The Digging-est Dog by Al Perkins

Author: Al Perkins

Title: The Digging-est Dog

Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers; Book Club Edition edition

Date: 1967

Reading Level: 4-8

Number of Pages: 72

Genre: Fiction picture book

Summary of plot: This book is about a Dog and a Boy. It begins with the boy going and buying the dog. He pays for the dog and then they run home with tremendous speed. When they get home the boy shows the dog where he is going to be living. The next morning while the boy is doing his chores the dog is running around a chasing animals. The Sam the boy decides to name the dog Duke, and that Duke needs some friends. The other dogs begin to dig, but Duke has never dug before so he didn't know what to do. He tries to dig but just falls flat on his face. Because he cannot dig the other dogs just laugh at him and leave him with their noses in the air. So Sam tries to teach Duke how to dig but it doesn't work. That night they both went to bed very sad because Duke could not dig. The next morning Duke tried it again, and this time he could. Duke got so excited that he could dig that he kept on digging, right through Mrs. Thwaites garden. He dug through the farm animals places to live. then he dug through the barber shop and all over highway 81. He dug all the way through the city and up to a hill where he met Sam who was very upset. Sam threatens to take Duke back to the animal store so he can never dig again. Duke was stuck so he dug down, straight down, until he hit water and began to sink. From up above he heard the other dogs talk, some said let him drown others said help him up. So the dogs formed a line and held on tight as they made a chain that went all the way down to the bottom of the hole. When they got to the bottom they got a hold of Duke and pulled him up. Duke knew he had to fix the mess so he went and dug back everything that he had destroyed. Back at the farm he decided to put his digging skills to good use, so know he plows the garden.

Readers Reaction: It was fun reading this book again my mom used to read it to my brothers and I when we were younger and we used to beg her to keep reading it was fun reading it again.

Potential Problems: He dug up the whole city

Recommendation: Read it and love it... One I would read to any kid.

Are you My Mother by P.D. Eastman

Author: P.D. Eastman

Title: Are You My Mother?

Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers; 1 edition

Date: 1960

Reading Level: 4-8

Number of Pages: 72

Genre: Fiction picture book

Summary of Plot: This is a book about a baby bird that hatched when its mother was out and about finding food for her babies. The baby bird fell out of the nest and needed to find his mommy, so he went on a quest to find his mom. The problem was is that the baby bird did not know what his mother looked like so he could just walk right up to her. First he went to a kitten and was told that she was not his mother. Then he went to a hen and found out that the hen was not his mother. Next he came to a Dog and the Dog was not his mother either. The baby bird then finds a cow, but the cow was not his mother either. The baby bird starts to get sad and questions if he even has a mother. But he knew in his heart that he had a mother so he ran. He ran past an old car but knew that it was not his mother so he kept running. He then ran to a cliff and when he looked down he could see a boat he called to the boat but the boat just kept on going. He then looked up and say a plane but the plane kept on going too. At last he thinks he has found his mother but really it was a tractor that he calls a snort because of the loud noise that it makes. The snort grabs him and carries him high high high and eventually takes him back to his nest. Where his mother just got back to feed him a worm.

Readers Reaction: I have always thought that this book is so sad until the very end where there is still a happy ending and he becomes reunited with his mother.

Potential Problems: Bird gets lost and talks to strangers.

Recommendation: Read it and Enjoy it.

Oh, The Places You'll Go! by Dr. Seuss

Author: Dr. Seuss

Title: Oh the Places you'll Go!

Publisher: Random House; Reprint Edition. edition

Date: 1990

Number of Pages: 56

Reading Level: 4-8

Genre: Fiction Picture book

Summary of Plot: This story is about a boy who is finally going out on his own. He goes through hard times and easy times and everything you can think of. The whole books is about going out and learning something new. There really isn't much more I can tell you about the summary of the plot.

Readers Reaction: I was given this book to me from my old Bishop when I graduated and right before he died. So this book as a lot of meaning behind it for me. I love it oh so much.

Potential Problems: Made up words.

Recommendation: give it as a graduation present. I have also see it for the book signing at weddings.

