Reviews (87)

The Skin I'm In
The book I read is "The Skin I'm In," by Sharon G. Flake. This book was about a girl named Malkee who grew up in the city. Malkee's father died when she was young, and since then, she has been very poor. She is not popular at school. Her mother makes her clothes and she doesn't like them. When she gets to school, she changes clothes with a girl named Charle, who she called Char.

Char is not a real friend to Malkee but she protects her when someone is bothering her. Malkee is also bossed around and made fun of by Char. Malkee wants to be accepted by her peers and she tries hard to fit in. Malkee also has problems with her teacher, Ms. Sanders, who is so mean to her and tries to get her into trouble everytime she gets a chance. Ms. Sanders is not the best teacher and most of the students don't like her. She also calls Malkee names and talks about her when it comes to learning.

I like this book because in some ways I can relate to Malkee's problems. This is a good book to read. I believe a girl who is about thirteen, like myself, would understand what Malkee is going through. While reading the book, I found similarities in my own life and I found it very interesting because it seems that we have shared some of the same experiences.

What I found to be sad in my reading was Ms. Sanders making fun of Malkee. I don't feel that Malkee or any person should be picked on by the teacher. Rather, the teacher should be more nice to her and respect her more often. Malkee really didn't do anything to be disrespected by Ms. Sanders.

One of my favorite parts of the book was when Malkee was happy and defended herself when a girl began talking badly about her. The girl also attacked Malkee, and was suspended. Malkee had to work in the school office with no pay as a result of the fight. I felt that this was fair punishment for both.

I recommended this book to a friend, and she liked it as well. This book is very entertaining and I look forward to reading more books by Flake.

The Skin Im In...
The Skin Im In by: Sharon g. Flake. This book is a very interesting book. I give this book 4 stars because I thought that this book is the best book that I have ever read. It is about a girl named Maleeka, who goes to school at McClenton middle school. She gets picked on everyday. Maleeka try's to barrow clothes from her friend but it just seems that they dont care what she wears. They only pick on her because she is a different color than everyone else. Maleeka seems to think that she doesnt fit in. As, she walks down the halls at school boy's and girls make up songs about her. despite of Maleeks she happens to over come her problems at problems at school. I would recommend this book to people of many ages but mostly I recommend this book to any tenth graders in the world to read this book.

Great
I spent half of this book rolling my eyes, hoping Maleeka would become stronger. Then I finally just lost hope in the girl gaining a backbone. This book was a quick, easy read about growing up & dealing with your peers. It's a novella that I admire and would like to write (about young people). The plot was creative, not following the same path that most African-American literature is following: simple, deprived woman, married deprived woman, sensitive, gullible man or player. Great job, especially with Caleb!

Character For Sale
Maleeka as a character,is worth four dollars. Maleeka cost four dollars because of her attitude. Maleekas attitude cost two dollars and fifty cents because attitude turned out to be positive and negative,throughout the book.The price of Maleekas self-confidence cost fifty cents because she lets people bring her down when she is excited.The rest of the money illustrates how much maleekas personality cost maleeka's personality cost fifty cents because she doesen't like herself.She likes to be like other people.You should read this book The Skin I'm In to find out more about maleeka's life.

Thumbs up Thumbs Down
In The Skin I'm In we give Maleeka a thumbs up. Maleeka is a girl that is very very smart but she doesn't make smart decisions sometimes. Maleeka tells on Charlese for doing something bad. We liked Maleeka because she has been walked all over before and standing up for herself now. We liked how Maleeka was able to overcome Charlese's attitude. We also liked what Maleeka wrote about Akeelma in her diary. Other kids should read this book becuse they'll learn that other people go through tough times too. ... Read more

Book Description

Francisco, a young Mexican-American boy, helps his grandfather find work as a gardener, even though the old man cannot speak English and knows nothing about gardening. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

An Honest Story about Honesty and Hard Work
Let me begin by saying that I am a big fan of Eve Bunting and admire her for writing about people who otherwise receive little attention in stories. "A Day's Work" is worthy of that reputation. It is a story of day laborers from Mexico; moreover, it describes how the whole family pulls together to make ends meet (a theme that Francisco Jimenez beautifully explores in "The Circuit/Cajas de Carton). Though it's a simple story, there are several surprise twists. As with her other stories, Eve Bunting tells this one with her characteristic sensitivity without indulging in, you know, the mushy stuff. This book will enable children and adults alike to take a new look at honesty and, as the title says, a day's work.

Good Book!
This story describes an American lifestyle that most of us will not experience. It avoids criticism of that life and presents a situation in which honest people are trying to survive. The author provides a human face to the characters. Very nice.

A must-have for your multicultural collection
Beautifully illustrated, this heart-warming story is an excellent real-aloud for grades 2-5. Many themes in the book include honesty, hard-work is rewarded and family. I love the fact that no stereo-type Hispanic characters are in the book.

It is about a boy helping his grandfather.
I think a kid would like this book because it tells how a kid can help his parents do their jobs. I think a kid would not like this book because this book is not that exciting.

We need more books like this one for kids today (& adults!)
"A Day's Work" is wonderfully engaging and a beautifully illustrated work. It is so rare to find a children's book today which integrates moral truth so seamlessly into a believable and thought-provoking story. We will never be without this book on our bookshelf to read to each child as he comes to the age of reasoning! A MUST HAVE for any family who values teaching their children at an early age about honesty & accountability. ... Read more

Book Description

Lately everybody's messing with Jamal. His teachers, the kids at school, even his dad. And now that Jamal's brother Randy's in the slam, Crazy Mack has a crazy idea. He wants Jamal to take control of the Scorpions and run crack.

All the gang jive--Jamal has no use for it. Unless, like some say, it's the only way to cop the bread for Randy's appeal...

The story of twelve-year-old Jamal, whose life changes drastically when he acquires a gun. Though he survives the experience, it's not without sacrificing his innocence and possibly his relationship with his best friend.

1989 Newbery Honor Book
Notable Children's Books of 1988 (ALA)
1988 Best Books for Young Adults (ALA)
1989 Recommended Books for Reluctant Young Adult Readers (ALA)
The USA Through Children's Books 1990 (ALA)
Young Adult Choices for 1990 (IRA)
1989 Judy Lopez Children's Books Award, Honorable Mention
Children's Books of 1988 (Library of Congress)
1989 Books for the Teen Age (NY Public Library) ... Read more

Reviews (80)

Extremely moving book!
The book, Scorpions, by Walter Dean Myers is an extremely well written book. I have always been fascinated for some reason on the hardships and lives of gangs. Maybe because I have helped some close friends of mine get out of gangs and drugs and I never knew exactly how they felt. I dont know. But when you read a book like this, it's like you were a friend of Jamal and Tito, the two main characters. Walter makes you feel like you are in the book and you belong there. It is a great book with a lot of emotions that is hard to put down.

