How To Train Your Siberian Husky

How To Train Your Siberian Husky was written by Liz Palika. This non-fiction was given the "seal of approval" by ASPCA. Since my son and I watch ASPCA: Animal Cops on the Animal Planet channel faithfully, I thought this would be a good book to purchase. How To Train Your Siberian Husky is filled with excellent pictures that reinforces the ideas and concepts they are talking about. This book takes the reader through the thought process of selecting the right dog. In addition, the reader is introduced to the developmental stages of huskies. Formal training, puppy training, basic and advanced training methods are covered. Lastly, this book reminds the readers that it is important, both for you and the dog, to have fun while training.

MY TWO CENTS WORTH:
A simple, yet straight forward book about training your Siberian Husky. This book was an easy read and provided step-by-step procedures on how to train your husky.

No AR quiz.

Siberian Huskies

Siberian Huskies: A Complete Pet Owner's Mannual was written by Kerry Kern and published by Barron's. This book provides the reader with a brief history, considerations before getting a husky, and multiple tips. These tips cover understanding husky behavior, basic caring, feeding, grooming, general health, and training. Lastly, the book introduces the reader about what breeders look for when they are going down the breeding trail.

MY TWO CENTS WORTH:
As a new owner of a Siberian Husky, I have purchased a number of books regarding Siberian Huskies. This book is geared for owners who have a new puppy and it does little for those of us who start dog ownership with an older (i.e. 1-4 year old) husky. For those of you considering a Siberian Husky puppy, this is a good book to review. However, if you will be getting an older dog, I would skip this book.

No AR quiz.

Dunc's Doll

Dunc's Doll is one of many titles within the Culpepper Adventures series written by Gary Paulsen. In a nutshell, the Culpepper Adventures series is about two boys, Dunc and Amos, who seek out and solve mysteries both by calculated and accidental methods. Dunc and Amos visit a traveling antique doll show learn about a doll Charles Dicken's daughter owned. The adventure begins when the doll was stolen. Dunc and Amos set out to uncover the thief and return the doll. The boys develop a plan which includes dressing up like a girl and distracting a guard dog. Dunc's Doll will guide you through their hilarious adventure of solving the crime surrounding the stolen doll formally owned by Charles Dicken's daughter.

MY TWO CENTS WORTH:
As one of my favorite authors, I eat up anything he writes and publishes. The Culpepper Adventure series has to be one of my favorite series to read. They are short adventure packed books riddled with funny and identifiable moments. Dunc and Amos, the main characters throughout the Culpepper Adventure series, lead you through many engaging and hilarious adventures. Although Dunc's Doll is a book about a collector's doll, it is a book in which boys of all ages will enjoy reading. In fact, I am confident many readers will seek out other books within the Culpepper Adventure series so they can discover what Amos and Dunc are up to.

AR Quiz: 100%

Mr. Peabody's Apples

Mr. Peabody's Apples is a story about how words have tremendous power and influence. In this children's story written by Madonna, Tommy sees Mr. Peabody take the shinniest apple for the store without paying for it. Tommy immediately assumes that Mr. Peabody is a theif and tells all who would listen. Soon the boys who usually play baseball on Saturday don't come and play because they don't want to play with a theif. Another boy, Billy, talks with Mr. Peabody and discovers that Mr. Peabody pays for the apple and milk early every Saturday morning but picks the apple up on his way home from the baseball game. Tommy is sad he spread a rumor. Tommy appologizes, yet he doesn't quite get it. Mr. Peabody has Tommy meet him at the baseball field with his feather-filled pillow. They cut open the pillow and spread the feathers. Mr. Peabody then tells Tommy that each feather represents someone in the town who heard the rumor he spread. Tommy then realized how words can spread fast and influence other people.

MY TWO CENTS:
The story or fable is simple, yet powerful. I enjoyed its simplicity. The artwork is also fantastic.

100% on the AR quiz. ")

Three Names

The author of Sarah, Plain and Tall wrote a lovely children's book called Three Names. Three Names is a simple book about the days when children on the prairie road a wagon, a horse, a pony or walked to a one room school house. In this enjoyable story, a boy and three names (the boy's dog) loved to go to school and they missed it when school was out for the summer.

MY TWO CENTS:
The story transports me back to the days when children did attend a one room school house. I spent a moment or two reflecting on what it would be like to have a multiage classroom and try to meet the academic and social needs of the students in the class. I have to hand it to the early school house teachers, they had their work cut out for them.

Criss Cross

Lynne Rae Perkins was the 2005 Newberry Award recipient for her book Criss Cross. This is a becoming of age story that takes place during the summer months. Each chapter reveals the thoughts and youthful actions of three main boys and two main girls. They live in a small town named Seldem. Many of the five are bored with their small town and all the plain people. As the summer months pass, they begin to discover new things about the town, the people and each other. In the end, they begin to discover that the happiness many of us are searching for is right in front of you.

MY TWO CENTS:
Cute book about discovering and noticing new things about old things. I enjoyed how Lynne Rae Perkins introduced the main characters and intertwinded their lifes throughout the chapters of the book. This was a pleasant read, especially after recently finising The Sorrows of Young Werther by Goethe.

The title Criss Cross came from the radio show the five characters listened to in Leon's truck while parked in the driveway. The radio show was one of the many times these five characters paths criss crossed throughout their life.

I received 100% on my AR quiz.

Big Chickens

Big Chickens written by Leslie Helakoski is a delightful book about four chickens who were frightened away from their chicken coop due to the presence of a wolf. Their flight took them through the woods, into a ditch, to a lake, into a cow patch and then inside a cave. All along these four chickens were scared and frightened. In the end, they discovered they were filled with guts, brains and power and didn't need to be afraid.

MY TWO CENTS
Some of the simplest stories turn out to be little favorites. Big Chickens was a gift from one of my students who purchased the book during our Back-2-School Night book fair. In many ways, I related to these four chickens as they ventured out beyond the comfort and safety of their chicken coop. They were afraid of every new place and run by the thoughts that filled their minds. Although they didn't take the time to process the new information they functioned on a preconceived notion that the situation (i.e. cow patty, lake, wolf) was nothing but doomsday. It wasn't until they were corned in the cave and reluctantly faced the big bad wolf only to realize that they have strength in numbers and strength in doing something. All too often we allow fear to consume us and control our actions (or lack there of). When we face our fear, willingly or unwillingly, and deal with it head on, often times we concur the fear and realize the only thing we feared was fear itself.

Accelerated Reader Quiz: 100% ;)