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Sofia’s Kids’ Corner: Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library by Chris Grabenstein

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Sofia is an 8-year-old brilliant reader who aspires to be a book reviewer. On select Saturdays, Sofia will share her favorite books with kids! She is one of the most well-read elementary schoolers that we know, so she is highly qualified for this role!

Dear readers,

Hi again, it’s me, Sofia Martinez. Today I am going to write about Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library by Chris Grabenstein. I chose to review this book because of the thrill and excitement it gave me reading it. It is for ages 8-12 and a chapter book.

Kyle usually hates libraries and isn’t that interested in the new library that his town is getting until his friend tells him it is being constructed by the world famous game maker Mr. Lemoncello! Guess what, there is a way to get into the library before anyone else! It is for any twelve year old that writes the best essay. Twelve winners will be picked out and get to spend the night at the library. Kyle is one of the winners and meets Mr. Lemoncello. Sorry, but it would be considered a crime to reveal more.

I really like this book because it is one of a kind and you never know what is happening next. It is one of a kind because no book I have ever read made a place into a really fun game. When I say game I mean a kind of board game where the figures are real people and there’s a real setting, even a timer! I hope you find this book as fun as I did.

I came across this book while I was looking through lists of award winning books. It caught my eye because it was in many of the lists. 

If you love this book just like I do, be sure to check out the other books in the series (I think the second one is called Mr. Lemoncello’s Library Olympics). Also, there is a movie called Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library on Netflix and probably on other platforms!!! I recommend both, reading the book and watching the movie, because the movie is a bit different from the book.

**Thank you, Sofia, for your continued brilliance. You inspire us!**

 

Sofia’s Kids’ Corner: Top Four Favorite Classic Starts

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Sofia is an 8-year-old brilliant reader who aspires to be a book reviewer. On select Saturdays, Sofia will share her favorite books with kids! She is one of the most well-read elementary schoolers that we know, so she is highly qualified for this role!

 

Dear readers,

It’s time for another recommendation from me, Sofia Martinez! Today I’ve decided to change things up a bit. Instead of just writing about one book, I’m going to write about my four favorite books in a series called Classic Starts.

First let me tell you a bit about the series. There are about 55 books in the Classic Starts series. I own about thirty of them and have borrowed some from the library. So I know a lot about the series. Classic Starts is a series that abridges classics and puts them in a language that the kids of today understand. If you do not know what classics are they are very well known books. They also have to be old. This book collection is recommended for ages 7-9. The Classic Starts books also have pictures.

The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes

This book is about the world famous detective Sherlock Holmes. The book contains six shortened mysteries. My favorite one is called The Adventure of the Speckled Band. I don’t want to spoil the story so I’ll leave it at that. After reading the abridged version I moved on and started reading the original with my dad. The abridged version is easier to read and they took the real important parts into the story.

The Secret Garden

Mary is a rich girl but then everybody in her house dies of a sickness except for her. So she moves to Mr. Craven’s house. When Mary discovers there is a secret garden she sets out to find it. She meets two boys that help her take care of the garden. One of them is Mr. Craven’s son.

Pollyanna

My third favorite book in the series is Pollyanna. When Pollyanna’s father dies she goes to live with her Aunt Polly. Aunt Polly is harsh to Pollyanna. Pollyanna keeps herself happy by playing a game that her father taught her, the just be glad game.

Little Women

I love this one so much I even watched the play and the movie (before the pandemic). Little Women is about the four March sisters. They are poor but have a kind heart. For example, one Christmas they give their breakfast to a family who couldn’t afford it. They face many challenges.

I love this series because it lets you experience classics that you would usually have to be older to read. It also gives you a good idea of what the original is about. You can also try out many without having to read a million pages to find out if you want to read the original version when you are older.

I have made a chart including most of the books that I’ve read under a few categories. I want to make it easier for you to find which books you might like. Don’t forget there are plenty more in the series.