Arthur Babysit by Marc Brown

Author: Marc Brown

Title: Arthur Babysit

Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

Date: 1994

Reading Level: 4-8

Number of Pages: 32

Genre: Fiction Picture book

Summary of Plot:The story begins with D. W. Arthur's sister complaining about the Tibble Twins. Later own as Arthur and D. W. and their baby sister Kate were going on a walk they came up to Mrs. Tibble who looked like she needed some help. They find out that she is in need of a babysitter so Arthur says that he will do it. that night as Arthur was getting ready to leave he was worried that it would be to much for him to handle but with the reassurance from his mom and dad and a crash helmet from D.W. he was set and ready to go and babysit the Tibble Twins. He Walks past his friends on his way to their house and they are all worried for him. He explains to them that if he can babysit his two little sisters then he can babysit anybody and then continued on his way. When he arrives the twins were acting like darlings, but when grandma left they turned into little demons. D.W. calls to give Arthur some advice that doesn't work. the whole night was just messes after messes. Finally Arthur has a plan he decides to tell the twins a story about a monster that will eat them if they don't listen. Right when Arthur was getting to the really scary part the front door opens and Grandmas walks in. Grandma was very pleased with Arthur paid him and sent him on his way home. When he got home D.W. was surprised to see him still alive. Arthur tells her how he is going to be their regular babysitter and sense she knows so much about babysitting he told her she gets to help.

Readers Reaction: Like I said before I loved Arthur the TV show so I loved Arthur the book.

Potential Problems: The kids he babysits are little demons, stories of monsters.

Recommendation: Read to little kids its a fun book that keeps people excited.

Arthur Writes A Story by Marc Brown

Author: Marc Brown

Title: Arthur Writes A Story

Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

Date: 1998

Reading Level: 4-8

Number of Pages: 32

Genre: Fiction Picture book

Summary of Plot: The story begins in Mr. Ratburns classroom where he is teaching his students how to write a story. Mr. Ratburn gives the classroom an assignment to write a story for their homework. The minute Arthur got home he started writing. He wrote about how he got his puppy Pal. When he read the story to D.W. she thought it was boring. Arthur didn't want to write a boring story so took D.W.'s suggestion and wrote a story about an Elephant puppy. the next day when he read it to his best friend Buster, Buster said it was ok but that his story was about outer space. So Author decided to write his story about elephants on the moon. When he read it to his friend the Brian. But because The Brian is so smart he just rebuked him about how scientific part of it doesn't really make sense. So Arthur hurried to the library so he could do more research on it. While he was there his friend Francine was confused at what Arthur was doing so he explained it all to her and she explained that she was putting jokes in her story so... he decides to make it a little more funny. Arthur then goes through several more friends and in the end he comes up with a story about a striped elephant that is on a planet named shmellafint and it dances along to western music. When he tells it to his family they are all really confused. the next day he went and told his story anyways when he was done the class was really confused so Mr. Ratburn told him to tell the original story and everyone loved it. Arthur ended up getting an A+ on the original story.

Reader Reaction: I loved Arthur when I was little I would come home afters school get me an after school snack and then head right to the TV and turn on Arthur until it was done and then it was homework

Potential Problems: Listening to everyone else and not to what he originally wanted to do.
Recommendation: When you have your own elementary age class write a book have them read this one so they can see someone who they know write their own story.

All by Myself by Mercer Mayer

Author: Mercer Mayer

Title: All By Myself

Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers

Date: 2001

Reading Level: 4-8

Number of Pages: 24

Genre: Fictions picture book

Summary of Plot: This story is about the Little Critter that wants to do everything all by himself. He gets out of bed all by himself. He buttons his overalls and brushes his fur. He can put on his socks and tie his shoes, he can pour his sister juice and feed her breakfast. The Little Critter goes throughout the whole day doing all of these things all by himself. After doing all of these things he realizes that he can't read himself  to sleep and that he still needs his daddy for that.

Readers Reaction: Like I said before I love Little Critter books so I loved this book as well

Potential Problems: When trying to be independent he ends up making a really big mess

Recommendation: When Children are starting to become independent

Just Me and My Little Brother by Mercer Mayer

Author: Mercer Mayer

Title: Just Me and My Little Brother.

Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers

Date: 1998

Reading Level: baby to preschool.

Number of Pages: 24

Genre: Fiction Picture book

Summary of Plot: This story is about Little Critter imagining what it is going to be like when he has a little brother. He imagines that they will have bunk beds and that they will protect all of the people from the bad guys. The will help each other out through spooky movies and party and play cowboys and Indians. They will do everything together. The very last page you find out that the baby brother still has to learn to walk.

Readers Reaction: I love Little Critter books I thing they are a lot of fun to read and they teach good things.

Potential Problems: there are some fighting and some beating up bad guys.

Recommendation: to read to your kids when they are getting a new baby brother or sibling at all. 

Junie B. Jones is (almost) A Flower Girl by Barbara Park

Author: Barbara Park

Title: Junie B. Jones is (almost) A Flower Girl

Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers

Date: 1999

Reading Level: 4-8

Number of Pages: 80

Genre: Fiction Chapter Book

Summary of Plot: In this book Junie B's Aunt is getting married and Junie B. is mad because she isn't going to be the flower girl although she really really wants to be. From the very beginning Junie B decides that she is going to be the flower girl even though her aunt doesn't know this. But when she is told that her aunts soon to be sister in law Bo is going to be the Flower girl Junie B gets really upset and tries everything she can to be the flower girl. In the end her aunt tells her that she is the alternate flower girl and that makes Junie B feel a lot better.

