The Truth According to Blue

I enjoyed this realistic fiction story on the Great Stone Face 21-22 list.  The main character Blue is looking forward to a summer hunting for the lost treasure her Pop Pop has told her belongs to the family from hundreds of years ago.  But when she gets paired with a new girl in town she fears those plans will be jeopardized.  It had just enough adventure and mystery in there to keep the readers engaged.  Blue also has diabetes and that added an interesting component to the story.   (FIC YOH)

Raising Lumie

I can think of several students who will love this sweet and touching story about raising a guide dog.  Olive is adjusting to  life with her half sister after her dad passed away.  When she is asked to raise a guide dog puppy, she jumps at the chance, even knowing that the dog will have to leave her and go to its person in need.  Her love for the pup and her willingness to sacrafice her feelings of loss for others was inspiring.  (FIC BAU) 

The Boy Who Failed Show and Tell

Another Great Stone Face nominee for 21-22, this one wasn't my favorite.  I found it lacking in a real story-line.  The main character had attention issues, so I wonder if the author tried to make the novel read that way.  He is a fourth grader, stuck with a horrible teacher who belittles him constantly.  She ultimately smacks him and he leaves that school and ends up, happily, in a great school with a wonderful teacher.   He plays the drums and has pet snakes, but I found neither detail integral to the story.  It was funny at times.   (FIC SON) 

Pine Island Home

This sweet realistic fiction story by Polly Horvath is on the Great Stone  Face list for 21-22.  Fiona and her sisters are taken in by their aunt in the woods of Canada after the death of their parents.  However, the aunt passes away before they arrive.  They settle in to her house, and try to survive on their own.  They have to keep their situation a secret or they will be split up.  So Fiona concocts a plan to enlist their new neighbor, a grumpy man who was in love with their aunt. In exchange for meals, he will pretend to be their guardian when needed.  You root for these sweet girls through the whole book.  The ending was unexpected and satisfying.  (FIC HOR)

Watercress

 

What a GORGEOUS picture book this is!  While driving along some fields, a Chinese-American couple stop and tell their kids to get out and help them harvest some watercress by the side of the road.  The daughter is mortified.  What if someone sees?  They get home and the parents cook it for dinner.  She won't eat it.  Her pouting encourages the mother to get up and show her a photo of her family, back in China, during a difficult time.  The frail boy, obviously starving in the photo, died.  It puts into perspective the parents' histories and struggles with poverty.  The girl realizes they may struggle, too, but she has all she needs.  The illustrations were breathtaking.  I would love to see this win the Caldecott.   (PIC WAN)