Reading Abounds

Title: The Accident Season Author: Moira Fowley-Doyle Perma-Bound Catalogue#: 128557 Description:    Every October Cara and her family become mysteriously and dangerously accident-prone, but this year, the year Cara, her ex-stepbrother, and her best friend are 17, is when Cara will begin to unravel the accident season's dark origins. Rubric Rating: Level 3 - Laud It Why I Read It: Great Title and Tag Line Notes:    It is October.  It is the accident season.  Every October Alice, Cara, and their ex-stepbrother, Sam, batten down the hatches and prepare for the accident season.  Sometimes it’s not bad, just a few cuts and bruises, but sometimes it’s horrible, with broken bones or worse. Cara’s friend Bea predicts a bad one, but not just a bad one, one of the worst.  While Cara struggles to find understanding about the accident season, is it supernatural or fate, or just made up, she decides that in order to find out for sure,...

  Title:  Thirteen Chairs Author: Dave Shelton Perma-Bound Catalogue #: 128181 Description:  When Jack enters a deserted house on a cold night, he finds a dozen people, sitting at a table, who invite him to take the thirteenth chair and share a ghost story--with unexpected ramifications. Rubric Rating: Level 2 - Like It Why I Read It: It's a book of short ghost stories.   Notes: I'm not sure it's ever taken me longer to finish a book.  I loved the cover, title, and premise of this book.  I picked it up last summer to read at the cottage figuring a book of short ghost stories would be great to read at night in front of the fire.  The premise of the story is good.  Jack enters a haunted house to find himself invited into a room with 12 other people each holding a candle.  Each relates their story and blows out their candle.  As each story is told Jack is filled with more and more trepidation as he comes to realize thes...

Title:  Sylvie Author and Illustrator:  Jennifer Sattler Perma-Bound Catalogue #: 35813 Description:  When Sylvie the pink flamingo learns her colour comes from the little pink shrimp she eats, she decides to expand her choices, trying everything under the sun and, unfortunately, overdoing it. Curriculum Links:  Art: Colours Character Ed: Integrity Reading: Questioning Science: Animals Social Studies: Developing a Sense of Self Notes: Design:  This book is slightly longer and thinner than an average picture book.  It's tall like Sylvie!  A cute little flamingo.  The cover and title don't give much away as to the content of the book but the illustrations are delightful and simple. The front papers are swirly pink with a blue imprint page while the book ends with a solid pink page followed by swirly blue end papers.  These swirly backgrounds are repeated throughout the book as Sylvie tries on different colours....

Title:  Home Author:  Carson Ellis Perma-Bound Catalogue #: 95935 Description:  A whimsical tribute to the myriad possibilities of home depicts homes in different real-world environments as well as fantastical settings. Curriculum Links:  Art: Design Reading: Connecting Science: Materials Science: Structures Social Studies: Local and Global Communities Notes:  Design:  The cover is very engaging with a variety of Homes on the cover, that are both real and imagined, human and animal, natural and man-made.  The end pages are bright red and that is the main colour that draws attention within the pages - a red curtain, or red flag, a roof or chimney.  The text looks like pen quill and ink writing but is large and easily legible. Content and Illustrations:  This book is full of simple text that describes various types of homes, from apartments to bee hives, buses and ships, make believe homes and real homes, and the pe...

Title:  Not a Box Author:  Antoinette Portis Perma-Bound Catalogue #: 13547 Description:  To an imaginative bunny, a box is not always just a box. Curriculum Links:  Art - Lines Character Education - Integrity Drama Reading - Transforming Science - Materials Social Studies - Developing a Sense of Self Writing - Persuasive Notes:  Design:  This is a lovely little book that looks just like a box!  The cover looks like kraft or box  paper.  The weight is listed on the front and the back has a couple of arrows and a notice stating "This Side Up" just like on a box.  The end papers look and feel like kraft paper and are a heavier gauge.  The red printing on the cover is the main colour used within the book making the design very sleek and simple.  The dedication is cute - "To children everywhere sitting in cardboard boxes."  Sweet! Content and Illustrations:  I loved how much is actually...