Adventure
Anne of Green Gables
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes
Little Women
Pollyanna
The Secret Garden
The Adventures of Robin Hood
The Three Musketeers
Robinson Crusoe
Journey to the Center of the Earth
Treasure Island
Moby-Dick
The Swiss Family Robinson
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
Gulliver’s Travels
The Call of the Wild
White Fang
The Last of the Mohicans
20,000 Leagues under the Sea
Scary
Dracula
Frankenstein
Kindness
Little Women
Heidi
Five Little Peppers and How They Grew
Pollyanna
Survival
The Swiss Family Robinson
Robinson Crusoe
Around the World in 80 Days
Magic
Alice in Wonderland & Through the 
Looking-Glass
Peter Pan
Pinocchio
Animal
Black Beauty
Anne of Green Gables
Heidi
White Fang
The Call of the Wild

**Thank you, Sofia, for your continued brilliance. You inspire us!**

 

Ten Characters I Would Love to Meet by Brooke A., 7th grade

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Ten Characters I Would Love to Meet by Brooke A., 7th grade

10) Annabeth Chase from the Percy Jackson series: I would love to meet her because she is so smart and seems to be always ready for adventure.

9) Percy Jackson from the Percy Jackson series: Percy has dyslexia and I think it is cool how he shows that you can still have struggles and still be a hero!

8) Katiniss Everdeen from the Hunger Games series: I would love to meet her because she risks her life for her sister. I think she is super brave!

7) Harry Potter from the Harry Potter series: I think it would be cool to have him teach me some magic and how to play quidditch.

6) Hermione Granger is from the Harry Potter series: I would love to meet her because she is super smart and knows magic really well.

5) Goldilocks from the Land of Stories series: She is super adventurous and helps her friends defeat evil every time!  She cares so much about her family and will do anything to protect them.

4) Seth Sorenson is from the Fablehaven series: He is a little too adventurous for his own good. Even though he doesn’t listen very well, he still is a pretty big hero.

3) Kendra Sorenson is from the Fablehaven series:. It is easy for her to follow the rules, so she gets the job of watching her brother and making sure he doesn’t get into trouble. In the end she ends up saving everyone because she is so good at listening!

2) Alex Bailey is from the Land of Stories series: She loves reading. She is very powerful and she always wants to use her powers for good. She will do anything to help others around her.

1) Conner Bailey is from the Land of Stories series: He will do anything to protect his family and the rest of the world. He loves adventures and knows how to defeat evil! He believes in magic and he uses it for the good of others just like his sister does.

Thank you, Brooke, for sharing the characters you would like to meet!
Readers: Who would you like to meet?

Student Voices: Favorite Book Quotes by Duda V. and Angelina D., 8th grade

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Favorite Book Quotes from Duda V. and Angelina D., 8th grade

Duda

  1. “The heart is an arrow. It demands aim to land true.”– Leigh Bardugo, Six of Crows
  2. “Better terrible truths than kind lies.”  – Leigh Bardugo, Six of Crows
  3. “The way Gansey saw it was this: if you had a special knack for finding things, it meant you owed the world to look.”- Maggie Stiefvater, The Raven Boys
  4. “Like calls to like.” – Leigh Bardugo, Shadow and Bone
  5. “What we perceive as art, the universe perceives as directions.” – Neal Shusterman, Challenger Deep
  6. “You may be born into a family, but you walk into friendships. Some you’ll discover you should put behind you. Others are worth every risk.” – Adam Silvera, They Both Die at the End
  7. “There has to be more to life than just imagining a future for yourself. I can’t just wish for the future; I have to take risks to create it.” – Adam Silvera, They Both Die at the End
  8. Either way, we are going to bring beautiful things into the universe.” – Alice Oseman, Radio Silence
  9. “Everyone has a different way of escaping the dark stillness of their mind.” – Marie Lu, Warcoss
  10.  One must always be careful of books,” said Tessa, “and what is inside them, for words have the power to change us.” – Cassandra Clare, Clockwork Angel
  11. “Life is a book, and there are a thousand pages I have not read.” -Cassandra Clare, Clockwork Princess
  12. “I’m used to a world that sells me a lie and pretends it’s the truth.” – Scott Reintgen, Nyxia Unleashed
  13. “To be all right implies an impossible phase. We hope for mostly right on the best of our days.”– Marissa Meyer, Heartless
  14. “It is a dangerous thing to unbelieve something only because it frightens you.” – Marissa Meyer, Heartless
  15. “Soft hearts make the universe worth living in.”– Veronica Roth, Carve the Mark

