitions. When the new coach orders the taller but not athletic Russell to try out for the basketball team, the twins team together to make Russell’s basketball experience a success. This book is told from both boys’ point of view in alternating chapters and is appealing to both the jocks and brains in every classroom.
Valerie is the mother of two boys while I am the mother of two girls. As a librarian, we both try hard to read books for girls and boys, but I have always migrated toward reading books with female mail characters probably because I was so used to reading with my daughters. I think Valerie is better familiar with books written about male main characters. Amazon.com customers give Athlete vs. Mathlete a 4.5 stars out of five. It would appeal to readers from 8-12 years old and has 208 pages. Look over Amazon reviews and order your own copy here. AR BookFinder lists this book as being a 3.9 (third grade, ninth month) reading level and worth 5.0 Accelerated Reader points.
I found this cute book trailer for Athlete vs. Mathlete on YouTube for you to share with the readers at your house.
Attention Canadian readers (Deena and Christy and Shaunacey): author W. C. Mack was born in Vancouver., B.C. and now lives in Portland, Oregon. Always a Canucks fan, W. C. Mack has also been known to cheer for the Portland Winterhawks. [source]
Thank you, baby sister, for helping to balance my book reviews for this series. I know not everyone is as anxious to read everything written on the Holocaust as I am! In fact, I need to try a lighter read ASAP as I am having my recurring Nazi dreams again!
Please let me know if you read any of these titles with your children. Would love to add their reviews to my blog.
If you have a book review to share, ring me up.
Thank you for stopping by.
Hugs and kisses,
Elements of Ellis
These would be perfect for my nephew!
http://elementsofellis.com/
Leslie Roberts Clingan
Oh, YAY!!! Glad you found them useful. Please come back again. We have a whole summer of great books to share. Thank you for stopping by, pretty lady.
Sarah C
Oh how perfect! I am racking my brain for someone to buy these for 🙂 My nephew is a bit too young, but it’s going on my list of things to get him when he gets older 🙂 Okay that list doesn’t exist but, if I had one it would go on it, for now it will just go on my list of books to read/get.
Leslie Roberts Clingan
LOL! Sarah! Your little baby boy will be reading before you know it. Please keep coming back, we have lots of great books left to share. XO
Zulema
I can’t wait to read them with Saul and Erick.
Leslie Roberts Clingan
Yay!!! Of course, you read with them! I am so proud of you. Please keep checking back because we have lots more titles to share. Tell the family hello!! XOXOXOX
Susan Cole
Leslie, this is my first time to this site. I love it. As I re-enter the classroom environment, I am looking for great books for the 5th graders I will teach. I love the summaries and recommended age and reading levels. I will continue to follow you.
Leslie Roberts Clingan
Oh, my gravy!! So glad you have discovered my blog. I hope you will share with your sisters! I wondered if you would return to the classroom next year. This crazy district. What a roller coaster ride. What fortunate fifth graders to have you as their teacher. Will you be at Schuster or Lea or somewhere else all together? Please come back again soon, I will be sharing lots more great titles throughout the summer. XOXOXO
Cathy crandall
Hi Leslie- loved your green skinny jean outfit and I am def going to look for the Ravensbruck book you recommended at my local library. My fav genre over the past two years are real life Little House on the Prairie type books. It all started when I bought a book entitled “Women’s Diaries of the Westward Journey” and it has just snowballed since. Keep up your great posts- hope you’re enjoying your summer(we haven’t had much of one so far this season in MI yet unfortunately) and hope your PC is feeling better. Mine just had double maxo plasty knee surgery one week ago but he’s doing okay and can’t wait to get back to his bicycling again soon. Talk to u soon! Bye, Cathy C.
Leslie Roberts Clingan
Oh, Cathy! Your poor PC! Both knees at once? He is a trooper. My PC seems better today and went back to work. I think part of the problem was we overdid it on the yard work on Sunday. I will have to look for the book you mentioned. I loved the Little House books and series, and will never forget my great fifth grade teacher who helped us build a conestoga wagon in our classroom. We ate jerky and corn cakes, too. Thank you for your kind comments and for leaving a comment. Let me know if you read Ravenbruck. XO