Every Living Thing by Cynthia Rylant

Twelve short stories in Every Living Thing are devoted to telling specific tales of how animals have played an integral role in people's lives. In each short chapter, author Cynthia Rylant gets right to the heart of the story, describing in detail how each event in that person's life lead up to the moment of being deliberately affected by that specific animal. And each of their lives from that point on will never be the same. Similar to The Van Gogh Cafe, Rylant separates each of these stories into sections with a small picture of the animal, giving a predictable pattern to the reader of how each living thing's story will be told in the text.

In my favorite short story, Retired, Miss Phala Cutcheon, a retired schoolteacher just got a dog, and named her Velma. The dog was old, and in a way, was also retired. It took some getting used to, but Miss Cutcheon, as well as Velma, were both used to being around children. Velma belonged to a family with three children, and was used to their company before they had to move away to France. Miss Cutcheon, was also used to the company of children, having taught fourth grade for so many years. Even though they had each other's company, something was missing in both of their lives.

• "Velma's memory of the three children grew fuzzy, and only when she saw a boy or girl passing on the street did her ears prick up as if she shoudl hve known something about the chidlren. But what it was she had forgotten."


• "Miss Cutcheon's memory, on the other hand, grew better every day, and she seemed not to know anyting except the past. She could recite the names of children in her mind-which seats they sat in, what subjects they were best at, what they'd brought to school for lunch. She could remember their funny ways, and sometimes she would be sitting at her dinette in the morning, quietly eating, when she would burst out with a laugh that filled the room and made Velma jump.

It is not until the two continue their walks together to the school down the road while visiting the children at the playground that they feel a part of children's lives again. Maybe that is what brought both together, and their love for children made their love for each other grow stronger.

Relationships between people and animals develop in the most peculiar ways; Jenny, a young girl in Glen Morgan who grew up to be terrifed of a wild boar in the woods by the Miller farm came to realize, once face to face with it, that unlike her hesitations of being near it, it was equally afraid of people that surround it. "But mostly she is sorry that he lives in fear of bluejays and little girls, when everyone in Glen Morgan lives in fear of him."

When a puppy wanders into the lives of the Lacey family, Doris develops a close relationship between the stray German Shepard mix that she can't let go of --until her parents tell her that he's going to go straight to the pound in the city once the snow storm cleared up. It isn't until Doris's father realizes that the puppy would be put to sleep after arriving there (among the harsh conditions of ten dogs to a crate) that he agrees to let the stray pup live with them in their home.

Rylant's ability to capture the feelings of both the people and animals involved radiates through each of these twelve situations. Although we only meet these individuals for a few short pages, we come away as readers to knowing so much about the character of these individuals involved and how much of an affect an animal can have on the decisions that they make in their own lives. Even if the stories have different situations and results, the same basic themes of friendship, hope, and love permeate throughout each of them.

It is through these stories that a certain appreciation and value is given to those beings who comfort us and inspire us to live life to the fullest. It wasn't until I moved away on my own that I truly valued the company of my two cats. Their love, affection, and independence has brought me through even the most trying times in my life, while their playful and engaging spirits have brought a smile to my face when I need it the most. It's amazing how they know just when you need them the most, and how you can recipricate that devotion in return.

A Blue-Eyed Daisy by Cynthia Rylant

Ellie Farley, a blue-eyed and fair-haired 11-year-old girl, lives with her family in West Virginia. Ellie's father, Okey, has not worked for many years due to his coal mining accident - resulting in his staying home and developing an addiction to alcohol. With the need for companionship, Okley brings home a dog for his family, a beagle, in which they name Bullet. Ellie finds Bullet to be a dear friend to her, and it is through the addition of this faithful friend that Ellie, Okley, and Bullet spend quality time together hunting.

Ellie's life in West Virginia includes many life changing events that result in feelings of sadness, happiness, and confusion. In the beginning, her Uncle Joe leaves for war. "Ellie thought the world of her Uncle Joe. At school in the fall she had told her friends about her uncle who'd gone to war. One boy told her what his father said about the war. He told her his father said it was stupid. That soldiers were dying for nothing. That it wasn't even a real war. The told told Ellie that it must mean her uncle was not a real solder. Ellie shoved him into the wall. And she called him one of Okey's best cuss words. The boy was so surprised he didn't even fight back--just stared at her with his mouth hanging open. 'It seemed, after that, the time would never pass quickly enough until Joe came home. Ellie missed him, but more than that, she wanted him to tell her that he had been a real soldier." One he returned, Ellie watched him. "He looked older than Okey. Old as her grandfather. And when news of the war had finished, he wiped a hand across his eyes. That night Ellie cried tears for her Uncle as well as all the rest of the real soldiers.

As a young girl approaching her teenage years, Ellie experiences her first kiss with a round of spin-the-bottle with Harold at her friend Carolyn's birthday party in the section titled A Lovely Night. "Ellie was dizzy for the rest of the party. her insides were floating and she found she couldn't take her eyes off Harold. She hoped they'd play another kissing game, but everyone wanted to dance."

Ellie also describes the terrifying moment in geography class when she witnesses classmate Harvey have a "fit" which she later learns is a seizure. "So she surprised him-and herself, and especially Carolyn-when she invited him to sith with the two of them at lunch. Carolyn wasn't talking and Harvey was still shy, so Ellie talked the whole time about Bullet." "Ellie never before had such a lovely night."

In one of the final sections titled The Accident, her father Okey drives over a mountain after drinking his whiskey at the Stardust Tavern. "They all knew it would happen sooner or later, They knew Okey would drink one glass of whiskey too many and not make it home one night." "Okey was not dead, he was unconscious, his condition was critical, he was fighting for his life, their mother said-but he was not dead." As her family comforted one another during this trying time, Ellie turned to praying for her father, hoping he would be okay. And the next morning, he was in stable condition. Ellie cried.

Cynthia Rylant's realistic fiction story incorporates many of her childhood experiences. After reading many of her picture books and her autobiography, it is evident that many of her personal events are reflected in each of her books. In A Blue-Eyed Daisy, Rylant is similar to Ellie in the manner that she, too, lived in West Virginia and her father was an alcoholic. While Rylant did not live with her father again after the age of 4 once her parents separated, she longed to reunite with her father and have an official good-bye before he left the world. Ellie and Rylant also had the same first kiss while playing spin-the-bottle, and went through a religious period while living in "The Bible Belt" and often turned to God in her times of need. Rylant also had to deal with her Uncle going off to war, just as Ellie yearned for his return home.

