This classic is one of the best children's books of all time. Like so many of Roald Dahl's characters, Matilda overcomes the abusive adults around her to discover happiness and find the good in the world, as fragile as it may be. Her love of reading and books is sure to endear her to teachers and librarians. This is a wonderful tale of the underdog beating out the much stronger and meaner opponent (think David and Goliath). Also her telekinetic powers are an interesting sci-fi touch sure to pique the interest of all kinds of readers even comic book fans!

I recommend this title to teachers to include in their reading curriculum (English language), for the good story and approachable language. Librarians can clearly promote this title to school age children especially in prominent and attention grabbing displays. It is also a good title for Library Week, given the place of libraries in the story.

This story has all the qualities of a traditional folktale, with a new spin and a fantasy quality. A very good story, interesting characters, interesting story elements like the painted eggs, and rewards that are not financial all make for a very good story. The art is excellent.

A teacher could include this title in stories about Russia, Russian culture, folktales, or Easter traditions. Librarians can feature this book for Easter displays and international/world folktale displays or programs.

I did not favor this wordless picture book. The images I found unattractive and hard to look at. It was also difficult to pick out the plot, any emotion or feelings, and I did not develop any interest or fondness for the characters.

I would not recommend this title to educators or librarians.

This was a nice story, imaginative, and the images give a nice specific imaginary context.

Librarians might recommend this title on "rainy day" displays.

I thought this was a very creative book. The author did a good job of using images to tell a story without words, and the imagined underwater realms were fantastic.

A teacher might use this book when offering a photo project, where kids take pictures and then pictures of themselves, in such a way as to show a story or adventure, and then trade rolls of film with other children, who develop the pictures, make a book of them, and write a story.

This was a great book, it combined a good story, interesting information about attributes of different animals and kites, and usable instructions. An excellent title, and it makes one interested to learn more about Chinese culture and Buddhism too.

I would recommend this title to teachers who are showing their kids how to make kites, teaching about China, Chinese culture and holidays, or animals in different cultures. LIbrarians could use this in kite-making programs, Chinese themed displays or programming, or programming related to religions around the world.

I wanted to enjoy this book, but have to admit I found it terribly boring. The memories of a stove were simply not all that exciting, and there was no plot to speak of. There was not much in the way of cultural or other significance that made this work stand out to me at all.

I would not recommend this title to teachers or librarians. While it is from a normally excellent author, it is just a boring title not really relatable to any program or curriculum.

This was a very nice book. The story was nice, simple, and appealing to children's wishes and egos, and the non-fiction is a nice brief introduction to Ancient Egypt. There were a few problematic things with this title to be aware of. One, the Pharoah kept being called a king, or a king like a god, or the closest thing to god on earth. This imposes Western ideas on a concept not found in Western culture, and does not convey how a Pharoah was actually understood in Ancient Egypt. The other problem is that, while the Egyptians in the story were somewhat brown-skinned, it did not really show how this magnificent civilization was predominantly black. It is problematic this hesitance to show how black people have had enormous historical impact on the world.

The qualities of this book would lead me to recommend it to teachers and librarians doing curriculum or program features on Ancient Egypt. However, the above two criticisms ought to be a point to spark discussion.

This was a very good book in the series of the Enola Holmes mysteries. Time is taken with Enola's relationship with her famous brother Sherlock Holmes, and her worry about her mother, and we see more closely the difficulties of being on one's own as a child or young person. This and the topic of forced marriage and social constraints on women really give a perspective on well-known aspects of life in Historical England from a point of view rarely heard from - that of a girl and a young person. The characters are endearing and there is a compassionate point of view in the writing that is decidedly likable. (And the use of period language makes one want to use words like "decidedly.")

Teachers and librarians can recommend this title to young people, girls, young fans of mysteries, with curiosity about England, and even in displays or curriculum about England during this period of time.

Blah. Being a girl who does not like comic books or graphic novels, I had a stereotype in my head of what to expect, and this was pretty much it, except a bit more PG. A loser 30 year old white guy who is fat and lives with his mom finds out he is AWESOME (think Jack Black voice) cause he has a special helmet and defeats evil dudes. And he has a busty nerdy girlfriend. To be fair though, this might be funny to teenage boys, or even older boys. And in a multicultural context, this is definitely representing a specific social/cultural group in America - the white male comic book reading dungeons and dragons playing girlfriend not usually having type. And unlike a lot of other cultural groups who have faced discrimination a long time and are seeking better representation in children's and teen literature, this is a segment of society, a certain culture, that pretty much gets away with almost anything, and has a self-effacing, make fun of itself kind of quality evident in the book. It might actually be empowering to the intended audience here not only to make fun of themselves, but also to make fun of their fantasy and escape imaginations, liberating and ironic, and maybe something to escape getting caught in the trap of disliking themselves for being in such a category. Right on.

There is not really an application for this title in school or at the library in programming efforts, but it wouldn't hurt to leave it out on a table in the teen area.

This is a wonderful book. The poem is simple and deep. It is simple enough for young children to understand and start to read with, and deep enough to affect any adult. Truly a great poem. THe images are striking, and resonate with the words to create long lasting memories. African Americans are portrayed with great love, beauty and respect.