It's about a young boy named Jamal whose brother, Randy, is in jail. Jamal's best friend, Tito, is always there for Jamal through good times and bad. The book goes through details of Jamal's trouble times with Randy's appeal, school, and his brother's gang, the Scorpions. Once Jamal is in the Scorpions, only trouble seems to face them. Will he be able to get out alive?.....

Breaking Away
Gangs, violence, guns, drugs, and poverty are just some of the topics that other sugar-coated books steer clear of. Walter Dean Myers, however, is a risk-taker and isn't afraid to expose the public to these subjects.
In the well-written book Scorpions, Myers breaks away from the everyday children's books. He writes about a young boy from Harlem, Jamal.
When Jamal's brother Randy goes to jail, Jamal has to take his place as the leader of the gang Scorpions. He thinks it is a bad idea. In my opinion, Myers successfully intertwined the worlds of violence and gangs. Jamal, the innocent bystander, and Indian, a fellow gang member, battle for position of head Scorpion. It is Indian's rough personality that Jamal is intimidated by.
I enjoyed this book a lot. The book reminds me of how people fight in my school and I could relate. As I was reading the book, I felt supportive of Jamal and the decisions he needed to make. I would recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a refreshing change of perspectives. Anyone can relate to this book.

Bang!
Bang! This is the sound you will hear in Scorpions, by Walter Dean Myers, a present day tale about gang life in Harlem, New York. Jamal, the main character, struggles to keep up with normal life, while getting sucked into the life of the Harlem underworld. His brother, who is in jail, and Mack, notorious for being crazy, pressure him to lead a Harlem street gang, the Scorpions. Jamal's friend, Tito, is honest and kind, and sticks by Jamal through his troubles. When Mack gives Jamal a gun, Jamal is not sure what to do with it.
Scorpions shows how hard life can be when you live in poverty. This is an extremely detailed and realistic story. You feel like you are in the book when you read "A blind man with a Seeing Eye dog crossed St. Nicholas Avenue. Jamal watched as the man followed the dog across the street. The dog looked happy taking the man around."
While Scorpions can be exciting at times, much of the book dragged on. It is full of violence, but you would expect fighting in a book about street gangs. "He didn't see the punch coming .. Angel hit him again. He felt his stomach turn in, and began to throw up." Details like this are sprinkled everywhere by Walter Dean Myers.
If you get yourself involved in something dangerous and inappropriate for your age, the outcome will not be good. Sixth to eighth graders interested in the dramatic life of the streets would enjoy reading this book.

A Good Read
The book, Scorpions, is about a young boy and his struggles in a bad neighborhood filled with crime and gangs. Throughout the book he is faced with fights at school, fights at home, and even fights with gang members on the streets. His main problem is that his brother, the leader of the gang called the scorpions, is sent to jail for a robbery turned murder and throughout the book he tries to get money for an appeal. His brother wants him to take over the lead position of the gang and he is only 12 which caused problems between him and the other gang members. This led to the young boy and his friend commiting murder to save their own lives.

Scorpions
Danger! Excitement! Tragedy! In a worn down part of Harlem New York, gangs, guns, and drugs plague the streets. The leader of a well-known gang, the Scorpions was arrested and his 13-year-old brother was forced to take over.

All of these problems and emotions are packed into one book, Scorpions, by Walter Dean Myers.

In this book, Jamal, a 13-year-old tough guy, is forced to take over his brother's gang, leaving him and his friend, Tito, under a gigantic burden, a gun.

Jamal and Tito have a great friendship. No matter what trouble Jamal gets himself into, Tito sticks by him. Throughout the whole book, Jamal has to figure out what to do with the gun which Tito is so afraid of, yet can not run away from the danger it brings.

In this book Walter Dean Myers uses great sensory images enabling the reader to paint a picture in his or her mind. He also uses dialect getting the reader into the book. One example of sensory images used by the author is the wonderful description of the Scorpion signature jacket.

I would definitely recommend this book, especially to young adults. This book can be compared to a number of books written by S. E. Hinton. The message of Scorpions is violence is not the answer. ... Read more

Reviews (50)

READ this book!
I am not, and never have been, much of a history buff. In fact, it was my least favorite subject throughout school. Therefore, I never expected to enjoy reading The Glory Field.... but I did! Incredibly, I have to say, it is by far one of THE BEST books I've ever read. I immediately found myself drawn into the lives of the characters; wondering which of them would make it, and which ones would not. I'd sit down to read "a few pages", and find myself still reading an hour later. Myers paints a vivid picture of the black slaves' life: their commitment to family, their never-ending belief in God, and their struggle for freedom...and survival. He takes the reader on the journey of a lifetime...from the trip over from Africa on the crowded slave ship, through the days of back-breaking labor in the fields, through the civil rights movement, to the glorious days of owning their own land. The reader finds himself unable to put the book down, connected to this family's journey, and struggling along with them for what's right. My advice: READ this book! Teachers, read it to your students. Moms & Dads, read it to your children. Read it for yourself. You'll be glad you did, and a little more grateful for what you have.

My Thought on the GLory Field
I thought that this book was overall a good book. I thought at the beginning it was somewhat confusing when it suddenly switched to a different generation but I caught on. This book was not like many other that I, myself have read but it was very well.

The book follows five generations of the Lewis family. In each generation, it focuses on one teenager's life. It follows these generations over a 250-time period, from Africa to South Carolina. It shows that teenagers struggle at that time in the world and what they grow through being an African-American in America. It shows how much it was change since the generation before them.

I think that the thing that did not make this book a perfect five stars was that u did not really get to know each generations teenager. You did not get to know everything about them and their life's, but it was enough to understand what was happening. I think that the book was really well overall and that it was great book to read.
I think that this book is a great book for African-Americans trying to maybe get a little taste of what it was like before their generation. I also think it is a great book for those trying to learn more about the African-American culture. In my conclusion, I will also say that this is a great reading pick.

Thanks Mom!
It was my mom that suggested I read this and boy oh boy I'm glad she did!

Myers goes from generation to generation talking about this one black family--all the way from when they got off the slave ship in the south to living in New York in 1994.

When I first picked up the giant book, I just knew it would be boring. But once I read the first chapter, I just knew it would be interesting.

There area a lot of powerful things in this book and the language is strong (but not in a provocative way) so, I advise only mature readers to read this.

Quite slow... very boring
I read this for school over the summer. I never got into it. I think each part of the book was too short for you to really get to know the character. But the idea of having a story of the generations of family was a good idea.

