I loved this chapter book! It was so exciting and I couldn’t put it down. The events in the book are intriguing and Messner does a great job keeping readers engaged with descriptive language.
I like how the author created this magical fantasy of how this fish with emerald eyes granted wishes. This book made me feel like a little kid, all giddy, believing in magic. She did a great job building up to the climax of the story which was the underlying issue with Abby. The suspense and mystery keeps readers engaged and wanting to read more.
Messner does a wonderful job portraying Charlie’s age along with her thoughts and actions. As all attention is set on her sister, Charlie’s thoughts are selfish as a young child would be. She wants some of her parents’ attention too and doesn’t understand her sister’s actions. Most readers can relate to this feeling.
I think it was wise of Messner to incorporate drug use in her novel as many families are struggling with loved ones who are in the same situation. This book could possibly teach readers how to not give up hope and find an outlet through all the pain. For instance, Charlie had her dancing to look forward to.
The overall message of the book is to be careful what you wish for because it seemed like all the wishes Charlie made turned out different. Additionally, it is important for families to stick together in hard times.

In my opinion, this is a great book for children who are beginning to read because Hoberman uses repetition and rhyme to keep her readers engaged.
I love how Hoberman has the characters interact and makes the woman do ridiculous things in order for her to get a cat. Then the roles are reversed between the characters and the man must do as the woman says to get rid of the mice. I think children would find this book entertaining.
Additionally, the repetition that Hoberman uses gives the story rhythm and is great for children who are beginning so they can learn simple words. This could also be a great story for children to learn sequencing.
This book shows children that it it’s important to work hard for what you want. Even though the events are unrealistic in the story, it still gives a good message. It is goofy and fun.
The readers learn from this story that you need to work for what you want. If you work hard enough for what you want, you may be satisfied.

In my opinion, this is a great book for students that touches on social issues but in a subtle way. The main character has to move to a small apartment because her parents are having trouble with finances.
I love how Eve Bunting shows the character’s emotions as different people buy things throughout the yard sale. Callie’s emotions really make the reader sympathize with her and what she is going through. No one wants to have to give up their favorite things. But, in this story Callie has to part way with her bike and headboard because there is simply no room for it in their small apartment.
Additionally, I like how the author portrayed the innocence of Callie. Callie is so young and doesn’t understand what is going on and why she has to give up her favorite things. I like how Bunting adds in the event of how a woman asks Callie “Are you for sale?”. This part of the story really shows Callie’s innocence because she takes it literally and runs to her parents crying.
I was able to relate to this story because my grandparents had to sell their house that they had lived in for almost 40 years. My family and I were all a little sad to see them have to sell most of their belongings. Just like I could, I think students will be able to relate to this story as well in the sense that they might’ve had to get rid of something they loved.
The readers learn from this story that materialistic things aren’t as important as the people we love.

This book was enjoyable to read because I was able to learn about the Pakistani culture. I could relate to this book because I too was in a wedding when I was a little girl. The pictures also made the book enticing because they show the Pakistani culture and how they dress, which is different from what I have seen.
I like how the authored created an underlying issue that the character was facing and turned it into a good ending. The little girl Nadia was afraid of what her friends might think about her painted hands at school on Monday morning. However, add the end of the book she realizes that the paint on her hands is a way for her to teach everyone at school about her culture. I believe that this is a message all children should learn. The pictures are beautiful, unique and shows the styles of the people of their culture. Jonathan Weiner uses warm colors and adds the swirls that Nadia’s hands are marked with on each page as a design. Another reason I thought this book was great was because in the beginning of the book, she gives the readers a note. The note defines 5 different words in Urdu. I like that she defined these words in the beginning of the book, rather than the end, because the readers get a better understanding. It gives the readers a task to look out for those words while reading. I believe this story also pushes readers to use their imagination and how they would feel if they were Nadia. Readers might be able to relate to her situation because some show more children might’ve been forced to do something that they didn’t want to do based on their traditions.
I think the overall message of the book is to be proud of your heritage and culture. Additionally, don’t be afraid to be different. show less