Teachers and librarians can feature this book for curriculum and programming for: poetry events/projects, African American History month, even to round out perspectives on a scientific study of different environments and rivers.

This is a lovely story. It has all the qualities of a folktale or traditional tale, but is just a little different in it's portrayal of parental greed, and I must wonder if it is a new creation of the author based on traditional folktale styles. A very good read, this features lessons for children, but not in an overly didactic manner. The setting in the Ukraine is such that it feels like it could be exchanged for almost anywhere. As an outsider, I cannot tell if this title has an authentic Ukrainian feel, and I don't feel like I learned much about that area from the book, though that is not necessary the point of this story. The author herself does have a Russian background, which makes the presentation more trustworthy.

Librarians could easily feature this title for storytimes, it is a fun read with a good message.

This is a nice book. The variation on the Little Red Riding Hood tale so many children know make it familiar and yet different, like so many inter-cultural encounters. The Basque Pyrenees is not a region many children are familiar with (or adults for that matter), so it is a nice opportunity to show children the area on a map and teach a little geography in tandem with the folktale.

Teachers can use this title in a folktale curriculum, with a multicultural trickster story project/lesson, or to use stories from different regions to show children where countries and cultures can be found on a map. Librarians might want to consider this title for a storytime for older preschoolers.

This is a very cute book. The characters are excited and cute and convey enthusiasm about this holiday. There are nine Chinese words taught, and they are well integrated into the story. The Chinese culture and holiday are portrayed in a fun and positive light, family relations are kind and considerate, and friends help each other and work as a team. A positive introduction for children to Chinese New Year.

Teachers can use this book to help children learn about and celebrate Chinese New Year in the classroom, and learn a few Chinese words to boot. Librarians can feature it for Chinese New Year celebrations and bilingual story times.

This was an amazing wordless picture book/graphic novel unlike anything I have seen. The story of an immigrant coming to a new land and sending for his family is deeply familiar to me and to so many thousands of others. The images are very reminiscent of immigration to American at the end of the 19th, early 20th century. However, the land, animals, food and environment are very fanciful, original and creative. While this is a great pleasure to thumb through, it makes it hard to understand a lot of what is going on when the immigrant first comes to the new country. (This may be purposeful).

Teachers and librarians could use this book as an alternative or creative format for curriculum or programming having to do with immigration. Teachers might want to include this as inspiration for assignments for art students for a variety of projects, including graphic novels, wordless picture books, or period art.

I was pretty disappointed in this book. For one thing, it is just way too long. It would be better suited as a chapter book with pictures, because even though the illustrations are lovely, it was beyond the scope and attention capacity of my young children, and might be better suited to older children. It was also a little too preachy. There was the sense that this book was there to defend lesbian families against those facing prejudice, giving it a very heavy-handed, didactic feel. The description of a happy family and some positive events and facing some prejudice were good aspects of the story. There was just a little too much of everything, leaving a preachy, unpleasant impression. While the effort to portray a happy family parented by lesbians is a welcome find, I would like to find a better example of such a book before sharing it with kids. It was a drag to read, and works against itself.

I wouldn't recommend this title to teachers or librarians for curriculum or programming, due to excessive length, preachiness, and heavy-handedness. A positive example or image is far more compelling than this approach.

This was a good title. The well-researched biography makes efforts to cite its sources and be authentic, and tells a really remarkable story of an African American man and former slave who did things no one might have thought possible. Following his remarkable biography are fascinating historical details about the people, time and place mentioned in his story.

Teachers might want to share this book with students as part of study or curriculum of biographies, notable African Americans, having to do with slavery, American history, statehood, Black History Month, or even just for interests sake. Librarians might feature this title for biographies, Black History Month, or American history programming efforts.

This is a wonderful book. Langston Hughes's poem is very short, but powerful. The photographs go with the words of the poem, and taken together, show the beauty of African American people. A great choice for young people, this book combines great poetry, great photography, a great empowering message, and a positive vision of African Americans so often lacking in children's literature.

Teachers and librarians can use this title to share poetry, photography, for a program or curriculum having to do with poetry or portraits, for African American history month or studies, or to encourage students or patrons to make a creative project about their own people or culture.

This is among my favorite picture books that I have ever encountered. I did not expect the wonderful writing, but it is just wonderful - poetic prose, emotional, descriptive, rhythmic, vivid, calling up powerful images and connecting the reader to the mind of an exceptional man. By the time Langston Hughes's poem is reached at the end of the book, I was almost in tears it was so good. The artwork is just exceptional mixed media, definitely worthy of an exhibit at any important museum. This is a title not to be missed!

Teachers and librarians can promote this book in several contexts - storytimes or reading times, in concurrence with African American history month, or curriculum or programming having to do with poetry, American history and famous people, African Americans, slavery, biographical studies, or the Harlem Renaissance.