Glory Field Review
This was the second book I've read by Walter Dean Myers. The first one I read was really good but this one---magnificent is an understatement. I really enjoyed this book. I thinks its worth the 400 somethin' pages! ... Read more

Book Description

"Sometimes a man has to risk everything to do what's right. Doing it is what makes him a man."

Thirteen-year-old Michael knows he is lucky. Few slaves in 1805 Charleston are where they want to be. But Michael works on the docks and ships in Charleston Harbor, close to the seas he longs to sail. Life seems good. But when Michael's protective mistress dies, everything changes, and Michael's friend Jim encourages him to run away. Michael is torn. Should he risk everything for a chance at freedom in some unknown place? Or should he stay -- is staying safe worth staying a slave? ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Kept my son fascinated for two days
My son is 12, and not usually an eager reader, but Seaward Born really kept him reading.He said"it was real!" and he loved that the main character not only chose his own destiny -- he chose his own name!Definitely worth checking out.

Moving and exciting story of boy's escape from slavery
I read this book with my two grandchildren, ages 8 and ten, and they were fascinated by the story -- and so was I.Author Wait knows her period and her characters, and brings to life the story of a boy who is torn between what he knows and loves, and what the consequences of inaction will be. My grandchildren loved the unhesitating details of what it must have been like to hide in a barrel for days in a ship's hold ... and the chapter on Michael's memories of what his mother had told him of her Middle Passage story are moving and just detailed enough to be fascinating to any age. I would definitely recommend this book
to anyone, of any age -- and certainly to a grandparent wanting to find a way to talk to children about slavery.

Exciting adventure story!
I didn't know too much about life in 1806 or slavery, but I really enjoyed reading Michael's story! He had to decide if he wanted to risk his life to try to be free. He had narrow escapes. I really liked the parts where he was escaping, and where he decided to change his name to Noah. I really liked this book!

Searching for Freedom--A Young Slave in Old Charleston
Michael, born a slave in Charleston, wishes more than anything to be able to work on the docks, andmaybe some day work on a boat. When his master dies, his wish is granted, and he goes to the docks. While there, he learns about the idea of freedom. It's a scary thought, and it takes some gumption for Michael, who renames himself Noah, to think of trying to gain freedom for himself. What will he have to endure to become free, and will he succeed? He has already lost his family and his security with a good master. What else must he lose?

Lea Wait, who lives in Maine, has a good eye for background detail. Her vivid scenes of Charleston in 1805-6 are very believable. The lives and terrors of slaves born there, and what they know about the dreadful ships on which their people arrived in America are gripping. Noah, who is a minor character in Wait's earlier young adult novel, "Stopping to Home" manages to meet those friends again. "Seaward Born" is the second book in what will become more stories for young people about others their age who find themselves adrift in a hostile world, but who eventually find true homes.

Lea Wait also writes adult mysteries, the "Shadows" series.

Adventure on the Water -- a review by Megan
Michael is a lucky 13-year-old African American boy. Even though he lives in the 1800s, he has still not been taken for slavery. He has no parents, but has a guardian, Mrs. Lautrec, who takes care of him and his friends, Anna, Sam, and Sirrah. Mrs. Lautrec sends him off to be with a captain who trains him to survive on water. But after Mrs. Lautrec dies, he and his friends are taken as slaves. He sneaks onto a ship headed to Boston on an adventure to be free from slavery. But not even he knows where it is going to end up.

This book should have been recommended for a more sophisticated age group. The publishers recommend it for ages 8 to 12, but because of the slavery, and men, women, and their children being thrown off of a ship, it should have been recommended more for ages 11 to 15, or for someone who wants to learn about slavery in the 1800s. I was not able to concentrate for a long time, because only every other chapter was interesting. Less describing the scenery and the thoughts of the characters, and more adventure and human conversations would keep the reader more engaged. But other than these minor details, this is a book that makes the reader worry about Michael being caught and enslaved, and at the end it gets more interesting and I cared about the main character's life. ... Read more

Book Description

Alfred Brooks is scared. He's a highschool dropout and his grocery store job is leading nowhere. His best friend is sinking further and further into drug addiction. Some street kids are after him for something he didn't even do. So Alfred begins going to Donatelli's Gym, a boxing club in Harlem that has trained champions. There he learns it's the effort, not the win, that makes the man -- that last desperate struggle to get back on your feet when you thought you were down for the count.

Reviews (258)

The Contender
First thing I want to say: Excellent book! I think Lipsyte did a wondrous job portraying a young, scared boy growing into a determined, mature man.
Alfred Brooks is scared. He is a high school dropout with a job at a grocery store that is going nowhere, and fast. His best friend is sinking more and more into drugs. The neighborhood thugs want him, to either beat him up or to join them. After one of these beatings, Alfred decides to start going to Donatelli's Gym, a boxing club in Harlem that is notorious for champions. While training, he learns from Donatelli that it's the effort, not the win, that makes the man. It's if you can be hit and hurt, but still struggle to stand on your feet when everyone thought you were done. I loved the book. I think it would make an excellent movie and should be done so soon.
While reading this book I was inspired to start working out and feel better about myself. After reading this book I understood the importance of determination, discipline, and dedication when trying for your goals. I learned that if you have what it takes to become a contender, then you can do anything you want to.

The Contender
This book is about Alfred Brooks. He is a high school dropout and doesn't know what to do with his life. His mom died and he is living with his Aunt Pearl. He works at Epstein's Grocery Store which is owned by 3 Epstein brothers. Alfred hangs out with people that want to break into the store. Alfred doesn't tell them that there is a silent alarm in the store. His best friend James gets caught and the others don't trust him anymore. He goes to Donatelli's gym to workout and he goes there every chance he can. He finds out that Lou Epstein used to be a great boxer. Alfred learns how to box and gets a chance to fight. Will Alfred win the fight? Will he continue boxing? What will happen next? Find out by reading The Contender.
I liked this book because the good descriptions made it easy to imagine the people. You could also tell how Alfred felt at every point in the book. For example before he was going to fight in a match his stomach felt like an "ice ball". The sounds you could imagine too. "When Alfred was hitting the peanut bag it sounded like a machine gun". The one thing I didn't like about it is the way the city was described. There wasn't enough detail to imagine it. All I knew was that it took place in Harlem. I don't think that the author should just assume that people know what Harlem looks like. I read other books that took place in Harlem and the author described it much better.

Alfred and His Problems
I read the book THE CONTENDER by Robert Lipsyte. I really enjoyed the book because it's not really long nor hard to understand. The book is really action packed and keeps you wanting to read it more and more. The main character is Alfred. Alfred's conflict is that his best friend James want's him to go to the store he works at and help him break in so they can steal. The place Alfred works is at the supermarket that James wants to rob. Alfred gets jumped on the way home from the supermarket one night by one of James' friends who wanted help to rob the store.After Alfred gets jumped he decides that he wants to take boxing lessons. Alfred goes to the gym to see what it was like and tries to walk out but Mr.Donatellie stops him. Alfred decides to give boxing lessons a try and doesn't realize how much work it would really be. If you want to know more I recommend that you read the book THE CONTENDER.

