Author/Illustrator: Wanda Gag
Year: 1928
Age Level: 4-8
Plot Summary: And old man and his wife are lonely but they get the idea that having a cat would be nice. So the old man sets out to find a cat, but he winds up finding millions of cat. He has a little trouble picking just one and so in the end all of the cats follow him home, leaving a wasteland behind them. The old man and his wife can't keep all the cats, so what are they going to do?
Red flags: Cat deaths.
My Rating: A. This is a great, really well done book. The pictures and text are nicely designed and integrated. The language is lively and appropriately repetitive.
Showing posts with label classics. Show all posts
Showing posts with label classics. Show all posts
Friday, December 5, 2008
The Tale of the Flopsy Bunnies
Author/Illustrator: Beatrix Potter
Year: 1909
Age Level: 4-8
Plot Summary: Benjamin Bunny and his little bunny family are out trying to find food. Peter Rabbit doesn't have any spare cabbages so they head to the infamous Mr. MacGregor's compost heap to find vegetables. Unfortunately the bunnies eat so much lettuce they fall right to sleep, and when Mr. MacGregor finds them, he has the idea to have bunny for dinner...
Red flags: Mr. MacGregor talks about chopping off bunny heads.
My Rating:A-. How can you not love Beatrix Potter? They're so cute and the stories are charming and funny.
Year: 1909
Age Level: 4-8
Plot Summary: Benjamin Bunny and his little bunny family are out trying to find food. Peter Rabbit doesn't have any spare cabbages so they head to the infamous Mr. MacGregor's compost heap to find vegetables. Unfortunately the bunnies eat so much lettuce they fall right to sleep, and when Mr. MacGregor finds them, he has the idea to have bunny for dinner...
Red flags: Mr. MacGregor talks about chopping off bunny heads.
My Rating:A-. How can you not love Beatrix Potter? They're so cute and the stories are charming and funny.
Outside Over There
Author/Illustrator: Maurice Sendak
Year: 1985
Age Level: 4-8
Plot Summary: Ida's father is away and she's in charge of watching her baby sister. Ida isn't so interested in babysitting her sister. When the baby is stolen out of their cottage by goblins, however, Ida feels bound to fetch her back again.
My Rating: A-. This is definitely a quirky story, and not one that I think every parent or child would like. The art is lovely though, and the story is a good one--just unusual. I think the baby-napping element would scare some kids.
Year: 1985
Age Level: 4-8
Plot Summary: Ida's father is away and she's in charge of watching her baby sister. Ida isn't so interested in babysitting her sister. When the baby is stolen out of their cottage by goblins, however, Ida feels bound to fetch her back again.
My Rating: A-. This is definitely a quirky story, and not one that I think every parent or child would like. The art is lovely though, and the story is a good one--just unusual. I think the baby-napping element would scare some kids.
Thursday, December 4, 2008
Forever
Author: Judy Blume
Year: 1977
Genre: Novel/Romance
Reading Level: Young Adult
Plot Summary: Katherine meets Michael at a New Year's Eve party and the sparks start to fly. Basically they start dating and then they have sex and have sex a whole lot more and plan to be together forever (hence the title). Unfortunately then Kath goes to a tennis camp for the summer and realizes maybe she doesn't want to be with Michael forever. The end.
Red Flags: Lots of detailed sex. Strong language. People smoking "grass." Teen drinking. Oh did I mention all the sex?
My Rating: B-. I'm having a hard time rating this book. Judy Blume is known for her frank depictions of teenage life, but this was not my teenage life at all. So in that way, it doesn't appeal to me and I don't relate to it at all. Other people may feel differently. As for the writing, I think it was all right, but not her best. And I have to wonder: at what point is detail *too* much detail?
Year: 1977
Genre: Novel/Romance
Reading Level: Young Adult
Plot Summary: Katherine meets Michael at a New Year's Eve party and the sparks start to fly. Basically they start dating and then they have sex and have sex a whole lot more and plan to be together forever (hence the title). Unfortunately then Kath goes to a tennis camp for the summer and realizes maybe she doesn't want to be with Michael forever. The end.
Red Flags: Lots of detailed sex. Strong language. People smoking "grass." Teen drinking. Oh did I mention all the sex?
My Rating: B-. I'm having a hard time rating this book. Judy Blume is known for her frank depictions of teenage life, but this was not my teenage life at all. So in that way, it doesn't appeal to me and I don't relate to it at all. Other people may feel differently. As for the writing, I think it was all right, but not her best. And I have to wonder: at what point is detail *too* much detail?
