Barb's Reads for Children Lit

  BIBLIOGRAPHY Wiles, Deborah (2010). Countdown . Scholastic Inc. ISBN 9780545106054 PLOT SUMMARY In this historical fiction novel, Deborah Wiles writes the story of Franny Chapman, an eleven year old that lives through a terrifying time in history and in her personal life. Franny and her friends are growing up and going through confusing pre-teen years. Franny is also trying to understand the frightening events happening in the world in the early 60’s around her. CRITICAL ANALYSIS Wiles writes this captivating historical fiction novel with an awesome introduction with historical photos for you to understand the current events at that time. The story of Franny Chapman is such an interesting story about what it was actually like to live through those terrifying early 60’s. I really enjoyed the pauses in the story to insert some historical current events as it was happening. This is certainly a page turner that you can appreciate. The novel also includes a bibliography list with some...

  BIBLIOGRAPHY Gantos, Jack (2011). Dead end in Norvelt . Farrar Straus Giroux. ISBN 9780374379933 PLOT SUMMARY In this historical fiction novel, Jack Gantos writes the story of Jack Gantos and lives in Norvelt. His summer fun ends when his parents send him to help their neighbor suffering from arthritis, with a unique problem, writing obituaries. But sometimes Jack’s wild imagination gets the best of him. CRITICAL ANALYSIS Gantos’ writes this unique historical fiction novel full of rich descriptions. The descriptions are Jack’s imagination going wild. Jack’s imagination is so vivid in this novel, sometimes it is difficult to distinguish what is fact and fiction. This story is full of surprises and sure to make you laugh. Gantos’ brings history to life and allows you to make connections to believe you are living in that time period as well in these historical events. REVIEW EXCERPT(S) “A bit of autobiography works its way into all of Gantos's work, but he one-ups himself in this wi...

BIBLIOGRAPHY Kerley, Barbara (2008). What to do about Alice? : how Alice Roosevelt broke the rules, charmed the world, and drove her father Teddy crazy! Illus. by Edwin Fotheringham. Scholastic Press. ISBN 9780439922319 PLOT SUMMARY In this biography, Barbara Kerley writes the true story of Alice Roosevelt, daughter of U.S. president Theodore Roosevelt. This story shows a glimpse of who Alice was and how she wants to take on the world with no limits. CRITICAL ANALYSIS Kerley writes this factual story with a dash of a sense of humor. As Alice grows up, she realizes that she is not a traditional lady and instead wants to “eat up the world”. In this wildly, colorful story Alice is shown as an independent woman that is eager to explore the world. U.S. president, Theordore Roosevelt acknowledges that there is no way in stopping his wildly curious daughter. “I can be president of the United States, or I can control Alice. I cannot possibly do both.” - Theodore Roosevelt This lovely book is ...

BIBLIOGRAPHY Bartoletti, Susan Campbell. (2010). They called themselves the K.K.K. : the birth of an American terrorist group . Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. ISBN 9780618440337 PLOT SUMMARY In this biography, Susan Campbell Bartoletti writes the true story of what happened in Pulaski, Tennessee in 1866. Bartoletti collected the testimonies from various people that lived through this dark time and developed this book. This “club”, later known as the Ku Klux Khan, made of Confederate men would secretly meet and would terrorize physically and psychologically any black slaves that would attempt to exercise their newly given rights as citizens. CRITICAL ANALYSIS Susan Campbell Bartoletti writes the raw true story of what happened in Pulaski, Tennessee in 1866. This raw story is a collection of testimonies from various people that lived through this dark time. This “club”, later known as the Ku Klux Khan, was made of Confederate men who would secretly meet and terrorize physically and psycholog...

  BIBLIOGRAPHY Greenberg, J., & Jordan, S. (2013). The mad potter : George E. Ohr, eccentric genius . Roaring Brook Press. ISBN 9781596438101 PLOT SUMMARY In this biography, Jan Greenberg and Sandra Jordan write the true story of artist George E. Ohr, taking place after the Civil War. Greenberg and Jordan write about how Ohr became a uniquely talented pottery artist and how his success lives on even till this day.   CRITICAL ANALYSIS Greenberg and Jordan write about the uniquely talented pottery artist known as the “Mad Potter”, George E. Ohr. The story is simply written with facts of how the flamboyant, rebel, genius Ohr struggled to find his calling in life. Eventually he finds himself enjoying creating pots out of mud and later finding his artistic talent. Ohr’s pottery art was ahead of its time and provided for him and his family. He later described himself as the “unequaled, unrivaled, undisputed, greatest art potter on the earth”. The book is full of wonderful h...

 BIBLIOGRAPHY Farrell, Mary Cronk. (2022). Close-up on war . Abrams. ISBN 9781419746611 PLOT SUMMARY In this biography, Mary Cronk Farrell writes the true story about a French journalist, Catherine Leroy. In 1966, she flew to Vietnam to travel alongside with the marines to capture, photograph, and document the events they lived through the bloody war. CRITICAL ANALYSIS Farrell writes this colorful, descriptive biography about a pioneering photojournalist, Catherine Leroy. Leroy was the only brave female photojournalist that chose to experience what the marines experienced in this bloody war. Leroy crawled in dirt, witnessed shootings, beatings, death, bombings, and was even shot and captured by the North Vietnamese soldiers, all alongside with the marines. But nothing stopped her from documenting the true torturous reality of war.  This book is rich with historical, raw, uncensored photos and letters of war from cover to cover capturing every moment she witnessed. This should ...

BIBLIOGRAPHY Sidman, J. (2007). This is just to say : poems of apology and forgiveness. Illus. by Pamela Zagarenski. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Co. ISBN 9780618616800 PLOT SUMMARY In this unique poetry book, Joyce Sidman writes about a sixth grade teacher, Mrs. Merz, and how she decides to have her students write apology poems and in turn, have their responders write a poem back in response to those apologies. This book is divided into parts, first part are the apology poems and second part are the responses in forgiveness poems.  CRITICAL ANALYSIS Joyce Sidman writes about a sixth grade teacher, Mrs. Merz, and how she has her students write poems of apologies and gets the respondents to write a poem back to them. Mrs. Merz collects all of her students' apology poems and forgiveness poems and cleverly places them together in the poetry book. This unique book is cleverly written with a lot of honest clarity. This book will surely make you laugh and cry. Pamela Zagarenski’s illust...