THE CONTENDER
The Contender
The contender is a great book explaining some of the problems people have in the ghetto with great detail. I especially like the way in which the author works around the problem which Alfred (main character) getting beat up, bullied and having racists always on his back. Alfred tells his friend about his job and how sometimes that the store he works at is empty on Sundays. His friends decide to break in and steal money from the store but Alfred doesn't go and forgets to tell them about the new alarm in which goes off and cops come and arrest his friends. Alfred hides, but all of his friends who didn't get caught want to kill him, so he must learn how to fight. He actually becomes a Boxer. I think this book greatly describes the thinking of teenagers today and gives meaning of what teenagers face everyday. Also on pages 8 and 9 in chapter one it describes a place where he can be himself and can hide and get away from the world, which is a secret place. Overall I think Contender is a must read!

a knockout of a book
the contender was an exellent book that I would recomend for others. you read along a young man's path from a school dropout to an in shape boxer.through boxing, alfred brooks, is able to find himself. I thought this book was good because it deals with real life problems such as drugs, education, and violence. this is a very good book for a teenaged boy. it teaches good ethics like never give up, never lose faith, and always keep punching. ... Read more

Book Description

One lovely spring day, fourteen-year-old Bright Morning and her friend Running Bird take their sheep to pasture. The sky is clear blue against the red buttes of the Canyon de Chelly, and the fields and orchards of the Navahos promise a rich harvest. Bright Morning is happy as she gazes across the beautiful valley that is the home of her tribe. Happy until the barking of Black Dog disturbs her and she tums. It is then that she sees the Spanish slavers riding straight toward her. ... Read more

Reviews (49)

Review
A Review by Erik

One Spring Day two Indians from the Canyon de Chelly named Bright Morning, her
Black Dog, and friend Running Bird that finally turned fourteen. They decide to take their sheep to a mesa to feed. When the sheep were grazing Bright Morning's black dog barked and they turned around and saw two riders with twoextra horses that asked for directions but were really Spanish Slavers that
captured them.... Will they get away?

I like this book because of how it doesn't bore you with too much detail but get a good description of how everything looks. In the beginning you find out
that it's a spring day and gives a small amount of detail about the surroundings. Something I didn't like was how you don't really get a good character description. You barely know if they are a man or woman and their names are like Running Bird or Bright Morning. I also like that it lets you learn about the time period when the Spaniard's are taking slaves for there
cities. You get to see how they felt about this and how the people treated the Navaho's and what the Spaniard's were like.

The people I would recommend this book to would have to like historicalfiction. I think that it was a good story on how to learn about how the Spaniard's take the Navaho Indian's to be their Slaves as well as what their
lives were similar to.

"A good short story"
Sing Down the Moon is a story written by Scott O'Dell about a Navaho girl named Bright Morning. This is a very interesting book for those people out there that perfer an adventure over sitting on the couch. This story is about when Bright Morning being able to finally take her mother's sheep out during spring with her friend Running Bird. Then, all of a sudden, Spanish slaves appear over the hill to capture children, later to be sold. Of course they capture Bright Morning and Running Bird. They travel to a town where Bright Morning recognized no one and was sold to a lady that was very kind to her, yet Bright Morning was still unhappy. Later she met a girl named Nehana who also wants to escape. Will they escape? You have to read to find out. This book was a little too short for my taste, but nonetheless it was very exciting! The book leaves you wondering: What's going to happen next? Is she going to make it? I normally don't like historical fictions, but for this book I'll make an exception.

Some of the truth about the long walk.
When I read this book I thought that the book was interesting and at the sametime a little sad. I thought it was sad because my ancestors were the one that had to suffer the hard times through the Long walk. The Soldiers were the one that had no repect for the Navajos. They were the one that would shoot any one that would stop, just because an eldery person had to stop to take a break or a Navajo lady was about to have a baby.

I think if some of the Soldiers ever regret what they did to the Navajo's. Even thought they may have just rode the horses along side of the Navajo's that were walking for more then 300 miles. To different places and showing them to they people at Santa Fe. Kit Carson was a mean and hateful guy to the Navajo's

that is all i have to say about the Long Walk.
I hope that it never happen agian, and that the Navajo's fought for us to keep this wonderful and beautful place full of adventure.

Singing Down the Moon
1. SDM took place over a period of two year, starting in spring and ending in spring. The book starts of in a village called Canyon de Chelly, which is located in Arizona. As Bright Morning was tending her sheep one day a pack of Spaniards came and took Bright Morning and her friend, Running Bird. The Spaniards took her and Running Moon to a village where they were to be slave girls. After being there for a little while Bright Morning and Running Bird run away from the village with help from their friend, Nehana (also a slave girl). Final they return home to their village. Then not soon after they are forced out of their village by the "Long Knives". For a few days they hide in a mesa above their village. Finally they are forced to leave because of the supply of food and water is low. When they come down form they mesa they are captured by the "Long Knives". The Long Knives Force the Navahos to go on a long journey to Bosque Redondo. This journey was 300 miles long and called the "Long Walk". After being in Bosque Redondo and getting married to Tall Boy, Bright Morning and Tall Boy run away and go to Canyon de Chelly where she has her baby boy, but then they have to leave because they saw some Long Knives. Finally they end up in Hidden Canyon were Bright Morning used to tend her sheep. There they find supplies that Bright Morning had put in a cave in case of an emergency a few years back.
SDM took place around 1863-1865, over a period of two years. The book started in the spring in the year of the deer. In early 1864, the Navaho tribe was forced on the "Long Walk" to Bosque Redondo. Bright Morning and Tall Boy stay there until 1865, when they decide to run away. Then the book ends in 1865 in the season of spring.
2. Bright Morning is brave, "I had never been afraid before, or only once." (O'Dell 3) She is also obedient, "Tall Boy will marry her only because she is pretty and obedient" (O'Dell 9) Bright Morning is caring. "one girl about my age was caring two young children on her back. They were heavy for her and I asked if I could carry one of them for her" (O'Dell 80)
3. SDM is about a 14 year old girl named, Bright Morning. While tending for her sheep one day she is kidnapped by some Spaniards. Then she ends up running away. Then the Long Knives force her Navaho tribe to flee there land forcing them to live on a run down piece of land along with other tribes, called Bosque Redondo. After being there for a little under two years she gets married to Tall Boy. They decide to run away. They finally end up back at their village with there new born son, but they have to go to a place called Hidden Canyon.

anouther great book by Scott O'Dell
I would recomend this book to people with indian back round because it gives you a little knoulege on what indians went through in those days.

