Ariel

Ariel Binko Mrs. Burdic Children's Literature


 * Picture Books: **

Entry #1  Title: The Gingerbread Man Author: Retold by Jim Aylesworth Illustrator: Barbara McClintock

The Gingerbread Man is a tale that begins with a little old man and a little old lady deciding that they should bake themselves a gingerbread man to eat. However, when they go to remove the pan from the oven, the gingerbread man suddenly comes to life and leaps from the oven. He taunts the elderly couple, challenges them to catch him, and runs off down the road. On his journey, the gingerbread meets a butcher, a cow and a pig. He taunts every one of them, and before he knows it, he is being chased by them all. Lastly, he meets a fox. He challenges the fox, but what the gingerbread man did not expect was a fox that was tricky and cunning.

This is a story that is perfect for young children. It is full of imagination, rhymes, repetition, and fun. This story can be highly interactive because the teacher can draw them in, and even have them say the rhymes with her. The story even has an unexpected ending that will surely amuse little children.

Entry # 2  Title: The Cat in the Hat Author: Dr. Seuss Illustrator: Dr. Seuss

The Cat in the Hat is a story that finds two children home alone and with nothing to do. Before they know it, a strange character who calls himself the cat in the hat enters the house and begins to perform all kinds of tricks. While the children seem to like the cat in the hat, their pet goldfish warns them that this cat is nothing but bad news. The cat in the hat finds many ways to amuse himself at the children’s home, but ends up creating a huge mess because of it. All of a sudden, the children see their mother walking up the driveway. Just when they thought all was lost because the house was a huge mess, the cat in the hat saves the day by cleaning up after himself and exiting before their mother arrives home.

Dr. Seuss is a very popular author when it comes to books for small children. His wacky and quirky characters spark in each child a sense of wonder and imagination. His books have great appeal for children learning how to read because of his simple use of words and rhymes. The Cat in the Hat is a must read for every young reader.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Entry # 3 <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Title: You are Special <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Author: Max Lucado

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">“You are Special” is a story about a wooden person named Punchinello. Punchinello was a Wemmick, and lived in a city full of Wemmicks. In this city full of little wooden people, their hobby was to stick stickers on each other based on looks and talents. If a Wemmick was beautiful or had a good talent, other Wemmicks would stick golden stars on them. If a Wemmick was ugly, or had no talents, the other Wemmicks would stick gray dots on them. Punchinello was not very good looking, and did not have an amazing talent, so therefore, he was also covered in gray dots. However, one day, Punchinello met Lucia, who didn’t have any stickers on her at all. Any time someone tried to give her a star or a dot they would simply fall off. Punchinello asked her how she did this, and she advised him to go see Eli, their maker. Soon, after multiple visits to Eli, Punchinello learned what it meant to be truly loved, and to love himself for who he was and how he was made.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">“You are Special” is a classic children’s story in the Christian circle. This story reminds children that the only way they will ever be content with themselves is to spend time with their maker, who is God. It lets children know that they do not have to let what others say about them “stick” and affect them. The only thing that matters is that we are deeply and unconditionally loved by God.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Entry #4 <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Title: The Cat who Walked Across France <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Author: Kate Banks <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Illustrator: George Hallensleben

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">“The Cat who Walked Across France” is a story about a gray cat who seeks to find his way back home. He lived in a stone house by the edge of the sea with a little old woman. The cat was perfectly content with his simple life until the old woman whom he had been living with died. The cat, along with rest of the old woman’s belongings was shipped across France to the house she had been born in. So the cat set off on a journey across France in order to find the stone house by the edge of the sea. Each time the cat encountered an obstacle, he would remember a sweet memory from that house and forge on. Eventually, the cat made it home. He found a new family living there, but the two little children liked him and decided to keep him.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">This story is a perfect story to read to children when talking about homes or family. The little gray cat was driven by the sweet memories the house held, just like most of us have memories associated with our homes. In addition, this story shows the power of perseverance. The cat had to travel a long way, and encountered many barriers, but he did not give up until he reached his home.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Entry # 5 <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Title: Panda and Polar Bear <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Author: Matthew J. Baek

