Escaping the Giant Wave by Peg Kehret

This year some of our fourth graders wrote book reviews for their classmates. We are pleased to say we will be featuring these reviews throughout the summer.

My book is called Escaping the Giant Wave by Peg Kehret. This is a realistic fiction book. My summary is: Kyle has to babysit his sister, Beebee, while their parents are on a dinner cruise for an awards ceremony. While their parents are gone, an earthquake hits! Will Kyle and Beebee survive, what will they do to survive?  The kids realize that after an earthquake comes the possibility of a tsunami (giant wave). My favorite quote from this book is, "I don't plan on being burned alive in a forest fire and I'm not scared of getting washed away by a wave".  I like this quote because it makes him sound brave, even though he isn't. This quote is from Darren - who is a classmate and bully to Kyle. My recommendation for this book is excellent. It is not hard or easy. It has a lot of action in it, an example of the action is when they were running up the hill so the wave won't get to them.

Reviewed by Ella

Storm Warning by Linda Sue Park

This year some of our fourth graders wrote book reviews for their classmates. We are pleased to say we will be featuring these reviews throughout the summer.

My book is Storm Warning by Linda Sue Park. This is book 9 in the 39 Clues series. The man in black that has been following Amy and Dan will soon be revealed. But who is it? In this book my favorite quote was "The man in black. Who was dressed in all gray now. Amy stood paralyzed. She saw that he was holding a familiar canvas-wrapped parcel. The box." I like this quote because it is a cliff hanger. My recommendation: this book is excellent. Why do I think this is an excellent choice - the book takes you on many adventures.

reviewed by McKenna

Boxcar Children by Gertrude Chandler Warner

This year some of our fourth graders wrote book reviews for their classmates. We are pleased to say we will be featuring these reviews throughout the summer.

The title of my book is Boxcar Children.  The author is Gertrude Chandler Warner. This book is a realistic fiction chapter book.

Four kids named Jessie, Benny, Violet, and Henry live in an abandoned boxcar while avoiding their grandpa. You need to read the book to find out why they are running away from their grandpa.

My favorite quote is "It was a little cucumber when it went in".  I like this quote because Mr. Alden is talking about a cucumber in a bottle that he has. And he wants to get it out, but it won't come out.

My recommendation: this book is excellent! I like it because they act like wife, husband and children. Henry and Jessie take care of Violet and Benny like their own. And Henry and Jessie take care of each other like husband and wife.

Reviewed by Liani

Note from Mrs. Adams -- there are 148 titles in the Boxcar Children series! Enjoy

When Life Gives You O.J. by Erica S. Perl

What would you do if your family moved from New York to Vermont to help out your grandfather after your grandmother died? Zelly (Zelda) faces this issue in When Life Gives You O.J. Zelly, her parents, and her little brother Sam, pack up and leave New York for a town in Vermont to "help" her grandpa - Ace. Ace lived on a farm in Vermont where they often vacationed when Zelly's grandma, Bubbles, was alive. But when Bubbles died, Ace was all alone so her parents decided they would all move to Vermont and Ace would move in with them. Life changed quickly for Zelly - who went from feeling "normal" in her neighborhood in New York to feeling like the "odd" girl with the frizzy hair in Vermont. Zelly knows the one thing that can make her feel "normal" is a dog! Her parents say no, but Ace comes up with a plan. He gives Zelly an empty orange juice jug with a "leash" and tells her that if she can prove to her parents that she is responsible - by taking care of her "practice dog" - they will get her a real dog. Zelly humors Ace and takes her orange juice jug out for walks, feeds it pretend meals, and even has to have the jug dump out pretend messes on their walks that Zelly scoops up with a plastic bag. As the summer goes on Zelly continues the routine. Then she meets a new boy in town, Jeremy, who tells her she has to "up the ante". If she wants a real dog, she needs to show her parents she can take care of her "practice dog" - who she names O.J. for "old jug" - plus start her own dog care business - The Zelly Treatment. Will Zelly get her wish, will Ace's crazy plan work, does "upping the ante" pay off? Read this delightful book and find out for yourself.

