Must Read in 2015: Fall Update

Posted on September 2, 2015 by carriegelson

Summer reading is over and fall is here! How have you been doing on your #MustReadin2015 list? Progress? Ready to dive back in this fall? it’s time to share!

My #MustReadin2015 list has 24 titles on it and I have completed sixteen and have just started another title. So, slowly, but surely, making progress. I often get distracted by other books but when I do read a title from this list, I am always reminded of all of the good reasons I placed it on the list in the first place.

Here are the titles I have completed since our last update:

Fish in a Tree by Lynda Mullaly Hunt

The courage of a student, the compassion of a teacher, the celebration of spirit. Loved this little gem of a book. And a big shout out to the character of Albert – you are my kind of super hero! How wonderful that this will be a Global Read Aloud selection this fall!

The Penderwicks in Spring by Jeanne Birdsall

Reading about the Penderwicks is soothing. It’s celebratory. It is like coming home after a long trip and being absolutely charmed by the known, the ordinary, the nuances of family. I love every little detail on every page. If you too are a Penderwicks fan, then story details don’t matter, reuniting with these characters is as wonderful as you hoped it might be.

Lost in the Sun written by Lisa Graff

What a concept for a book. What is life after you accidentally kill someone? (freak accident) Now there is a big question! Somehow, this title answers it. A book about a young boy lost. Dealing with family. Making friends. Being really angry. Moving on.

Death by Toilet Paper by Donna Gephart

From the title and the cover, one would think this is a light hearted novel. There is humour but it is full of emotions. In fact, I woke up early one morning worried about the character and had to finish the book to make sure all was okay. What do you do when you are twelve, you have lost your Dad and money is an issue? This title explores this reality in creative, but always authentic and sensitive ways. Fantastic characters and family dynamics.

If you have been participating in #MustReadin2015 and written an update post, please share using the #MustReadin2015 hashtag! I know we just shared in July – so if anyone just wants to check in via twitter, that’s wonderful!

Want to know more about #MustReadin2015? Read here This post also includes links to all of the bloggers who wrote Must Read in 2015 lists.

We will share our progress on our year with these lists around about December 31st.

Happy reading everyone!

Top Ten Tuesday: Ten parent characters that made me protective

Posted on August 31, 2015 by carriegelson

It’s time for Top Ten Tuesday, a meme created by The Broke and Bookish.

This week’s topic? Ten Characters You Just Didn’t Click With

I went beyond not clicking with characters. I decided to focus on parents in MG and YA books that upset me. Yes, some had mental health issues or other things going on. But their actions or in some case, inaction, activated my Mama Bear self. I felt protective, seriously protective of their children. I looked deep into my self to make sure I was in no way the kind of parent that they were. Parenting is hard, hard work. The hardest.

In some ways, I wanted to yell at these moms and dads. In some ways I hurt for them. Life is a journey. We all make lots of mistakes. It’s just extra upsetting when our mistakes impact our children.

And to be perfectly clear, I LOVE each of these books. They are well written, must read stories. Many of them are included on my favourites lists. But these parents, oh, sigh.

Albie‘s Dad in Absolutely Almost written by Lisa Graff

“Notice him. Pay attention!” I wanted to say.

Tommy‘s mother in The Paper Cowboy written by Kristin Levine

The unpredictable rage, often directed at Tommy was so hard.

Rose‘s father in Rain Reign written by Ann M. Martin

Rose’s father own anger and pain don’t leave much room for his daughter.

Flora‘s mother in Flora and Ulysses: The Illuminated Adventures written by Kate DiCamillo

Quirky and interesting? Yes. Tuned in to her daughter? No.

Astrid‘s parents in Ask the Passengers written by A.S. King

Judgemental. Oblivious. These parents made me so frustrated.

Moon‘s father in Alabama Moon by Watt Key

This father’s choices made his son too vulnerable.

Theodore Finch’s mother in All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven

So much pain and this Mom (dealing with her own pain) just didn’t see it.

Gerald‘s parents in Reality Boy by A.S. King

When cameras come into the home . . .

Jaden‘s father in Eye of the Storm by Kate Messner

A talented scientist, yes. Ethical? Hmm. . . not so much

Liberty and Billie‘s Dad in Survival Stories of the Almost Brave by Jen White

Clearly, this father had his own demons and was NOT ready to parent.