This is a very nice book, and well done. The story is simple, readable, and interesting, and the illustrations are well done and support the story. The tale is retold by a presumably white author in a straightforward manner, without apparent altering, interpretation, or any attempt to question its truth. At the end of the book, the author identifies the tribe from whom this story comes, and gives an interesting, brief and respectful description of this tribe, the Tohono O'odham, and some details of their lives. There are also a few words in respect of the rattlesnake describing how it can be appreciated and respected rather than feared.

Teachers or librarians can use this title for storytimes, in coordination with curriculum or programming for or about Native Americans, snakes, southwest animals and environment, or respect for the planet.

This is a lovely book! The online format is quite pleasing and easy to use, and the website http://en.childrenslibrary.org/ is a nice place to find quite a few quality multicultural titles. Most poetry (for children and adults) is I feel just awful. But these are very enjoyable and communicative, and show Mexico and Mexican memories as very attractive. A great online bilingual picture book.

Librarians could use this title for bilingual storytimes, or in programming relating to Mexico or the Spanish language, or for Dia de los Libros. The online format could be used in programming showing children how to use the computer.

This work does a nice job of simplifying complex material for young children to be introduced to Greek myths and gods/goddesses. Material is rendered age-appropriate (they avoid the subjects of castration, rape etc). For the most part, the rendering of Greek mythologic material is well done for young children. However, there are several notable problems with the presentation of this material. For one thing, the illustrations render some of the important gods and goddesses (Zeus, Aphrodite) as blond and blue eyed. Greeks are generally a dark people, and the implications of these depictions are upsetting (the main god is blond while the more subordinate ones are dark-haired, the goddess of love is blond, these things have social implications.) Another upsetting aspect is the introduction, which is condescending to the culture that these myths were a part of, saying things like "people began telling stories to explain the mysteries of life," and "people believed that the myths were true," implying that they were not true. It is imperialist to imply that these myths are not or were not true (it would be rude to say that Christians made up the Bible to explain the mysteries of life, and that people believed that it was true). For these reasons this book is better off not promoted.

Teachers and librarians should reconsider the inclusion of this book in curriculum or programming due to the disrespectful approach to the culture being represented.

This book did a nice job of briefly and simply showing children from very different backgrounds, relating to animals. Not overly didactic, or too long for short attentions, Rylant does an impressive job of showing young readers glimpses of other children's experiences.

A teacher or librarian could promote this book for curriculum or programming relating to animals or short stories.

This was a pretty good book. It was kind of like a carrot bran muffin. You know there is some nutritional value and substance there, but you kind of have to get used to the weird flavor at first. There was an interesting depiction of these four kids from different ethnic and cultural backgrounds, all of whom were relatable and complex.

I cannot think of any particular use for this title as part of a curriculum or programming effort. A little dry.

This was a good book in the series. The characters were compelling, and it shows the ineresting pull and push between the princess girl archetype and the outlaw/tomboy girl archetype. Girls who find a little of both inside themselves will enjoy the main character of this book. Interesting depiction of female concerns in a male dominated fantasy environment, with relatable issues of safety, male-female power and security, and expectations.

Teachers or librarians may recommend this to any girl liking friendship tales, adventure tales, who may need a bit of a tomboy and princess character to explore.

This was a good story for young people. It is from the point of view of an orphan, one who has rejected human culture and society, telling himself that "wolves do not cry" or "wolves do not feel hunger," eventually coming to admit his humanity, vulnerability, and care for others. An interesting perspective of culture from one trying to escape human culture altogether, and realizing how bonds of friendship and family is what binds one to culture, society, and humanity.

Teachers and libraries can recommend this for children who like tales of outlaws or those outside society.

This was a very fun book to read. The character develops depth in both risky action, knowledge of flowers and social women's issues particular to her place and time, and in her emotional dedication to others. We get a very visual description of London at a particular time in history from the perspective of a girl with contemporary sensibilities, which is very interesting. Lots of action, spooky villans, and a great mystery combine for a great read!

Schools can recommend this book for students to complement historical studies of London or women's rights. Libraries can promote it as fun reading for middle readers/pre-teens, for those who like mysteries or Sherlock Holmes, and for girls seeking a female protagonist.

This book was interesting for an older person to see, but not very good for reading to children. It is hard for young children to follow along the story, since it gets broken up by events, and the break from traditional storytelling format makes it difficult for parent-child reading. It is kind of cool that someone tried to do something like this. But I would not recommend the book.

Schools or libraries could promote this for children who get bored with traditional picture books or show an interestin comic books or graphic novels.

This was a very nice picture book. With art and story elements depicting Mexican culture and artistic styles, it is full of interesting images and Spanish words to interest young children. Good for children from all backgrounds!

This title would be especially well suited for school curriculum or library programming having to do with Dia de los Muertos. It is also well suited to anything having to do with learning the alphabet, Spanish words, Mexican culture, or Mexican imagery.

This was a very funny and charming read. Each story is only a few pages long, short enough to entertain the very young, older children, and older grownups too. Each story is characterized by humor, cleverness, and often some little life lesson as well. Something that people of all cultures can enjoy.

Teachers and librarians could use this title for curriculum or seasons recognizing Jews, related to folktales, or just for fun storytelling to children of all ages.