Book Review: From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E. L. Konigsburg

Genre:
Realistic Fiction

Interest Level:
Ages 9 and up

Reading Level:
Lexile 700, Grades 3 and up

Book Theme:
Running away, museum visits, the value of imagination, brother and sister relationships

Books with Similar Themes:  
The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin, The Sixty-Eight Room by Marianne Malone

Bibliographic Information:
Konigsburg, E. L. (1967). From the mixed-up files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler. New York: Atheneum.

About the Author:
http://www.eduplace.com/kids/tnc/mtai/konigsburg.html

Plot:  
From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler is the story of two siblings, Claudia and James Kincaid, who decide to run away from home to the Metropolitan Museum in New York City. The two children stay at the museum for several days, spending the night there as well after sneaking past the guards. They spend their time studying the art and having adventures like bathing in the fountain. They discover a beautiful statue of an angel that was just donated by Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler, one that is rumored to be made by the artist Michelangelo. Claudia becomes obsessed with discovering the truth about the statue and the two children begin doing all the research they can to find out if it was indeed made by Michelangelo. When they run out of answers they decide to go to the very person who donated the statue, Mrs. Frankweiler, but will she tell them the truth, or send them back to their family?

Review:  
From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler is an amazing story of two tweens who strike out on an unforgettable adventure. It's a story filled with imagination and mystery. The relationship between Claudia and James is very typically for tweens, especially because they are fighting one moment and then the best of friends the next. Despite their fights the two are very close and work as a team, something many tweens do with their own siblings. Tweens will love Claudia's boldness and James' ability to stand up to her stubbornness. Claudia is a tween who longs to be independent and grow up like many tweens. The characters both have many elements tweens to relate do, as does the story. It's one that tweens will love and return to again and again, not to mention instill a love of art and museums.

Notable Tweens:

Claudia Kincaid- Claudia is a headstrong, brialliant, and sometimes bossy twevle-year-old. She is the oldest of four children. She often feels like she is ignored by her family or not treated as well as the rest of her sibilings. She likes to do things differently from everyone else and decides to run away to something instead of running away from something.

James Kincaid- Nine-year-old James is the third of the four Kincaid children. He loves saving money and has earned quite a lot of it by cheating his friend when they play cards. He refuses to spend lots of money on their adventure and often insists on walking instead of taking a taxi or the bus, which doesn't make Claudia especially happy.

Book Review: The Invention of Hugo Cabret

Genre: 
Historical Fiction

Interest Level:
Ages 9 and up

Reading Level:
Lexile 820, Grades 3 and up

Book Theme:
Importance of family, loss of family members, the power of imagination


Books with Similar Themes:  
Horten's Miraculous Mechanisms by Lissa Evans, The Clockwork Three by Matthew J. Kirby

Bibliographic Information:
Selznick, B. (2007). The invention of Hugo Cabret: A novel in words and pictures. New York: Scholastic Press.

Story's Website:
http://theinventionofhugocabret.com/index.htm

Plot:  
The Invention of Hugo Cabret takes places in France during the 1930's. The main character is Hugo Cabret, a young orphan boy. Hugo is working on a Automan, a robot his father worked on before he died in a fire at a museum. Hugo is being cared for by his uncle, who keeps the clocks running in the city. One day he disappears and doesn't come back, so Hugo takes over the job to avoid being discovered. He has to steal to survive but is caught by toy seller Papa Georges. Papa Georges steals Hugo's prized notebook and threatens to burn it. Hugo must help Papa Georges in his shop to get it back. He befriends Papa Georges' god-daughter Isabelle who tries to help Hugo get the notebook back. The children discover that Papa Georges has some secrets he's been hiding about his part life, including his connection to the Automan. Can the two children discover them, or will they remain secrets forever?

Review:  
The Invention of Hugo Cabret is an incredible story with unforgettable illustrations. It's very similar to a graphic novel, which tweens love, so many tweens will be drawn in just by the pictures alone. The story deals with tween issues such as establishing independence, the importance of family, and the value of friendship. Hugo and Isabelle also are learning more about the world around them, or at least the world of their families, as the stories unfolds, something tweens will understand as well. The Invention of Hugo Cabret was made into a popular film titled Hugo, which may draw reluctant readers to the book. The Invention of Hugo Cabret is also a great story for tweens to share with their parents and families because of the family theme and illustrations. The Invention of Hugo Cabret is a must-read for all tweens, especially those who are reluctant readers, who enjoy amazing illustrations, or who just want to escape into a world that will stimulate their imagination!

