Road to Paris

Grimes, Nikki. Road to Paris. 2006. New York: G.P.Putnam's Sons.

Paris is a wonderful little girl who any reader will fall in love with. This heartwarming and yet heartbreaking story. Growing up in foster homes in which she was treated poorly and locked in closets, she had a fear of the dark but the only comforting thought from her ill life was the fact that her brother was by her side. Malcolm and Paris lived with the Boones' family in which the mother would beat Paris at any given moment. One day they had had enough so they decided to run away to the only family they had left, their grandmother. Once upon arriving they felt relieved yet sorrowful when they learned that she did not want to raise them because she was too old to start a family again. She called Children's Services and one morning Paris awoke to a man taking away her brother. She was sent to live with a strange family in Ossining. She was heartbroken and had to fight back the tears of not knowing what the future held and not knowing where her brother was located. She learned that she would be living with the Lincoln family and was scared to death at first. But after a few weeks things settled down and she slowly began to fall in love with her new mom and brothers. She made a friend at school and even enjoyed playing hide and seek with her new family members. The family taught her a very important lesson and that was to "keep God in her pocket". She learned to face hard things in her life and to get through them with the help of God. She started to form a stronger faith and knew she could get through anything with His help. Everything in her life was going good until she got a phone call that her mom was married again and wanted her back home. Paris felt confused about leaving her new loving family and going back home to live with her mom and brother. After many days of contemplating her choice, she boarded the train back towards her natural family.

Nikki Grimes writes a beautiful story and yet any reader will turn the last page wanting to know what the future will hold for this little girl. It leaves the reader with a sense of hope that she found God and now knows that she can get through anything with "God in her pocket". The story is realistic and could very well be the story of any girl in one of our public school classrooms. The bond between brother and sister is so powerful the reader will be thankful for their own family members and their relationships in their life. Although, the story doesn't quite have a happy ending, I would recommend this as a great read.

So B. It

Weeks, Sarah. So B. It. 2004. New York: HarperCollins Publishers.

Heidi is a 12 year old girl who knows nothing of her past. She only knows what her neighbor and dear friend can tell her of how her and her mother showed up at her apartment. One day Bernadette heard a whimpering outside of her door and when she opened it she discovered a woman holding a tiny, crying baby. Bernadette found out that Heidi's mother, who calls herself So B. It was mentally challenged or as they called it "has a bum brain". Bernadette took in the new family and helped take are of Heidi. Although Bernadette has agoraphobia, they managed to take care of themselves through lots of love and luck. Heidi was always curious of her beginnings, wondering about her family, where she came from, what her mother's name is, and especially curious about her mother's word "soof". Her mother would use this word frequently and it bothered Heidi that she could not figure out the meaning. One day Heidi found a camera and she went to get the pictures developed and those photos held a key to the past. She showed the pictures to her mother and she immediately said "soof". Heidi knew that she would have to travel to the place located in the pictures to learn about her mother and possibly her family. On the long journey to New York, Heidi met several people, who also helped her discover things about herself. Once she arrived in New York, she discovered the truth about her past, only to lose her mother in the end.

Readers will fall in love with Heidi and feel the urgency as they read through the pages to discover Heidi's past with her. Weeks does a fantastic job of creating characters that are strong, yet caring such as Bernadette, which not everyone could be as lucky to have someone like that in their life. As Heidi discovers her past as well as things about herself many people can relate to the life changing experience of when you really learn about who you are. This book will touch readers of all cultures no matter their age or gender.

Judy Moody & Stink The Holly Joliday

McDonald, Megan. 2007. The Holly Joliday. Massachusetts: Candlewick Press.

All Stink wants for Christmas this year is snow. Stink and his family live in Vermont and the chances are snow are very slim. One day while the family was preparing for Christmas, the mailman came, although it was not Mr. Harvey their usual mailman. This was a man with white fuzzy hair and smiley wrinkles. Stink learned that his name was Jack Frost, and asked him if he could deliver snow this year for Christmas. Mr. Frost said he couldn't promise anything, however he would keep his fingers crossed and that is was very possible because he could feel snow in his bones. Meanwhile, Stink and his sister, Judy, made their Christmas lists and while Judy's took up an entire toilet paper roll Stink's was just one word, snow. As their classes prepared for the Christmas vacation, Stink was disappointed because in this years performance he was going to have to be the mouse in the production of "The Night Before Christmas". He had been learning about snowflakes and secretly planned to change from a mouse to a stellar dendrite, which is a type of snowflake he learned about at school. He successfully executed his plan, although that night, Christmas Eve, he still was dreaming of a white Christmas. As Judy and Stink went to bed, something magical happened, it began to snow. When they woke up in the morning snow covered the earth and they ran outside to play. It really was a holly joliday!

What child doesn't wish for snow for Christmas? This holiday book is a perfect choice for anyone wanting to get into the Christmas spirit. Judy and Stink have the typical brother and sister relationship, while Judy picks on her little brother he still keeps his wishes in mind and doesn't let that deter his goal of seeing snow. The story takes place in Vermont and their house is filled with decorations and the joy of the season. Although this is a great choice for any child who is beginning to read chapter books, the illustrations by Peter Reynolds add so much more to this story. The characters are drawn like cartoons, and have bright colors and lively expressions. Any child will have fun listening and reading this book.

Junie B. Jones - Audiobook

Park, Barbara. Junie B. Jones and the Stupid Smelly Bus. Audiobook Read by Lana Quintal.

