Lunch Lady and the League of Librarians by: Jarrett Krosoczka

1. Bibliographic Data
Krosoczka, Jarrett. Lunch Lady and the League of Librarians . New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2009. Print.

2. Plot Summary
Lunch Lady and the League of Librarians is a humorous comic about lunch ladies who are also part time heroes and crime stoppers. Dee, Terrence, and Hector are three young students who get in on the action too. This installment of the Lunch Lady series involves the librarian stealing money from fundraisers, banding together, and trying to put a stop to all the new video games and gaming consoles coming out. The lunch ladies figure out what is happening through a spy cam and go to the rescue. The three students figure out what is happening too, and come just in time to rescue the lunch ladies when they are almost defeated by the librarians. The librarians are caught red handed trying to destroy the video game consoles and arrested. The lunch ladies come up with a plan in the end to combine reading and video games within the library. They save the day once again.

3. Critical Analysis
Lunch Lady and the League of Librarians is a great book for readers who enjoy comics. The book is in a comic book format as it tells the stories. The black and white pictures accompanying the comic help to explain the story, and help the reader visualize the story line. The theme of the book is a light-hearted story of unsuspecting heroes, the lunch ladies and a group of kids. Krosoczka does a good job of evolving the story just through short sentences or phrases in the comic bubbles. A great, short read for any reader interested in comics and heroes.

4. Awards and Review Excerpt(s)
*Choices Best Book List, 2010
*Childrens Literature..."Inspired by author/artist Jarret J. Krosoczka’s crazy ideas about his own elementary school lunch lady, much of the book’s humor comes from Lunch Lady’s cafeteria-themed gadgets, including the Spork Phone, Hairnet Nets, and Sonic Boom Juice Box."

5. Connections
*Read the other Lunch Lady books within the series.
*Have the kids create their own superhero comic strips.

"Lunch Lady and the League of Librarians." Children's Literature Reviews. N.p., n.d. Web. 2 Dec. 2010. .

When You Reach Me by: Rebecca Stead

1. Bibliographic Data
Stead, Rebecca. When you reach me . New York: Random House, 2009. Print.

2. Plot Summary
When You Reach Me is a confusing story at times that all comes together in the end. Miranda and her best friend Sal are enjoying their regular teenage lives when strange things start to happen. Sal is first punched by a kid they don't know, and then begins to ignore Miranda. Miranda spends her time helping her mom prepare to be on the game show "The $20,000 Pyramid", and making new friends. Then Miranda receives a mysterious note from what seems like the future that is warning her about saving her and a friends life. Miranda is thrown in to a desperate search of trying to discover who the author of the note is before it is too late. She then meets Marcus, perhaps a man from the future. The end brings the three people together that all makes sense in the end. The book cross-references the ever popular A Wrinkle in Time that also deals with the concept of time travel. This a good books for kids who enjoy books about the future, past, time travel, and everything in between.

3. Critical AnalysisRebecca Stead does a wonderful job of conveying her own writing style through Miranda's narration. The book is not your common teenage story of normal kids, but deals with time travel and mystery. The theme of the book is futuristic and eccentric that keeps the reader wondering how all the pieces are going to come together. A great book for readers who enjoy other time travel books, like A Wrinkle in Time. A light-hearted, intriguing book for all ages.

4. Reviews and Excerpt(s)
*Andre Norton Award, 2009
*Indies Choice Book Awards, 2010
*Childrens Literature.."Charmingly eccentric and impossible to categorize, this middle grade novel pays homage to Madeleine L’Engle’s A Wrinkle in Time while employing many of that book’s elements as it crisscrosses the boundaries between reality and fantasy, time travel and mystery."

5. Connections
*Suggest reading A Wrinkle in Time to the kids, a great read!
*Have the kids create their own short futuristic stories.
*Discuss what they thought of the story, and how they all thought it was going to play out and come together.

"When You Reach Me." Children's Literature Review. N.p., n.d. Web. 2 Nov. 2010. .

The Book Theif by: Markus Zusak

1. Bibliographic Data
Zusak, Markus. The book thief . New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2006. Print.

