Review: Mr. Putter & Tabby Smell the Roses by Cynthia Rylant

Mr. Putter & Tabby Smell the Roses by Cynthia Rylant. A Mr. Putter & Tabby Book.

Houghton Mifflin Books for Children
Publication Date: September 2015
List Price: $14.99
ISBN-13: 9780152060817

Review: Don't roses smell so wonderful to you? If so then I have a recommendation for you! Mr. Putter & Tabby Smell The Rosesby Cynthia Rylant is what you're looking for. This is a wonderful book for young children who are looking for a great starter book to read. it is a short story about Mr. Putter and his Tabby that want to do something nice for Mrs. Teaberry, his friend, on her special day! What's better than going out to the conservatory?

The audience age level is 6-9, in Kindergarten, intended for both boys and girls who like a wonderful starter book. The characters include a silly bulldog that belongs to Mrs. Teaberry with a quiet Tabby that belongs to Mr. Putter who are two very caring friends. The pictures in this book help engage the child to find the pictures a nice extra touch to imagine the story. I think it is a great book for adult enjoyment and a great starter book for children and so as the parent sees the child engaging in reading more and going into more advanced books would be appealing to the parent.

Overall I think it is funny and a great starter book for young children. It is nice and easy too for kids who have trouble reading and for a parents that want to read with their child. I definitely recommend this book for any young readers. I personally think the illustrations and the charters are great! Wow Mrs. Teaberry and Mr. Putter look like they're having lots of fun, I'm sure you don't want to miss out on it! So dive right in and have fun reading your book!

Review written by Abbey (6th grade student).

We would like to thank Houghton Mifflin Harcourt for providing a copy of Mr. Putter & Tabby Smell the Roses for this review.

Have you read Mr. Putter & Tabby Smell the Roses? How would you rate it?

Review: Drowned City: Hurricane Katrina and New Orleans by Don Brown

Drowned City: Hurricane Katrina and New Orleans by Don Brown.

Houghton Mifflin Books for Children
Publication Date: August 2015
List Price: $18.99
ISBN-13: 9780544157774

Review: Have you ever wanted to learn about New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina hit? With the book, Drowned City: Hurricane Katrina and New Orleans by Don Brown, you will be able to know what happened before, during, and after the hurricane hit New Orleans.

The age group that is best for Drowned City is 9 Ð 13 year olds. Because of the more challenging vocabulary, it is best if the readers are in late Elementary School, and Early Junior High. Young children would not like Drowned City because people, animals, and pets are dying. Drowned City is nonfiction,the illustrations help to explain the book because if the book just says, ÒSome gun-toting business owners arrive to protect their shops and offices.Ó Would you know what they meant by that one sentence? If not then you need the picture. The picture shows that there is a shop owner in front of his shop with a gun, and a sign that says, ÒYou Loot, I SHOOTÓ. This book is a graphic novel, so even though it looks long, it is a fifteen-minute read at the most. The graphic novel format might also appeal to middle-school readers. Overall, the format and topic is sure to strike interest in many readers.

Review written by Madison (6th grade student).

We would like to thank Houghton Mifflin Harcourt for providing a copy of Drowned City: Hurricane Katrina and New Orleans for this review.

Have you read Drowned City: Hurricane Katrina and New Orleans? How would you rate it?

Review: Search and Spot Animals by Laura Ljungkvist

Search and Spot Animals by Laura Ljungkvist. A Search and Spot Book.

Houghton Mifflin Books for Children
Publication Date: October 2015
List Price: $16.99
ISBN-13: 9780544540057

Review: Have you wanted to find a great book that has many different pages full of hidden animals to find? Search and Spot Animals by Laura Ljungkvist is a fun book that has many different pages full of hidden animals to find. It is a book that can most likely be enjoyed by kids under the age of seven. Search and Spot Animals can also help kids learn, because it challenges their mind.

I think parents would also like it because most parents want their kids to learn and also have fun at the same time, and that is exactly what this book provides. I definitely recommend this book, and if you want a fun book to read that has lots of animals hidden in nature, this is definitely the book you want since it has a little surprise hidden throughout the pages.

Review written by Molly (6th grade student).

We would like to thank Houghton Mifflin Harcourt for providing a copy of Search and Spot Animals for this review.

Have you read Search and Spot Animals? How would you rate it?

Review: Butterfly Park by Elly MacKay

Butterfly Park by Elly MacKay.

Running Press
Publication Date: May 2015
List Price: $16.95
ISBN-13: 9780762453399

Review: Have you ever read a book about butterflies? Even though you most likely have, you have probably not read one like this. Butterfly Park by Elly Mackay is the tale of a tiny girl. Her story involves a loss, but also a fresh beginning in her new home. This realistic fiction picture book is full of life-to-life connections, especially for the children that have experienced having a home in a new neighborhood. However, how will she settle in when there is nothing she is used to?

