Sat, November 19th, 2011
Mo Willems Strikes Again
Posted by: Cindy Dobrez and Lynn Rutan
Lynn: Mo Willems is a national treasure. He is a gladsome spark of brilliance for parents and grandparents of preschoolers/ beginning readers everywhere – providing that miracle of miracles: books that can be read/listened to a zillion times without driving the grown-up screaming from the room. Mr. Willems – thank you! As the grandparent of [...]
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| Posted in All Ages, Characters who read, Curriculum Connections, Fiction, Humor, Picture Books, PreS-Gr. 2
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Fri, November 11th, 2011
Breadcrumbs by Anne Ursu
Posted by: Cindy Dobrez and Lynn Rutan
Lynn: Hazel and Jack have been like two peas in a pod ever since Jack moved in next door when they were six. He was wearing a pirate patch and was the only person she knew “who saw things the way they could be instead of just what they were.” Years later, when he suddenly [...]
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| Posted in Characters who read, Fantasy, Fiction, Gr. 4-7, Gr. 5-8
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Wed, October 12th, 2011
Queen of Hearts by Martha Brooks
Posted by: Cindy Dobrez and Lynn Rutan
Lynn: I really shouldn’t reveal how clay-like my reviewer’s feet are but I seem to confess my failings in this blog all the time. This clearly has to stop but before I talk about Martha Brook’s new book, Queen of Hearts (Farrar 2011), I need to say that I usually dislike books about people [...]
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| Posted in Characters who read, Diseases, Fiction, Gr. 7-10, Historical fiction
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Thu, March 17th, 2011
The Trouble with Chickens by Doreen Cronin
Posted by: Cindy Dobrez and Lynn Rutan
Lynn: Move over Philip Marlowe, a new gumshoe is in town. Meet J.J. Tully, former search and rescue dog – now turned out to grass in his retirement. And sister, there’s chickens in that grass. J.J. has barely settled in when trouble comes knocking – trouble in the form of a pretty tough bird. [...]
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| Posted in Characters who read, Dogs, Fiction, Gr. 2-4, Mystery, Twins' Thumbs Up - Age 7
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Wed, February 2nd, 2011
Groundhog Day – Back to Bed!
Posted by: Cindy Dobrez and Lynn Rutan
Lynn: The blizzard is piling up SO much snow here that any sane groundhog will stay curled up in his den! Going back to a warm bed sounds SO enticing on this cold winter day but I have three energetic little boys here who slept over last night. However, for all of us who are [...]
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| Posted in Animals, Bedtime Books, Characters who read, Picture Books, PreS-Gr. 2
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Fri, December 3rd, 2010
The Night Bookmobile by Audrey Niffenegger
Posted by: Cindy Dobrez and Lynn Rutan
Cindy: I stumbled upon this adult graphic novel while on a recent buying spree to boost the profit margin at my local independent bookseller. What a find. The Night Bookmobile (Abrams 2010) is a first person story about a young woman who is out for a very late night walk when she sees an big [...]
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| Posted in Characters who read, Gr. 9-12, Graphic Novels, Literary Addiction
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Wed, March 17th, 2010
The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place: The Mysterious Howling by Maryrose Wood
Posted by: Cindy Dobrez and Lynn Rutan
Lynn: Fifteen-year-old Penelope Lumley, recent graduate of the Swanburne Academy for Poor Bright Females, arrives at Ashton Place for her first interview. She is responding to an ad for an “energetic governess for three lively children… experience with animals strongly preferred.” In The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place (Harper/Balzer + Bray 2010) something seems odd [...]
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| Posted in Characters who read, Fiction, Gr. 4-7, Historical fiction, Humor, Parodies
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