Emmy and the Incredible Shrinking Rat

Emmy and the Incredible Shrinking Rat

Author: Lynne Jonell

Publisher: New York : H. Holt, 2007.

Plot Description:

            Emmy feels completely invisible most of the time.  No one at school ever talks to her, not even her teacher knows her name.  Her parents are off jetting around Europe again.  The only person who ever really talks to her is her nanny, Miss Barmy, but that’s usually to scold her or make her take another kind of medicine.  Then of course, there is the rat.  The rat is the classroom pet, and he is full of conniving schemes.  Like how Emmy should let him go free.  One day Emmy does, and thus starts an adventure she couldn’t imagine.  One that explains why no one seems to notice her.  Because they’ve all been convinced she doesn’t exist. 

Review:

            Emmy and the Incredible Shrinking Rat is a great tween read.  Friendless Emmy is out to finally learn how to stand up for herself, and is able to make a friend or two in the process.  She, with the help of the rat and her new friend Joe (who got sucked into this mess by the rat as well), discover that her nanny isn’t all that she seems.  The book mixes fantasy well, and the reader ends up believing that all this might just happen.  I would definitely recommend this to both boy or girl tweens, its mix of fun-filled adventure combined with Emmy coming into her own is hard to resist!

Genre: Humorous Fiction

Reading level: 5^th Grade

Similar Books: The School Story

Reader’s Advisory:

Personal thoughts- Really fun story

Subjects/themes- animals, rats, fantasy, humor

Series information- There is a second book about Emmy

Character names/descriptions-

            Emmy- can’t understand why no one seems to notice her

            Joe- the first kid in her class, who notices her after the rat bites him

            Miss Barmy- Emmy’s nanny, who is just  a bit odd

Annotation: Not all rats are pesky rodents. 

Zoobreak

 Zoobreak

Author: Gordon Korman

Publisher: New York : Scholastic Press, 2009.

Plot Description:

            When Savannah’s pet mokey Cleo disappears, she and her friends Griffin and Ben look everywhere for him.  What they don’t expect is to find her in the floating zoo their teacher takes them to on a field trip.  But this zoo isn’t a nice zoo, it’s the dirtiest, most disgusting place that Savannah has ever seen.  And when the zookeeper refuses to admit that Cleo is Savannah’s, it’s up to Griffin, the ‘man with the plan,’ to come up with a way to get Cleo back before the zoo takes off for it’s next port.  In a fun filled adventure Griffin enlists the help of his classmates for Operation Zoobreak. 

Review:

            Zoobreak is a fun story about kids taking matters into their own hands when parents can’t solve a problem.  With excellently written characters, Korman creates a story which will appeal to all tweens because they will surely find someone to identify with.  The book focuses on a love of animals, but the plot has a few fun twists and any would be lawbreaker will enjoy the misadventures of Griffin and his gang. 

Genre: Animal Fiction

Reading level: 5^th Grade

Similar Books: Artemis Fowl

Reader’s Advisory:

Personal thoughts- Fun characters and excellent plot turns

Subjects/themes- Animals, Adventure, Zoos, Theft

Series information- Second book involving Griffin and his gang

Character names/descriptions-

            Savannah- loves all animals, Cleo is her monkey

            Griffin- the man with the plan

            Ben- has narcolepsy, but a ferret they free from the zoo fixes all that

            Mr Natase- the mean owner of “All About Animals’

Annotation: When all else fails, the man with the plan will come through!

Nicholas in Trouble

Nicholas in Trouble

Author: by René Goscinny & Jean-Jacques Sempé

Publisher: New York : Phaidon Press, c2008.

Plot Description:

            Nicholas and his friends don’t try to get in trouble, it’s just that trouble seems to follow them.  They try to follow the rules at school and at home, but sometimes those rules really don’t make sense.  From selling raffle tickets to going to the grocery store to learning about road safety, there always seems to be something. 

Review:

            Nicholas in Trouble is an absolutely fantastic book about a French schoolboy and his friends.  Written with great wit and humor, the book is sure to appeal to tweens.  Because of the cheeky way the story is written, I would even recommend it to older tweens for whom the book might otherwise be a bit easy to read.  The book is broken into a bunch of short stories, each detailing a time when Nicholas and his friends do something they think is right only to find out it’s not, like when they learn about road safety, safely cross the road to the delight of their teacher, and then run right back across to her to give her a hug without looking both ways.  It’s a delightful read. 