Readers Reaction: Like I sad on the other Junie B. Jones book I love Junie B. These stories and the Hank the Cowdog Stories are what got me to like reading books so I loved the book.

Potential Problems: Not Spelled Correctly and Not Grammatically Correct

Recommendation: Give it to those students who don't like to read, they will pick it up and then not be able to put it back down.

Missing May by Cynthia Rylant

Author: Cynthia Rylant

Title: Missing May

Publisher: Yearling

Date: 1993

Reading Level: 9-12

Number of Pages: 96

Genre: Fiction Chapter book

Summary of Plot: This book is about a little girls struggle to get over the fact that her aunt has died and that she isn't coming back. not only does she have to get over it but she also has to help her uncle Ob get over it too. So with the help of her friend Cletus Underwood they try to contact May so that Ob could move on and be good with everything that is happening. In the end they both find the strenight to move on but still knowing that they are never going to stop loving and missing May.

Readers Reaction: I thought the book kind of was really long and it dragged. I had a really hard time getting into it.

Potential Problems: Talking to Spirits,

Recommendation: I honestly would have a hard time recommending this book to anyone because I really didn't like it all that much.

Thomas Jefferson by James Cross Giblin

Author: James Cross Giblin

Illustrator: Mechael Doodling

Title: Thomas Jefferson A Picture Book Biography

Publisher: Scholastic

Date: 1994

Reading Level: 9-12

Number of Pages: 48

Genre: Non Fiction/ Biography

Summary of Plot: This book goes through different memories of Thomas Jefferson. Like when he was a little boy and road a horse with one of his fathers slaves. another story is about college and then when he got married and the different places he lived. Finally it tells us about his contributions to the US

Reader Reaction: I thought it was interesting but kind of long. I really liked the illustrations though.

Potential Problems: Nothing its a story about one of our founding fathers I don't see any problems

Recommendation: when learning about Thomas Jefferson either read it to your class or have them read it.

Michelangelo by Andrew Langley

Author: Andrew Langley

Title: Michelangelo

Publisher: San Val

Date: 2003

Reading Level: 9-12

Number of Pages: 30

Genre: Non Fiction/ Biography

Summary of plot: The book goes through his different painting and little stories about each painting. I really don't know what else to tell you about these kind of books.

Readers Reaction: It had a lot of really good information and its cool to see what paintings he did.

Potential Problems: naked people pictures

Recommendation: When teachers are teaching about different artist have the students read this book.

Elephant by Ian Redmond

Author: Ian Redmond

Title: Elephant

Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers

Date: 1993

Reading Level: 9-12

Number of Pages: 63

Genre: informational / Non fiction

Summary of Plot: The book goes through all the different types of elephants and where they come from and what they are used for. The different parts of an elephant etc.

Reader Reaction: I thought it was a lot of information to take in at one time and a little over whelming.

Potential Problems: A lot to read and really big words

Recommendation: Kids that want to know more about elephants

Junie B. Jones and her big fat mouth by Barbara Park

Author: Barbara Park

Title: Junie B. Jones and Her Big Fat Mouth

Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers

Date: 1993

Reading Level: 4-8

Number of Pages: 80

Genre: Fiction Chapter book

Summary of plot: In this book Junie B. Jones is in kindergarten she explains all the different rules about being in kindergarten and talks about her friends. One day Mrs. (her teacher) gets up in from of the class to announce something really important and that was that they are going to have a Job Day. But Junie B. has a tendency to be really loud and talks before thinking and it gets her in trouble. So she gets in trouble and that makes her mad. So when she goes out to Recess she doesn't want to do anything but watch the janitors paint the trash cans. When all of a sudden she sees a red life savor on the ground and she puts it in her mouth when one of the janitors comes over and gets mad at her and tells her to spit it out. She then goes in to the classroom and they have to visitors one is a cop and the other is a dentist and they come and tell the class about their jobs. which gets everyone really excited about what jobs they want to do, except Junie B. because she still didn't know. when she got home she had the idea of a painter, a super hero and a guy who carries lots of keys. But who could that be. the next day she comes to school dressed up as a janitor and everyone makes fun of her but then in the end everyone wants to be a janitor.

Readers Reaction: I love Junie B Jones books. I was one of those students that didn't want to read when i was little so to get me to read any book was amazing and Junie B. Jones books were those books that i would read.

Potential Problems: Things aren't spelled correctly or aren't grammatically correct.

Recommendation: For students who don't really want to read.

