The Promise

THE PROMISE by Nicola Davies. Illustrated by Laura Carlin. Candlewick, 2014.

A young girl steals a bag of what she thinks are groceries from an old woman. Tyhe woman exacts a promise from the girl to plant what she has taken. What she has are acorns. And plant them she does, all over her dark, ugly neighborhood. The neighborhood is changed by the trees, and the girl continues to travel to other places, to plant, to make changes. What a lovely allegory for how to make the world better. Tie to MISS RUMPHIUS for a terrific text set.

Empathy

YEAR OF THE JUNGLE by Suzanne Collins with illustrations by James Proimos. Scholastic, 2013.

Suzy's father is off serving in a war in a jungle far away. Suzy frets for his safety, of course. But as time passes she finds it hard to remember exactly what her Dad looks like. Why has she not herd from him for a while. Collins address children's fears in a straightforward manner, always ensuring that it is Suzy's voice reders will hear.

WHEN LIONS ROAR by Robie Harris with illustrations by Chris Raschka. Orchard, 2013.


What can a child do when The Scary is near? Harris' simple text and Raschka's illustrations combine to create a perfect book about emotions and moods.

THE INVISIBLE BOY by Trudy Ludwig with illustrations by Patrice Barton. Knopf, 2013.

Brian is the invisible kid in his class until a new boy named Justin arrives at school. When Brian reaches out to Justin and offers to work on a project with Justin, Brian discovers that he is not so invisible any longer.

Getting to Know You

SUPERHERO JOE AND THE CREATURE NEXT DOOR by Jacqueline Weitzman with illustrations by Ron Barrett. Simon and Schuster, 2013.

Superhero Joe
Must be brave and face the
New Creature next door.

Tom Angleberger Strikes Again

THE SECRET OF THE FORTUNE WOOKIE: AN ORIGAMI YODA BOOK by Tom Angleberger. Amulet 2012.


If you will recall, Dwight is no longer at McQuarrie Middle School. However, he sends a new origami figure via Sara to the school and his friends and classmates. This time, the origami is in the form of Chewbacca and is a fortune teller (remember these?)Chewie seems to dispense advice almost as if Dwight were still there with his Origami Yoda. How can that be? Leave it to Tommy to issue an official report. Angleberger continues to develop and hone his characters in another book in this wildly popular (Origami Yoda won the Texas Bluebonnet Award this year) series. Along the way, he manages to examine some incredibly important subjects without being didactic or pedantic, no mean feat to be sure. The final chapter includes a letter home to all the students about the new curriculum to begin at the first of the year: FUNTIME, TIME to focus on the FUNdamentals. Teachers will groan and perhaps chuckle in rueful recognition of what might come in the next book. Angleberger humanizes middle school in a way that middle school teachers and kids get and everyone else needs to get. <487>