This book is exiting and keeps you on your toes.This Is a great book for everyone I recomend you read it.

Sincerly
Hillary ... Read more

Book Description

When Lonnie Collins Motion—Locomotion—was seven years old, his life changedforever. Now he’s eleven, and his life is about to change again. His teacher, Ms. Marcus,is showing him ways to put his jumbled feelings on paper. And suddenly, Lonnie has awhole new way to tell the world about his life, his friends, his little sister Lili, and evenhis foster mom, Miss Edna, who started out crabby but isn’t so bad after all. JacquelineWoodson’s novel-in-poems is humorous, heartbreaking . . . a triumph. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Redefining Poetry
The best part of Woodson's "Locomotion" is the absence of rhyme. For too many years the American Education system has been propounding the idea that poetry must rhyme. Here Woodson shows us that good poetry does not have to rhyme. Each poem included is emotionally charged, but very accessible. I would suggest this book for readers of all ages.

Richie's Picks: LOCOMOTION
POETRY POEM
You don't just get to write a poem once
You gotta write it over and over and over
until it feels real good to you
And sometimes it does
and sometimes it doesn't
That's what's really great
and really stupid
about poetry.

One lunchtime presentation at NCTE that I won't soon forget was listening to Jacqueline Woodson read extensively from her latest book, LOCOMOTION:

MAMA
Some days, like today
and yesterday and probably
tomorrow--all my missing gets jumbled up inside of me.

You know honeysuckle talc powder?
Mama used to smell like that. She told me
honeysuckle's really a flower but all I know
is the powder that smells like Mama.
Sometimes when the missing gets real bad
I go to the drugstore and before the guard starts
following me around like I'm gonna steal something
I go to the cosmetics lady and ask her if she has it.
When she says yeah, I say
Can I smell it to see if it's the right one?
Even though the cosmetics ladies roll their eyes at me
they let me smell it.
And for those few seconds, Mama's alive
again.
And I'm remembering
all kinds of good things about her like
the way she laughed at my jokes
even when they were dumb
and the way she sometimes just grabbed me
and hugged me before
I had a chance to get away.
And the way her voice always sounded good
and bad at the same time when she was singing
in the shower.
And her red pocketbook that always had some
tangerine Life Savers inside it for me and Lili

No, I say to the cosmetics lady. It's not the right one.
And then I leave fast.
Before somebody asks to check my pockets
which are always empty 'cause I don't steal.

Now, I'm somebody who likes to have a book in my hands, rather than on tape, but Jacki Woodson's reading enveloped me in Lonnie's story; LOCOMOTION was the first book I grabbed when I got home yesterday.

"Everybody's doing a brand new dance now
Come on baby, do the Locomotion
I know you'll get to like it if you give it a chance now
Come on baby, do the locomotion
My little baby sister can do it with ease
It's easier than learning your abc's
So, come on. come on, do the locomotion with me"
--Gerry Goffin & Carole King

LOCOMOTION is a verse novel in which Woodson tells the story of Lonnie Collins Motion (Get it?) who is eleven. He was lucky to survive his premature birth, and then saw his world devastated at seven when his parents were killed in a fire. Next, he is separated from his beloved little sister, Lili. All by himself, Lonnie suffered through the group home ordeal until coming to live with Miss Edna. With the help of his new foster mom, his inspiring teacher, Ms. Marcus, and the poetry through which he reveals his story, Lonnie begins healing from the trauma he's been enduring. There are good friends at school (one who's even a girl), a new big brother, and a regular schedule of visiting with Lili. Life's not all Disneyland, but Lonnie's a survivor who has made the most of his small share of good luck.

PIGEON
People all the time talking about how much they hate pigeons 'cause pigeons fly by and crap on their heads and then somebody always says That's good luck! That's good luck! so you don't feel all stupid going through your pockets tryna find a tissue to wipe it off and you never find one 'cause you don't be carrying tissues like an old lady so you gotta walk up to some old lady with that pigeon crap on your head and ask her for a tissue and she just goes Don't worry, that's good luck like everybody else and it makes you hate those sky roaches 'cause they're everywhere in the city so you better duck if they fly over your head or else...

Lonnie's Words Touch Deeply
"You have a poet's heart, Lonnie./ That's what Ms. Marcus said to me./ I have a poet's heart./ That's good. A good thing to have./ And I'm the one who has it."

Lonnie Collins Motion does have a poet's heart, and the readers of this book feel honored to watch his gift emerge as he works to come to terms with what life has given him. Through poetic structures, Lonnie shares his life with us. Lonnie was seven and away at a babysitter's house when a fire claimed the lives of his parents. He and his little sister were taken into foster care and were soon separated from each other. Like other adolescent boys, Lonnie makes decisions every day about friends and girls and school, but his painful past and his intense self-reflection give him greater dimension than the ordinary coming-of-age character. It is Lonnie's love for his sister and his desire to rebuild his relationship with her that forces him to make big decisions about God and his future and, in turn, forces the reader to connect to him and want great things for him. Ms. Edna, Lonnie's foster mother, proves to be a greater inspiration than the reader initially expects, and his English teacher, Ms. Marcus provides him the opportunity to discover what really matters.

This book is what some might call a "quick read," but the themes that emerge and memorable and honest. I recommend this book to readers ages 12 through adulthood. ... Read more

Amazon.com

This exceptional board-book tells a beautiful and timeless story about a daughter's attempt to find the limit of her mother's love. Barbara Lavallee's exquisite illustrations of Alaska, with their exaggeratedly foreshortened perspective and rich tones of violet, blue-gray, and gray-green, tell of an easy declaration ("I love you more than the raven loves his treasure, more than the dog loves his tail, more than the whale loves his spout") that is pushed, and pushed, and ("What if I put salmon in your parka ... and ermine in your mukluks?") pushed. There's a quiet joyfulness in both the antics of the Inuit mother and daughter and in the animals--including a polar bear and a musk ox--that the daughter imagines she might become. A charming story for mothers and daughters of all ages. (Baby to preschool) --Richard Farr ... Read more

Reviews (25)

Great Message, Great Book
This story focuses on one simple question that every child thinks at one point or another. The question is whether their parents will always love them no matter what the child does. This story confirms for children young and old, that no matter what they do, their parents (mama) will still love them.

The story is delightfully told from the perspective of the Intuit culture. The mischief the child creates deals with things that are unique to that culture such as accidentally dropping ptarmigan eggs, spilling the oil in the family's lamp, slipping an emrine in mama's mukluks or turning into a Walrus. My son and I enjoy talking about how different cultures live and what they believe and this book has started some fun conversations.