Genre: Humorous Fiction

Reading level: 4^th Grade

Similar Books: The Adventures of Captain Underpants

Reader’s Advisory:

Personal thoughts- super amusing, very very French

Subjects/themes- Trouble, Humor, Friends, School

Series information- Fifth in the Nicholas novels

Character names/descriptions-

            Nicholas- the young French schoolboy with a penchant for trouble

Annotation:  If getting in trouble wasn’t so much fun, Nicholas might not do it so much...

Because of Winn Dixie

 Because of Winn Dixie

Author: Kate DiCamillo

Publisher: Cambridge, Mass. : Candlewick Press, 2000.

Plot Description:

            India Opal Buloni has just moved to Naples, Florida.  She hasn’t made any real friends yet, but she is used to moving because her daddy is a preacher.  Sometimes it’s hard to be the preacher’s daughter, because everyone thinks you’re just going to tattle on them.  But Winn Dixie, the stray dog she found at the grocery store of the same name, is about to change all that.  Winn Dixie quickly becomes her best friend, and becomes her easy ticket to making new friends with his big grin and playful ways.  India is about to find out what real friendship is all about.

Review:

            Because of Winn Dixie is a great book about a girl who is growing up and learning about herself and about the influence one person can make on another’s life. As she makes friends with a few loners around town, the old librarian, the guy who works at the animal shop, and the town ‘witch’, she learns that loneliness is the worst thing that can happen to a person.  She learns that it’s not what people think that matters, that there is good in everyone.  It’s a great book for tweens with fun characters and a good story about a girl and her dog. 

Genre: Realistic Ficiton

Reading level: 4-5^th Grade

Similar Books: The Higher Power of Lucky

Reader’s Advisory:

Personal thoughts- really cute book about misfits banding together

Subjects/themes- Dogs, Friendship, Family

Awards- Newbery Honor Book

Character names/descriptions-

            India- a young girl who wants to know her mother who ran away when she was young

            Miss Franny Block- the town librarian

            Gloria Dump- the town witch, tells India about making amends

Otis- works at the pet store

Annotation: Sometimes it takes a dog to make things right.

Franny K. Stein: Mad Scientist

Franny K. Stein: Mad Scientist

Author: Jim Benton

Publisher: New York : Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, c2003

Plot Description:

            Fanny K. Stein isn’t like most girls her age. She can’t stand the color pink, or ruffles, or fluffy stuffed animals.  She likes her pet bats, and her science projects.  But liking those things isn’t making her any friends.   So when her teacher suggests she look to the other girls in class as a way to try and make friends, Franny realizes it’s time for the experiment of a lifetime.  She pretends to like the color pink, and peanut butter and jelly sandwhiches, and for awhile blends right in.  But when the lunch leftovers turn into a giant monster, there’s only one girl who can save them, it’s a job for Franny K. Stein, MAD SCIENTIST!

Review:

            A well written and amusing read, Franny K. Stein will appeal to tween readers.  The book is not just about one girl’s quest to become a great scientist, but is a good story about fitting in, and the realization that being just like everyone else isn’t all that.  Benton has created a great character in Franny, who is appealing to both genders of tween.   I thought the illustrations were especially great. 

Genre: Humorous Fiction

Reading level: 4^th Grade

Similar Books: The Adventures of Captain Underpants

Reader’s Advisory:

Personal thoughts- good book, with fun illustrations

Subjects/themes- Monsters, School, Fitting In, Fiction

Series information- 1^st in the Franny K. Stein series

Character names/descriptions-

            Franny K. Stein- a genius scientist stuck in school

            Miss Shelly- Franny’s teacher who suggests the great experiment

Annotation: Being a Mad Scientist comes in handy sometimes.

The Best Bad Luck I Ever Had

The Best Bad Luck I Ever Had

Author: Kristin Levine

Publisher: New York : G.P. Putnams Sons, c2009.

Plot Description:

            All Dit was really hoping for was that the new postmaster would have a son his age, and that the son liked baseball.  It didn’t seem like too much to ask for.  Unfortunately, what he got instead was Emma.  Emma might be his age, but they really don’t have much else in common.  She grew up in fancy Boston, wears pretty clothes all the time, doesn’t play baseball, and she’s black.  But as Dit and Emma spend time together, he begins to realize that even though she’s a girl, she’s not half bad.  But a lot of people in the town don’t agree with him, and he’s got some decisions to make: does he stick by his friend?  Or is the town right and her skin color really does make her different?

