Blog Tour and Giveaway: The Top-Secret Diary of Celie Valentine: Friendship Over

Julie Sternberg is the author of the best-selling Like Pickle Juice on a Cookie and its sequels, Like Bug Juice on a Burger and Like Carrot Juice on a Cupcake. Like Pickle Juice on a Cookie is a Gryphon Award winner and a Texas Bluebonnet Award finalist; Like Bug Juice on a Burger is a Gryphon Honor Book, a Pennsylvania Young Reader’s Choice Awards Nominee, and an Illinois Monarch Award Finalist. Formerly a public interest lawyer, Julie is a graduate of the New School's MFA program in Creative Writing, with a concentration in writing for children. She lives with her family in Brooklyn, New York. For more information about her life and work and to download free activity materials based on her books, visit her website: juliesternberg.com. I'm super excited to be part of the blog tour for The Top-Secret Diary of Celie Valentine!

Check out the other stops on Julie’s blog tour!

Mon, Sept 29	Mother Daughter  Book Club	http://motherdaughterbookclub.com/
Tues, Sept 30	5 Minutes for Mom	http://www.5minutesformom.com/category/feature-columns/5-minutes-for-books/
Wed, Oct 1	Sharpread	http://mrcolbysharp.com/
Thurs, Oct 2	KidLit Frenzy	http://www.kidlitfrenzy.com/
Fri, Oct 3	The Hiding Spot	http://thehidingspot.blogspot.com
Sat, Oct 4	Booking Mama	http://www.bookingmama.net/
Mon, Oct 6	Ms. Yingling Reads	http://msyinglingreads.blogspot.com/
Tues, Oct 7	GreenBeanTeenQueen	http://www.greenbeanteenqueen.com/
Wed, Oct 8	Great Kid Books	http://greatkidbooks.blogspot.com/
Thurs, Oct 9	Teach Mentor Texts	http://www.teachmentortexts.com/#axzz3DP0vkvgi
Fri, Oct 10	Unleashing Readers	http://www.unleashingreaders.com/
Sat, Oct 11	Bermuda Onion	http://bermudaonion.net/

Title: The Top-Secret Diary of Celie Valentine: Friendship Over 
Author: Julie Sternberg  
Illustrator: Johanna Wright 
Publisher: Boyds Mills Press 
Publication Date: October 1st, 2014
Genre/Format: Realistic Fiction/Chapter Book 
GoodReads Summary: Ten-year-old Celie has quite a few things on her mind -- fights with her sister Jo, secrets at school, an increasingly forgetful grandmother, and worst of all, a best friend who won't speak to her. How can a girl who hates change survive, when everything in her life is changing? By writing, of course! Celie's often comical and always heartfelt diary entries include notes, e-mails, homework assignments, and pages from her top-secret spy notebook. 
What I Think: I've enjoyed all the Eleanor books from Julie Sternberg but I'm definitely excited about The Top-Secret Diary of Celie Valentine. This book is written like a diary with Celie's thoughts and drawings mixed in with notes and letters she tapes into her journal. I really enjoyed Celie as a character and think that readers will relate to her. It seems like Julie did a great job of bringing her to life. There are a few times when Celie writes about some random thoughts and this really helps to see more of who she is (I pulled my favorite random thought for the Snatch of Text below!) One of my favorite parts was when they talked about Cousin Carla. I think Celie and her sister's reactions to Cousin Carla and other situations in the book are very true to upper elementary aged students.
     I love the attention on family and friendship in this book. These are definitely topics that are relevant and very real to students. Just like in the Eleanor books, Julie is able to help readers what it might feel like to be the main character and to navigate family and friend relationships. Siblings and best friends are great but there are always those times when either we hurt or are hurt by siblings and best friends. This book focuses on how to overcome and work through those times.  
Read Together: Grades 2 - 5
Read Alone: Grade 3 - 6 
Read With: Eleanor series by Julie Sternberg, Where I Live by Eileen Spinelli, The Naked Mole-Rat Letters by Mary Amato, Chloe, Instead by Micah Player, When Life Gives You OJ by Erica S. Perl, Marty McGuire (series) by Kate Messner  
Snatch of Text: 
"I feel sorry for raw chicken. It's so germy and funny-looking, and nobody gets close to it. Unless they're about to stick it in a very hot oven." (p. 22) 
Writing Prompts: Write about a time in your life when you were in an argument with a friend or family member. How did you handle the situation? How did you feel during the argument and/or afterwards?
Topics Covered: Family, Siblings, Friendship, Forgiveness, Relationships, Trust, Loyalty

I *heart* It:

*Thanks to Boyds Mills Press and Blue Slip Media for 

a copy of this title in exchange for an honest review 

and the opportunity to offer the giveaway below!*

World Rat Day

Title: World Rat Day: Poems About Real Holidays You've Never Heard of
Author: J. Patrick Lewis  
Illustrator: Anna Raff 
Publisher: Candlewick 
Publication Date: March 2013 
Genre/Format: Poetry Anthology/Picture Book
GoodReads Summary: From the Children’s Poet Laureate comes a year-round ode to wacky holidays just begging to be celebrated.

