The Boxcar Children

By: Gertrude Chandler Warner
Published by: Albert Whitman
Pages: 154
Ages 9-12



This is a book about four children whose parents died when they were little. When they were looking for a place to sleep, they asked if they could stay at the bakery shop for one night and in the morning they would wash the dishes. Even though the baker & his wife didn't like children they said, “OK”. That night they heard the baker's wife talking to her husband and they said they were going to use the three oldest in the bakery and give the youngest to the orphanage. The children ran away at night. Then they found the old boxcar. Inside the boxcar were some old empty crates. They lived in the boxcar for a little while, and that is how they became the boxcar children.

Who I would recommend this to? Kids who love mysteries, because the rest of the boxcar books are mysteries.

Possible conflicts/problems? I can see how this would rise a problem, these kids have real life problems not little problems like a missing bike. It could introduce a whole new way of life, and unperfect life, to children.

My reaction: Such a fun booK! I loved these books when I was younG! 4 stars!

Rescuing the Rain Forest

By: Bob Temple and Savannah Horrocks\
Published by: Picture Window Books
Ages:7-12
Pages 62

This book is about a little boy named Ari, Ari keeps hearing a strange noise coming from his bedroom. When he tells his best friend about it, she teases him saying they are too old to think that monsters live in the closet. Ari tries over and over again to catch the monster, but doesn't. One day he finally sees a dark figure in his bedroom, he calls his best friend Kendra over to look. When they open the door to Ari's room they are shocked to find that his room has been transformed into a rain forest. With trees and vines, and everything. When they entered the rian forest they saw the small creature, Trace, who had been in Ari's room causing the noise. Trace tok Ari, and Kendra to a small village int he rain forest. They were taken to meet the king. The king turns out to be Trace's father and refuses help from the human children. And the king ordered the kids to be returned to their world. The kids come upon a part of the forest that was being destroyed, and they set out to stop it from being destroyed. But in the process the Trolls kidnap them, and try to set them on fire. But in the end Trace and his people save the children and scare away the trolls.

Who I would recommend this to? People who are interested in keeping the environment preserved.

Possible problems/ conflicts? Some people might disagree with keeping the earth "green"

My reaction: This book was a bit strange, I didn't enjoy it much. 3 stars.

Get Well Good Knight

By: Shelly Moore Thomas

Published by: Dutton Children's Books
Pages: 51
Ages:7-12

This book is about 3 little dragons who come down with a terrible cold, and a knight hears them sneezing. So he sets out on a journey to find whoever is sick. After awhile, he finds the sick dragons in bed. The knight becomes concerned with the sick dragons, and sets out to find a wizard to help. The wizard gave him some special stew to give the three dragons. He returned to the cave where the little dragons lived to give them the stew. But the dragons refused to eat the stew. So the knight tried it himself, and it was terrible. So he went back to the wizard for something new. The wizard gave him a new kind of soup, and the knight returns once again to the cave. Once again the dragons refused the soup. When their mother came home she made yummy soup and they got better, and the knight could return to his castle satisfied that he had helped.

Who would I recommend this book to? Beginning readers, this is a good first novel.

Possible problems/conflicts? None that I see

My reaction? Cute book, not my favorite I have read though. Pretty repetative. 3 stars.

The Way I Feel

By: Janan Cain
Published by: Parenting Press
Pages: 32
Ages: 2-8

This book is a fantastic way to teach kids about different emotions they feel and why they feel them. It goes through a variety of emotions such as scared, disappointed, happy, nervous and so on and gived situations in which you might feel that way, and it is also illustrated in the pictures.

Who I would recommend this to? Little kids who need a better understanding of different emotions.

Possible Conlicts/problems? No, this book is harmless.

My reaction: I loved the pictures to go along with each emotion. Super cute book, 4 stars.

Mercedes and the Chocolate Pilot

By: Margot Theis Raven
Illustrated by: Gijsbert van Frankenhuyzen
Published by: Sleeping Bear Press
Ages: 10-12
Pages: 54

This is a story about a girl named Mercades who lived in Berlin at the time of WWII. Her mama tells her a story about a pilot that secrectly dropped candy out of the supply airplanes for children. But one day he was caught. And instead of getting in trouble, his colonel told him to keep dropping the candy. People from America supplied him with candy, enough to fill 2 boxcars on a train. Her mama promised to take her to get candy from the candy pilot. Just as her mother promised, she got to go stand under the plane with all the other children to catch candy. But sadly, she went away with none. So she wrote a note to the pilot asking him for candy. One day Mercedes got a package filled with chocolate and gum. And she was so happy!

Who I would recommend this book to: Anyone interested in World War II.

Possible conflicts/problems? I did not find anY!

My reaction: I loved this book, I found it so interesting. The pictures were great also. 5 stars!

A Boy Named Beckoning: The True Story of Dr. Carlos Montezuma, Native American Hero

By: Gina Capaldi
Pulblished by: Carolrhonda Books
Ages: 8-12
Pages: 32

A true a story about an Yavapai Indian boy named Beckoning. He writes a letter to a professor stating he is willing to answer any questions the professor might have about his way of life. One night he was running from US soldiers and was seperatedd from his family and kidnapped by a strange man, and witnessed his village being burned. He was taken by horseback to a different village; a strange village. After a week, he was sold as a slave. His owner cut his hair, gave him a bath, and made him "civilized." The boy cried a lot, and to comfort him, his owner took him to talk with two indian girls. These girls happened to be his sisters. He only saw them 2 times again. The boy was baptized and given the new name of Carlos. When traveling he was given the job of being an actor. After traveling for quite some time, they settled in Chicago. And Carlos attended public school. When he was 11 his " father" was forced to leave him behind with a new family. Carlos attended medical school on scholarships. When he looked for his blodd family, he found they were all dead. But he was a doctor all of his life, and was happy with it.

Who I would recommend this to: Anyone really, such a great motivational story.

Possible problems/conflicts? None that I see.

My reaction: I loved this book, very interesting and motivational! 5 stars!

Lazily, Crazily, Just a Bit Nasally; More about adverbs

By: Brian P. Cleary
Illustrated by: Brian Gable
Published by: Millbrook Press
Ages:7-9
Pages:31

This book is a fun, nonfiction book about adverbs. It is a rymning book that teaches kids what adverbs are, how they are used,and what they are used for. It decribes what an adverb is by using averbs. It is a very creative book.

Who would I recommend this to? 2nd grade teachers who are trying to explain what an adverb is.

Possible problems/conflicts? This book sometimes got confusing, it may need to be read a few times.

My reaction: I thought this was a great way to teach about adverbs, I even learned something new! **** Four Stars