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Book Reviews -
Elementary Fiction
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Written by Amy Ignatow
 A prestigious research and best friend team, Lydia and Julie, try to crack the code of popularity. Through careful observations and experiments, the two devise a plan to learn the inner secrets of being cool.. In doing so, they learn more about themselves and realize that the coolest people of all are those around them.
Review by Amy Gerritsen, Library Media Assistant, Stansbury Elementary School
Rating: ★★★★★
Interest Level: Grades 4-6
The Popularity Papers: research for the social improvement and general betterment of Lydia Goldblatt & Julie Graham-Chang
Amulet Books
205 pages
ISBN: 978-0-8109-8421-9
Release Date: April 1, 2010
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Book Reviews -
Elementary Fiction
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Written and Illustrated by Tom Angleberger
 This is a great kids book for elementary schools, and jr. high school students would enjoy it also. Tommy and his friends are the most unpopular boys in school and then Dwight (the nerdiest) makes this origami Yoda and he starts giving them all advice in this weird Yoda voice with strange mixed-up sayings. Yoda advice really starts helping people and everyone is shocked, so Yoda becomes the center of attention (good and bad) as the story unfolds and the kids wonder if Yoda is some sort of hoax or if the Force is really helping them.
Best part: there are instructions on how to make your own origami Yoda in the back of the book.
Review by Angela Pratt, Library Media Assistant, Hillsdale Elementary School
Rating: ★★★★★
Interest Level: Grades 3-9
The Strange Case of Origami Yoda
Amulet Books
152 pages
ISBN: 978-0-8109-8425-7
Release Date: Mar 2010
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Book Reviews -
Elementary Fiction
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Written by Kevin Emerson
 If you are into vampires you will like this book, especially boys. It describes how vampires view humans and what they do. It is centered around a young vampire boy and what is expected of him.
Review by Judy A. Mitchell, Library Media Assistant, Elementary School
Rating: ★★★★✩
Interest Level: Grades 4-6 boys
The Demon Hunter (Oliver Nocturne #4)
Scholastic
209 pages
ISBN: 9780545058049
Release Date: Feb 2009
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Book Reviews -
Elementary Fiction
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Written by Gary D. Schmidt
 Great historical fiction: easy to read and entertaining. Characters are developed well and you are rooting for Anson all the way through.
Review by Jeff Curran, Library Media Specialist, Granite Park Jr. School
Rating: ★★★★★
Interest Level: Grades 5-12
Anson's Way
Sandpiper / Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
213 pages
ISBN: 978-0-547-23761-9
Release Date: Apr 2009 (reprint)
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Book Reviews -
Elementary Fiction
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Written by Clay Morgan
 A year ago, border collie Moxie's friend Jack was kidnapped by his shipmates and taken out to sea. Longing for her friend back, she struggles to survive and fight off the wild dogs who long to eat her sheep she cares for. When her friend returns, she can't be more excited. A greater evil follows him to the island, however. Pirate Blackburn Jukes has taken Jack prisoner and wants him to find the island's cache of ambers. Knowing that without Jack the island's dogs will starve to death and she will lose her best friend, Moxie is determined to rescue Jack and the island she calls home. To do so, however, she must learn to trust her instincts and make alliances. Will Moxie find it in herself to trust the allies she seeks? Will she be able to follow her instincts to save her friend from Blackburn?
The writing in this book is choppy and amateur in style. However, this is probably an accurate depiction of a dog telling the story. The book and its characters are endearing and the adventure is fun to read. Readers who enjoy dog stories, adventure, island fiction, and survival stories will like reading this book.
Review by Jessica Moody, Library Media Specialist, Olympus Jr. High School
Rating: ★★★★½
Interest Level: Grades 4-7
The Boy Who Returned from the Sea
Puffin / Penguin Group
245 pages
ISBN: 9780142413951
Release Date: May 2009
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Book Reviews -
Elementary Fiction
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Written by Janet Taylor Lisle, Illustrated by David Frankland
 This is a fun story about a group of cats who live along the side of the highway. New cats are dropped off by their owners and learn to become highway cats. Many adventures come their way, along with three special little kittens. Everyone becomes fascinated by the little kittens as they become a part of the group. All the cats think the kittens have special powers because they cross the highway without being killed. Whenever danger arises they always seem to escape. They become a big part of the highway cats. Everyone wants to see what will happen next. As their homes are threatened can these little kittens become the answer to saving their homes?