Angelina:

  1. “Break my heart. Break it a thousand times if you like. It was only ever yours to break anyway.” ~Kiera Cass, The One
  2. “I’ll love you until my very last breath. Every beat of my heart is yours. I don’t want to die without you knowing that.” ~Kiera Cass, The One
  3. “There’s always room for love. Even if it’s as small as a crack in the door.” ~Kiera Cass, The Siren
  4. “The truth is what I make it. I could set this world on fire and call it rain.” ~Victoria Aveyard, Red Queen
  5. “Beauty can only fight the truth for so long…” ~Soman Chainani, The School for Good and Evil
  6. “You gave me a dead frog for my birthday! To remind you we all die and end up rotting underground eaten by maggots so we should enjoy our birthdays while we have them. I found it thoughtful.” ~Soman Chainani, The School for Good and Evil
  7. “Every locked door has a key. Every problem has a solution.” ~Marie Lu, Warcross
  8. “You mean people don’t like to see hypocrisy in their leadership? Shocking.” ~Marissa Meyer, Renegades
  9. “Even in the Future the Story Begins with Once Upon a Time.” ~Marissa Meyer, Cinder
  10. “A villain is a victim whose story hasn’t been told.” ~Chris Colfer, The Land of Stories
  11. “’I might be in love with you.’ He smiles a little. ‘I’m waiting until I’m sure to tell you, though.’” ~Veronica Roth, Divergent
  12. “I want to cry because something terrible happened, and I saw it, and I could not see a way to mend it.” ~Veronica Roth, Divergent
  13.  “Remember, we’re madly in love, so it’s alright to kiss me anytime you feel like it.” ~Suzanne Collins, The Hunger Games
  14. “I’ll never leave you. Love will keep us together. Or glue. Glue works too.” ~Rick Riordan, The Burning Maze
  15. “I give you my heart. I mean metaphorically. Put away that knife.” ~Rick Riordan, The Burning Maze

Thank you, Duda and Angelina, for these amazing quotes!

Sofia’s Kids’ Corner: Ban This Book by Alan Gratz

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Sofia is an 8-year-old brilliant reader who aspires to be a book reviewer. On select Saturdays, Sofia will share her favorite books with kids! She is one of the most well-read elementary schoolers that we know, so she is highly qualified for this role!

Ban This Book
Author: Alan Gratz
Published: August 29th 2017 by Starscape Books

Hi!

It’s Sofia Martinez again and I just finished reading this amazing book: Ban This Book by Alan Gratz. You definitely would not want to ban Ban This Book. It is for ages 8-12. Ban This Book won a 2020 Nutmeg Book Award in Connecticut. It is a chapter book.

Amy Ann’s favorite book is banned from the library along with others. She decides to make a locker library of all the banned books: the B.B.L.L, the banned books locker library, but when the principal finds out things start to get ugly. For example her favorite librarian gets fired trying to speak up for her. More things happen but I don’t want to be a spoiler.

I really like Ban This Book because it teaches courage. The girl in the book speaks up for her favorite book, something that I would have never done before I read this book. Another reason why I like Ban This Book is because it gives you ideas on what to read next. For example, From the mixed up files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E. L. Konigsburg and Matilda by Roald Dahl. The last reason why I like it is because it is very entertaining. I like how it seems real. For example, there are typical arguments with sisters and a bit of sadness and lots of happiness. 