Notable Tweens:

Hugo Cabret- The main character of the story, twelve-year-old Hugo is a mechanical genius who can wind all the clocks in Paris and tinker with machinery like the Automan. He is also resourceful and can survive on his own, that is until he got caught!

Isabelle Méliès- The god-daughter of Papa Georges, Isabelle is also an orphan. She is precocious, curious, and a bit annoying, but she and Hugo eventually become good friends.

Book Review: The Giver

Genre: 
Dystopian Fiction

Interest Level:
Ages 12 and up

Reading Level:
Lexile 760, grades 6 and up

Book Theme:
Importance of memory, importance of differences, growing up, self-discovery

Books with Similar Themes:  
Truesight by David Stahler, The Unnameables by Ellen Booraem

Bibliographic Information:
Lowry, L. (1993) The Giver. Boston: Houghton Mifflin.

Author's Website:
www.loislowry.com 

Plot:  
Jonas lives in a future dystopian society where people live in a community that appears to be happy and orderly. Everyone is polite and there are no arguments. Everyone has a role that is assigned to them. Birthmothers give birth to children, the children are cared for in the nurturing center until it is determined if they can function in the society, then they are given to a family. Families are only allowed two children. When people die, they pass through a special door and are "released" from the society. Each year there is a Ceremony of Twelve where the children who have been in the society are given their roles. Jonas is given the role Receiver of Memory, the person who holds the memories of the societies before their time. His role is a great honor. His is apprenticed to an old man he calls The Giver, the man who gives him memories. As Jonas receives the memories he starts to realize things in his society are not what they seem, and after a frightening discovery he realizes he has to escape.

Review:  
The Giver is a haunting story that tells the tale of tween who discovers his society is not the place he believes it to be. This discovery makes him realize he must escape, which is also a form of asserting independence, something many tweens relate to themselves. Through learning that the world is not what he believed it to be Jonas also sees the world with new eyes, something else tweens will relate to as they grow older and discover things about their worlds that they didn't see before. The Giver is a frightening book at point but also one that is hard to put down. The storyline is so intense that the reader will want to know what happens next. It's a story that will both captivate and haunt tweens, make them think about the world around them, and most importantly make them appreciate their individual identity. This book does contain some scenes that some find disturbing and graphic, so it may not be for everyone, but despite those scenes it is still a compelling story that will stay with you long after you have read it!

Album Review: Taylor Swift's Fearless

Genre:
Country

Interest Level:
Ages 9 and up

Album Theme:
Young love, first love, unrequited love, growing up

Albums with Similar Themes:  
A Year Without Rain by Selena Gomez and the Scene, Red by Taylor Swift

Bibliographic Information:
Swift, T., & Chapman, N. (2008). Fearless. Nashville, TN: Big Machine Records.

Artist Website:
http://www.taylorswift.com/ 

Review:  
Fearless is the second studio album of singer Taylor Swift. The album includes thirteen songs with tween-friendly themes. Some of the most popular songs include Fifteen, Love Story, and You Belong with Me. A number of songs refer to school settings, such as You Belong to Me which tells the story of a girl on the bleachers comparing herself to the cheering captain, who is dating her love interest. Fifteen tells the story of a girl in high school going on a first date with a boy who has a car. The song The Best Day tells the story of a girl's relationship with her parents as she grows up and mentions her at thirteen having a bad day because of her mean friends at school and how her parent comforts her. The song is a reflection of how important both families and friends are to tweens. These songs and many more are what make Fearless a great tween album!

Best Lyrics:
Taken from The Best Day

I'm thirteen now and don't know how my friends could be so mean  
I come home crying and you hold me tight and grab the keys  
And we drive and drive until we found a town far enough away  
And we talk and window shop 'til I've forgotten all their names
I don't know who I'm gonna talk to now at school  
But I know I'm laughing on the car ride home with you  
Don't know how long it's gonna take to feel okay  
But I know I had the best day with you today

Video for The Best Day:

 

Book Review: All of-a-kind Family by Sydney Taylor

Genre: 
Historical Fiction, Jewish Fiction

Interest Level:
Ages 9-12

Reading Level:
Lexile 750, Grades 4 and up

Book Theme:
Jewish customs, family adventures, sister adventures

Books with Similar Themes:  
The Penderwicks by Jeanne Birdsall, Little Women by Louisa May Alcott

Bibliographic Information:
Taylor, S. (1951). All-of-a-kind family. Chicago: Follett Publishing Company.

