Children & early adolescent literature database (1990 to 1999)

picture book concept book alphabet book animals frog

Excellent picture book with torn paper pictures of 12 common North AMerican birds. Guide beginning guide to watch birds in your neighborhood.

Birds include: American Robin, Blue Jay, Northern Cardinal, House Wren, Red-headed Woodpecker, Red Winged Blackbird, Northern Oriole, Mourning Dove, Northern Flicker, Ruby-throated Hummingbird, House Sparrow, & American Goldfinch.

A collection of 15 Native American stories about animals with related activities for children to promote responsible stewardship toward all animals on Earth, including humans.

It is an interdisciplinary program of study about animals, culture, ecology, environmental issues, and sustainability. Activities include art, theater, reading, writing, science, social studies, math, and sensory awareness.

A story about a black American inventor.

Elijah McCoy, son of a fugitive slaves who settles in Ontario, Canada, where Elijah is born in 1844. Elijah love to take things apart and put them back together led him to Scotland where he becomes an engineer. He goes to the United States after the Civil War, where the only job he can get is as a fireman with a train company. The story continues with his life, inventions 50 patents, community involvement.

picture book concept book

nonfiction science reptile animals

A novel that draws readers into it with determination to explain what is happening and to use all available means to discover along with Jonas the workings of the community. What is going on? Does Jonas have special powers? are they gifts or not? Can he change or is change impossible? What must he do to have his freedom? Must he escape or adapt? What are possibilities of a better future depending on the choices he makes?

Main character - Jonas
Supporting characters - Mother, Father, Lily, Ascher - best friend
Setting - future, small modern town
Point of view - third with many quotes where Jonas uses I in the beginning of the story.
Plot -
Style -
Tone -
Other
Chapter 1
Jonas Starts with aircraft buzzing the community and wondering why - since it was against the rules and the pilot would be released - overwhelming statement of failure.
Sister - Lily; Best friend - Asher had to appologize to class for being late.
Author plays with words finding a word that accurately fits the occasion (apprehensive, distraught, distracted, apprehensive
Didn t know what animals were p only used for a person that was uneducated or clumsy, talk about lesser jobs, night crew, family units, two children - gender male and female.
Ceremony of twelve
Chapter 2
Talk of naming ceremony 50 if none released. Father breaking rule of calling child by name before naming ceremony. Narration about rule of bike riding not taken seriously, Ceremony of 12 last ceremony. Increased observations as would get assignment group for life job. Siter returns comments loing private conversation and she is waiting for her comfort object - elephant.

Chapter 3
Mirrors were forbidden. Lily comments on desire to be birthmother and her mother says don t say that, there is very little honor in it. Three years - three births and then hard labor. Jonas remembers apple and how he took and later appologized and there was an announcement about taking food. Also note about how it changed as he tossed it in the air - 4 times it happened.
Chapter 4
Jonas contemplating what his assignment might be. Thinks of classmate Benjamin - rehabillitation job as spent much time there. Went to House of Old where Asher and Fiona were. They celebrated a release that morning. Helped bath... Larissa. Rule not to look at another s nakedness - except newchild or old. Edna was birthmother and food processor. Tried to make life interesting, but not really. Not like Roberto s... Where did he GO? bowed to all of us and then walked, like the all do, through the special door in the releasing room.
Chapter 5
Morning ritual family members told dreams. Jonas, Fiona, bath house wanted her to take clothes off and get into tub.. his wanting feelings. Mom tells it is the Stirrings. Take pill. Knew friends did but didn t talk about because it might fall into the uncomfortable category of being different. Always better to talk about things that were the same.