Nobody should ever forget Ewe on Ohio Sheep Day (July 14). No mata mata how hard they may try on World Turtle Day (May 23). If you’ve never heard of Dragon Appreciation Day, International Cephalopod Awareness Day, or Yell "Fudge!" at the Cobras in North America Day, it’s not because they don’t exist, it’s simply that they needed someone to spread the word. Luckily, the fantastically zany poems of J. Patrick Lewis and Anna Raff’s equally hilarious illustrations have memorialized these holidays forever. So get out your calendars — from Happy Mew Year for Cats Day to Chocolate-Covered Anything Day, World Rat Day (April 4) calls for a year-round celebration. 
What Kellee Thinks:Who knew there were so many animal related holidays?!?! J. Patrick Lewis takes us chronologically through the year and introduces us to quirky holidays throughout the year ranging from Dragon Appreciation Day (1/16) to National Skunk Day (Today!) to National Sloth Day (11/19). The poems range in types including concrete, but most are AB rhyming. The only thing I wish is there was a text box explaining the history of each holiday so we understood the holiday more instead of only having the poem as the reference; however, this could lend itself nicely into how to use it in the classroom. Read the poem, read a nonfiction article about the holiday, then write a story or some sort of variation.
What Jen Thinks: I hope that I am able to avoid skunks today! While I'm happy they exist in this world, I'm happy to not have to co-exist with them in the same space. I much prefer skunks in books...and rats for that matter. There are all sorts of animals throughout this book. I know that students will be intrigued by certain animals and also by all the silly puns throughout this book. I love talking to students about words with multiple meanings and giving them time to think through the plays on words throughout the poems in this book.
     I remember celebrating the spring equinox when I was in high school. We wore yellow and had a sun-themed party to celebrate  that our days were going to be getting longer and that we would have more fun. I loved that celebration, however nerdy it was. I can see how talking about the different days in this book could spark a conversation with students about what they might want to celebrate. Then students could research different days associated with what they want to celebrate. As I was reading this book, I was reminded of Anita Silvey's Book Almanac and website. There she shares bookish tidbits about the day. Matching these two together would be a wonderful way to share Anita's resource with students.  
Read Together: Grades K and up 
Read Alone: Grades 2 and up
Read With: Children's Book-A-Day Almanac by Anita Silvey (http://childrensbookalmanac.com/) 
Snatch of Text:   

June 14

National Skunk Day

"If the skunk did not exist,

Then the skunk would not be mist."

(p. 27)

Reading Strategies to Practice: Activating Background Knowledge, Making Connections, Asking Questions
Writing Strategies to Practice: Expository, Personal Narrative, Word Play, Puns, Rhyme,
Writing Prompts: Find a holiday that wasn't mentioned in World Rat Day and write your own poem celebrating this holiday.; After learning more about one of the holidays in the book, write a story about celebrating the holiday.
Topics Covered: Holidays, Animals, Integration - Social Sciences 

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Bananas in my Ears

Title: Bananas in my Ears: A Collection of Nonsense Stories, Poems, Riddles, & Rhymes

Author: Michael Rosen

Illustrator: Quentin Blake

Publisher: Candlewick Press

Publication Date: August, 2012

Genre/Format: Poetry & Short Story/Anthology

Goodreads Summary: A charming collection featuring free verse stories, rhymes, and poems from the renowned Michael Rosen and quirky artwork by Quentin Blake.

From the chaos of breakfast to the calm of bedtime, this whimsical collection, pairing two former British Laureates, is full of delightful moments. Explore the pleasures of acting silly and the pains of feeling ill, the camaraderie of siblings and strange goings-on at the beach. . . . All this and a trip on a flying bed, too!

What I Think: This collection of 'nonsense' stories, poems, riddles, & rhymes is actually much deeper than it seemed at first read. I'll be honest, I was not impressed with the first story so I did not have high expectations for the rest of the book; however, the second poem hit the ball out of the park and sucked me in.
      The book is broken into four sections (Breakfast, Seaside, Doctor, Bedtime) and within each section Rosen includes a variety of stories and poems. There are a few that weave their way throughout the book- "What If..." and "Nat and Anna".
     I, personally, loved the "What If..." poems the best because I think it is a wonderful way to have children not only think about amazing possibilities, but also is an easy format to duplicate to help students write their own poems. It would be so much fun to have students write their own "What If..." poems based on the unit's theme. It could also be pushed a little bit farther- it'd be a great way to discuss essential questions or to do an anticipation guide.
     The "Nat and Anna" stories also allow for a chance to discuss narrative elements as, with 4 short stories, you have quite a nice collection of stories about these two siblings. The characters have quite a dynamic relationship which could definitely lead to some great characterization conversations.
     One of the most surprising aspects, for me, were the more serious poems that are scattered throughout the book that are filled with imagery and alliteration:
"Over my toes
goes
the soft sea wash..." (p. 25)
"Outside after dark,
trains hum and traffic lights wink,
after dark, after dark." (p. 65)

