THE BOOK THIEF

1.    BIBLIOGRAPHY

Zusak, Markus. 2007. THE BOOK THIEF. New York: Alfred A. Knopf. ISBN 978-0-375-83100-3

2. PLOT SUMMARY

THE BOOK THIEF is a story narrated by Death himself. Death tells about the life of Liesel the orphan in Nazi Germany. Starting with the death of Liesel’s younger brother, this book is a dramatic telling of events surrounding Leisel, her new best friend and the different people in her poor neighborhood. A stranger eventually makes his way into the house and is hidden away in the basement because he is the worst thing you can be in Nazi Germany; he is Jewish. There are many twists and turns as Liesel grows up and matures during this volatile time in history and ends on a bittersweet note.

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS

The concept of Death narrating a story filled with such pain and remembrance of history told in a relatable way is very intriguing and fun to read. There are many historical details mixed in and a human element of feeling because of the amount of detail Death uses to retell Liesel’s thoughts and emotions. When the man under the stairs writes and illustrates a book for Liesel, Zusak incorporates the very rough drawings into the pages of this story and this gives THE BOOK THIEF a very nice intimate quality.

4. REVIEW EXCERPT(S)  

SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL: “Zusak not only creates a mesmerizing and original story but also writes with poetic syntax, causing readers to deliberate over phrases and lines, even as the action impels them forward. Death is not a sentimental storyteller, but he does attend to an array of satisfying details, giving Liesels story all the nuances of chance, folly, and fulfilled expectation that it deserves.”

BOOKMARKS MAGAZINE: “…The Book Thief "will be widely read and admired because it tells a story in which books become treasures." And, as we all know, "there's no arguing with a sentiment like that."

5. CONNECTIONS 

*This book is a way to introduce readers to topics like the Holocaust.

*Similar Books:

Boyne, John. THE BOY IN THE STRIPED PAJAMAS. ISBN 978-038575 1537 

WHEN YOU REACH ME

1.    BIBLIOGRAPHY

Stead, Rebecca. 2010. WHEN YOU REACH ME. New York, NY: Wendy Lamb Books. ISBN 978-0-385-73742-5

2. PLOT SUMMARY

Miranda is a sixth grade student with a best friend named Sal, but lately Sal doesn't want to spend time with Miranda and it all relates back to that one incident where a bigger kid punched Sal in the stomach. That one incident introduces Miranda to Marcus and from there the adventure begins. Miranda finds three notes hidden in places where no stranger could possibly have left them and they all have mysterious and ominous meanings. Through discovering new friends and renewing an old friendship Miranda learns an eye opening lesson about life and time.

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS

This book is a good read with drama, smiles and mystery. The story line seems innocuous to begin with and slowly develops into an intriguing story full of time travel pondering and a simple revelation at the end of the story. The story is very simple and could use more complexity and explanation of the character Marcus. All of the chapters are narrated by Miranda, but an improvement would be to provide a few chapters from the perspective of Marcus in different states of time; from youth to middle aged to homeless old man. There are no illustrations inside the book, but the outside cover is colorful and designed to look as a map of a city with pictures of different items mentioned in the book.

4. REVIEW EXCERPT(S)  

SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL: “As Miranda reminisces, the time sequencing is somewhat challenging, but in an intriguing way. The setting is consistently strong. The stores and even the streets–in Miranda's neighborhood act as physical entities and impact the plot in tangible ways. This unusual, thought-provoking mystery will appeal to several types of readers.”

AMAZON.COM REVIEW: “Rebecca Stead's poignant novel, When You Reach Me, captures the interior monologue and observations of kids who are starting to recognize and negotiate the complexities of friendship and family, class and identity.”

5. CONNECTIONS 

*This book is a great way to introduce friendship themes and the concept of time travel. 

*Similar Books:

L’Engle, Madeleine. A WRINKLE IN TIME. ISBN 978-0312367541

Fitzhugh, Louise. HARRIET THE SPY. ISBN 978-0440416791

LUNCH LADY AND THE AUTHOR VISIT VENDETTA

1.    BIBLIOGRAPHY

Krosoczka, Jarrett J. 2009. LUNCH LADY AND THE AUTHOR VISIT VENDETTA. New York, NY: Alfred A. Knopf, an imprint of Random House Children’s Books. ISBN 978-0-375-96094-9

2. PLOT SUMMARY

In this kitchen caper, Lunch lady and her fearless sidekick solve the crime of the missing gym teachers by identifying the true and devilish intentions of the famous author that recently visited their school. Lunch Lady is not alone in her crime fighting ways; she receives help from her sidekick and some unsuspecting students. From the moment the odd author shows up to Lunch Lady battling hoards of killer bunnies, Lunch lady knows that she is the one to stop this revenge seeking criminal.

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS

This short graphic novel is a quick and easy read with lots of mystery to draw the reader in. The hero of the story is Lunch Lady who works in the kitchens at a school by day and in her spare time she solves crime and defeats bad guys. This unique story line is funny and silly with a classic comic book feel and plenty of action. Large lettering and a simple color palate with precise pen strokes give a bold appearance to all of the illustrations and lettering making it easy for young readers to follow the story line.  

4. REVIEW EXCERPT(S)  

SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL: “The illustrator uses a fine line of pen and ink with touches of yellow. Balloon call-outs are large and clear and work well for beginning readers and those new to the graphic-novel format.”

BOOKLIST: “…unravel the mystery in this third entry in the three-tone graphic-novel series. Krosoczka has created a clever diversion this round, with appeal not just for kids but also for other children’s authors.”

5. CONNECTIONS 

*This book is a great way to help students bridge from picture books to chapter books.

*Similar Books:

Krosoczka, Jarrett J. LUNCH LADY AND THE CYBORG SUBSTITUTE. ISBN 978-0375846830

Cammuso, Frank. KNIGHTS OF THE LUNCH TABLE: NO. 1. ISBN 978-0439903226