Chapter 6
Naming ceremony. Gabe not there. Had been given another year of nurturing which was unusual as before the child would have been released. Fiona Bruno, Another got a replacement child Caleb - for Caleb who fell in the river... Very unusual, Ceremony of Loss, Murmur-of Replacement Ceremony. Lily - 8 jacket and first time pockets to show she was mature enough to keep trackof her own small belongings. Nines - bike; tens - hair cut; elevens clothes and calculator; 12 - Asher tells story of 12 wanted to be an engineer and got assigned a sanitation laborer; Jumped in the river and swam to the next community. The rules say you can apply for elsewhere and be released. Jonas wondered How could someone not fit in? The community was so meticulously ordered, the choices so carefully made. He was certain that the committee of elders would make the right decision.
Chapter 7
His number was 11-19 eleven years old and the 19 born of his birth group. Harriet was 11-19 at lunch as there would be two for a short time. Today is the day to honor your differences _ Chief Elder she said. Assignments begin. Talks of Asher learning to talk confuse smack with snack and discipline wand used till Asher stopped talking until began with greater precision. Asher director of recreation. thank you for your childhood. She skipped me, went to 20. Jonas bowed his head and searched through his mind, What had he done wrong?

Chapter 8
The audience was ill at ease. Jonas felt humiliation and terror. The Chief Elder says you feel I have made a mistake. I have caused you anxiety, I apologize. Jonas has not been assigned, he has been selected. Receiver of Memory. We failed in our last selection ten years ago. The Receiver-in-training cannot be observed, cannot be modified. Clearly stated in the rules. No dreams of uncertainty. You will be faced with pain of a magnitude that none of us here can comprehend because it is beyond our experience. Must have intelligence, integrity, courage, wisdom, and the capacity to see beyond. He wanted to ccry out that he was not the one, that they had chosen wrongly. But when he looked at the crowd, the thing with apple happened again. They changed. He blinked, and it was gone. He felt a tiny sliver of sureness for the first time. His heart swelled with gratitude and pride and at the same time filled with fear. He didn t know what his selction meant, what he was to become, or what would become of him.
Chapter 9

Picture book with musical verses for a banyard dance with the barnyard animals as partners. Stomp your feet! Clap your hands! Everybody ready for a barnyard dance!

Animals include: horse, cow, pig, bunny, duck, chickens, mice, donkey, sheep, chicks,turkey, frog, dog, and some of the sounds they make.

2008 edition had CD single with the song - audio on sound cloud

A story told through the eyes of a White soldier about how a young black soldier rescues him. Explores the injustices of slavery and the senselessness of war. Highly emotional masterful retelling of a true story.

Other books by Polacco:

• The Butterfly (
• Junkyard Wonders
• Chicken Sunday
• Mrs. Katz and Tush (1992)
• The Keeping Quilt (1988)
• Picnic At Mudsock Meadow (1992)
• Thunder Cake (1990)
• Thank you, Mr. Falker (1998)
  

Picture book written in verse where a younger boy tells his view of the story of an adolescent boy who committed suicide who he knew, but never knew his name.

Sheldon Greenberg illustrated it with oil paints and captures the moods of the story in style and color.

A powerful story of the inhumanity that going about our lives everyday can create.

A collection of Native American stories with related nighttime activities for children to promote responsible stewardship toward the Earth and its inhabitants.

It is an interdisciplinary program of study about and with nighttime activities, culture, ecology, environmental issues, and sustainability. Activities include art, theater, reading, writing, science, social studies, math, and sensory awareness.

The first in a trilogy (The Dark Materials - 1. The Golden Compass, 2. The Subtle Knife & 3. The Amber Spyglass) is an epic fantasy with witches, talking bear kings and a daemon for each person in animal form representing the inner self or souls. Pullman begins his story in Oxford England at a time when England was supreme, starting the industrial revolution, politically powerful government, church, and educational center of the world. Within this setting Lyra is coming of age; expanding her explorations into the organizations that vie to rule the world - government and religion. How people can be good and evil, how they conduct themselves, make choices and what should be her role in her life and death.