Review by Donna Gubler, Title I Para-Professional, Hillsdale Elementary School
Rating: ★★★★✩
Interest Level: Grades 1-6
Highway Cats
Philomel / Penguin Group
118 pages
ISBN: 978-0-399-25070-5
Release Date: Aug 2009
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Book Reviews -
Elementary Fiction
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Written by Darleen Bailey Beard, Illustrated by Heather Maione
 Annie's Grandma is always protesting something. This time she chained herself to a 100-year-old tree across the street from Annie's school. Everyone notices Grandma, gives Annie the third degree, and calls her "Crazy Grandma." Everyone would rather have the new swimming complex instead of the tree. Annie discovers what the tree means to the town and herself and begins to think that maybe Grandma is not crazy afterall. With the help of her best friend, a wacky trio of parachuting Elvis impersonators, and even Grandma; Annie discovers what is really important.
Review by Donna Gubler, Title I Para-Professional, Hillsdale Elementary School
Rating: ★★★★½
Interest Level: Grades 4-6
Annie Glover Is Not a Tree Lover
Farrar, Straus and Giroux
120 pages
ISBN: 978-0-374-30351-8
Release Date: Sep 2009
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Book Reviews -
Elementary Fiction
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Written by Steve Cole
 It starts out with Adam and his dad. Adam is testing his dad's new games that he's invented, which are ultra-reality games. Then his dad goes on a business trip and Adam is left alone for a few days. While his dad is gone he sends someone to bring Adam food, and during that time something that he cannot see shows up and destroys the apartment building, so Adam bike-rides to a factory and he has a mishap with a car, so he then gets in the truck and screams at the guy to drive. So, all this time, he knows something's there but he cannot see it. Something is after him and destroying things to try and get to Adam.
I thought this book was a really good book and others will want to check it out.
Review by Austin Nuismer, Student, Hillsdale Elementary School
Rating: ★★★★★
Interest Level:Grades 4-6
Z. Rex (The Hunting, Book 1)
Philomel / Penguin Group
245 pages
ISBN: 978-0-399-25253-2
Release Date: Sep 2009
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Book Reviews -
Elementary Fiction
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Written by Bodil Bresdorff, Translated from Danish by Kathryn Mahaffy
 All grade levels would enjoy this book. After the birth of her baby brother, Eidi became convinced that her mother did not have as much affection for her or enough room in the house. Given Eidi's wandering past, it was not a difficult decision to leave the tiny settlement in pursuit of self-sufficiency and new opportunities. A brief stay out on the heath with her old friend Rossan, whom she had helped in earlier days to card wool from his sheep, led to a trip to the seaport town of Eastern Harbor in order to sell the wool.
This town provided Eidi the opportunity to pick up some valuable bargaining skills in the marketplace as well as a paid job as weaver for the town's wealthiest merchant. Eidi then meets a young, vulnerable boy, thus adding a whole new dimension to her decisions about independence, caring, and well-being. Thoroughly intertwined in this engrossing short novel are some important economics lessons related to selling goods and services in the marketplace.
This is the second book in the children of crow cove series, but it is a stand alone and completely tells its only story.
Review by Diana Moosman, Hillsdale Elementary School
Rating: ★★★★★
Interest Level: Grades 4+
Eidi (The Children of the Cove Series)
Farrar, Straus and Giroux
138 pages
ISBN: 978-0-374-31267-1
Release Date: October 2009
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Book Reviews -
Elementary Fiction
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Written by Erin Hunter
 Toklo, Kallik, Lusa, and Ujark have finally reached the Last Great Wilderness. The legendary bear paradise is everything they ever dreamed of. They sense, however, a deep unrest among the other inhabitants. Each bear from different circumstances, different pasts start to remember their true nature. When their world becomes endangered and one of the three's friends gets taken, Toklo, Kallik, and Ujarak must travel to the world of flat-faces to save their friend as well as themselves.
A endearing adventure that is fast-paced, full of discovery, and fantasy. Readers will enjoy the human and bear qualities the author brings to life and intermixes well in the story. Would recommend this to lovers of fantasy, Erin Hunter's previous books, adventure, and animals.
Review by Jessica Moody, Library Media Specialist, Olympus Jr. High School
Rating: ★★★★★
Interest Level: Grades 5-8
The Last Wilderness (Seekers Series)
HarperCollins
265 pages
ISBN: 9780060871314
Release Date: Feb 2010
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Book Reviews -
Elementary Fiction
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Written by Jude Watson
 Amy and Dan, following a clue found in Book 3, head all the way to Egypt to learn about the origins of their family rivalry, not realizing they are headed right toward the enemy.
