Hoot

Hiaasen, Carl, Hoot, Yearling, 2005, 292 pgs.

Summary: Roy finds it pretty strange living in Florida. He misses Montana terribly and doubts that Florida will be a place he will enjoy living. One day as he is riding the bus to school, and getting bullied by the school bully, he notices a kid run by the bus who is not wearing any shoes. He finds this very strange and one day decides to hop of the bus and run after him to find out where he is going. Roy is in for a real adventure when he discovers the boy is called Mullet Fingers, after the Mullet fish, and is living on his own. As the novel picks up the reader learns that yet another pancake establishment is going to be build right on the top of burrow owl holes and Mullet Fingers is doing his civil duty by delaying and sabotaging the construction site as best an eco-terrorist knows how. As Roy learns more about these tiny owls and what is going on, he volunteers himself to fight the construction that sadly will likely happen. Will Roy and Mullet Fingers save the owls?

Evaluation: Another environmentally focused novel crafted as humorously as Hiaasen knows how! The twisting together of Roy’s side of the story and the cops side of the story and the construction bosses is so well done, I never missed a beat as I jumped from one tale to the next. Hiaasen is doing his part to educate the young readers of the world to stand up for the environment and all the creatures in it that can’t stand up for themselves. This book is a gem for both boys and girls and will have them coming back and asking for more by Hiaasen and other environmental focused authors.

Annotation: Roy had to be the voice of the owls. After all they could only HOOT.

Significance of Book: A real environmentally focused books for young readers. Combining humor with serious issues is a real talent of Hiaasen.

Genre/subject: fiction, humor, environment

Awards:

National:

• ALA Notable Children's Books: 2003
• Best Fiction for Young Adults: 2003
• Newbery Honor Books: 2003

State:

• Arizona: Grand Canyon Reader Award Nominees: 2005
• Colorado: Blue Spruce Award Nominees: 2006
• Connecticut: Nutmeg Award Nominees: 2006
• Florida: Sunshine State Young Reader Award Winners: 2004
• Hawaii: Nene Award Nominees: 2005
• Illinois: Rebecca Caudill Award Nominees: 2005
• Indiana: Young Hoosier Award Nominees: 2006
• Iowa: Teen Award Nominees: 2006
• Kansas: William Allen White Award Nominees: 2005
• Kentucky: Bluegrass Award Nominees: 2004
• Maine: Student Book Award Nominees: 2004
• Maryland: Black-eyed Susan Award Nominees: 2005
• Michigan: Great Lakes Great Books Award Nominees: 2005
• Minnesota: Maud Hart Lovelace Award Nominees: 2006
• Missouri: Mark Twain Award Nominees: 2005
• New Hampshire: Great Stone Face Award Nominees: 2004
• New York Public Library Books for the Teen Age: 2004
• North Dakota: Flicker Tales Nominees: 2005
• Oklahoma: Sequoyah Award Nominees: 2005
• Pacific Northwest Young Reader's Award Nominees: 2005
• Pennsylvania: Young Reader's Choice Award Nominees: 2004
• Pennsylvania: Young Reader's Choice Award Winners: 2004
• Texas: Lone Star Reading List: 2004
• Vermont: Dorothy Canfield Fisher Children's Book Award Nominees: 2004
• Wyoming: Indian Paintbrush Award Nominees: 2004

Why I selected the book: I love Carl Hiaasen and find his books super funny and easy to relate to.

Price: $6.99

Out of the Dust

Hesse, Karen, Out of the Dust, Scholastic, 1999, 227 pgs.

Summary: The depression is a very historical time period in the United States, but not an easy time to write about regardless of what the age group. Hesse crafts a novel from the eyes of a young girl living during the Depression in the heart of the plains. The whole novel is written in verse and highlights each event of two seasons. The joy of playing the piano and earning a dime plays in stark contrast to the tragic event the ultimately ends her mother’s life. The struggles of growing up as a girl without a mother with a father broken by the dust are powerful as Billie Jo decides to run away. The events throughout the novel are secondary to the real story of the power of sticking together and having a family.

Evaluation: This could be any story living in the plains during the depression and the story is unique enough to be believable, but could still be seen as a universal experience. As a huge fan of verse, I found this novel to be a unique way of using verse set in a time period. It is a simple and quick read. I would recommend this to all teachers to add to their curriculum to highlight the time period as well as the writing style. I would also put this in the hands of any young reader who believes that period books are boring.

Annotation: My hands looked deformed and all I had to eat was dust.

Significance of Book: This book is very unique as a time period piece written in verse. Stories of the Depression for young readers are not always well written and this one takes a unique writing style and speaks well to the time period.

Genre/subject: historical fiction, verse, The Depression, farming, family

Awards:

National:

• ALA Notable Children's Books: 1998
• Newbery Medal: 1998
• Scott O'Dell Historical Fiction Award: 1998

State:

• New York Public Library Books for the Teen Age: 1999
• Virginia: Readers' Choice Award Nominees: 2001

Why I selected the book: I love verse books and was interested to find out what a time period piece would look like in verse.

