Ordinary Hazards by Nikki Grimes

A Memoir
Through poetry and free verse, Ms. Grimes shares her story from her early years through teen years.  As she deals with a very sick mother ( paranoid schizophrenia and alcoholic), a father and an extended family who abandon her, her mother's boyfriend who is sexually abusive, foster care, she still discovers God's grace and light in the darkness.  A teacher also encourages her to write which sends her on her future path and "calling".
As I read this memoir, I was so sad and angry that a child would have to endure such hardship.  I was also amazed how she poured out her heart to God with honesty and did not abandon hope in Him.

The library system has this book labeled "YA"-young adult (see warnings).
Warnings: Ms. Grimes relates her life story with honesty and includes many topics that are not for the sensitive reader: drug abuse, alcohol abuse, abandonment, sexual abuse (told in detail), bullies/gangs (graphic violence), swearing

Stubby A True Story of Friendship by Michael Foreman

A dog joins an American group of soldiers while they are training.  He especially likes Corporal Robert Conroy, who adopts him for life.
Stubby performs many heroic deeds and almost dies.   Readers will fall in love with the adorable dog!
Warning: The author describes in detail  how Stubby is blasted through the air from a bomb and how he is covered in mud and blood.  Sensitive readers may be disturbed by this event and the details.   Book sellers have it labeled for preschool-third grade, but with the description of Stubby becoming hurt and the topic of war, I would recommend it for third through sixth grade. 
Pair with Sergeant Billy by Mireille Messier (compare/contrast).
-Borrowed from the library.

Sergeant Billy by Mireille Messier illustrated by Kass Reich

The True Story of THE GOAT Who Went to War
On their way to training, Canadian soldiers stop at a prairie town and end up taking a girl's pet goat with them as a mascot.  They manage to smuggle "Billy" along with them.  Not only does Billy build morale, but he also helps capture an enemy and head-butts soldiers into a trench before a shell explodes.  He is sent home as a hero! 
Are there other children's books about World War I human heroes?  I have not read many, but hope authors are taking time to write about the men and women who sacrificed their lives.
-Borrowed from the library.
Pair with Stubby A True Story of Friendship by Michael Foreman (compare/contrast).

The Wish Giver by Bill Brittain*

Award Winner- A Newbery Honor Book
My aunt gave this book to me as a Christmas gift when I was twelve years old, and I still have it!  My ten year old son pulled it off our shelves for our next read aloud.  He loved it! My twelve year even enjoyed it!
At the annual church social, Thaddeus Blinn sets up a tent, selling wishes for fifty cents a piece.  Polly, Rowena, Adam and Stew Meat enter the tent and end up buying a card with a red dot.  When they want to wish, all they have to do is press the red to and state their wish.
The first three make their wishes and . . .they do come true, but not how they imagined!  How can they undo their wishes?!
My son and I had a few discussions about what each person learned and which characters we liked and disliked and why.
*Highly recommend, but read my warnings:
Warnings: In the prologue, Stew Meat shares how their town, Coven Tree, was named after the term given to a group of witches-"coven". He also mentions "Satan's spawn" and how folks have seen the Devil walk through town, looking for souls to claim.  There are no more references like this in the rest of the book.  The characters are mainly teenagers so there is a bit of romance, but nothing explicit.  Some readers may find a man slowly turning into a tree a bit creepy!

Midsummer's Mayhem by Rajani LaRocca

Mimi is tired of being in the shadow of her older and talented siblings.  When she sees an opportunity to enter a baking contest in her hometown with the grand prize of meeting and baking with her favorite pastry chef, she plunges into the competition.
Ms. LaRoccca weaves in the story line from Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream, which was so fun.  I found it delightful to read a book that mixes magic, realism, family, cultural food and Shakespeare. 
A couple of recipes are included at the end along with baking terms, herb/spice definitions and Indian food descriptions.
-Borrowed from the library.

Guts by Raina Telgemeier *

Ms.Telgemeier relates accounts from her fourth and fifth grade years as she struggles with IBS, anxiety and panic attacks. 
With humor yet with sensitivity, she brings to light the thoughts and difficulties all of these issues bring to a person's life.  She also reinforces that a lot more people exist who struggle this way than we realize. 
*Highly recommend.
-Borrowed from the library.
See also Smile and Sisters for more books about her childhood and family life.
Points to discuss: anxiety, panic attacks, IBS, menstruation

The Vanderbeekers to the Rescue by Karina Yan Glaser*

We own this entire series.
I gave this book to my ten year old son for his birthday.  This series is one of his favorites (& mine)!

