Mirror Mirror: A Book of Reversible Verse by Marilyn Singer

Summary:

This book is filled with very short versions of different fairy tales and folk tales mixed with poetry. Each fairy tale and folk tale has two different short versions. The poem is read first from the top line to the bottom, but then the poem is flipped and it’s read from the bottom line to the top. It is told from two character’s points of view. The tricky part is that for the most part the author used the exact same words for both sides of each story, but reverses the order of the words. The stories are not exactly in sentence form, but sometimes more like phrases. One of the stories is Little Red Riding Hood. In Red Riding Hood story, it gives the wolf's side and then Little Red Riding Hood's side. Each poem’s tells a piece of a fairy tale. Other fairy tales are Snow White and Sleeping Beauty. Goldie Locks and the Three Bears and Rapunzel are also different parts of the poems as well. It’s up to the reader to determine which story to believe.

Mrs. Garza's Thoughts:

What a unique way to mix fairy tales, folk tales, and poetry together! I enjoyed reading this book because of the illustrations. The illustrations are appealing because of the bright and vibrant colors the illustrator used. The illustrations also help readers determine which character the poem is written about. A beautiful woman and a beastly man help readers recognize that they are reading about Beauty and the Beast. I especially liked "Cinderella's Double Life". The illustrations were simply beautiful! Mirror Mirror will teach readers that there is always two different versions to a story. We can never just believe one person. This book is creatively written and it shows readers that there is no right way to write a book. Creativity is everything! This is a fun, new, and interesting way to get everyone to read poetry!  

Bullies Never Win by Margery Cuyler

Summary:
Brenda the Bully won't leave Jessica alone. Brenda enjoys calling Jessica names like toothpick and making fun of her homework and her clothes. Jessica gives up kickball after Brenda tells her that her homerun was just luck. She also begins wearing pants to cover her skinny legs. Jessica doesn't have anywhere to sit at lunch. When her mother accidentally packs her lunch in her brother's lunch box, Jessica hysterically worries that Brenda will make fun of her which Brenda does. After being made fun of Jessica loses her lunch and becomes very upset with her mother for packing her lunch in her brother’s lunch box. Jessica explains the problem to her mother and gets helpful advice. Her mom wants her to tell her teacher but the teacher insists that her bullying problem will solve itself. So with her mother’s advice, the next time Brenda the Bully is mean to her, Jessica is ready with her own words "Toothpicks may be thin, but bullies never win!"

Mrs. Garza's Thoughts:

Bullying is a problem at our school. Bullies Never Win is the story of a girl named Jessica who stands up to her bully, Brenda. I enjoyed reading this story because of the ending of the story. I liked how Jessica stood up to Brenda with her fighting words, “Toothpicks may be thin, but bullies never win!” All of students should always feel safe in our school. If there is a bullying problem, we want for our students to tell a teacher or an adult. Our teachers would never tell a student that a bullying problem would solve itself like the way Jessica’s teacher told her. I think this story teaches a great lesson to many of us. At one time, we have all been bullied by someone. If we are just brave and stand up for ourselves we can be sure that no one will ever make us feel bad about ourselves. If you have bullied someone and you read this story, it will teach you not to do it again because bullies NEVER WIN!

Ghosts I Have Been by Richard Peck

Summary:
Ghosts I Have Been is set in 1913 in Bluff City. Blossom Culp is a 14-year-old adventurous and trouble making young girl that is looked upon as the teenage outcast. She is witty and cunning.  Blossom comes from a very poor family only having her eccentric mother. Her mother claims to have psychic powers just like the women in their family. Her mother is odd and neglects Blossom. Her mother's bizarre fortunetelling behavior does not seem to bother Blossum one bit. Blossom pretends that she has supernatural powers too but then she soon discovers that she also has the ability to see ghosts, can see past events, and can have premonitions about things that will happen in the future. This power is fun until she sees something terrible. She immediately finds herself in the room aboard the Titanic. The room belongs to a small boy who is left to drown by his socialite wealthy parents. Blossom attempts to change history by rescuing the boy. Using her telepathic powers she journeys to the doomed ship. Blossom returns to the present covered in water and wrapped in a blanket from the Titanic. Blossom receives massive attention from the media and a letter from the Queen of England thanking her for exposing the boy's parents.