I believe the story does not prompt children into asking the "wrong" question as mentioned in other reviews. The story promotes the idea of a parent's love and acceptance no matter what their little hellion does and does it with a wonderful story and captivating artwork. This has become one of our favorite books.

Children are allowed to ask questions...
This book is a great example of a child probing for answers. "Mama, Do You Love Me?" allows a child to seek out the boundaries of a mother's love. It touches upon cause and effect, with the chid daring the mother to still love even if she does the most horrible things. The mother's response is that although she would be sad, she would still love her child.

I thought this book was a great teaching tool to say, "I love you, my child, even when you do things that are not so nice."

Good book for boy or girl
I was a little put off by the idea that this is a "great book for mothers and daughters". Just because the child in the story is a girl does not mean that this book is not for boys too. My three year old son loves this book and so do I!

Too much for the age level for which it's intended
There are about 10 words in this book I could not define without pulling out the dictionary. Heck..a few I can't even pronounce!
I'm all for introducing children to different cultures (such as the Eskimo culture depicted in this book) but this book is intended for babies and toddlers, who are barely getting the hang of their own culture. By the time my child can read this book on her own, she won't ask, "Mama, do you love me?" She'll ask, "Mama, What's a ptmargin egg and a mukluk?"

Comments from The Spiritual Reviewer
Love is the only thing that really matters! There's no mistaking the powerful allure of unconditional love in this young children's book, which has just been republished in a 10th anniversary commemorative edition.

Mama, Do You Love Me? depicts an Inuit mother who loves her daughter, no matter what. Throughout the story the daughter repeatedly asks, "Mama, do you love me?" She comes up with many intriguing and playful reasons why the mother might be persuaded to withhold love. For example, what if the daughter broke the ptarmigan eggs? What if she put lemmings in her mother's mukluks? The mother does not hide or lie about her feelings. Sometimes she says she would be surprised, or angry, or scared, but these variable emotions do not change her love for her daughter. Her daughter is her Dear One, always and forever.

This story is best suited for a young child, but it may also be interesting to anyone who's very keen on Alaska or Inuit life.

This book received a score of 7.50 on a scale of (1) low to 10 (high) from The Spiritual Reviewer. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Song of freedom
This fine story teaches even the smallest of children about the evil of slavery in pre-Civil War America. It shows a desire for freedom so strong that men, women and children risked their lives to escape on the Underground Railroad, following the largest star in the Drinking Gourd of the title (The Big Dipper).

The book introduces the idea of slavery, the separation of families, the sale of human beings at auctions, and the difficulties that people endured to escape--hiding in trees to avoid hounds, sleeping by day, sometimes on empty stomachs, and walking at night, sometimes without stars to guide them. Sometimes people along the way were kind, providing bacon and corn bread to share, helping them across the Ohio River, and hiding them in the attics and barns of safe houses.

The story's dramatic simplicity grasps and holds children. They fasten to it, eager to learn about the bonds that once tied African-Americans and the freedom for which they naturally yearned.

The book is a song of freedom. Alyssa A. Lappen

Great Story for All ages !
My husband encourages us to add this book to our collections. Our 3 year old loves this book every night before bed. He loves the music ( dad's singing) and learns a wonderful lesson. He looks at the night sky with a whole new view now !

Follow the Drinking Gourd Is a Hit With 2nd Graders!
I used this book to help fulfill a story project requirement for my Children's Literature class at Kent State University. A partner and I read this book to two second-grade classes, who listened attentively. This version of the story has less text than Bernardine Connelly's version (same title), which made it appropriate for reading aloud within a limited time. The students seemed to enjoy the repetition of the song lyrics throughout. The illustrations are striking, with interesting and unusual color choices. The skin tones of the African-American characters are quite lovely, ranging from mahogany to very dark brown. Bright purples and oranges in the illustrations also stand out. The characters are depicted in a wide range of ages, from "Old Hattie" to "Little Isaiah." We used this book in conjunction with explanations of the Underground Railroad and another book, Barefoot by Pamela Duncan Edwards, as well as poems by African-American poet Langston Hughes. The difficult topics of selling slaves at auction, running away, and the fears the runaways had are sensitively treated. At the end of the book, when freedom is reached and Old Hattie exclaims, "'Five more souls are safe!'" I heard a collective gasp of emotion from the children. These students really seemed to enjoy learning about the Underground Railroad and how slaves escaped their bondage. The fact that we usually call the Drinking Gourd constellation the Big Dipper did take some repeated explanation on the part of the storytellers.

Courageous and inspirational tale of slavery.
My daughter read this book in her kindergarten class during Black history month and we loved it so much we bought a copy. It is an inspiring story of courage and triumph over adversity. The story is about a slave named Peg Leg Joe who leads other slaves to freedom by teaching them a song instructing them to "Follow the Drinking Gourd". The drinking gourd he refers to is the Big Dipper. Not only is this a great story about the Underground Railroad, it also inspired my daughter's interest in astronomy. I highly recommend it.

Excellent book for Februay- Black History Month
I read this book to my 1st grade students to teach them about Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad. The illustrations were nice and my students caught on that they were really following the constellation (the dipper). I would highly recommend this book. It was THE BEST resource I could find to tie into Black History Month. ... Read more

Book Description

At the age of fourteen, Francisco Jiménez, together with his older brother Roberto and his mother, are caught by la migra. Forced to leave their home, the entire family travels all night for twenty hours by bus, arriving at the U.S. and Mexican border in Nogales, Arizona. In the months and years that follow, Francisco, his mother and father, and his seven brothers and sister not only struggle to keep their family together, but also face crushing poverty, long hours of labor, and blatant prejudice. How they sustain their hope, their goodheartedness, and tenacity is revealed in this moving sequel to The Circuit. Without bitterness or sentimentality, Francisco Jiménez finishes telling the story of his youth. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Spanish Book Review of Breaking Through
I thought this book was very interesting. It told about the life of a boy who had moved to California from Mexico, where he was born. He had to work everyday after school to help support his poor family. He was very smart and maintained good grades and even got into college, which no one in his family had ever done before. He has to struggle with his father to make decisions financially and about his future. His father does not speak English and gets stressed out a lot. His mother is very understanding and tries to make everything work out for the family.

I enjoyed reading this book because it took place not too long ago and the boy was around my age. I could not believe that he had to work to help support his family. I thought it was interesting because whatever money I get, my parents let me keep for myself, but everything he had was given to his parents.

I would suggest reading this book because it shows the struggles of people on the other side of my country only a few decades ago. I would have never known what it was like there if I had not read this book.

Stunning Conclusion
The cliffhanger at the end of the Circuit is resolved in this amazing book. Francisco Jimenez's story of growing up poor and Mexican in the 1950s tells a powerful story. I highly recommend this book for all readers, young and old.