Are there some parent characters in books you have read that give you that same feeling?

Monday July 13th 2015

Posted on July 12, 2015 by carriegelson

It’s Monday! What are you reading?

I have been sharing a reading photo of the week each week. Now that it is summer and I am not surrounded every day with little readers, what can I do? Choose favourite, not yet shared moments of course! Here is one of my avid readers sharing her love for author Robert Munsch. She told me.

“I love Robert Munsch. And I love cookies. Who doesn’t love Robert Munsch? And cookies?”

Good question. 🙂

From the classroom 2014/2015 archives:

Join Jen from Teach Mentor Texts and Kellee and Ricki from Unleashing Readers and share all of the reading you have done over the week from picture books to young adult novels. Follow the links to read about all of the amazing books the #IMWAYR community has read. It’s the best way to discover what to read next.

Busy, busy with book lists! In case you are interested:

In the world of books: 25 boys who stand out

In the world of books: 25 girls who stand out

Top Ten Tuesday: Ten Hyped Books I’ve Never Read

Nonfiction Picture Book Wednesday: A Fascination with Nests and Eggs

I dis some amazing picture book reading this week! Some of my favourites:

Pool by JiHyeon Lee

Gorgeous. Wordless. Two children dive deep and meet under a bunch of swimmers and floaters in a busy pool. What do they find there? A fantastical world. I had to purchase this one. I love the colours, the negative space, the whimsy.

Book written by David Miles and illustrated by Natalie Hoopes

A book about the magic of books. Celebrating all things @booklove Yes, please.

The Night World by Mordicai Gerstein

This is truly brilliant. A dark, usually known world, is busy and alive when it is explored at night. Slowly, morning happens. And wow, does it happen beautifully. All about the magic of light.

I Yam a Donkey by Cece Bell

Super silly. Can’t wait to read this aloud!

In the Village by the Sea written by Muon Van and illustrated by April Chu

A Vietnamese family. A small house.A cricket. A certain kind of magic. I recommend experiencing this title.There is so much to it I want to reread it again and again and then share it with children. Simple but yet complex.

Chengdu could not, would not fall asleep by Barney Saltzberg

Wow these illustrations. For panda lovers, this is adorable.

What If . . . ? by Anthony Browne

Worries about attending a birthday party. A big imagination. Full of fantasy and emotion.

The Day the Crayons Came Home written by Drew Daywalt and illustrated by Oliver Jeffers

I was lucky to get a sneak peek at an advanced reader copy of this title at my local book store. Hilarious. Hilarious. Hilarious. I laughed out loud multiple times. Mark down August 18th on your calendar and rush out and buy this book from your favourite local book store!

The Bear Who Shared by Catherine Rayner

Sweet story by Catherine Rayner. How I love her illustrations.

I Will Take a Nap by Mo Willems

An over tired Gerald really needs a nap. As always, so funny.

And I finished two novels.

The Paper Cowboy written by Kristin Levine

Levine is such a story teller. This title is a challenging read. Our main character Tommy struggles with his own actions and his mother’s unpredictable rage. Guilt, fear, anxiety, pride – so many feelings. So many themes in this historical fiction title: bullying, friendship, family dynamics, community, sibling relationships . . .

Lost in the Sun written by Lisa Graff

Updates on my 2015 Reading Goals:

2015 Chapter Book Challenge: 37/80 complete

Goodreads Challenge: 242/415 books read

#MustReadin2015: 15/24 complete

Nonfiction Picture Book Challenge: 48/100 titles

Diverse Books in 2015: 26/50 books read

Up next? I am about to begin The Great Good Summer by Liz Garton Scanlon

In the world of books: 25 boys who stand out

Posted on July 9, 2015 by carriegelson

I read a lot. As in hundreds and hundreds of books a year. Many, yes, are picture books. But many are novels. 95% of these are middle grade and young adult novels. So, in some ways, I can say I “meet” a lot of young people. Some make me cry. Some leave me laughing. Some inspire. I have a myriad of emotions as I read about each of these young fictional lives: confusion, hope, worry, relief, upset, happiness . . .

These characters often stay with me. And because they do, I want to honour them here. These boys*, in the pages of the books where they live, impressed me in notable ways. I admire so many of them for their honesty, their growth, their vulnerability, their hard choices, their loyalty, their mistakes, their learning and their endurance.

