The Red Pencil by Andrea Davis Pinkney

From Goodreads,

""Amira, look at me," Muma insists.
She collects both my hands in hers.
"The Janjaweed attack without warning.
If ever they come--run."

Finally, Amira is twelve. Old enough to wear a toob, old enough for new responsibilities. And maybe old enough to go to school in Nyala--Amira's one true dream.

But life in her peaceful Sudanese village is shattered when the Janjaweed arrive. The terrifying attackers ravage the town and unleash unspeakable horrors. After she loses nearly everything, Amira needs to dig deep within herself to find the strength to make the long journey--on foot--to safety at a refugee camp. Her days are tough at the camp, until the gift of a simple red pencil opens her mind--and all kinds of possibilities.

New York Times bestselling and Coretta Scott King Award-winning author Andrea Davis Pinkney's powerful verse and Coretta Scott King Award-winning artist Shane W. Evans's breathtaking illustrations combine to tell an inspiring tale of one girl's triumph against all odds."

Goodreads - The Red Pencil

The end of April is here, which means this is the last poetry review of National Poetry Month.  I love reading poetry books because they are so fun and quick to read.  There are poetry books that have a story to them and there are poetry books that are just a collection of poetry.  I had to really search to find children's poetry books with a story. 

The Red Pencil is about a young girl named Amira who is living in a Sudanese village.  Everything is perfect with her parents and sister.  She has a desire to go to school like one of her friends, but unfortunately her mother disagrees with women and girls going to school.  Life is wonderful until the enemy, the Janjaweed, attacks their village.  Soon Amira, her sister, and mother must flee to a refugee camp.  One day Amira is gifted a red pencil from a refugee worker, and her entire life changes. 

This book had a lot to be desired in my opinion.  The storyline was scattered and felt incomplete.  Poetry is a tricky thing because you have to be very precise in what you write.  You can't dilly-dally around.  I felt like Pinkney was wordy instead of getting to the point.  Some of the poems felt like the same thing over and over again.  The first two-thirds of this book were boring.  The book was split into two sections.  I felt like the first section was way too long and the second wasn't long enough.  The book is called The Red Pencil, but Amira doesn't get the pencil until almost the end of the book.  I would have loved for the book to have been extended past life in the refugee camp.  I was really hoping to find out if Amira got to go to school and what she possibly did with her life, but unfortunately we never find out. 

While the storyline of this book was lacking, the illustrations in the book made the story a little more tolerable.  The illustrations were quite simple and drawn in pencil, but they spoke more than the poems did.  The illustrations gave the book depth because I felt like I was able to visually see and understand what was happening and what Amira was feeling.  I don't think this is a book that children would enjoy, but I think the illustrations would make it slightly better.

This book was not what I was expecting and it took a long time for me to push through it.  I know that it is a historical piece, but it was very dry.  I unfortunately have to give this book 1 star.  It wasn't up my alley and I don't think that many, if any of my students would want to read this.  If you are wanting to read about the Darfur conflict then this book is for you. 

The Rose That Grew From Concrete by Tupac Shakur

From Goodreads,

"This collection of more than 100 poems that honestly and artfully confront topics ranging from poverty and motherhood to Van Gogh and Mandela is presented in Tupac Shakur's own handwriting on one side of the page, with a typed version on the opposite side."

Goodreads - The Rose That Grew From Concrete

I can't believe April is almost over which means poetry month is almost over!  It has been exciting to read poetry books.  Poetry books are always quick, but deep reads that have lots of thought and importance to them. 

This week's book is a collection of poems from the famous Tupac Shakur.  The book includes a foreword by a couple important people in Shakur's life and then a large collection of his poems.

I did not grow up in the era of Tupac, but know the name and some of his music.  I feel like he was known as a thug who had ties to gangs.  This book shows that he was so much more than his music and his reputation.  There are so many poems included in this book that show a different side of Tupac that people had never seen.  He was someone who had deep thoughts about life.  He wrote about love and heartache.  He also wrote about famous people such as Marilyn Monroe.  Tupac was more than what was presented to people.  He was a deep thinker who wanted people to join as one and there to be peace.