Excellent sequel
"Breaking Through" is an excellent follow-up for those of us hungering for more after "The Circuit." It follows Francisco Jimenez's life through high school. Francisco Jimenez goes deeper into depth about all that he faced, including his relationships with his parents. He accurately portrays the challenges so many parents and teens, especially Latinos, face in dealing with issues of love, understanding, and personal struggles that affect their relationships.I think teenagers will especially enjoy and connect with this book. It will inspire and motivate many. Teachers, use it in your classrooms - especially middle and high school! ... Read more

Reviews (47)

A Picture of Freedom: A Exellent Diary of a Slave Girl
This book is about Clotee, who is a 12 years old slave girl in Belmont Plantation, Virginia. She taught herself how to read and write. Her mom was sold to other plantation and died when she was young. Clotee grew by Aunt Tee and Uncle Heb. Her friends were Hince, spicy and Wook. Wook was killed when she tried to runaway. Clotee met Mr. Harms who was an abolitionist on the Underground Railroad. She wanted to be an abolitionist too.

In the book, Clotee shares her feelings, experiences and thoughts about slavery. She describes her life on the plantation and talks about the Underground Railroad. I liked this book because it gave me a window onto the live of slaves in 1859. The details were very vivid. I also liked this book because it taught the lesson that if a person has a goal ad dream, he/she should go for it and they will reach it. Another reason that I liked this book is it showed me how terrible slavery was an how wrong it was. I recommend this book to any teenager who is studying the U.S. Civil War or slavery.

This book was so realistic!
This touching, sad book was so realistic! It showed how horrifying and terrible slavery was. Clotee is a twelve year old girl, the same age as I am, only she is a slave. She has secretly learned to read and write, and she keeps a diary of her experiances. She could get caught and whipped at any moment - just for knowing how to read and write. She helps slaves escape, knowing of the terrible consequences if she is caught. Clotee was a brave and admireable character and this is a wonderful book that I hope everyone takes the time to read, because they can learn a lot from it.

Fine
This book was about a slave girl who keeps a diary while she is a slave. She wants inside to become free. But her master will not allow it. It just tells about the horrible stuff she goes through while being a slave. I highly recommend this book.

good book
Picture of Freedom is a good book but it is hard to read. Because the words in the book aren't spelled right. I it about a slave who works in a kitchen. She learned to read by the misstress. So she started keeping a journal. She really wants to tell somebody but she can't or she will get beat or maybe killed. There is some foreshadowing in the book but not much. I recomened this book to people who like to read or like to read about history.

A Picture of Freedom
Excellent book! It taught me how bad slavery was. It made me glad I'm not a slave. The civil war I probably could handle, but not slavery. It was too harsh and unjust. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Ruby Tuesday Sweet, 13, was named for the Rolling Stones tune by her rock-and-roll mother and lives happily with her nice dad Hollis. Her brother Jack has just been married in a spectacularly laid-back Laguna wedding on the beach, with the bride in a white lace bikini. In attendance were Ruby’s tottering but tough-talking grandmother Nana Sue and her mostly absent, glamorous, cigar-smoking mom Darlene. Ruby and Hollis are content with their passion for the Dodgers and their ongoing monopoly game, although she does wonder occasionally just what he does for a living with all those TV screens and number charts in his office. Events take a sinister turn when Hollis is accused of the murder of his bookie and Ruby and Darlene must flee to Las Vegas to escape a pair of mobsters. There they are taken in by Nana Sue, who lives permanently at the old Fremont Hotel and is a legend on the casino floor; playing shrewd blackjack, limping between the tables trailed by her pet iguana, and wreaking havoc with her cane when she is displeased. She and Darlene set out with Ruby to get to the bottom of the murder, and with the two hard-boozing, chain-smoking women, the teenager gets an insider tour of the backstage world of rock and the seamy inner workings of high-stakes gambling in Sin City. While the Laguna setting is a bit overblown, the Las Vegas milieu is spot on, and the characters are deliciously bizarre but loveable in this unusual first novel by a young new author. (Ages 12 and up) --Patty Campbell ... Read more

Reviews (4)

I couldn't put it down...
I just read this book in three days straight! I know the target age is supposed to be younger teens, but I'm 21 years old and proud to say that this was one of the most engaging, enjoyable, and flat out fun to read books I've read in a long time. Every character is more inventive and hilarious than the last, and every scene description makes me want to move out of New York and drive west. If you do anything this summer...READ THIS BOOK. You'll thank me when you're done.

Best book EVER!
Kogler's book is a pure pleasure.The action sucks you in and won't let you put the book down until you read it all.The characters are expertly drawn and (sometimes painfully) true to life, and they'll have you laughing out loud enough to make you never want to read it on the subway.Ruby Tuesday is great to read aloud to your kids or enjoy yourself, whether you're ten or tenty-ten.This hot new author is about to blow up on the YA scene, don't miss your chance to know her before she gets too popular to blog any more (see www.jenniferannekogler.com).

Amazing Breakout Novel
Ruby Tuesday is a rare break through book from an author whose youth is only matched by her talent. I bought it early, and I couldn't put the book down. Ruby is fun, smart and hilarious, a good read and incredibly entertaining. The story moves quickly, and is populated with unique and interesting characters. As good a read for adults as for teens, Ruby is the kind of book that everyone in the family will want/need to share. I also checked out the book's website at www.jenniferannekogler.com, and it made the book even cooler. I strongly recommend Ruby Tuesday to anyone in middle school or above (its allusions and references are too complicated for lower school students but wonderful for everyone else.) Don't hesitate to get this book, you won't regret it.

Fun debut with wonderful descriptions
Ruby Tuesday is just a regular old Cali girl, living in a little beachside town where no one minds their own business. She occupies herself with all the normal stuff - going to Los Angeles Dodgers games, attending beachside weddings, rewording school billboards... Her dad, Hollis, gives her mostly free rein while he "works." She isn't exactly sure what her father does, but she hears some of the gossips whisper, "hit men" and "mafia connections." She hears her dad and her Uncle Larry use strange words, which she writes down on the inside cover of her dictionary. She doesn't want to believe the gossips. Her mother ran off years ago and now that her brother Jack is married, Hollis is all the family she has left. Well, with the exception of Nana Sue, but she lives in Vegas. When the police turn up at her doorstep, accusing Hollis of murdering Uncle Larry, Ruby must face the fact that her father is a gambler - and a big one. She wants to stay with him, but her mother appears and ships her off to Las Vegas, her old stomping grounds. Followed by mysterious trenchcoated men, Ruby and her mother search Vegas for the real murderer. In the process, Ruby forms a relationship with her grandmother, known around town as "Casino Sue." Through her grandmother, she uncovers pieces of her parents' history, forming a new picture of her parents. I found this book to be a quick, fun read. It has a good underlying message, but it is by no means literature. It also could have used more explanation on the betting terms. After reading Ruby Tuesday, I promptly went online to check several definitions. But as Ruby discovered, most betting terms are not found in your friendly neighborhood dictionary. The author did, however, have wonderful descriptions. Las Vegas was so vividly described I could almost feel the seediness and desperate feelings emanating from the pages. The characters, especially Nana Sue, were definitely not your run-of-the-mill people. They had actual personalities, with all the weird little quirks and idiosyncrasies. I believe that with time, the author will improve all other aspects of her stories. So check out Ruby Tuesday and keep an eye on Jennifer Anne Kogler! ... Read more

