new posts in all blogs
Viewing: Blog Posts Tagged with: 5th, Most Recent at Top [Help]
Results 1 - 22 of 22
How to use this Page
You are viewing the most recent posts tagged with the words: 5th in the JacketFlap blog reader. What is a tag? Think of a tag as a keyword or category label. Tags can both help you find posts on JacketFlap.com as well as provide an easy way for you to "remember" and classify posts for later recall. Try adding a tag yourself by clicking "Add a tag" below a post's header. Scroll down through the list of Recent Posts in the left column and click on a post title that sounds interesting. You can view all posts from a specific blog by clicking the Blog name in the right column, or you can click a 'More Posts from this Blog' link in any individual post.
Author: Fran Slayton¡
Rating: 
Reading Level: 5th to 8th
Pages: 160
Publisher: Philomel, Penguin Young Readers
Edition: Hardcover, 2009 (from galley)
Judging by the somewhat muted and sleepy cover, I thought I was going to read a "pensive, quiet" coming-of-age, historical fiction. It turned out that the story is NOT all that quiet: every episode falls on an All Hallow's Eve from early-40s to late-40s. You get the thrill of the secret Society's weird, slightly off and scary way to honor a recently deceased member; you get the Halloween prank gone awry; you get the blood-pumping, almost heart-stopping football game actions; and you get the death and danger working on the steam-engined trains. But then, you also get so much HEART between the main character and his father. It is an entirely "male" book, glaringly so -- you hardly see a female character and they hardly have even a speaking turn. It's all... very, macho, but oddly also very tender. And so much humor and humorous wisdom. I am not ashamed to say that I cried hard at the end of the tale... mourning the passing of a man and of an era so lovingly and convincingly portrayed by the author.
View all my goodreads reviews >>
Author: Fran Slayton¡
Rating:
Reading Level: 5th to 8th
Pages: 160
Publisher: Philomel, Penguin Young Readers
Edition: Hardcover, 2009 (from galley)
Judging by the somewhat muted and sleepy cover, I thought I was going to read a "pensive, quiet" coming-of-age, historical fiction. It turned out that the story is NOT all that quiet: every episode falls on an All Hallow's Eve from early-40s to late-40s. You get the thrill of the secret Society's weird, slightly off and scary way to honor a recently deceased member; you get the Halloween prank gone awry; you get the blood-pumping, almost heart-stopping football game actions; and you get the death and danger working on the steam-engined trains. But then, you also get so much HEART between the main character and his father. It is an entirely "male" book, glaringly so -- you hardly see a female character and they hardly have even a speaking turn. It's all... very, macho, but oddly also very tender. And so much humor and humorous wisdom. I am not ashamed to say that I cried hard at the end of the tale... mourning the passing of a man and of an era so lovingly and convincingly portrayed by the author.
View all my goodreads reviews >>
Author: Gennifer Choldenko
Rating:
Reading Level: 4th to 7th Grade
Publisher: Dial
Edition: Hardcover, 2009 (galley)I am completely delighted by this book. I really enjoyed the first one and this one holds up, well and strong, and I think it works even better. Maybe because I thought, "What can she come up with that can top the first book?" before starting to read this one.. and Choldenko absolutely pulled it off. There is humor and tension all throughout the book, not to mention some hard-to-sort-out moral dilemmas. Over the years, my students have loved the first book -- from really strong readers to really reluctant ones - and both girls and boys do, too. I can see this one achieves the same effects: not a book that gets everyone super-excited, but one that gets talked up by young peers and gets passed around without making too big a wave. Its "beloved-ness" will last quite a while, I believe.
I also really appreciate the author's notes. This will make for a good historical-fiction writing assignment starter book. (I can see a whole class reading the book, discussing the facts and fiction aspects of the story, and doing some sort of historical research and writing a short story. <-- with my librarian's hat on, of course.)
View all my goodreads reviews.
Author: Rick Riordan
Rating:
Reading Level: 3rd to 7th
Pages: 381
Publisher: Hyperion
Edition:Hardcover, 2009
Pure adrenaline inducing 381 pages of fun. I'm so glad that the level of action and humor is maintained throughout the entire series -- that the last book did not suddenly become some deep philosophical revelation. (I definitely did not get into these books for their messages or meanings.) It's been quite a craze here at the school and the waiting list of eager readers is mighty long, deservingly so.