In my opinion, this is a great book for students to gain perspective of how individuals from other cultures feel when celebrating their heritage. It can also be a book that individuals, who celebrate Ramadan, can relate to.
I love how the author’s uses figurative language and comparison to show how the character is feeling. For example, “without her lunchbox to carry, her fingers felt extra free and swingy”. This quote from the book represents how different it feels to not have to carry a lunchbox to school. I like how the author points out these details that usually go unnoticed.
I like how the author makes it a point in the story for Lailah’s heritage to be recognized as Ms. Penworth asked Lailah to share her poem about Ramadan with the class.
The characters in the story are believable because the illustrations depict them as normal kids who are probably in 4th or 5th grade. Ms. Penworth and Ms. Carman, the librarian, are also depicted as normal teachers. The author’s note mentions that this a true story of her childhood.
The book presents some vocabulary words for readers to learn. The words sehri and iftar are used in the book. The definitions are then given a long with the author’s note. I think this important for students to develop their literacy skills.
Lea Lyon, the illustrator, also does a wonderful job at incorporating culture into the story’s illustrations. For instance, the patterns on Laila’s lunchbox, her mother’s scarf, and the border used show more on various pages shows the differentiation in culture.
I feel like there can be many messages or ideas pulled out of this book. One being to be proud of your culture, and don’t worry about what others think. Lailah is scared to let her friends and teachers know that she is fasting for Ramadan. She felt afraid to be different. show less

This book was enjoyable to read because it made me feel like I was a child again. The story is very magical. The pictures also made the book enticing because they are so different from other story books.
The pictures are beautiful, unique and shows the styles of the people of the Morrocan culture. Geometric patterns flow throughout the pages. I like how the repetition used in the story to reiterate the events that happened so far. I like how the author incorporated culture into the story. Readers can tell that this story is based in another country because the illustrations depict the style of clothing. Each culture has its beliefs and this story involves the belief that storytellers have magical powers. The story pushes readers to use their imagination. I read this book to my niece and she was very engaged. The writing very suspenseful because you must read on to figure out what happens next in the storyteller’s story. The author also allows you to become the hero, the villain or the magic dijinn commanding the desert sandstorm because his words are very descriptive.
I think the overall message of the book is someone small can make a change for the better that affects many peoples’ lives. As the boy in the story kept listening to the storyteller, he was able to make the fountains flow with water again. Additionally, the preservation of one’s heritage and culture is very important.

In my opinion, this book is wonderful chapter book that depicts crisis that individuals, such as Castle, have to endure throughout their childhood. I love how the author used first person point of view for the story. I think this writing style really contributed to the message that he was trying to get across. Since the story is set in a poor part of the city, the slang used in the story makes it realistic.
Many students could relate to the characters in the story because the characters deal with real life situations. For example, being adopted, enduring the pain of losing a parent, or enduring the pain of having a parent who is an alcoholic. Through the plot, the author shows children to find a positive outlet to release their pain. As Castle deals with the trauma of his Dad almost shooting him and his mother, he releases his pain through running. It is something that he could be proud about. Additionally, the plot was very suspenseful and engaging. The details used to dramatize the way Castle was feeling when he stole the “silver bullets” had me on the edge of my seat. “Will he going to get caught?” and “Will his mom find out?” were questions that I kept asking myself throughout the rest of the book until the truth is revealed. The book was also heartwarming in a sense that Castle was able to connect with the Coach on a different level, like he was a father figure to him. I think this book could be a motivation to students out there who are always lashing show more out and don’t know how to deal with their pain.
I feel like there can be many messages or ideas pulled out of this book. One being to never give up, work hard for what you want, and appreciate what you have. show less

In my opinion, this book was a great book for students to read. Students are able to get a perspective of how immigrants feel when they come to the U.S. I love how the author used first person point of view for the story. I think this writing style really contributed to the message that she was trying to get across. The fact that the words are written in the way that they would be spoken or thought, even with errors, makes a huge difference. I feel like many students could relate to the characters in the story because we all have are insecurities and sometimes feel like an outcast. The author also shows children not to be afraid of interacting with people that may be a little different from them. Different is okay. The author set up the plot in an organized way where an issue is posed in the beginning but the character is able to overcome this issue through some series of events. The book pushes the readers to think about how they would feel in the character’s situation while being able to make connections. I think the overall message of this story is to never give up hope. Farah, the narrator of the story, shows the readers how she feels scared at the beginning of the book. Towards the end, her feelings change after the finds a green apple and starts to interact with her classmates.

