Reviews (2)

Great Self-Help Book for Teens with Learning Disabilities
Discusses using your high school and teenage years to become the best possible adult. Includes sections on making and keeping friends, using the IEP process to get a good education, relationships with the opposite sex, and whether or not you should get a part time job.

This book is well-laid out and is written in an engaging style.

This review is adapted from the Annotated Bibliography of Learning A Living; A Guide to Planning Your Career and Finding A Job for People with Learning Disabilities, Attention Deficit Disdorder, and Dyslexia

It brought relief and a smile to my daughter's face!
After a particularly tough few weeks getting back to school, I bought this book for my 14 Y-O daughter, who has some Learning Differences after surgery, & radiation for removal of a brain tumor. Today, she was bouncing again and all smiles, as she read aloud to me some of the paragraphs from the book.

She felt normal again ! Priceless !

If you have a teen with LD, you know what I mean. Just buy it and wait for them to start leafing through it. It has simple and straightforward paragraphs that are not threatening to a teen with LD, and it helps them focus on what matters to them. Parents be warned it is not all about school work, so be prepared, but also about getting a job, dating, driving, etc. ... Read more

Book Description

At a quick glance, Carrie looks just like everybody else in her seventh-grade class. She gets good grades, acts in school plays, kicks a pretty decent soccer ball, and is a sensational Game Boy champion. But watch her a little longer and Carrie looks very different. She shrugs her shoulder a little too often, jerks her head, coughs and sniffs in uncontrollable bursts. She has Tourette’s syndrome. And at a time when all a kid wants to do is blend in with the crowd, she stands out like crazy. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

A must read for all ages!
If you would like to know what it feels like to live with Tourette Syndrome and/or OCD (obsessive-compulsive disorder), you must read this book. The book may be geared toward pre-teens and teens, but adults will love it just as well!
I was actually disappointed when the book ended.
I wanted more!

SO GREAT SO FAR
I cheacked this book out last week and am only on th 3rd chapter. This book has been great so far. It is about a girl who has a disability. She has to learn to accept herself as she is. It is hard because teachers think she is a clss clown, old friends are embarressed about her "ticks", her parents try to act like it is not a big deal, and to top it off, her sister is a total obsesser. She is obessed with good and healthy food, she eats food that has certain tastes and colors. Carie trys to believe that her life will be normal again, SOMEDAY!
I find this book to be great. It tells alot about Carie and alot about this disability. I don't know what it is called at the moment but it is sad. I feel like I am her in this story. I feel like I am this girl who blinks and pulls her bangs every second. This book makes you the character and that is rare in most books. I think you should buy this. It really teaches you about every one who has this disease, not just Carie. Pluss in the back of the book it talks all about this disease. You can learn alot. You can use the book for a book report and the information in the back of QUIT IT for health and/or science homework. This book is the best so far!!!!!

An informational fiction book
Carrie, a seventh grader, has been recently diagnosed with Tourette Syndrome. So not only does she have to deal with her changing body, changing friendships, and changing school work load, she also has to live with uncontrollable tics and movements. Everyone in her immediate class knows what Carrie has, but she worries what others will think when they see her. This comes to a head during play practice one day--Carrie can't control herself, and begins to clear her throat and crack her shoulder over and over. Ms. Anderson, the school counselor and play director, gives a little lesson on Tourette, and the cast seem to be enlightened, and Carrie is grateful.

The kids in this book are all middle schoolers, but they felt like high schoolers, partly in what they dealt with, their actions, and their maturity. But you were still sympathetic towards them. I loved the fact that the kids (especially Carrie) thought Ms. Anderson was cool (as well as helpful). Too often adults are trying to hard (according to the kids) or are bumbling. I also enjoyed watching the friendships change and develop in the book--it made it more well rounded. At the end of the book is extra information, as well as an address kids or parents can write to for even more information about Tourette.

For All Ages
Carrie, the heroine of Quit It, is in the seventh grade. I assume, then, that the book is targeted at girls and boys from, say, grades 3 through 10. I, however, am in grade 56, and I thoroughly enjoyed the book - read the whole thing in one sitting, in fact.
Quit It reads easily. The author assumes intelligence in her readers and writes accordingly. The story is interesting and the characters believable.
Byalick has several points to make, the most obvious being the education of the reader about Tourette Syndrome. And that she does, both in the body of the text as well as in an informative question/answer postscript. But the book goes beyond that. She draws the characters and situations in such a way that the reader can identify with both sides. We are familiar with the position of onlooker. Who of us hasn't seen someone who is different and wondered what to do? To look or not look? To say something or not? But more profoundly, most readers can also understand how Carrie feels - because we, too, have at some point felt different and ashamed. We may not have Tourette Syndrome, but most of us at one time or another have felt humiliated in front of our peers: we were too fat or too short or too poor, or our parents were divorced or they drank.
So the moral of the book is that we are all human.
I highly recommend it to people from grades 3 through 75. ... Read more

Book Description

This picture book is an adaptation of Goldilocks and the Three Bears, the classic folktale retold with a special-needs twist.Children will find all of the familiar characters and scenes from the original story, as well as a few surprises-Baby Bear uses a wheelchair, goes to physical therapy while his porridge cools, and ultimately makes friends with Goldilocks.This new version is especially appealing to children with physical disabilities.It's also an entertaining tale for all children, with or without special needs. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