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">This is a story about a little panda bear and a little polar bear. There was a great divide of ice between where the polar bears lived and where the panda bears lived. However, one time the little polar bear got too close to the edge and fell over. He fell into the mud, so when the little panda bear found him, he thought he was a panda bear too. The two little bears played and had fun together. However, when the polar bear jumped into a pond to catch a fish, the mud came off and the panda bear discovered his friend was actually a polar bear. Soon, the polar bear became homesick, so the two built a very tall ladder out of bamboo so the polar bear could climb up it and return home to his snowy environment. But the two remained friends and the reader discovers they are actually in a zoo and not in the wild.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">This is a cute story for very small children. It is a good story in order to discuss differences with children. This reminds children that even though there are kids who may look different than us, that they can still be their friends. It is also a fun surprise for the children to discover at the end of the story that the bears had merely been next to each other in a zoo.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Entry #6 <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Title: The Pumpkin Runner <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Author: Marsha Diane Arnold <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Illustrator: Brad Sneed

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">“The Pumpkin Runner” is about a old farmer in Australia who instead of driving jeeps or riding horses to check on his herds, he merely ran. The book explains that this began when he was just a boy, and he ate a slice of pumpkin that had been grown underneath the light of a eucalyptus tree. Since then, the pumpkins gave him enough energy to run for hours and hours. The farmer then saw an advertisement for a 900 kilometer race from Melbourne to Sydney. The prize was 10,000 dollars. The farmer decided to enter the race. As soon as the farmer arrives he is made fun of because he hadn’t done any professional training, nor had any appropriate running gear. However, after the race is underway, everyone soon begins cheering for him as he takes the lead. In the end, the elderly farmer won the race, but split the winnings with all of the other contestants.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">This children’s book is actually based on a true story. A 61 year old farmer from Victoria, Australia ended up winning in a 875 kilometer race from Sydney to Melbourne and winning. He even split his winnings with the other runners. This is a good story to show children that winning isn’t everything. In end, character, not winning is what matters.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Entry # 7 <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Title: Moon Soup <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Author: Lisa Desimini

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The book “Moon Soup” is a fanciful story about a boy who makes a crazy soup called moon soup. He adds eggs, five kinds of purple, tea cups, and a sunset. He mixes and blends it all in a giant umbrella, puts on his wings, and flies to the moon to each his moon soup.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">This story would be a good story to read children at the beginning of a lesson about food, or measurements. The teacher could talk about the boy’s use of measurement and how we actually use measurements when cooking. I think this book could also be used to encourage child creativity. The teacher could ask children what they would include if they were to make their own moon soup. The children’s creativity would soar as they would tell the teacher what they would add to make their moon soup special and unique.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Entry # 8 <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Title: I Know an Old Lady <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Author: Rose Bonne and Alan Mills <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Illustrator: G. Brian Karas

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">“I know an Old Lady” is an illustrated book of the old nursery rhyme so many children already know. First the old lady swallows a fly, then a spider, then a bird and so on. The pictures in this book are quite humorous as it depicts a horrified little boy watching the old woman swallow the various animals. This is a great book to teach and show rhyme, repetition, and rhythm. This could also be a great book for the children to choral read, or read out loud with the teacher because of its easy flow. The book even contains the actual song in the back that the teacher could teach her class afterward.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Entry #9 <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Title: The Dog who Cried Wolf <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Author: Keiko Kasza

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">This book is a story about a dog named Moka and his human owner Michelle. Michelle and Moka loved to spend time together, until one day Michelle read a book about wolves and told Moka that he was kind of like a wolf. Moka did not feel like a wolf because he did not get to run free, catch his own food, or howl at the moon. So, the next day Moka ran away from home in order to try being like a wolf. Moka liked it at first, but he had trouble catching his own food. Soon nightfall came and he tried howling at the moon. However, as soon as he started howling, real wolves came out and started howling as well. This scared Moka so he ran back to Michelle. Moka was so glad to be home and decided he would never try to be a wolf again.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">This story skillfully depicts a dog wanting to be something other than a dog. This story could be used to show children the importance of being content with who they are and how they are made. When we try to be something other than what we truly are, it usually doesn’t work out very well.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Entry # 10 <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Title: How Pizza came to Queens <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Author: Dayal Kaur Khalsa