2. Plot Summary
The Book Thief is an extraordinary story about a young girl growing up in Nazi Germany. The stories tells the simple pleasures of friendship, family, and learning knew things to keep the sad story entertaining at times. Liesel Meminger moves to Molching, Germany to live with foster parents when she is a young girl. Along the way she loses her brother, buries him, and steals her first book that later gives her the name "the book thief". She meets her best friend Rudy Steiner who lives next door , and learns to love her foster parents as her real mama and papa once she gets to Molching. As Nazi Germany is prevailing, Liesels papa has to live up to a promise he made years ago and harbor a young jew in his basement, Max. Throughout the story, Liesel learns to read and write and steal books from the rich familes with her best friend to read to Max in the basement. A series of events leads to Max having to leave, and eventually leads to her papa having to leave to join the war. Bombing is becomes a recurring event in the small town of Mulching that leads to Liesel losing everybody, including her foster parents and Rudy. Liesel thinks she has lost everyone and is devastated, only to find Max standing at her door one day. The story ends with Liesel living her life out in Sydney with a family, kids, and grandkids.

3. Critical Analysis
The Book Thief is a wonderful story that shares the other side to Nazi Germany. Books based during this time period usually focus on the Holocaust and are told from a Jewish child's point of view, but this story tells the story of a young German girl dealing with her anger towards Hitler. The story has a light-hearted plot of children being children that kids can relate too, but also has a good balance of the hard times during this period and what it was like. The theme accompanies the plot by being happy at times, but extremely sad at others. Marcus Zusak does a great job of incorporating his writing style into the book. The story is narrated by "death". The paragraphs are not always simple, and include pictures that Max drew, or notes and clarification spoken by "death" that are in bold through the story. The Book Thief is a good story for yougn adults that can understand and deal emotionally with the hard topics during Nazi Germany.

4.Awards and Review Excerpt(s)
*Cybil Award, 2006
*Michael L. Printz Award, 2007
*Parents' Choice Award, 2006
*Kirkus Reviews..."This big, expansive novel is a leisurely working out of fate, of seemingly chance encounters and events that ultimately touch, like dominoes as they collide. The writing is elegant, philosophical and moving. Even at its length, it's a work to read slowly and savor. Beautiful and important."

5. Connections
*Read other books that deal with Nazi Germany, try a book through a Jewish child's point of view.
*Discuss the hardships and history of the Holocaust and Nazi Germany.
*Have the teens write short stories about their lives like Liesel Meminger did.

"The Book Thief." Children's Literature Review. N.p., n.d. Web. 2 Nov. 2010. .

Chains by: Laurie Halse Anderson

1. Bibliographic Data
Anderson, Laurie Halse. Chains . New York: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2008.

2. Plot Summary
Chains starts out with Isabel and her little Ruth preparing to be freed now that their master had died, Miss Finch. Miss Finch's nephew has other plans and sells them immediately after the funeral to a rich, evil couple, the Locktons, who take them to New York. Isabel is treated very poorly by Mrs. Lockton, while Ruth was treated better because she thought she could manipulate her. Ruth was prone to episodes, and Mrs. Lockton finally experienced one, which ends with Ruth being taken away from Isabel and sold to another family. Isabel finds herself so lost and angry until she meets Curzon. Isabel does not care about the Revolutionary War going on, and all she worries about is being free. Curzon encourages Isabel to spy on her Loyalist masters, and tell what she knows to the Patriots. Isabel is torn between the decision, but knows this is her only way to freedom and finding her sister. Her missions are dangerous and end up tearing her and Curzon apart.

3. Critical Analysis
Laurie Halse Anderson creates and intriguing story that will leave the reader wanting to know what is going to happen next. The story is told through a young, slave girl in the 1700s so children can not really relate to all of the problems Isabel has to deal with, but the story is so entertaining. Children could relate to her bravery, and wonder if they would be as brave as Isabel to gain freedom. The setting of the book is in New England in the thick of the Revolutionary War. The facts and a few characters are real, which Anderson explains at the end of the book. The theme of the story revolves around Isabel's struggle for freedom. The reader will get lost in the story, and not even realize they are learning about a very important war in American history, and the struggle of many slaves during this timer period. Chains is meant for the young adult crowd because of its content and length, but is very highly recommended book.
*Readers can now read Forge which picks up where Chains left off, and tells the story through Curzon.