Review by Karen Migacz, Library Media Assistant, Howard R. Driggs Elementary School
Rating: ★★★★½
Interest Level:
Beyond the Grave (The 39 Clues Series #4)
Scholastic
pages 190
ISBN: 978-0-545-06044-8
Release Date: June 2009
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Book Reviews -
Elementary Fiction
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Written by Laurie Halse Anderson
 Brenna and her friends volunteer at a vet clinic. Brenna discovers a dog that has been seriously injured in a poacher's trap. They try to learn who and why someone is trapping animals.
The book addressed issues like extreme animal rights actions, and poaching.
The book is OK, but is kind of preachy. I have it in the library, but I won't promote it.
Review by Kay Thomas, Library Media Assistant, Eastwood Elementary School
Rating: ★★✩✩✩
Interest Level: 3 Grade
Trapped (Vet Colunteers Series)
Penguin Group
pages 144
ISBN: 0142412236
Release Date: April 2009
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Book Reviews -
Elementary Fiction
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Written by Mavis Jukes
 Colton is a young boy who lives in Idaho with his mother. They are moving to California to live on a ranch. Colton does not want to leave his life in Idaho and he will also miss his grandfather. Colt's parents are divorsed and Colt would like to spend more time with his father, but he is a Champion Bull Rider in the Rodeo. This lifesyle does not leave much time for father and son. Colton has one constant in his life, and that is his cat, Smoke. However, shortly after they get to California Colt lets Smoke out one night and he doesn't come home. Colton is devastated. He spends a lot of time searching for him. He is also having a hard time coming to terms with his Mom having a boyfriend.
One night after Celeste, Colt's mom, goes out to dinner, Colton decides to go and look for his cat. He ends up in the woods by an old cabin. There are a lot of stories of ghosts and spooky things that happen at this cabin. Colt then sees a cougar and decides to hide in the cabin. Before long, everyone is looking for Colt. However, he attributes the sounds the others are making as the stories he has heard. He is finally rescued by his father and his girlfriend. His parents then try to work things out that will be in Colt's best interest.
Review by Karen Manning, Library Media Assistant, Lincoln Elementary School
Rating: ★★★★★
Interest Level: Grades 4-7
Smoke
Farrar, Straus and Giroux
164 pages
ISBN: 978-0-374-37085-5
Release Date: Mar 31, 2009
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Book Reviews -
Elementary Fiction
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Written by Peter Howe, Illustrated by Omar Rayyan
 Waggit is determined to find his way back home to Central Park after a human he trusted left him far away on a farm. He breaks his chain and finds an unusual human who can talk to him through his mind, which earns his trust and helps him back "Home." There he becomes a leader among his peers.
Review by Leanna Griffiths, Library Media Assistant, Crestview Elementary School
Rating: ★★★★½
Interest Level: Grades 3-6
Waggit Again
HarperCollins
292 pages
ISBN: 978-0-06-124264-9
Release Date: Apr 28, 2009
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Book Reviews -
Elementary Fiction
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Written by Jacqueline Wilson, Illustrated by Nick Sharratt
 Born on the same day in the same hospital, Gemma and Alice are best friends. Gemma is a tomboy that acts up in school, while Alice is a proper student and loves anything pink. Although they may be complete opposites, nothing ever comes between their friendship, until Alice has to move hundreds of miles away. Follow Gemma as she learns how to survive her best friend leaving. The illustrations are fun and are great to use for predicting what will happen in the next chapter. The characters in the book are believable and the story is one that many can sympathize with. The terminology in the book can be a little confusing for those that are not familiar with British English. The use of the term "sex maniac" was not appreciated in a book for younger children. Overall the book was fun and engaging.
Review by Lisa Grieve, 4th Grade Teacher, Robert Frost Elementary School
Rating: ★★★★✩
Interest Level: Grades 3-6
Best Friends
Roaring Brook Press
229 pages
ISBN: 978-1-59643-278-9
Release Date: Sep 30, 2008
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Book Reviews -
Elementary Fiction
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Written by Carl Hiaasen
 Scat is a story about an unpopular High School biology teacher and a few of her students who help save an endangered mama black panther and her cubs in the swamps of Florida. Not a very interesting story, really, but what motivated me to keep reading was the bit of intrigue and mystery woven into the theme of helping endangered animals and good overcoming evil. I think upper elementary and junior high students would enjoy this book, even though it is about high school students.
