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THESE BOOKS ARE THE BEST OF THE BEST
By Holly E. Newton
Columbia Daily Tribune, MO
Oct 5 2006
September began my eighth year of reviewing children's books -
including seven years for the Tribune. I thought it would be
appropriate to go back over my many reviews and select my favorites.
This was difficult, as I only pick the best books to review anyway.
However, after much deliberation, I came up with a good mix of genres.
"Dolphin Adventure" by Wayne Grover is a small chapter book about
an exciting adventure that actually happened to the author. After
deep-sea diving, Grover encounters a family of dolphins. What awaits
him will take your breath away.
"Lincoln - A Photobiography" by Jim Murphy takes you through President
Abrham Lincoln's life, especially during his presidency.
The photos throughout are amazing, especially the pictures showing
the stress on the president's face during the Civil War.
All of the "Harry Potter" books by J.K. Rowling. Rarely have I come
across a writer better able to weave a mystery inside a fantasy that
is also rich in language for all to enjoy.
"Seedfolks" by Paul Fleischman begins with one child planting a seed
in an overgrown and dumpy area in a city. What you soon discover
is that each chapter, even though they are about different tenants,
become intertwined, like the seeds they plant.
"Holes" by Louis Sacchar is such an outstanding mystery. Too bad they
made a movie based on it because now many won't want to read it.
"Insectlopedia," written and illustrated by Douglas Florian, is an
ingenious poetry book where many of the poems become the shape of
the insect.
"A Picnic in October" by Eve Bunting is a beautiful picture book
about a family coming to Ellis Island each October to commemorate
their ancestors' arrival to America.
"Forgotten Fire" by Adam Bagdasarian is about the author's relatives
and his struggle with a little-known chapter of history, the
extermination of the Armenians in Turkey during World War II.
"Guts" by Gary Paulsen is an autobiographical account of this famous
adventurer/author and his incredible experiences, of which he wrote
about in many of his books.
"Shipwreck At the Bottom of the World" by Jennifer Armstrong is
a non-fiction account of Ernest Shackleton in 1914, and the ship
Endurance, and how he and his crew barely survived while trying to
be the first to circumnavigate the South Pole.
"Inkheart" by Cornelia Funk is another mystery fantasy by an author
comparable with Rowling. This story not only celebrates reading, but
it also has the characters come to life as well as main characters
falling inside the pages.
"The Water Hole" by Graeme Base is an extraordinary picture book that
begins with a large African pool of water that's cut out in the book.
Each page has animals from different environments drinking, and the
hole becomes smaller and smaller as you read the book.
"Rocks in His Head" by Carol Ois Hurst is based on her father's life.
This is an inspiring picture book about how a man who lost
everything during the Great Depression rose above and beyond anyone's
expectations.
"Hachiko Waits" by Leslea Newman tells the true story of a dog who
waits for seven years in a train station for his owner to return -
even after the owner dies.
"Dinosaur - Encyclopedia Prehistorica" by Robert Sabuda and Matthew
Reinhart is one of the best pop-out books ever published. There are
more pop-outs and information on every page than you can imagine.
Holly E. Newton, M.A., has taught kindergarten through seventh
grades. She has five children and is working on reading every great
book for kids. See her Web site at www.geocities.com/newtonsbook.
By Holly E. Newton
Columbia Daily Tribune, MO
Oct 5 2006
September began my eighth year of reviewing children's books -
including seven years for the Tribune. I thought it would be
appropriate to go back over my many reviews and select my favorites.
This was difficult, as I only pick the best books to review anyway.
However, after much deliberation, I came up with a good mix of genres.
"Dolphin Adventure" by Wayne Grover is a small chapter book about
an exciting adventure that actually happened to the author. After
deep-sea diving, Grover encounters a family of dolphins. What awaits
him will take your breath away.
"Lincoln - A Photobiography" by Jim Murphy takes you through President
Abrham Lincoln's life, especially during his presidency.
The photos throughout are amazing, especially the pictures showing
the stress on the president's face during the Civil War.
All of the "Harry Potter" books by J.K. Rowling. Rarely have I come
across a writer better able to weave a mystery inside a fantasy that
is also rich in language for all to enjoy.
"Seedfolks" by Paul Fleischman begins with one child planting a seed
in an overgrown and dumpy area in a city. What you soon discover
is that each chapter, even though they are about different tenants,
become intertwined, like the seeds they plant.
"Holes" by Louis Sacchar is such an outstanding mystery. Too bad they
made a movie based on it because now many won't want to read it.
"Insectlopedia," written and illustrated by Douglas Florian, is an
ingenious poetry book where many of the poems become the shape of
the insect.
"A Picnic in October" by Eve Bunting is a beautiful picture book
about a family coming to Ellis Island each October to commemorate
their ancestors' arrival to America.
"Forgotten Fire" by Adam Bagdasarian is about the author's relatives
and his struggle with a little-known chapter of history, the
extermination of the Armenians in Turkey during World War II.
"Guts" by Gary Paulsen is an autobiographical account of this famous
adventurer/author and his incredible experiences, of which he wrote
about in many of his books.
"Shipwreck At the Bottom of the World" by Jennifer Armstrong is
a non-fiction account of Ernest Shackleton in 1914, and the ship
Endurance, and how he and his crew barely survived while trying to
be the first to circumnavigate the South Pole.
"Inkheart" by Cornelia Funk is another mystery fantasy by an author
comparable with Rowling. This story not only celebrates reading, but
it also has the characters come to life as well as main characters
falling inside the pages.
"The Water Hole" by Graeme Base is an extraordinary picture book that
begins with a large African pool of water that's cut out in the book.
Each page has animals from different environments drinking, and the
hole becomes smaller and smaller as you read the book.
"Rocks in His Head" by Carol Ois Hurst is based on her father's life.
This is an inspiring picture book about how a man who lost
everything during the Great Depression rose above and beyond anyone's
expectations.
"Hachiko Waits" by Leslea Newman tells the true story of a dog who
waits for seven years in a train station for his owner to return -
even after the owner dies.
"Dinosaur - Encyclopedia Prehistorica" by Robert Sabuda and Matthew
Reinhart is one of the best pop-out books ever published. There are
more pop-outs and information on every page than you can imagine.
Holly E. Newton, M.A., has taught kindergarten through seventh
grades. She has five children and is working on reading every great
book for kids. See her Web site at www.geocities.com/newtonsbook.