View all my good reads reviews.
Author: Carl Hiaasen
Rating: 
Reading Level:
Pages: 304
Publisher: Knopf (Random House)
Edition: Hardcover, 2009This is definitely a fun book and many of my young readers already told me that they enjoyed reading the third offering from Hiaasen. Everything does hang together nicely and the punishment of the evil doers satisfying. Hiaasen did not shy away from super contemporary things: facebook, CNN/Anderson Cooper, and of course, the father who is injured in Iraq. This makes the volume a "timely" book for current readers and only time will tell if in a decade or two, young readers still will appreciate the story, despite the references to matters that can easily date the book.
Scat, however, does not offer much more than either Hoot, or Flush -- much of the same thing to young readers who like mysteries, who like to read stories about older kids (High School students as protagonists) but who do not necessarily wish to decipher complex sentence structures or figures of speech and who still enjoy jokes on fairly basic/bodily function levels.
View all my goodreads reviews.
Author: John Flannagan
Rating:
Reading Level: 4th to 6th grade
Pages: 249
Publisher: HarperCollins
Edition: Hardcover, 2006
I finally got around to read this first book in the ever-more popular series that my students have loved for the last few years. I know now why they like the stories and characters so much. The world is easy to understand -- since in this first book, the young people are "in schools." They are being trained in their various trades with cool skills like tracking, archery, sword play, and cooking. One of the main characters gets bullied and eventually those bullies get their just deserts! I can hear the cheering from the young readers! I will from now on describe the book (or the series) as Fantasy Spy Story, a blend of Alex Rider and Lord of the Rings. (Prob. a bit exaggerated but I think that will help interest the next reader!)
View all my goodreads reviews.
Author: Philip Reeve
Rating: 
Reading Level: 5th to 8th grade
Pages: 352
Publisher: Scholastic
Edition:Hardcover, 2008
This is a book for the Arthurian Legends enthusiasts, and I happen to be one. Having read many re-imagined Arthurian tales, I was completely delighted by this fresh take on the “true story” behind the legends. Reeve’s conceit is a fabulous one: it is all about the power of stories, storytelling, and story tellers. The title alone is worthy of much examination, with its double meanings of "lying dead" and "telling lies."
At the beginning, I was perplexed by the switches between past tense and present tenses. Slowly, I realized the why and when of such passages. This is a meta-fiction in a slightly different form and it really works for me.
I imagine that, though, this might not be as much fun for some others. If you don’t find piecing together pieces of a complex story puzzle (who’s who and which event eventually “became” which well known tale,) then, you won’t be having as much fun as I do. If you are not usually a sucker for stories that “discuss” the underlying philosophical elements of story-telling or humans’ needs for such elaboration, then, you probably won’t like this book as much as I do. And if you are not totally loving the meta-fiction genre, then you definitely will not enjoy it as I do. Also, if you only want a story with magic and valor, (that’s what I expected, before reading the actual text) then, you definitely will be disappointed. This is one Arthurian tale, featuring heavily the prototype character or Merlin (Myrddin) that definitely has NO magic whatsoever!
What’s even more impressive with this tale is Reeve’s ability to actually tell a cohesive story, with a highly believable and admirable main character, set against a convincing backdrop. (Although one might say that the language of the telling is fairly contemporary 21st century, it is to be excused because the teller could be anyone in any time – everything is apparently made-up anyway.)
To say that I am highly impressed is to put it lightly. I hope many others (especially middle school readers) will find this an intelligent and satisfying read!
View all my goodreads reviews.
Author: Jan Greenberg and Sandra Jordan
Rating:
Reading Level: 4th to 6th grade
Pages: 50
Publisher: Roaring Brook/Neal Porter
Edition: Hardcover, 2008I am speechless and teary-eyed, reading and having finished reading this thrilling little biography of Christo and Jeanne Claude and of their art. Greenberg and Jordan did not disappoint -- as always, their words are as vivacious and artistic as the artists they chronicle. One cannot help but being completely infected by the passion from all of those involved: the artists and the biographers.