A few months ago I was walking in the library and saw Ban This Book on the Nutmeg Book Award shelf and thought it looked nice so I checked it out. Once I got home I changed my mind about it and didn’t want to read it anymore. I put it back in the library bag and started reading some other books, but now I really regret that.

Here are some discussion questions I came up with.

  • Would you have spoken up for your favorite book?
  • Would you run away if you had annoying brothers or sisters? 
  • Did you like Ban This Book? Why or why not?
  • How much do you think Amy Anne likes books?

If you want a book that teaches you something even if you’re a grown up, Ban This Book is perfect. I hope you have tons of fun reading this book!

**Thank you, Sofia, for your continued brilliance. You inspire us!**

The Baby-Sitters Club Lives On

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When I was younger, I always liked reading, but it was The Baby-Sitters Club series that truly sucked me in. My parents made the wonderful mistake of saying they’d always buy me a book if I ask for it, and there are a lot of BSC books, so I read so many of them!

The Baby-Sitters Club taught me much more than the wonderful world of books though. Through the books, I learned about:

  • Baby-Sitting
  • Racism
  • Autism
  • Diabetes
  • Death
  • Divorce
  • Eating Disorders
  • Deafness and ASL
  • Asthma
  • Childhood Cancer
  • Crushes
  • Friendships
  • Being a Strong Girl
  • Acceptance of Different Personalities
  • And so much more!

I truly believe that the BSC is a big reason why I feel like I have a foundation of empathy and openness. The books also prompted me to copy many of their baby-sitting techniques such as an information sheet and a kid kit probably giving me a foundation of being an educator also.

The original Baby-Sitters Club books were published from 1986 to 2000 (with a few spin-off book series, a TV mini-series, and a movie during the same time period). Then they reemmerged through graphic novels in 2006. And now, on Netflix, a new TV series came out on July 3rd, and that is what prompted me to write this post.

The Netflix series exceeded my expectations. It was beautifully done. The series has taken what made the BSC books a favorite of millions and moved the story to 2020. In the 10 episodes that have come out, once again the BSC girls are teaching their viewers about so much, including about:

  • Sexism
  • Divorce
  • Friendship
  • Bullying
  • Diabetes
  • Stroke
  • Absent Parents
  • Consequences of Cheating
  • Transgender
  • Menstration
  • Economic Disparities
  • Unhealthy Crushes

All of that in just 10 episodes and with great writing and casting!
(See NYT’s article: The Baby-Sitters Club Defies and Exceeds Expecations)

I realize that sometimes we have to let go of the books we loved as a kid because of different reasons, but The Baby-Sitters Club has lived on. I hope they redo the books with just a few modernizations because the revival of the show shows that the stories still resonate with kids.

I will always be thankful for Ann M. Martin (who I met and cried!!!) and her characters for showing me about life, and I am so happy a new generation are going to love them too.

Student Voices: Seven Books that Will Put a Smile on Your Face by Cooper B., 7th Grade

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Seven Books (in no particular order) that Will Put a Smile on Your Face by Cooper B., 7th Grade

The War That Saved My Life by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley
This is a feels the good book is about a girl and her brother who runs away from her abusive mother to a new town who soon she will love.

Trevor Noah: Born A Crime by Trevor Noah
This is a memoir about a comedian who retells his life in South Africa. The book is hilarious and witty about Trevor’s not so smart things that he did as a boy.

The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
This is a feels good book about a farmer who goes to Egypt to find his true passion that does not involve his sheep.

Where The Sidewalk Ends by Shel Silverstein
A funny poem book about all things and everything.

Ethan Marcus Stands Up by Michele Weber Hurwitz
This is about Ethan Marcus who stands up for what he believes in. This will make your day with Marcus’s humor and devotion to what he believes in.

Ungifted by Gordan Korman
This is a book about Donovan Curtis who is reckless and is accidentally put in a gifted school and he tries to make new friends who are all way smarter than him. This book is funny, surprising, and great.

Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain
This is a hilarious classic book about kids getting into and out of trouble.

Thank you, Zack, for this inspiring piece!