Barbara Seuling (1937–2016)

I liked this book about a young boy named Robert, who was getting made fun of in school for his hair that was well-overdue for a haircut, so he asked his best friend to trim it, which may have not been the best choice. Luckily, things look up for Robert by the end of the story. I liked this book because its writing kept me engaged with its short, descriptive sentences and humorous dialogue. For example, when Robert discovered that his hair was the reason he was being made fun of, he told his show more friend that he needed him to cut it because “It’s a matter of life and death, almost,” (20). This line made me chuckle because I think it’s funny when young kids worry about minor issues, but in their world, this is like “life or death.” I also liked this book because the illustrations enhanced the story. For example, after Robert’s friend cut his hair (and had a few mishaps), the picture of Robert frazzled with his hands over his head show the frustration and humiliation Robert feels. Overall I liked the main idea of the story, that even when you feel like something is disastrous, sometimes it’s really not the end of the world after all. show less

From Head to Toe is a very informative book that teaches students the intricacies of the human body. However, I have mixed feelings about the book because of the illustrations and the extra textual features. The illustrations, while very detailed and clearly labeled, are oftentimes overused and busy. One page in particular, the about senses and the brain has no focal point so your eyes are constantly scanning the page for the most important element. There is also so much text on the page, show more it's hard to tell what to read first. The other element, the extra textual features are great because the blurbs include experiments and projects students can do to help them understand the human body more, however, a lot of times, the instructions for the project take up a lot of the page. It may have been a better choice to put them all at the end of the book, so they could have their own page. show less

Summary: Jeff's parents got divorced and now his mom is getting remarried. Jeff didn't want a new dad or new siblings. At first, Jeff had a really hard time adjusting to his new life. He had to share a room with his new brother, Scott, who was very messy and loud. Scott also had a teenage step sister who took forever in the bathroom. Jeff was not used to having to share space or share the TV with anyone and now all the sudden he had too. When Jeff talked to his mom about it, she told him show more that he just had to wait and that it would get easier. One day, Jeff and Scott got in a fight. Jeff said something about how he liked his old room better because it had a cave. This gave Scott an idea, to turn their closet into a cave! Jeff loved this idea and the boys got to work. They finally started to get along. After this, Jeff began to slowly adjust and accept his new life.

Argument: I think this book is a great tool to use to help a child who is going through the same thing as Jeff. It provides an alternative for explaining with words what is going on. This book also helps children have someone to relate too, someone who went through a similar thing as they are. I think it would give students hope, that if Jeff can overcome his adjustment that so can they. This book also shows kids that it takes time to adjust to a new family and not loving it right away is totally normal. The issue of divorce and remarriage is something that many people today have to go through so this book would definitely be relevant to those students. show less

Summary: "What Kind of Family is This?" is a story about step families and the adjustments that come with having one. A boy named Jeff moves into a new home with his mother, his step father's home. Jeff immediately faces trouble with the new environment, especially with his new step brother, Scott. The two share a room and do not get along with each other at first. After Jeff mentions his secret cave from his old home (closet), Scott decides that the two should work together to create a new show more cave in the room. This creates a bond between the two boys and they end up forgetting their differences.

Review: I enjoyed reading this story, especially because there may be a student I come across in my days of teaching who has a step family. By understanding how the two boys worked together to create something of their own (such as the cave in the closet), I can put myself in a position to help a child in need if they need it. The book was extremely well written and the illustrations provided a deeper meaning of the possible struggles of having to adjust to a new family. show less