Simon Sort of Says by Erin Bow 🟊🟊🟊🟊🟊

Simon is a seventh grader whose family has moved to Grin and Bear It, Nebraska. They came from Omaha where Simon was the only survivor of a school shooting. His new hometown not only has a quirky name but it’s a “National Quiet Zone”, with not internet or cell phones. As Simon settles into his new life nobody in town knows about his past. He is making friends, has less anxiety and he is back in the classroom. When one of his friends finds out about his past, how will the town and Simon react?

School gun violence is a scary and disturbing topic for today’s school children. The book addresses the subject with seriousness but it’s not heavy handed. The delightful humor in the novel keeps the reader laughing despite Simon’s struggles with PTSD. A great book for any middle schooler.

Relevant Information	Content Review
Published In: 2023	Profanity: No
Publisher: Disney Hyperion	Violence: Yes
Age Level: 10-14 years	Sexual Content: No
AR Level: 5.2	Mature Themes: School Shooting
Pages: 320
Stars: 5 Awards: 2024 Newbery Honor

Big by Vashti Harrison 🟊🟊🟊🟊🟊

Everyone has feelings and sometimes words can be very hurtful. One girl finds this out when other children start to make fun of her because of her size. When she is criticized by both adults and children her fragile self-esteem is damaged. The book teaches readers to be mindful when talking to others. A child’s self-confidence can be shattered with just a few words. The book has a wonderful message for all children.

Published In: 2023
Publisher: Little, Brown & Co,
Age Level: 4-8 years
AR Level: 1.7
Pages: 60
Stars: 5
Awards: 2024 Caldecott Medal

Red Sings from Treetops by Joyce Sidman 🟊🟊🟊🟊

All the colors take on a different role as the author moves through the seasons. In spring “Yellow shouts with light!”, in summer it “smells like butter”, in fall “it grows wheels”, and in winter it has “gone home”. The poetry is easy to read but my granddaughter’s eyes started to glaze over with all the abstract narrative. The illustrations are what kept her sitting long enough to finish the book.

Published In: 2009
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin
Age Level: 2-6 years
AR Level: 3.2
Pages: 32
Stars: 4
Awards: 2010 Caldecott Medal

Locomotive by Brain Floca 🟊🟊🟊🟊🟊

If your child likes trains this is the book for them. A family is moving out West, the year is 1869, the transcontinental railroad has just been completed, and they will be traveling by train. The book gives insight into the passenger experience through the eyes of a young boy traveling with his mother and sister. It describes all the sights along the way as well as what it is like living on the train over the course of the multi-day trip. Details are given about the mechanics of the train and what it takes to keep it moving. The jobs of the men working on the great machine are told simply and accurately. Younger children will find the story about the family moving out West fascinating. Older children will appreciate the history of building the train and the details of how a steam engine works.

Published In: 2013
Publisher: Atheneum
Age Level: 2-8 years
AR Level: 4.7
Pages: 60
Stars: 5
Awards: 2014 Caldecott Medal

 

Belle Prater's Boy by Ruth White 🟊🟊🟊🟊🟊

“Belle Prater’s Boy” is a historical fiction novel set in the 1950’s. The story takes place in the Appalachian Mountains in the heart of coal county. Woodrow’s mother is missing, and his father can no longer take care of him, so he’s sent to town to live with his Grandparents. Gypsy, his cousin lives next door, and both sixth graders are keeping secrets. Woodrow secret is about his mother disappearance and Gypsy’s is about her father’s death. These two characters are well developed, and they draw the reader into the story. The book has enough humor that the very serious topics don’t overwhelm the reader. A wonderful book for any middle schooler.

Relevant Information	Content Review
Published In: 1996	Profanity: No
Publisher: Harper Collins Publishers, Inc.	Violence: Yes
Age Level: 10-14 years	Sexual Content: No
AR Level: 4.4	Mature Themes: Domestic Abuse
Pages: 196	Suicide, Abandonment, Alcoholism
Stars: 5                                                        Series: 2 Books Awards: 1997 Newbery Honor

Pie in the Sky by Lois Ehlert 🟊🟊🟊🟊🟊

A family moves into a hew home that has a cherry tree in the yard. A father tells his child that “it’s a pie tree”. The child watches the tree over the course of the four seasons to see any signs of pies growing in the tree. Finaly summer arrives, and something is sprouting in the tree. It’s not pies, but cherries and the father and child make a pie together. The book has wonderful illustrations, with bold and vibrant colors. The story is simple, but the artwork is what keeps the toddlers coming back.

Published In: 2004
Publisher: Harcourt, Inc.
Age Level: 4-7 years
AR Level: 2.7
Pages: 36
Stars: 5

Bink & Gollie by Kate DiCamillo and Alison McGhee 🟊🟊🟊🟊🟊

 

Bink and Gollie are two friends, Gollie likes pancakes, and Bink likes peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. The book is about the funny antics of these two friends and the compromises they make to stay friends. The plot is uncomplicated, and beginning readers will have no trouble following the story. It was simple enough that my 7-year-old granddaughter could read it on her own. A great series of books for elementary school children just starting to read chapter books.

 

Relevant Information	Content Review
Published In: 2010	Profanity: No
Publisher: Candlewick Press	Violence: No
Age Level: 5-8 years	Sexual Content: No
AR Level: 2.5	Mature Themes: None
Pages: 81
Stars: 5 Series: 3 Books