4. Awards and Review Excerpt(s)
*Cybil Award, 2009
*Scott O'Dell Award, 2009
*Childrens Literature..."Once she throws her lot in with Curzon, the die is cast, and Isabel finds herself fighting colonial apathy and Mrs. Lockton’s cruelty as she strives to help Curzon and the revolutionary spirit of those around her. The sequel to this novel is coming, and if it is half the book this one is, it will be well worth the wait."

5. Connections
*Ask the children what they would have done if they were in Isabel's place. What do they think about the Locktons? Curzon?
*Read or recommend Forge the sequel.
*Discuss the questions and Anderson's answers at the back of the book. Discuss what was fact and what was not.

"Chains." Children's Literature Reviews. ezproxy.twu.edu:2245/cgi-bin/member/search (accessed November 11, 2010).

The Ballad of Lucy Whipple by: Karen Cushman

1. Bibliographic Data
Cushman, Karen. The Ballad of Lucy Whipple . New York: Clarion Books, 1996.

2. Plot Summary
The Ballad of Lucy Whipple is about a girl and her family moving West to California during the Gold Rush. Lucy lost her dad and a younger brother before they left for California, but her mom, brother, and two little sisters make the trip with her. Lucy is really unhappy about moving away from Massachusetts and her grandparents, and hates Lucky Diggins, California and all of its dirt. Throughout the book Lucy dreams about moving, and saves her money to move back East. The only thing that keeps her going is her books. The Whipples go tough a time when they lose Butte, the only boy left in the family. Lucy makes many friends while living in Lucky Diggins, but she doesn't know at the time. After long summers and winters, and a devastating fire Lucy's mom and new husband decide to move to the Sandwich Islands. Lucy makes the choice to stay behind to move back East with another family that is leaving. When it is finally time for her to go, she can't. She realizes she loves this place, and writes to her mom telling her "home is where I am loved and safe and needed. And that's Lucky Diggins". Lucy ends of living happily ever after in Lucky Diggins as the librarian at the new library.

3. Critical Analysis
Karen Cushman does an excellent job of describing the hard times during the Gold Rush in California, but keeps it interesting through Lucy Whipple's story. The story is humorous and sad at times, but is a good read for a child. Lucy Whipple is easy to identify with for children because she goes through the same things a child would go through today, like doing chores or finding new friends. The description of the setting is accurate in explaining the long winters and summers that plagued the miners during this time. The theme of the book touches on dealing with loss, moving, getting along with your parents, and making new friends, all of these being issues a child could deal with today. Cushman's style of writing is present through out the book, and the reader is exposed to how people spoke then, like the terms ma and pa, which kids don't hear often today.

4. Awards and Review Excerpt(s)
*John and Patricia Beatty Award, 1997
*ABC Children's Booksellers Choices Awards, 1997
*Lots of interesting characters and descriptions of the hard life facing the miners and others whose livelihoods are part of the gold fever make for an amusing and informative look at California and the struggles of one girl to find herself and a place to call home."

5. Connections
*Lucy often discusses some of her favorite books, ask the children what some of their favorite books are. Have them write down the books they would like to take with them if they had to move away to a place with no library.
*Ask the children questions about the time period, and use the small history lesson at the back of the book to explain to them what the time were really like.
*Have the children draw a picture of what they envision Lucky Diggins to look like.

"The Ballad of Lucy Whipple." Childrens Literature . ezproxy.twu.edu:2245/cgi-bin/member/search/f?./temp/~dHoznf:2 (accessed November 11, 2010).