In their own way, each is brave and real. Meeting them will enrich every reader.

Doug Swieteck in Okay for Now written by Gary D. Schmidt

Miguel in We Were Here written by Matt de la Peña

Nate Foster in Better Nate than Ever written by Tim Federle

Jack in Dead End in Norvelt written by Jack Gantos

Ben in Half Brother written by Kenneth Oppel

Travis in Blue Fish written by Pat Schmatz

Fadi in Shooting Kabul written by N.H. Senzai

Matt in The Boy in the Black Suit written by Jason Reynolds

Moon in Alabama Moon written by Watt Key

Holling Hoodhood in The Wednesday Wars written by Gary D. Schmidt

Lucky Linderman in Everybody Sees the Ants written by A.S. King

Oscar in The Real Boy written by Anne Ursu

Moses in Crow written by Barbara Wright

Victor (a.k.a. “Little Man”) in Paperboy by Vince Vawter

Julian in Twerp written by Mark Goldblatt

Josh in Living with Jackie Chan by Jo Knowles

Joey in Nest written by Esther Ehrlich

Ali in When I Was the Greatest written by Jason Reynolds

Albert in Fish in a Tree written by Lynda Mullaly Hunt

Albie in Absolutely Almost by Lisa Graff

Junior in The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian written by Sherman Alexie

Jack in Small as an Elephant by Jennifer Richard Jacobson

Ryan Dean West in Winger written by Andrew Smith

Peter Stone in Wish Girl written by Nikki Loftin

Steven in Drums Girls & Dangerous Pie written by Jordan Sonnenblick

Which characters would make your list?

*Coming soon: In the world of books: 25 girls who stand out

Monday December 8th, 2014

Posted on December 7, 2014 by carriegelson

It’s Monday! What are you reading?

My favourite reading photo of the week is another gem from buddy reading. I captured this little guy mid-point. I love how my students interact and have such fun with the K class. It is a highlight for all of us!

Oh you should see my beautiful piles of books to read – they are spread out in multiple places around my house. I did dip my toe into reading some of them. But people in my house were sick and I wasn’t = lots more housework for me. Housework and soup making. People in my house needed to go to lots of dance rehearsals = less time for reading for me. It’s the way it goes! My reading plans are still all about meeting my goals for the year but the countdown to 2015 is certainly on . . .

I did manage to choose my must own/must share picture books for my Gift Books 2014 post. Check it out if you missed it and see if your favourites are there. Would love to hear which books would make your list if you would like to leave a comment. #Booklove shared is the very best kind!

And I read some lovely books:

Haiti my country: Poems by Haitan Schoolchildren Illustrated by Rogé

This title is stunning. The portraits are incredible – full of joy, somber, movement and stories. And the poems . . . Written by Haitian teenagers – these poems celebrate nature. They touch all of your senses with the images of Haiti – pink flowers, ripe mango, dancing Haitian trees, humble little huts, a garden of gold . . . One of the New York Times Best Illustrated Books I had to purchase this title. I want to share it with my students and immerse them in the images these young poets create.

The Smallest Girl in the Smallest Grade written by Justin Roberts and illustrated by Christian Robinson

I like how the power of observation and the eye for detail are honoured here. But not just of the external, extraneous details. Instead, details of our interactions and our intentions. One little girl misses nothing and reminds everyone about how we treat each other.

Are you a Ladybug? A Backyard Book by Judy Allen and Tudor Humphries

I have many of these Backyard Book titles in my classroom collection and was happy to add this one. I posted about using these titles in my classroom here.

I Loathe You by David Slonim

If you are a monster, you might express your deep feelings by substituting the word loathe for love. Fun to read aloud and giggle over. A perfect addition to my list of monster stories.

Lord of the Forest written by Caroline Pitcher and illustrated by Jackie Morris

Oh, trust me, this cover is a mere peek. Each illustration is absolutely this stunning throughout the entire book! Little tiger goes in search of the Lord of the Forest. When he is grown and has cubs of his own, the secret of who is Lord is revealed.

Absolutely Almost by Lisa Graff

Add me to the list of Albie fans. Being kind is still absolutely underrated which is ridiculous but true. Albie reminds us all of many things. Most of all – how very challenging it is to be true to yourself.