His Dark Materials Book 1

• Lyra Belacqua (Silvertongue) and her daemon Pantalaimon, hide in wardrobe listen...
• Discover - alethiometer, attempt on Lord Asriel (snow leopard) Uncle, to poison him, Thorold - Lord
• Asriel's butler
• Lord Asriel (snow leopard) Uncle,
• Master of Jordan College of Oxford
• Scholars: Librarian, Sub-Rector, Enquirer...
• Stanislaus Grumman expedition to find particles of dust...
• Barnard Stokes - postulated the existence of numerous other worlds
• Holy Church - two worlds heaven and hell
• King of Svalbard - bear king
• Serafina Pekkala - witch
• John Faa
• Farder Coram
• Ragnar Sturlusson
• Lee Scoresby
• Hester
• Panserbjorne, armored bears king Iofur Raknison
• Trelawney
• Gyptian families Little Tony Makarios was caught by the lady with the golden monkey
• Roger friend in kitchen
• Capture narrow boat, Ma Costa, Billy,
• General Oblation Board, Gobblers,

• Setting - Oxford, London, Muscovy far North, Lapland, Fortress at Svalbard,

Plot

Lyra Belacqua (Silvertongue) and her daemon Pantalaimon, hide in wardrobe listen... Discover - alethiometer and an attempt on Lord Asriel (snow leopard) Uncle, to poison him
Roger and Billy Costa are taken by Gobblers.
At dinner Lyra meets Mrs. Marisa Coulter (golden monkey) and is amazed by her. So when she is asked to go with her north and that she will take over her education, she wants to go. Her fear she won t be allowed is unfounded as she discovers Mrs. Coulter has some kind of influence on the Master so he agrees. Lyra is elated.
Before leaving the Master gives Lyra an alethiometer (Golden Compass) and tells her it can tell her the truth, but not how it works. Above all else don t let Mrs. Coulter know you have it.
Lyra goes shopping and generally likes the new arrangements until one day she is ordered to get rid of the bag she carries (has alethiometer in it) She refuses and Mrs. Coulter s monkey attacks Pan and she tells Lyra she will obey...
Lyra now hates Mrs. Coulter and searches her study and finds evidence she is involved with the Gobblers (General Oblation Board) the papers also list Roger and Billy among the taken. Then she catches the monkey trying to steal the alethiometer.
Pan gets it back and they escape out an upstairs window.
No sooner than Lyra runs away that she is caught in a Gobbler s throwing net,
However, she is saved by the Gyptians.
Lyra travels with the Gyptians and meets - Tony Costa, deadmen s daemons faded, John Faa, ropings, Farder Coram/seer, Learn - mom dad still alive and dad killed Edward Coulter...

They are forming a party to rescue the children. Lord Asriel 135 helped Gyptians... How to use the alethiometer, create party...
Farder Coram wants to find Serafina Pekkala, a witch. Who tells Lyra she is part of a prophecy involving the fate of the world, and where the children are being held, and she should employ the armored bear Iorek Byrnison Svalbard bear King. Meets Lee Scoresby aeronaut, discovers a bear s armor is his soul and Lyra happened to know where the armor was... little boy with fish Ratter...
Bolvanger
Attacked by Tartars arrows... Lyra captured taken to experimental station, meet other children, touch your daemons, cut, Roger rescue, find daemons and release with help of goose, fire drill, Mrs. Coulter arrives finds Lyra, looks for alethiometer, finds soldered tin with spy-fly attack, Lyra runs, fire alarm, fire... escape, Gyptians and Iorek Byrnison arrive...
Kids safe Gyptians laid waste to Bolvanger meet Serafina Pekkala balloon to Lord Asriel at Svalbard.
Balloon to Svalbard. attacked by cliff-ghasts, Lyra captured by bears and taken to Iofur Raknison. Dungeon, spins tale to tell Iofur to get him to challenge Iorek to fight for kingdom. Iorek becomes king, release all prisoners...
Iorek Byrnison - takes Lyra to where father is held prisoner. Meet...
Father leaves with supplies and Roger heading for bridge.
What he needed was a child and she had brought him Roger.
No wonder when he first saw her he was so bewildered.
Iorek and his bears take Lyra.
Zepplin and troops follow, battle, flame thrower sets Zepplin ablaze...
Sees her parents talk, mother refuses to go and she is in tears,
Father leaves to destroy dust or stop it affecting people, if they think dust is bad, it must be good... We believed them that it was bad but what if it s -
We got it wrong with Roger we won t get it wrong again.
Walks into the sky...