It's a great Book!
This a familiar story for children with a special twist. Baby bear is in a wheelchair. The story talks about his special equipment and his therapy but still tells the basic story familiar to the children. The pictures are delightful and the words are 'just right'. It is an excellent addition to our Head Start library.

good book using familar story to teach about disability
As an RN I feel this book is useful in using an established storyline to introduce children to others who have a disability. Children who read this already know and can relate to the story, and therefore can use this information to better understand a friend or family member who may be confined to a wheelchair. ... Read more

Book Description

This children's book dispels the myths and fears surrounding epilepsy in a positive, upbeat and entertaining style and explains seizures in an understandable fashion. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A great book for helping young children learn about epilepsy
Last year in first grade, we used this book given to us by our Neurologist to teach my daughter and her class about her newly diagnosed seizures. It was most helpful and well received by all. I highly recommend this book. ... Read more

Book Description

ONE DAY, MR. Bambert, a sweet but shy man, decides to send 11 stories out into the world. He attaches them to little hot-air balloons and lets them go on windy nights with a letter asking that whoever finds them send them back. Wherever the stories are returned from is where they will be set. The 11th story is blank—Bambert hopes it will write itself. Slowly the stories come back, with postmarks from all over the world, including one from the past. All that’s left is the last one, the one that has to write itself. . . .

In this magical little story with a twist, the power of kindness, stories, and hope is woven together to create a soul-warming, poignant tale that readers will want to read again and again. ... Read more

Book Description

Lenore is Cornelia’s mother—and Cornelia’s fix-up project. What does it matter that Cornelia won’t talk to anyone and is always stuck in the easiest English class at school, even though she’s read more books than anyone else? She feels strong in the fixing. She cooks vegetable soup so Lenore will eat something other than Ring Dings; she lures her out of bed with strong coffee and waffles. She looks after the house when Lenore won’t get out of bed at all.

So when Lenore and her boyfriend take off for Vegas leaving Cornelia behind with eccentric Aunt Agatha, all Cornelia can do is wait for her to come back. Aunt Agatha sure doesn’t want any fixing.

Maybe this time it’s Cornelia who could use it? ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Richie's Picks: TENDING TO GRACE
" 'Come on, Corns,' my mother says, opening the car door for me. 'Bring your stuff.' The boyfriend shrugs and turns up the radio.
"I wonder when a Girl Scout last sold cookies here. Not for a while, apparently, because the hem on my dress catches the grass as we trek to the front door.
"It's not going to be for that long, Corns. Just till Joe and me get settled.' My mother pushes some of the ivy aside and taps at the door. The skin on her hand is thin, translucent, like china held up to the light. I can hardly hear her knocks.
"I watch another bird fly across the yard and land on the roof and then an old woman walks around from the back of the house. She is tall and straight, pale as vanilla pudding, with gray hair twisted into a braid and roped around her head. Binoculars thump against her chest. My mother jumps a little when she sees her. 'Agatha.'
" 'Tell him to turn that noise off.' The old woman nods to the car, but her eyes are on me.
"My mother looks unsure about what she should do. She takes a few steps forward (is she thinking of hugging the old woman?), then changes her mind and turns toward the car, leaving me standing with my crate of books at my feet.
"I hold my breath and hope the old woman doesn't talk. I watch another bird fly to the chimney. The boyfriend turns the radio down. 'Your phone isn't working,' my mother says when she walks back to us. Then she giggles in her nervous little way that's nails on a blackboard to me. 'I need someone to take her for a while.' "

There are a bunch of memorable (and award-winning) stories that feature adolescent girls going to live with grandmothers or grandmother-types. Consider such pairings as Mary Alice and Grandma Dowdel, Dicey and Abigail Tillerman, Hollis Woods and Josie Cahill, and, in 2003, Ratchet Clark and those wacky twin nonagenarians Tilly and Penpen Menuto. Add TENDING TO GRACE to the cream of this intergenerational YA crop.

"I am a bookworm, a bibliophile, a passionate lover of books. I know metaphor and active voice and poetic meter, and I understand that the difference between the right word and the almost right word, as Samuel Clemens said, is the difference between lightning and the lightning bug.
"But I don't talk, so no one knows. All they see are the days I miss school, thirty-five one year, twenty-seven the next, forty-two the year after that. I am a silent red flag, waving to them, and they send me to their counselors and they ask me, 'When are you going to talk about it, Cornelia?' I wrap myself into a ball and squish the feelings down to my toes and they don't know what to make of me so they send me back to this class where we get the watered-down TOM SAWYER with pages stripped of soul and sentences as straight and flat as a train track. "We read that the new boy in TOM SAWYER ran like a deer, while the kids in the honors class read he 'turned tail and ran like an antelope.'
"I know, because I read that book too."

Cornelia Thornhill refuses to speak. If she were willing to speak up she would undoubtedly be part of that honors English class. And while she has faced more than her share of tramatic experiences, her silence is due to a speech impediment--her severe stuttering. (Her schoolmates have long laughed at her expense about it.) As the story begins, she is in ninth grade. But she is forced to forgo the remainder of the school year when her mother and the boyfriend impulsively decide to hit the road and ditch her at her great-Aunt Agatha's while they head off to the greener pastures of Vegas. Agatha's grungy old farmhouse, unusual diet, other various idiosyncracies, and determination that Cornelia must learn to speak for herself provide a testing ground for Cornelia and her silence.