In my opinion, this book is a great book to teach students about the history of baseball and how segregation was apparent during the creation of the Major-League Baseball.
Let me just start off by saying I love the overall theme of this book. The book’s illustrations make it seem like the story takes place in the 1940s because they have a faded medium. A lot of warm, deep, dark colors are used in this book while the author adds bright colors to the focal point on each page. The plot of the story introduces the characters then poses a conflict, afterwards draws suspense to its readers. At the end, a glimmer of hope shines to its readers when two baseball players, a white player and a black player, shake hands. I think the way the author organized the story is a great way to engage readers. He also makes the characters and plot believable. This book would be appealing to students with different interests. For example, some students who love baseball or the Chicago Cubs, sports, who ones who enjoy reading about history. Young readers who have no prior knowledge of segregation will see this as story about the love of baseball. A teacher would be able to use this book to introduce the topic of segregation.
Cooper tries to convey to his readers that if you follow your dreams, anything is possible in this. I believe he also wants to educate his young readers on how it felt when segregation was prevalent. Cooper pushes his readers to think about tough issues and broadens show more perspectives. show less

In my opinion, this book is wonderful chapter book that individuals such as Yoko, had to endure during the Japanese Occupation. I was able to connect to Yoko in the story because I too am the youngest of my siblings.
Watkins uses realistic and graphic imagery to engage her readers. A teacher should be careful on selecting this book for a lesson because the striking events that happen throughout the story. Watkins also makes the plot engaging by making it suspenseful. I felt like while I was reading this book that I didn’t want to put it down. I needed to know what was happening next. Additionally, the mystery about what happens to Yoko’s dad is never revealed throughout the book. The author also switches perspectives throughout the book once Hideyo (Yoko’s brother) is safe and starts to search for his family. I enjoyed reading about his journey along with Yoko’s. Her decision to do this made the book even more engaging because as I reader, I kept asking myself “When are they going to meet up again?”. I think readers will be able to relate to the characters as well because they are put into certain situations that us readers can relate to. For example, Yoko endures bullying in school but decides not to fight back, while instead tries to be the smartest in her class. I believe all students have felt bullied one way or another and can relate to this. If not, it would be beneficial for them to read it from a different perspective.
I feel like there can be many show more messages or ideas pulled out of this book. One being to never give up as Yoko and her family had to work hard to survive. Other possible messages could be about family, unity, and the power of friendship. show less

In my opinion, this book is a cute and engaging book for readers who are just starting to read. Teachers could have a fun time reading this aloud to their students because it has a lot of movement and action.
This mystery is about finding the culprit who keeps messing with Splat’s collection of ducks. At the end, the book reveals a surprise message of friendship because the person that was stealing the ducks just wanted some friends.
Rob Scotton does a wonderful job engaging his readers with cute little illustrations and action. The illustrations make the story come to life as they look realistic. A child who is interested in mysteries or being a detective would love this book. Especially children who love to dress up and use their imagination! The thrill to find out who is messing with Splat’s ducks is compelling. The author also uses child-friendly language so that younger kids will be able to understand the book perfect. In his illustrations, he uses many different colors that would are compelling to its readers. One part of the book is intentionally written to address adults too because 4 different ducks are named after the members of the Beatles. Overall, it’s a wonderful book and could be used to introduce the topic of mystery in a classroom setting.

In my opinion, this book was a good book for first or second grade students to read about not taking things that aren’t yours.
There are two different messages that the author conveys through this book. First off, she conveys that you must not take something that doesn’t belong to you. The second message is about how guilt can tear you up inside as Isobel struggles with her guilt in the story.
I love the overall theme of the book. The book’s illustrations make it seem like the story takes place in the old days when the good old wooden dollhouse was one of the best things to play with. The author does a great job at showing how Isobel’s guilt eats away at her. For example, the sunflowers remind Isobel of the golden plate which is why she confesses to her mother. This book really gets students to think in complex ways because the author doesn’t fully come out with how Isobel is feeling. I believe this a book set in England because the housing. Watts shows her heritage from England in this book as the words used is somewhat different from Standard English which made it enjoyable. An example of this is in England they use Doll’s house instead of a compound word (dollhouse) like Americans use. I wish Watts would have drawn a little suspense at the beginning of the story because she sort of jumped right into the problem and there was nothing leading up to it. Other than that, the book had some great details in which the author was able to convey her message.

