We continue this series of book reviews submitted by members of the (CL/R SIG). This second installation includes more loveable books for children in grades K-3. 

When Tess misbehaves in the library, her mommy puts her in a ten-minute time out. During this time, Tess accidently opens a book, and T. Rex jumps out. Other books begin to open, and characters come alive. Knights in gleaming armor lay siege to the dinosaur. Fish and aquarium treasures spill from other books. T.  Rex is able to cannonball through all of them. Next, a swashbuckling pirate surfaces, but T.Rex escapes. A posse of cowboys and cattle stampede from the pages of another book. T. Rex piles up mounds of books to build an escape. He even begins ripping and eating books until Tess places him back into his own book for a ten-minute time out. This hilarious picture book will remind young readers that reading uses our imaginations and that books take us to different places to meet unusual characters. Primary teachers and librarians might use this picture book to teach the importance of taking care of books and being respectful in the library.
- Deanna Day

Hills, Tad. (2010). How Rocket learned to read.  New York: Schwartz & Wade. Unpaginated, $17.99, ISBN:978-0-375-85899-4. 
A literate little yellow bird places on a tree a sign announcing the start of a new class. Rocket, a young puppy who loves to gnaw on sticks, chase leaves, and listen to birds sing, happens to take his nap below the bird’s tree. The bird is delighted to greet its first student. Since Rocket has no interest in learning to read, he moves to a different tree. Like any savvy teacher, the bird knows how to hook Rocket and begins reading a story about dog seeking its lost bone. The author describes the story’s appeal vividly: “To Rocket the story was as delicious as the earthy smells of fall” (u.p.).  Engaged in the story and motivated to read, Rocket is now ready to learn the letter names and sounds and to spell out the words he knew.  Like many of us, he has also learned the joy of listening to good stories—sometimes again and again.
- Terrell A. Young

Houston, G. (2011). Miss Dorothy and her bookmobile. New York: Harper Collins.
Building on her own experiences growing up in Appalachia, Houston offers the true story of Dorothy Thomas, who combined her predilection for books and people into a job as a librarian. Although Miss Dorothy dreamed of working in “a fine brick library” (u.p.), she ended up in rural North Carolina where there was no library. The community rallied to buy a bookmobile that Miss Dorothy determinedly piloted across the countryside, bringing books and her love of reading “into every school yard, … every farm, post office, grocery store, churchyard, and parking lot” (u.p.). Susan Lambs’ illustrations are lush and lively, with a gentle glow that suggests hope and promise. Houston’s characterization of both people and places deftly challenges pervasive stereotypes about the people of rural Appalachia. By showing Dorothy’s interactions with two young readers and following up with letters they wrote to her as adults, Houston shows clearly the profound effect that Miss Dorothy had on their lives. Through Miss Dorothy, Houston heralds the mystery of life’s twists and turns, and the transformative power of loving books and loving people.
- Sue C. Parsons

Numeroff, L., & Evans, N. (2010). The jellybeans: and the big book bonanza. Illus. by L. Munsinger. New York: Abrams.
A group of girls call themselves the jellybeans because they are all different yet go well together. While Emily loves to dance, Nicole loves to play soccer. Bitsy loves to paint, and Anna loves to read. After their teacher announces that the class is going to have a book bonanza, Anna takes her friends to the library to help them find a book. Each girl exclaims that they would rather be dancing, playing soccer or painting than reading a book. Anna reminds her friends that like jellybeans with their various flavors, there are many types of books. The librarian helps each girl find the perfect book focusing on their unique interests. Emily finds a book on ballet, Nicole chooses one on soccer, and Bitsy checks out one about famous painters. A reminder to teachers about the importance of finding the right book for each reader, this picture book could be used as part of a mini lesson on matching the right book for every child. 
- Deanna Day

Click here to read the first article in this book review series.

This article is the first in a four-part series of book reviews from the Children’s Literature and Reading Special Interest Group of IRA (CL/R SIG). President Janelle Mathis says that CL/R SIG has been supporting literacy educators since 1979 through its goals of sharing high quality, contemporary children’s literature, promoting creative uses of literature in the classroom, disseminating recent research in the field, and providing a forum to explore issues in the children’s literature field. 

"The organization accomplishes its goals through enthusiastic and informed members who organize sessions at IRA each spring, serve along with other selected members on the Notable Books for a Global Society committee who create an award list each year, contribute to its journal, The Dragon Lode, and interact around the recently created website, www.clrsig.org," she shares. 

A visit to this site offers a more detailed look at the possibilities for involvement in the Children’s Literature SIG. Membership is open to IRA members in all areas of instruction--Pre-K through 12 teachers, librarians, teacher candidates, administrators, university professors, authors, and publishers.