A lot happens to Ellie throughout a span of a year - she deals with moments of tension, sadness, perplexion, and apprehension; however, it is through her friendships, family, and strong spirit that carries her through to her 12th birthday. As a reader, you feel these emotions right along with her, as if you are living through those experiences.

Rylant never ceases to amaze me. Reading her stories is like putting the pieces to a puzzle together, and her subtle clues and hints in each story give the reader a sense of discovery as an "ahhh-hah" moment is creatively woven into each one of her pieces of literature.

Lawn Boy by Gary Paulsen

A twelve-year-old boy receives a rickety-old riding mower for a birthday present that was once his grandfather's and isn't quite sure what he will make of it, at first. Then, with some thinking he realizes that he can capitalize on all of the lawns throughout his neighborhood, and buy that inner-tube that he's longed to buy for the summer. As the grass grew, so did Lawn Boy's mowing business.

At first he questions his job as a Lawn Boy: No vacation. Seven thousand five hundred dollars (a week). No summer fun. Seven thousand five hundred dollars. Then he meets Arnold, a stock-broker that persuades him to invest his earnings for him in exchange of cutting his lawn. He agrees and Lawn Boy learns the economic terms and jargon as he sees his earnings grow and grow. Paulsen highlights these terms through the titles of his chapters, i.e. "The Law of Increasing Product Demand Versus Flat Production Capacity", "Capital Growth Coupled with the Principles of Production Expansion," and "Labor Acquisition and Its Effect on Capital Growth." Arnold teaches the young businessman about terms such as investing, capitalism, and hiring employees while also providing benefits.

As Lawn Boy's money accumulates, problems also rise to the surface - an extorsionist named Rock threatens to take over his business and take all his workers; however, Joseph Powdermilk (a prize fighter that Arnold encourages him to sponser) protects the business, its investments, and employees by threatening the "villian" of the story. All of this goes unkown of Lawn Boy's parents (whose real name is neve revealed by Paulsen), until he finally must get help from them because of his assumption that Rock and his gang are holding Arnold prisoner. They all decide to go over to Arnold's house and demand that Joey assist them in getting rid of the men that are threatening Arnold; and without "pinching off their heads," Rock promises that he won't come back to bother them again.

At the story's end, Lawn Boy and Arnold sell a stock worth $485,000 - and after revealing this to his parents, his father faints. His grandmother says to him, "You know, dear, Grandpa always said, take care of your tools and they'll take care of you." (look how this turned out!)

Gary Paulsen's writing style captures the personality of a young twelve-year-old boy, and his demonstration of the narrator's lack of knowledge in how the business world works. Lawn Boy never brags about his earnings, while not even revealing the profit he is making until the end of the story, due to the fact of not wanting to "show his parents up." When researching as to why Paulsen went from writing stories that catered to outdoor adventure series to writing humorous books, he stated, "I love writing humor. I really enjoy it. I had a dog handler helping me, a kid, and (what happens to Lawn Boy) actually sort of happened with him. When he was 13 or 14, he started a lawn care business and he actually made $25,000. It just blew me away, so I kind of used that as the basic story line for this. He also had empolyees and everything. It was really funny." (http://www.timeforkids.com/)

I believe that young adult readers will appreciate and understand the terms presented in Lawn Boy. The economic wordings and concepts may be a bit too sophisticated for intermediate readers. "It makes for an interesting book discussion for pre-adolescents or even potential business students." (~ Children's Literature review). Reading this book allowed for me to spruce up my knowledge of this topic , while involving humor and an action-filled plot that kept my fullest attention. (wish this was around during my high school economics class!!)

Slob by Ellen Potter

Author Ellen Potter moves away from the fantasy world of Olivia Kidney and details the realistic life of twelve-year-old Owen Birnbaum in Slob. Owen is a 7th grader that has a hard time fitting in with his peers in school. Not only is he the fattest kid in school, but he is also very intelligent, which results in him being constantly bullied by his classmates.

Consequently, Owen has very low self-esteem and describes at the very beginning of the book just how nervous he feels about attending school every day. "The thing is, when you are fatter and smarter than the national average, practically every day is like the first day at a new school." And to make matters worse, Owen's phys. ed teacher, Mr. Wooly humiliates him in front of his class on a daily basis, making him do exercises that he knows he cannot complete on his own. All while boys are snickering and making comments, resulting in Owen doing all three of the following: 1. Turned red as shrimp cocktail sauce; 2. Lost control of all the muscles in my face; 3. Cried; 4. No, Sobbed; 5. No, bawled like a three-year-old in Wal-Mart. Despite it all, Owen manages to collect himself and move on. Until, his oreo cookes diappear from his lunch, and believes that class mate Mason Ragg is the thief - and will stop at nothing to catch him in the act.

Despite the flaws that people criticize Owen for, he seeks to create a contraption he names "Nemesis" using parts he and his sister Jeremy take from demolition sites. In some way, working on Nemesis gives Owen that outlet to forget about his troubles and believes that its success will somehow make his life better, while trying to figure out how to capture radio waves from the past. And maybe, by making Nemisis successful he will be able to view what was on television years ago, when it seems as though is life made more sense.

Unlike Owen, his sister Jeremy (real name Caitlyn) belongs to a group called GWAB, Girls Who Are Boys, is very bold and brave. Nima, their Buddhist neighbor, provides advice for Owen during his troubling times, stating, "when you stay calm around your enemy, you become stronger; when you do a good thing, good things come back to you."

Ellen Potter slowly reveals the real reason why Owen is building Nemisis. About three quarters of the way into the book is when Jeremy and Owen have a conversation about it's purpose that is fully revealed. Their parents, who used to own a deli, were murdered - and it isn't until Owen tells this story to Nima that I fully understand Nemesis. In a pivotal conversation, Jeremy states, "I was just thinking. Even if you see the person who did it, even if the police can find him and catch him and stick him in jail, it won't change things. Not really. It won't change things for us, I mean. Or for Mom and Dad. It won't make them less dead." (p. 141)

It is through this that Owen ultimately realizes that he can't bring his parents back, no matter how hard he tries. "SLOB," which is written on a small piece of paper, is finally revealed at the end of the story - deli shorthand for salami on an onion bagel - the last thing his mother wrote from the order of a customer, the customer who killed her. (p. 197) Owen rips the paper apart and throws the pieces into the Hudson River. He leaves the story with thoughts of a prayer, "That the man who murdered my parents has someone in his life who thinks he's a better person that he actually is. Ok. That is really the best I can do." (p. 199)

Owen is a character that many readers will be able to empathize with; and the more we learn about him, the more sense we are able to make of his situation and understand where he is coming from. I truly admire him for his strength as a young boy to put up with the tragic loss of his parents, while also trying to deal with the constant pressures of fitting into the middle school environment. Although we find that Owen had to deal with the loss of his parents, it is clear that he gained a certain confidence through his experiences and the people in his life, his sister, Zelda, who we find adopted Owen and Jeremy after their parents passed, and Nima. Owen even discovers Mason Bragg has endured his fare share of humility in his life, and they discover that they have more in common than what meets the eye. Owen finds closure, and even ends up losing the weight he gained in the past two years, making his old clothes to be even too big for him.