Read Together: Grades K to 8

Read Alone: Grades 3 to 8

Read With: Revolting Rhymes and other books by Roald Dahl, Funny Stories by Michael Rosen, Shel Silverstein, Jack Prelutsky

Snatch of Text: "What if
a piece of toast turned into a piece of ghost
just as you were eating it
and you thought you were going to sink your
teeth into a lovely crunchy piece of hot toast
and butter and instead this cold wet feeling
jumps into your  mouth
going
"Whooooooooooooooooo!"
right down into your stomach..." (p. 6)

Mentor Text for: Poetry, Short Stories, Rhyming, Humor, Imagery, Characterization, Alliteration (p. 25), Cause/Effect (p. 16)

Writing Prompts: Using Michael Rosen's format of writing "What If..." poems, write your own "What If..." poem and accompany your poetry with illustrations; Write a "Nat and Anna" adventure in a new situation. Make sure to keep their characterization the same as the author originally wrote them.; Finish the "What Happens Next?" poem with the effects that would happen based on the illustrations.

Topics Covered: Breakfast, Possibilities, Siblings, Seaside, Illnesses, Doctors, Dark, Bedtime, Fun

I *heart* It:

**Thank you to Candlewick for providing a copy for review**

Platypus Police Squad

Title:  Platypus Police Squad: The Frog Who Croaked
Author:  Jarrett J. Krosoczka
Illustrator:  Jarrett J. Krosoczka
Publisher:  Walden Pond Press
Publication Date:  May, 2013
Genre/Format:  Fantasy/Novel
GoodReads Summary: From the Files of the Platypus Police Squad - Case #1138 Detectives of record: Rick Zengo and Corey O'Malley
Case brief: A local schoolteacher is missing, and the only thing fishier than the circumstances surrounding his disappearance is the smell coming from the bag he left behind. All clues point to billionaire businessman Frank Pandini Jr.--but why would Pandini get his paws into the illegal fish trade?  
What Kellee Thinks: Things I loved about this book: 
-Cop show allusions ("This is the city. Kalamazoo City. Population: 75,000. By day, it's bright, vibrant metropolis, the kind of city where dreams come true. It is a mecca of business, the arts, sports, and cuisine, and, at the center of it all, the gleaming facade of Pandini Tower, the jewel of Kalamazoo City. Those who don't live here dream of making it here. And those who do, well, they know that there's just no city like it. 
But it is a different city once the sun goes down. The criminal element, asleep by day, haunts certain dark corners at nigh. Especially the run-down old docks on the south side of town, perhaps the darkest corner of all." p. 1) 
-Puns (specifically animal puns) 
-The sly inclusion of forensics
-Jarrett Krosoczka's illustrations
-Um... Platypi are awesome! (Or is it platypuses just platypus?) Specifically Zengo and O'Malley who are the typical old cranky cop and young anxious rookie who team up together to fight the crime of Kalamazoo City. 
-The mystery aspect which allows the reader to be part of the police squad and can make predictions about what the outcome will be. 
What Jen Thinks: Sometimes books with animal characters makes me think too much about how possible would be it and things stand out to me more than with human characters. I must be developing as a reader because I didn't struggle with reading this book with animal characters as much as I have with other books in the past. Something about the way Jarrett wrote the characters made me feel so connected to them. I love Zengo and that there is so much more to him then it seems at first. He's actually a pretty complex platypus dude. I like how readers uncover more and more about him as the story goes on. I particularly love that he drinks hot chocolate every morning. Now there's a great visual: a platypus chilling at the breakfast table with his mug of hot chocolate. Gotta love it. 
     As layered as Zengo is, so is the plot of this story. Throughout the book there is a dark, creepy feeling of not knowing exactly what's going on or who exactly is up to no good. The reader definitely gets clues along the way but there are so many little pieces to tie together. Overall, it reminded me of great mystery movies or shows where even the innocent people had their own stories to tell in getting mixed up in everything. 
      I love the characterization in this book. Jarrett brings some amazing characters to life. I know I'm not supposed to like them, but Diaz and Lucinni cracked me up. They're just so ridiculous it's hysterical. I also really loved Peggy the secretary. She reminded me of Roz from Monsters Inc or Grandma Ethyl from the old show Dinosaurs. 
     When it comes to kids reading this book, I think the are really going to enjoy the characters and the mystery. I have a feeling they'll get caught up in the plot. I'm fairly confident they'll be calling for a sequel. I know I am! Bravo to Jarrett and his foray into middle grade non-graphic-novel novels! *applauds*
Read Together: Grades 4 - 6 
Read Alone: Grades 4 - 6 
Read With: Fourth Stall by Chris Rylander, Neversink by Barry Wolverton, Theordore Boone, Kid Lawyer by John Grisham, Half Moon Investigations by Eoin Colfer, The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin, A-Z Mysteries by Ron Roy,  Big Splash by Jack Ferraiolo
Snatch of Text:  
"He eyed the police-band radio and the dashboard like it was his birthday party right there in the car." (p. 27)
Mentor Text For:  Puns, Making Predictions, Simile, Activating Background Knowledge, Visualization, Characterization, Dialogue, Making Inferences, Identifying Character Traits, Expository
Writing Prompts: Choose a character from Platypus Police Squad and then explain what you infer about his or her character traits with specific text evidence.  
Topics Covered: Family, Friendship, Work Relationships, Adversity, Hard-Work, Determination, Trustworthy