More Information About the Author: 
http://jwa.org/encyclopedia/article/taylor-sidney


Plot:  
All-of-a-kind Family is a story set in New York during the early 1900's. It' tell the story of five Jewish sisters, twelve-year-old Ella, ten-year-old Henny, eight-year-old Sarah, six-year-old Charlotte, and four-year-old Gertie, and their life with their family over the course of a year. The girls have all sorts of adventures, such as the mad search for a library book, Mama's creative game for dusting the house, preparing for the Sabbath, celebrating Jewish holidays like Purim, Passover, and Succos, shooting off fireworks on the Fourth of July, and much more! The sisters are all very close and obedient, rarely disobeying their parents. They love their parents dearly and their father's friend Charlie too, who they discover is looking for his lost love. The end of the book includes one final surprise that will change their family, one that little Gertie isn't too happy about unfortunately!

Review:  
All-of-a-kind-Family is a Little Women-like story that does a great job of depicting Jewish life in New York at the turn of the century. It also does a great job of explaining Jewish holidays and customs through the adventures of the five young sisters. The story is fun and the sisters are all loveable. This book falls more into the interest range younger tweens between 9 to 12. Like tweens in that age range the sisters are still young, carefree, and imaginative, but the older sisters do start to assert some independence from their families. It is still a story that some older tweens can appreciate too if they like feel-good books written with the feel of classic literature. This is a great book to introduce to both Jewish children and children who want to know more about Jewish customs. It's a great book for tweens to read alone or to read with their parents or teachers.

Notable Tweens:
Ella- Ella is twelve and the oldest sister. She has beautiful dark brown hair. Being the oldest she often helps her mother take care of the smaller girls. She develops a romantic interest in Charlie, a family friend, and is sad when she discovers his heart belongs to another woman.

Henrietta (Henny)- Henny is ten and described as the family's "wild one." Henny has beautiful blond curls and is very outspoken. She hates school and is jealous of her sister Sarah when she gets sick with scarlet fever and gets to stay home. Henny realizes being sick isn't so fun when all the sisters become ill, except her, and then she is all alone for Passover!

Book Review: The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian

Genre: 
Realistic Fiction, Native American Fiction, Diary Novels

Interest Level:
Ages 13 and up

Reading Level:
Lexile 600, Grades 7 and up

Book Theme:
Native American families, alcoholism, dysfunctional families, loss, new schools

Books with Similar Themes:  
Racing the Sun by Paul Pitts, Looking for Alaska by John Green

Bibliographic Information:
Alexie, S. (2007). The absolutely true diary of a part-time Indian. New York: Little Brown & Company.

Author's Website:
http://www.fallsapart.com/

Plot:  
Fourteen-year-old Junior lives on the Spokane Indian Reservation with his family, which is very poor. Junior has been growing tired of the hopeless life on the reservation. With a teacher's encouragement he decides to transfer to Reardan High, a school off the reservation, in hopes of a better education and future. Things don't go very well at first. People on the reservation think he has abandoned them, especially his best friend Rowdy. He also doesn't seem to fit in at his new school. Slowly he starts to make friends and even joins the basketball team, but then he has to play the team at his old high school! Then tragedy starts happening left and right in his family. Life isn't easy for Junior, and he has to find a way to pull through and to balance his two worlds, one on the reservation and the other at Reardan High, which proves to be very difficult to do!

Review:  
The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian is a story that has everything, humor, tragedy, friendship, budding romance, and much more! The story touches on some profound issues like alcoholism and death, but does it in a way that isn't overwhelming. The characters are unique and each one almost seems real. Tweens will appreciate this story for it's funny moments and sad ones too. They will also love Junior's sense of humor and his bravery to strike out on his own in order to better his education and future. Many tweens will understand what it's like to lose a friend like Junior did when Rowdy ended their friendship, and the sadness that surrounds that loss. This is a great story for both for Native American tweens and tweens who want to know about some of the issues faced by Native Americans today!