Title: Stick and Stone Authors: Beth Ferry and Tom Lichtenheld Perma-Bound Catalogue #: 109290 Description: Stick and stone are both lonely until Pinecone's teasing causes one to stick up for the other, and a solid friendship is formed. Curriculum Links:  Anti-Bullying Equity and Diversity Character Education: Empathy Reading: Transforming Reading: Visualization Social Studies: Feelings Writing: Word Choice Notes:  Design: This is a lovely designed square format picture book.  The end pages are white with the first inner page showing a stick laying at the base of a tree.  The smiles of stick and stone on the cover are reflective of children and the text on the back exemplifies the theme of the book -- "Meet stick and Stone.  They stick up for each other, because friends rock!"  And these friends certainly do. Contents: Stick and stone, lonely and alone, until stone is teased by a little pinecone.  That's when stick, stic...

Title:  The Invisible Boy Author:  Trudy Ludwig Illustrator:  Patrice Barton Perma-Bound Catalogue #: 71464 Description:  Brian has always felt invisible at school, but when a new student arrives, everything changes. Curriculum Links:  Anti-Bully Art: Drawing Character Education - Empathy, Kindness Friendship Social Studies: Developing a Sense of Self and Others Reading: Transforming Lori's Notes:  I think this is a beautiful picture book and story.  Brian is an invisible boy, he doesn't take up much room, doesn't make a fuss, he's barely noticed by the teacher and ignored by the kids in his class. He isn't picked for the kickball team, isn't invited to birthday parties, and eats his lunch alone.  But when Justin begins school and is teased, Brian wonders whether it is better to be laughed at or ignored. Brian draws Justin a picture and just like that a friendship is born.  Justin can see Brian's talent in his ...

Title:  Echo Echo Reverso Poems about Greek Myths Author:  Marilyn Singer Illustrator:  Josée Masse Perma-Bound Catalogue #: 112980 Description:  This collection of reversible poems helps readers gain new perspectives on ancient Greek myths. Curriculum Links:  Art: Mirror Images, Graphic Design Character Education: Courage Language Arts: Tales, Myths and Legends Reading: Poetry Social Studies: Early Civilizations Science: Earth and Space (Constellations and the Night Sky) Writing: Voice and Perspective Notes:  This is a lovely poetry book.  I was struck by the colourful illustrations that are designed as mirror images to highlight the myths in the poems.  I particularly like the art portrayed on the cover that is inverted and found with the first poem -  An Age of Marvellous Myths .  The poems are reversos - a poetry form the author has invented - the poem is read first top to bottom, it is then reprinted in...

Title:  Pete & Pickles Author:  Berkeley Breathed Perma-Bound Catalogue #: 30426 Description:  When Pickles the elephant turns his life upside-down, Pete the pig comes to realize that a perfectly predictable, practical, and uncomplicated life is not always preferable. Curriculum Links:  Art: Artwork and Artists Art: Computer Generated Artwork Character Ed: Empathy Character Ed: Teamwork Reading: Transforming Self-Regulation Social Studies: Our Changing Roles and Responsibilities Social Studies: Feelings Writing: Narrative Notes:  Design:  The title is what drew me in for this book.  The pig and the elephant look to be having fun on both the front and back cover.  The end papers are plain and bright orange.  A very happy colour.  The text font is clear and easy to read.   Content and Illustrations:  I actually got a little teary with my first reading of this story and every time I read ...

Title:  Con Academy Author: Joe Schreiber Perma-Bound Catalogue #: 97512 Description: Con man Will Shea may have met his match in scammer Andrea Dufresne as they make a high-stakes deal that will determine who gets to stay at Connaughton Academy, one of the most elite and privileged preparatory schools in the country, and who must leave. Rubric Rating: Level 2 - Like It. Why I Read It: Great cover image and title. Notes: I was more than a little disappointed by this book.  I gave it a like instead of a leave because there were some interesting aspects to the story.  Will Shea is attending Connaughton Academy, not based on his academic merit, but on his ability to con the administration into believing he is a student they should be sponsoring to attend.  But at his first day in class he meets Andrea Dufresne, a fellow con who stakes a claim to Con Academy.  Together they devise a bet, whoever can get the wealthiest student to fork over $50,00...