Mrs.Garza's Thoughts:
When I decided to read this book, I immediately thought of the movie, "Titanic." I reminisced about the part when the boat was sinking and the people trying to load the extra life boats to escape the sinking ship. I think that's one of the most exciting parts of the movie! Children and women were asked to board the rescue boats first while the men stayed behind. I recall the part when one the characters (Rose's mother) asks one of the crew members if the people were going to board the rescue boats according to class. All of these scenes from the movie allowed me to connect to the book. How could a parent leave their child behind to die a horrible death in the deep cold ocean? The boy's wealthy parents reminded me of the people that Rose's fiance and mother (from the movie) associated with aboard the ship. 

This book was the first ghost story I had ever read and I simply enjoyed it! The setting and time were so precise for the story line. I loved how I felt like I was watching a movie, instead of just reading a book. I didn't connect with the main character, Blossum, but I enjoyed reading about her character. She was funny and clever at the same time. She refuses to let life get her down, and despite the horrors that her gift brings upon her (she sees a future of devastating wars in one of her visions), she remains upbeat about her special gift.

The book was unpredictable and it being a ghost story I wasn't frightened at all. The book was an easy read and I especially liked how Richard Peck tied the Titanic into the story. As a librarian, I have many students that are interested in reading stories about the Titanic. This is definitely a book I would recommend for my older students. It's a historical fiction novel that my students will find interesting. Friendships, the Titanic, ghosts, and romance are all topics of interests of my older students. Happy Reading!   

A Long Way from Chicago by Richard Peck

Summary:
The story begins in 1929, with nine-year-old Joey and his seven-year-old sister Mary Alice. These two city kids are living thru the depression era in Chicago.  These two siblings have to spend a week out of each summer visiting with their Grandma Dowdel. Grandma Dowdel lives in southern Illinois, in the countryside between Chicago and St. Louis. Joey and Mary Alice are certain that only boredom will await them in their Grandma's country way of living. But surprisingly each of the seven summers they spend with Grandma Dowdel, she manages to surprise her grandchildren with something unforgettable, adventurous, and fun!

Joey narrates each chapter in the novel. Each chapter represents an episode from their yearly summer visits. In those years, Joey and Mary Alice get to see and help Grandma conduct a funeral for Shotgun Cheatham, the town reprobate. They witness her getting even with the Cowgill boys for their vandalism. Grandma Dowel traps catfish in order to feed the traveling unemployed men that are hit hard by the Depression. Grandma Dowel also tries to win the pie contest at the county fair which is a hiliarous chapter! She also helps Vandalia Eubanks and Junior Stubbs elope and get married. The two lovebirds elope Romeo and Juliet style. Grandma and the children use the local rummage sale to keep Mrs. Elsie Wilcox's house from being foreclosed. Grandma Dowel is kindhearted and willing to help everyone she can.  They also observe the town's centennial celebration. Grandma Dowdel sly and deceptively takes on everybody from the town banker, the sheriff, the slick city news reporter, and the local hooligans in her adventures.

The year 1935 was the last visit because Joey was fifteen and the next year would be in line for a summer job in Chicago.

Mrs. Garza's Thoughts: 
The novel was slightly difficult to get into at first but as I continued reading my interest was heightened. The stories were narrated by Joey, and his thoughts on his grandma and his adventures with her and his younger sister were hilarious. My favorite character was Grandma Dowel. She was the most interesting character, and with each chapter I came to love and enjoy her more and more. I was always thinking about what she would do next or who she would help next! She was a kind- hearted woman that would go above and beyond to show her generosity for others. I mostly enjoyed reading the unpredictability of her character. I believe anyone who has any connection to country living can really relate to this novel. I grew up in the country too so I could relate to the book and to the characters. Robert Peck did a great job by writing each chapter as a new little adventure with Grandma Dowel, Joey, and Mary Alice. Peck's writing was filled with hilarious scenarios, funny dialogue, and exciting twists and turns. I really felt like this book took me on an adventure. I was able to grow up with the characters and picture myself going to their grandmas house with them each summer. It was a fun, fast read that made me laugh but also made me think about the life long bonds between grandmothers and their grandchildren. A grandmother can make such an impact on their grandchildren. It made me want to hug and call both my grandmothers to tell them how much I appreciate them!