Review:

            The Best Bad Luck I Ever Had provides a different lens for the problem of racial prejudice and the civil rights movement.  Seen through the eyes of Dit, the terrible racial tensions of the South seem petty.  When the town’s barber, who is also black, is on trial for the murder of the sheriff (even though it was self defense), Dit learns that right and wrong are not always as clear to everyone else as they are to him.  It’s a great story about a boy learning that the world isn’t always the best place, but that it’s important to always to what’s right. 

Genre: Historical Fiction

Reading level: 6^th Grade

Similar Books: Maniac Magee

Reader’s Advisory:

Personal thoughts- really good book about how we shouldn’t judge people by our first impressions

Subjects/themes- Prejudice, friendship, Racism, Fiction

Character names/descriptions-

            Dit- 12 years old and likes baseball

            Emma- 12 years old and likes reading, is really smart but can’t go to the white kids school

            Doc- accused of murdering Big Foot (who is also his half brother

Annotation: Girls can come in handy sometimes.

The Adventures of Captain Underpants

The Adventures of Captain Underpants

Author: Dav Pilkney

Publisher: New York : Blue Sky Press, 1997.

Plot Description:

            George and Harold are always in trouble.  Not because they like for bad things to happen to people, they just have a mischievous streak a mile long.  One of their best creations is their comic book about “Captain Underpants.”  Unfortunately, though a random series of events, they end up hypnotizing their principal (who HATES captain underpants cartoons) into believing that HE is actually captain underpants!  Which might have been ok, if he hen hadn’t gone off to fight crime.  Now it’s up to them to find out how to get everything back to normal!

Review:

            The Adventures of Captain Underpants is a fun filled adventure filled with not just the story but also terrific illustrations.  Harold and George are fun characters, who cause tons of trouble but the trouble is so great that it’s hard to fault them for it.  The book will definitely appeal to tweens, especially to boys.

Genre: Humorous Fiction

Reading level: 4^th Grade

Similar Books: Diary of a Wimpy Kid

Reader’s Advisory:

Personal thoughts- Entertaining

Subjects/themes- Heroes, Friendship, Humorous Stories

Series information- The first of several in the Captain Underpants series

Character names/descriptions-

            George and Harold- the troublesome duo who create the Captain Underpants

comic

            Mr. Krupp- the mean principal of their school who ends up believing he is

Captain Underpants!

            Dr. Diaper- the evil genius who Captain Underpants (aka Mr. Krupp) tries to

catch

Annotation: What if the comic book you created came to life!

Cracker!: The Best Dog in Vietnam

Cracker!: The Best Dog in Vietnam

Author: Cynthia Kadohata

Publisher: New York : Atheneum Books for Young Readers, c2007.

Plot Description:

            Cracker lives a great life with his master Willie, and Willie’s parents.  But when the family has to move to a smaller home, they find that they can no longer keep Cracker with them.  Instead of sending her to the pound, they decide to send her to help the army in Vietnam as a bomb sniffing dog.  But before she can go she has to learn to obey a new master, an 18 year old recruit named Rick.  As Rick and Cracker learn to work together and trust each other they are sent on their biggest test, to survive Vietnam and the horrific war that is going on there.  What results is a heartwarming and breaking story about the love of a dog and her master, and the power that this love brings.

Review:

            Cracker! is an amazing story about something that few realize happen.  Dogs have been a major part of war for major battles for centuries, but they are the unsung heroes even after they have saved the lives of thousands.  The book talks about the sacrifices these dogs willingly made for the masters they loved, and the heartbreak the soldiers suffered for these heroic pets.  Another interesting part of the story was that the book really told how these dogs saved people, and then of the terrible end the army left most of them to.  The book believable switches back and forth from the perspective of Cracker and Rick.  It is a must read for any tween interested in animals or in war stories. 

Genre: Historical Fiction

           

Reading level: 8^th-9^th Grade

Similar Books: Skulduggery Pleasant, Alabama Moon

Reader’s Advisory:

Personal thoughts- really powerful book on the bond between humans and dogs

Subjects/themes- War, Dogs, Vietnam War, Growing up

Character names/descriptions-

            Willie- Cracker’s owner who had to give him up

            Rick- ends up becoming Cracker’s handler and owes his life to the dog

            Cracker- a heroic dog

Annotation: Sometimes the person you can count on the most, isn’t a person at all.

