Diary of a Wimpy Kid, the Last Straw, by Jeff Kinney

Diary of a Wimpy Kid, The Last Straw by Jeff Kinney ISBN# 978-0-8109-7068-7

Jeff Kinney did it again. This is a very funny book about the escapades of a wimpy kid named Gregg. The story is told in diary form from January to June. Gregg is tormented by his older brother Roderick and bothered by his little brother Manny who has a special blanket held together by boogers and raisins

Even though Gregg keeps having all these schemes, hopes, and fears, in a funny way they are all believable. For example, he wears his mother’s bathrobe around the house because it keeps him warm. This freaks his father out.

When Gregg was young his father would read his The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein. As we all know there is a large picture of Shel Silverstein on the back cover where is does not look like your typical children’s book author. Gregg says he looks like a pirate or a burglar. So when Gregg gets out of bed at night, his father says that he better not do that because he might run into Shel Silverstein in the hall.

He has a crush on the neighborhood girl but she doesn’t know his name. This poor guy tries real hard, but never quite goes beyond the status of a wimp.

This is a great book for reluctant readers, because there is one funny event after another. While you read this book you root for Gregg, but you also know that he is not going to change that much.

The Whipping Boy by Sid Fleishman

The Whipping Boy by Sid Fleischman ISBN# 0-688-06216-4

There once was a fictitious kingdom where there was a very bad Prince nicknamed Prince Brat. Prince Brat was always pulling stunts, but when he does, he does not have to suffer the consequences. The consequences are given to the whipping boy, Jemmy, an orphan from the town. Since the consequences are a whipping, Jemmy is called The Whipping Boy. And he is whipped a lot.

One day the Prince Brat gets bored, and wants to run away, but he needs The Whipping Boy ads a manservant. So, off they go on a wild adventure and immediately run into Hold-Your-Nose-Billy and Cutwater. They keep encountering these two for the remainder of the book, but they also run into a bear and his girl keeper as well as a potato man.

This book is fast paced and a lot of fun. You are going to have suspend belief because most of the events in this book couldn’t happen, but they are fun just the same. This is a great read for tweens because there is a nice combination of the comic and eventually compassion between the characters.

Missing May by Cynthia Rylant

Missing May by Cynthia Rylant ISBN# 0-439-52359-1

Summer, the narrator of this novel is living with he Aunt May and Uncle Ob, when May dies in the garden. As you can tell by the title, both Ob and Summer miss May. They go through a very dark period because they are in need of a sign, any kind of sign, from May so they will know what to do next. Into the story comes Cletus, one of Summer’s classmates, f and the three of them embark on a journey to visit a spiritualist, recommended by Cletus in the hopes of being connected with May.

This book isn’t about spiritualists or road trips with the hope of healing. What it is about is love. Ob’s love for May. May’s love for Ob. Ob’s love for Summer. Summer’s love for the both of them. I don’t know if Cletus has love for Summer or Ob, but he just might.

Besides love, this book is about faith, or in other words or complete trust and confidence. Just the belief that Summer and Ob can continue their life with strength and vision with May in their hearts and thoughts.

It is always an enjoyable experience when you a novel that is sad, humorous, and hopeful all at the same time.

Number the Stars by Lowis Lowry ISBN #0-440-40327-8

Number the Stars by Lois Lowry ISBN# 0-040-40327-8

In Number the Stars, Lowis Lowry has written a wonderful historical fiction work. The setting for this book is Denmark, the time 1942. With the Nazi troops gathering up all the Jewish citizens of Copenhagen, the Johansen family takes care of Ellen Rosen, a Jewish friend of Annemarie Johansen. The Johansens are members of the Danish Underground, who are spiriting Jews to neutral Sweden by boat. Due to circumstances, Annemarie must perform tasks that are extraordinary for a ten-year-old.

I have read this book more than once, and every time I read it, the more I have been impressed with the character development of the three girls. Kirsti is the typical younger sister, who wants to do what her big sister does, and Annemarie shows the perfect amount of fear combined with courage. And you can feel Ellen Rosen’s fear as she negotiates an unsure future without her parents.

The author shows her readers the importance of the Resistance Movement without getting into too much detail. The handling of why the Nazis are gathering the Jews is also handled appropriately for a ten to fourteen-year-old. In the book, we know that if the Rosens are caught the consequences are death, but we do not know that they would be among six million Jews to suffer that fate in such a horrible manner.

Lois Lowry has done it again. This book is great, and whenever anyone asks me for a historical fiction recommendation, Number the Stars is first on my list.

Dear Mr. Henshaw--by Beverly Cleary ISBN#0-688-02406-8

Clearly, B. (1981). Dr. Mr. Henshaw. N. Y., N. Y.: William Morrow and Company Inc.

