The Kite Runner

Author: Khaled Hosseini

Award:  Challenged Book

The Kite Runner is about a little boy named Hassan.  His father serves Amir's (Hassan's best friend) father.  The story is about their life together in the streets of Kabul.  The story takes a turn when Amir sits and watches as Hassan is abused.  This part of the book was very disturbing to me to say the least.  Amir eventually comes to America and always looks back and thinks of Hassan and what has happened to him. 
One of my college friends read this book and gave it to me quite awhile ago.  I never got around to reading it until I saw it on the challenged book list.  I did like the book, but didn't like parts of it.  I can completely understand why it was on the challenged book list. 

Hosseini, K. The Kite Runner. Riverhead Trade, 2004.

ISBN:  9781594480003

A Is for Art: An Abstract Alphabet.

Author: Stephen T. Johnson

Award: Notable Book Award

A Is for Art: An Abstract Alphabet is a wonderful book filled with ABC's for older kids.  This is not an early reader kind of book like I would think the name would suggest.  Each page has a photo of some art, like a sculptor or a painting. The author then created a description of that art work using the letter on the page.  The description uses mostly words beginning with that focus letter.  The words are for older kiddos. 
I made the mistake one day in my Kindergarten class of thinking I would read this book to my kids without reading it myself before hand.  I opened it up and read the first page, and was NOT pleasantly surprised by how it is NOT your typical ABC book.  It is a neat book with great letter usage, and wonderful artwork.  It is just not for younger students.

Johnson, S. A is for Art: An Abstract Alphabet.  Simon & Schuster/Paula Wiseman Books, 2008.

ISBN: 9780689863011

Catalina Magdalena Hoopensteiner Wallendiner Hogan Logan Bogan Was Her Name

Author:  Tedd Arnold

Award: New York Times Best Seller

Catalina Magdalena Hoopensteiner Wallendiner Hogan Logan Bogan Was Her Name is a book about a little girl who has everything going against her.  She is lanky, awkward, her eyes go in different directions, he legs aren't the same length and more.  When she grows up, she is still different, yet gets married to a guy named Smith.  This is the funniest book.  I read it to my class EVERY year, sometimes more than once.  All of my students know this is my most favorite book.  On a good day, I might even sing it to them. My book even has huge google eyes on the front cover.  Love it!

Arnold, T. Catalina Magdalena Hoopensteiner Wallendiner Hogan Logan Bogan Was Her Name.   Scholastic, 2006.

ISBN: 9780590109944

Bud Not Buddy

Author:  Christopher Paul Curtis

Award: Newbery Award Winner 2000

Bud 'not Buddy' is a story about a little boy who is 10.  His mother has died, and his foster homes have been anything but desirable.  Bud 'not Buddy' has a poster of a musician that when his mother looked at it, she had gotten very upset.  Bud decided this was his father so he goes off in search of him.  The story tells of his trials along the way. 
This book was one our family listened to on CD on a trip to Nebraska for Christmas many years ago.  When I brought it home from the library, my kids wanted me to read it out loud so they could hear it again.  It brought back quite a few memories of the trip.  Funny how a good book can bring a whole family together.

Curtis, C.P. Bud Not Buddy. Laurel Leaf, 2004.

ISBN: 9780553494105

Cook A Doodle Doo

Author: Janet Stevens, and Susan Stevens Crummel

Award: Bluebonnet Nominee

Big Brown Hen is tired of eating chicken feed all day long every day.  So she looks around and finds her grandma's cookbook.  This is the tale of Big Brown Hen going through the cookbook.  It is funny, and has great pictures.  There is also a learning part, as the book itself has recipes, and hints on how to cook throughout.  We had Janet and Susan come to our school for an author visit when the book first came out.  I have signed copies for both my daughter and son.  Hopefully when they become parents, they will enjoy reading this book and doing a little cooking with their little ones!

Stevens, J. and Crummel, S. Cook A Doodle Doo.  Sandpiper, 2005.

ISBN: 9780152056582

Song and Dance Man

Author: Karen Ackerman

Award: Caldecott Winner 1989

Grandpa and the kids are in the attic looking through all the wonderful treasures up there.  He finds a trunk with his old vaudeville days clothing.  He performs for his grand kids as they watch and enjoy the show of their grandpa reliving the 'olden days'.  This is a cute book.  The pictures are well drawn, but I think if there was more detail, it would add the story so much more.  I don't know, the story line is great, but I think it is the pictures that just kind of turned me off to this story.  I have read it in my classroom before, the kids liked it, but there is just something about it. 

Ackerman, K. Song and Dance Man. Dragonfly Books, 1992.

ISBN: 9780679819950 

Interrupting Chicken

Author: David Ezra Stein

Award: Caldecott Honor Book

Little Red Chicken is listening to her papa read a bed time story.  Well...listening is stretching it a bit.  Papa wants to read the book, but Little Red Chicken can't seem to be quiet, she has to interrupt to warn the characters about the bad parts in the book.  Papa is tired and just wants to be done, so he decides to have Little Red Chicken write a book of her own.  I like this book because when Little Red Chicken writes her book, it looks like and sounds like a kid wrote the words.  This is a great inspirational book for young writers!