Book Description

All year long, Chico’s family moves up and down the state of California to pick fruits and vegetables. Every September, Chico starts at a new school. Often, the other kids pick on him — maybe because he’s always new, or maybe because he speaks Spanish sometimes. But third grade promises to be different. He likes his teacher, and she recognizes his excellent abilities in math — he may even get to go to the math fair! When some fourth-grade bullies tease him, he surprises them with strengths of his own. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Less than perfect, sad to say
Oog. I always have a great deal of difficulty giving poor reviews to books that fill a need. And I especially find it hard to give a tough review to a book that not only tells a tale about a boy of Latin American descent, but also won a coveted Pura Belpre Honor. Nevertheless, I have to admit that I was unimpressed by author L. King Perez's foray into the world of children's picture books. Though a well-meaning tale about standing up for one's self, the story is an overly familiar one and its packaging is nothing to write home about.

Our hero is a boy named Chico. Chico moves with his family up and down California as they pick fruits and vegetables to support themselves. Now it is September when the grapes are ready to be picked and Chico is not particularly fond of the idea of going back to school. He moves around quite a lot and is familiar with bullies and kids that tease him because he is different. In this particular school, however, something changes. His teacher likes him, he does particularly well in math, and he finds a way to deal with the bullies that he meets. As the book flap says, "This story of personal triumph is a testament to the inner strength in all of us". Well...sort of.

The fact of the matter is, there's not a lot here that hasn't been hashed and rehashed in better books. Want to read a story about a child that deals with some prejudices that are less obvious than the ones dealt with in this story? Try finding A.F. Ada's, "My Name is Maria Isabel". Like the idea of a child of migrant workers that finds strength in standing up to people without relying on violence? Look at fellow Pura Belpre winner, "Harvesting Hope: The Story of Cesar Chavez" by Kathleen Krull. These books have a style and wit all of their own, and they're well worth seeking out. "First Day In Grapes"? Not so much.

Here were my problems with the book. First of all (and there's no getting around it) the book's boring. I'm sorry, but there it is. Moments of tension aren't properly built up. Accompanied by illustrator Robert Casilla's interesting but by and large mediocre pictures, the book has a kind of dragging feel. Then there's the method by which Chico defeats his bullies. I have little doubt that there are ways to outsmart such villains. You'll just have to forgive me if I don't think shaming them with math skills is one of them. The ending is a bit patchy, and more than a touch unbelievable. I can hear people claiming that such a thing could happen. And maybe in a better book I would have bought it. But L. King Perez, while having an interesting story on her hands, hasn't sold it to the reader properly.

My final call? Some kids will dig this book, but most won't. Its themes and ideas are so common in children's literature and picture books that I can say with almost absolute certainty that you will have minimal difficulty finding them in other better pieces of kiddie lit. While I agree with almost every Pura Belpre Honor book there is, I cannot wholeheartedly recommend this one. That's all.

Creative Courage - A Great Read
I loved this book. It is a tribute to the human spirit. Children really understand the underlying theme. Beatifully written.

First Day in Grapes is First Rate!!!!!
The main character in this book, Chico, is Hispanic, but his story is universal and engaging. I was delighted when my third-grader, who is a reluctant reader, read this book without stopping. She loved how Chico stood up for himself and solved his problems with Math. The illustrations are wonderful and the story has a terrific moral without preaching.

Great book for any child who is starting at a new school!
I just loved this book, and my nephew who is starting a new school this year wants me to read it to him every time he comes over.
This book is beautifully illustrated and has something for all children, especially our growing hispanic population. The main character moves around a lot because his parents are migrant farm workers. What a wonderful story. A must read for 4 to 9 year olds

Great read for young Hispanics.
I recently read First Day in Grapes to my second grade class. They were engaged by the story of Chico and his experiences in yet another new school. Half of my kids came up to me afterward and told me they "loved" this story. They made a lot of connections with an Hispanic character and many could relate to moving around. I would recommend this book highly to teachers and others who value a story with a meaningful moral. ... Read more

Book Description

Illus. in full color. "Ringgold recounts the dream adventure of

eight-year-old Cassie Louise Lightfoot, who flies above her apartment-building

rooftop, the 'tar beach' of the title, looking down on 1939 Harlem. Part

autobiographical, part fictional, this allegorical tale sparkles with symbolic

and historical references central to African-American culture. The spectacular

artwork resonates with color and texture. Children will delight in the

universal dream of mastering one's world by flying over it. A practical and

stunningly beautiful book."--(starred) Horn Book.




... Read more

Reviews (9)

Tar Beach
Tar Beach

The name of the book I'm reading is Tar Beach,the author is Faith Ringold. The book is published by Dragontly books. There are 24 pages, the ages should be 8-10 years of age. The main character is a girl who dreams she can fly over many things. I don't know why the call it Tar Beach, because it is not really a beach at all. My cousin has a connection to the book, because he dreams he can fly to. My unanswered questions are dose her dad lose his job, and dose she ever dream of flying again after she gets in trouble from her dad? My least favorite thing is when they said her dad was going to lose is job. My most favorite thing is when she said she had ice cream every day for dessert. I like it because the girl has a good imagnain. The book I think should have 4 stars, because she helpped her father build thier house, help around the house, and help her mom make dinner. I think Faith Ringold should make a version two of this book and tell if her dad lost is job, and if they took down the icecream factory. The book is really good because she really exspress the characters feelings about where she lives, and what she lives like. Dad feels horrible when he finds out he is going losing his job. Mom says it is okay, because she is steal working and she gets a lot of money. The daughter is telling dad that mom is right. After a month or so Janet has to stop going to school. I think you should read this book. I think you would like it to. So go to the public library and check out Tar Beach!

Forever Dream
Tar Beach is a wonderful, encouraging book. Faith Ringgold shows children and adults that it is okay to daydream and gives everyone a chance to use their imaginations! I have always loved the artwork of Faith Ringgold and her creative and colorful illustrations in Tar Beach help the reader believe that they too can "fly". Ringgolds' amazing use of a flattened perspective and strong figures emphasizes a dreamy and magic flight through Cassie's world. Ringgold in