Little Bear by Else Holmelund Minarik

Author: Else Holmelund Minarik

Illustrator: Maurice Sendak

Title: Little Bear

Publisher: Harper Trophy; 1st Trophy ed edition

Date: 1978

Reading Level: 4-8

Number of Pages: 63

Genre: Fiction picture book

Summary of Plot: this book is split up into four different stories all about little bear. The first story is called What Will Little Bear Wear? This story is about little bear going out to play but realizes that he needs more to wear so Mother bear makes him a hat and then a coat. After going out to play he realizes he needs pants and so she makes him pants and he goes out to play. He then comes inside and says he wants a fur coat so Mother Bear takes off his coat and snow pants and hat and sends him out to play and he wasn't cold anymore. Other three stories are called. Birthday Soup, Little Bear Goes to the Moon and Little Bear's Wish.  

Readers Reaction: this book actually has four stories within the one book. It really is good.

Potential Problems: none that I could see.

It's Not Easy Being A Bunny by Merilyn Sadler

Author: Merilyn Sadler

Illustrator: Roger Bollen

Publisher: Beginner Books  A Division of Random House Inc.

Date: 1983

Reading Level: 4-8

Number of Pages: 48

Genre: Fiction Picture Book

Summary of Plot: The story is about how a bunny named P.J. Funnybunny who didn't want to be a bunny anymore. He was sick of eating carrots and having so many brothers an sisters, but most of all he was sick of his really big ears. So P.J. decided to leave home, he wanted to become something else. He went to go live with the bears, but then when it came to winter time he couldn't sleep as long as them. He then went to go and live with the birds, but realized that he can't fly. He then decided that if he couldn't be any of those that he would be a beaver but then soon realized that he didn't like to work as hard as the beavers did so he left. Pig was the next animal that he tried to be but they were to messy. He then tried to be a moose but he couldn't be as loud as a moose so he tried to be a possum but hanging upside down gave him a headache so he left. P.J. then tried to be a skunk but they were too smelly. Now P.J. knew what he wanted to be and that was a BUNNY!!! so he went home and ate all of his carrots and played with all of his brothers and sisters and never worried about his big ears again.

Readers Reaction: I thought this book was really funny and fun to read its funny how many books I read growing up were about being yourself and not letting others influence you.

Potential Problems: being afraid of being yourself.

Recommendation: Read to kids who are struggling with self worth and self esteem



A Porcupine Named Fluffy by Helen Lester

Author: Helen Lester

Illustrator: Lynn Munsinger

Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Company

Date: 1986

Reading Level: 4-8

Number of pages: 32

Genre: Fiction picture book

Summary of Plot: Is a story about a baby porcupine that is was named fluffy and but he coudn't understand why he was named that because he knows that he really is not fluffy. So he tries to become fluffy by trying to be a cloud but that didn't work. He tries to be a pillow and sock himself in a bubble bath but neither of those worked either. He took all day to put whipped cream on every quill but that just made him gooey. He ate marshmallows, covered himself in shaving cream and feathers, and dress up like a bunny but nothing was working. Then one day while walking he came up to a Rhinoceros that decided to give Fluffy a hard time so he asked Fluffy what his name is and Fluffy tells him and then the rhinoceros laughs and laughs and then when fluffy asks him what his name he admists that his name is Hipppo. So they became friends. A Porcupine named Fluffy and a Rhinoceros named Hippo.

Reader Reaction: Another great book that I love so much. I thought that it was funny and that it teaches a great lesson.

Potential Problems: being afraid of being yourself.


Recommendations: Read it to kids who are afraid of being them selves and help them realize that they can be themselves and that they can't let others make fun of them.

Hooway For Wodney Wat by Helen Lester

Author: Helen Lester

Illustrator: Lynn Munsinger

Publisher: Scholastic Inc.

Date: 2000

Reading Level: 4-8

Number of Pages: 32

Genre: Fiction picture book

Summary of Plot: The story begins with a rat that can't say his R's so instead of him saying his name is
Rodney Rat he says Wodney Wat. All of the kids at school make fun of him because of this that laugh and they make him say things that they know he couldn't see. Rodney would hide from everybody. Then one day a new girl moved in who became the class bully her name was Camilla Capybara. Rodney was really scared of her because she made fun of the other kids then she really would make fun of her. Then one day the teacher pulled the a name out of a hate to see who would lead the class in Simon Says. Rodney was the one that got picked to lead. He was very sacred of what Camilla was going to do to him. So he was very timid in saying anything at all. Every thing Rodney said Camilla did what he said but because it sounded different  she did something different. In the end Camilla ran west instead of going to rest and she was gone Rodney was now every bodies best friend.

Readers Reaction: I loved this book when I was little and my fiance loves it because when he was little he couldn't say his R's either

Potential Problems: makes fun of people who can't say their R's.