Price: $6.99

Walk Two Moons

Creech, Sharon, Walk Two Moons, HarperCollins, 1994, 280 pgs

Summary: Never judge a man until you’ve walked two moons in his moccasins. Sal’s grandparents are taking her on a journey to see her mother. They are visiting every place across the country that Sal received a postcard from her mother when her mother traveled to Idaho. Sadly Sal’s mother will never come back because of a tragic bus accident. Along the way, to keep her mind off the road and the fear of dying in a car accident, Sal tells her grandparents the story of Phoebe. Phoebe is Sal’s paranoid friend who is convinced that her neighbor is a serial killer, that her mother is running away, and that this mysteries boy is leaving messages at her house and plans to kill her and her family. Throughout the whole book and the road trip, we learn about Sal’s relationship with her father and her mother as well as the story of Phoebe. As they get closer to the grave of her mother, Sal’s grandmother suffers a stroke and is hospitalized so Sal must make the final trip to the resting place of her mother. She does indeed walked two moons in her mother’s moccasins.

Evaluation: In my opinion this is a well written story of adapting to new places, and learning how to carry on after tragedy. This story is full of understandable situations from your first kiss to school and family. The book is well written and full of humorous moments to help the reader digest the serious issues. I would recommend this book to just about any reader. It might be tough to sell this book to boys, but girls will grab onto this book quick.

Annotation: What do a potential murderer, a serial killer, a road trip, blackberry kisses, a snake bite, and a grave site have in common?

Significance of Book: This book was significant because of the tragedy of the death of the main characters mother. Dealing with a loss such as this is tough to write about and Creech does it very well.

Genre/subject: fiction, families, relationships, losing a loved one

Awards:

National:

• ALA Notable Children's Books: 1995
• Newbery Medal: 1995

Why I selected the book: I love Sharon Creech and wanted to read and review what I believe to be a classic in young literature.

Price: $17.51

Frog and Toad Together

Lobel, Arnold, Frog and Toad Together, HarperCollins,1972, 64 pgs.

Summary: This early chapter book is the tale of Toad and Frog and all of the crazy adventures they go on. We begin by following Toad as he creates a list of things to do and then becomes confused when he loses his list. All the while Frog is by his side trying to help him find the list. We move on to learn about how Frog has planted a lovely garden and Toad would like the same. Toad tries a number of different things to try and get his seeds to go, but nothing seems to be working because he believes the seeds are frightened. Finally Toad falls asleep and while he is sleeping the seeds sprout into a lovely garden. The next two chapters are about will power and being brave and finally we end with Toad having a dream that Frog disappeared. The whole book is full of illustrations of a personified toad and frog. Some of the pictures are full of detail while others are just snapshots of what is happening. What adventures will Frog and Toad get into next!

Evaluation: I found this an enjoyable book to read and a clear classic. The use of animals to tell stories is common in children’s literature and made very believable with the help of illustrations. Dressing Toad and Frog made them appear very human like even though they are clearly a frog and a toad. I feared that this would be a very dated story because of the age of the publication, but I found that it had a very classic appeal.

Annotation: Frog and Toad are best of friends and on an adventure. What will they get into next!

Significance of Book: I think this was a significant story because it tried to teach lessons. Each chapter seemed to have a value that was the point behind what was happening. Even with these lessons, it was still fun to read.

Genre/subject: fiction, friendship

Awards:

National:

• ALA Notable Children's Books: 1973
• Newbery Honor Books: 1973

Why I selected the book: I thought it was important to read an “easy reader” book and have found there to be a large number of books by Arnold Lobel in my library.

Price: $17.89

Bad News for Outlaws: The Remarkable Life of Bass Reeves, Deputy U.S. Marshal

Nelson, Vaunda Micheaux, Bad News for Outlaws: The Remarkable Life of Bass Reeves, Deputy U.S. Marshal, Carolrhoda Books, 2008, 41 pgs.

Summary: The story of U.S. Marshal Bass Reeves is historical. Bass Reeves was a slave in Oklahoma. When he couldn’t take it anymore he ran away to Indian Territory and once slavery was outlawed, he was chosen to be a U.S. Marshal in Indian Territory. Bass Reeves could not read, as most slaves could not at this time, so he had to memorize all the details of the outlaws he tracked down from what was read to him. Bass Reeves also used unique was to catch his fugitives such as disquises, tricks, and yes sometimes force. Not everybody appreciated Bass Reeves as most whites still disliked African Americans, but he was highly respected. Bass Reeves even had to arrest his own son for killing another person. Bass Reeves hung up his U.S. Marshal’s hat when Oklahoma became a state, but still worked as a law man. In total Bass Reeves captured over 3000 fugitives.

Evaluation: This was really a very remarkable story and I really enjoyed reading it. The illustrations added that little extra to the story to make it come to life. I can’t believe I had no idea about this historical person and I wish more information was available. I felt it was a very unique way to look at a very historical part of our national story.

Annotation: U.S. Marshal Bass Reeves is hunting you, but you don’t know how he will find you, only that he will.

Significance of Book: This book highlights a very important part of history as well as an U.S. Marshal’s life that made history himself as an African American lawman.

Genre/subject: Biography, history

Awards:

National:

• ALA Notable Children's Books: 2010
• Capitol Choices: 2010
• Coretta Scott King Author Award: 2010
• Golden Kite Honors: 2010
• Kirkus Best Children's Books: 2009
• Notable Books for a Global Society: 2010

State:

• Indiana: Young Hoosier Award Nominees: 2012
• Louisiana: Young Readers' Choice Award Nominees: 2012
• Oklahoma: Sequoyah Award Nominees: 2012
• Rhode Island: Children's Book Award Nominees: 2012
• South Carolina: Children's Book Award Nominees: 2012

Why I selected the book: I was recommended to read this book by the youth librarian at my library. She felt it was worthy of its awards and I wanted to read a Coretta Scott King winner.

Price: $26.80