Ellen Potter's exemplary writing style in Slob takles more than the disappearing Oreo mystery at the novel's beginning. Readers find themselves focusing in on more in-depth issues of dealing with loss, love, and the confidence to move on. And while there is its fair share of seriousness, she has the ability to weave in moments of humor, sarcasm, and sadness - a balance that makes the characters as well as the plot highly believable and relatable. At the books end, readers will feel satisfied as well as hopeful for Owen, as he assumes a certain confidence in himself assuring that he will be okay.

Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney

Diary of a Wimpy Kid is a must-read for anyone who wants a good laugh, at a young boy's expense. The main character as well as our narrator, Gregory (Greg) Heffley, sets the stage for this nonstop laughter at the very first "journal" entry: "First of all, let me get something straight: This is a JOURNAL, not a diary. I know what it says on the cover, but when Mom went out to buy this thing I SPECIFICALLY told her to get one that didin't say "diary on it. Great. All I need is for some jerk to catch me carrying this book around and get the wrong idea. The other thing I want to clear up right away is that this was MOM's idea, not mine...don't expect me to be all "Dear Diary" this and "Dear Diary" that.

Greg, being rather small, skinny, and somewhat awkward looking (as also depicted in the cartoon images) tries to fit into his school, while also trying to avoid the muscling tactices of the bullies that surround him. He is also continually picked on by his older brother Rodrick and is annoyed by his baby brother Manny. Greg's parents continually are on his case to do well in school, stay physically fit, and to deter his video game playing obsession. The character of Greg is someone that many readers will be able to connect with when reading his journal entries based on how he deals with the conflicts that arise in each of his sticky predicaments. Usually, the scheme that he tries hard to create in order to get out of a problem typically results in disaster!

Author Jeff Kinney has a true talent of capturing the issues of acceptance, bullying, and popularity-most of which all middle-schoolers like Greg learn to deal with throughout their early teenage years. Kinney incoporates a lot of one-liners that you find yourself giggling uncontrollably, in addition to being able to relate to some of the feelings and thoughts described by Greg. "Mom is saying that I'm a smart kid, but I just don't "apply" myself." "I've been trying to be a lot more careful about my image ever since I got to middle school, but having Rowley around is defiinitely not helping."

The format and layout of the text and illustrations is something that is very unconventional to how most novels are set up. How exactly did Kinney come up with idea to set his story up in this manner? In an interview with The Huffington Post on March 22, 2010, Kinney stated: "I was a cartoonist in college, and I thought I had a shot of breaking into newspapers afterwards. I got rejection letters for a few years, and that was enough to make me reconsider my approach. At the time, I was keeping a journal, and it was filled with cartoon drawings. I decided to try writing a fictional story in that format, and that's when the idea for Diary of a Wimpy Kid was born."

Kinney also noted that the Diary series has brought out the interest in reading with the most reluctant students. I can confirm this exact statement with children that I've instructed in my 4th grade classes. In a review by Allie (age 11), she stated, "I ADORE these books. Finally, not some book series that's about some wonderchild that no one can relate to at all, but a book about an average kid who just wants to be cool and, in a way, is an anti-hero. Sure Greg is kind of shallow and mean, but hey, nobody's perfect. And Rowley's sort of annoying. I love these books because they're relatable." (www.pbskids.org)

Kinney's ability to create a character who isn't perfect, but real, an "average" kid who makes mistakes, is something that many readers can connect with. And while Greg isn't the best role model for children, hopefully readers will learn to understand his good points, while reasoning why his downfalls would be unacceptable to replicate in their own lives. But that's part of the learning process, especially in middle school. Pre-teens such as Greg do a lot of maturing, as well as developmental and physical changes that impact their decision making process. It's no wonder why most people recognize it as a period time in their lives that they wouldn't want to live through again, certainly not me! :)

Elijah of Buxton by Christopher Paul Curtis

Elijah of Buxton by Christopher Paul Curtis is about a first-generation freeborn black 11-year-old named Elijah Freedman. Elijah is best known around his community for having thrown up on Frederick Douglass as a baby. The book focuses on Elijah's life, attending school, doing chores, fishing, and playing with his friends. Elijah was the first to be "born free" to former slaves in Buxton, Canada, and although he's heard stories about slavery from the freed slaves that surround him in his settlement, he has not come face to face with it.

Elijah's innocence to slavery changes as he, who is once described by his parents as being a "fra-gile" boy, embarks on the dangerous journey to America. Elijah, accompanied by Mr. Leroy, emarks on this quest in order to track down former slave, Reverend Zephariah, who stole Mr. Leroy's money that was intended to buy his family back from captivity in the south. Elijah's fragile persona is put to the test once reaching the destination and after Mr. Leroy unexpectedly passes. Elijah, though unable to recover the money and find the evil Reverend, successfully rescues an enslaved baby girl named Hope and the two journey safely back to Buxton.

Once described as a "fragile" boy, Elijah demonstrates the ability to face the harsh reality of slavery and finds the strength and courage that portrays him as the "grown up" that he longed to be perceived as by his family and friends. And he gave the greatest gift of all to Hope-a life of freedom, growing up in the settlement of Buxton, Canada, land of the free.

Curtis was able to depict a historical fiction story that contained the cultural and historical authenticity, while painting a clear picture of what life was like for runaway slaves and those who settled in Buxton. The character that he creates through Elijah is believable to readers, and does not make him "superheroic," while his rescuing of Hope proves to be a brave and admirable characteristic of a hero, it is believable of his age.

In the author's note, Curtis states that while some of the story is fictionalized, most of the story is based on fact. Frederick Douglass and John Brown did visit Buxton, and Reverend William King did found the Elgin Settlement for freed slaves. He encourges readers to go visit Buxton, while "it is almost impossible not to be deeply moved while looking out on fields that were cleared by people who risked their lives for the dream of freedom."

As this was my first book that I've read by Christopher Paul Curtis, I gained a deeper understanding of what life was like for those who were successful in escaping slavery after reaching Canada. It is unreal what young children, such as Elijah, had to endure throughout their lives. I respect, value, and admire their brave spirits as they experienced a life filled of uncertainty and danger.