Stein, D.E. Interrupting Chicken. Candlewick Press, 2010.

ISBN: 9780763641689

Fiesta Babies

Author: Carmen Tafolla

Award:  Pura Belpré Honor Book
Fiesta Babies is a cute picture book with rhyming words which talk about traditional Hispanic traditions with maracas, and pinatas.  They dance and sing during their fiesta.  The words are child friendly and the pictures are vibrant.  I like this book, it just makes me want to have a party!

Tafolla, C. Fiesta Babies. Tricycle Press, 2010.

ISBN: 9781582463193

Author: Diana Hutts Aston

Award: Coretta Scott King Award

Mae and her family build a rocket ship to sit in while they watch the real landing on the moon.  Mae decides she want to be an astronaut.  Her grandfather supports her in her dream.  This was a cute book, but what got me were the pictures.  They were beautiful.  It also has a great message of follow your dreams.

Aston, D. The Moon Over Star. Dial Books, 2008.

ISBN: 9780803731073 

Junie B. Jones

Author: Barbara Park

Most Challenged List

Junie B. Jones is on the most challenged list of children's books because she says what she thinks, and doesn't always obey her parents and other elders.  She calls her teacher Mrs. "because I just like Mrs.  that's all".  Even though these books are on the most challenged list, I do read them in my class.  Junie B.  does talk like the kids in Kindergarten, in this 'epidsode' she is afraid to ride the bus.  She has been told big kids will pour chocolate milk on her head...so she hides in the classroom only to find herself locked in the school after hours.  She goes on a secret mission to look around the school where she finds dangerous places like the nurses office.  Only when she has an 'emergency' and can not get into the bathroom, does she call 911 and is rescued.  This book is filled with giggles, and common happenings in a Kindergarten classroom.  Junie B. is just one of the gang.

Park, B. Junie B. Jones and the Stupid Smelly Bus. Random House Books, 1992.

ISBN: 9780679826422

Lawn Boy

Author: Gary Paulsen

Award: Bluebonnet Award

This book is written in first person.  I looked throughout the book and never did find the boys' name who was telling the story.  He was given an old lawnmower for his birthday, one that had belonged to his grandfather.  With it he began to mow lawns.  Before long his business was so big, he had to hire some people to work for him.  With the help of his neighbor, he invested some of his money.  It made money, which made money, which made more money.  He used some of that to invest in a prize fighter.  Who made more money.  This book is a boys dream of how his lawn business would grow.  Before the end of the summer he had made over four hundred eighty thousand dollars.  All from a rickety old lawn mower.  What a dream!

Paulsen, G. Lawn Boy. Wendy Lamb Books, 2007.

ISBN: 9780385746861 

Author: Suzanne Collins

Award:  The New York Times Best Seller

Katness and Peeta are fighting for their life.  They live in a world that is beyond ours.  Where the United States 'used to be'.  Peeta was chosen at random to fight in the games, to be a 'saviour' of sorts for his district.  Katness however was not chosen, she took the place of her sister, and fought in her place.  I enjoyed this book.  Yes, it is sadistic, disgusting and brutal, but it makes me think back to when I was younger, there was a movie out called "Lottery".  I always wanted to win the lottery, but instead of winning money, or fame, the winner was stoned to death.  The Hunger Games kind of reminded me of this movie.  Instead of winning food, rations and fame for their district, they lost 2 of their own.  They were forced to fight to the death in hopes of rewards in the end. 

After reading this book, I was very surprised to think I found it in our elementary school library.  In fact there were a couple copies as well as the other books in the series.  I guess because of it's graphic details.  I have not read the other books as of yet, but will in the near future to find out how they are as well.

Collins, S. (2008). The hunger games. New York: Scholastic.

ISBN: 9780439023528

Mr. Popper's Penguins

Authors: Richard and Florence Atwater

Challenged Book

I loved every minute while reading Mr. Popper's Penguins.  I did this kind of backwards, I saw the movie, which made me want to read the book.  I can't believe this is on the challenged book list.  Mr. Popper was entertaining and after reading this book, I wanted to go out and get a penguin for my very own.  I guess having penguins taken out of their natural environment would be considered problematic which could cause controversy.  But I do think students would understand that just because he had penguins living with him does not mean it is OK for everyone to go out and get a penguin.  This was a well written and highly entertaining book!

Atwater, R., & Atwater, F. (1938). Mr. Popper's Penguins. New York, NY: Little Brown and Company.

ISBN: 9780316186469

The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales

Author: Jon Scieszka, and Lane Smith

Award: Blue Bonnet award 1995

The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales is a book filled with traditional fairy tales only...with a twist.  The old fairy tales have been tweaked and twisted to make them more entertaining and inviting for kiddos to want to read. 

Scieszka, J & Smith, L. (1992). The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales. New York, NY: Viking.

ISBN: 9780670844876