I didn't quite know what to expect when I started this book.  It was a quick read since it is just a collection of poems.  Some of the poems were deep and made me question and think about things in society.  I give this 3 stars.  It was good, but it just wasn't enough for me to rate it any higher.  I think fans of Tupac would enjoy seeing another side of him by reading this book. 

Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson

From Goodreads,

"Jacqueline Woodson, one of today's finest writers, tells the moving story of her childhood in mesmerizing verse.

Raised in South Carolina and New York, Woodson always felt halfway home in each place. In vivid poems, she shares what it was like to grow up as an African American in the 1960s and 1970s, living with the remnants of Jim Crow and her growing awareness of the Civil Rights movement. Touching and powerful, each poem is both accessible and emotionally charged, each line a glimpse into a child’s soul as she searches for her place in the world. Woodson’s eloquent poetry also reflects the joy of finding her voice through writing stories, despite the fact that she struggled with reading as a child. Her love of stories inspired her and stayed with her, creating the first sparks of the gifted writer she was to become."

Goodreads - Brown Girl Dreaming

Awards and Nominations:

• Goodreads Choice Award Nominee for Middle Grade & Children's (2014)
• National Book Award for Young People's Literature (2014))
• Newbery Medal Nominee (2015)
• Sibert Medal Nominee (2015)
• Coretta Scott King Award for Author (2015)
• Boston Globe-Horn Book Award Nominee for Nonfiction (2015)
• Claudia Lewis Award for Older Readers (2015)
• YALSA Award Nominee for Excellence in Nonfiction (2015)

Favorite quote from Brown Girl Dreaming,

"Look with your heart and your head, he tells me

his own head bowed.

It's out there in front of you.

You'll know when you get there."

Brown Girl Dreaming is the story of Jacqueline Woodson's childhood.  The book is sectioned off into "chapters" and inside each is a series of poems that tell the story about different parts of Woodson's life.  The book starts when Jacqueline is born and follows all the way into what seems to be her teen years.

I wasn't really sure what I was expecting when I started this book.  I honestly thought this was a work of fiction and was definitely surprised when I realized this was an autobiography.  This book had some really good inspirational moments, and one of my favorites was tied to the quote above.  Jacqueline's Uncle Robert said, "'Look with your heart and your head,' he tells me his own head bowed.  'It's out there in front of you.  You'll know when you get there.'"  I absolutely loved this quote because it hit me on a personal level.  Sometimes I feel so lost in life and ask myself if I'm on the right path and doing the right thing.  I need to follow what I love, but also be smart about my decisions.  And if you do just that you will find exactly what you are looking for...happiness.

I felt like this book lacked a solid storyline.  I felt like we just kind of skimmed through various aspects of Jacqueline's life and we never got a good story with lots of details.  I think a lot of this can be attributed to the fact that the book is written in poetry.  Poetry is great if strong vocabulary and details are included.  However, I felt like Woodson didn't want to include lots of details and decided to write in poetry instead of writing a regular novel.  This book really needed more details and I was extremely disappointed in the fact that there weren't more details about her life.  I wish this had been written as a full fledged story instead of short glimpses.

It was really difficult for me to get into this book in the  beginning.  I felt like it was slow and wasn't really progressing.  Which it turns out that a third of the way through the book, that it really wasn't progressing.  I finally sat down and powered through the book so that I could finally be finished with it.  I give this book 3 out of 5 stars.  I recommend this to anyone looking for a well awarded book or anyone who is a fan of poetry.  

Love That Dog by Sharon Creech

From Goodreads,

"Jack hates poetry. Only girls write it and every time he tries to, his brain feels empty. But his teacher, Ms. Stretchberry, won't stop giving her class poetry assignments -- and Jack can't avoid them. But then something amazing happens. The more he writes, the more he learns he does have something to say."

Goodreads - Love That Dog

Awards:

• Claudia Lewis Award (2002)
• Dorothy Canfield Fisher Children's Book Award (2003)
• New Mexico Land of Enchantment Award for Young Adult (2004)
• Rebecca Caudill Young Reader's Book Award Nominee (2004)
• Zilveren Griffel (2007)

It's finally National Poetry Month again!  That means that all month I will be reviewing books that are filled with poetry and prose.  I received this book in a Scholastic book order and figured it would be a quick and easy read to kick off National Poetry Month.  

This book is written in poetry by the main character Jack.  At the very beginning he doesn't like poetry, but he does his class assignments as he is supposed to.  He starts by writing poems about a blue car and about the dog he used to have.  Over the course of this short book we learn why the blue car and his dog are so important and why Jack continues to write poetry about them. 

Favorite poem from Love That Dog, 

"Tiger! Tiger! burning bright

 In the forest of the night,

What immortal hand or eye

Could frame thy fearful symmetry?" 

When I first started this book I didn't think I was really going to enjoy it.  It was choppy, as some poetry books seem, and it wasn't going into a lot of depth.  But as the book went on we learned about Jack and the dog he used to have.  The title of the book is actual a play on the title of the poem "Love That Boy" by Walter Dean Myers.  This poem, along with other popular poems are included in this book.  I love the incorporation of popular and famous poetry in this book.  I would definitely use this book in a classroom while teaching a poetry unit.  There are just so many references to other poems, plus there is the whole story of Jack thinking that poetry is for girls and that he isn't good at it.  The book really breaks some stereotypes and helps students understand that poetry isn't that difficult.  I would break this book up into sections with a class and we would read a section a day and we would discuss the different styles of poems and we would definitely do a lot of poetry writing.

One thing I didn't like about this book is that the only people we really got to know in this book was Jack, his dog, the teacher, and Walter Dean Meyers.  Jack didn't talk about friends or about family in detail.  I somewhat felt like this book is being written in a journal or composition notebook that has to stay at school.  It seems as if Jack is writing to his teacher in response to a poem that was read to the class.  I would have enjoyed getting to know his friends or his family a little better.  And if I'm being completely honest I would have enjoyed getting to know Jack a little more in this book.  I just felt so disconnected from the characters.

Overall I give this book 3 stars.  I would recommend it to teachers to use in the classroom.  I don't think a child would just willingly go pick up and read this book.  There's a lot of potential for discussions in this book and I think it would be best suited for a teacher to lead students with this book.

Ruff vs. Fluff by Spencer Quinn

From Goodreads,

"New York Times bestseller Spencer Quinn returns with a laugh-out-loud series about the most epic rivalry of our time . . . Arthur the dog vs. Queenie the cat.
From the outside, Queenie the cat and Arthur the dog appear to have a lot in common. Both pets live in the charming Blackberry Hill inn. They both love their humans, twins Harmony and Bro. They both have a fondness for sausage. 

But that doesn't change the fact that they are mortal enemies. 

Goofy, big-hearted Arthur loves everyone he's ever met . . . except the snobby, scheming cat who's devoted her life to ruining his. 

Queenie is a bit choosier. And who can blame her? When you're brilliant AND exquisitely beautiful, you can't be expected to rub tails with commoners. Especially not slobbery dogs. 

But when the twins' beloved cousin is framed for murder, Queenie and Arthur must work together to clear his name . . . something Queenie finds even more distasteful than inexpensive caviar. Can two enemies put aside their differences long enough to solve the mystery?"

Goodreads - Ruff vs. Fluff

It's time for yet another book from Scholastic.  I received this book free in return for a review of the book as a part of their Scholastic Insider.  The book choices for my grade level were both mystery/suspense books.  I definitely judge books by their cover and I felt like this book had a very cheap and childish feel to it.  Due to the book cover I was not looking forward to reading and reviewing this book, but alas I had to.

Arthur is a chubby dog who dislikes cats.  Queenie is a self centered cat who dislikes dogs.  Queenie and Arthur live under the same roof with their family Harmony, Bro, and Mom.  Everything is normal at the inn when a man checks in searching for the Sokoki Trail.  After being shown the trail Harmony and Bro return home.  The next day the man is found dead.  Harmony, Bro, and Mom work together to try to clear their cousin Matty who is being accused of murder.  Queenie and Arthur must work to find the clues and save the family. 

I really enjoyed the historical fiction ties this book had to Prohibition.  The whole story lies around the idea that whiskey was being smuggled from Canada into the United States during Prohibition.  I think that this would be a great way to teach about Prohibition and that alcohol was smuggled in.  Unfortunately, I feel like this topic would be lost on many of my fourth graders.  It is something we do not cover in standards and I would not use this in my classroom curriculum.

While I enjoyed the historical fiction aspect, there were a couple other problems I had with the book.  One was that it was a bit graphic and violent at times.  People were murdered and it gave details of how they were killed.  I felt like it was uncalled for in a children's book.  I also really despised the way this book was written.  It is written from the view of the dog and cat.  It gave an outside view of the story and was frankly just a pain.  I wish that it had just been told from the point of view of one of the kids.  I think it would be hard for a child to relate to a dog or cat's point of view.

Overall, this book was not one of Scholastic's best reads.  The mystery part of it was exciting, but the back story was not age appropriate.  I give this 2 stars because it just wasn't there for me as a good 4th grade level book.  I don't plan on putting this in my classroom because I feel like it is too high and student's wouldn't read it.

Kneeknock Rise by Natalie Babbitt

From Goodreads,

"From the moment young Egan arrives in Instep for the annual fair, he is entranced by the fable surrounding the misty peak of Kneeknock Rise: On stormy nights when the rain drives harsh and cold, an undiscovered creature raises its voice and moans. Nobody knows what it is and nobody has ever dared to try to find out and come back again. Before long, Egan is climbing the Rise to find an answer to the mystery."

Goodreads - Kneeknock Rise

Awards and Nominations:

• Newbery Honor Award (1971)

*This review contains spoilers!*

Do you ever think about the things we do, but we don't know why we do them?  Some people call them traditions, some call them superstitions, and some say that is just how it has always been done.  This book is a great book to read that really makes you stop and think about why we do the things we do.  I read Tuck Everlasting a few years back and was not disappointed with this book by Natalie Babbitt. 

Kneeknock Rise starts with a young boy named Egan traveling to Instep to stay with his aunt, uncle, and cousin.  Egan is excited to attend the annual fair for the first time.  He wants to hear the moans and groans of the Megrimum, the creature that lives at the top of Kneeknock Rise.  Everyone has their ways to protect themselves from the creature, but Egan is skeptical and decides to get answers for himself.

This book will definitely get you thinking about the things that we habitually do in life and why we do them.  In the book, the people who lived in Instep feared the creature that lived at the top of Kneeknock Rise.  Each person had an idea of a way to keep the creature away.  Egan's aunt and uncle believed they should put a wishbone on the mantle to show the Megrimum that there is no food in the house.  Egan ends up climbing Kneeknock Rise to find out what the creature is that everyone fears.  It ends up that there is no creature, but instead it is a hot springs in a cave that makes noises when it rains.  This whole book and concept of doing something without knowing why really got me thinking.  Why do we do some of the things we do?  Do we do them because someone tells us that is how it's always been done?  I worked at a Girl Scout camp for two summers.  The first summer I had never been there and had to learn the way things were done.  I would inquire why things were done a certain way and I always received the answer, "That's how we've always done it."  This was fine, but the second summer things changed.  I was in a different position and I had a lot of control over how things were done.  Some of the staff began questioning why I was changing the way things had been done for years.  I asked why it was done that way and they always shrugged and said, "That's how it's always been done."  I then promptly made the call to change things.  It is so good to change things up especially when no one knows why you're even doing something.  There are so many things in my life and that I experience that I do without even thinking about why I do it.  We need to learn to break the habits and traditions, especially when we're not even sure why we're doing it. 

This book really made me question things, but there were a few things that I didn't like about this book.  One was that this book didn't have defined chapters.  The book was separated by little designs.  There was no Chapter 1, Chapter 2, etc.  I didn't like that because I enjoy stopping at a chapter instead of stopping in the middle of the book.  I also found the names somewhat confusing and difficult.  It took a little bit before I sorted all the characters and knew their role in the book.  I think the names were meant to reflect the time period at which the book was taking place. 

This book was a very interesting book that really engaged my mind.  It started off slow, but it really took off in the middle of the book.  If you need a good mind bender then I recommend reading this to get you to question why you do what you do.  I give this 3 stars.  It was good, but I feel like it didn't come anywhere near Tuck Everlasting.

Calling Maggie May by Anonymous

From Goodreads,

"A dark and edgy first-person cautionary tale about how one girl’s seemingly minor choices quickly spiraled into a life as a sex worker in the tradition of Go Ask Alice and Lucy in the Sky.

She had a normal life, until one small decision changed everything. Suddenly, there were new possibilities and new experiences.

But not all of those experiences were good.

Read her shocking story in the diary she left behind."

Goodreads - Calling Maggie May

This book is part of the Anonymous Diaries.  I read Go Ask Alice first and enjoyed the idea of the book being based on a true story.  Things spiraled from there and I've read most of the books that are a part of the series.  I was so  excited to get this book checked off my list, but I felt really let down when I finally finished it.

This book is written in the traditional diary format with the name of the author being withheld.  The book starts with a teenage girl feeling lonely and wanting attention from a boy.  She ends up making a new friend who ends up being a prostitute.  The girl quickly falls into the same lifestyle of prostitution and things quickly spiral with her family, her friends, school, and her social life.  In true fashion the book comes to an end with an author's note about what happened.

I feel like the older I get the more I get annoyed with these books.  The author of this "diary" was very naive and childish.  She lived in a nice house with a nice family who cared deeply for her.  They were a little bit demanding as far as school was concerned, but she still had a positive atmosphere to go home to.  The author fell so quickly into the life of prostitution because she was able to get attention from boys and men.  I think that this idea of getting attention by selling your body is a terrible idea to put into the minds of young adults.  I think that any young girl who has self esteem or confidence issues would quickly think that selling your body would mean that a person likes you and that it will get you attention.  Also, any girl needing money may get the idea that they can easily sell their body to earn easy and quick cash.  I think it is important for difficult topics such as prostitution be included in literature for teens.  However, I think it needs to be introduced in a way that doesn't make it seem like a fun, appealing way to get attention or make money.  This book paints a false picture.  It briefly touched on the real parts of prostitution, such as drug use, abuse, rape, and death.  I feel like if prostitution was going to be the centerpiece of the book that it should have been painted realistically, and not in a way that makes it seem fun.

I always have the complaint that these books never include the author's name.  I always feel like I need a name to connect with a character.  The lack of a name for the main character always leaves me feeling irritated and finding a better connection with a secondary character.  The book is titled, Calling Maggie May.  I definitely thought that her hooker name was going to be Maggie May, but it wasn't.  I'm still not sure what the connection was to that name because the name Maggie May was never once mentioned in the book. 

I'm not sure why I keep putting myself through the misery of reading these books.  I guess I continue to hope that one of them will jump out and I'll love it.  I give this 1 star.  I don't advise this for young adults, especially those who are easily impressionable, wanting attention, or seeking money.  If you are reading through the Anonymous Diaries then I obviously recommend reading this, but if not you can absolutely skip it and not miss anything.