Who Comes With Cannons by Patricia Beatty

Truth Hopkins, a young Quaker girl, gets more than she bargained for when arriving at her Aunt and Uncle's home in North Carolina at the start of the Civil War. Truth, whose father becomes hospitalized and mother deceased, must stay with her relatives after leaving Indiana. After getting the cold shoulder from her cousin, Truth discovers that it isn't because she isn't welcome in their home - but that her Aunt, Uncle, and cousins aid in the transport of slaves through the underground railroad. Slowly, they gain trust in Truth to keep their secret and eventually she helps them with their activities.

Because of the fact that Quakers do not believe in war, they will not fight on either side, angering the neighbors in their small town; however, her cousins are forced into joining the Confederate Army. When Robert is captured by Union troops, Truth and her Uncle embark on the dangerous journey up north to set him free from the prison in Elmira, NY. Uncle gets hurt and cannot continue the journey with Truth, so she is forced to continue on her own. She is able to free her cousin by asking Frederick Douglass to plead with Abraham Lincoln on her behalf. Truth's determination and strong spirit see her through her journey back home, as she shares her story at the First Meeting with her fellow "Friends" at the meetinghouse.

Truth's experiences upon arriving to North Carolina prompted her maturity and development as a character from the beginning to the end of the story. First, her father is ill and then dies and she must begin a new life with family that she barely knows. Second, she is confronted with issues of slavery and war that closely involves her relatives. Third, she assumes the responsibility of running the area school with her friend Martha as Mr. Hartling, their teacher, joins the Confederate Army. Finally, she takes on the daunting task of rescuing her cousin from the Union jail, while risking her life. Although Truth is only twelve years old, the events that occur prompt her to grow up at a faster rate, while opening up her eyes to the harsh realities of war. Beatty closely develops her characters and plot that allows for readers to understand the Quaker religion and how others were discriminatory to their beliefs. "The risky choice to create a heroine who plays a passive role for much of the story succeeds in the end--Truth's quiet determination allows for readers to view the Civil War from the perspective of a group persecuted by both sides." ~ Publisher's Weekly

After reading this novel, I was intrigued by how Quakers such as Truth and her family stayed true to their beliefs, despite the threats of violence brought on my others that opposed their religious practices. This brought on my own research in finding out what the majority of Quakers decided to do in the Civil War - was it similar to Truth's family? "Even though a few Quakers did fight in the Civil War, the vast majority refused to violate their peace testimony and thereby suffered consequences. Northern Friends had to pay fines or had their property confiscated." (http://www.drwilliams.org/)

The Jacket by Andrew Clements

Phil, a 6th grader confronts Daniel and accuses him of stealing his brother's jacket. Without questioning Daniel, Phil only assumes that the jacket was stolen. Daniel, who is African American, denies stealing the jacket and claims that it was given to him by his grandmother, Lucy. Lucy is the cleaning lady in Phil's home. Upon the principal's discussion with Phil's mother, it turns out that Phil's mother gave Lucy the jacket in the first place. He (Phil) "kept thinking about the early morning scene in the principal's office, replaying it again and again. He kept seeing the look on Daniel's face, the anger in his eyes as he threw the jacket on the floor. And instinctively Phil knew that his being white and Daniel's being black was part of this. Maybe a big part."

After the incident, Phil began to question his own understanding of race.

• "Can I help it if we have a cleaning lady, and she's black and we're white? And can I help it if she's Daniel's grandmother? I mean, it's not like we're rich or something. If's not like we force Lcuy to work for us, is it?


• "What if Daniel had been a white kid? Would I have grabbed him like that? If he had lookd like he belonged in that jacket, would I have said he stole it?"


• "How come you never told me I was prejudiced?" ( a question to his mother)Throughout the story, Phil comes to realize that he is not prejudiced, but recognizes the disturbing fact that is father is, in fact, a bigot.

After visiting Daniel's neighborhood, Phil finds that he and Daniel are a lot alike personality-wise, despite their differences in appearance. Phil changes drastically in the story, as author Andrew Clements sends a strong message that will certain move any reader that picks up The Jacket.

Clements wrote a story that deals with issues that children in schools deal with throughout the world. The issues of tolerance and honesty embody this short, yet thought-provoking novel that allow for readers to self-question their values, just as Phil did throughout his journey. The Jacket would serve as an exellent springboard for discussion in classrooms in exploring racism, tolerance, and prejudice. (School Library Journal)

When asked what prompted him to write The Jacket, Mr. Clements says in a note at the back of the book: "If a white kid grows up in the majority culture in America, sooner or later there will come a realization that children from other races may have had a very different experience, may have lived in a different America. I vividly remember that realization in my own life. I wanted to write a story about that moment when unconscious prejudices rise to the surface, a story that would explore differences and emphaszie our common humanity."

Olivia Kidney by Ellen Potter

Twelve year old Olivia Kidney has moved, yet again. This time the apartment building she has moved into in New York City isn't quite what it appears to be on the outside. Olivia finds that within confines of different apartments that this high-rise building is more than meets the eye. She enters into a magical fantasy world - one apartment being made of glass and another a tropical rain forest. The residents are quite peculiar as well, one being a ghost, while another wears a lizard boa! Each of the apartment buildings as well as the residents who live in them have their own stories to tell, and Olivia begins to feel comfortable with the people she meets. She reveals to the reader and her new friends that her brother had just died of cancer and that her mother left almost two years ago, conveying strong feelings of loneliness and unhappiness in her life. Her father, the building superintendent, has a difficult time reconnecting with Olivia at first in the novel, but the two reconnect as he expresses his feelings to her about wanting their relationship to get "back to normal." It is at this point that Olivia begins to feel not so alone. Olivia is able to connect with her brother's spirit through the static that she hears on her radio while she is lying in bed to go to sleep. His message to her lets her know that he is always looking over her, and to be sure to take care of thier father. As the reader, you can tell by Olivia's thoughts and flashbacks throughout the story that her older brother was a huge part of her life, and that she missed him dearly. Knowing this, I empathized with Olivia and her life of loneliness and despair. I felt comforted when her brother revealed his message to her through the static in the radio. This brought Olivia the closure that she needed to move on and the security to know that her brother was still with her in spirit.

Author Ellen Potter created a fantasy chapter book that keeps the reader on the edge of his seat. Many children around Olivia's age with connect with the desire to fit in with peers and to fit into a society that can be rather cruel and judgemental at times. According to Publisher's Weekly, Potter "achieved a delicate balance between fantasy and stark reality, the author leaves it to the readers to form their own interpretations of Olivia's experiences."

