The Story of Ruby Bridges

Title: “The Story of Ruby Bridges”

Author: Robert Cole

Genre: Picture Book

Publisher: Scholastic, Inc.

Copyright Date: 2004

Pages in Book: 32 pages

Reading Level: 4-8 years

Summary: The story of Ruby Bridges is an amazing one. Ruby is a young African American girl who is growing up in the 1960’s at the time where schools combined together, mixing white and black children together. Ruby passes the test, and is able to go to school. Unfortunately for her, the white children’s parents refuse to let their children go to class with her, and it is a long time before she even learns that there were white children in the school, just in different areas. Every day she is escorted to school by U.S. Guards, and the white parents and community are surrounding them, swearing and threatening her. At the end of the story, you find out that Ruby prays for them every day, and she risks her life to do it. After a while, some of the white families begin letting their children go to school with her, and she slowly begins to have classmates.

Reaction: I thought this was an amazing story, one of courage and strength. What an amazing girl she is, and what makes it even better is that the story is a true one. I find that she has so much courage, to stand up to all those white people, who are yelling and threatening to kill her. She had so much faith in her God, and she trusted in him completely. I love that.

Recommendation: I’d recommend this to any and every child. I thought it was such a cute story and one that every child needs to hear and read. Everyone can learn something new from this story.

Potential Problems/Conflicts: I didn’t see any problems with this story, and I don’t know how you could! It’s a non-fictional story, and therefore, even if you did have a problem with it, it’s not one that you could just change the ending. 

The Great Gilly Hopkins

Title: “The Great Gilly Hopkins”

Author: Katherine Paterson

Genre: Children’s Novel

Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers

Copyright Date: 1998

Pages in Book: 160 pages

Reading Level: 9-12 years

Summary: Gilly Hopkins is a younger girl (about 11 years old) who has gone from foster home to foster home, and because of this, she has many problems connecting with other people, very bitter, cynical and angry at the world. She moves in with her newest foster mother, Maime Trotter, and immediately she dislikes her. Gilly loves to bully the other children in the home, especially a young boy named William. She begins to struggle at confronting her own personal issues such as racism, as well as teaching William how to read, and defend himself against the bullies. One day, Gilly receives a postcard in the mail from her mother, whom she believes that cares for her very much and wants her back. Gilly steals money from Mr. Randolph’s personal stash, and tries to use it to buy a ticket to San Francisco but is soon picked up by the police. It isn’t until after this, that Gilly realizes how great she actually has it. Trotter soon becomes like a mother to her, William like a brother, and Mr. Rudolph like a uncle. Unfortunately, Gilly’s mother receives the letter that was sent to her several weeks before, and Gilly is uprooted and sent to live with her grandmother. Gilly gets so excited because her mother is coming to Virginia to visit, but her dreams are soon crushed as she learns that her mother doesn’t want her, nor does she intend to take her back to San Francisco with her. She calls up Trotter, and sadly learns that she can’t go back home to her. Heartbroken, Gilly sucks it up and decides to make the best of living with her grandmother.  

Reaction: I didn’t really like this book very much. Even though Gilly turned herself around, I feel like she went through a lot for such a young child, but then again, that’s reality. And honestly, I really didn’t like how the story ended. I would have much preferred that Gilly ends up with Trotter, and family that actually loves her.

Recommendation: Honestly, I wouldn’t recommend this story to anyone. I didn’t like it very much, and I didn’t think it was one that would leave the children happy and smiling. I felt like it was very depressing, and although this may happen to several children, I don’t think that they need to know about this at such a young age.

Potential Problems/Conflicts: My biggest problem with this story was that Gilly didn’t end up with the family that she loved at the end. She ended up with her grandmother, when she wanted to really be with Trotter, William and Mr. Rudolph. 

Stargirl

Title: Stargirl

Author: Jerry Spinelli                     

Genre: Realistic Fiction

Publisher: Knopf Books

Copyright Date:  2000

Pages in Book: 192 pages

Reading Level: Young Adult

Summary: This particular story is about a young girl named Susan moves to a new high school (Mica Area High School). She does everything out of the ordinary. She dresses up in different clothes, sings “Happy Birthday” to complete strangers, and she even cheers for both teams during school athletic games! There is a shy boy named Leo, who falls for Susan (or Stargirl). Soon Stargirl becomes extremely popular, and people are dying to be just like her. The most popular girl in school, Hillari Kimble, is very rude to Stargirl and refuses to include her in anything. It isn’t long before Stargirl is invited to join the cheerleading squad. The basketball team begins playing incredibly well, and Stargirl gets frustrated, and cheers for the other team (in addition to her team), something that she did before she became popular and on the cheerleading squad. Basketball play-offs come and go, and after losing horribly, the school blames Stargirl on the big loss and pretty much shuns her. Her only friends are Dori and Leo, who she begins dating. It soon becomes obvious to Leo that the couple is rejected from almost everyone at school, and he begs Stargirl to become “normal”. So she becomes consumed with dressing right and acting the way her peers act. The Ocotillo ball comes around, and Leo refuses to go. Stargirl goes to the dance alone, and once she walks onto the tennis courts everyone becomes instantly impressed and her popularity level begins to rise again. She asks the DJ to play the “Bunny Hop” and everyone at the dance (minus Hillari and Wayne) dance. Later on during the dance, Hillari slaps Stargirl across the face, and instead of retaliating, she kisses her on the cheek. After leaving the dance, Stargirl is never seen again.

Reaction: I thought this was a VERY cute book. It reminded me a lot of when I was younger and the struggle that I went through while in middle school. I think that a lot of teenagers would be able to connect with this book, and be able to see what it’s like for others and how they would react. I was really impressed with Stargirl and how she held her own. She never lost her cool, and it seems like she treated everyone exactly how she would want to be treated. I thought that this book was a good read, and one that I thoroughly enjoyed.

Recommendation: I’d recommend this book to children entering into middle school. Preferably girls though. I think that girls would be able to make a stronger connection to the main character (Stargirl) than the boys would.

Potential Problems/Conflicts: I didn’t see it so much as a problem as I saw it as disappointing, was when Hillari slapped Stargirl across the face. I don’t feel that that happens all that much, and when I did happen (even though Stargirl acted more mature), I felt bad for her, and wished that the author had let something else happen, instead of that slap. 

Morris's Disappearing Bag

Title: “Morris’s Disappearing Bag”

Author: Rosemary Wells

Genre: Picture Book

Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd.

Copyright Date:  1999

Pages in Book: 40 pages

Reading Level: 3-7 years

Summary: This is a story about a young rabbit named Morris, who gets a teddy bear for Christmas. His brother and sisters get a chemistry set, beauty products and a hockey puck and stick. The older bunnies all get to play with each other’s gifts, but they claim that Morris is too small and would ruin their presents. Upset, he finds another present that was unclaimed under the tree. He opens it up, and in it is a disappearing bag. He crawls in, and hides. His sisters and brother look all over for him. Once he comes out, they get so excited to use it. They let him play with their presents in exchange for letting them play in his bag.

Reaction: I thought this was a very cute book and I really enjoyed it! I liked how the bunnies were acting like literal people. They did everything that humans would do. And I even felt like they reacted in ways that children would react. It was a cute story, one that I think all children with siblings would be able to connect with. Rosemary Wells writes good books, and ones that I think all children should read.

Recommendation: I’d recommend this story to all children, but especially children from the recommended levels. It’s an easy read, and one that all would enjoy.

Potential Problems/Conflicts: I didn’t see any problems with this book. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and would want all kids to read it. 

Just What Mama Needs

Title: “Just What Mama Needs”

Author: Sharlee Glenn

Genre: Picture Book

Publisher: Harcourt Inc.

Copyright Date:  2008

Pages in Book: 32 pages

Reading Level: 4-8 years old

Summary: This book is about a little dog named Abby, who dresses up as a different character each day. She dresses up as a pirate, detective, cowgirl, witch, genie, queen, and herself. Each day she helped her mother accomplish tasks around the house, and did chores. At the end of the week, she became herself and went around doing things that she loved to do.

Reaction: I honestly thought that it was a very cute story, and it involved imagination and created fun ideas for the kids to act up as. I thought the story line was a fun one, and one that the children would thoroughly enjoy.

Recommendation: I’d recommend this story to younger children, but probably not eight year olds like the reading level claims. I thought that it wouldn’t be advanced enough for the eight year olds.  

Potential Problems/Conflicts: I didn’t have any problems with the book. I thought it was a cute one, and one that I would let my children read it.

Cowgirl Kate and Cocoa

Title: “Cowgirl Kate and Cocoa”

Author: Erica Silverman

Genre: Picture book

Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, Inc.

Copyright Date:  2005

Pages in Book: 39 pages

Reading Level: 6-9 years

Summary: This book is about two companions who do everything together. Cowgirl Kate goes through several cowgirl activities, and many of the times Cocoa is either hungry, or thirsty. They struggle through things, but in the end they work together and the things around the ranch/farm are finished.

Reaction: I thought it was a cute book, and definitely one that I would read to younger children. I felt like it was very repetitive, but young children would get a giggle out of what goes on. I liked the strong bond that Cowgirl Kate and Cocoa have.

Recommendation: I’d definitely recommend this book to children from the ages of 6-9. No older though. Even though it was a good book, it wasn’t my favorite and I’m not sure all children would appreciate it.

Potential Problems/Conflicts: The only problem that I had with the book was that it was repetitive. 

Granddad's Fishing Buddy

Title: Granddad’s Fishing Buddy

Author: Mary Quigley

Genre: Picture Book

Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd.

Copyright Date: 2007

Pages in Book: 29 pages

Reading Level: 4-8 years

Summary: A little girl named Sarah is over at her grandparents’ house, and she stays up all night, wanting to capture everything that goes on. She hears her granddad wake up, and get ready to go fishing. She convinces him to let her go with him, expecting to meet his fishing buddy. They fish around the lake, not catching anything. Then a blue heron skims across the lake, and granddad has Sarah row over to him. They begin catching several fish, as they follow the heron around the lake. It isn’t until later that Sarah realizes that granddad’s fishing partner is actually the heron.

Reaction: I thought this was actually a very cute book! I really enjoyed reading it, and I couldn’t figure out who his fishing partner was until she did! It captivated my attention, and I actually wanted to keep reading it. I think children of all ages would enjoy reading this book.

Recommendation: I would recommend this book to (like I said earlier) children of all ages. I think that out of all the messages that come across this book, the message of bonding and following what your elders say speaks the loudest. It’s a lesson that all the children should learn and enjoy reading about.

Potential Problems/Conflicts: I didn’t see any problems with this book. I thought it was well written, and enjoyable.