How did Johnny Littlehorn from Wyoming end up spending the summer in a little village in France? First he broke his leg so badly that no one could fix it, then his father came home from World War II and decided that European army surgeons should give it a try, and then his mother decided everyone should go visit her birthplace–that French town of St. Charmant. Johnny thinks that France will be boring, but little does he know what’s in store for him.
A strange, sinister man follows Johnny around Paris, and then to St. Charmant. Even worse, Johnny discovers that a Nazi spy is hiding in the mountains above the town, plotting against the villagers and Johnny’s own family.
This book was originally published in 1946, but is just as exciting today as on it’s first day out. Johnny is an engaging narrator and the story itself engrossing. Will Johnny’s French uncle finish building his avion (airplane)? Will Charles and Suzanne’s mother lose their vinyard? Will le Maire get back at Johnny for the Pig Incident? Will the Nazi in the hills get his way and ruin everything for the village?
Truly interesting, and a great read, this book–a Newbery Honor for 1947–would be enjoyed by any child who likes adventure or spy stories. (Plus, this book uses so much French that any reader will learn a lot of it just through context).
Posted by: Sarah
The Police Cloud is satisfying story for any child who dreams of being a police officer. The story starts with the swearing in of a cloud that is eager to help people and wear a big blue hat. The cute, retro drawings illustrate the difficulties a cloud faces on the police force. After a trying day on the job, the police cloud finds a better way to use his talents to serve the city. Also, a great read for units on community helpers.
Pay no attention to the cover in the mirror. I know the cover is yucky, but the story between the covers is wonderful! It is the story of a young boy named Kip who is off to stay with his grandmother and a whole host of girl cousins while his mom and new stepfather go on their honeymoon. Unhappy at the thought of losing his mom, and in a place where he has never been before, Kip is a little unsettled until he finds a special notebook belonging to his dad. Between reading it, building a yurt, and having quite a bit of fun with his cousins, Kip learns about his past, his present, and what the future might hold for him. A heartwarming story, Ellis crafts the tale of a young boy on the cusp of a major change in his life and how he deals with it. There are some zany characters that make this more than just a coming of age type of tale and some great scenes. (they get to write on the walls in his grandmother’s house in marker since it is to be sold and torn down at the end of the summer!)
We all need wake-up calls at some points in our lives and this could be yours concerning global warming. This adaptation of Al Gore’s bestselling book is aimed at a very important audience — young people. Although the crisis, the problem, is for each and every one of us, this book is aimed at today’s youth at a reading level that makes scientific explanations very understandable. Young people may have heard the term global warming and that it is a threat to our planet, but a dire concept like that is often difficult to understand and something so scary to our future that it is uncomfortable to think about. Hence, the title, “inconvenient truth”.
I think that every family has food issues.
This picture book first caught my eye because of the picture on the cover of a red- headed girl on a scooter with a pig, and it is just as cute and clever inside. Throughout the book, the question is asked “would you rather . . .” do one thing over the other, and the list of options are often silly and thought provoking at the same time. One example is: would you rather help . . . a fairy make magic, gnomes dig for treasure, an imp be naughty, a witch make stew, or Santa Claus deliver presents? Also, would you rather live with . . . a gerbil in a cage, a fish in a bowl, a parrot on a perch, a rabbit in a hutch, chickens in a coop, or a dog in a kennel? Which would YOU rather?
This is a true story that begins with a disaster and ends with the remarkable and unlikely friendship between a hippo and a tortoise.
Black and white cows and black and white newspapers tie the four stories in this book into one fun to read picture book. The pictures won it the Caldecott Medal in 1991. Some find it confusing, I found it amusing. Read the stories independently, read them together, study the pictures and see what you think.