Recommendation: Read it to kids that are worried about not being able to say their R's.

Vampire Baby by Marcia Thornton Jones and Debbie Dadey

Author: Marcia Thorton Jones and Debbie Dadey

Title: Vampire Baby

Publisher: Scholastic Inc.

Date: 1999

Reading Level: 9-12

Number of Pages: 69

Genre: Fiction

Summary of Plot: The story is about three friends named Annie, Jane, and Ben. The three friend lived across the street from a haunted Inn. There is a new visitor at the haunted inn named Bathilda. She is a baby who they all think is a vampire. Throughout the whole book they are trying to figure out if Bathilda was a vampire or not. They later met up with the schools spoiled brat named Carey and her dog named Chewy. The four of them continue to blame all of the problems on Bathilda, until one day they realize that the reason why all of their tires and balls were all flat is because Carey's dog Chewy was chewing on everything and it wasn't Bathilda. What you never find out is if Bathilda is a vampire or not.

Readers Reaction: I thought it was dumb but the people I read it to thought it was funny.

Potential Problems: suspecting people for things without having proof.

Recommendation: For little boys who like mysteries.

The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein

Author: Shel Silverstein

Illustrator: Shel Silverstein

Publisher: HarperCollins

Date: 1997

Reading Level: 2.9

Number or Pages: 52

Genre: Modern Fable

Summary of Plot: The story is about a Tree and a Boy and the Trees love for the boy. When the boy is little he climbs through her branches and eats her apples and plays games with her. When the boy is a teenager he doesn't want to play and do those things he just wants money so the tree gives him her apples for him to sell. Them the boy is an adult and ready to start a family so the Tree gives him her branches so he can build a house. When the boy is a little older he wants to build a boat so that he can leave for a long time, so she gives him her trunk so he can build a boat. Finally when the boy is old and gray the tree has nothing left to give but all he wants is a place to sit so she lets him sit on her stump witch is all that is left.

Readers Reaction: I love the giving tree. It teaches such a good lesson about giving and never stop giving even when you don't think you have anything left to give.

Potential Problems: It doesn't teach the you to work for what you want, everything is given to the boy he doesn't have to work for anything.

Recommendation: Read it for an FHE activity



Andersen Fairytales

Author: Hans Christina Andersen

Illustrator: Rachel Isadora

Title: The Little Match Girl

Publisher: Sandcastle

Date: 1990

Reading Level: 1-4

Number of Pages: 30

Genre: Fairytale

Other Anderson fairytales: The Elf of the Rose
                                         What the Moon Saw
                                           The Butterfly

Summary of Plot: The story begins on New Years Eve out on the streets a poor little girl is wander around its cold and dark and she barefoot because she had just lost her shoes because they were to big and when she had tried to run across the street they had fallen of and a boy ran away with them. It was dark but she was afraid to go home because she had not sold enough matches and her father would be angry with her. Cold and alone the little girl cried not knowing what to do. she decides to strike just one match at first just to keep herself warm she imagines a stove that keeps her warm but then the match goes out. Cold she decides to strike another match. This time she imagines a New Years dinner. That match too burns out and so again she strikes a match this time she sees a Christmas tree. the final match she strikes and sees her grandmother in the flames she cries to her grandmother "please take me with you" afraid that her grandmother would vanish just like everything else did. she strikes all the matches so that she couldn't loose her grandmother. The next morning all that was left of the little girl was her body and some burnt-out matches in her hand with a smile on her face. No one knew of her wonderful visions that she had the night before.

Readers Reaction: When I first read this story I was sad that the little girl died. But then you realize that she has gone to heaven to be with her grandmother.

Potential Problems: No problems that I can see.

Recommendations: Read around Christmas time.

Asbjornsen's Fairy Tale

Author: Asbjornsen

Title: Boots Who Made the Princess Say, That's A Story.

Genre: Fairy Tale

Other Stories by Asbjornsen That I Read: The Giant who had no heart in his body

                                                                 Princess on the Glass Hill

                                                                 Buttercup

Summary of the Plot: This is a story about a Princess who likes to tell stories and lies and her father wants to find someone for her so he tells the kingdom and the kingdoms surrounding that if there is anyone who can tell a story better then her and get her to say "That's a story" then they can marry her and get half of the kingdom. So prince's come from all over the land trying to tell a story better then the Princess. Three brothers come and the two oldest fail at the task and so the third brother named boots gives it a try. He was successful and after a long story of how his farm is better then hers she finally says "That's a Story" and they get married and live happily ever after.

Readers Reaction: Not going to lie when I first read this fairy tail I was really confused and didn't really understand what I was reading. It was hard to read because of the language.