Illustrator Peter Reynolds consulted with author Ellen Potter about the front cover illustration of the book. He questioned her about what kind of apartment building she had in mind when she was writing the story. Potter said that the building was based on the one she grew up in, a high-rise in NYC. She asked her parents to snap some pictures and then she e-mailed them to me to help inspire me. "I was intrigued by how it must feel to be little in such a big building. I played with the idea of the size on the cover - making Olivia 15 stories high - peering out of the top of the building. I added spotlights criss-crossing the sky to give a feeling of drama and spectacle." (totally confirmed in the text!) http://www.peterhreynolds.com/

Just the fact that both Reynolds and Potter worked together to create the cover illustration says it all - I wish all authors and illustrators had the ability to do this. I believe that Reynolds was able to make such a statement in his cover illustration, demonstrating Olivia "opening" the door to this fantasy world, and being able to conquer her fears and issues through new friendships made with residents. It is also interesting to note that the 1st edition of Olivia Kidney was published in 2003, and the 2nd edition in 2004. The 2004 edition has a totally different cover illustration, showing smaller pictures of the characters in the story. I do feel that this cover does not send the same powerful message as in the 1st edition, but does give the reader the opportunity to "meet" the characters before reading the story. After finishing Olivia Kidney and moving on to her latest book, Slob, I am beginning to understand Potter's exemplary ability to write engaging and entertaining stories that readers can relate to in some way. I can't wait to read more - and of course, meet her with my class during our "skype" interview!

Bull Run by Paul Fleischman

Bull Run depicts a glimpse into the lives of men and women in the first battle of the Civil War. Each account varies between Northerners and Southerners, detailing their individual feelings ranging from excitement, anger, sadness, and uncertainty of what the future is to hold. The individual story allows for each character to claim his or her position in the war, while describing how their lives are affected by the actions taken through the chain of events before and after the battle at Bull Run. Through the use of multiple perspectives, the historical event of Bull Run comes to life in each chapter. Dramatic scenes filled with descriptive details and imagery allow readers to closely follow each perspective of every day men and women, some soldiers, leaders, children, mothers, or observers in a war divided amongst the North and the South. Fleischman also alternates between each account between Northeners and Southerners, while allowing the reader to follow the action on either side. The maps illustrated in the few pages before the beginning of the story allow for the reader to also follow the action of the soldiers of both the Union and Conferederate armies. As most are fictional characters with the exception of General McDowell, the story of Bull Run would be an engaging and appropriate introductory piece of literature to complement the teaching of the Civil War in the middle school or high school level.

As Fleischman states at the end of the book, Bull Run can be used in class as a Readers Theatre, while allowing students to closely examine each of the roles and deciding on how to best effectively express each of their accounts based on what is happening in the story. This also allows for students to think critically about their character's involvement and take their own stance about what occurred at Bull Run. A review by Children's Literature states, "This unforgettable lesson encourages youngsters to approach a situation with the knowledge that there are more than two sides to each story; there are as many accounts as there are witnesses. This book will provide insight as well as fine material for student drama."

My only setback in this story was that I found myself rereading frequently throughout the story as Fleischman jumped back and forth in action from character to character. On my post it, I wrote down each character's names and jotted a few notes beside it - N for Northerner, S for Southerner, and a small detail that could help me recall what had last happened. I could see this being frustrating to children as they read the story, as I felt lost at times because by the time you get back to a certain character, the previous events were easily forgotten. If completing this in a guided reading setting, I would create a chart of the characters and make notes next to each of the names in order for us to recall what happened previously in the story. I found many kids who reviewed this book to be confused by this fluctuation in characters and this being a repeated opinion amongst many of them. http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/116950.Bull_Run

When beginning the story, I thought Fleischman's writing style would be similar to how it was represented in Seedfolks and how each character had one chapter each; however, Bull Run was deceptively different. It just goes to show that Fleischman's writing style is not a one size fits all approach; perhaps this is why he is is such an outstanding children's author!

I Had Seen Castles by Cynthia Rylant

John Dante grew up playing with toy soldiers as a young boy– never knowing he’d grow up to be a soldier fighting in a war for his country. From the very start, I felt as if I were right there with John, waiting for him to turn 18 and enlist in the war, wondering, would he return to his family safely? Would he reunite with Ginny and marry as they promised? Would he be able to move on with his life after returning to the United States from war?

In an end of the book interview, Rylant claims, "I do try to imagine what someone might feel. I needed a lot of empathy to write a war story--empathy for fear and pain." My emotions were instantly invested in the story, as I sympahized with the ordeals of all of the characters as we see the world through their own eyes. John's written account 50 years after his return from war, reflect the heartbreak and suffering that he experienced as if it had happened yesterday. The use of descriptive details and imagery allow you to feel as if you are right there on the front lines of war with John and his infantry unit. "Numbed by the horror of what he sees and does, John realizes that he is fighting only to keep himself and his fellow soldiers alive. "We were the ghosts of boys and we had come to believe in nothing but each other."

Four years after enlisting, John finally returns home. He realizes that he has very little in common with other people who did not fight in the war. Would there be anyone who could possibly understand what he went through over there? Ultimately, I thought John would tell of how he was reunited with Ginny, yet he didn't go to find her. Was he afraid that the man he'd become would not be able to give Ginny the life that they dreamed of years ago? I wanted to shout at him and tell him he was a fool for not going after her. But his experiences on the front lines changed his life forever, stealing his youth, creating a distance between himself and his loved ones, and forever altering his perception of the world in which he lived. The message at the end of the book to Ginny states, "I want you to know that I am really alive. And I still love you." It truly hurts to know that they will never reunite, but shows just how powerful their love for one another once was and that even the war had not changed his feelings towards Ginny.

I thought Rylant did a remarkable job in detailing the harsh realities of war and how it affected the lives of soldiers, like John Dante, for the rest of their lives. These were such young boys who hadn't experienced the smallest things that we take for granted today. Were they ready to take on such an important role? They were just kids when they left, but many returned men who were unable to fit into the place that they once called home.

Throughout the year, my class writes letters to World War II lveterans that live in Virginia. We write back and forth to one another. My students look forward to their letters as I know that the veterans enjoy the company of a pen-pal writing. They are very proud of their accomplishments and have sent pictures of themselves in uniform, in the past and present. I know that our letters give these men the company and support that they deserve, and just knowing how much we appreciate their sacrifices must mean the world to them. And we will never be able to truly describe how much that means to us and our nation.

