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 Pete the Cat: Rocking in My School Shoes
by Eric Litwin (author) and James Dean (illustrator),
c2011, HarperCollins, ages 4-8
Everybody loves Pete the Cat---no really, they do! I’ve used Pete the Cat
books over and over again in story time and kids just can’t get enough.
Rocking in My School Shoes is a great choice for a child that may be a bit
nervous about entering school for the first time or going into a new grade
or school. Pete and his “can-do” attitude and groovy personality show that
when it comes to school, “It’s all good!” Children will especially love
singing or chanting the refrain: “I’m rocking in my school shoes…eating in
my school shoes, etc.” and Dean’s bold, eye-catching artwork brings Pete to
life. If your children enjoy this title, be sure to check out more of Pete’s
adventures at the library.
No Talking
by Andrew Clements (author) and Mark Elliot (illustrator),
c2007, Atheneum Books, 160 pages
The fifth graders at Laketon Elementary are big mouths, so loud and unruly
that their teachers call them “The Unshushables”. So what happens when Dave
Packer and Lynsey Burgess have an argument that culminates in a “boys vs.
girls” contest where silence is the rule? Who will crack under the pressure
first---the boys, the girls, the teachers? Or the principal? One thing is
for sure, fifth grade will never be the same again!
This book is a riot, filled with Clement’s trademark humor and engaging
characters. It makes you think about the power of words and of silence and
the role of communication in our relationships, but in a completely
non-preachy way. It’s a wonderful pick for boys and girls, grades 2 – 6.
Because of Mr. Terupt
by Rob Buyea,
c2010, Delacorte Books, 288 pages
This is the story of seven fifth graders whose lives will change forever
“because of Mr. Terupt”, and because of one another…
Each of these seven distinct individuals narrate their experiences with
their determined teacher as they work through school and their personal
challenges at home. They don’t understand one another and don’t want to,
until tragedy strikes and they have to come together if they want to be
there for the teacher that’s always been there for them.
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This heart-warming story celebrates teachers who want to make a
difference and the students who let them. It’s a wonderful book for
girls and boys alike, grades 3 – 6. The sequel, Mr. Terupt Falls
Again is also available at the library.
The Tragedy Paper
by Elizabeth LaBan,
c2013, Knopf Books, 320 pages,
grades 7 and up
Tim Macbeth knows there’s no way to fit in at Irving School. Even if
he wasn’t the newbie, there’s the fact that he’s albino. No way to
hide freaky. The school motto: “Enter here to be and find a friend”
seems like the ultimate cosmic joke, until he meets Vanessa Sheller.
She’s the girl every guy wants and every girl wants to be. When
their relationship evolves, they keep it secret, knowing that
trouble will follow if they’re found out. Trouble, or even tragedy.
This beautifully written debut is filled with romance and heartbreak
and alternates between two viewpoints, that of Tim Macbeth and of
Duncan, a senior working on his Tragedy Paper, Irving’s version of a
thesis. As Duncan deals with his own personal challenges, he learns
the truth of Tim and Vanessa’s story and it changes him and his
relationships with others.
 There are some cool allusions to Shakespearean literature that will
enhance the story for more mature readers, but the strength of the
novel is in its compelling characters and the revealing of a
universal truth; that tragedy will eventually touch all of our
lives.
[By
MELISSA OXBORROW,
Lincoln Public Library District] |
