The Earth Dragon Awakes

Yep, Laurence. 2006. The Earth Dragon Awakes: The San Francisco Earthquake of 1906. HarperCollins Publishers. New York, New York. ISBN 0060275251

This book has fictional characters but is based on actual events from the San Francisco Earthquake of 1906. Laurence Yep created two families of different cultures to easily represent different cultures and areas of San Francisco. The story is written like a journal revealing the events of each day at each character’s house. At the end of the book there are some actual photographs that help the reader to understand how San Francisco looked after this tragic event. I liked that the author included footnotes to explain a few things in the book. I was amazed at the number of people that fled the city and then I read the footnote that this was the largest number of people that had to leave a city due to a natural disaster until Hurricane Katrina. This fact that was included in a footnote helps readers put this disaster into perspective with a natural disaster that we just witnessed in our own lives. This book is a great addition to any children’s library as it puts a historical event in a story form that kids can understand and relate to.

Cracker: The Best Dog in Vietnam

Kadohata, Cynthia. 2007. Cracker: The Best Dog in Vietnam. Antheneum. New York, New York. ISBN 1416906371

Cracker, a beloved dog of a young boy named Willie, must be given away due to a recent move to an apartment with pet restrictions. Willie and his family agree to donate this German Shepherd to a military canine unit where he will help sniff out booby traps in the Vietnam war. Cynthia Kadohata effectively reveals the love between the boy and his dog leaving readers heart broken when Cracker is taken off by the military. Cracker is resistant to the change initially but soon begins to take to his handler, Rick.

Island of the Blue Dolphins

O’Dell, Scott. [1987] 1960. Island of the Blue Dolphins. Bantam, Doubleday Dell Books for Young Readers. New York, New York. ISBN 0440439884

This is the story of a young girl, Karana, who lived all alone on The Island of the Blue Dolphins for many years. It is based upon the real life story of a 12 year old girl who was left on an island for eighteen years. She was left alone when her tribe jumped aboard ships and migrated away. Karana was on the ship until she noticed her brother was still on the island and no one would go back to get him. She knew she couldn’t leave her brother all alone so she jumped off and headed back. Soon after they were left all alone Karana’s brother was attacked and killed by the wild dogs. Karana waits for the day that another ship will come and rescue her but in the meantime she makes friends with wild animals, avoids her enemies when they come ashore to hunt otter, and sets up her own house with all of the things she needs to survive. This is an amazing story of courage, perseverance, and love.

Bud, Not Buddy

Curtis, Christopher Paul. 1999. Bud, Not Buddy. Scholastic. New York, New York. ISBN 0439227534

Bud, an orphan, sets out to find his father with clues his mother left when she passed away. This book takes place during the depression and in a time period when it was very difficult to be a successful black man. Bud tries to walk two hundred and seventy miles to get to where he thinks his dad might be but he is stopped by a man named “Lefty” who gives him a ride to where he needs to be. The person Bud thinks is his father, Herman E Calloway, later turns out to be his grandfather. This story has several events that take place to show the racial tension such as when Lefty picks Bud up off the side of the road and explains how dangerous it is for a black boy to be walking the streets in the middle of the night, and the fact that Mr. Calloway has land that he owns that is under a white man’s name because black people can’t own property. This story is intriguing and causes readers to continue reading in hopes of seeing Bud succeed. This story has won some prestigious awards including the Coretta Scott King Award and the John Newberry Medal. The author states that the story is fiction but is based upon some real people and events of this time period.

Gooney Bird Greene

Lowry, Lois. 2002. Gooney Bird Greene. Houghton Mifflin Company. New York, New York. ISBN 0618238484

A new student, Gooney Bird Greene, with her own unique style joins a new second grade class after a recent move. Gooney Bird is a captivating storyteller that soon mesmerizes her entire class with her “absolutely true” stories. Lois Lowry created a great visual of the classroom by describing the actions of every student in the classroom and giving them each a personality. Readers will enjoy the school setting, storytelling format, and Gooney’s uniqueness. Gooney Bird’s story titles will cause readers to try to predict what will happen in the story since it has to be absolutely true. This easy chapter book will capture the attention of young readers.

Attaboy Sam!

Lowry, Lois. 1992. ATTABOY, SAM!. Houghton Mifflin Company. Boston. ISBN 0395615887

This story is heartwarming as Sam, a preschooler, desires to make a present for his mother’s birthday while helping his sister, Anastasia, with her poem for their mom. Sam’s homemade perfume is a disaster and so are all of the other homemade presents his family worked on. In the end, Sam saves the day with a kitten he snuck into the house and is able to give his mom for her birthday. The black and white illustrations by Diane de Groat are a great accent as the homemade perfume is created. With each drawing the reader is able to visualize and understand the odd concoction Sam is brewing. The plot is humorous but I wonder how much a chapter book reader will enjoy a book about a preschooler’s escapades.

So B. It

Weeks, Sarah. 2004. So B. It. HarperCollins Publishers. New York, New York. ISBN 032943067X

Heidi, born to a mentally disabled woman, knows nothing of her family, father, or even her birthday. She was taken in by a woman, Bernadette, who lived connected to their apartment. Heidi finds a few clues of her mother’s past and is insistent to leave and go to New York to check out a place that her mother had a picture of. Heidi’s natural luck allows her to get bus tickets to New York and back and Bernadette allows her to go after several arguments. The trip is not what Heidi bargained for but she is desperate to know more about her life. This is a heartwarming story about a girl’s love for her mother and a deep desire to understand her and the life she had before. This book is engaging with a plot that is continually driving the reader to turn to the next page. Sarah Weeks has created lifelike characters that will draw readers in emotionally as they connect to Heidi’s life experiences and questions.

Penderwicks

Birdsall, Jeanne. 2005. The Penderwicks: a summer tale of four sisters, two rabbits, and a very interesting boy. Knopf Distributed by Random House. New York, New York. ISBN 0375831436

This book will be a favorite of older elementary and younger middle school girls. The plot of this story is a Penderwick family vacation at the large estate of the Tifton family. The story is filled with mishaps, secrets, and humor as the four girls interact with the Tifton’s and the workers in the Arundel estate. What makes this story so appealing is the real life situations the Penderwick sisters find themselves in (examples include: falling in love with a boy, standing up for yourself to an adult, losing a pet and a sibling, helping a friend in need) and the characterization that Birdsall creates. Each girl has a specific personality trait that makes them different from their sisters. These character traits are carried out throughout the entire story making the story flow together so readers can easily follow the plot. By the end of the book readers will be cheering for Jeffrey and begging Birdsall for a sequel so they can see what happens next.