Okay for Now by Gary D. Schmidt

This was a reread for me as I read it aloud to my children. Easily one of my favourite novels of all time. Both of my children loved it. Incredibly written. Doug Swieteck is our hero. If you have read this book, you are nodding your head. If you haven’t, go, find a copy and soon. Can’t recommend this book highly enough. Middle grade perfection.

Home of the Brave by Katherine Applegate

A novel in verse. Again, I will say, that novels with sparse words often haunt us with the most powerful images. This book made me very sad. Not quite ready to articulate the many reasons why. An important read.

Next up? I have started I’ll Give You the Sun by Jandy Nelson. I am also still reading The Turtle of Oman: A Novel by Naomi Shihab Nye. With my children, I have begun Twerp by Mark Goldblatt

Reading Goal Updates:

2014 Chapter Book Challenge: 77/100 novels complete (yes, more than 20 to go! I have faith!)

Goodreads Challenge: 560/650 books read (48 books behind)

#MustReadin2014: 21/30 complete

Nonfiction Picture Book Challenge: 128/65 complete

Monday May 20th, 2013

Posted on May 20, 2013 by carriegelson

It’s Monday! What are you reading?

Join Jen and Kellee’s meme and share all of your reading from picture books to young adult reads! Such a fantastic way to learn about “new to you” titles by exploring all of the blog posts shared! Share your own reading on twitter via the hashtag #IMWAYR

This week has been a lot about books! A LOT of books! A lot of reading. Early morning reading. Reading over coffee. Reading while folding the laundry (I have this down to an art) Much browsing, some (well, a little more than some :-)) buying and many bookstore hours passed surrounded by . . . books! Is there any better way to spend one’s time?

For the second week in a row, I have narrowed my picture books down to my ten favourites of the week to share here:

If You Want to See a Whale written by Julie Fogliano and illustrated by Erin E. Stead I spent a week one summer in a house by the sea, wanting to see a whale. I never did. I think I needed this book to help me out. It reveals the ins and outs of waiting. And wondering. And hoping. And wow, is it gorgeous! This is my new go to gift book because adults and children alike will love it. (I might add that the first person I gifted it to was me!)

Wilfred written and illustrated by Ryan Higgins Last week on my #IMWAYR journey through blog posts I happened upon this title on Nicole’s blog Bluestocking Thinking She called this book a “keeper” and I must agree. It is absolutely odd. Wilfred is a big hairy monster in a land of bald beings. But odd is wonderful. And this book is so much more – a story of kindness and friendship and of being compassionate. I loved this little story and cannot wait to share it with my students.

Line 135 written by Germano Zullo and illustrated by Albertine The previous book by these two – Little Bird was one of my favourite titles of 2012. In fact, it will likely be a favourite of all time. Line 135 has a very different feel. But it shares something that I love with Little Bird: it celebrates a beautiful sense of self and human connection. A picture book adults will love – themes of travel, wonder, being who you are. But, if shared right with a group of children – this could be magic.

How to by Julie Morstad Morstad is a picture perfect picture book illustrator. She sends memories, dreams, wonder and magic from the page to her reader. Find this book. Buy it. Treasure it. Read it often and believe in everything.

Ben Rides On written and illustrated by Matt Davies I want to say everything about this book because I found it so wonderfully fun! And sweet. And funny . . . But I am going to try and say nothing more. This book needs to be experienced. Read it without expectation or bias and enjoy . . .

Fantastic review of this book on Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast

A Stick is an Excellent Thing written by Marilyn Singer and illustrated by LeUyen Pham A celebration of the outdoors and playful encounters! Should be read while lounging under a tree or marching through meadows.

The Secret Message written by Mina Javaherbin and illustrated by Bruce Whatley Mina Javaherbin, with her wonderfully generous spirit, sent us this beautiful story and it was such a pleasure to share it with my class! We are currently creating art pieces in response and I hope to be able to share them later this week! A story about how precious freedom is! Shared by Mina from her childhood memories of being told this story (based on a poem by Rumi) by her father.

Kumak’s Fish written and illustrated by Michael Bania Some might know that fishing is a lot about patience and definitely something about luck. But how about cooperation? And hooking sticks? And an entire village? Much fun in this delightful story set in the Arctic.

Lilly’s Chocolate Heart written and illustrated by Kevin Henkes I bought this in board book version for our buddy reading with the Ks. Lilly has the best ideas about chocolate. Enough said.