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and

**Thank you to Walden Pond Press for sending us a copy for review!**

The Hero's Guide to Storming the Castle

Title: The Hero's Guide to Storming the Castle 
Author: Christopher Healy  
Publisher: Walden Pond Press 
Publication Date: April 30th, 2013 
Genre/Format: Fantasy/Novel 
GoodReads Summary: Prince Liam. Prince Frederic. Prince Duncan. Prince Gustav. You remember them, don't you? They're the Princes Charming who finally got some credit after they stepped out of the shadows of their princesses - Cinderella, Rapunzel, Snow White, and Briar Rose - to defeat an evil witch bent on destroying all their kingdoms. 
     But alas, such fame and recognition only last so long. And when the princes discover that an object of great power might fall into any number of wrong hands, they are going to have to once again band together to stop it from happening - even if no one will ever know it was they who did it. 
     Christopher Healy, author of the acclaimed The Hero's Guide to Saving Your Kingdom, takes us back to the hilariously fractured fairy-tale world he created for another tale of medieval mischief. Magical gemstones, bladejaw eels, a mysterious Gray Phantom, and two maniacal warlords bent on world domination - it's all in a day's work for the League of Princes. 
What Jen Thinks: I was thrilled to see all the great characters from the first League of Princes book back for book two! What struck me so strongly about Saving Your Kingdom was how prominent the girls were in a book that describes itself as being all about the Prince Charmings. The girls are awesome! When it came time to celebrating the release of this book, the girls instantly came to mind. 
     Once thing that I marveled at as I read, was how Chris is able to keep all the characters straight. I imagine this might be difficult as an author. I know for my own writing, it really helped me to stop and freewrite about my characters so I could get to know them. I believe an writer has to know his or her characters. This book would offer a perfect opportunity to talk about character development and what authors do as background knowledge for themselves when writing characters. Students can draw what they would find in their character's closet, create a Facebook page or Pinterest board for his or her characters, or write a back story for his or her character. Writing great characters is so connected to understanding people and what influences and why they make decisions. Getting to know your characters is very important as a writer. 
What Kellee Thinks: A wonderful follow-up to the first Hero's Guide. I was worried that it wouldn't be as good (sequel-syndrome), but the characters grew, the story moved along nicely, and it made me even more excited for book 3. Everyone's place in the group is questioned in this book, including their place within their relationships. 
     I read this book for a different purpose than just to review, I wanted to really look at the princesses in the book for our girl power series and I was so impressed at the different personalities and how each princess is so unique. I am so excited about this week because we get to focus on these girls and how they are strong role models. 
     For the classroom, I am a fan of Healy's books because they are such a funny seamless stories, but are complicated in subtle ways that will make it easy to use as a mentor text and discuss in a classroom but also easy to use as a fun read aloud that can sneak deep discussion into the classroom. 
Read Together: Grades 4 - 8 
Read Alone: Grades 4 - 8 
Read With: The Hero's Guide to Saving Your Kingdom  by Chris Healy, Breadcrumbs by Anne Ursu, Once Upon a Marigold (series) by Jean Ferris, fairy tales from around the world 
Snatch of Text:  
"Frederic wasn't always helpless. Sure, he'd spent most of his life having his servants cut the crusts off his French toast, and he once fained afer merely thinking he had a splinter in his finger (it was really a biscotti crumb). But then he joined the League of Princes and managed to hold his own against bandits, giants, trolls, and witches." (p. 9)
Mentor Text For: Activating Background Knowledge, Making connections (like fractured fairy tales), Characterization, Multiple Story Lines, Humor, Rhyming Poetry/Songs (p. 4 et al.), Foreshadowing, Letter Writing (p. 208), Grammar (Princes Charming, Dwarves), Idioms (p. 311), Synonyms (p. 361), Oral Tradition (the bards), Compare and Contrast 
Writing Prompts: Compare and contrast any of the characters in the book; what do you notice about how they are similar and what sets them apart? 
Topics Covered: Adventure, Loyalty, Honesty, Asking for Help, Relationships, Siblings, Trust

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*Thank you to Walden Pond Press for providing review copies of Storming the Castle and a giveaway for our readers. Please fill out the form below for your chance to win a copy!*

and

Secret Letters

Title: Secret Letters

Author: Leah Scheier

Publisher: Hyperion

Publication Date: June, 2012

Genre/Format: Historical Fiction-Mystery/Novel

Goodreads Summary: Inquisitive and observant, Dora dreams of escaping her aristocratic country life to solve mysteries alongside Sherlock Holmes. So when she learns that the legendary detective might be her biological father, Dora jumps on the opportunity to travel to London and enlist his help in solving the mystery of her cousin's ransomed love letters. But Dora arrives in London to devastating news: Sherlock Holmes is dead. Her dreams dashed, Dora is left to rely on her wits--and the assistance of an attractive yet enigmatic young detective--to save her cousin's reputation and help rescue a kidnapped heiress along the way. 