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">This is a story about a family who has a distant relative named Mrs. Pelligrino from Italy come for a visit. At first the family is excited to meet Mrs. Pelligrino, but as soon as the elderly woman arrives, she is sad. The family cannot figure out why Mrs. Pelligrino is sad because she cannot speak much English and therefore cannot communicate her feelings. The only word she continues to repeat is “Pizza.” Soon the little girls in the family decide to go to the library to figure out what pizza is, because they had never heard the word before. After they figure out it is a food, they find a cook book and buy all the ingredients it takes to make pizza. They then gave the ingredients to Mrs. Pelligrino and she is finally happy again because she can make the food she loves to cook. This is a simple story but is quite entertaining for young children. This would be a good book to introduce a lesson on different cultures, or ethnic foods.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Entry # 11 <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Title: Snow Music <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Author: Lynne Rae Perkins

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">This book is a very simplistic young children’s book about snow. It tells how winter and snow has its own sounds. This book contains many rhymes. The words are also arranged so that they mimic music notes. Some of the pages were reminiscent of snow, while other pages didn’t seem to make sense. I am not musically inclined, so maybe that is why.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Entry #12 <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Title: Wish you were here <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Author: Moritz Petz <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Illustrator: Quentin Greban

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">This is a very easy to read book about a mouse and a hedgehog. Hedgehog and Mouse are married, and Hedgehog went on a five-day trip. Each day, both Mouse and Hedgehog count down the days until they get to see one another again. They say what they did, and how they are feeling. The story ends with Mouse and Hedgehog hugging each other and saying that Hedgehog would never travel without Mouse again.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Entry #13 <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Title: America’s Promise <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Author: Alma Powell <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Illustrator: Marsha Winborn

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">To my surprise, this book was written to promote the organization called “America’s Promise.” The author is the co-chair of this non-profit organization dedicated to improving the lives of children and youth. All the royalties from this book are donated to the organization. The story it tells is simple. It tells of little animal children who go to a daycare, learn, eat nutritious food, and give back to their community. Each section of the book corresponds to one desire this organization has for the children of America.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Entry #14 <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Title: A Ladder to the Stars <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Author: Simon Puttock <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Illustrator: Alison Jay

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">This story tells of a young girl who on her 7th birthday sees a star in the sky and wishes that she could dance with it. The star hears her wish, and tells the moon. The moon tells the sun and the wind and they decide to concoct a plan. The wind finds a special seed and blows it to the little girls garden. The seed sprouts and over a number of years, grows into a huge tree that reaches the sky. On the girls 107th birthday, she is an old woman now, but the moon tells her that her wish has been granted. So wearily, she climbs up the tree and dances with the star. This is a quaint story that would make a good springboard to talk about life, and death and the cycle of life.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Entry # 15 <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Title: The Glorious Flight <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Author: Alice and Martin Provensen

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">“The Glorious Flight” tells the story of Louis Bleriot, who was the first man to fly across the English Channel. The book goes through the process Bleriot went through in order to build a plane that could successfully fly. It took over 6 years, and many different models, and many different injuries before he was able to fly over the English Channel. I liked this book because it was historically accurate. Louis Bleriot was a great pioneer of aviation and ended up donating a lot of money to further the airplane industry.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Entry #16 <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Title: Yours Truly, Louisa <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Author: Simon Puttock <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Illustrator: Jo Kiddie

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">This is a book about a pig who lives on a farm named Louisa. She decides that the farm is too messy and starts writing letters to the farmer asking him to improve the living conditions. At first, the farmer complies. However, after a number of letters the farmer grows annoyed at the impetuous demands. So the farmer writes a letter back to Louisa telling her that is she wants things cleaner, she can do them herself. However, this offends Louisa and she decided to move to the city. When she gets to the city she finds it to be much dirtier than the farm, so she writes a letter to the farmer telling him she is coming back. This story is a nice and simple easy read for beginning readers.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Entry #17 <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Title: Looking after Murphy <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Author: Jamie Rix <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Illustrator: John Bendall-Brunello

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">This was a rather strange story about a grandmother watching her grandchildren’s pet hamster. The story begins with the two children spending time with their grandmother. She ate all the cream and wouldn’t save any for the children, and she made the children watch her knitting on t.v with her. Then, the children were given a hamster. When they went away for a vacation, the children had their grandmother watch their hamster. At first she kept a very good eye on him. But then, he disappeared. So the grandmother went to the pet store and bought a hamster that looked like their previous one. When the grandchildren arrived, the grandmother told a series of lies to appease them. Her lies didn’t make sense, but the children wanted to be respectful and believed her anyway. In the end the grandmother decided that next time she would watch the hamster more closely. I did not like this story because it seems strange that a grandmother would be portrayed as a liar, but the story did show how lies never go unnoticed.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Entry # 18 <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Title: A Mouse told his Mother <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Author: Bethany Roberts <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Illustrator: Maryjane Begin