Over spring break, the Vanderbeekers have specific plans.  Oliver is building a tree house with his Uncle Arthur and Isa is practicing for her violin audition.  The most exciting event, however, is Perch magazine coming to interview Mama about her baking business.  Then Mr. West shows up for an inspection,  and by accident the kids cause Mama to lose her baking license. So they scheme without any adult supervision how to schedule another inspection before the Perch interview.  Then animals begin to mysteriously appear at their front steps.
The entire book only covers a six day period.  The plot moves along at good pace.  Ms. Glaser seems to know when to slow down and describe an event in great detail (usually she highlights the humor in the situation when she does this!).    She knows how to craft a superb story with likable characters.
My son and I had a couple of questions throughout the entire book that really propelled us to keep reading.
 I liked this one better than the second book.  It is tied with book number one!  We are looking forward to book number four The Vanderbeekers Lost and Found, which is coming out in 2020.
*Highly recommend.
-We own this book.

Liar and Spy by Rebecca Stead*

Ms. Stead is a superb writer.  She creates a story that pulls in the reader.  The endings are surprising and clever.
Georges (you do not pronounce the "s") and his parents sell their home in NYC and move to an apartment building because his dad lost his job.  The day they move into the building, Georges and his father see an announcement for a spy club meeting.  Jokingly, his father writes on the sign "what time?".  To their surprise, someone replies with a time.  Georges shows up for the meeting and thus begins the friendship with Safer.  George is thankful for a friend (boys pick on him relentlessly at school), but is he willing to do the extreme tasks Safer begins to require? 
A wonderful story of friendship and being confident in the person you are.
*Highly recommend.
-Borrowed from the library. 
Warning: swear word-"dn", bullies are really cruel

The Uncommon Reader by Alan Bennett

I liked the setting/idea (England, the Queen of England) of this book and how it celebrates reading.  It, however, had quite a few references to homosexuality and one subtle reference to bestiality.  Nothing was really explicit, but I did not finish the book due to these components. 

The Miscalculations of Lightning Girl by Stacy McAnulty

When Lucy was eight years old she was struck by lightning.  The strike caused brain damage . . . . she now has a condition called acquired savant syndrome.  She is a math genius.  For awhile she has been home schooled, but now her Nana, who has raised her since her mom died, decides she should attend public middle school.  Lucy protests, but her Nana is adamant. 
Lucy tries to blend in but her OCD (sit down, stand up two times before sitting and sanitizing everything) shouts her uniqueness in the classroom.  As a result, she decides to hide her mathematical genius.  Then a group project with her new friends Levi and Windy begins to show her that she has an identity beyond numbers and her OCD.
Ms. McAnulty develops her characters well and creates a compelling plot.  She also captures the middle school drama and angst well!  I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book!

Warning: Levi has two moms.  Although they are not main characters in the book and their relationship is not a focus at all, their relationship is mentioned a few times.  Levi is also considered a loser, partly because he had two moms. 

Birds of a Feather by Susan L. Roth

Bowerbirds and Me
Ms. Roth compares/contrasts herself to the creative bowerbird.
A perfect mentor book to model/reinforce compare/contrast and how to use a venn diagram.
Lots of information about Bowerbirds in the back.
Ms. Roth's collages are incredible.
-Borrowed from the library.

Extraordinary Landmarks by Izzi Howell

This book features famous buildings and landmarks that are well know throughout the world:
*Mount Rushmore
*Hoover Dam
*Statue of Liberty
*CN Tower
*Sydney Opera House
*London Eye
*Eiffel Tower
About four pages of text and photographs are allotted to each one.
-Borrowed from the library.

Building the Hoover Dam-Engineering Marvels by Elsie Olson

A very informative book about the history and construction of the Hoover Dam. 
Plenty of photographs support the text.
A must read before visiting the Hoover Dam.
-Borrowed from the library.

Edgar Allan Poe text set

For our October Poetry Tea we learned about Edgar Allan Poe and read aloud The Raven.  The boys also read some of his short stories to themselves.
Warning: dark themes, scary,  Some aspects of Poe's life are not admirable (if delving into his biography).
Some books/resources we used:

Ben's Revolution by Nathaniel Philbrick illustrated by Wendell Minor

Twelve year old Benjamin Russell witnesses the dramatic events between the Patriots and British in Boston in 1773-1776.  Based on historical documents, Mr. Philbrick relates how American independence began through a boy's point of view.
The chapters are short, action-packed and interspersed with full page or two page illustrations. 
Benjamin Russell was an actual boy during this time period who grew up to become a leading newspaperman.  He even served as representative in Massachusetts state legislature!
-Borrowed from the library.

How Happiness Happens by Max Lucado

I love Mr. Lucado's memorable illustrations and stories.  In his latest publication he focuses on the "one another" statements in the Bible as the key to happiness-
Encourage,  bear with one another (pet peeves), regard one another as more important, greet, pray, serve, accept, admonish, forgive and love.
-Borrowed from the library.