Seedfolks by Paul Fleischman

A vacant lot filled with garbage to the waist doesn't seem like a particularly ideal spot for a garden. But Kim thought that it would be the perfect place to grow her lima beans and committed herself in making her deceased father proud of her. From this moment, the vacant lot of despair becomes soil filled with promise and hope as strangers in the apartment complex begin to plant their own gardens. Curtis believes he can win Lakeesha back by planting her tomatoes, her favorite. Virgil's dad, sees himself making a fortune from planting lettuce. And Marciela, a young sixteen year-old mother to be, finds herself captivated by the growth and change of flowers, as thoughts of wishing for her baby to die erase from her mind in that very moment.

Thirteen people altogether are impacted by the garden and each bring their diverse backgrounds, experiences, and values and demonstrate this through what they plant in their small area of soil. And while the garden is segregated into areas that depict a certain race, culture, and ethnicity, it proves to be a common ground for all members of the neighborhood and they assist one another in the growth of their plants.

Fleischman's literary technique is exemplary as he strings these thirteen stories together in a way to show how each of person's experience in the lot affects its overall success in thriving and developing into a garden. This is also depicted on the cover of the book by illustrator Judy Pederson in her images of some of the characters stories and objects tied together in a quilt-like formation, to prompt to the reader that their stories will be told within the pages of Seedfolks. Just as the plants in the garden grew, so did the hopes and dreams for each person that worked there. "We like our seeds, were now planted in the garden." (p. 50) There is also somewhat of a predictability as I continued to read, knowing that each perspective would add their own account on how the garden has changed his or her life. Similarly, Pederson's singular illustration also adds to this predictability in each chapter and how that object is associated with the text.

And as people in this small neighborhood in Cleveland became more familiar with one another, the barriers of race and culture that separated their gardens didn't seem to exist any longer. Fleischman details this in a particular scene in which an old Italian woman praises Amir for his eggplants and how she was so happy she'd met him. "But something bothered me. Then I remembered. A year before she'd claimed that she'd received wrong change in my store...She'd gotten quite angry and called me-despite her accent-a dirty foreigner. Now that we were so friendly with one another I dared to remind her of this. Her eyes became huge. She apologized to me over and over again. She kept saying, "Back then, I didn't know it was you...". I believe that this was Fleishman's way of demonstrating the power of seeing beyond physical differences in one another and to focus on finding the similarities inside, and how despite the differences that may exist, much can be learned from one another.

This is also true with Royce and how most people felt relieved when he left the garden due to him being black and homeless. "Then he began spending more time there. We found out that he had a stutter...He was trusted and liked-and famous, after his exploit with the pitchfork. He was not a black teenage boy. He was Royce. And people found out that he wanted to be helpful, and in return he wanted to feel a part of the community just as the others did.

Fleischman begins the story with Kim, a young oriental girl who plants her lima beans, and ends the story a year later with the spring season beginning, beginning the garden's renewal of hope and promise to all those watching and waiting to begin yet again. This literary technique comforts the reader in predicting that the garden will thrive again through the upcoming months and continue to be a place where all of its cultivators will return year after year. And their harvest celebration becomes much more than trading gardening tips, but celebrates the way that they have become an important part of each other's lives.

This book was a quick read for me - and during my time reading, the words have a way of placing you in that garden and being right there as a part of the neighborhood. Although the story is short, the messages that you come away learning can stay with you forever. It is true that you should never judge a book by it's cover because after you read it, you question yourself as to why you would ever think that way in the first place because of what you learned. Perhaps this was true to many of the characters in Seedfolks. A powerful, yet true message that we should all try to live by.

"Gardening...has suspense, tragedy, startling developments a soap opera growing out of the ground." Indeed it does. The vacant lot could be in any city as the message of diversity, people, and sensibility is universal, and beautifully cultivated by an author who has a green thumb with words." ~Julie Cummins, New York Public Library

After reading Missing May and now, Seedfolks, I realized something that both stories had in common. Both Rylant and Fleischman had gardens in their stories that proved to be integral in the story's plot and development of the characters. As equally interesting, and perhaps also coincidental, Fleischman also wrote a book titled Whirligigs, detailing a story about a young boy that creates whirligigs to keep the young girl's spirit and memory alive, after she tragically died in a car accident due to his drunk driving. The symbolism of the whirligigs is also present in Seedfolks as Bo lets his whirligigs free in the wind after being placed in May's garden, a place that she once loved to be.

Missing May by Cynthia Rylant

They were one big, happy family that lead simple lives in Deep Water, West Virginia. Simple lives filled with love for one another. Summer's Aunt May passes on and life gets much harder for her and Ob, May's husband. This event comes at a time when Summer finally feels secure after experiencing many years of instability in shifting from home to home. She questions whether or not Ob can regain his strength and be able to focus on the two of them as a family - as the two continually think about May and wish for her to return to them once again.

Ob shares with Summer that he has felt May's spirit. This event gives Ob hope, while it in turn reminds him of the tragic loss of his wife. Summer sees Ob lose faith, inspiration, and purpose as he fails to wake up on time one morning. But as Cletus Underwood, a boy that Summer can barely stand, manages to instill a new sense of hope to Bo and tells him he can try to communicate with May once again through a "Spiritualist." Summer does not go for this idea, and is shocked when Bo buys into taking the journey three hours to Glen Meadows. However, the three travel on while Summer feels content and safe on their way to the Church as they travel in silence.

When they arrive at the Church of Glen Meadows, they learn that the Spiritualist has passed on her nephew will not be able to assist them in connecting with May. But something changes in Bo on that ride back to Glen Meadows. He decides to turn the car around and go visit the capitol. Upon their return home, Summer sees an owl fly above her, giving her a sense of May's presence - and finally, Summer begins to let her emotions out. Bo comforts her as he did when she was a little girl. And that next morning, the three of them go out to May's garden and hang up Bo's whirligigs and the pamphlet they picked up in Glen Meadows, giving them a place to spin, live, and fly - while Cletus asks, "What is the true mission of spirit messages?" "To bring us consolation in the sorrows of life..." Then everything was set free by the wind.

While Summer is only twelve in the book, it seems as though her life experiences thus far have matured her greatly. She communicates very personal thoughts with the reader about how she misses May. However, she does not show her emotions around Bo, in order maintain strong for him in his time of need. It isn't until Summer feels May's spirit as the owl flies over her, that she finally lets go and grieves the death of May, while being comforted by Ob as she once was as a child. I believe that this was May's way of showing Summer that she is safe and that everything will be alright.