"I brace myself for advice, like everyone gives, especially my mother: Try harder, Corns, for goodness' sake. I know you could talk regular if you just pull yourself together. Just pick easier words.

"Or the fifth grade teacher, helpful as hail: Take a breath, Cornelia, slow down, relax, think about what you want to say before you say it. You just need more backbone, that's all.
"They make it sound so easy. Try harder, stutter less. But when I try harder, I stutter more. When I pick easier words, I stutter on easier words. And I can't pick an easier word when someone asks me my name."

Speaking of names, Agatha's naming her tipsy outhouse "Esther" and her truck "Bertha," brings back fond memories of that lovely Cynthia Rylant/Kathryn Brown picture book, THE OLD WOMAN WHO NAMED THINGS.

And like the old woman in that story, Agatha has a thing or two to learn herself.

Kimberly Newton Fusco's fine (as in china) use of language makes this book a pleasure to read and to read aloud. An engaging balance between fiddleheads, bullies, and longings for an imperfect and absent mother make TENDING TO GRACE an exceptional middle school read. ... Read more

Book Description

In this story of friendship, loyalty, and trust, Sarah and her guide dog, Perry, go about their busy day. Perry helps Sarah go shopping, to the post office, and take the train to school. Sarah, a blind musician and teacher, entertains the children and tells them about the time she and Perry walked from Boston to New York to show the world what a blind person can accomplish with the help of a guide dog like Perry.

This true story of an amazing black Labrador retriever and his owner will inspire young readers to follow their own dreams and give them the courage to achieve anything.

Expressive, stylized paintings in bold colors and simple shapes convey the extraordinary relationship between Sarah and Perry. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Working life
This book tells the true story about the life a guide dog named Perry and the blind woman named Sarah that he works for. The book explains how the dog helps Sarah get around in the morning, how he helps her cross the street to get to the grocery store, and how he gets to go where other dogs aren't allowed. It describes how Sarah is able to keep up with her busy schedule of activities like playing music for local schoolchildren thanks to Perry's tireless work. The book also describes an adventure that Sarah and Perry had together when they walked from Boston to New York City. The book is not at all scary. It's a great description of working dogs and the kinds of help they can provide for disabled people, as well as the kinds of activities that disabled people engage in every day. The book has about 650 words.

Looking Out for Sarah
Glenna Lang's Looking Out for Sarah, based on a true story about Sarah Gregory Smith and her guide dog, Perry, talks about how animals can help people with disabilities do extraordinary things. In the story, the narrator tells of ways that the black lab helps his blind master complete everyday tasks like go to the market, play in the park, take a train ride, and go to the post office. Sarah and Perry also take a special adventure, hiking from Boston to New York City to show the nation the wonderful capabilities that "helper dogs for disabled people" have. Lang narrates the story beautifully, as Perry would tell it. The illustrations she uses place an even greater focus on Perry. While all of the pages are warm and colorful and all of the other characters such as Sarah and the school children wear bright clothes, Perry stands out from page to page. It is as if Lang wants the reader to be in Perry's shoes, or paws, for a day and see all of the wonderful things he does for Sarah. Overall, Looking Out for Sarah is a delightful children's book, full of big, brightly illustrated pages that can teach children of all ages the advantages of our canine companions.

You'll enjoy it as much as the kids!
Fun to read and you'll learn from it, too! Told from the dog's perspective, you'll move through a typical day in Sarah's life as her faithful Lab Perry looks out for her with charm, affection, and a sense of duty. The dog's eye view of the world lends gentle humor, like when Perry faces nearly ubiquitous temptation from crumbs and "street snacks." The author lends her own humor, too, in lines like, "although Perry was not much of a publicity hound." The illustrations are simple yet unique. While the book alludes to Sarah and Perry's 300-mile trip from Boston to NYC, I'm hoping for a sequel that will go into detail!

Wonderful for ALL ages!
What a thoughtful, lovely book this is. It is told from the point of view of a dog guide, Perry, who "looks out" for his owner Sarah, who is blind. The story is about things that Perry and Sarah do together, and it leaves the very real impression that Sarah is just like everyone else, except that she happens to be blind. They visit schools, where Sarah entertains the children by playing her guitar and singing, then allows them to pat Perry (that's his favorite part of school). Sarah tells the story of when she and Perry once walked from Boston to New York "to show the world what a guide dog can do for a blind person." Sarah and Perry go to a park for his daily play session, where he "never grew tired of bringing the ball back to Sarah. Each throw was as exciting as the last." Throughout the book, you are aware of the strong, loving bond between them. Glenna Lang's delightful illustrations are simple, uncomplicated and lovely to look at. I plan to give this book to many friends, as I treasure my own copy and look forward to introducing others to its charm. ... Read more