Review by Becky Shaap, School Technology Specialist, Twin Peaks and Woodstock Elementary Schools
Rating: ★★★½✩
Interest Level: Grades 6-8
Scat
Knopf
371 pages
ISBN: 978-0-375-83486-8
Release Date: Jan 27, 2009
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Book Reviews -
Elementary Fiction
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Written by Megan McDonald
 The best things come in threes – knife, fork, spoon; lights, camera, action. It’s the rule of three. The three Reel sisters are best friends and even have their own sisters club with secret handshakes and everything. But then two of the sisters, Stevie and Alex, both decide to try out for the lead in the school musical. What happens next is a story of sisterhood at its best. How do you love your sister and keep peace in the family when you are so angry and/or jealous? This is a sweet little story with a great moral.
Review by Vala'dee Tanner, Library Media Assistant, Rosecrest Elementary School
Rating: ★★★★★
Interest Level: Grades 3-6
Rule of Three (The Sisters Club Series)
Candlewick Press
234 pages
ISBN: 978-0-7636-4153-5
Release Date: Aug 11, 2009
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Book Reviews -
Elementary Fiction
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Written by Elise Broach, Illustrated by Kelly Murphy
 A great book for all ages! A book about true friendship between James and Marvin, the beetle that lives in James' kitchen cupboard. Marvin draws James a birthday picture that is absolutely beautiful. James takes all the credit for this piece of art. James and Marvin work together to catch an art thief. Marvin catches the art thief, but he's a beetle. What will he do now? A fast read for all, and wonderfully written.
Review by Tawnya Albertson, Library Media Assistant, Jackling Elementary School
Rating: ★★★★★
Interest Level: Grades 2-6
Marvin, a beetle, lives with his family under the kitchen sink in a New York apartment. James, an eleven year old boy, lives in that same apartment. After James receives a pen and ink art set, Marvin surprises him by drawing a detailed miniature picture. Everyone thinks that James made the drawing. Then one thing leads to another and Marvin and James find themselves in the middle of complicated situation and a mystery to solve.
Review by Cindy Moyle, District Library Media Specialist, Granite School District
Rating: ★★★★✩
Interest Level: Grades 5+
Masterpiece
Henry Holt
304 pages
ISBN: 978-0-8050-8270-8
Release Date: September 2008
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Book Reviews -
Elementary Fiction
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Written by Mike Lupica
 Keith "Hutch" Hutchenson is a fourteen year old who LOVES baseball. He play short stop and loves it because it keeps him in the middle of the action. His dream is to attend a private baseball school up north and make it to the major leagues. His father was once a triple A player who had his heart broken by the game. In the past he was Hutch's biggest fan, but now does little to encourage Hutch in his dreams of making it big in baseball. Hutch is the team captain and takes his baseball very seriously. One day Hutch is moved to second base because Daryl Williams or 'D-Will' is on his team. he is very talented and the coach wants him to play short stop. Hutch decides he must do what is best for the team. I think that any boy that has an interest in baseball will love this book. The character of Hutch is very likable and the story is intriguing.
Review by Cindy Dunn, District Library Media Specialist, Granite School District
Rating: ★★★★✩
Interest Level: Grades 5-9
The Big Field
Puffin Books / Penguin Group
243 pages
ISBN: 978-0-14-241910-6
Release Date: Feb 5, 2009
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Book Reviews -
Elementary Fiction
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Written by Lynda B. Comerford
 "Being your own person doesn't alway make you a hero. I know on account of what happened to me this year when I started middle school."
Eleven-year-old Clarissa "Rissa" Bartholomew has a rough start as middle school begins. She manages to "leave the herd" in a way that leaves her struggling to decide who her real friends are and what friendship even is. Rissa relies on her older sister for some strategic hints during a few crises, but must go it alone on some others.
This book is a fun read for those who like realistic fiction. It focuses on relationships among girls of age eleven or so and has a positive message.
Review by Julie Johnsson, Library Media Assistant, Oakwood Elementary School
Rating: ★★★★✩
Interest Level: Grades 4-6
Rissa Bartholomew's Declaration of Independence
Scholastic Press
250 pages
ISBN: 978-0-545-05058-6
Release Date: May 1, 2009
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