As I read Missing May, I felt drawn into the state of emotions resonating through the actions and thoughts of the characters. Rylant creates characters that are real people who experience real-life situations such as death and how people cope in different ways. She uses quite a bit of symbolism thoughout her writing. For example, when the owl passes over Summer I believed that was the moment that Summer felt May's presence of spirit and that at that moment she could surrender her true emotions and start the grieving process, and that she didn't have to be strong for Ob any longer. However, when May is expressing her thoughts about the owl she states, "I'd not ever seen an owl in all my days, and when I hadn't had you but a few weeks there that one passed through my life. I knew you'd always be doing that for me and for Ob. Bringing us good things like that." To me this represents May's wish for Summer and Ob to move on and have a new beginning in their lives together, just as Summer had created a new beginning for May and Ob when she became a part of their family. In other example of Rylan't symbolism, as the three hang up Ob's whirligigs outside at May's garden, the wind sweeps them up and carries them away as if to represent a fresh start of their lives together.

I believe that it isn't until you are faced with someone you love dying that you will not know how to cope with this life altering event. People deal with it in different ways. Some people get depressed, hope to connect with their loved one through a spiritual connection - like Bo. While others contain their emotions in order to stay strong for others - like Summer. But it isn't until someone unexpected, like Cletus, in a way fills that missing void, and brings people closer together in a time of need. And when time is given, people find their own way to say good-bye while holding onto the memories that transformed their lives.

A few of moving scenes of how Ob and Summer dealt with the loss of their beloved May...

"Right out of the blue, he wanted to live again. And I'd like to think maybe he wanted to live because of me. Because he couldn't bear the thought of saying good-bye to me."

And Ob said, "She's still here, honey. People don't ever leave us for good." (p. 84)

"I closed my eyes and thought of my poor young mama and May's poor mommy and daddy and my dear May herself. But I didn't dwell on them with pain or fear. There was a tranquility in me that felt all right, and as I remembered them all, my tears dried up and I fell asleep." (p. 84)

The Giver by Lois Lowry

The Giver by Lois Lowry details the life of a young boy Jonas who has been raised in a world that is seemingly perfect, a somewhat "utopian society"; until, he receives his life assignment that completely changes his perspective on the "ideal" world that he had once lived. While during his training as the new Receiver, Jonas is transmitted feelings of happiness, sadness, joy, pain, grief, hope, and love. He begins to question his trainer, the Giver, as to why his community has put away these memories of generations past.

Jonas, while admirable of these memories that the Giver instills upon him, becomes frustrated with the fact that he cannot share what he has learned with others such as his family or friends, and also comes to learn about how his father participates in the Release of people, while planning to let go of Gabriel. While it is quite risky, Jonas kidnaps Gabe and journeys to the land of Elsewhere, with the intention of living within the world that was once known many years ago - before the community's robotic theme of "sameness" among all. Jonas is able to endure the pain through his recollection of memories of warmth and happiness, and is able to transfer them to Gabe.

As the story concludes, the final scene leaves Jonas with the first memory of snow and sledding down a hill, in which he and Gabe travel downhill, closer to the sound of music, closer to what he believes is people singing.

"Behind him, across vast distances of space and time, from the place he had left, he though he heard music too. But perhaps it was only an echo."

This left me feeling hopeful for Jonas and Gabe, yet uncertain about their fate. Did they make it to the world that once included people from past generations that Jonas had so desired? Or did they come to another utopian-like society in which humans did not experience true feelings or experiences.

What did Lowry want her readers to feel in The Giver? I felt somewhat secure, at first, in Jonas's utopian society where there was no crime, no sadness, no poverty. However, as Jonas receives memories from the Giver, he realizes that his world is somewhat corrupt and parallel to the past. My feelings changed quickly changed to frustration (as Jonas experienced while not being able to share his thoughts with others), and continually questioning as to why the future world would want to put away. Along with frustration, I experienced sadness, but still a sense of hope for Jonas and Gabe in that they would find a perfect "imperfect" world to live and feel secure in once again.

I found an interview with Lowry on ReadingRockets that was particulary interesting as Lowry wanted for readers to see Jonas to set out to change the world in which he lives in; and that is a message that is shown through Jonas's character development. However, she claims that some become frightened of the plot - I can see this as the events may be controversial.

http://link.brightcove.com/services/player/bcpid46047440001?bclid=42498921001&bctid=36542925001

The Van Gogh Cafe by Cynthia Rylant

Cynthia Rylant's The Van Gogh Cafe takes you on a journey out west to Flowers, Kansas - a small town that many venture, stumble upon, or have lived for much of their lives. Each chapter leads into one another leaving the reader wondering how each of the elements have been affected by the Cafe's "magical" ways. As the story continued, the names of the titles encouraged me to predict what would happen next in each transition in the story.

"They notice it and are affected by it and pretty soon word spreads that there is a cafe-the Van Gogh Cafe, that is wonderful, like a dream, like a mystery, like a painting, and you ought to go there, they will say, for you will never forget it. You will want to stay if you can."

While most of the events can be described as "whimsical," there were serious tones and emotions included within each event as it is known as the place where anything is possible.

It is as though the residents of Flowers, as well as passer-by'ers, were drawn to the Cafe because of the notion of such hopeful incidences and spontaneous occurrences that happened there; almost encouraging the sentiments of security, hope, and adventure for all who become drawn to the Van Gogh Cafe.

Based on what I've read by Rylant, I continue to understand repetitive elements that she incorporates within her stories; she leaves readers thinking and contemplating within the text, but other stories provide a more simple yet adventurous plot - yet both styles are highly entertaining and engaging. I do believe that The Van Gogh Cafe is a little bit of both of these.

When examining the cover, both the title and the illustration were puzzling at first; however, I interpreted the following from it:

• The butterflies at the corner of the cover represent the journey west into Kansas, as providing an opportunity for hope and adventure to those who explore and wish for a change in their lives.



• The stars and illuminated cafe portray the feelings of welcoming, comfort, and inspiration to those inside and outside, as reflected onto the sidewalk.



• The title, The Van Gogh Cafe, (to me), reminds me of Van Gogh's Cafe Terrace at Night, and how the bright yellow wall of the building draws your attention to the cafe, and the contrasting dark cityscape on the opposite of the wall - similarly, to The Van Gogh Cafe and its illuminated building, contrasting to the dark, night sky above. Both create a sense of balance between bright yellow and dark - creating a feeling of warmth within the surrounding world.