Book Description

First published in 1990, The Survival Guide for Kids with LD has helped countless young people with LD—and the adults who care about them. Meanwhile, laws have changed and technology has advanced. This revised and updated edition retains the best of the original edition: the warmth, affirmation, and solid information kids need to know they’re smart and can learn, they just learn differently. It answers the many questions they have, like "Why is it hard for kids with LD to learn?" and "What happens when you grow up?" It explains what LD means (and doesn’t mean); describes the different kinds of LD; talks about what happens in LD programs; helps kids deal with sad, hurt, and angry feelings; suggests ways to get along better in school and at home; and inspires them to set goals and plan for the future. Includes resources for parents and teachers. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

For parents, teachers, tutors, day-care staff and more
Now in a revised and updated edition, The Survival Guide For Kids With LD* (*Learning Differences) by University of Nevada-Reno professors Gary Fisher and Rhoda Cummings, is a simply presented and easily accessible guide written especially for those dealing with children who have "learning differences". Emphasizing that having one of the many kinds of learning disabilities or cognitive restrictions doesn't preclude a child from learning, from having friends, or from growing up to be a successful adult. The readable prose is packed with tips for dealing with teasing, providing encouragement, simple black-and-white artwork, study tips, and more. The Survival Guide For Kids With LD* is highly recommended reading for parents, teachers, tutors, day-care staff members, -- and most especially, for kids ages 10 and up. Also highly recommended for teen readers is The Survival Guide For Teenagers With LD (0915793512; [$$$]); for parents, When Your Child Has LD (0915793873; [$$$]); and for educators, The School Survival Guide For Kids With LD (0915793326; [$$$]).

The Survival Guide for Kids with LD
This book is a GREAT way for kids to learn about their own Learning Disabilities (the book calls them Learning Differences). I read this book to my son to help explain to him why he's noticing that he's different from some of the other kids in school. The book creates such a relaxed, non-threatening attitude about LDs, and asks some really great questions to help the kids see which LD(s) fit them. It addresses ADHD as well! It has picture drawings of kids having trouble in school that my son could really relate to! He was at once interested, urging me to read more and more, even though he was learning that he was in fact "different". What a wonderful tool for families and kids to learn about each other and themselves. It's a positive book about the harsh reality of LDs - and it's written specifically for kids! Do your child a favor - read this book with them! It will open up conversations and give you both the language and courage you'll need to tackle the days and years ahead! ... Read more

Book Description

The creators of "ABC forYou and Me," an ABC book featuring photos of children with Down syndrome, now offer this simple counting book. Beautiful children with Down syndrome, and their friends, admire "one" bird, play with "seven" ducklings, and zoom "eleven" cars. As the colorful objects gradually increase from one to twenty, readers will find much to hold their attention. Children with Down syndrome will enjoy seeing themselves reflected in this book intended for every preschool and kindergarten classroom. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

I LOVE THIS BOOK!
This is a great book about numbers. It has clear, colorful, beautiful pictures of children with Down Syndrome holding objects to represent the different numbers up to 20. The children in it all look happy and it is a wonderful, cheerful book. It is simply a number book, but the items are easily identifiable and my son (who has DS) really enjoys turning the pages and counting each object. (especially the little girl with the hats!) I would like to see this book on the shelves of every elementary school library. It would be a big ego-booster for children WITH Down Syndrome, and a wonderful learning tool for children without DS.

1,2,3 review
This is a very special book for me, not only because of the wonderful children and pictures, but one of my students is on the cover and in other pictures throughout the book. Now everyone can share in the joy of seeing his beautiful smiling face. Behind that beautiful face is a wonderful, kind, and caring young boy who can lift your spirits with his jokes and loving hugs. I think it is wonderful that Meg Girnis protrays children who have Down's Syndrome in her books. I hope she continues to write more children's books. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Great Book for Teaching!
I am a 3rd grade teacher. I used this book in my class to introduce the topic of deafness and how helpful pets can be. This is a touching story that is both informative and funny. I loved it and so did the kids!

Heartwarming!
Well written and beautifully illustrated children's book. My children and I both enjoy this sweet story!

Great!
My aunt Gloria wrote this book about my cousin Elana. It's a true story, down to the name of the dog, Lacey. It was was very cute and funny. I hope everyone out there can read it and enjoy it, even if it doesn't relate to them personally. :)

Educational and Heartwarming
My mom, a speech pathology teacher, recommended this book tome. I thought it was very well written and offered a lot of insightinto what it must be like having someone you love be hearing impaired. I would recommed this book and feel it could be used effectively in a classroom setting.

A MUST READ FOR KIDS -- AND THEIR PARENTS
A terrific children's book that will satisfy adults too. The story of a dog who feels dislocated by the arrival of a new child in the family and then discovers that the child is hearing impaired, only to become the child's guardian angel and the "best big sister in the world". The author's wry style and the sensitive treatment of the issues of both sibling rivalry and disability are impressive. A great way to read something meaningful to your kids. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

My child with CP loves it
My daughter is 4 and is fascinated by this book. She wants to read it over and over. It is the only book I have found about a child in a wheelchair. I wish there were more about kids with disabilities.