His dark material book 2

Will takes mom to Mrs. Cooper (piano teacher).
Men come to get green leather writing case. Crash into one falls downstairs and thinks he killed him.
His father (John Parry) vanished long ago (adventurer explorer).
Looking for some place to hide, sees cat vanish, discovers window.
Meets Lyra Sivertongue, who asks where his daemon is. Since can t see decides his must be inside him or he wouldn t be human.
The alethiometer tells her he is a murderer and she felt safe with him.
Serafina Pekkala, witch, Kaisa snow goose daemon.
Mrs. Coulter asked Fra Pavel who had another alethiometer what would happen... She tortured a witch to find what was predicted for Lyra, Serafina killed her to stop her suffering and left to find Lord Asriel to find what was happening. Talks to his servant, Thorold, who thinks he is going to kill the Authority of the church. Meets Mr. Scoresby, Texan/ Hester hare daemon, and asks him to join witches council as they decide what to do. Queen of Latvian witches Ruta Skadi. At council they say Lyra is the chosen one. She chose the right cloud-pinne spray at Dr. Lanselius.
Fly north and to another world to find Lyra.

Lyra dreams about Stanislaus Grumman, that he wasn t dead and it wasn t his head her father showed.
Discovers there are at least three worlds as City in is Cittagazze and full of Specters. Also gang (Angelica, Paolo, Tullio...)
Go to Will s world where she pretends to be his sister, Lizzie Random
Finds Dr. Malone who is working on dark matter - Dust finds that it is around some old skulls in museum and man sees she has the alethiometer...
Read Will s father s letters and see that he found a window in the Arctic.
Lee Scoresby and witches travel till see Specters attack... Find what they are and find that Lord Asriel is building a fortress at the top of the world connected to others.
Lyra discovers Sir Charles stole her alethiometer and wants the knife to give it back.
Go find the old bearer of the knife... Fight with Tullio ... cut two fingers off, kill him. Now Will is the knife bearer Giacomo Paradisi tells knife will cut anything, and teaches how to open windows and close them to other worlds before dieing. Knife made by the Guild of the Torre delgi Angeli and the Specters are their fault.
Use knife to steal alethiometer from Sir Charles.
Lee Scorsby looks for Grumman and finds Parry is him and that Parry summoned him with a ring of silver and turquoise of Navajo design. Parry wants Lee to get Lyra under the power of the knife. Go to get balloon and have to use the church ring from the dead Skraeling to get from
Lyra and Will were being attacked by the gang... Serafina s Kaisa and other witches saved the day... Try spell to heal Will s bleeding fingers.
Sir Charles Latrom finds Dr. Malone. Her partner, Oliver, wants to join Sir... who will continue funding if they get the alitheometer.. Dr. Malone no way. Goes to computer fixes, talks to dark matter and finds...249... She is to play serpent and tells to go to guarded window.... The specters will not harm you.

Go to Lord Asriel... witches unite... Lee, Grumman, witches, were found because of ring and attacked...
Lena Feldt watches as Mrs. Coulter puts poison into Carlo, Sir Charles drink... Then Mrs. C has specters capture Lena s daemon and they torture it to get it to tell that Lyra, Will, knife, and 20 witches are up the hill... Lyra is to be Eve the mother -she will disobey- she will... Mrs. C says I will have to destroy her, and later says this time she will not fail, I ll see to that. As Lena dies she realizes that living was hateful, and death was no better, and from end to end of the universe this was the first and last and only truth.
Stanislaus Grumman, Jopari, John Parry finds Will puts bloodmoss on fingers and tells of great war and that this time the right side must win.
You must go to Lord Asriel. Witch Juta Kamainen killed because she loved him and he scorned her. He was my father and neither knew until the second that you killed him. She kills herself.
Lyra was gone...