The members of the CL/R SIG who submitted this series of book reviews to Reading Today encourages us to remind ourselves of our responsibilities as teachers to foster a love of reading and writing in our students on a daily basis. It is also good to reflect on the lack of access to books many experience as well as the often well-hidden struggles many of our students face as they attempt to enter the often-confusing world of literacy. While there is a book for every reader once their tastes and interests have been ascertained, it is also important to help novice readers regard reading as a pleasurable activity rather than drudgery. The following books selected by members of the CL/R SIG celebrate the passion of literacy in several different ways.

Amada, E. (2011). What are you doing? Illus. by M. Monroy. Toronto: Groundwood Press. 

Getting lost in a story is one of the reasons to read, but this picture book provides many other reasons for acquiring reading skills, making it a sure-bet for the opening days of school. Before his first day of school, curious Chepito walks through his neighborhood, and everywhere he goes, he notices neighbors reading. When he asks them why they are doing so, they offer various reasons, such as to find out who won the baseball game, to laugh, to find their way around, to repair a car, among other purposes. Once he heads to school, he's sold on reading, and his teacher adds to his enjoyment with a read aloud. Once Chepito returns home, he is ready to share the joy of reading with his little sister. The digital illustrations are based on color pencil and watercolor originals and have a soft, sentimental quality about them.

- Barbara A. Ward

Bottner, B. (2010). Miss Brooks loves books! (and I don’t). Illus. by M. Emberley.  New York: Knopf. 
Miss Brooks is passionate about reading and books. As the school librarian, she shares her love of reading by dressing up for each reading circle. One first-grade girl manages to resist Miss Brooks’ Herculean efforts to get her to read. That is until Book Week when students must each share a book they love and dress up. “Really show us why you love it!” she says (u.p.). The girl promptly goes home and asks her mother if they can move to a new town.  Her mother reminds her that there is no way to avoid librarians since every town has one. Determined that her young charge will find at least one book that she loves, Miss Brooks fills her backpack with books. When her mother chooses to read aloud William Steig’s Shrek!, the girl begs to hear it again and again. Having found the right book for her, she loves dressing up as an ogre and leading the class in a chorus of snorts. Miss Brooks is right: Even “ogres can find something funny and fantastic and appalling in the library” (u.p).

- Terrell A. Young

Brown, M. (2011). Waiting for the biblioburro. Illus. by J. Parra.Tricycle Press. 
Ana loves to read, but she has exhausted all the books in her small Columbian village. Often, she makes up stories to share with others since there’s nothing left to read. But when she sees two burros, laden with precious cargo—books—she is delighted, and eagerly chooses enough titles to keep her busy until the next visit from this moving library on hoofs. Ana becomes quite a storyteller herself, and even contributes her own original book to the library’s collection. This picture book pays tribute to a real-life librarian, Luis Soriano, who decided to share his books with others in the rural parts of his country. The illustrations have a folk art quality to them, and are filled with warmth as well as imaginative elements.
- Barbara A. Ward

This series continues tomorrow with more great book reviews from the CL/R SIG. 

by Judith Hayn 

Click here for more information about I Will Save You by Matt de la Pena.

Dr. Judith A. Hayn is an Associate Professor at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. 

This article is part of a series from the Special Interest Group Network on Adolescent Literature (SIGNAL). 

Judith Hayn's Review of The Dry Grass of August

Choices Reading Lists

The Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy 

by Dr. Judith A. Hayn 

SIGNAL is the International Reading Association's Special Interest Group Network on Adolescent Literature; our mission is promoting the reading and use of young adult literature. We define adolescent and/or young adult literature (YAL) as books written specifically for adolescents, young adults, teens. These books have a young protagonist who deals with issues that other young people face, or might have to face. Additionally, adolescent literature is anything that young adults choose to read. Publishers have an impact when they select to market a book as YAL. 

An example of a book that was written for adults but has been marketed as young adult is The Dry Grass of August (2011). The year is 1954; Brown vs. Board of Education threatens to end an entrenched way of life in the segregated South. June Bentley Watts (Jubie) is 13 and growing up in Charlotte, North Carolina. In a week and a half of one summer, she develops from a sheltered, gawky adolescent into a young activist without completely understanding what happened. This transformation begins when Mama takes her three daughters, Stell, Jubie, Puddin’, and baby Davie to Pensacola to visit her younger brother Taylor. Mary, their black maid, accompanies them. Disaster looms from the first page of the novel, as tension and danger mount with every mile. The family has fled Daddy and his alcoholic rages as they have before; Jubie’s flashbacks reveal the developing discord at home that prompted the vacation. 

The author Anna Jean Mayhew grew up in Charlotte in the 50s, so the voices ring unflinchingly true with authentic regional color. Jubie is another compelling heroine, and older teens or mature younger readers will appreciate this book with its powerful message laced with historical accuracy. 

Dr. Judith A. Hayn is an Associate Professor at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. 

This article is part of a series from the Special Interest Group Network on Adolescent Literature (SIGNAL).