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">This is a simple bedtime story. Each page is a mouse telling his mother something he will do, and the mother responds by relating what he says to something he needs to go before bed. For example, “A mouse told his mother, ‘I am going to the moon.’ ‘Take your toothbrush,’ said his mother.” I think this would be a sweet story to read your little child before you tucked them into bed.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Entry # 19 <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Title: The Bear who Lost his Hair <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Author: Mary Bruce <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Illustrator: Elizabeth Rice

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">This is a story about a little bear named Benny. Benny lived with his mother and brother in a cave and was not allowed to leave it. Benny longed to explore the outside world, so one day, when his mother left the cave, he began following her. Before he knew it his mother was out of sight and he came upon a heard of sheep. Benny played with the sheep, but all of a sudden a man grabbed him, and sheared him just as he was shearing the sheep. Now Benny did not have any hair and was very upset. However, after he made it back to his cave his mother comforted and told him that after his hair grew back he would be old enough to venture outside once again. I think this would be a great story for the lesson of obedience. Benny disobeyed his mother by leaving the cave, and something bad ended up happening to him. So I think this would be a great book to illustrate that principle.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> Entry # 20 <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Title: Piper <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Author: Emma Chichester Clark

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">This is a story about a dog named Piper. Before Piper left home, his mother instructed him to always obey his master, to look both ways before crossing a street, and to always help someone who is in danger. Soon after, Piper was bought by a cruel old man. He had wanted Piper to chase away the rabbits in his garden, but Piper had misunderstood and had befriended the rabbits. The old man tied him up and left him in the bard. However, Piper decided to escape. He came to a city and saw an old woman step out into the street without looking. Piper sprang into action and pushed her out of the way of a moving car. In the end, the lady whose life he had saved wanted to keep him so they could always look after each other. This was a very sweet story of a bad circumstance turning into a good one. This story could be a great reminder that not all bad situations have to last forever.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> Entry # 21 <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Title: Mrs. Watson wants your Teeth <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Author: Alison McGhee <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Illustrator: Harry Bliss

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> This is a story about a little girl who is going into first grade. On the bus a second grader tells her that the first grade teacher is an alien who steels kids’ baby teeth. The first grader has a loose tooth, and this information terrifies her. The entire day she tries to keep her mouth closed so the teacher won’t know she has a loose tooth. However, at the end of the day when she is trying to warn another first grader about their teacher, her tooth pops out. In response the teacher gives her a treat from the treat box and she discovers that the teacher doesn’t steel kids’ teeth after all. This was a very fun and light hearted story any child would enjoy. I think this would be a really fun story to read with young children on the first day of school.


 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Young Adult **

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Entry # 1 <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Title: Thunder over Kandahar <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Author: Sharon E. McKay

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The book “Thunder over Kandahar” is a story of a powerful bond of friendship. The story begins following the life Yasmine, a young girl whose family has just moved back to Kandahar Afghanistan after leaving for a period of time so her father could pursue an education in Europe. After moving back her world is turned upside town as she tries to adapt to this foreign culture. Soon, she meets a young Afghani girl named Tamanna. Tamanna, who comes from a poor and abusive home, warms up to the love and encouraging environment she finds in Yasmine’s home. However, life does not remain perfect for long. A terrible tragedy strikes that leaves Yasmine and Tamanna on the run. Eventually they are separated in the mountains of the Taliban, and an ultimate sacrifice is made that shows the power of selfless love and friendship.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">This story gripped the core of my heart and left me in tears. The characters were craft fully designed, the plot skillfully woven, and the crazy events were actually quite believable due to the setting in which the story was placed. This story showed the power of love and friendship and that even the selfness acts of a young girl can change a person’s life forever.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Entry # 2 <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Title: Immanuel’s Veins <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Author: Ted Dekker