Notable Tweens:

Arnold (Junior)- The fourteen-old main character, Junior enjoys playing basketball, writing in his journal, and drawing cartoons.

Rowdy- Junior's best friend on the reservation, Rowdy has a mean streak and beats up Junior for leaving. Rowdy is abused by his father and takes his anger out on people, but he also has a soft side and cares deeply for his friends.

Penelope- The pretty white girl at Reardan High who Junior develops a crush on and takes to the school dance. Penelope has a racist father, and suffers from bulimia.

Gordy- A nerdy kid at Reardan who is brilliant. He does everything in the name of science, and eventually becomes good friends with Junior.

Book Review: Chicken Boy by Frances O'Roark Dowell

Genre: 
Realistic Fiction

Interest Level:
Ages 10 and up

Reading Level:
Lexile 860, Grades 4 and up

Book Theme:
Dysfunctional families, death of a parent, foster children, friendship

Books with Similar Themes:  
Crash by Jerry Spinelli, Eggs by Jerry Spinelli

Bibliographic Information:
Dowell, F. O. (2005). Chicken boy. New York: Aladdin Paperbacks.

Author's Website:
http://www.francesdowell.com/ 

Plot:  
Seventh grader Tobin McCauley has things pretty rough. His mother passed away a few years ago, his dad is negligent, his family is dysfunctional and doesn't have the best reputation, he doesn't fit in at school, and his first day of seventh grade began with his grandmother getting arrested when she dropped him off at school! Life is pretty lousy, so bad that sometimes there's no food in his house! He asks his grandmother is he can move in with her, and is crushed when she says no. Things seem pretty bad, but then one day Tobin befriends a classmate who convinces him that he can learn the meaning of life by raising chickens. Tobin isn't too sure about this, but when they start raising chickens for a science project Tobin becomes fascinated by them. His work with the chickens and new friendship help him begin to turn his life around, but then something happens to his family that could tear them apart, and Tobin doesn't know what to do!

Review:  
Chicken Boy is a story that will both make you laugh and tug at your heartstrings.The most incredible thing about this book is how it captures Tobin's confused feelings towards his dysfunctional family, such as his desire to escape from his family mixed with his great love for his father. Tobin is a child many children will relate to because he wants to establish independence from his family while feeling fiercely loyal to them at the same time. Children will relate to his mixed feelings about his classmates too, such as how he wants to fit in with them but isn't sure how to do it, or if he even wants to try. Chicken Boy is also a story tweens will find interesting to read. The story has sad moments mixed with funny ones, such as when Tobin's friend tells him they need to examine the chicken's poop. There are moments of self-discovery and triumph. It's a great story that shares the difficulties that no boy should have to go through while teaching about the unique experience of raising chickens. Chicken Boy is a great story for tweens!

Personal Thoughts:
Chicken Boy is a story that opened my eyes on a number of levels. When I first started reading about Tobin he reminded me of the boys I went to school with who got into trouble and were reluctant to do their school work. As a tween I always thought they acted that way just because they were bad kids. As an adult I know that isn't the case, but I didn't have any idea of what it might feel like to be one of these boys. Now I do thanks to reading Tobin's story. It's given me a whole new level of understanding and empathy for why children behave this way sometimes. It reminded me that sometimes we just don't know what's going on with tweens and we can't just brush them aside. I really wish I had read this book when I was tween because it would have helped me to better understand the behavior of some of my classmates. This is a book that needs to be shared with tweens so they can understand that even the kids who are labelled as "the bad kids" have a story to tell too.

Notable Tweens:
Tobin McCauley- Seventh grader Tobin is the main character, and the story is told from his point of view. Aside from his life with his dysfunctional family and his chicken project, Tobin is also a very fast runner, so fast his friend Henry encourages him to try out for cross country!

Henry Otis- Tobin's new friend, Henry loves chickens and think studying them holds the answer to the meaning of life. Henry comes from a loving, supportive family, something Tobin envies. Henry helps Tobin get back on track by encouraging him to do homework and to show his classmates what a fast runner he is.

Harrison Otis- Henry's nine-year-old brother, Harrison is in charge of the business end of raising the chickens, which is selling their eggs. Harrison is so excited about his role that he wants to send hourly emails to Tobin about his progress. Harrison also loves to run and asks Tobin to race him all the time.