And to this one, since it is something I deeply experienced, with friends, students, and family, my emotional reaction is even stronger. Between me and my husband, we took about 500 photos -- both under a bright blue sky and in the snow, with the gates winding around and the fabric flapping wildly in the wind. In fact, when it was time for my then-kindergarten daughter to do her "hundred day" project, she chose to draw a tree with branches and then glue 100 miniature pictures from our collection as leaves -- a Fall Tree, as she called it, because these were orange leaves. The artwork is still hung next to my desk at work.
(Hmm... I was slightly perturbed why there have not been more pictures of the Gates in this book, especially of the Gates when they were "in action and in motion"?)
The meticulous and artistic design of the book itself also echoes the free and playful spirit of Christo and Jeanne Claude. I applaud all who worked on this book! Thank you for a precious gift.
And I simply cannot help but posting a couple of the snowy pictures (the blue sky ones are on a DVD somewhere else...) -- to commemorate a fabulous time in New York City:
And of course, my friend Monica Edinger had her class document the process on a web page. Go
HERE to see!
And here's a link to many more Central Park Gates Pictures by searching google images of simple:
Central Park Gates.
View all my goodreads reviews.
By:
fairrosa,
on 11/10/2008
Blog:
Fairrosa's Reading Journal
(
Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags:
YA,
adult,
nonfiction,
5 stars,
6th,
7th,
5th,
4th,
3rd,
K,
2nd,
1st,
8th,
Add a tag
Author: Ben Boos
Rating:
Reading Level: for all readers
Pages: 96
Publisher: Candlewick
Edition: Hardcover, 2008
I couldn't believe my eyes, flipping through page after page of beautifully rendered swords from many time periods and many cultures, how visually perfect this book is! No matter whom I showed this book to (HS students, MS kids, other adults) - the reaction was the same: an astounded delight at this Feast of the Artistry of Beautiful and Elegant Swords. I'm glad the inclusion of Asian and African swords and their histories (although would have like a more balanced proportion in treatment...)
This makes a great holiday gift for any child who enjoys this topic. The general and specific notes on various types, their usages, their histories, and those who used such and such swords are easy to read and absorb. But one definitely doesn't need to read all the text to enjoy the book.
I am so happy of this book's existence!
View all my reviews on Goodreads.
Author: Neil Gaiman
Rating:
Reading Level: 4th grade and up
Pages: 320
Publisher: HarperCollins
Edition: Hardcover, 2008
This one definitely reached deeply into my heart. Love the world building. The Graveyard became a "residence" for my soul for the duration of reading/listening to the book -- a real place where my mind can wander. I could picture the sights, the light, the details, both described in the book and not described, undefined. My mind filled in all the corners and expanses and turned that world into a tangible space. Even after the storytelling is over, The Graveyard remains in my heart. Now it's as real and as cozy (if a cold graveyard can be cozy) a place as my Library' Reading Room.
I think the short story format works really well. Each "story" has a satisfying conclusion. Each advances the larger tale forward, too. Bod's maturation is expertly handled. And then, the conclusion of the entire tale is bittersweet, and yet not disappointing. (Oh, I guess I was sad that Bod might lose all the ghostly skills he possessed as a child and slightly mad of Gaiman for that -- why can't he still straddle the two worlds, even when he chooses to venture out into the world? My mind does not wish to accept that conclusion so I am making up other adventures for Bod that requires him to go into the other realms, to fade, and to haunt!)
I was shocked but really appreciated how Gaiman handles Bod and Scarlet's necessary parting. Keeping us readers on our toes, always. (And that little scene where Scarlet hugs Bod... so achingly revealing: since the age of two, he has not really been hugged, by real flesh and bone.)
And there is the rich imagination, the host of distinctive and adoring characters, a most chilling villain, and all that witty humor. How could I not love the book to pieces?
View all my Goodreads reviews.
