Gregor the Overlander by Suzanne Collins

Collins, S. (2004). Gregor the Overlander. New York: Scholastic.

Summary: A New York kid named Gregor falls out of his laundry room into a bizarre below ground world called the Underland. Gregor and his younger sister Boots go on an adventure in this Underland. They encounter giant talking creatures such as spiders, cockroaches, bats, and rats. Gregor finds out that he is part of a prophecy that foretells of his coming to the Underland.

Evaluation criteria: Setting/Theme - In Gregor the Overlander the setting is set in a bizarre underneath world called the Underland. Here his sister and Gregor encounter these giant creatures that have formed a society. The theme for this book indicates that one does not always have to go looking for adventure sometimes adventure finds you.

Gregor's book series by Suzanne Collins:

Good Masters! Sweet Ladies! Voices from a Medieval Village by Laura Amy Schmitz

Schlitz, L. A., (2007). Good Masters! Sweet Ladies!: Voices from a medieval village. Cambridge, Mass.: Candlewick Press.

The book Good masters! Sweet Ladies! by Amy Schlitz brings an uncommon look on medieval times and the potential characters that could have lived in villages during these times. There are seventeen characters in Schlitz’s book in monologues which creates a theater like setting. Each character has a monologue in a poetic style which also incorporates music. Students who read this book would enjoy this read more if they were able to play the role of one of the characters or change it into a drama. Although some students may have trouble expressing themselves to the plot of the stories if they do not have some background of the Middle Ages. The reader reads about the seventeen characters and their everyday lives, jobs, struggles, and lifestyles. This book’s best potential is to be interactive like acting it out or reading it aloud because at first glance it may not be an enticing book to students.

Books by Laura Amy Schlitz:

The Watsons go to Birmingham, 1963 by Christopher Paul Curtis

Curtis, C. P., (2001). The Watsons go to Birmingham, 1963. New York: Delacorte.

The book The Watsons go to Birmingham is set in the early 1960s in the South where segregation and the Civil Rights Movement are occurring. For people who have never struggled for equal rights and through segregation this story’s characters perceive these feelings throughout the book. As the reader reads this book they can only imagine what people went through during this time, the characters experience so many incidents throughout the book. You have big brother Byron who bullies his younger brother Kenny, Mr. and Mrs. Watson’s tough love, and sister Joey who tries to do what is right. The actions of the characters in this book put them in the deep south where they find themselves in the middle of all this anger and hatred. Due to these events going on in the South one of the members of the Watson family finds themselves in an awful situation that ultimately changes the lives of the whole family. Kenny being the protagonist overcomes tragedy and with support of his loved ones, appreciates not only his freedom but learns that after a tragedy there is always light at the end.

Books by Christopher Curtis:

Timmy Failure by Stephan Pastis

Pastis, S. (2010). Timmy Failure. New York: Candlewick Press.

Summary: Timmy Failure is possibly the best detective in the world. And every detective needs a partner such as Total a polar bear. Then there is the Failuremobile, his mother's segway. Timmy plans to have the best enterprise so his mother will not stress out about the bills anymore. Cute adventure in a comic book style.

Evaluation criteria: Style/Characters - Pastis's unique style of drawings and bold words catches the readers' attention as well as also paints a picture in the readers' mind. Timmy is the main character is this story, he does not care about school as much as he does about his detective agency.

Books in this series by Stephan Pastis:

Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson

Paterson, K. (1972). Bridge to Terabithia. New York: Crown.

Summary: Jess is a fifth grader who has pushed himself all summer to be the fastest fifth grader. Yet his triumph is taken away from Jess by his new neighbor. They become friends quickly and Leslie draws Jess into an imaginative world of Terabithia. They have fun until an unexpected tragedy occurs, Leslie dies.

Evaluation criteria: Characters/Plot - People who read this book can relate with the characters. Example Leslie is not afraid of the school bully while other characters like Jess are afraid. The characters are believable because kids act like this. As one becomes engaged in the book, we read that Jess practices all summer to be the fastest fifth grader. But has no knowledge that he never counted on his neighbor beating him.

Books by Katherine Paterson:

A Crooked Kind of Perfect by Linda Urban

Urban, L. (2009). A crooked kind of perfect. Orlando: Harcourt.

Summary: The character Zoe Elias has aspirations to be a musical prodigy. First though she has to get a grand piano but she ends up getting a wheeze bag organ. And the Perfectone D-60 comes with an old lesson book with old songs. Along with that problem Zoe has more like her mom who is always working, her dad who is afraid to leave the house and an unusual boy who follows her home on a daily basis.

Evaluation criteria: Style/Characters - Urban's style for this book is words or phrases for chapter titles  that relate to particular chapters. This gets the reader hooked to read on. The character Zoe is like any other young girl. She speaks to her parents like children talk to their parents now a days.

Books by Linda Urban:

Rules by Cynthia Lord

Lord, C. (2008). Rules. New York: Scholastic Press.

Summary: Catherine is a twelve year old girl who wants a average life. Yet she has a brother with autism and her family revolves around his disability. Throughout the years she has tried to teach her brother David proper manners to be in public. That is until she meets Jason and Kristi a new neighbor. Catherine's own behavior is shocking.

Evaluation criteria: Setting/Theme - Lord uses many settings in this book from a clinic to her neighborhood. The theme of this story is revealed at the end when Catherine is invited to a school dance by Jason and she does not care what others think.

Below is the book trailer for Rules by Cynthia Lord:

Out of My Mind by Sharon Draper

Draper, S. (2010). Out of my mind. New York: Atheneum Books for Young Readers.

Summary: Melody is not like most youngsters. She has a photographic memory, yet she can not walk or talk. She refuses to be represented by her cerebral palsy. She is smarter than most people would imagine. Melody gets integrated into general classes in school where she is treated cruelly. Then she gets a machine that lets her communicate.

Evaluation criteria: Setting/Theme - This book has an elementary school setting. The theme of this book is we should not judge a person by how they look. Melody may be physically disabled but is not mentally disabled.

Book trailer for Out Of My Mind:

Dear Mr. Henshaw by Beverly Clearly

Clearly, B., & Zelinsky, P. (1983). Dear Mr. Henshaw. New York: W. Morrow.

Summary: Leigh Botts is a second grader who loves to read books from his favorite author Mr. Boyd Henshaw. Through a school assignment Leigh ends up writing letters to Mr. Henshaw. At first Leigh does not like the rude replies from Mr. Henshaw, but it is just a way to have Leigh write. Four years later Leigh and Mr. Henshaw are still writing to each other. This writing helps Leigh spell and write better plus it allows him to feel better about life.

Evaluation criteria: Style/Plot - This book is written in letter and diary form. Half of the book are Leigh's letters to Mr. Henshaw and the remainder of the book is written in diary entires. The main character Leigh is like other children whose parents are divorced and rarely sees his father.

Books by Beverly Clearly: