Invisibill
By: Maureen Fergus Illustrated by: Dusan Petricic Have you ever felt like you were invisible? Have you ever felt like you wanted to turn invisible? If so, you may want to read Invisibill and explore the different feelings of what it can feel like. From mischief to embarrassment to sadness, this book is exploding with emotion! If someone had passed the potatoes, nothing would've ever happened. Bill just wanted to be seen but nobody seemed to notice him! Then one day, Bill turned invisible! The weird thing was that nobody seemed to notice until it was time to clear the dishes. If you love a book that makes you laugh, this is a story for you. I enjoyed this book from beginning to end. I really liked Invisibill because it was very funny, the drawings and the words were well suited for the story. My favorite part was when Bill's mom had to color on his face and he had to go to school looking like a pumpkin. I would recommend this book for grades 2-4 but everyone of all ages would love it. Watch out for 1st grade because there are a lot of words that the kids might not know how to read. In my opinion, I would rate this book a nine out of ten. If you want to find out if Bill will become visible again, you will have to read the book and find out yourself.
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Fragile Bones
Written by: Lorna Shultz Nicholson Harrison Henry is an autistic fifteen year old boy who tends to recite every bone in the skeletal system when he gets nervous. At the beginning of his grade ten year, Mrs. Henry enrolls Harrison in the Best Buddies program at school in hopes of improving his ability to cope with others. Harrison soon discovers his best buddy is Anna; a straight A senior and future med student. The two form an unlikely pair to survive one of the world's most difficult obstacles, high school. Harrison and Anna do lots together; they go to the Science Center, they go to Harrison's brother's hockey games and they go for ice cream. One day, Anna and Justin ( the Best Buddies President) decide to throw a Halloween dance for everyone... with the help of Harrison. Will he have a meltdown at the dance, or will he finally be able to cope with other people? Read Fragile Bones to find out. Fragile Bones is a phenomenal book by Lorna Schultz Nicholson, best suited for grades 7 and up as the vocabulary is a bit advanced as well as some of the topics brought up in the book. I think that it really implies how one act of kindness goes a long way. Fragile Bones was by far one of my favorite books that I've ever read. It was funny, suspenseful and had a great storyline that I think everyone who reads it will love! When you've finished reading this book, thanks to Harrison, you should be able to name at least some of the two-hundred and eighty bones in your body; but for today, Harrison just wants to cope. A Woodpeckers Tale
Pierce, a young woodpecker decides he is old enough to leave the nest and hunt for insects on his own. He wants to prove to his mother that he's old enough to stretch his wings and be independent and responsible. However, his mother feels he is not ready. ''But you're so young,'' mama said. ''How are you going to find your food?'' Pierce had confidence, he knew he could do it! He explained, "I've seen you do it before, mama. I have to find an old tree, hammer the wood, and eat the yummy bugs, I can do it!" His mother was not convinced. As Pierce scampered off, she stated, "but some bugs are nasty, they can hurt you.'' When Pierce ventured to the forest in search of juicy insects, he found that it wasn't going to be as easy as he thought. All of the trees he found seemed perfect but they already had other animals making there homes there, and none of the animals wanted Pierce hammering holes in their homes in his search for lunch. I think this is a great informational picture book and I definitely recommend this book for grades K-3, because the detailed and colorful illustrations will be attractive to young readers. This book also includes activities for young readers, which I think will be fun. Overall this book, A Woodpeckers Tale, has a motivating message that is all about taking initiative and becoming independent. This is why the book is a 2016 Shining Willow nominee. Friend or Foe Written by Etta Kaner
The world is full of creepy, crawly things..., but are they friend or foe? Is the rat in your garage a friend? Is the tarantula in your closet a foe? Find out in this amazing non-fiction text. Friend or Foe, written by Etta Kaner, is a non-fiction book that compares the scariness, grossness, appearance, and many more characteristics of different animals. The book then takes these facts and characteristics, and argues whether the animal is a friend or foe to humans. I personally enjoyed Friend or Foe as it informs you on different creatures like rats, snakes, leeches and bats. The book is laid out as two pages of why the animal is gross, scary or dangerous and then two pages of why the creature is friendly and how it can help humans. When I saw Friend or Foe, I went straight for it because I love creepy crawlies. Even if the book may not appeal to you at first, you might just get hooked. The vocabulary in Friend or Foe is appropriate for most ages and I would place this book in the grade 3-4 age category. This book, however, can be read by any age as it can really inform you on these creatures and you can learn what they do for our planet. I would totally choose Friend or Foe as my choice for the Willow Book Award. Friend or Foe is a great book and you should definitely read it! Lost in the Backyard by Alison Hughes
13 year old, technology obsessed Flynn does not like the outdoors. He never has and probably never will, for he is afraid of the risk of death and/or dismemberment, as said the book for his Outdoor Ed Class. One afternoon, Flynn and his family go out to an old friend's house out in the countryside, then, as they are boring him and talking about their new house and spectacular surroundings, he departs to go explore the deep deciduous forest. He follows the path, and then, he is distracted by what's around him and strays away from the trail. Will only what's in the forest and the motivation to keep him away from being extremely hurt or killed by the wildlife help him to make it out of the forest alive? With countless struggles and worries, Flynn learns more about himself and conquered more of his worst fears then he ever would have if he hasn't been lost in the backyard. I loved this book! I think that Alison Hughes an amazing job at describing and going into deep details about the characters and all the dreadful troubles that he encountered. I really liked the concept of being lost in the forest and the lessons he learned during the experience. I would totally vote for this for the Willow Awards. This gives a lot of life lessons that you could really use if you were in this situation. I would recommend this book to kids in grades 4-6. Find this Willow nominated book in a library or book store near you. The Unquiet Past
When the home of an orphan named Tess, caught fire, it was finally time to leave her small town, and head to Quebec. She takes with her two items that could help her figure out who she really is; a phone number and an address. However with troubling visions following her everywhere she goes, she wonders if she inherited something terrible from her unknown parents. After finding out that the phone number was out of date, her only hopes remain in the address. She asks a strange man for a ride, and he agrees, only to end up kidnap her. Tess' only option is to run. She grabs her bags and jumps from the car, landing in a ditch. She barely escapes, having to leave her suitcase behind. As she drags herself to the place the address had led her, she sees the giant house, it looked like it had been abandoned for years. She makes it inside, and it looks less than welcoming. While investigating the house, she falls down through the floor, and can't find a way out. Will Tess escape? Will she find her parents? Find out in this stunning, suspense-filled novel written by Kelly Armstrong. This is an amazing novel. It is full of suspense and keeps you guessing. I like all the detail the author put into her work, and how there is no wait for the action to come. I would recommend this book for any grade 6-8 who likes suspense, action and mystery. It would be good for this age group because it is for a more mature audience, but good for teens and pre-teens. I don't think you can categorize this book into any genre, but many. Such as fantasy, suspense, mystery, and action. This Willow book nominee is available at your local library or book store. Frostbite Hotel
Book by-Karin Adams Review by-Jocelyn H. Kirby Katz has big dreams of becoming a successful businessman, trying to follow in the footsteps of his idol, William T. Williamson. However operating a snow-hotel in the schoolyard is very hard work. Besides, Brewster's Best Five Star Inn, a competing snow-hotel run by the Bear, the school's biggest bully is stealing all of Kirby's best ideas. Worst of all, other forts around the playground are calling themselves hotels too! As William T. Williamson always says in his many books, you should never worry about the other guy, but in all this playground drama, Kirby and his staff can't help it. Is there a spy on the loose at Frostbite Hotel? Could it be one of Kirby's best friends? This novel is an exciting story of friendship, bullying and forgiveness. It is best suited for grades 3-4 because the situations teach valuable lessons and the subject matter is probably more appealing to younger ages. The events are so realistic, when reading, you feel like you're a part of the action, right beside Kirby and his friends. Karin Adams has really outdone herself with the explanation of this excellent tale. It is an awesome book and I would definitely pick it as my vote for the Willow award. |
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