Potential Problems: Teaches Children it is ok to lie and make up stories. Hard to read because of the language.

Recommendations: Read it to the child, don't let the child read it its hard to understand.

Perrault's Fairy Tales

Author: Charles Perrault

Title: Little Red Riding- Hood

Genre: Fairy Tales

Other stories that I read by Perrault: The Master Cat or Puss in Boots
                                                        The Sleeping Beauty in the Woods
                                                         Cinderella, or the Little Glass Slipper

Summary of Plot: The tale begins with Little Red Riding-Hood's mother sending her to go and visit her grandmother because she was ill. As she was walking to her grandmother village she met Gaffer Wolf who wanted to eat Little Red but didn't because they could hear a fagot-chopper (wood-chopper) near by. The wolf asked her where she was going and she told him that she was going to go and visit her sick grandmother. He then tells her that he will race her to her grandmothers house. So Little Red went the long way and the Wolf ran the short way all the way there. When he arrived he disguised himself as Little Red and went in and at the grandmother then disguised himself as the grandmother waiting for Little Red to come. When she does the wolf tells her to come in and lie with him in bed where after some questions Little Red Riding Hood gets eaten by the wolf.

Readers Response: This is the Little Red Riding Hood I grew up with so it was really familiar to me and I loved it just as much as I did when I first heard it.

Potential Problems: Talking to strangers

Recommendation: read this to children when you are showing them what not to do, DON'T talk to strangers.

Jacobs' Fairy Tales

Author: Jacobs

Title: Tom Tit Tot

Genre: Fairy tales

Other Jacobs' Fairy Tales that I read: Mr. Fox
                                                         The Three Little Pigs
                                                         The Rose Tree

Summary of the Plot: The story begins with a Women backing pies but the pies over backed and the so the crust was to hard. The women then tells her daughter to put them on the shelve and when they would come back later they would be good to eat again. Instead the daughter ate the pies. That night when the women wanted to eat the pies she couldn't because they were already gone. Upset with the daughter the Women went outside and sang a song mocking the daughter. The King of the land heard the women but could not understand so he asked the women. She was ashamed of what she did so she lied to the King and told him that her daughter had spun five skeins. The King was impressed with this and decided to marry the Daughter but on the last month of the year she would be locked in her room forced to spin five skeins a day for the whole month and if she could not accomplish this she would be killed. The Daughter and the King were married and then when the last month of the year came along she was forced to keep her promise the only problem was is that she did not know how to spin. The first night of the month she sat and cried knowing she would be killed in the morning when a black thing came knocking at her door. The black thing told her that it would spin her five a day if she could guess its name she would have three guess every night for the whole month and if she could not guess then she would belong to him. so every night he came and every night she guessed. On the second to last night of the month the king joined his wife for dinner in her room and told her about a strange black thing that was spinning in the woods singing a song that said his name. So the next day when the thing came she told him his name and he was never seen again and the daughter and the king lived happily ever after.

Readers Reaction: I had never heard this story before so it was different. It wasn't what I was expecting I kind of expected her to either be taken by the black thing or killed by the king because he found out that she wasn't even the one spinning but neither happened so I honestly was a little disappointed.

Potential Problems: There is ling in it, making deal that can't be made, and threatening to kill

Recommendations: Don't read this to children

Grimm's Fairy Tales

Author: Grimm

Title: Rapunzel

Genre: Fairy Tale

Other Grimm books that I read: The Goose Girl

                                                 The Griffin

                                                 Snow White and Red Rose

Summary of Plot: The story begins with a husband and his wife that life next to a beautiful garden that has rampion rapunzels in it but the garden belong to an enchantress and the husband and wife could not eat the rampions. The wife was with child and would stare out at the rampions and long for them every day. Finally she could not take it any longer and she would die without the rampions, so she sent her husband to go and get some from the garden. He did so and on the second day of getting them the Enchantress caught him. He explained to the Enchantress that if he did not have these rampions then his wife would die. The Enchantress told him that he could take them if he promised her the baby that his wife would have, the husband sacred agreed to this deal. When the baby was born the Enchantress took the baby as her own and named her Rapunzel. When Rapunzel was 12 the Enchantress took her and hid her up in a tower where no one would find her. Rapunzel stayed this way for many years until one day the kings son found her singing he would return every day until he found out how he could get to her. Finally he found out that her hair was the trick  he climbed up to her and the fell in love and got married but there was no way for Rapunzel to get out so he continued to come to her for days bringing her silk for her to make a ladder out of. One day while the Enchantress was there Rapunzel told her of the kings son and the enchantress became very angry and banished her to a desert far away, but before she did she cut off her hair and then tied it to the hook above the window and waited for the kings son to return. When the kings son returned that night he found himself with the Enchantress instead of his beloved wife. Enchantress told him what she had done and he jumped from the tower window and was safe but because of the thorns at the bottom he became blind. The kings son wondered around in misery for several years blind. Meanwhile Rapunzel gave birth to twins until one day while Rapunzel was singing there came a blind man who she recognized as the her husband she cried for him and her tears returned his eye sight and they returned to the kingdom and loved happily ever after.

