Six Kids and a Stuffed Cat

Six Kids and a Stuffed Cat written by Gary Paulsen is a short story or play that takes part in a junior high bathroom.  There is an extreme weather warning and everyone at the middle school needs to take shelter until the storm cell passes.  The time was about an hour after school let out and all six of the students were there at the middle school after hours for various reasons.

The six students knew of each other but were not friends.  While sitting in the restroom waiting out the storm, they began to talk and share with one another.  Friendships were made over the time spent in the bathroom during the storm and they discovered new things about one another.  Avery carried around a stuffed cat, Jordan got bloody noses because he was anxious, Taylor pretended to be stupid so  he could hangout with and become friends with Mason, Mason is always on the look out for contacts (not friends), and Regan is always trying to get people to join a group of some kind.

In the end, they all become friends and discover very humanistic things about one another.  Rather than judging one another, they accept each other and become friends.

MY TWO CENTS WORTH:
This was one of Gary Paulsen's short stories.  It was an easy read and I finished it in a short amount off time.  The thing I  like about Gary Paulsen's stories is that they tend to be believable.  Living back east during my junior high years, I can easily relate to this story.  Although I never sat in the bathroom with five other guys during a sever storm, I have hung out at my friends house in the garage during a huge thunder and lightening storm.  We all stayed in the garage, talked, watched the storm, and waited out the storm.  As a middle schooler, your conversations go in all kinds of directions and tend to create a bond with those involved in the conversations.

At the end of the short story, Gary Paulsen wrote the  story in a play.  It is all mapped out so that a group of students could easily act out the story.  If I were a literature teacher and taught the  sixth or seventh grade, I would give this book and play a shot.  It would be fun to do as well as watch.

AR Quiz: 90%

MTH: Christmas in Camelot

The adventures of Jack and Annie continue in the book Christmas in Camelot.  It thought it would be fun to read this particular book over the Christmas holiday.  Jack and Annie go to Camelot by invitation but when they get there they discover that no one there sent them an invitation to come.  King Author has banned all magic in Camelot and Camelot has been placed under a spell of sorrow and unhappiness.  If they don't go to the Other World and get some of the magic water, then Camelot will remain unhappy forever and Jack and Annie will never be able to visit again.  On their adventure they have to get four gifts:  a cloak, a cup, a compass, and a key.  They get the cloak from the Christmas Knight, the cup from Sir Galahad, the compass from Sir Percival, and the key from Sir Lancelot.  Jack and Annie run into a white stag and ride it to and from the Other World.  While in the Other World, Jack and Annie save the three missing knights and bring back a cup of the magic water.  As Jack tries to walk over to all of the frozen Camelot people (King Author, Morgan le Fay, and the knights at the round table) he trips and spills all of the water in the cup.  As it seeps into the ground a gold cloud of smoke rises and then everyone is unfrozen and laughing and singing.  Jack and Annie saved Camelot from being forever unhappy.

MY TWO CENTS WORTH:
This was a pleasant and fun read over the Christmas holiday.  I really enjoy the simple structure of the MTH books.  They are an easy read, predictable, and informative.  I think this series of books are good for children just getting into chapter books and for students who are struggling readers.  Their predictability makes it easy for the reader to follow and even guess what comes next.  I own almost every MTH book and have a goal to read everyone.  I have to look back at my list of MTH books that I have read so that I can systematically read every one.  Another thing I like about the MTH series is that the books are intended to be read in fours because of the mystery or puzzle Jack and Annie are trying to solve.  However, each book is filled with a separate adventure and can be read as a standalone book.  I recommend reading them in order so that you stay connected with the progression of the overall story line.  Mary Pope Osborne has done an excellent job with this children's literature series.


AR Quiz:  100%

More Than a Bucket List by Toni Birdsong

More Than a Bucket List by Toni Birdsong is an interesting book.  It focus' on establishing dreams, your passions, and building your faith.   It is filled with short stories, positive thoughts, and quotes that center around various themes.  After a few paragraphs of stories or thoughts, the author lists some dreams, adventures, passions, or ways to build your faith.  These lists are not meant as a check off list, but rather a list of suggestions.  The suggestions are broad and deep.