What I liked best about the book is that there were really no lessons to learn. It was just several funny stories put together to paint a picture of a small Illinois town and the characters in it. The ending is very endearing when Grandma shows Joey an unusual gesture of love. A really neat thing for me about this book was the setting. The kids visited their grandma for one week every summer in Illinois "somewhere between Chicago and St. Louis" in a slow,small town where her's was the last house in the town with a big, open field next to her and woods beyond. I used to visit my grandmother as well and this description of setting matches the place where I used to visit! Unfortunately, though, my visits were not as adventuresome as these kids

On the Wings of Heroes by Richard Peck

Summary:

On The Wings of Heroes is a story about a young boy named Davy Bowman. Davy Bowman is growing up during WWII in Illinois and must deal with the changes going on around him. He tells his story about life before and during World War II. Before the war things were simple, fun, and childlike. Davy and his friends could have fun in their neighborhood playing games and enjoying Halloween. Davy's father, Earl, is a WWI vet that owns a local gas station. Davy knows that the war affected his father mentally and emotionally because he doesn't talk about his war experiences. He was also wounded in battle. Davy Bowman's world is happy and safe because his Dad and his older brother Bill are home and always there to do things with him. They are Davy's heroes.

Pearl Harbor is bombed and Davy's world changes significantly. Bill has joined the Army Air Corps "for the duration," and the family anxiously awaits word from him after he is shipped overseas. Davy's father is brokenhearted after Bill enlists. Davy's father becomes the local air raid warden. Bill becomes a B-17 bombardier, flying missions over Germany. There are air raid drills and endless scrap drives. Everything is being rationed. The families during WWII are expected to ration food, rubber, gas, and other precious staples. Families are torn apart. New students enroll in Davy's school. Children are being left as orphans while many mothers work from "eight to five" at the local war plants. Davy and his best friend, Scooter, travel around on their bikes savaging metal for the war effort. The whole community comes together to unite and contribute to the war effort.

Davy still has his heroes to depend upon but soon he begins to discover that in his neighborhood there are other heroes and during the next few years he learns what sacrifice and courage really means.

Mrs. Garza's Thoughts:

War can be painful and difficult for adults but can also be very traumatic and complicated for children. This is the story of wartime America from a child’s perspective and the growing up that occurs as a result. Davy's hero, his brother, Bill has decided to enlist causing tension and heartbreak in the family. My brother decided to enlist in the Marines right after he graduated from high school. On the day of September 11, 2001 my brother was boarding a plane in Corpus Christi, Texas when 9-11 happened. He was fully dressed in Marine uniform when chaos struck. As a family, we feared for his life and his future as we were watching events unfold on our television. My mother was frantically driving back from the airport listening to the radio updates. I could relate to Davy and his family. Families can change in a matter of seconds because of war. My family feared for my brother and his fellow Marines futures. Marines are the first ones to fight and that's all we could think about at the time.

This book is an outstanding example of well written historical fiction that captures the heart and soul of families during war times, not only the wars of the past, but also the wars of the present. I immediately made the connection to 9-11 as the story progressed thinking of my own family. I highly recommend this book as a useful tool for history teachers. It could also be used as a resource for young adult readers that have family members in the military. I sincerely hope that veteran grandparents share this book with their grandchildren and children.