Author: Karen Hesse
Rating:
Reading Level: 6th and up
Pages: 240
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Edition: Hardcover, 2008
I did not know that this would have been so good. I did not expect that I would have loved it so much and that I could not stop reading it and pretty much finishing it in one "fell swoop." It seems Dickensian, but that might not be a fair comparison because it is actually quite sparing and except for the intentional repetitive phrasing in those dream-like segments about the children "under the bridge" (and so effective, those poetic passages.. *sigh*), there is not that much repeated sentiment. I was drawn in, felt like I lived side by side with Joseph, and often was surprised at the richness and the vividness of the world I "saw" through the text. It doesn't hurt that I (and my family) adore the sense of place and history and the bustling life of Coney Island.
I wasn't sure at first about the vignettes of the children under the bridge but found them so mesmerizing and expanding of the experience of the turn-of-century Brooklyn - not only those who "made it" but of those who struggled and failed... I imagine that I'll remember Joseph's story for a long time, but I will never forget the Radiant Boy's, or Mattie's, or Otto's, or the story of May who almost died from eating the poisonous meal, twice.
It's an intricate tapestry and an "important tale" that is beautifully woven in the hand of artisan.
View all my reviews on Goodreads.
By:
fairrosa,
on 10/11/2008
Blog:
Fairrosa's Reading Journal
(
Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags:
Picture Book,
biography,
5 stars,
5th,
4th,
3rd,
K,
2nd,
1st,
Pre-K,
Add a tag
Author: Jen Bryant; illustrated by Melissa Sweet
Rating:
Reading Level: pre-k to 5th grade (depending on how the book is to be used)
Publisher: Eerdmans
Edition: Hardcover, 2008
Oh, how I absolutely
love this book
adore it
for its simple
informative text
admire it
for the collage and
water color illustrations
showing the time
the world and
the spirit of the poet
who was a doctor,
healed wounds,
delivered babies,
and soothed
our souls
View all my reviews on Goodreads.
Author: Kevin Henkes
Rating:
Reading Level: 4th, 5th, 6th
Pages: 179
Publisher: Greenwillow
Edition: Hardcover, 2008
Henkes is such a craftsman. I can appreciate all the skills and thoughts and wonderful passages that he puts into this and many other titles: all of them high quality works! But my realization today is that I don't particularly love the Impressionistic artworks. I have seen and "understood" the "Water Lilies" of Manet, for example -- hey, I even visited and was thrilled by Monet's garden at Giverny. And I understand how impressive the techniques are to combine Just Right those small patches of colors to capture light and mood and impressions. But, when you stand back and take a look at a painting of a bridge or a pond of water lilies -- they are a bridge and a pond of water lilies: it does not excite me. Bird Lake Moon is sparkling at many points, mysterious as well, and a young coming-of-age story done poetically. Many "patches" of beautiful language and revelation are combined just right to capture this significant summer in two little boys' lives. But, this is not a story that took me to another plane. I am never a lover of representations of objects in art. Maybe because I want someone to surprise me, to make me laugh or to awe me, or to perplex me (can perplex be used this way?): so, give me Cubism, Surrealism, or even Post-modernism, and I am thrilled -- finally, I understand myself and how I can categorize a bunch of books as impressionistic and explain why I am not entirely taken by them!
View all my reviews.
Six Innings by James Preller
My review
rating: 4 of 5 stars
My reaction after finishing this short novel for pre-teen and teens, especially who are really into the finer points of baseball playing and the spirit of the game was a tremendous respect for the author. James Preller poured much of his passion for the game into a finely crafted story set in just ONE little league game: 6 innings, character sketches of 12 players of one visiting team, and the framing, soul-searching story of the 13-year-old severely ill ex-ballplayer-turned-announcer...
I am not particularly into baseball: enjoy watching the game once in a while, of course, but do not personally collect memorabilia or statistics as a life-long hobby. This book makes me want to know and learn more about the game, its history and all the psychological aspects of the players and the plays; it also makes me believe that there is a reason for someone, young or old, to be completely lost in the world of sports and get much of their life's wisdom out of these games.