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
The Outsiders
Author: S.E. Hinton
Year: 1967
Genre: novel/realistic fiction
Reading Level: Young Adult
Plot Summary: Fourteen-year-old Ponyboy Curtis lives with his older brothers after their parents' deaths, the youngest member of the gang they've formed with their closest friends. Though their lives are rough and tumble, Ponyboy and his friend Johnny try to defy their hoodlum stereotype. After a violent encounter with a rival gang, however, Ponyboy and Johnny struggle to adjust to the drama and tragedy that follows.
Red Flags: teen drinking and smoking, some violence, character deaths
Movie Version: The Outsiders
My Rating: A-. I didn't love it, but I think it was a good book. It's just not really my genre or a time period that interests me. Besides that, though, the writing was solid and the characters rang true. The story was a little slow moving, but not to the point of frustration.
Year: 1967
Genre: novel/realistic fiction
Reading Level: Young Adult
Plot Summary: Fourteen-year-old Ponyboy Curtis lives with his older brothers after their parents' deaths, the youngest member of the gang they've formed with their closest friends. Though their lives are rough and tumble, Ponyboy and his friend Johnny try to defy their hoodlum stereotype. After a violent encounter with a rival gang, however, Ponyboy and Johnny struggle to adjust to the drama and tragedy that follows.
Red Flags: teen drinking and smoking, some violence, character deaths
Movie Version: The Outsiders
My Rating: A-. I didn't love it, but I think it was a good book. It's just not really my genre or a time period that interests me. Besides that, though, the writing was solid and the characters rang true. The story was a little slow moving, but not to the point of frustration.
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Hatchet
Author: Gary Paulsen
Year: 1987
Genre: Adventure/Survival
Reading Level: Young Adult
Series: First in the Brian's Saga series
Plot Summary: Brian Robeson is on his way to visit his father in Canada in a small plane when the pilot dies suddenly of a heart attack. Alone in the plane with the pilot's corpse, off course and with only a rudimentary understanding of flying, Brian first has to figure out how to land the plane in a way that will not lead to his demise. When he finally gets to the ground, Brian finds his troubles are just beginning when he has to survive, alone, in the middle of a Canadian forest. Of course he has to do this with just the clothes on his back and a dorky gift from his mother--a hatchet.
Award/s: Newbery Honor book
Red Flags: stressful situations, a detailed death and general unpleasantries
My Rating: B+. I enjoyed this book. It was interesting and entertaining and fast. But I didn't care for Paulsen's super dramatic style, which I will now imitate: "If he didn't land the plane he would die. Die. That would be it. He would be dead. Forever. Dead." But I did enjoy it! It was just filled with all kinds of unpleasant survival details like vomiting and swollen faces. Also, two words: turtle eggs.
Year: 1987
Genre: Adventure/Survival
Reading Level: Young Adult
Series: First in the Brian's Saga series
Plot Summary: Brian Robeson is on his way to visit his father in Canada in a small plane when the pilot dies suddenly of a heart attack. Alone in the plane with the pilot's corpse, off course and with only a rudimentary understanding of flying, Brian first has to figure out how to land the plane in a way that will not lead to his demise. When he finally gets to the ground, Brian finds his troubles are just beginning when he has to survive, alone, in the middle of a Canadian forest. Of course he has to do this with just the clothes on his back and a dorky gift from his mother--a hatchet.
Award/s: Newbery Honor book
Red Flags: stressful situations, a detailed death and general unpleasantries
My Rating: B+. I enjoyed this book. It was interesting and entertaining and fast. But I didn't care for Paulsen's super dramatic style, which I will now imitate: "If he didn't land the plane he would die. Die. That would be it. He would be dead. Forever. Dead." But I did enjoy it! It was just filled with all kinds of unpleasant survival details like vomiting and swollen faces. Also, two words: turtle eggs.
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing
Author: Judy Blume
Year: 1972
Genre: Novel
Reading Level: Intermediate
Series: Fudge books
Plot Summary: Peter has a new pet turtle named Dribble, and he also has a little brother called Fudge. While Peter finds Fudge all manner of exasperating, most adults think he's cute as can be. Peter endures many trials with Fudge--buying shoes, seeing a movie in the theater, and a birthday party, among others. Fudge's antics culminate in an event that is both gross and tragic.
Red Flags: None, unless you count the antics of a two year old.
My Rating: A-. This was a very fun, entertaining read. It's just little stories, but Peter is a great, likable and sympathetic character. I also really liked the family relationships in this book. Another thing I liked was that even though it was written in the 1970's, it doesn't seem very dated at all.