The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DeCamillo

Despereaux Tilling is a very small mouse with a very large ears and a strong desire for adventure within the Kingdom of Dor. This little mouse stands out in ways that the entire mouse community, even his family, cannot understand. The daily life of mice activities in scurrying, cowering, and munching on books isn't quite what this young mouse yearns for ... and finds his true passion within the pages of a book. Chivalry, honor, and bravery are among the qualities that Despereaux wishes to fulfill - as he vows to "honor" Princess Pea upon their meeting. Due to his inconceivable interests, he is banished to the dungeon with the rats.

As the story of Despereaux unfolds, Miggery Sow, who was once traded by her father, desires to be a real Princess. Roscuro, a rat who comes from a species that feeds of darkness and dread, longs for light and goodness - until, he falls into the Queen's soup and kills her instantly. From ths point, soup is banned from being made in the Kingdom of Dor, which was once a cusinary delight and represents goodness to all. The King, has also lost all hope and spirit as his world begins to crumble. As Roscuro seeks forgiveness from Pea, he is treated as a "typical" rat and turns against the Princess and returns to the darkness. What was once Miggery's wish to become princess, becomes more of a reality as Roscuro tricks her into kidnapping the princess to the dungeon with the rats, with the help of Botticelli Remorsos and his "coaching" in seeking revenge. And what Roscuro thought would make him feel better, ultimately, only made him feel worse and realize that he had to learn to forgive, as well as the Princess Pea had to forgive him for his mother's unexpected passing.

Despereaux, with the valor of a knight, comes to the rescue to his Pea as Miggery Sow reunites with her father, while learning to forgive and love someone in return. Roscuro, the so-called "villian" of this fairy tale learns to see the light and comes out of the darkness, while proving that rats do have a heart, even though they are taught to be deceitful beings.

The Tale of Despereaux is unlike a typical fairy tale, and the hero, is truly unlike any hero who saves the day. The four separate books within the novel, although presented as separate stories, all find a way to feed into one another as Kate DeCamillo introduces each of the characters and their perspectives. Throughout the book, DeCamillo leads the reader into questioning the personalities of each character and how their actions contribute to the page-turning events. While reading, her words and questions to the reader allow you to feel as though you are having a conversation within adventure. With the unpredictable twists and turns in plot, DeCamillo keeps the reader in suspense, with the hope that all involved will find their own version of happily ever after. The Tale of Despereaux teaches us that while there is darkness, there is always a way to reconcile or forgive others if seek it.

After reading this story, I became interested in finding out how author Kate DeCamillo came up with the idea for The Tale of Despereaux, as the fairy tale was unlike the usual "knight in shining armor that defeated the dragon and saved the princess." What gave her the idea to create this protagonist in the story?

Matthew Peterson: What gave you the idea for The Tale of Despereaux?

Kate DiCamillo: It was actually my best friend’s son, who was eight years old at the time and Winn Dixie had just come out and he’s a reader. And so he was kind of impressed with me. And he said that he had an idea for a book about an unlikely hero with exceptionally large ears and I said, “What happens to the hero?” And he said, “I don’t know, that’s why I want you to write the book.” So that’s kind of where I started.

And I think that is why so many are influenced by this story of this unusually small mouse with big, floppy ears - he is truly like any other hero in a typical fairy tale. DeCamillo demonstrated the ability to deviate from the "typical" and transform it into something that is an extraordinary piece of literature that can capture the audience of both children and adults.

The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan

As a troubled New York City teen who continually is failing to perform in school, Percy Jackson, finds that his insecurities, dyslexia, and ADHD are are contributions that ultimately reveal himself as a child of the Greek god Poseidon. After this revelation, while training at Camp Half-Blood, Percy is given the challenge to stop the war between the gods and retrieve Zeus' thunderbolt, along with the help of Grover and Annabeth, to Los Angeles and bring it back to Olympus. Percy is given ten days until the summer solstice (before the war begins) to find out what really happened to the bolt, and is told he must travel to see Hades, lord of the underworld, who is believed to have taken the bolt - which in the end, proves to be not true. Surprisingly, Luke, Percy's friend and fellow sword trainer, is the one who set him up and is the real Lightning Thief. This then leads into Percy deciding to leave Camp Half-Blood and return home with his mom for the year to test out his newfound abilities; yet, he warns that Cronos will seek his revenge with the gods, as the battle and adventures with Percy seem to lead into the next book in the series.

As the challenges Percy and his friends face prove to be life-threatening, the three of them form a bond of trust as they protect each other along the way. Percy's character evolves from a doubtful young man to a brave goldling and hero. At first, his reading disability and ADHD held him back from getting good grades at Yancy Academy; however, it proved to be helpful in deciphering ancient Greek and being able to be aware of all of his surrounding during the battles he fought.

While not knowing much Greek mythology myself, readers are able to gain knowledge and tidbits about each mythical being and creature in order to understand their involvement in the story - and peak their interest in finding out more using other resources. When you are reading The Lightning Thief, Riordan's use vivid descrptions in characters, setting, and chain of events assist in creating clear mental images of Percy's trials and tribulations as if we are right there helping him along the way. Excitment, momentum, and suspense is continued from page to page with the hope that Percy can and will be able to make his mother and father proud of him. Percy, as many middle school children, yearn to be accepted and fit in among their peers. He is a protagonist in a story that a lot of kids connect with in some way. With that being said, I can understand why so many adolescent readers take part in the exploration of the Percy Jackson series. The Lightning Thief is jam-packed with thrilling details that allow children to escape their every day challenges and travel into an existence where fantasy and reality coexist.

The Lightning Thief can also serve as a springboard for researching Greek mythology and various reading and writing connections can be incorporated throughout the story. Rick Riordan's website includes a teacher's guide for each book that includes literature circle discussion questions, project ideas, author video interviews, etc.
http://www.rickriordan.com/index.php/books-for-children/a-teachers-guide-to-percy/

Riordan's website also includes recommendations for "reluctant readers" and/or those who finish the Percy Jackson series and want more books of this type. Included in this link are a list of books that I have used in assisting students of my own in making future book selections.
http://www.rickriordan.com/index.php/books-for-children/recommendations/



I will be reading The Sea Of Monsters as soon as my February Scholastic book order comes in (below is the link for the Arrow order form) - I've ordered the entire series for those who are interested in borrowing!! I just have to know how Percy is going to get back at Luke and whether Cronos will be coming to seek his revenge!! Will Annabelle and Grover join Percy on his next adventure? Is Poseidon going to form more of a closer relationship with his son? How did Percy and Annabelle do while living at home for the year? So many questions...I hope they will be answered in the next book!!

Looking forward to seeing the movie on Tuesday!



http://teacher.scholastic.com/clubs/pdfs/february/arrow.pdf