MY TWO CENTS WORTH:
This is not a sit down are read through book.  It is a book intended to be picked up, read for a little bit, and then set back down.  My wife and I thought this this would be a good bathroom book for those who tend to spend a lot of time in there.  I like the fact that this bucket list book was more well rounded than the others I have read or skimmed.  This one was more focused on the individual rather than things that can be done as a couple.  However, I will say that as I skimmed the many lists on dreams, adventures, passions, and building faith, I found myself writing them down in our Bucket List journal.  This book is definitely worth the look over because it has a lot of unique ideas and suggestions.

AR Quiz:  No AR quiz.

MTH: China - Land of the Emperor's Great Wall by Mary Pope Osborne

This particular book written by Mary Pope Osborne and her sister, Natalie Pope Boyce, is a non-fiction book about China.  In a nutshell, it an easy to read book that states facts about China.  The book covered bits and pieces of the Great Wall of China, the first emperor, the Terra-Cotta Soldiers, many of China's great inventions, the daily life in China, and the many things they celebrate.

MY TWO CENTS WORTH:
A few years back I visited China as one of the requirements for my doctorate degree.  It was a fascinating trip and very  educational.  Many of the things the book covered, I was fortunate enough to see or hear about while I was there.  However, we did not have enough time to visit the Terra-Cotta Soldiers.  I heard it was fascinating to  see.  As I read the chapter on inventions, I was impressed to learn that paper, the compass, and gunpowder were invented in China.  China is definitely an old civilization and have contributed a lot to what we take for granted today.  I do want to take a trip back to China with my wife.  I would like to visit the Great Wall and the Red Square once again.  In addition, I would take some time to visit the Terra-Cotta Soldiers.

If you like reading the MTH fiction series, then these books (the Fast Tracker series) are well worth the read because they bring you behind the senses of the fiction books.  They help you see what the author saw when she began writing the story.  In addition, these books are filled with fun facts that can lead you in a discovery direction on other topics.

AR Quiz: 90%

Brian's Winter

Brian's Winter is one of several "Brian" books written by Gary Paulsen. Brian's Winter is the alternate ending to the well-known Hatchet book. In Hatchet, Brain was rescued from the woods near the end of the summer months; however, in Brian's Winter he lives through the winter and then returns to "civilization". In Brian's Winter, Gary Paulsen takes you through those cold months in the Canadian bush. Brian learns to weather seal his shelter, make arrows from stone, create clothing for warmth and how to hunt. In the end, Brian meets a trapping family, the Smallhorns, who hunt the area in the winter for food. The Smallhorns welcome Brain into their way of life. When the supply plan flies in to drop off supplies for the family, Brian reluctantly climbs aboard and flies back to civilization.

MY TWO CENTS WORTH:
It's no secret, Gary Paulsen is one of my favorite authors. In fact, the Brian Robeson series is one of my favorite series. I felt that Brian's Winter was a much better ending to Hatchet. In Hatchet, the end came abruptly and I felt as if I was abandoned. Brian's Winter continued as if Brian did not get rescued by the plane in Hatchet.

I love the mountains, enjoy camping, and am at peace when in the outdoors. I have often fantasized about what it would be like to run off and live off the land in some wilderness far away from civilization. Although this is not practical and I probably wouldn't make it past the first week, I have been able to vicariously experience this through Brain Robeson's fictional life. Gary Paulsen has the unique ability to paint detailed pictures with the words he uses to tell his stories. The words become pictures, these vivid pictures become moving pictures in your mind, and soon you are there with Brian, the bear, the moose or even the wolf. He is an amazing writer who pulls you along in his stories. I highly recommend this series for those who love the outdoors, especially hiking and camping.

Read Hatchet before you read this book. Once you complete Brian's Winter you need to read The River, Brian's Return, and Brian's Hunt (in that order).

AR Quiz: 100%
AR Vocabulary Quiz: 100%

The Brian Robeson series

Junie B., First Grader Toothless Wonder

Ms. Parks does it again. Her well known and well loved first grader, Junie B. Jones, has delighted our hearts and minds with a simple event we have all encountered at least once in our life.

Junie has been wiggling her tooth for days and it is on the verge of coming out. The first tooth is always the hardest. Its the unknown and fear can consume one's mind. Junie talks with her teacher, whom offers little comfort but praises her for being the first 1st grader to loose her tooth in his class. Junie's nemesis is jealous and makes a number of attempts to discredit this experience.