Howie is for everyone
My 6 year old son has cerebral palsy and he and I both found Howie's story to be very inspiring. Howie is severly physically handicapped. The story is about Howie's frustrations and triumphs as he struggles to become more independent. My son is not in a wheel chair so he has begun to appreciate how fortunate he is to be able to do many things that Howie cannot. The book also helped him developed empathy for those less fortunate than him. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A Useful and Inspiring Little Jewel!
It is a joy to come across this useful little volume of selected prose and poetry with charming black and white illustrations.The selections are well-written and engaging for any elementary or middle-school student.Themes related to challenges that children (or adults!) confront andsurmount are both heartening and useful--as discussion-starters, writingprompts, or accessible avenues to boosting a child's self-confidence andmorale.Marcella Anderson is a well-known authority on bibiliotherapy,with years of experience in using books and stories to help hospitalizedchildren cope with the serious problems and discomfort they must confront. Thus this book is particularly useful for adults working with any sick orhandicapped child;nonetheless, I can see innumerable ways it could beused effectively at home or with regular school classes, children dealingwith academic or social challenges, or simply to impart good, solidillustrations of some of the most important personal lessons for anyyoungster to absorb. ... Read more

Book Description

Returning to her own childhood for inspiration, Aliki has created an exceptional sixty-four-page book that presents Marianthe's story -- her present and her past. In Painted Words, Marianthe's paintings help her to become less of an outsider as she struggles to adjust to a new language and a new school. Under the guidance of her teacher, who understands that there is more than one way to tell a story, Mari makes pictures to illustrate the history of her family, and eventually begins to decipher the meaning of words. In Spoken Memories, a proud Mari is finally able to use her new words to narrate the sequence of paintings she created, and share with her classmates her memories of her homeland and the events that brought her family to their new country.

00-01 Arkansas Diamond Primary Book Award Reading List

Reviews (2)

Wonderful for classroom use...
I first heard about this book in a teacher magazine, and sure enough, it became an instant favorite in my second- and third-grade classroom. This was no big surprise to me as my fourteen young students represent eight different nationalities among themselves! The book has sparked some interesting conversations about feeling different and about arriving in a new country. Any early-grade classroom, but perhaps especially those in multicultural and international schools, should have a copy of this book. I cannot recommend it highly enough!

beautiful book telling about being new/not speaking English
My co-worker introduced me to this gorgeous book that tells the story of a little girl who is new in the classroom and can't speak English. She expresses her feelings by painting. However, the surprise is that the other side of the books is SPOKEN WORDS and she tells the story of her life in Greece and having to leave her native land.

Anyone would love this book, but especially ESL teachers and teachers who have "newcomer" students... It's a good book for a gift for any child and it's a really good book for a teacher to read to a class to help the children become more sensitive to the feelings of newcomers.

A gorgeous book...... ... Read more

Book Description

This full-color beautifully illustrated tale tells the story of Lee, a young rabbit who has her first seizure during a fishing trip with her grandpa.Once home, her parents take her to the doctor, who examines her and discovers that she has epilepsy.Lee's doctor explains epilepsy in clear, reassuring terms and gives her special medicine.Once Lee's seizures are controlled, she and her family discover that she can do everything she used to do, including her favorite pastime, fishing with her grandpa. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Great for Youngsters!
My 4 year old daughter recently had been diagnosed with Absence Seizures. This book was just what we needed. It gives her something to identify with. Lee also has Absence Seizures. Most of the other books I have looked at covered the Grand-mal Seizures. GREAT BOOK to help a young child understand in a simple way of what is happening to them.

Great book for kids dealing with seizures.
This book is very good to read to young children to explain epilepsy. It is put into simple terms and gives a good general explaination. The pictures are detailed, fun and colorful which will help engage the child's interest. This book is good for anyone who wants their child to learn that there should be no 'stigma' attatched to epilespy- it is a disease that can (in most cases) be helped with medicine. It would be excellent for a child recently diagnosed with seizues. It is good for a family which may have a child with epilepsy to help siblings understand what is happening. It is also a book which can be used in the classroom. It is brief yet it gets the message across. This book is part of a series of books about Special Needs and Deborah Moss (author)takes a very careful look at how a child might feel if he or she experienced seizures and that life continues and will be normal. It helps alleviate fears. It also works well because it portrays a rabbit instead of a child with seizures. I highly recommend it to everyone. I have not read the other books in the collection but I imagine they are just as good. ... Read more

Book Description

Everyone knows that Jamie is a dreamer. When he looks up at the sky, instead of clouds he sees knights and dragons from centuries past and fabulous creatures from far-off lands. But one day he looks up and sees something even more incredible: a man in a business suit parachuting from a plane. "Unpredictable and absorbing."--The Midwest Book Review. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Action Book!
Man from the sky

Would you like to be a kid that likes to look up at the sky and imagine seeing things or to have a neighbor that spies on you? This is a story about Jamie who loves to look up at the sky and daydream. But one day instead of daydreaming Jamie see's a man from the sky parachuting! This amazing 120 page book by Avi is about Jamie's friend, Gillian, who gets into a lot of trouble one day. If you tie everything together, you should be able to guess what happens. If I told you I would spoil it, so you should definitely read it! I would rate it a five star book because of it's exciting and suspenseful characters and what happens. The book has an ok writing style because it doesn't have unique writing every word, but it is still a great book and I strongly recommend it.