     Steeped in Victorian atmosphere and intrigue, this gripping novel heralds the arrival of a fresh new voice in young adult literature. 

What I Think: I am a big fan of twists on classic stories, fairy tales, etc. and this one was quite an interesting one. Dora is an orphaned, young lady who is trying to learn more about her past, so she goes searching for her biological father, Sherlock Holmes, only to find he is dead. But do not worry, Dora has her father's deductive genes which we learn quickly when she goes to another detective to help her solve her cousin's mystery. It is through this random meeting that mystery that becomes Secret Letters comes to light. 

     My favorite part of this book is Dora. She is a strong, clever female character in a time when females were not supposed to be any of the such. On top of all this, she is observant, like her father, so her deductive reasoning skills are something to be jealous of. AND she is snarky. I love snarky girl characters mostly when it is exactly what they aren't supposed to be. 

     Now, Peter Cartwright is not anything to shake your head at either. He sees that Dora is exactly the detective he needs to solve the mystery he is in charge of and puts faith into a woman when his senior partner shunned her. It is because of Peter that Dora gets to even be a detective. 

Read Together: Grades 9 and up

Read Alone: Grades 9 and up

Read With: Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll, Charles Dickens

Snatch of Text: "I really should have ended there. But I had discovered more about him, and he was staring at me now with such a look of baffled rage that I could not stop myself. "You were critical of my cousin from the first!" I continued furiously. "Why did you judge her like that and turn away? She never injured you. And yet the story of her old romance obviously upset you so much that you could not speak to her impartially. I wonder why? could it have something to do with the fresh imprint of the missing wedding bad upon your finger? You took the ring off less than a year ago, judging by the fair strip of skin above your knuckle. And yet, sadly, you aren't wearing mourning. I am very sorry for you, sir, and because I am not blind, or innocence, I will conclude that you are a good man who is very angry at some other lady who has badly wronged him." 

     I had never experienced a silence like the one that followed that declaration." (p. 46-47)

Mentor Text for: Allusion, Deductive Reasoning, Dialogue, Snarky Humor

Writing Prompts: Read a Sherlock Holmes story and show how the plot arc, characters, deductive reasoning, and mystery are similar and/or different between the story and Secret Letters. 

Topics Covered: Sherlock Holmes, Illicit Love, Deductive Reasoning, Writing in Code, Strong Woman Protagonist, Family, Victorian England

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It Seemed Funny at the Time

Title: It Seemed Funny at the Time: A LARGE Collection of Short Humor

Author: David Lubar

Publisher: Amazon Digital Services, Inc. 

Publication Date: October, 2011

Genre/Format: Short Stories-Humor/eBook

Goodreads Summary: David Lubar has gathered his best magazine pieces from the past fifteen years, tossed in his most popular works from the early days of online humor, bundled up the comedy material from his national conference talks, and stuffed everything in one juicy volume.

     Health care, telemarketers, celebrity picture books, Amish buggy rides, pigeon shoots, tasteless sneaker ads, inept Olympic broadcasters, and lots more -- it all seemed funny at the time. And, happily, it still does. Along with a ton of humor aimed at a general audience, there are special sections for computer geeks, writers, librarians, teachers, and fans of young-adult novels. Check it out. It's a lot of funny for just a little money.

What I Think: Although this book is not all completely appropriate for the classroom, such a wonderful portion of it is. David Lubar's humor radiates off of the pages and although much of it is very specific, you YA and Kid Lit lovers and teachers will love much of it. I also loved how he set much of it up. Most stories were set up with an introduction followed by a hilarious list. For example, he has a list of renamed books that have no chance of being banned, a list of "knockoffs", book and TV mix-ups, the next wave of edgy books, and more while in the kid lit section there are lists of Halloween books, horror cross-overs, and weird author pairings. In the other sections of the book, there are a smattering of other stories that can be used in a classroom as well like Poe humor, little-known literary facts, kids writing FAQ and high school humor. Many of these shorts will be great conversation starters and would be wonderful as read-alouds in the classroom. 

Read Together: Varies by story; primarily 6 and up

Read Alone: Varies by story; primarily 7 and up

Snatch of Text: "Think about it - a team named after a poem. But not just any poem. This poem was written by the man who invented the detective story, the man who gave us tales of such horror that they've become classics in the genre. 

     The Ravens won their first game this season. They lost their second game. But I'm a loyal fan. I won't desert them. But I'm hoping that they won't stop with just the name change. There is so much more potential if they stick with the Poe theme. So, as the number one fan of the Ravens, I'd like to suggest that they adopt the following ideas: 

     Forget about a digital time display on the scoreboard. Use a huge clock with a pendulum. For extra excitement, install a pendulum over each end zone.