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The story “Immanuel’s Veins” told a story of lust, true love, selfishness, and selflessness. The story begins with warriors Toma and Alek who have been sent by the empress of Russia to guard the Cantemir family from harm. The empress’s domain now extended to Moldavia, of which the Cantemir family held great influence over. Therefore, the empress sent her two most trusted officials, Toma and Alek to protect the family from harm or enemy seduction. The Cantemir family was famed throughout the land for having two breathtakingly beautiful daughters, Lucine and Natasha. Natasha was the beauty fair, while Lucine possessed a striking dark beauty. The sisters’ personalities were just as different as their looks. Soon, Alek finds himself drawn to Natasha, while Toma finds himself inexplicably attracted to Lucine, even after he has sworn not to get involved with either one of the daughters. This is the story of Toma and Lucine. Suddenly, some menacing looking Russians show up and begin wooing and seducing the Cantemir family. Toma tries to defend the family from their wiles, but eventually Toma himself is drawn into their web of evil and deceit. Just when Toma thinks all is lost, he discovers the Russians for the demonic creatures they are. It is out of this knowledge comes the saving power of blood; the cleansing blood that comes only from Immanuel’s veins.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">This is a story of redemption. Ted Dekker is a masterful writer who knows how to write edgy and catchy material, while maintaining deep and intricate thoughts, metaphors, and details. As with most of Ted Dekker’s novels, if one has read the “Circle Trilogy” this book will have an even deeper meaning. However, anyone can pick up “Immanuel’s Veins” and be drawn in to this complex story that has strong fantasy overtones, while speaking a deep and meaningful message to each and every heart.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Entry # 3 <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Title: Tea with Hezbollah <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Author: Ted Dekker and Carl Medearis

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">“Tea with Hezbollah” is the true story of Ted Dekker and his friend named Carl Medearis traveling throughout the middle east and meeting with some of the continent’s most famed or feared individuals. This story is told in first person, by Ted himself. He begins his tale by first explaining to the reader how he ended up on a voyage like this. Ted knew of the spirit of the Samaritan Jesus had commanded so many years ago. Ted not only sought to find a modern day blood Samaritan, but also to find if the spirit of the Samaritan could be found in the Middle East today. It was an entrancing book because the reader literally goes through each experience, and the emotions it entails, with Ted. Ted and Carl journeyed throughout the entire Middle East and met with individuals such as the Bin Ladden brothers, a Bedouin prince, the Mufti of Jerusalem, and various sheiks and other important people and officials. Each time Ted asks a variety of questions, giving a reader a glimpse into the life of one of these people.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I chose to log this book as well because it is so different from any other Ted Dekker novels. This one is a book not only to entertain, but also to inform. With all the chaos going on in the middle east, highschoolers might be drawn to this book because of the information it contains. However, the information is presented with a Christian worldview and in an interesting manner.


 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Intermediate: **

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Entry # 1 <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Title: Bamboo People <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Author: Mitali Perkins

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">This book is about the modern day military and political conflict in Burma. This book begins following the life of a young boy named Chiko. Chiko lives with his mother in a Burmese town. His father is a doctor, but is in prison for resisting the government. One day, Chiko decided to go into town to check out a potential teaching opportunity. When he gets there, soldiers show up, kidnap all the teenage boys there to force them into military service. While in the camp in the jungle, Chiko must figure out how to survive the brutality of the soldiers. However, just when Chiko thinks he is going to be ok, he takes the blame for another’s action and gets sent on a suicide mission. When Chiko gets hurt and is lying alone in the jungle, a boy by the name of Tu Reh finds him. He hates the Burmese because they have oppressed the Karenni, his minority people group. However, he decides to save Chiko anyways. Many adventures ensue as the boys must forge together and form a very unlikely friendship.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I loved this book! I thought it brought to life in an accurate, but not brutal fashion, the conflict that is going on in Burma. This book shows that racial conflicts are not just subject to the U.S, and that the walls of prejudice and racism must be broken down for any country to function properly. The characters were developed skillfully, and I enjoyed the plot twists this story had.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Entry# 2 <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Title: I Walk in Dread <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Author: Lisa Rowe Fraustino

