The Marvelous Toy

The Marvelous Toy by Tom Paxton and Illustrated by Steve Cox is a picture book that illustrates the fantastic old folk song to a new young audience.  My students loved this book and were able to sing a long with the chorus on the first read through.

I recommend this book for kids 4-8

If you liked Divergent

Up Up Up

Up, Up, Up by Susan Reed and Rachel Oldfield is a fantastic singalong about flying in a balloon.  It's got a chorus that is fun to sing and my students love it.  If you need a copy of the music it can be found on youtube.  The kids featured in the pictures are multicultural which my multicultural students adore.


I recommend this book to kids 3-8

Port Side Pirates

Port Side Pirates is a fantastic picture/song book by Oscar Seaworthy and Debbie Harter.  The song is terrific and the kids love singing it.  I always pull it out on Talk Like a Pirate Day.  It even has some information on different pirate ships at the end.  If your copy doesn't include a CD there is a version available on youtube by the publisher here . 

My favorite thing about the book however is the pictures.  The books produced by this publisher are always sure to have multicultural casts of characters and all of my students (who are from all over the world) can see kids like themselves in the pictures. 

I recommend this book for kids 3-8

The Waiting Sky

The Waiting Sky by Lara Zielin follows seventeen year old Jane who is unwilling to admit that her Mother is not healthy enough to care for her because of her alcoholism.  Jane is sent to spend the summer with her brother who works as a storm chaser.  Jane has to deal with her feelings of abandonment by her brother and her anger that things in her life aren't going the way they should while also traveling the midwest following storms.

This is a fantastic book that puts the reader into the adventurous world of storm chasing.  Jane's life is tough and her denial over her mother's ability to remain sober feels real and the relationship between Jane and her brother and the sweet romance is interesting to read.  I enjoyed the book and couldn't put it down.

Appropriateness:   Jane comes from an alcoholic home and it's tough to read about.  There's a bit of a romance but it's not the focus of the story.  I recommend this book to readers 13+

There was an Odd Princess Who Swallowed a Pea

There Was an Odd Princess Who Swallowed a Pea by Jennifer Ward and illustrated by Lee Calderon is another in the large collection of "old lady" books.  This book stars a cute princess who swallows all sorts of princessy things (like a rose and a pea and a throne) and then with each refrain she burps with glee (which makes the kids giggle and giggle).  The illustrator placed a line with pictures of each thing in succession on each page making it easier to sing or read.  This book is a hit with the kids and is one they request often (the boys enjoy it as well as the girls). 

I recommend this book for kids 4-8

Don't Even Think About It

Don't Even Think About It by Sarah Mlynowski follows a group of teenagers who suddenly develops the ability to hear the thoughts of those around them.  This ability changes the dynamics of the group and as the teens find out things that others want to stay hidden they realize their lives will never be the same.

When first reading the book I had problems with the narration as it was all over the place, bumping from one character to another.  At some point however in clicks and really starts to work and I found myself really cheering for the different characters and enjoying the characters.  The group is large and there's a character (male or female) that almost any teen can identify with.

Appropriateness:  There are quite a few discussions of sex (as gossip or something to worry about).  One of the characters admits to having taken Adderall to help her study and there are discussions of characters drinking.  None of it is very concerning and the teens don't think much of the others that have negative behaviors.  The group of teens do use their powers to cheat on tests which they feel a bit guilty about but most see it as a perk, it's a good chance to talk to your kids about being honest because it's the right thing to do, not because they're worried about getting caught.  I would recommend this book to readers 13+

Review Copy Provided by Amazon Vine 

Barnyard Fun

Barnyard Fun stars a prankster sheep who plays (fairly harmless) tricks on everyone in the barn because it's April Fools Day. In the end he gets what's coming to him as all the animals play a trick on him.

This is a great book that kids are bound to think is funny. It would work perfect as a read a loud for preschool or kindergarten age students. The pictures are inviting and the rhyming rhythmic text makes it fun and easy to read.

Review copy provided by Amazon Vine

The Boy on the Bridge

The Boy on the Bridge by Natalie Standiford follows Laura who is living in Leningrad for a semester abroad in 1982.  She is living a strange life, always watched by those around her.  One day while walking she meets a boy Alexi and with him as her guide she discovers the real Russia.  Can she get away with leaving the carefully controlled world that she's allowed to live in as an exchange student?  Is Alexi really in love with her or is he just using her.

I adored this book, Standiford did a fantastic job of putting the reader in cold war Russia.  You could feel the poverty, paranoia and cold.   Laura was a bit naive and foolish and I kept yelling at her to think but couldn't help but understand the love and adventure she felt with Alexi.  I coudn't put the book down and hope to read more by the author. 

Appropriateness:  Laura is a grad student so there's a touch of adult content.  It is still very much a YA book and I would recommend it to readers 13+

Swagger

Swagger by Carl Decker follows basketball player Jonas who has to do everything he can to get a basketball scholarship after moving to a new town. He soon meets neighbor Levi who becomes his best friend. Jonas faces tough choices, will he risk everything to do what's right after Levi makes a shocking confession.

This is a great book, exploring difficult topics and choices in a way that doesn't seem like an after school special. Readers will be thrilled by all the play by play action. I found myself glued to the page even though I'm not a sports fan.

Appropriateness: Jonas is a good kid who does the right thing and works hard even when it's difficult. There is talk of sexual abuse by a teacher as well as the teacher supplying kids with alcohol. I recommend this book to readers 12+

Fangirl

Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell follows fan fiction writer and new college freshmen Cath.  Cath has spent all of her life part of a pair.  Her twin sister came with her to college but didn't want to live with her because she wanted her own life.  Cath has problems integrating into the college social and her writing professor is not accepting of her fan fiction writing.

This is a fantastic account of a girl coming to learn to live on her own.  It's great to have a heroine who isn't a social butterfly and has problems acclimating and the fan fiction is terrific.  I adored every minute of the book and cheered at Cath's accomplishments.

Appropriatness:  Cath is in college and she and her friends act like typical college students.  There's drinking and sex but its all appropriate for Cath's age.  I would recommend this book to readers 14+

The 100

The 100 by Kass Morgan follows a group of teenagers who grew up on a space station that is falling apart.  The teens were all sent to prison for various crimes, most sentenced to die when they turned eighteen.  The colony has decided to send these teens to earth to see if it is safe for colonization.  The book follows several different teens on the earth and on the space station in the present and in the past.

This is a fantastic book that reads like a TV series (and was picked up by the CW before the book even came out) it's a fast trashy read that kept me entertained until the end.  This book does seem like one of those series that will never end, so I'm interested to see what happens in the next installment (and how it's translated to the Screen).

Appropriateness:  These kids are all criminals and the book has all the trashy trash talk that you would expect from a CW series.  I would recommend it to readers 14+

Palace of Spies

Palace of Spies stars Peggy who finds herself impersonating a girl who died at Court after being kicked out of her home.  Peggy soon finds herself wrapped in the scandalous world of the royal court (complete with loads and loads of complicated clothes) and wonders what really happened to the girl whose life she has taken over and is she safe?

I loved this book.  It had everything I like in a historical novel, loads of clothes, titled men, scandal and romance.  Though the book was long I found myself unable to put it down.  I look forward to the next book in the series.

Appropriateness:  There's no adult content in this book.  I recommend it to readers 13+

Review copy provided by Amazon Vine