This book can serve as a great guide into adolescence. In second grade, the protagonist, Leigh Botts, starts a correspondence with his favorite author, Mr. Henshaw. With these letters, and later with a diary we watch Leigh grow up. It is not an easy row to hoe when your parents are divorced, but Leigh makes the best of it. He is in a new school, so it is hard to make friends, and the best parts of his lunch keep getting stolen, but Leigh perseveres. Through a friendship with the school custodian and a fancy burglar alarm on his lunch pale, things seem to look up.

A poignant theme is this book is Leigh’s struggle with a dad who is gone. Beverly Cleary handles this situation with care, empathy, and a deep understanding how an eleven-year-old boy feels in this situation. Leigh has a constant battle with love and anger, and the writing makes this very clear. Any tween going through a divorce must feel safer when they read this book.

Kindness is a very important part of this book. All the characters show it: the custodian, Leigh’s mother, the principal, Mr. Henshaw, and at times Leigh’s father. Cleary builds Leigh’s father’s character as a tragic figure that you love and hate at the same time. Leigh’s journey is handled with great realism and an abundant amount of humor. This is a very enjoyable read, and I am sure I will read this book again.

On My Honor--by Marion Dane Baurer

Bauer, D. B. (1984). On My Honor. N . Y., N. Y.: Bantam Doubleday Dell Books for Young Readers.

The book On My Honor (a Newberry Honor Book) is brief and to the point. Joel and Tony are friends, and on their way on a bike trip to the State Park, a dare is made and a death results. I am not giving away the plot because, the books mainly deals with Joel’s guilt over daring his friend Tony to swim across the river. Tony drowns and Joel goes through a roller coaster of lies and deception before the conclusion of the book.

Marion Bauer is a master of writing inner dialogue for the protagonist Joel. The reader feels every bump Joel’s guilt takes him. As a reader, I was cheering when Joel made what I thought was a right decision and I was upset when he made a wrong move.

Although this book’s main theme is Joel’s dealing with this conscience, another very strong theme is the love Joel’s father has for his son.. Although the love from Joel’s father towards his son is touching, I feel that it is almost too perfect, but still very touching.

Although his book is a great read for individual tween readers, I think that its real value is in the classroom. The open-ended discussion about right and wrong, and what Joel should have done could be quite rich.

This is a book that should be in every elementary and middle school library. Although it was published 16 years ago, the themes dealing with battles with conscience and the love for your children are timeless.

Pictures of Hollis Woods--by Patricia Reilly Giff

Giff, P. A. (2002). Pictures of Hollis Woods. N. Y., N. Y.: Scholastic

Hollis Woods has unsuccessfully lived in many foster homes foster homes, with one of her foster parents referring to her as a “bundle of trouble.” Often she runs away, but finally she finds a placement, which is a great fit. This family loves her and Hollis loves them back. In this home, Hollis’s natural gift for art flourishes, and she is quite happy.

The happiness is snapped when Hollis makes a bad decision, and she decides to move on, even though the family wants her to stay.

Hollis’s next placement is with a loving elderly woman artist, who is going senile. Instead of the woman taking care of Hollis, Hollis takes care of the woman, and there is mutual love. Again Hollis’s art flourishes. Things don’t stay stable, and Hollis has to make some adult decisions, which would scare most adults. As Hollis makes these decisions, she weighs the positive and negative with compassion and empathy. When Hollis is in these situations, she is a great role model for tweens.

Hollis Woods is troubled protagonist, but she is one strong female character. She knows what she wants (to be in a family) but she has a lot of trouble obtaining it, but she never gives up.

Giff writes of Hollis with such compassion and care. Also, her use of flashbacks is quite effective. I recommend this book highly, especially for anyone who wants to read about a strong female protagonist.

Walk Two Moons--by Sharon Creech

Creech, S. (1994). Walk Two Moons. New York, NY: Scholastic Incorporated.

And so the book starts: Don’t Judge a Man until you’ve walked two moons in his moccasins. The main character in this book, Salamanca Tree Hiddle, Sal for short, certainly walks two moons in more than one set of moccasins. To briefly set the story line, Sal is on a cross-country journey with her Native American grandparents from her mother’s side. Their mission is to find Sal’s mother who took a trip to her native Idaho and failed to return. What we do know is that Phoebe’s Gram and Gramps want to see their daughter who was resting peacefully in Idaho. Sal wants to take this trip, but she is afraid. Finally, Sal’s dad wants to stay in Ohio to visit a woman, since he has already seen his wife in Idaho. During this journey Sal tells an incredulous story about her new friend Phoebe. Sal’s father moved to Ohio from Kentucky when his wife did not return.

Two plots are happening at once, Sal’s search for her mother and Phoebe and Sal’s story about the lunatic. Both the trip and the story about the lunatic are beautifully written, with all of the characters becoming alive, especially Sal’s Gram and Gramps. These two are really in love.

This is my first book to review because it is one of my favorite books in any age group. Even though this book is written for a tween audience, I have recommended it to many adult friends. When you talk about human values, this book concentrates of kindness, love, care, empathy, and if you can call humor a value, this book is full of it.

My daughter recommended this Newberry winning book to me in 1996, and I have thanke

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