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The sub-caption of this book is “The Diary of Deliverance Trembley, Witness to the Salem Witch Trials.” This book is a diary of a fictional character named Deliverance Trembley. Her nick-name is Liv. She and her sister, Mem, live in a small cottage with their uncle. However, their uncle has left to go whaling and is gone the entirety of the book. Their older brother, Benjamin, is off in the army. So against typical propriety of puritan society, these two girls live alone. This book is set up in a diary form, as Liv records what happens in her daily life. Among these entries, Liv includes her account of the Salem witch trials. At first Liv is scared, but by the end of the book she is convinced that the whole thing was made up by these teenage girls.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">This book was a great book for the age group it was designed for. It didn’t go into great detail of the trials, but enough information was given that someone could thoroughly understand the struggle that went on during that time. It was also interesting to be able to follow Liv and her thoughts through the process. A reader gets a dose of the emotions and thoughts that might have occurred during that event in history.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Entry # 3 <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Title: The Boxcar Children: The Camp-Out Mystery <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Author: Gertrude Chandler Warner

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The Boxcar children were very popular when I was young. I read a few, but for some reason even as a child they seemed unrealistic to me, so I did not read very many. This particular book in the series comes after they have moved out of the boxcar and are living with their grandpa. Their grandpa decides to take them on a camping trip. After they arrive at the campsite, weird things start happening. Loud music is played during the middle of the night, their lantern gets stolen, some of their food gets stolen, and a threatening note is left on a tree for them to find. The children are eager to solve the mystery. They can’t understand who would be doing this to them. Is it Doris the store keeper? Her mean sister, Hildy, who lives alone in the woods? Or is it someone else? In the end they find out it was a man who lived on the campsite. He was disgruntled because so many campers had treated the campsite poorly, so he was trying to drive everyone away. In the end, the man who had done this was sorry, and the children had solved another mystery.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">This was a classic boxcar children book. While highly unrealistic that four young children could be so independent and resourceful, many intermediate level readers love these books because of that fact. I think that these books are beneficial for young people to read because it encourages them to be respectful of authority and the allure of being independent and mature.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Entry # 4 <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Title: The Secret Society of the Left Hand <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Author: Dandi Daley Mackall

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">This book is a part of a series called “Cinnamon Lake Mysteries.” The author is a Christian, so she writes for young Christian readers. Her books always teach a value, and emphasize a faith based relationship with God. In this particular books, there are four children who start a club. In this club they decide to each do a good deed without telling anyone. However, two of the neighborhood bullies end up spying on them and try to foil their good deeds. In the end, the kids figure out how the bullies have been spying them, outsmart them, and carry out their good deeds.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">This was a cute book. It was very simplistic, and the kids were outspoken about their faith which is lost among today’s youth. I think that any young reader who is a believer would appreciate this book that involved Christian values, and an interesting mystery to solve.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Entry # 5 <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Title: Little House in the Big Woods <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Author: Laura Ingalls Wilder

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I had never read this book before, but had always heard positive things about it. This book is by Laura Ingalls Wilder, and is account of her childhood. She has an older sister Marry, and a baby sister, Carrie. This book doesn’t have a plot, but has the feel of a diary. She tells of every day life that she experiences with her family. From canning food for the winter, to stories of about wild bears approaching their house, one gets the feel of what it would have been like to live during that time period.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I think this would be a very good story for every young reader to read. This book truly takes one to a different time period, and gives them a taste of old life on the frontier. I loved reading this book, and I loved how the author told her stories in an interesting fashion.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Entry #6 <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Title: The Red Badge of Courage <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Author: Stephen Crane <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Adapted by: Malvina G. Vogel <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Illustrated by: E.R. Cruz

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">“The Red Badge of Courage”, is adapted for the young reader in this edition. This story takes place during the Civil War. Henry finds himself in a regiment in the Union army. He had always wanted to fight in the army, but his mother had strongly discouraged it. However, one day he went and enlisted anyway. The story begins with Henry feeling bored because the regiment had not moved in months and had not fought one battle. However, one day the time comes for a battle to be fought, and Henry panics and runs away into the woods. Henry is ashamed of his cowardly actions. However, Henry proves himself on a number of occasions and by the end of the book he has conquered his fear and earns his “red badge of courage.”

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I liked this book because it shows how atrocious war can be. Sometimes we glamorize war, or discount how bloody it can really be because many of us have never seen first hand its devastating effects. However, this book shows the reality of war and how it often results in very tragic events. I also liked how this book shows the character transition of Henry. Henry begins as a fearful young boy, but ends up a hero. This story seems to say “everyone has a chance to redeem the time.”