     Every player should grow a black little mustache." (Kindle Location beginning 566)

"Don't you just hate having your day interrupted to deal with a book challenge? Whether it's in the form of a shouting parent, a sign-waving picket line, or a smoldering pile of burning books setting off the sprinklers in the YA section, there's nothing like a protest to put a crimp in a peaceful afternoon spent monitoring Internet surfing or helping ninety-six eighth graders find information about some obscure prehistoric trilobite that nobody except their teacher has ever heard of. It might seem as if every book is going to offend some group. But that's not the case. There are some books that nobody could possibly object to. They are ban proof. It is our pleasure to provide the following list. 

     Where the Mild Things Are — To help his parents cope with the stresses of life, a teen crosses the country in search of the blandest food, tamest tourist spots, and least-threatening people. He stays in the right lane throughout the book.

     Boy Meets Buoy — kids go for a swim. There is no horseplay, body contact, or Speedos. All characters remain in safe, shallow water throughout the story." (Kindle Location beginning 1935)

Mentor Text for: Allusion, Puns, Word Play

Writing Prompts: After reading "Mean"- In your life, what are some things adults say that really means something else?; Research a banned or challenged book. Why was it banned? Write a letter to a challenger stating why you think the book should not be banned.

Topics Covered: YA Literature, Kit Lit, Banned Books, Editors, Careers, Idioms, Prequels and much more

I *heart* It:

 

**Thank you to David Lubar for providing a copy of his book for review**

Curveball: The Year I Lost My Grip

Title: Curveball: The Year I Lost My Grip

Author: Jordan Sonnenblick

Publisher: Scholastic 

Publication Date: March, 2012

Genre/Format: Realistic Fiction/Novel

Goodreads Summary: Sometimes, the greatest comebacks take place far away from the ball field.

     Meet Peter Friedman, high school freshman. Talented photographer. Former baseball star. When a freakish injury ends his pitching career, Peter has some major things to figure out. Is there life after sports? Why has his grandfather suddenly given him thousands of dollars worth of camera equipment? And is it his imagination, or is the super-hot star of the girls' swim team flirting with him, right in front of the amazing new girl in his photography class? In his new novel, teen author Jordan Sonnenblick performs his usual miraculous feat: exploring deep themes of friendship, romance, family, and tragedy, while still managing to be hilariously funny.
What Kellee Thinks: This book beautifully intertwines 4 topics (photography, baseball, dementia and first loves) into a relatable teenage story. Peter's voice rings true throughout the book and is the type of protagonist I like to see in books - real. Peter is a little bit of a nerd, a little bit of a sports nut, a little bit of a photographer, and a little bit of a family guy, but he finds out through his freshman year how to survive without something he always thought he'd have in his life and find a passion in something else. 

     One thing I liked that Sonnenblick tied in was the idea that Peter can deceive his conscious self and others as much as he wants, but through his dreams his subconscious shows what our true emotions are. Another highlight for me was the "The Decisive Moment" which was a phrase coined by French photographer Henri Cartier-Bresson which is a photograph that speaks the truth. It is stolen, taken on the run and decisive. This idea becomes a major theme throughout the book and almost Peter's montra.
What Jen Thinks: This week I finished listening to Curveball on audio. I read and reviewed it here last year and rereading it (by listening to it) was a treat. Curveball is actually a book I have wanted to ask Colby to read and discuss for our I-94 book club for a while now (and we are finally going to!) I enjoyed this book even more the second time around. I think at first, I was clouded by all of Sonnenblick's other books that I love. This book has strong characters like his other books, but it is definitely different. I love how he builds characters and their stories in such a way that I couldn't help feeling for them. Actually, I found myself relating this book to The Notebook by Nicholas Spark because of how Pete has to face his grandfather's Alzheimer's. Sonnenblick lets us see into Pete's heart as he grapples with so many issues that seem easy for anyone to relate to. 
Read Together: Grades 7 to 12

Read Alone: Grades 8 to 12

Read With: Pop by Gordon Korman, By My Brother's Side by Tiki and Ronde Barber, The Notebook by Nicholas Spark
Snatch of Text: "Three photos. In the first, a hand holds a baseball in the classic pitcher's grip: first two fingers across the top seam, thumb underneath. The pitcher's arm extends almost straight back into the picture and blurs into his face. The hand and the front of the ball are what photographers refer to as a tack sharp: You can see whorls of fingerpint pattern on the skin, a jagged nail, every stitch and scuff on the ball. And you can somehow feel the tension in the figers, almsot imagine that hand crushing yours in it clawed grip. Maybe you've heard somewhere that a picture is supposed to hold the ball loosely. Then again, this picture isn't going to be throwing the ball anyway." (p. 127)

Mentor Text for: Imagery, Dialogue, Voice, Humor, Attention Grabbers

Writing Prompts: Observe and analyze one of Henri Cartier-Bresson's photos. Using imagery, describe the photos so others could visualize it. Then infer what is happening in the photo and predict what happened before/after the photo was taken.
Topics Covered: Photography, Baseball, Injury, Rehab/Recovery, Dementia, High School, Art History, Love