Out of the Dust is written in a mix of short lines, long lines, and blank lines that creates a unique rhythmic style and imagery that fits well with the historical dust bowl setting and suffocating tone of the harsh times and personal tragic events.

A long-legged red headed girl is born in 1920 and named Billie Jo Kelby, because her father wanted a boy. Fast forward to 1934 when she is 14 and the dust bowl begins its years long brutal attack of hardship interspersed with brief infrequent showers of rain to mock hope.

Karen's style and tone gives a glimpse of the suffering many endured during these times and the determination, ingenuity, and adaptability required for people, who did stay with the land until better times.

An interesting twist on the Cinderella story. Bewitched at birth by the fairy Lucinda whose spell makes her do exactly what she is told. Her mother dies and her indifferent father relies on her stepmother and two stepsisters to care for her. Ella is clever and full of desire to track down Lucinda and seek her freedom so she might discover who she really is. There are ogres, elves, a prince, and of course a fairy godmother. However, Levine twists the usual fairy tale female stereotypes and provides Ella enough moxie to take the usual stereotypical female role and twist and turn it to empower Ella and create relationships of mutual respect.

Lucinda put a spell on Ella so that she had to do what she was asked.

An interesting twist on the Cinderella story. Bewitched at birth by the fairy Lucinda whose spell makes her do exactly what she is told. Her mother dies and her indifferent father leaves her stepmother and two stepsisters care for her. Ella is clever and full of desire to track down Lucinda and seek her freedom so she might discover who she really is. There are ogres, elves, and a prince. However, Levine twist the usual fairy tale female stereotypes and provides Ella enough moxie to take unusual stereotypical female roles and twist and turn it to empower Ella and create relationships of mutual respect.

A Series of Unfortunate Events: The Bad Beginning contradicts the idea that children like or need stories with happy endings. The Snicket series certainly has disproved it with a series of bad ending books. Snicket not only writes his books with bad ending, but flaunts it by telling the reader at the beginning of the book and suggesting to stop reading and put it down. Again, Snicket warns the reader a few pages before the ending that if wont be a happy ending, stop because the ending wasn t happy. The warning are reliable.

Three Baudelaire children: Violet, Klaus, and Sunny. Executor of estate Mr. Poe found children at the beach and told them that their mansion burnt to the ground and their parents died.
Took to great Uncle, Count Olaf, owner of a theatre troope. Left next door with Justice Strauss. Count Olaf s house was dirty and they were all put into one small room with one bed for all. Eye on door and tatoo on Olaf s ankle. He wanted the inheritance, but it was in a trust fund until Violet bacame of age. No books, Klaus loved to read or anything else to do. Had to cook for ten people. Dinner went badly, Klaus was hit. Next day went to find bank with Mr. Poe. Can t do anything as he is loco parentis.
Count Olaf hatches a plan to trick Violet in a play The Marvelous Marriage to marry him. Borrow law books from Justice Strauss and discover his plot. Puts Sunny in cage and hangs from top of house. Threatens to release it unless she cooperates. Violet makes a grapling hook and climbs up only to find the Count and some of his accomplices. She signs the marriage document with her left hand. Must be signed in the bride s own hand. Mr. Poe will not let them stay with him... arrest him... Oh good we can stay with Justice Strauss. Lights go out, Olaf tells Vilet he will get her fortune and kill her and her siblings. When the lights came back on he was gone. Let s go... Can t says Mr. Poe your parent s will says you must be adopted by a relative.
Author warned a few pages earlier if wont be a happy ending, stop because the ending wasn t happy. Also warned at the beginning of the book. The warning was reliable.