-Tomás Sowles

A review of Man From the Sky
Mrs. Davis' 5th grade class at the Hamilton School found these events to be the most exciting in the book. By parachuting from a plane, Ed Goddard was trying to escape with money he had stolen. Unable to remove the parachute he was dragged and injured and lost the briefcase with the money. Jamie saw him parachuting from the plane while studying the clouds. Jamie is dyslexic and struggles to read but can see images in the clouds. Jamie's friend Gillian Lurie found the lost briefcase and was kidnapped by Ed Goddard. She left a clue for Jamie to follow and send help. She used a stick to point in the direction she was being taken. There was some discussion about the chapters changing from one character to another making the book confusing. The class decided that Avi wrote the book this way to give the reader a "split screen" of the same events from the point of view of different characters.

Half the class felt that they would recommend the book to a friend. The whole class agreed that there were exciting moments throughout the book.(Submitted by Ms. Willett, Lower School Librarian)

Man from the Sky is interesting and suspenseful!
Book Review of Avi's Man from the Sky

Man from the Sky , by Avi, takes place in a small town in Pennsylvania near the border of New York. Jamie Peters, age 11, is a dreamer. Although he is unable to read books, Jamie spends his free time reading the sky. Jamie is able to see dragons, castles, and knights. One day while reading the sky, Jamie sees a man named Ed Goddard parachuting with a suitcase. Gillian Lurie, Jamie's neighbor, is jealous of Jamie's interesting hobby of reading the sky. In an attempt to find out how Jamie reads the sky, she watches him one day. While watching him, Gillian discovers a mysterious suitcase that leads her and Jamie into trouble.

My favorite scene in this book is when Ed Goddard makes a gun out of wood. This is impressive because the gun looks real enough to fool people. Also, the fact that Goddard is clever enough to make a wood gun so that it will pass through the metal detectors at the airport is also an exciting part of the book.

Although I enjoyed this book, I found it confusing the way the author continually switched back and forth from scenes and characters in each chapter. For example, in one chapter Ed Goddard is looking at planes, and in the following chapter Jamie is reading the sky. However, eventually the book becomes less confusing when the author brings the characters together. Man from the Sky, by Avi, is suspenseful and interesting. I recommend this book to readers my age.

Submitted by David Apfelbaum, grade 6.

this book is good
This book is a great book because it has some action not to little action and not to much action another reason that i like this book is that it is not a confusing or big long book that takes for ever. and the book is for third grade to fith grade.

ps. this book is a great book i recomend this book and this is especially good for 4th graders ... Read more

Book Description

Increasingly alienated from his widowed father, Vernon joins his friends in ridiculing the neighborhood outcasts'Maxine, an alcoholic prone to outrageous behavior, and Ronald, her retarded son. But when a social service agency tries to put Ronald into a special home, Vernon fights against the move.

1994 Newbery Honor Book
Notable Children's Books of 1994 (ALA)
1994 Best Books for Young Adults (ALA)
1994 Young Adult Editors' Choices (BL)
1994 Books for the Teen Age (NY Public Library)
Young Adult Choices for 1995 (IRA) ... Read more

Reviews (40)

The Crazy Lady Reveiw
The book Crazy Lady is about a lady named Maxine. Maxine is an alcoholic and has 1 son. Maxine gets help from a neighbor named Vernon. At first Vernon does not want to help Maxine, but when he finds out she isn't really crazy, then Vernon starts to help her and gives her the idea of Special Olympics for Ronald( Maxine's son). So when maxine said ok we can do the special olympics, Vernon gets a carnival started to raise money so Ronald can get shoes and an outfit so he can compete. Read the book to find out what happens in the rest of the book.

Crazy Lady Review
Crazy Lady was fun to read. My favorite character was Ronald because he tried so hard to learn to talk and he always behaved good. My favorite part of the story was at the end when Ronald was leaving and Vernon chased the truck so far just because he loved Ronald. At the beginning Vernon was embarrassed about Maxine and Ronald but by the end of the story he loved Ronald. Another good part was when Vernon threw the carnival to raise money for Ronald. That showed his real character. He cared so much about what his friends thought but he would never do anything to hurt anyone. I think Crazy Lady was a good book.

wouldn't recomend
To me, this book was not a book I would normally read. It was more like a book that I would have read back in the elementary days. I didn't feel like I could relate to the book in any way at all. This book would have been a good book for learning about differences and disabilities but I do not believe I am doing that. The book does not really have an ending. It leaves you hanging which is one thing that I do not like about this book. I feel that this book could have a sequel. Hopefully that book will be more enjoyable.

Not so grand...Crazy Lady
= My review on the book Crazy Lady
Reviewer: A 12-year old reader from Janesville, WI
It just wasn't my idea of a fascinating story. I like stories with action. I like books that have you on the edge of your seat, like Stephan King books or something. Its got to have parts that make your spine shiver and parts that gross you out beyond belief. Im not a fan of simple happy books.
The only reason i read the book was for school, I probably wouldn't have picked it up in a library and said, "I shall read this book!" If I would have had the choice to read it I would have said no. If you are the kind of person that likes a happy story with somewhat saddening parts, then I guess this is a book for you. But if you don't like that kind of thing I advise you to pick something up by: John Saul or Stephan King.