Kellee *hearts* It:

(4.5 hearts)
Jen *hearts* It: 

 and 

Curses! Foiled Again

**Warning: Spoilers for Foiled #1!**

Title: Curses! Foiled Again

Author: Jane Yolen

Illustrator: Mike Cavallaro

Publisher: First Second

Publication Date: January 8, 2013

Genre/Format: Fantasy/Graphic Novel

Goodreads Summary: Aliera Carstairs is back. This time she's got her cousin—and best friend—Caroline in tow, and the stakes are higher than ever. The realm of Seelie, the fairy kingdom of which Aliera is the hereditary defender, is under attack, and only Aliera and Caroline can set things right. Caroline, fragile and wheelchair-bound, may seem like more of a liability than an asset, but Aliera knows there's more to her quiet cousin than meets the eye. Curses! Foiled Again is Jane Yolen at her best, reunited with her partner in crime, the fabulously talented illustrator Mike Cavallaro.
What I Think: Surprisingly, I liked the 2nd book of the series more than the first. It must have been that the first was just the exposition where this one you are really getting into the meat of the story. And there is definitely meat in this book. We delve deeper into Aliera's job as the defender of Fairy Land as well as her love/hate relationship with Avery the troll. The first brings the adventure to the story and the latter brings the humor. Foiled is a great mixture of both which keeps you completely entertained throughout. The only down fall is that there are pages where there is so much going on it is hard to narrow it down, but these few pages do not degrade the quality of the graphic novel. 

     What I particularly loved about this Curses! is that we got to really get into the mythology of the fairy land. Yolen has taken a mix of fairy creatures (ala Shrek) and thrown them into her story making her own fairy tale with a human as the hero. 

     Jane Yolen is amazing. I have read picture books, graphic novels and novels by her and they are all so well crafted and unique. I would love to just step inside of her brain just for a minute to see all of the ideas she has stored up there. 
Read Together: Grades 6 to 12

Read Alone: Grades 6 to 12

Read With: Amulet series by Kazu Kibuishi, Hereville series by Barry Deutsch, Rapunzel's Revenge by Shannon Hale, Giants Beware! by Jorge Aguirre

Snatch of Text: "Baba Yaga, the great Russian witch. Iron teeth and an iron nose. Ate bad boys and helped feisty girls, sort of adopted them... Did she happen to mention that Baba Yaga lives in a house that walks on chicken feet? Or that she rides around in a mortar and pestle?" (p. 33)
Mentor Text for: Vocabulary, Allusions, Simile, Humor, Colorization, Puns
Writing Prompts: In the Foiled series, the illustrator uses coloring to show the magic that Aliera sees - how do you think this decision impacts the graphic novel? Do you like the choice? 

Topics Covered: Fairy creatures, Mythology, Traditional Literature

I *heart* It:

 

Captain Underpants and the Revolting Revenge of the Radioactive Robo-Boxers

Title: Captain Underpants and the Revolting Revenge of the Radioactive Robo-Boxers (Captain Underpants #10)

Author: Dav Pilkey

Illustrator: Dav Pilkey

Publisher: Scholastic

Publication Date: January 15, 2013

Genre/Format: Fantasy-Humor/Illustrated Novel

Goodreads Summary: A world without UNDERPANTS?!!!

     When we last saw our heroes, George and Harold, they had been turned into evil zombie nerds doomed to roam a devastated, postapocalyptic planet for all eternity. But why, you might ask, didn't the amazing Captain Underpants save the boys from this frightening fate? Because Tippy Tinkletrousers and his time-traveling hijinks prevented George and Harold from creating Captain Underpants in the first place! Now, having changed the course of human history forever, they'll have to figure out a way to CHANGE IT BACK. 

     Could this be the end for Captain Underpants?!!

What I Think: If you read my first review of this series, you know that I am a big fan. If you are skeptical right now about the value of these novels, I can promise you that I understand. I figured they were just filled with poop and fart jokes to try to sucker boys into reading. While I was partially right (it is more underwear and booger jokes), the series is so much more than that and as the series keeps growing, the wittiness of each novel grows as well. 

     I think this one is by far the most mature Captain Underpants book. The story line jumps around quite a lot, it deals with historical elements, and, like #9, it is quite long. I think Pilkey is growing with his readers (although his first readers are in their 20s now) and it is really taking the series to a whole new level. 

     I think that part of what makes Pilkey's humor work is that he never talks down to his reader. The humor is intelligent and witty, he uses a high-level of vocabulary and explains if needed, and he makes sure to have his books be as entertaining as possible to keep the reader's attention. It is quite brilliant how he puts these books together and, although this is not my favorite of the series, it is no different. A must read for any fan of the series and for those who have not read any of the series yet, you will not regret it. 