With the help of Junie's grandfather, the tooth comes out. She is scared, yet intrigued. This begins many questions and discussions about the tooth fairy, where to teeth go and why would a tooth fairy take your tooth and leave you money.

In the end, Junie puts the tooth under her pillow, gets some money and then discovers what the tooth fairy really does with a child's tooth. Sorry, I'm not telling. You'll have to read the book to find out. :)

MY TWO CENTS
This series is delightful and fun to read. The main character, Junie B. Jones, is your typical first grade girl who has a fun outgoing personality. The things she experiences and shares in her adventures are real experiences our first and some second graders face. I took the AR quiz and only got 80% correct. I need to keep working on my reading comprehension. As of this blogging, there is not a vocabulary quiz for this book.

Nate the Great and The Boring Beach Bag

Nate the Great and The Boring Beach Bag was written by Margaret XYZ. It is one of many books in the Nate the Great book series. The reading level of this delightful mystery book is 2.0 (2.0 is equivalent to second grade zero month - September).

Nate is at the beach swiming in the beautiful ocean with his dog Sludge. Oliver, the boy who follows everyone, swims out to Nate to tell him someone stole his boring blue beach bag. Nate agrees to help Oliver find his boring blue beach bag. Nate and Oliver set out to gather clues to help them solve the mystery. Nate talks with Oliver, Annie, Esmerelda, and the girl who runs the beach restaurant. Using his uncanny detective skills, Nate the Great uncovers the mystery. No one ever stole the bornig blue beach bag. It was Oliver who could not find his borning blue beach bag in the first place. Another mystery solved by Nate the Great.


MY TWO AND A HALF CENTS WORTH
This is a delightful mystery book series for young readers. The main character is a boy so I would say that this series is marked for young (1st, 2nd, and 3rd grade) male readers. Although I don't consider myself as young as a second grader, I do enjoy reading these fun, yet simple mystery stories written by Margaret XYZ.

Main Characters: Nate the Great, Oliver the boy with the boring beach bag, sludge Nate's dog, and Annie the girl running with her dog.
Setting: The beach.
AR Score: 100% ;)

Lawn Boy

Gary Paulsen has done it again. In 2007, he has released another fictional book that will appeal to young male readers, especially those who have run into the biggest summer delima....no money. Gary Paulsen takes you on a six to eight week summer journey of a twelve year old boy and the business he incidentally started. Lawn Boy is a delightful read for those who love to read, laugh, and learn about money.

Lawn Boy is a fictional book about a twelve year old boy who begins a lawn service, the stock market, and sponsors a prize fighter named Joey Pow. The first problem this twelve year old faced was that he needed some cash to purchase an intertube for his bike. He has no money nor does his parents. Grandma gives the young man an old riding lawn-mower that used to belong to grandpa. As he is cutting his lawn one of the neighbors asked him to cut his lawn and the business began. The second problem the twelve year old had was were to put all the money he earned. Arnold, one of his customers who was a work-at-home stock broker, helped him invest his money as well as build his lawnservice business. A third problem this young man faced was the competition who wanted to extort money from his business and the workers. The last problem our entrepuner faced was how to tell his parents he had earned over $400,000 in six to eight weeks. All of the problems were solved in humorous ways only to create another problem to be solved.


MY 2 1/2/ CENTS WORTH

This is another delightful and enjoyable book by Gary Paulsen. I thoroughly enjoy these types of books. They bring back memories of boyhood delemas as well as inspire individuals to press forward despite one's circumstances. I think every young man with little to no money in his pocket should read this book and uncover the possibilities available as an entrepuner (sp).

Math Fables

Math Fables was written by Reg Tang. In an effort to inspire the young to view math as fun and interesting, Reg Tang has written a number of books around the topic of math. Math Fables is a fable with animals and insects as characters. As in many math books for younger students, as you read the pages you discover that you and your child are counting to ten. This book is unique in the sense as you are counting to ten through the pages, the author provides the readers with multiple combinations of the numbers. For example, when the author writes about the 5 raccoons, he also writes about the 2 raccoons who "quickly grabbed" the trash can while "the other 3 all cried." Reg Tang infuses these types number combinations throughout this math book.