The Teacher's Funeral by Richard Peck

Summary:
Having your teacher die in August isn't a bad idea but a miracle for Russel Culver. Miss Myrt Arbuckle, a strict screaming teacher has unexpectedly passed away.  She was going to be Russel's new teacher for the new school year. After her death, Russel hopes that Hominy Ridge School will close, so he and his best friend, Lloyd, can leave their fathers' farms in Indiana to travel to North Dakota, where the farms are much bigger and the equipment and farming methods much more modern and so that he can make some money. Just when he thinks he is in the clear, and the one-room schoolhouse will be closed for good, the most unexpected person steps in to save the day, and the school. Russel's older and bossy, sister, Tansy, is hired to replace the Miss Arbuckly. He suffers under her tutelage as she treats him like any other student. He cannot react to her like any other teacher, however, as they still live under the same roof with their parents. His father, especially, makes him respect his sister in her new role.
Russel's dreams of travel are destroyed when some harmless pranks go wrong and he begins to learn what growing up is all about. His best friend vies for Russel's sister's attention with both an older student and a well-off gentleman who rides through the town in the first race car to see this county in Indiana.  Russell adventures during the school year and his academic endeavors are stretched as his sister tries new teaching methods on all of the students, who are a rather mismatched bunch in both background and age. Russel comes to grudgingly respect the efforts of his sister and even root for her as she tries to earn her teachers certificate.  In the end, Tansy passes her exams, finishes school, and leads Lloyd and Russell to high school, having passed their exams.  She knows the importance of education, and makes sure they do too. Russel does a lot of growing up by the end of the story.

Mrs. Garza's Thoughts:
As a teacher, the novel, The Teacher's Funeral, could be used to teach several different themes from the story.  Themes include friends and friendship, family and love, responsibility, school life, and America changing. I thought this book was funny! Having two younger brothers, I could relate to Tansy. I am the older sister with two younger brothers that's the teacher! I taught at the same elementary school that my one of younger brothers and I attended! I am the the older sibling that tries to enforce the importance of education and how crucial it is needed in order to succeed in life. As a family we are trying to motivate the youngest sibling to finish up his college degree after deciding working was more important.
Richard Peck used great writing, characterization, and pacing. Peck definitely knows how to tell a story. This would be a great book for a read aloud in a library setting. It is also a great book to compare and contrast the past with the present. This book describes many of the early 1900's inventions.

Here Lies the Librarian by Richard Peck

Summary:
Here Lies the Librarian is a book about a young girl named Eleanor who idolizes her big brother, Jake.  Their parents have both died causing Peewee's brother, her Aunt Hat, and Colonel Hazelrigg to take care of her. Peewee is the name her brother gave her, works with alongside her older brother in an old shack they use as an automobile shop fixing cars. Jake and Peewee have dreamed of becoming an amazing auto company working on the land of their small shack.  The story begins with a tornado whipping through town of Indiana. When they finally emerge from their shelter, they find that the tornado has touched down in the cemetery, unearthing graves and depositing bodies in trees. The tornado damage is reported in a local newspaper, which mentions that the library is closed since the death of the town's only librarian is damaged as well.
Peewee has no interest in much besides automobiles until four wealthy young ladies, library students at Butler University, come to her town, resurrect the local town library, and energize the town. Irene takes an interest in Peewee, inviting her to help in the library.  Peewee had been previously banned from the librarian by the grumpy old librarian before it was closed. Peewee is drawn to Irene and the library in spite of herself. One of the new librarians, Grace, is apparently a "Stutz" of Stutz Bearcat fame. Grace Stutz obviously comes from a wealthy family, and she's familiar with the Stutz production line. Jake enters a car race at the local county fair but his car is stolen before the race. Grace graciously loans him a production Stutz Bearcat.  However Jake is injured by an unscrupulous competitor and can't finish the race.  Peewee jumps into the Stutz and finishes the race and wins!  Jake ends up with a good future with the Stutz company and marries Miss Grace Stutz, the heiress to the Stutz fortune. Peewee, now Eleanor, decides she wants to drive cars and tour the world in emulation of Dorothy Levitt, a pioneer in the field of women in racing. 

Mrs. Garza's Thoughts:
I enjoyed how automobiles were intertwined with the library. My dad, my brothers, and my husband all enjoy fixing automobiles. My brother is a technician for an automobile company. My mom on the other hand is a librarian! I grew up around automobiles but books have always played a major role in my life as well. I could relate to Peewee at times because of her "tomboy" personality.  The book is humorous at times, but there are also some good lessons in the story. I am an elementary school librarian and I was happy to see that the new librarians are not the stereotypical librarians, grumpy and boring. They were all young, energetic, attractive and well dressed ladies! These four librarians are just like me and my mom and our friends!