Al Capone Does My Shirts by: Gennifer Choldenko

1. Bibliographic Data
Choldenko, Gennifer. Al Capone does my shirts . New York: G.p. Putnam's Sons, 2004.

2.Plot Summary
Al Capone Does My Shirts is about a young boy, Moose, and his family moving to Alcatraz, so they can afford to send his sister to a special school. The story is set during the thirties when popular cons are living on Alcatraz, like Al Capone. Moose is angry at first that he had move away from his home and friends, but he quickly finds himself with a new group of friends who all live on the island. Piper the warden's daughter is always up to trouble, and bringing Moose in to the middle of it, like charging kids at school to have Capone do their laundry. Meanwhile, his family is dealing with his sister, who we now know has autism, and getting her in to this promising school in San Fransisco. After twice getting turned down, Moose takes matters in to his own hands. He knew if he could get a message to Al Capone that he could help him out, and talk to the headmaster at the school. Moose writes Capone a letter explaining everything, and one afternoon he comes home to find out his sister has been accepted. Moose's parents just think life is so unexpected sometimes, but Moose thinks differently, especially when he finds the wrinkled note in his freshly laundered shirt saying "DONE".

3. Critical Analysis
Gennifer Choldenko's portrayal of Alcatraz during the thirties is accurate and information, but is entertaining as well as the reader embarks on the complicated relationship between Moose and his sister, Natalie. The children in this store are all fictional, but they all portray what children were like during this time period. Moose, for example, loves baseball and would play everyday, and this was when baseball was considered the American past time. The description of the children's clothes that they pay to have laundered by Al Capone are also a reflection of the time period. The setting of the story is set on Alcatraz island when they had the most famous cons living there. The plot of the story could be realistic because Choldenko writes a few pages at the end of the story explaining how worker's families did live on the island, and come in to close contact with the prisoners. The prisoners really did do the families laundry. The book captures Choldenko's creative voice, but the reader also gets to read how people spoke during the thirties through the dialogue of the families in the story. Al Capone Does My Shirts is an entertaining, and emotional at times, story that children can relate to while learning about the history of Alcatraz and its inhabitants.

4. Awards and Review Excerpt(s)
*Carnegie Medal, 2004
*John Newbery Medal, 2005
*Young Adult Book Award, 2006
*Childrens Literature..."This is an incredibly readable book; its chapters are short, its plot driving, its characters well-rounded and intriguing, and the setting fascinating."

5.Connections
*Have the kids discuss what they think life would be like on Alcatraz island.
*Let the children choose another book by Gennifer Choldenko, like Notes from a Liar and her Dog
*Ask the kids if they have ever had to move away from a friend, or had a friend move away from them, and how they felt.

"Al Capone Does my Shirts." Childrens Literature. ezproxy.twu.edu:2245/cgi-bin/member/search (accessed November 11, 2010).

Dogs and Cats by: Steve Jenkins

1. Bibliographic Data
Jenkins, Steve. Dogs and Cats. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 2007.

2. Plot Summary
Dogs and Cats is an informational book about where dogs and cats came from, different breeds, facts, and other interesting information. The book is about dogs on one cover, and then the reader flips the books and reads about cats. The dog side of the book explains how dogs evolved from wild animals, and how the different breeds are created. The author explains how they get along with people and other dogs. There is a section that tells about puppies, and their behavior and eating habits. The author then provides a picture that points out all the dogs senses, and which ones they use best. The book meets in the middle with the cat section by explaining how dogs and cats interact. The cat side of the book points out of all the same characteristics and the history of cats.

3. Critical Analysis
Dogs and Catspresents accurate facts about the lives and characteristics of dogs and cats. The organization of the book is split up into two parts through its flip book format. The reader can pick which animal they want to read about first, then flip the book over to read about the other animal. The book has cute, colorful pictures that depict the different breeds of dogs and cats. This is a great informational book for children who are interested in animals. The information flows nicely, and the author makes it interesting for the child.

4. Awards and Review Excerpt(s)
*Mind the Gap Award, 2008
*Childrens Literature..."Cat and dog aficionados alike will be pleased with this artistic yet factual rendering of their favorite four-legged companions. Readers who start the book from the gold endpapers are treated to a wealth of information about man’s best friend; those who flip the book and start from the red endpapers enjoy pages about their independent felines."
*Booklist..."Award-winning illustrator-author Jenkins offers readers a delightful and insightful grab bag of facts about a human's best friends."

5. Connections
*Take a poll of which animal the children like best, a dog or a cat?
*Have the children share stories about their animals.
*Let the children draw pictures of them and their fury friends to accompany their stories.