Silly people..I am thriteen not twelve..if only one more year had been added

Crazy Lady Review
When I first started reading this book i thought it was kind of boring. After awhile though it started to catch my interest and I actually started to like it. Some of the parts like when Vernon started helping Ronald, that really caught my attention. Sometimes I just wanted to keep reading on and other times it was as if I just wanted to stop because it got really boring. When Vernon started to get his grades up and he helped plan the carnival it made me want to read on and see what happens. Towards the end when Maxine was having all these problems with alcohol I was really interested in finding out what would happen next. At the end I couldn't believe that Maxine actually gave up Ronald it was the biggest suprise in the book. Before in the book Maxine always talked about how he would never give up Ronald, and then she just does. ... Read more

Book Description

Hip Hop Mob kangaroo character, Runabout and his family face the dangers of fire while teaching children life-saving techniques.Children will learn to think fast and react without fear. Although this book is excellent for children of all ages, it is geared for ages 2-8 ... Read more

Amazon.com

"I loved Gran's smell, and her warm face when we played touch-your-noseat the gold mirror, and her salty kisses when we sat on Gramps's old army trunkin the attic and listened to the wind sing on the roof."

Blind since birth, Louis uses all his senses to love his grandmother and feelher love for him. When she dies and Louis seems to have been forgotten in thefamily treasure hunt Gran arranged in lieu of a will, he must hold on to hisknowledge of her love for him and his memories of her smell--"lilacs, with awhiff of bleach"--and her "molasses voice" to know he could never have beenoverlooked. It is a lifetime later, when Louis is a grandfather himself, thathis conviction is affirmed by his "favorite youngest grandchild's" discovery inGran's much-loved hickory chair.

Nothing is overdone in Lisa Rowe Fraustino's beautiful story that shows theprofound power of "blind sight," Gran's term for Louis's ability to "see" somuch. And the exquisite paintings, in oils and fabric collage by artist BennyAndrews (Sky Sash SoBlue) have a tactile appeal, drawing in the reader to Louis's world, asthough we are seeing the way he does. (Ages 6 to 10) --Emilie Coulter ... Read more

Reviews (6)

See with your heart
I'll come right out and say it. I had a very very mixed reaction to this book. Very indeed. Partially, this reaction can be blamed on my initial response to, "The Hickory Chair" when I picked it up. I thought to myself something along the lines of, "oog". Because, you see, I was instantly turned off by the illustrations. Now I recognized that this was a very unkind thing to feel about a book that, honestly, I hadn't even read. So I read it through intently. Then reread it. And I came to the inescapable conclusion that this was an exceedingly well-written story. And I also came to the inescapable conclusion that no matter how many times I read it I was not going to be convinced that the illustrations were a good compliment to the text.

The story of "The Hickory Chair" sounds a little bleak when summarized. In it, a blind boy named Louis is very close to his grandmother. They've spent good times together playing hide-and-seek, sitting in the attic listening to the wind sing on the roof, and reading by the grandmother's old hickory chair (carved, you see, by a single hickory tree that grew on that very spot so many years ago). When his grandmother dies, Louis and his family gather to hear her will. In a final game, they find that their deceased matron left little notes all around the house saying what each person would receive as their legacy. Louis is exceptionally good at finding everyone's note but his own. Finally he turns to the hickory chair and searches it, finding a slip of paper just as he knew he would. Unfortunately the note is only an old shopping list and the family has to face up to the fact that somehow Louis was forgotten. Later, Louis is given the chair anyway and he decides that the lost note isn't important. He knows that his grandmother loved him. It's only years later, when Louis is old and his granddaughter is asleep in that same chair that she discovers, inadvertently in the batting of the cushion, a note that reads, "For my favorite youngest grandchild with blind sight". His grandmother's final lost bequest.

It's a very touching story, you know. Author Lisa Row Faustino has penned it well. Perhaps most wonderful, and extraordinary, is that this book features a boy that is blind without making that plot point THE crux of the story. Instead, Louis's blindness is just one of those things. The real focus of this tale is the love shared between Louis and his grandmother, a love that lasted generations. The bittersweet ending and great evocative characters really make this a great tale. But then there are the illustrations to contend with.

I feel bad about not liking them. They're very artistic, you know. According to the bookflap, illustration Benny Andrews has presented his work at the MOMA, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Brooklyn Museum, etc. He's obviously well regarded in the world of fine art. But for me, Andrews doesn't translate well to the picture book stage. There are inconsistencies and abnormalities about this book that bugged me. For one thing, granny's skin color changes every other page. The artist has wisely cast the characters in this book as black, and the story works perfectly as a result. With the possible exception of granny. The woman on the cover of this book is completely different from the woman handing Louis a flower on the dedication page. One minute granny's black with grey hair. The next she's white with black hair. Then it's back to black but with white hair. No other character shifts like this in the book, and you kind of have to wonder what the artist was thinking. People in his pictures in general are a bit expressionless, though this is more the author's technique than any real flaw. Far more condemning is the illustrator's inability to match his pictures, at times, to the narration. In a particularly confusing sequence, Louis's mother talks about how when baby Louis was rocked by his grandmother in the hickory chair, he somehow managed to forced his hand into the chair's batting so that when she stood the chair came with her. It's a little hard to understand just through reading, and well nigh impossible if you look at the picture. A similar situation takes place at the end with Louis's granddaughter doing the same thing with the batting with her own hand. The picture however shows her draped over the chair's arm, no hole in sight. You can argue that these are slight inconveniences in the narration, but I really do feel that they detract from the entire book. The illustrations do not serve to help the story in any way and I feel that had the artist been trying he could have done a lot better.