Readers Reaction: I thought it was a clever little twist on the story its kind of a combination of a lot of different Rapunzel's that I had read before with the healing tears and the Enchantress. But I had never heard of Rapunzel being pregnant that was new and exciting.

Potential Problems: Problems that I see would be evil vs good, marriage after the first day, make deals that are not good to make, witch craft etc.

Recommendations: I like the story so I would probably recommend it to any of my friends or roommates

Milk and Cookies by Frank Asch

Author: Frank Asch

Title: Milk and Cookies

Publisher: Parents Magazine Press

Date: 1982

Reading Level: 4-8

Number of Pages: 36

Genre: Fiction

Picture book

Summary of Plot: The story is about a little bear named Baby Bear. Baby Bear and his family went to go and spend the night at grandmas and grandpa bears house. In the middle of the night Baby Bear gets woken up by a strange noise and a red light coming from under the cellar door. So of course like all little boys are he was curious and wanted to see what it was so he peeked through the key hole and could see grandpa feeding a dragon. While he was peeking on Grandpa and the dragon, Grandpa came up and notice that Baby Bear was out of bed. Grandpa asks if he is ok and then offers Baby Bear a glass of milk and some cookies Baby Bear says no and then goes back to sleep. Later that night Baby Bear dreams about the cellar door opening and the dragon coming up stairs. When the dragon complains to Baby Bear that he is hungry Baby Bear gives him some milk and cookies in fact he at all of the cookies and drank all of the milk. Baby Bear then wakes up crying. Because Baby Bear was crying it woke up Mama and Papa and Baby Bear explains what happened in his dream. He explains how he saw Grandpa feeding the Dragon and then the dream that happened next. Papa Bear then takes Baby Bear down to the Cellar to show that it wasn't a Dragon but instead it was a wood stove. By now Grandpa and Grandma have woken up and they all of milk and cookies.

Reader Reaction: This book I actually got from my own library of books at home. It was a book that my mom use to read to my brothers and I before we would go to bed so to me it is a classic. I love this book. I love how even if Baby Bear is scared he can still go to his parents and talk to them about it. Its just a great book.

Potential Problems: Nightmares maybe but that's all I could see as a problem.

Recommendation: Read to children that are having nightmares so that they can see that it is ok to come and talk to someone about it

The Eleventh Hour by Graeme Base

Author: Graeme Base

Illustrator: Graeme Base

Title: The Eleventh Hour: A Curious Mystery

Publisher: Abrams Books for Young Readers,

Date: 1988

Reading Level: All ages

Number of Pages: 32

Genre: Fiction

Summary of Plot: The story begins with a Elephant named Horace who is turning Eleven years old. Horace decides that he wants to have a birthday party and decides to invite eleven of his friends to his party. After sending out is invitations he goes and makes all of the wonderful desserts and foods that Horace and his friends will be have at this party the next day. The next morning all of the eleven friends show up. They arrive and Horace  leads them to the banquet hall where they see all of the wonderful food that Horace had made for them to eat. But before they could eat they had to play different games. So they played sack-race and musical chairs. Cards and snakes and ladders. Cricket and pool. Bingo and all other kinds of games. Tennis, hidden n’ seek and chess. The last game that they played was tug o’ war. After their game they went back to the banquet room so that they could go and eat their food but when they got there the food was all gone. Who took it? Everyone was blamed but all had an excuse that worked too. But Horace had a back up plan so they went out to the gardens and ate sandwiches. Through out the whole book there are little clues and hits on who stole all the food. After decoding the clue you find out that Kilroy the mouse and his relatives stool all the food.  

Your Reaction to the book: At first I hated it because it made my brain hurt and then after reading it again and figuring out all of the fun stuff that Base has hidden in it, it really is a fun active book that I would recommend to any family.

Potential Problems: I don’t know of any potential problems except for frustration because you can’t figure it out but other then that it’s a problem free book.

Recommendations: I would recommend this book to any little boy or girl who loves to figure out mysteries.