Dutch Sneakers and Flea Keepers written and illustrated by Calef Brown My class adored the humour in so many of these poems! Fun things to do? Count the cavities (and promise to be better about brushing!), debate the merits of raising fleas for income and explain how quickly you could catch that runaway waffle and gobble it up! With all Brown’s books, it is the illustrations that make them especially amazing!

This was a special week for our class because Calef Brown (the real guy) came to visit our school! Kala, who has been a super fan of Brown’s whimsical words and quirky art kept a countdown sign outside of our classroom. Finally, it was zero more sleeps and truly – Calef Brown Day!

Students were thrilled to show Calef the art we had done inspired by his book Pirateria! It doesn’t get any more special than being able to invite an author/illustrator to come and check out a bulletin board he inspired! Thank you Calef Brown!

In other reading, I finished four novels:

Tangle of Knots by Lisa Graff Mystery. Fantasy. Magic. This book had it all! Requires the reader to remain completely alert to follow this story through its multiple narrators. Fun, certainly. Wonderful for middle grade readers.

Stolen written by Lucy Christopher This is the book that had the biggest impact on me this week. I started it early Friday morning and resented my errands of the day for intruding into my reading time. Don’t begin this book without some hours of uninterrupted reading time ahead. And be prepared for a tough read. This is a story of kidnapping and it has much good, bad and ugly yet by the end, nothing is clear. We know for certain that Gemma has been taken. We know she is in the middle of nowhere. We watch her attempts at escape, her terrifying interactions with the middle of the Australian desert (full of nothing and camels and red sand and poisonous everything) and settle into her memories and confusion. Her interactions with her abductor are psychologically intimate and raw. Yet her kidnapper is also the one who rescues her often. Is it care or control? Love or obsession? Nothing is black or white. Beautifully written. Haunting.

The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky Yes, I am a Charlie fan. Yes, this is a must read book. Sad and funny and vulnerable and worrisome. Fantastic characters. Addictive.

Dirty Little Secrets by C.J. Omololu This novel touched on a theme I have never read about in a middle grade or young adult novel – hoarding. Lucy is the youngest of three children and the only one still living with her mother, until she is old enough to move out. Her mother’s hoarding makes her home life basically unbearable and a desperate secret. The conditions she lives in are truly disgusting. She keeps going by holding on to dreams of a “normal” life two years away when she is old enough to leave home. But then something happens that changes all of her plans.

Next up? I borrowed Bigger than a Breadbox by Laurel Snyder from my daughter’s collection. And I plan on jumping in to a number of fairytales that I will then share with my reading group. We currently believe that fairy tales are the ultimate in drama and can’t get enough of them!

Monday May 13th, 2013

Posted on May 13, 2013 by carriegelson

It’s Monday! What are you Reading?

Join Jen and Kellee in their weekly meme and share all of your reading from picture books to young adult reads! Such a fantastic way to learn about “new to you” titles by exploring all of the bloggers who link their Monday reads posts 🙂

I read many picture books this week but forced myself to narrow it down to my favourite ten to share here. In no particular order . . .

Big Wolf & Little Wolf written by Nadine Brun-Cosme and illustrated by Olivier Tallec I have been waiting years to experience this book. I have seen it celebrated on blogs and book lists but had yet to lay my hands on it. I bought it finally, never having read it because I just knew that this book was meant for me. I was not disappointed. In fact I was just in awe. The colours in many of these pages are so beautiful. I love the blue ground under the tree at night, the red red of the tree bark in the full light of day and the fiery leaves of autumn. Friendship. Connection. Longing. So lovely!

The Hair of Zoe Fleefenbacher Goes to School written by Laurie Halse Anderson and illustrated by Ard Hoyt This book has pretty much everything anyone could want – a real individuality, great energy, a definite sense of humour and absolutely fantastic hair. Hair that is so much more than gorgeous! Love that this book so cleverly celebrates the creative spirit of a little girl and her determination to be herself.

One Gorilla: A Counting Book by Anthony Browne I am not sure that Anthony Browne can make a book that I will not adore. This book is certainly NOT that book. Because . . . wow! A simple counting book with the most wonderful of primates. The colours? Whoa . . . And each number is so much more because it is attached to a jaw dropping illustration of a group of primates. 6 gibbons. Sigh. 8 macaques. Wit and wisdom. 10 lemurs. Pure joy.