That Darn Cat

That Darn Cat

Walt Disney Pictures

Publisher: Burbank, Calif. : Distributed by Buena Vista Home Entertainment, [2003?]

Plot Description:

            When a mysterious kidnapping occurs, the police have no clues or suspects.  But when D.C. finds a clue that could break the case, it’s up to Patti to make sure the cops pay attention.  The only problem is that the police don’t like to take clues from cats….and D.C., despite being a man about town, is a cat.  Hilarity ensues as Patti teams up with FBI agent Kelso to try and solve the case. 

Review:

            That Darn Cat is a fun filled adventure about a girl and her crime-solving cat.  While the movie takes place in the 90s, it will still appeal to tweens   Christina Ricci pairs well with Doug E. Doug in this great remake of the original.  The movie’s humor will appeal to tweens of both genders.  It is a fun movie which is both wholesome and fun. 

Genre: Realistic Fiction

Viewing level: 4^th Grade

Similar Movies: Aquamarine, Milo and Otis

Reader’s Advisory:

Personal thoughts- cute

Subjects/themes- Cats, Friendship, Kidnapping, Fiction

Character names/descriptions-

            Patti- 16 year old who hates the town her parents move her to

            Kelso- the FBI agent who is teamed with Patti to solve a kidnapping

            D.C.- short for Darn Cat, who is crucial to solving the kidnapping

Annotation: D.C. might have all the answers, but if only they could get him to talk!

Percy Jackson and the Lightening Thief

Percy Jackson and the Lightening Thief

Distributed by Fox

Publisher: Beverly Hills, CA : 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment, c2010.

Plot Description:

            Percy Jackson didn’t know he was a demi-god, the son of the god Poseidon. But after a school trip where his teacher attacks him and he is chased by the minator to Camp Half Blood he has no choice but to believe.  Unfortunately not he is being accused of stealing Zeus’s master bolt, and must set out on a quest to prove his innocence.  But will he be able to do it in time?

Review:

            The movie has some stark differences from the book.  It is still well acted and fun for tweens, but those who are dedicated to the book might be annoyed by the changes between the two.  I thought that the movie was a fun experience, with lots of action and adventure.  It is a great epic about the Greek gods which will entertain tweens young and old.

Genre: Fantasy Fiction

Viewing level: 4^th-all grades

Similar Movies: Inkheart, Harry Potter

Reader’s Advisory:

Personal thoughts- Good but the differences from the book were unnecessary

Subjects/themes- Gods, Friendship, Greek Mythology, Adventure, Quest

Character names/descriptions-

            Percy Jackson- 12 year old son of Poseidon, thought to be the one who will bring

down the gods

            Annabelle- daughter of Athena, helps Percy on his quest

            Grover- Percy’s protector

            Chiron- Teacher at Camp Half Blood

            Luke- son of Hades who pretends to be Percy’s friend

Annotation: Sometimes being a demi-god can be a curse.

Judy Moody

Judy Moody

Author: Megan McDonald

Publisher: Cambridge, Mass. : Candlewick Press, 1999.

Plot Description:

            Judy Moody was in a bad mood.  A rotten, no good, terrible mood. But then the first day of third grade began, and she got her very first assignment: to create a ‘me’ collage.  There’s only one problem, what on earth can she put in the collage that will make her stand out amongst her peers!  But Judy Moody won’t let that stop her, she’s got a plan.

Review:

            A bit young for most tweens, but for more developed 8 year olds it does present an excellent and interesting chapter book.  It would also appeal to lesser developed 4^th graders.  Judy Moody is a fun character who is ready for adventure and is ready to do whatever it takes to make herself heard!  I chose to read and include it as an option for younger tweens who want a fun read. 

Genre: Realistic Fiction

Reading level: 3^rd-4^th Grade

Similar Books: Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Stink

Reader’s Advisory:

Personal thoughts- Fun but young for most tweens

Subjects/themes- Siblings, School, Fiction

Series information- Several other Judy Moody books as well as Stink and Judy Moody ones

Character names/descriptions-

            Judy Moody- adventurous 8 year old in a bad mood

            Stink- Judy’s annoying younger brother

Annotation: Being in a bad mood can lead to some great ideas.