Preller also has quite a way with words and turn of phrases:
p. 15: "Aaron Foley, short and stocky with a squashed-in face that reminded Sam of an English bulldog, did more than toss his cookies. No Aaron projected his vomit across the room, spewing his insides as if fired from a cannon, a thunderous blast of wet barf splattering onto the tile floor." p. 16... That's how Sam and Mike began their friendship, sealed with a simple exchange, a look across a silent (but foul-smelling) distance.
p. 18: (About the five tools of baseball: speed, glove, arm, power, and the ability to hit for average.) Branden Reid, however, posesses a sixth tool, amnesia, the art of forgetting. Baseball is, after all, a game of failure. The only thing that a player can influence is the next play, the next at bat.
p. 22 (this describes the game, but somehow fittingly describes the book as well): "The slow rhythm of the game, a game of accumulation, of patterns, gathering itself toward the finish..." AND what a finish this book has! I felt like I witnessed a historic game after reading the last page of the book (and it isn't even about the game or the innings or the winners and the losers.)
p. 63: "There's a squarish, two-story bulding -- an overachieving shed, really"
p. 46: On the field, baseball is a game of isolation, nine singular outposts of shared solitude... You are a "team" immediately before and after each play. (This does get repeated on page 132.)
p. 106: Tragedy, the stuff of comedy.
There are a few specific references that will definitely date the book -- which is too bad: p. 40: the boys talking about Jessica Simpson and someone listening to the lyrics to a Jay-Z tune.
View all my reviews.
Author: N.D. Wilson
Rating:
Reading Level: 4th to 6th grade
Pages: 304
Publisher: Random House
Edition: Hardcover, 2008I completely immersed and lost myself in this original and dark story of magical cupboards, space and time travels, told in a highly folksy manner -- more like folktales passed down through generations, by the hearths, enjoyed along with home-made pies and chicken soup. Absolutely enjoyable. I hope it finds a large audience who will appreciate it not just for the nerve-wrecking adventures but for the author's care in telling the story.
By:
fairrosa,
on 11/23/2007
Blog:
Fairrosa's Reading Journal
(
Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags:
poetry,
4th,
5 stars,
6th,
5th,
3rd,
5 stars,
6th,
5th,
4th,
3rd,
Add a tag
Author: Park, Linda Sue
Rating:
Reading Level: 3rd to 6th grade
Pages: 48
Publisher: Clarion
Edition: Hardcover
I am absolutely delighted and pleased by the collection of Sijo poetry (a traditional Korean form of short poems) paired with playful and often surprising illustrations. It will be fun to see children and grownups trying their hands on creating this kind of poems!
By:
fairrosa,
on 11/23/2007
Blog:
Fairrosa's Reading Journal
(
Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags:
horror,
folklore,
4th,
5th,
6th,
3 stars,
6th,
5th,
4th,
3 stars,
Add a tag
Author: De Negro, Janice
Rating:
Reading Level: 4th - 6th grade
Pages: 64
Publisher: Marshal Cavendish
Edition: Hardcover
I really enjoyed the tone of these narratives but found the seven mostly familiar (or with familiar motifs) tales in this slim volume not scary or eerie enough. There exists always a promising build-up but the readers are left short of truly gruesome, horrific, or surprising endings. The cover design is quite effective, with raised blood-red title print, but the interior illustrations are uneven and less than accomplished in many cases. The very good cover art is done by Vincent Natale, but the illustration copyright is attributed to Marshall Cavendish, the publisher -- and the quality of the illustrations definitely feel like work-for-hire jobs.
By:
fairrosa,
on 9/8/2007
Blog:
Fairrosa's Reading Journal
(
Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags:
mystery,
4th,
5 stars,
6th,
5th,
book notes,
magical story,
5 stars,
6th,
5th,
4th,
magical story,
book notes,
Add a tag
Author: Lynne Jonell
Rating:
Reading Level: 4th - 6th grade
Pages: 352
Publisher: Henry Holt
Edition: Hardcover, 2007It's impressive how Jonell manages to inform the readers of all characters' personalities, feelings, and actions without ever straying away from Emmy's perspective: readers only know what she sees, hears, and thinks. The outlandish circumstances with all the super(magical?)-powers of the rodents are accompanied by a gentle tale of friendship, longing for parental love, and the essence of stable families. I mentally applauded the several jabs at the absurdity of the over-scheduling of our children.