The Wonderings Of Odysseus by Rosemary Sutcliff

Author: Rosemary Sutcliff

Illustrator: Alan Lee

Title: The Wanderings of Odysseus

Publisher: Delacorte Press

Date:1996

Reading Level: All ages

Number of Pages: 114

Genre: Traditional Literature myths

Summary of Plot: This book is the story of Odysseus’ travels as he heads home from war at Troy. The book begins at the end of the war of Troy when Odysseus and his men are traveling home. Odysseus does not have an easy ride home and through out the book you go through all of his trials as he gets home. The first trial that he enquires is the Island of the Cyclops where there is a giant with one eye that tries to kill him. He is able to escape and then after a couple more trials he and his men come to the enchantress who ends up turning half of his men in to pigs and he has to convince her to turn them back into humans. Later on he ends up at Calypsos Island and stays there forever when finally she allows him to leave by know he is that only one who is alive from his army. Back home his wife is going to be courted by a tone of suitor and his son is searching for his father. Finally after a lot more trials he gets home but he can’t let his wife and son know who he is until after the competition with the suitors. He ends up winning the competition kills all the suitors and become reunited with his family. The very end there is another war that breaks out and he heads out with his army to go and meet the enemy. 

Your Reaction to the book: I hated this book!!! I thought that it was long and kind of pointless. The author dragged a lot and added a lot of stuff that just didn’t need to be added.

Potential Problems: Problems that are potential would be its long and boring. Really big names that no one really knows how to pronounce

Recommendations: My recommendations would be honestly don’t read it.

Piggie Pie by Margie Palatini

Author: Margie Palatini

Illustrator: Howard Fine

Title: Piggie Pie!

Publisher: Clarion Books 

Date: 1995

Reading Level: 5-8

Number of Pages: 29

Genre: Fiction Picture book

Summary of Plot: The book begins with a witch named Gritch she wakes up grumpy and hungry but what does she want to eat? After going through a list of possibilities she decides of Piggie Pie. She then goes to the kitchen to see if she has all of the ingredients for her piggie pie but then realizes that she is missing only one thing 8 plump piggies. So she stomps her foot and paces the floor and then wonders how she is going to get 8 plump piggies. She then goes to the phone book and looks up Old MacDonalds farm so she jumps on her broom stick and flies to Old MacDonalds farm where she is hoping to find her 8 plump piggies meanwhile the piggies all dress up like different animals so that they can kid from the evil witch when she lands she comes up to a duck (really a pig dressed up as a duck) and asks the ducks where the piggies are when the ducks reply that there are no piggies the witch threatens to curse the ducks but then walks away she then goes to the cow and does the same thing, she gets the same response and then moves on to the chicken then chicken does the same and then points her towards the farmer. The Farmer of course is really some pigs dressed up. after talking to the farmer she goes and sits for a while trying to figures up what she is to do next when a wolf comes up to her and tells her not to waist her time with the pigs. The witch then invites the wolf to dinner and they both leave back to the witch’s house. Never knowing what happened next.

Your Reaction to the book: This was one of my favorite books when I was little. We never owned it but would check it out all the time. I really did love it.

Potential Problems: The only problems that could occur would be that little kids won’t get the humor behind it. It relates back to the story of the three little pigs and it refers to the Old McDonald song.

Recommendations: Before reading this book make sure that the kids know the original three little pigs story and the Old McDonald song.

No Flying in the House by Betty Brock

Author: Betty Brock

Illustrator: Wallace Tripp

Title: No Flying in the House

Publisher: HarperCollins publishers 

Date: 1970

Reading Level: 7 to 11

Number of Pages: 144

Genre: Fiction Chapter book

Summary of Plot: The story is about a little girl named Annabel Tippens who spent the first couple years of her life with out parents instead she has a tiny three-inch white dog named Gloria. What’s so neat about Gloria is that she can talk. Gloria and Annabel end up at Mrs. Vancourts home one day. Mrs. Vancourt is a lady of society she likes to be the center of attention and that fact that Gloria is only three inches tall and can talk and do different tricks she lets them stay. Over time an evil cat named Belinda shows up at the house and tells Annabel that she is not just any girl but that she is half fairy. Belinda tells Annabel how her mother is Princess Felicia and that her father was just and ordinary guy. 

Belinda also tells her that Gloria was mad into a dog to protect her. But Annabel is told not to tell anyone of Belinda’s visit so. After a while Annabel becomes friends with a girl and they decided that if Annabel was a fairy then she must be able to fly so for days and days Annabel tries to fly when she finally gets that hang of it she was told that she must never fly in the house. The rest of the book is about her adventures in talking to the evil cat that keeps getting her in trouble and then in the end Annabel’s parents come back and they realize that her father is really Mrs. Vancourt’s son.

Your Reaction to the book: I loved this book. I read it for the first time last summer when a girl that I worked with recommended it to me and I really did fall in love with it. It’s funny and different the other chapter books.

Potential Problems: I don’t see any potential problems with this book

Recommendations: I would recommend this book to those who are starting to get out of the little picture books and into chapter books because the chapters aren’t that long and there are still a few pictures in it.