The Boys, an almost wordless book by Jeff Newman Okay, book, where have you been while I’ve been happily amassing amazing wordless titles? First published in 2010 but my pretty finely tuned wordless radar missed it! A lovely little story of finding a way to belong. With some pretty fantastic persuasion delivered by the cool old guys who hang out on the park bench. So absolutely delightful!

The Little Yellow Leaf written and illustrated by Carin Berger This book magically captures the colours of fall. Those golden changing colours that seem to be pure magic against bleak autumn skies. But this book also tells a story of perseverance, anxiety around change and finding the way with the little help from someone else. I could just flip through the pages over and over and marvel at the illustrations. Gorgeous.

Azad’s Camel by Erika Pal A story infused with magic about child camel jockeys in the Middle East. Lots of room to infer. Pictures are stunning. Would be great to use in a unit on children’s rights – to discuss child labour, etc More information about camel racing at the back of the book. Definitely a book that needs an adult to help navigate the theme and the story.

Courage of the Blue Boy by Robert Neubecker My class just completed some amazing art inspired by Neubecker’s Wow! City! So I was very pleased to find this little book in our school library. Travelling through various one coloured pages and on a green sea, the reader follows our little blue hero as he experiences and questions diversity, identity and belonging.

Goldilocks and Just the One Bear written and illustrated by Leigh Hodgkinson Fractured Fairy tales are either very clever or very not! This is a fun little twist on the classic Goldilocks story with whimsical, endearing illustrations. Much fun to be had in exploring this book. My son couldn’t stop giggling when the bear sat on the cat and claimed that the “chair” was too noisy. Silly humour with big appeal.

Wolf Won’t Bite by Emily Gravett So what happens when we fully bury ourselves in trust with a wolf? Well . . . read on 🙂

Again by Emily Gravett A unique example of impatience gone wrong involving bedtime stories, eager listeners and tired parent readers. And little dragon impatience is pretty powerful! If you don’t believe me . . . check out the back of this book! I must admit, “Again!” is my favourite response when I read a picture book! 🙂

In other reading . . .

I finished Endangered by Eliot Schrefer but I am not so sure it is finished with me. This book won’t leave my head. It was that powerful. Endangered is about many things. But mostly – love. It tangled itself around me just like those precious hugs between Sophie and Otto, the little bonobo who needs her desperately. An unthinkable story of survival and connection. Unforgettable. I often recommend books that I love. Sometimes quite adamantly. This book though . . . I will go as far as to insist it is a must read.

What’s next/on the go?

I am currently flying through A Tangle of Knots by Lisa Graff. Our new family read aloud is Scumble by Ingrid Law.

Many magical connections ironically between Scumble and Graff’s novel and as they both sit on my bedside table, I have noticed that they are completely colour coordinated! Don’t you agree?

With my student book club, we have started The Lions of Little Rock by Kristin Levine. Such an ideal book to share with a book club!

Sophie Simon Solves Them All

Posted on June 7, 2011 by carriegelson

Ms. Gelson is currently reading Sophie Simon Solves Them All, a novel by Lisa Graff. Illustrated by Jason Beene.

Our class has been quite intrigued by the character, Sophie Simon. Her parents absolutely do not understand her and keep calling her strange food names as terms of endearment. Her classmates who try to befriend her, baffle her. All she wants is an expensive ($100) graphing calculator and for everyone to leave her to her thick textbooks on calculus or civil disobedience. When her classmates, who are also hopelessly misunderstood by their parents, ask for her help, she agrees. She will help if they pay her – she really wants that graphing calculator. Her plan seems foolproof. One that will help everyone get what they want. But . . . things, as they often do, turn out a little differently.

Sophie’s plans involve a hilarious sit in at a ballet recital, an observant student journalist and a ring tailed lemur who (with Sophie’s help) destroys a birthday party (a poolside adventure involving diving boards, salt water taffy and grasshoppers).

Lots of laughing in this book. Especially at adults and their ridiculous ways. Sophie’s teacher, Mr. St. Cupid, has more rules than you can possibly imagine and is constantly adding to his list. (No sighing! No reading books fatter than your head! No dropping three things at once!) Parents also come across as clueless. But when you are 6-9 years old (the intended audience of this book), this is pretty cool.

A short read. Perfect for June! But also perfect for students wanting a great book to kick off their summer reading. Themes of resourcefulness, teamwork and friendship.