“Book Reviews,” Friend, Nov. 2011, 10
Book Reviews
Picture Books
An Old-Fashioned Thanksgiving, by Louisa May Alcott. When their parents have to leave to care for a sick grandmother, the Bassett children decide to make Thanksgiving dinner in time for their parents’ return.
A Gift, by Yong Chen. Amy’s mother misses her siblings during Chinese New Year. They live in China while Amy and her mother live on the other side of the world. But Amy’s uncles and aunt send a special present to help the family feel closer during the holiday.
Fiction for children ages 5–9
Snowshoe Thompson, by Nancy Smiler Levinson, pictures by Joan Sandin. Danny is worried that his father won’t be able to get home for Christmas because of the snow— that is, until John Thompson comes up with a clever way to cross the treacherous mountains.
T-Rex Is Missing! by Tomie dePaola. Sometimes Billy doesn’t like that he never gets to play with Morgie’s T-Rex. When the dinosaur goes missing, Morgie suspects Billy. Find out what happens when two friends learn about forgiveness and sharing.
Fiction for children ages 10–12
All-Star Fever, by Matt Christopher, illustrated by Anna Dewdney. Bus is working hard to get picked for the all-star baseball team, and things look even better when his parents give him a new bike. But when Bus breaks his parents’ rules, he can’t concentrate on the baseball field. Will Bus be the best player—and person—he can be?
The Hundred Dresses, by Eleanor Estes, illustrated by Louis Slobodkin. Wanda Petronski is shy, and her family doesn’t have a lot of money. When she announces that she has a hundred dresses at home, her classmates begin to tease her every day. When Wanda stops coming to school, two girls search to find out the truth behind the mysterious dresses.
Nonfiction
Once There Was a Raindrop, by Judith Anderson, illustrated by Mike Gordon. Have you ever wondered where rain comes from? Whether you cover up with an umbrella or stomp in big puddles, learning about the earth’s water cycle is sure to be a splash!
The Day-Glo Brothers, by Chris Barton, illustrated by Tony Persiani. Have you ever seen bright colors that almost seemed to glow, even in daylight? These Day-Glo colors were created by two brothers with very different dreams. Working together with a lot of experimentation, they made the glowing colors that are now used all over the world.
Illustration by Apryl Stott