A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving DVD

We watched this DVD to add some fun to our study of the Separatists/Pilgrims and Strangers.  The Special Feature, The Mayflower Voyagers, help cement some of our learning.
Idea: While watching, eat toast, popcorn, pretzel sticks, jelly beans and drink juice.
-Borrowed from the library.

Hi, I'm Norman by Robert Burleigh illustrated by Wendell Minor

The Story of American Illustrator Norman Rockwell
Norman Rockwell is one of my favorite artists. 
Norman narrates (1st person) how his love for drawing began, how he developed his gift and then finally how he landed the privilege of having his illustrations on the Saturday Evening Post.  He also addresses how he handled the ugliness of the real world in his paintings.
*Highly recommend.
-Borrowed from the library.

Who Named Their Pony Macaroni? Poems About White House Pets by Marilyn Singer illustrated by Ryan McAmis

A wide variety of poem types about the different presidents and their pets.
Additional information containing the back story to each of the poems (presidential information and their pet stories) is included in the back.
Very interesting and fun!

The Hundred-Year Barn by Patricia MacLachlan illustrated by Kenard Pak

A man narrates the story of his family's barn building and how different generations have enjoyed its security and beauty. 
An endearing ending.
Strategy: inferring

Stormy by Guojing

A sweet, wordless book about a stray dog finding a home with a persistent, patient young woman.
-Borrowed from the library.

Born to Draw The Story of Charles Schulz and the Creation of Peanuts by Ginger Wadsworth illustrated by Craig Orback

This picture book biography is comprehensive, starting with Charlies Schulz's birth until Peanuts begins as a regular feature.  Readers learn what his childhood was like, including his struggles and also his young adult years before his dream of a cartoonist becomes a reality.
Ms. Wadsworth includes several difficult moments in his life-feeling awkward as a seventh grader (not having friends, doing poorly in school) and his mother's battle with cancer and her eventual death. 
The author's note reveals Schulz's life beyond where the biography ends. 
The illustrations depict the art trend for that time period.
-Borrowed from the library.

I Survived The Great Molasses Flood, 1919 #19 by Lauren Tarshis illustrated by Scott Dawson

Carmen and her father move from Italy to Boston after a tragic event in their hometown which has left Carmen's mother dead.  Unfortunately, her father catches the Spanish Influenza and dies.  Carmen moves in with her best friend, Tony.  When she and Tony are caught in the molasses flood, Carmen thinks she will be joining her parents in death.
Ms. Tarshis does a superb job of researching the time period and weaving interesting facts into the story.
I have read quite a few books about the Great Molasses Flood, but as I read this book, I began to understand the terror people must have felt who were caught in it.  Ms. Tarshis's word choice makes the reader feel like he/she is in the flood with Carmen.
In the back are sections with more historical facts.  Ms. Tarshis even includes a gingerbread recipe that has molasses as an ingredient.
*Highly recommend for reluctant readers or transitional readers.
-Borrowed from the library.

A Green Place to Be by Ashley Benham Yazdani*

Ms. Yazdani shares how Calvert Vaux and Frederick Law Olmsted win the design contest for New York City's Central Park and how they carefully oversee the installation of the plants/trees, roadways/pathways, blasting of rocks etc as the park is made into a reality.  Her inclusion of people enjoying the park adds a humor element.
My favorite detail was the bridges.  Two pages display the thirty-four bridges that were initially installed.  In the back Ms. Yazdani includes additional information about Vaux and Olmsted and historical facts about the time period.  She also suggests that the reader try to find gray squirrels and a wedding she included in the illustrations.
I read this aloud to my sons and our hairdresser.  She and I think it would be fun to go to Central Park and walk over/under all of the bridges, maybe take this book along as a pictorial guide!
*Highly recommend.
-Borrowed from the library.

The Wild Robot by Peter Brown*

Sarah Mackenzie featured this book on "book of the week" pick.  To be honest, the cover and a story about a robot did not appeal to me.   But because SHE recommended it, I decided to give it a chance! 
A ship crashes onto the rocky shores of an island.  Its cargo, robots, is smashed on the rocks.  One crate remains intact.  Some curious otters open the crate and activate the robot.  Soon the robot is exploring the island and trying to befriend the creatures.  After some false starts, the robot forms loyal friendships through her ingenuity and kindness.  Will the animals help her when she faces a terrifying situation?
I was amazed that Mr. Brown could combine sci-fi with nature/animals and create an entertaining, well-written story!  Robots and wild life do not seem like a likely pair!!
The chapters are very short.  This book will appeal to transitional readers and also reluctant readers. 
Although the story does not end perfectly, it leaves the reader feeling hopeful.
*Highly recommend.
-Borrowed from the library.
Warning: Violence may upset some younger sensitive readers.  Some animals die. A farmer shoots a beloved goose.  A robot war/battle scene is described.