Days With Frog and Toad by Arnold Lobel

This is a classic for our beginning readers. I Can Read! Level 2. Once our students start reading they want to immediately jump into Chapter books, just like the big kids! With Frog and Toad books (and others, like Henry and Mudge) they are there ... they are reading chapter books!! All short stories organized into chapters for our youngest readers.

In Days With Frog and Toad by Arnold Lobel we join the friends as they experience Tomorrow, The Kite, Shivers, The Hat, and Alone. All stories the reader can relate to. In Tomorrow, Toad wakes up and isn't very motivated to do a thing. Frog looks around Toad's house and sees a lot of things that need to be done. Toad's house is a mess. The only thing Toad wanted to do all day, was relax ... but then he realizes that tomorrow will be a very busy day, because of all the things that need to be done, see what he decides to do. And enjoy all of their other adventures. Be sure to pick up you Frog and Toad books today!

Enjoy a short Frog and Toad readers theater video created by a group of 1st graders (not from our school)

Press Here by Herve Tullet

The front cover beckons you to "Press Here" and by doing just that you embark on a magical adventure inside of a book!

Readers are prompted to press different colored dots, shake the book, tilt the pages, and all sorts of other fun stuff. Be amazed as the dots multiply, change shape, and move around the pages.

This interactive book is fun for all ages!

Katie Loves Kittens by John Himmelman

Katie is the sweetest dog in the world and she is so excited when her owner, Sara Ann brings home three kittens. Katie thinks they are so cute and wants to play with them so badly. But, she can't stop howling at them which scares them much to the dismay of Sara Ann.

Every time Katie thinks she can control herself, things go wrong. She jumps on the kittens while they are sleeping on the bed, she eats their food, she chases them.... Katie thinks she'll never get it right and she just wants to be close to the kittens. Katie feels so sad.

Open this great story to find out whether or not Katie ever gets it right with the kittens!

Mercy Watson Fights Crime by Kate DiCamillo

The pig is back! Mercy and the Watsons are back in their third adventure. Mercy wakes up when she hears a SCREEEEECHH!! coming from the kitchen. Mercy knows that sound, it is the sound of her beloved toaster being dragged across the counter, someone is making toast! Mercy loves toast with butter! When Mercy gets out of bed she hears the Watsons snoring, so who is downstairs making toast? Mercy heads down the steps only to find the toaster missing and a strange little man standing in her kitchen. Who is this man and what happened to the toaster? Read Mercy Watson Fights Crime and find out. Also check out the first two books - Mercy Watson to the Rescue & Mercy Watson Goes for a Ride. Kate DiCamillo is an award winning author - check out her web site.

Seven Wonders of Sassafras Springs by Betty Birney

After learning about the Seven Wonders of the World, Eben McAllister wanted to leave his small town, Sassafras Springs, MO, to see the World. When he informs his Pa of his plan, Eben’s Pa challenges him to find Seven Wonders right in his own small town. If Eben can find seven wonders in seven days in Sassafras Springs, his Pa will buy him a train ticket out West to visit his cousins and see mountains. This story takes place in small town Missouri in 1923. This is a wonderful, wholesome story about the wonders that surround us in our own town. Join Eben on his journey around Sassafras Springs and see what he discovers.

The Young Man and the Sea by Rodman Philbrick

Skiff, a twelve year old boy, has a plan to catch the biggest tuna. Then he will be rich and can show his dad that he did it himself. But his problems are plenty - their boat has sunk at the dock, his dad is not able to help him, a bully is sabotaging his fishing nets, and the best fishing for big tuna is miles from shore. In this exciting adventure you'll be right there with Skiff as he meets each challenge. You won't know if he gets that big fish or if the fish gets him unless you read The Young Man and the Sea by Rodman Philbrick.