MY TWO CENTS:

Charming math book for young children. It is a quick read and provides a fun atmosphere reading about numbers. I particularly liked how Reg Tang incorporated different combinations of numbers to highlight the actual number he was focusing on. This opens the door to addition as well as how several different combinations of numbers can equal the same number (i.e. 2+3=5, 3+2=5, 4+1=5, 1+4=5).

AR QUIZ: 100%

The Gas We Pass

The Gas We Pass: The Story of Farts written by Shinta Cho.

I heard about the author Shinta Cho before and the variety of other children's literature that was written. So....when I saw this book on Amazon.com I knew what I had to do. I bought it immediately. A few days latter it arrived in the mail and my son and I tore open the package (it was not gift wrapped). The cover alone sent the two of us in hysterics. It took about five minutes before the water left our eyes so we could focus on the words on each page. A civilized individual could read this simple book in about three minutes. However, when you give a book about farts to a father and a son it will take a lot longer than three minutes. In fact, it took my son and I about 25 minutes to read this book. We laughed at, ogled over, gawked at, and mimicked each page several times before turning to the next. Talk about male bonding. My wife, my son's mother, was not pleased with our immature actions as well as my role model behavior. Hey, I was reading to my son and he was reading to me. Come to think about it, I don't ever recall reading being so fun!

Since the reading of this book, we have come across a number of others covering the same topic. However, my wife found one at the Thrift Store for fifty cents. The book is entitled, The Day My Butt Went Psycho. If my wife bought it for us to read, it must be good. Can't wait to read the book and then write about it. ")

No AR QUIZ.

Russell the Sheep

Russell the Sheep was written by Rob Scotton. It is a charming (teir 2 word) little book about a sheep who could not go to sleep. Throughout the story, Russell seeks out ways to help him go to sleep. He repositions himself, pulls his beanie over his eyes, takes off his coat, puts on his coat, lays in a trunk, uses a frog as a pillow and counts the stars....twice. Lastly, Russell counts sheep and when he gets to ten, Russell falls asleep.

MY THREE CENTS: If one can't fall asleep, you need to count sheep. The illustrations are worth each page turn.

AR QUIZ: 100%

Math Curse

Math Curse was written by Jon Scieszeka and Lane Smith. This book was given to me to read by our school library-aide. I enjoy children’s books about math especially if they make your mind stretch just a little bit further than it has been used to. Math Curse is about a young girl who learned that everything that happens to you is a math problem that can be solved. Everything she saw or heard or thought about was made into a math problem. She was trapped or cursed with math until she solved a math problem in her dream. This freed her from the math curse.

MY THREE CENTS: I loved this book. The idea of math as a part of our every day life intrigued me. This book shows the reader in a fun yet nonsubtle way that math permeates every aspect of our life.

AR QUIZ: 80%

Who Cut the Cheese?

Who Cut the Cheese? A Cultural History of the Fart written by Jim Dawson. Yes, this is a book about flatulation. Truly this is a book about the history of the flatulence. As I read this book I laughed, I was discussed, and I realized it went a little too deep for my tastes.

Jim Dawson's book consists of thirteen chapters for a total of 162 pages of flatulation (sp). The chapters cover the history of the flatulence, the religious perspective of the fart, fart entertainment in the way past, the fine art of farting, flatulence writing in the past, music in the wind, and urban legends surrounding the fart.

MY ONE CENT:
This book was filled with T.M.I. regarding the wind that passes beneath our hips. Although there were a few hilarious stories and/or jokes floating throughout the book, it wasn't worth the 6 plus hours spent sitting reading this book over the past two weeks.

Why did I pick this book to read? Well, it is a male thing. Both my son and I pass wind regularly (e.g. All people do. In fact, the average person passes gas 14 times a day) and get a kick out of the sound, the stench, and how it raises an eyebrow every now and then. In addition, we have sought other books on flatulence both in the local library as well as in Amazon.com. Currently, our favorite is The Gas We Pass: The Story of Farts (My Body Science) by Shinta Cho and Amanda Mayer Stinchecum. This book covers many of the basic questions both the young and old have regarding the release of bodily gas.

NO AR QUIZ