Every Thing On It by Shel Silverstein

Every Thing on It by Shel Silverstein

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


There are times when posthumous publication of an author's work is a bad thing.

But that is certainly not the case with Every Thing on It by Shel Silverstein. Hurray hurray!

I think it would be a great choice for Joliet Reads - definitely for grades 4 and 5, maybe for third graders.







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Intriguing Chapter Books....

First of all, here's a book that fits into the "good so far, but I haven't read many pages yet category":

Secrets at Sea by Richard Peck

Here are some chapter books that committee members found intriguing but hadn't yet read:

The Secret Spiral by Gillian Neimark, The Ogre of Oglefort by Eva Ibbotson, Charlie Joe Jackson's Guide to Not Reading by Tommy Greenwald, Theodore Boone: The Abduction by John Grisham, Aliens on Vacation by Clete Barrett Smith, Chronicles of the Red King: The Secret Kingdom by Jenny Nimmo and The Lemonade Crime by Jacqueline Davies.

These books were ruled out: Hound Dog True by Linda Urban, The Unforgotten Coat by Frank Cottrell Boyce and Waiting for the Magic by Patricia MacLachlan. (Hound Dog True was a quiet book that might not appeal to a broad audience, The Unforgotten Coat had British phrases and situations that the kids might not understand, and Waiting for the Magic was a bit too quirky.)

Hound Dog True

Here is the information from Good Reads:


Hound Dog True by Linda Urban
Hound Dog True 3.94 Rating details: 82 ratings and 38 reviews

Do not let a mop sit overnight in water.Fix things before they get too big for fixing.Custodial wisdom: Mattie Breen writes it all down. She has just one week to convince Uncle Potluck to take her on as his custodial apprentice at Mitchell P. Anderson Elementary School. One week until school starts and she has to be the new girl again. But if she can be Uncle Potluck’s apprentice, she'll have important work to do during lunch and recess. Work that will keep her safely away from the other fifth-graders.

But when her custodial wisdom goes all wrong, Mattie's plan comes crashing down. And only then does she begin to see how one small, brave act can lead to a friend who is hound dog true.

Hardcover, 176 pages
Published September 19th 2011 by Harcourt Children's Books


I was not able to accurately evaluate this book because I was in a very very grouchy mood when I read it. Other people whose opinions I respect have loved it, and I think it could be a good choice for Joliet Reads. (And joy of joys, only 176 pages!)

The Unforgotten Coat

The Unforgotten Coat by Frank Cottrell Boyce

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


A definite Joliet Reads possibility for students in fourth and fifth grade, this book packs a powerful punch in less than 100 pages!







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Turtle in Paradise

Turtle in Paradise by Jennifer L. Holm

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


My daughter strongly recommended that I read this book. I must admit that the child has good taste!

Turtle has been sent to Key West, Florida to stay with her aunt's family during the Great Depression. But no worries that boys won't like the book due to the female protagonist - it turns out that her cousins are all rambunctious boys who she joins on adventures. Turtle may never be the same....

This would be a good readaloud for students in fourth and fifth grade. A nice bonus: it was a 2011 Newbery Honor Book.







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The Cheshire Cheese Cat

I spent last night reading The Cheshire Cheese Cat: A Dickens of a Tale by Carmen Agra Deedy and Randall Wright, with drawings by Barry Moser.

The Cheshire Cheese Cat: A Dickens of a Tale by Carmen Agra Deedy

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


It's a fantasy (talking animals) and historical fiction (Charles Dickens and Queen Victoria make appearances). There's a cheese-loving cat who becomes friends with a mouse named Pip (who can, by the way, read). Good vs. evil, a mysterious visitor and the best cheese in London. Who knew life in a British pub could be so exciting?

This is a strong candidate for Joliet Reads, in the ever so difficult fourth and fifth grade category. Students do not need to understand the Charles Dickens puns/references to enjoy the book, but they'll be a nice bonus for the teachers reading the book out loud!









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Sugar and Ice

What would you do if you were an ice skater given the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to train in Lake Placid, NY? The obvious answer is to shout "Hurray!" and start skating. But choices aren't always that clear. How much would you be willing to give up for that incredible opportunity? Time with her family on their farm? Friends? Parties? Math competitions?

These are the decisions that Claire Boucher must make in Sugar and Ice by Kate Messner.

Very good book. At 271 pages, it is a bit long for Joliet Reads. I think the sports emphasis compensates for it having a female protagonist. It also raises some interesting questions about the price of fame (and the pursuit of excellence) - things to think about during the 2012 Olympics!

Choices for Grades 4-5

Our committee is considering these choices for fourth and fifth grades:

Extra Credit by Andrew Clements
The Magician's Elephant by Kate DiCamillo
Igraine the Brave by Cornelia Funke
Odd and the Frost Giants by Neil Gaiman
Return of the Homework Machine by Dan Gutman
Zoobreak by Gordon Korman
Flight of the Phoenix (Beastologist, Book 1) by R.L. LaFevers
The Maze of Bones (39 Clues, Book 1) by Rick Riordan
A Crooked Kind of Perfect by Linda Urban


I'm not sure if we're considering this book due to its length, but various committee members have read:

11 Birthdays by Wendy Mass


The greatest challenge of finding readalouds for fourth and fifth graders is finding recent books they will enjoy that are 200 pages or less. The chapter books for that age group have gotten so lengthy in recent years!