The illustration with the flip-book margin of Rat falling and Emmy catching him ceases being a gimmick when it visually sums up the spirit of the story: "Don't worry. We're friends. I will catch you if you fall."
By:
fairrosa,
on 8/17/2007
Blog:
Fairrosa's Reading Journal
(
Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags:
historical fiction,
5 stars,
6th,
7th,
5th,
5 stars,
6th,
7th,
5th,
book notes,
Add a tag
Author: Sandi Toksvis
Rating:
Reading Level: 5th - 7th
Pages: 191
Publisher: Roaring Brook (originally Randomhouse, UK, 2005)
Edition: Hardcover, 2007What a feat... a tender, courageous, and often wryly humorous tale about the horrors of the Nazi occupation of Denmark. (Even if it's just a small corner of the world the Nazi's had a hold on.) Because of the courage and ingenuity and the strong belief in human equality of the Danish people, most of the 8000+ Jews were sheltered, transported to safety, and survived. This story from pre-and-early-teen Basme's (Teddy Bear) view point should be introduced to as many young readers as we can! It does not have extremely gruesome depictions that will upset young readers who have yet to know this part of our history, but it has plenty of nerve-wrecking moments and conflicts to hold one's attention and interest. There is great sacrifice and a few upsetting events (at least two quite irrevocable sufferings) toward the end of the tale, justifiably depicted. I cried, laughed, and gasped with terror, during the great theatrical scene that Mama staged to save their neighbors. Knowing that the story is inspired by family histories and relatives of the author I bought the story even more.
By:
fairrosa,
on 8/9/2007
Blog:
Fairrosa's Reading Journal
(
Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags:
5 stars,
6th,
7th,
adventures,
5th,
4th,
book notes,
mystery,
adventures,
4th,
5 stars,
6th,
7th,
5th,
book notes,
Add a tag
Author: N.D. Wilson
Rating:
Reading Level: 4th to 7th
Pages: 224
Publisher: Random House
Edition: Hardcover, 2007A great survival story, a thrilling adventure, an intriguing mystery, and a tall tale. It reminds me of Paulsen's survival stories but seems to have even more layers and with incredibly enjoyable wry humor: "It was a face deciding what to say and how to say it, and the truth didn't look as if it was a factor in the decision making."
"The bottom of the trash bag was full of boiled crawdad dead. Those remaining in the pool wandered about, confused by the sudden spaciousness."
"Jeffrey was dragged out by his shoulders and then propped up with his back against the couch. The bag was still blood-glued to the back of his head and stood out around it like a white plastic halo."
Yup, a few gruesome scenes: for example: dealing with and collecting useful things from a dead body. I loved those scenes.
By:
fairrosa,
on 8/9/2007
Blog:
Fairrosa's Reading Journal
(
Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags:
6th,
7th,
5th,
4th,
book notes,
4 stars,
4 stars,
mystery,
sci-fi,
4th,
6th,
7th,
5th,
book notes,
Add a tag
Author: Patrick Carman
Rating:
Reading Level:
Pages: 330
Publisher: Little, Brown
Edition: Hardcover, 2007This grabbed me and wouldn't let me go the entire time! Instantly, I was intrigued by the
Frankeinstein quote and the strange conversation between the two disembodied voices. Edgar's tale then unfolds with lots of fast paced action and suspenseful plot twists, a cast of well-delineated major and minor characters, and wonderful illustrations (I'd like just a few more... um... maybe a dozen more, of Squire Broel's pencil drawings, actually!) I know that there is quite a bit of environmental message attached and all the science might not be accurately scientific and border on magical elements, but I bought it all: the world, the characters, the events, and wasn't even that distraught to find no ending to this particular portion of the tale.
I was reluctant to start reading the book, since there is a half-wrap dust jacket and a Bonus CD-ROM -- gimmicks that made me skeptical: the book must not be that great if they need to include special cover design and extra materials to draw readers! Glad that I did read it, really glad!
I never got around to reading this series, but they are certainly popular. Maybe I should give them a go.