In Butterfly Park there is a girl that thinks her new home will be nothing like her old home back in the countryside, but she is mistaken. Luckily for her, the home she moves into is right next to a butterfly park! She feels like she can still be connected to nature. But there is one problem. The butterfly parkÉ is empty! She discovers that there are no fluttering insects anywhere. She makes an effort to capture some to put in the park, but they all soar away. Will she be able to occupy the deserted park? What if she never can?

Butterfly Park is a very good book for young ages, especially for preschoolers and young elementary students. The plot is not very complicated, and is appropriate for youthful minds. The vocabulary is also unchallenging, perfect for children who are just developing reading skills. If I was still a child, I would very much enjoy this book as a bedtime story. The illustrations are colorful, bright, very detailed, and cut out of actual paper, making the artwork even more unique. Great effort was put into writing this heartwarming story.

Review written by Katherine (6th grade student).

We would like to thank Running Press Books for providing a copy of Butterfly Park for this review.

Have you read Butterfly Park? How would you rate it?

Review: I am Lucille Ball by Brad Meltzer

I am Lucille Ball by Brad Meltzer. An Ordinary People Change the World Book.

Dial Books
Publication Date: July 2015
List Price: $12.99
ISBN-13: 9780525428558

Review: I am Lucille Ball is all about a girl that dreams of being an actor. Everyone doubts her because of how different she is. Nobody accepts her into schools to be an actor. Soon one person recognizes her talents and her dream comes true. She stars in musicals and shows. Finally one of her shows I Love Lucy aired on CBS on October 15, 1951. Everything started falling into place for Lucy, but to find out what happens next read I am Lucille Ball.

Funny, weird, different, and exciting. Those are only some of the fun and happy characteristics of Lucille Ball. If you love comics and books that will still help you learn to read then, I am Lucille Ball is a perfect book for you. Also if you are a kid who loves pictures, then I am Lucille Ball is more than just pictures, the pictures help make a picture in your mind! ItÕs like a picture making another picture! How crazy is that? Plus if you donÕt find a lot of books with funny scenes, but you are dying to find one, I am Lucille Ball is the best book for that. This book is perfect for kids from kindergarten-3rd grade, and some older kids may like it, it. I am Lucille Ball doesnÕt have a high vocabulary level so it is perfect for newer readers. Adding on to why this book is so great is the fact that kids will love the character because she looks like a little girl in the pictures, but is really 17! These are all very entertaining, but donÕt forget that this is nonfiction a story and was all about Lucille BallÕs real life. Most importantly do not forget that his book is trying to tell people that if you fail donÕt stop, keep on trying.

Review written by Adi (6th grade student).

We would like to thank Dial Books for providing a copy of I am Lucille Ball for this review.

Have you read I am Lucille Ball? How would you rate it?

Review: Touch the Brightest Star by Christie Matheson

Touch the Brightest Star by Christie Matheson.

Greenwillow Books
Publication Date: May 2015
List Price: $15.99
ISBN-13: 9780062274472

Review: Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star. YouÕve must have heard that phrase many times in your childhood while you read nursery books. Although that book was great, I have a better book to share with you.

The book, Touch the Brightest Star by Christie Matheson is an amazing book to read aloud to your children. Touch the Brightest Star is about you touching different object like, stars and animals. Touch the Brightest Star doesn't really have a storyline; it's more of an interactive book. Because Touch the Brightest Star is so interactive and has easy vocabulary to understand, it's primarily intended for toddlers. It is also intended for you to read Touch the Brightest Star at bedtime because that contributes to the story's plot.

Touch the Brightest Star really doesn't have a moral like most other books do; the author mainly wrote this book for your child to have fun. Also, if you want your child to improve on listening skills, this is a wonderful book for you. The illustrations are very calming and relaxing, not immensely overwhelming because this is a bedtime book. Overall, this is a pleasant interactive bedtime book for toddlers.

Review written by Heer (6th grade student).

We would like to thank Greenwillow Press for providing a copy of Touch the Brightest Star for this review.

Have you read Touch the Brightest Star? How would you rate it?

Review: Those Darn Squirrels! by Adam Rubin

Those Darn Squirrels! by Adam Rubin.

Clarion Books
Publication Date: September 2008
List Price: $17.99
ISBN-13: 9780547007038

Review: Those Darn Squirrels is about old man Fookwire, who is lonely but loves to paint the beautiful birds. But what will old man Fookwire do when the birds, and annoying squirrels fly south for the winter? Find out what happens in Those Darn Squirrels Fly South.

Early elementary children will love Those Darn Squirrels Fly South, because of the adorable eye popping illustrations,-and simple but interesting plot. The words will be mostly familiar to them, but there are some new vocabulary words for the reader. The illustrations are absolutely amazing, with bold bright colors, and hilarious details. Adults will love reading Those Darn Squirrels to their kids, and will be hearing Òread it again!Ó soon. This story shows that being nice, and having new friends I important. Despite needing a little more humor as far as the writing, if you read them Those Darn Squirrels you will have some captivated kiddos.

Review written by Emma (6th grade student).

We would like to thank Clarion Books for providing a copy of Those Darn Squirrels! for this review.

Have you read Those Darn Squirrels!? How would you rate it?