In the end, loving a book really just boils down to personal preference. There is not a sliver of doubt in my mind that there are huge Benny Andrews fans out there that will fight to the death to preserve his good name as a children's picture book artist. Be that as it may, I didn't think he added anything to Lisa Row Fraustino's otherwise very capable and well-written tale. For me, a better illustrator could have done a far more moving job than the one we see here. If you'd like to read a touching book about an intergenerational love that can touch you deeply to your core, I really do highly recommend this book. As for the pictures, think of them what you may.

More than just pretty pictures
I have a three-year-old son who is blind and this is his favorite book. Many children's books rely heavily on the pictures to carry the story. Though this book has no shortage of beautiful pictures, the text can stand on it's own feet making it ideal for a blind child. My son happily tickles his belly as Gran talks about the old hickory tickling the belly of the sun and sniffs the air when Louis sniffs out Gran while playing hide-and-seek. This story is touching and warm in a way that you can feel with all of your scenes.

Senses, love, and memories
Fraustino, Lisa Rowe (2001). The Hickory Chair. Illustrated by Benny Andrews. New York: Scholastic Press. ISBN: 0-590-52248-5...

Louis can't see his Gran, because he is blind, but he can smell her, "lilacs, with a whiff of bleach," and he loves her "molasses voice." When she dies, she leaves behind a note for each of her family, hidden on a favorite thing she wants them to keep. Louis is the best at finding the notes, but no one can find the note she left for him. Since he has no note, he can take his pick, and is comforted by the hickory chair in which she often held him, which still holds her smell and her shape "rocked into the seat." Years later his grandchild finds the note his Gran left him, hidden in the hickory chair.
This is primarily a story about the ways memories, love, and the senses are tied together. Louis' memories and love are both expressed in sensory images. When he is happy, the air tasted "sweet and light." When he is sad, the air "curdled in my throat." We are given a vivid portrait of the manner in which a child without sight perceives the world. Benny Andrews' oil and fabric collage illustrations complement the text. The angular figures show us the emotions of Louis' African American family, sometimes joyous, sometimes somber, but always loving. The text is straightforward and vivid. A good choice for elementary school age children, this book will be even more effective with a discussion afterward.

A loving-family story
Louis is the youngest grandson in the family and has a special loving relationship with his Gran. Singer, wind listener and storyteller, she shares lots of sensory experiences with all her grandchildren. Like many other multi-generation relationship books, Grandmother is wise and wonderful. When Gran is gone, Louis misses her very much, especially when she seems to have forgotten him. I really empathized with the feelings that Louis must have had at the loss of such a close and powerful relationship and at his grandmother's seeming abandonment. How painful to a young-without defenses boy.

The artwork, bright, naive, folk-style paintings is pretty and gives a southern feeling to the book.

A Beautiful Evocative Story
As Gran always told him, Louis was her favorite youngest grandchild. Their relationship was so close and special. He remembers how she always smelled of lilacs and bleach and how her voice sounded like molasses. He remembers her salty kisses and the games of touch your nose and hide and seek with his cousins. And he remembers how his Gran told him that even though he was blind, he could still see as well as anyone, because he had "blind sight". But mostly he remembers sitting on her lap in the hickory chair his grandfather had made from a tree that grew right where he built their house, reading and telling stories and sharing. When Gran died, she wanted everyone in the family to have something special that belonged to her and so she left notes all around her little house and sent the family on a treasure hunt. Louis was the best finder because he knew Gran so well and pretty soon everyone had found their notes and had their special possessions. Everyone, but Louis. How could his Gran have forgotten her favorite youngest grandchild? So Louis picked from what was left, the old hickory chair and once he had climbed up and sat down, the missing note didn't matter so much because he felt like he was back on Gran's lap..... Lisa Rowe Fraustino has written a tender, gentle, poignant story that reaches out to both children and adults alike. Her eloquent text is full of imagery and magic and complemented by Benny Andrews' beautifully expressive and innovative artwork. You'll swear you can hear Gran's molasses voice, smell the scent of lilacs and bleach and taste her salty kisses. And many years later, as Louis sits with his youngest favorite grandchild in the old hickory chair, they make a discovery that will put a smile on each and every readers face. Perfect for youngsters 6-10, The Hickory Chair is storytelling at its very best and will touch your heart with its insight and wisdom. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

How Dyslexic Benny Became A Star
Benny's story changed my son's life. It's the first book he ever read twice. Unfortunately, I was too much like Benny's father.Seeing myself protrayed changed my attitude.Now I know why it's important to support myson instead of badgering him. There is a strong message for every member ofthe dyslexic family.Children, parents, sibilings, and teachers.

The subject is appealing but the plot poorly executed.
Although the reader can sympathize with Benny's learning disability, the other characters are disappointing and unrealistic. The father too cruel,the mother too weak, the sister too mean and his teachers oblivious. Thefact that they haven't understood that he has a learning disability untilfifth grade is appaling. Then, suddenly, the coach intervenes andeveryone's personality changes overnight. Most of all, there is too muchdialog between the adults in the story and not enough action centeredaround Benny.

One of the BEST stories of hope for children with dyslexia!
This story should be shared with parents, teachers and especially children who have dyslexia.I have read this story to my Language Training students who have been inspired by this book. ... Read more