Junie B. is a spunky kindergartner excited to go to school for the first time. Her mother takes her to school to meet her new teacher, whom Junie B. refers to as Mrs., and gets to see her new classroom in room 9. The teacher asks her mother if she will be riding the bus and her mother replies yes, which rattles Junie B's world. Junie B. is not excited about riding the stupid, smelly bus. Once she gets on the bus she doesn't have anyone to sit with and then a stupid boy steps all over her beautiful dress that looks like velvet. She decides that she doesn't like riding that bus. Her first day of school went great, and she even made a new friend and everything was going great until she learns that some "meanies" that ride the bus home pour chocolate milk on kid's heads. Junie B. makes up her mind that she is not going to ride the bus home, and decides to hide in the supply closet. After eveyone leaves the school, she ventures out and explores the school in a new light, playing in the media room, or library as she previously called it, playing in the nurses' office until she has an "mergency" and needs to go to the restroom. She calls 911 and police rescue her.

The reader will be immediately brought back to their first day of school as they listen to this story. The plot is believable and realistic as descriptions of her classroom will jolt memories of every reader's kindergarten classroom. Junie B's character is a firecracker, and urges the reader to fall in love with her creativity, and yet vunerability. Lara Quintal does a fantastic job of narrating the story. She creates different voices for each of the characters and her pitch and tone perfectly match that of this feisty little girl.

You Read to Me, I'll Read to You: Very Short Mother Goose Tales to Read Together

Hoberman, Mary Ann. You Read to Me, I'll Read to You Very Short Mother Goose Tales to Read Together. 2005. New York: Little, Brown and Company.


This book is the third installment from Mary Ann Hoberman and Michael Emberley. This particular book is made up of thirteen classic Mother Goose tales, but with a twist. Although, each poem is fairly close or a continuation of the original poem it will most likely be appreciated more by those who have read the original nursery rhyme. Stories include Humpty Dumpty, Jack, Be Nimble, Jack and Jill, and Little Boy Blue and Little Bo Peep. This series of books are cleverly written so that each character has their own voice and encourages participation from readers. At the very beginning, there is an introductory poem that instructs the reader or readers on how to participate with this book. The illustrations are absolutely hilarious. Children will love the animations and expressions of each of the characters. Each poem contains approximately six illustrations that follow along with the nursery rhyme telling the story. It is clearly certain that everyone who picks up this book will love it! It would be a great tool for reader's theater, introduction to comparison and contrast with older children, introduction to poetry, and a never ending list of opportunities. I highly recommend this book at anyone of any age.

Hummingbird Nest A Journal of Poems

O'Connell George, Kristine. Hummingbird Nest A Journal of Poems. 2004. New York: Harcourt Press.

This journal of poems provides a snapshot into the beatiful life of hummingbirds in California. Kristine O'Connell and her family were having breakfast outside on their patio one afternoon when suddenly a small bird started diving at their heads. They soon learned that a hummingbird was building a nest in their ficus tree. O'Connell decided to begin a journal depicting the events of the hummingbird. For the next eight weeks, her family marveled at the hummingbird's antics. They would leave small pieces of cotton and try to keep the patio as calm and welcoming for the birds as possible. Soon Anna, as she was later named, laid two beautiful eggs which became two healthy, beautiful fledglings. The family watched as Anna would bring food to them, and nervously watch as the birds began to try and fly on their own. One day, one of the birds had disappeared and not too much longer the other one took off on her own. Her family was so excited to be a part of this miracle, and were all sad to see it end. They often wondered later on that summer, if one of the hummingbirds at their feeders were "their" hummingbirds.

Each poem is titled and dated with the event for that day. The way in which the author writes the poem allows the reader to see the movements and thoughts of the hummingbirds. When discussing the size of the bird, the font is considerably smaller than the rest of the poem. As the birds are learning to fly the text is stretched out over several lines creating the feeling of falling out of the nest. The illustrations are small, yet very realistic. This collection of poetry tells the beautiful true story of the birthing of hummingbirds. It truly will turn any reader into a bird lover, yearning to experience the same as O'Connell.

Poetry Speaks to Children

Poetry Speaks to Children. Edited by Elise Paschen. 2005. Illinois: Sourcebooks MediaFusion.

This collection of poetry contains 95 poems written by 73 different poets. The poetry ranges from silly poems such as discussing neighbors underwear and farting, to more serious poems such as the Raven by Edgar Allen Poe. There are also topics of weather, seasons, animals, opposites, and growing up, to name just a few. Some of the poems are very short while others are quite a bit longer, but each carefully selected poem will make the reader smile. The illustrations carefully detail one of the characters or features a point from the selected poem. The CD that is included with this book contains approximately one hour of 60 tracks worth of poetry. Most of the poems are read by the authors themselves, bringing the poetry alive for all of the readers. Children and adults of all ages will love reading through this collection.

¡Pio Peep! Traditional Spanish Nursery Rhymes

Ada, Alma Flor & F. Isbel Campoy. ¡Pio Peep! Traditional Spanish Nursery Rhymes. 2003. New York: Harper Collins Publishers.

¡Pio Peep! is a fabulous collection of Spanish oral folklore nursery rhymnes. The original compilation was created by Alma Flor and F. Isabel Campoy. This bilingual book contains the original nursery rhyme and then a "poetic re-creation" of Spanish poems. So although, the poems might not be translated perfectly, the main features and purpose of the story remains true. Poems range from two to ten lines and magnificiently detail the Hispanic culture. The nursery rhymes include stories about birds, five little chicks, a snail, wolf pups, and a boy going to the city to possibly get engaged. Each page contains enormous brightly colored illustrations that take up almost all of the page. In general, on one side of the page is the Spanish poem and then on the other is the English poem. Children will love to read each poem and older bilingual children will love to compare the two rhymes. This collection of traditional Hispanic nursery rhymes will be a great addition to any poetry collection.