In my opinion, this book is a cute and engaging book for readers who want to learn about trees. The book taught me some facts that I didn’t know.Since this is an informational text, the main idea of this book is to build upon a reader’s knowledge on the topic of trees.Gail Gibbons does a wonderful job using academic language and making it understandable. To add on to this, vocabulary words in the book stand out because they are italicized. She then goes on to define these words in a simple way. When defining bark, Gibbons writes “bark protects trees from weather and insects and animals that attack them”. Sometimes this is hard to do because we are adults and sometimes talk like adults. To write a good children’s book, one must think like children and write like the age group they are targeting. The book features various pictures and models of different kinds of trees. Gibbons also brings the trees to life as throughout the book the boy in the story seems to talk to the tree. For instance, each set of pages has “Tell me, tree….” at the top. The author also includes some fun facts and activities that children can do in their homes. I think this is a great way to get children excited about books while having a hands-on activity to do afterwards.

In my opinion, this book was nice and refreshing to read. It made me think back on times when I was child, making new friends, and playing outside.
There are many different messages that one can pull from this book. One being that it doesn’t matter who you are friends with because we are all equal. I would use this book in my classroom during a lesson on the Civil Rights movement.
Woodsen uses the fence in the book as a symbol for segregation. At the end of the book the characters in the book are discussing how “one day someone is going to come along and know this old fence down”. I think this was a great way for Woodsen to end the story because it makes the reader connect to real life and how things have changed. She also keeps the readers engaged by leading up to the moment that the two characters, Clover and Annie, in the book meet. For example, she develops Clover’s character showing the curiosity that she has about Annie. I also like that this book is great for all ages. Teachers can use this for a complex lesson plan for 5th grade as a history lesson or they could use it to teach friendship in Kindergarten or 1st grade.

As a teenager, I loved reading this book. It touched on many topics that I was experiencing during the time I read this book. The overall idea of this novel is sisterhood, friendship, and essentially nobody is perfect. The symbolism lies in the pants as the pair of jeans fits all the girls perfectly.
The author does a great job shifting from character to character so that the reader can understand each character’s personality and point of view. For example, throughout a chapter one character will telling about their story and then the next chapter it will be a different character. This honestly is a great way to engage readers so that they must read on to find out what happens. The words flow effortlessly throughout the book so that it is clear who the reader is reading about. I like how the author created different struggles that each character is dealing with. With the help from each other and the pants, they overcome these obstacles eventually throughout the book. The book is also relatable to young girls as many have dealt with the same situations. For example, a divorce or “new” family, a friend dying, being caught between love and family, or embracing your sexuality.

In my opinion this is a wonderful book. The book is set in 1974 while the Vietnam War occurred. It is an interesting read because it is based on real life situations. Since we still haven’t accomplished world peace, it is interesting to hear about other points of view from different cultures.
I like how the book was set up in a poem form rather than the regular narrative. It felt like I was reading out of a diary as the author had titles and dates for each entry. I would say that this book pushes its readers to think about war or individuals in other countries who must endure violence and mayhem throughout their daily lives. I can’t imagine being crammed on a ship, only allowed one cup of water and one cup of rice a day. I also enjoyed how different the characters were and how they were developed. For example, Ha describes her brothers as having different interests. Brother Vu is interested in cooking and Brother Quang is interested in engineering which in the end of the novel, they put these skills to good use. It is also interesting to read how Ha enters the American culture and her thoughts behind it. I laughed at the part of the book where Ha tries fried chicken for the first time and is disgusted with it.
The big idea or message of the story for the author to give insight to readers about what types of experiences she went through, being a Vietnam refuge during the Vietnam War.