Year: 1972
Genre: Novel
Reading Level: Intermediate
Series: Fudge books
Plot Summary: Peter has a new pet turtle named Dribble, and he also has a little brother called Fudge. While Peter finds Fudge all manner of exasperating, most adults think he's cute as can be. Peter endures many trials with Fudge--buying shoes, seeing a movie in the theater, and a birthday party, among others. Fudge's antics culminate in an event that is both gross and tragic.
Red Flags: None, unless you count the antics of a two year old.
My Rating: A-. This was a very fun, entertaining read. It's just little stories, but Peter is a great, likable and sympathetic character. I also really liked the family relationships in this book. Another thing I liked was that even though it was written in the 1970's, it doesn't seem very dated at all.
Saturday, October 18, 2008
The Wolves of Willoughby Chase
Author: Joan Aiken
Year: 1987
Reading Level: Intermediate
Genre: Alternate history, novel
Plot Summary: Young Bonnie Green's parents are leaving for a ocean trip to improve her mother's help. They've hired a governess, Miss Slighcarp, and sent for Bonnie's cousin Sylvia to watch over the house and keep her company in their absence. Sylvia is everything Bonnie expected and wanted in a companion, but as soon as her parents leave, Miss Slighcarp asserts her authority in the most unpleasant ways. She soon sends Bonnie and Sylvia off to a wretched orphan school, but Bonnie's determined to escape and take back her home.
Red Flags: Scary adults
My Rating: A-. It took a while to get into this book, and by the end I was still puzzled by the wolves. But after the intitial kind of "Huh?" of the first 40 pages or so, it was quite entertaining and strange in an appealing way. Also, it's all Victorian and stuff and that's cool. Final note: Simon reminded me a lot of Dickon from The Secret Garden (this is a good thing).
Year: 1987
Reading Level: Intermediate
Genre: Alternate history, novel
Plot Summary: Young Bonnie Green's parents are leaving for a ocean trip to improve her mother's help. They've hired a governess, Miss Slighcarp, and sent for Bonnie's cousin Sylvia to watch over the house and keep her company in their absence. Sylvia is everything Bonnie expected and wanted in a companion, but as soon as her parents leave, Miss Slighcarp asserts her authority in the most unpleasant ways. She soon sends Bonnie and Sylvia off to a wretched orphan school, but Bonnie's determined to escape and take back her home.
Red Flags: Scary adults
My Rating: A-. It took a while to get into this book, and by the end I was still puzzled by the wolves. But after the intitial kind of "Huh?" of the first 40 pages or so, it was quite entertaining and strange in an appealing way. Also, it's all Victorian and stuff and that's cool. Final note: Simon reminded me a lot of Dickon from The Secret Garden (this is a good thing).
Sunday, September 28, 2008
Little House on the Prairie
Author: Laura Ingalls Wilder
Year: 1935
Reading Level: Intermediate
Genre: Western,
Series: Little House
Plot Summary: Laura Ingalls and her family move from their house in the big woods to find a new life on the plains. After the long trip to the West, her family builds a new house and tries to establish themselves in the land. Over the course of the book, the Ingalls family builds a new home, acquires a cow, fights a prairie fire and interacts with the local Indian tribes.
Red Flags: This book will make you feel incredibly lazy and unskilled because you can't make a door, dig a well, hunt for food or be really self sufficient at all.
My Rating: A
I'm pretty sure my mom read all of the Little House books to us when we were little, but all I can remember really is the bear in Farmer Boy. Anyway, this was fun to read, and it was interesting to read it knowing the author had lived it. Her writing isn't really awesome in the technical sense but it works for the story. And I always like Garth Williams illustrations.
Year: 1935
Reading Level: Intermediate
Genre: Western,
Series: Little House
Plot Summary: Laura Ingalls and her family move from their house in the big woods to find a new life on the plains. After the long trip to the West, her family builds a new house and tries to establish themselves in the land. Over the course of the book, the Ingalls family builds a new home, acquires a cow, fights a prairie fire and interacts with the local Indian tribes.
Red Flags: This book will make you feel incredibly lazy and unskilled because you can't make a door, dig a well, hunt for food or be really self sufficient at all.
My Rating: A
I'm pretty sure my mom read all of the Little House books to us when we were little, but all I can remember really is the bear in Farmer Boy. Anyway, this was fun to read, and it was interesting to read it knowing the author had lived it. Her writing isn't really awesome in the technical sense but it works for the story. And I always like Garth Williams illustrations.
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