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