Read Together: Grades 2 to 6

Read Alone: Grades 3 to 7

Read With: Adventures of Ook and Gluk, Kung-Fu Cavemen from the Future by Dav Pilkey, Captain Underpants #1-9, Extraordinary Adventures of Ordinary Boy by William Boniface, Time Travel Trio by Jon Scieszka, Frankie Pickle by Eric Wight, Sideways Stories from Wayside School by Louis Sachar

Snatch of Text: "Unfortunately, I'm sorry to have to tell you that there was no murder at the end of the last book. There wasn't even any blood. What happened at the end of our last story is something called misdirection. It's what happens when you are led to believe that something is true, but in reality it's not true at all. Misdirection happens a lot in real life - especially in politics, history, education, medicine, marketing, science, religion and the Oprah Winfrey Network." (p. 17)

Mentor Text for: Vocabulary Development, Humor, Illustration, Editing (Spelling and Grammar), Making Connections

Writing Prompts: In this novel, Harold, George and a handful of other characters go back in time to try to change the future. What event could you go back in time to try to change?; Rewrite Harold and George's comic correcting the spelling and grammar mistakes.; Ook and Gluk made an appearance in a wordless comic of Harold and George's. Add dialogue so we can see what they are saying. 

Topics Covered: Time Travel, Time Continuum, Cave Paintings, Post-Apocalyptic, History, Cavemen, Big Bang

I *heart* It:

Peace, Love and Baby Ducks

Title: Peace, Love and Baby Ducks
Author: Lauren Myracle   
Publisher: Dutton Juvenile  
Publication Date: May 2009 
Genre/Format: Realistic Fiction/Novel 
GoodReads Summary: Wealth, privilege, and way too many pastel-tinted opinions...that's Carly's life. And guess what? It's. Getting. On. Her. Nerves.

Carly wants to be real, and she's always counted on her little sister, Anna, to love her and support her—and tell her how right she is. But when Anna turns "hot" over the course of a single summer, everything goes weird. Suddenly Anna's swimming in the deep end with the big girls—while Carly watches, hurt, from the kiddie pool. And of course there are boys involved, complicating things as boys always do.
With warmth, insight, and an unparalleled gift for finding humor even in stormy, situations, beloved author Lauren Myracle dives into the tumultuous waters of sisterhood and shows that even very different sisters can learn to help each other stay afloat. 
What I Think: I will never forget cracking up so hard the first time I read this book. There is a terrific scene between Carly and her mom where her mom is trying to get her contact out of her eye and it's absolutely hysterical. This whole book is full of fun. I love Carly, her sister, Anna, and her best friend Peyton. I love seeing girl characters who are great friends to each other. Lauren Myracle brings her characters to life with great dialogue. I love how the dialogue moves this story along and how we get to know the characters through this wonderful dialogue. I absolutely love this book as a mentor text for how dialogue and inner dialogue help readers get to know the characters.
     Over the summer with Teachers Write, every time I shared my writing, I added a disclaimer that it's girly...very girly. Lauren Myracle is one of my favorite authors and I love the girly-ness she infuses into her writing. Gae Polisner, author of The Pull of Gravity, told me that good girly is great in writing and when I read this book, I totally believe it. This book is more than a girly book, though, it's a book about deciding what you believe in compared to others around you. It's about growing up and taking a discerning look at what your parents, your school, your town tells you about life and what you decide you believe about life. And maybe that's what makes it more than a gushy, girly book, it's a book about what it means to be an girl growing up and learning what it means to be independent and to be true to yourself. And maybe I love that as much as I love the great girly inner and outer dialogue.
Read Together: Grades 8 and up 
Read Alone: Grades 8 and up 
Read With: The Princess Diaries (series) and All-American Girl by Meg Cabot, From What I Remember... by Stacy Kramer and Valerie Thomas, 10 Things We Did (And Probably Shouldn't Have) by Sarah Mlynowski, Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins, The Future of Us by Jay Asher and Carolyn Mackler, Let It Snow by John Green, Maureen Johnson, and Lauren Myracle, The Winnie Years (series ) (and others) by Lauren Myracle
Snatch of Text:    
"'I wouldn't mind having a boyfriend,' she says. 'Not Ben. But...you know.'
'Yeah. I hear you.' In bed, with the lights off, is a good place for this sort of conversation. I have thoughts on the matter, so I share them. 'A guy who isn't a player. A guy who likes you for who you are, not how hot you are. Like, a really good friend who happens to be a boy, and who you get to kiss.'
'Exactly.'
'And one day I will find this miracle guy, and he will be my love boodle.'
Anna giggles. 'You cannot call your boyfriend your 'love boodle.''
'True, because I don't have a boyfriend.'
'It's not a very manly nickname.'
'I'd call him that ironically, obviously. He'd be my ironic love boodle.' (p. 59)
Mentor Text For: Activating Background Knowledge, Making Connections, Making Inferences, Vocie, Characterization, Dialogue, Humor, Inner Dialogue
Writing Prompts: Write about a time in your life when you felt like your values and beliefs were different from others (in your family, in your class, in your school, in your town...).  
Topics Covered: Family, Friendship, Growing Up, Values, Beliefs, Adversity, Love

 I *heart* It: