Archive for February, 2011

The Trouble with Chickens by Doreen Cronin

February 28, 2011 at 1:04 pm · Filed under Ages 6 - 8 ·Tagged , , , , ,

If you’re looking for the next great family read aloud, this is it! Author Doreen Cronin and illustrator Kevin Cornell have created a laugh-out-loud book, bound to please the entire family.

Retired search-and-rescue dog J.J. Tully is lured into investigating a mysterious disappearance with the promise of a cheeseburger as a reward for finding several missing chickens.  As Tully is on the case, the remaining chickens continuously get in his way, causing all sorts of trouble, making for a hilarious read filled with twists and turns. Deadpan humor will have the adults giggling as much as the children!

A great early chapter book for a new reader or a fantastic choice for families to read together.

The Trouble with Chickens: A J.J. Tully Mystery by Doreen Cronin, Balzer & Bray, $14.99, Ages 7 and up

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The Running Dream by Wendelin Van Draanen

February 5, 2011 at 11:32 am · Filed under Ages 12 - 14, Ages 14 and Up ·Tagged , , , , , ,

Imagine that running is your life. You live to run at track meets and excel at it. And then running is taken away and you aren’t quite sure who you are anymore. This is exactly what happens to 16-year-old Jessica after a tragic accident results in the amputation of one of her legs.

Though she’s told over and over again about the great technology of prosthetics, Jessica isn’t at all comforted knowing she’ll be able to walk again, when all she really wants to do is be able to run. Depressed and hurting, as she works to get used to her new prosthesis, she feels incredibly vulnerable and weak. She doesn’t know who she is anymore, but it’s certainly not the strong, fun girl she was before the accident.

As we read of Jessica’s journey, we go up and down the emotional rollercoaster with her, from sadness and mourning, to hope and determination. Van Draanen does an excellent job channeling how a person in this situation might react and feel, pouring the emotions out onto the page and allowing her reader to truly experience them as they’re happening.  The manner in which she works through her mental and physical challenges is realistic and inspiring.

Recommended for fans of realistic and contemporary fiction, sports fans, or those that just enjoy a great, inspirational story!

 

The Running Dream by Wendelin Van Draanen, Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers, $16.99, Ages 12 and up

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