The Children's Hour - Children's Book Reviews - Third-Fifth Grade

CHILDREN'S BOOK REVIEWS
THIRD - FIFTH GRADES
NOTABLE BOOKS 2005

Third-Fifth Grades

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THE FIREBIRD
retold/illus. by Demi, (Henry Holt, $7.95, ISBN 0-8050-7811-8), 32p, Ages 6-10.
Reissued in paperback, this well-known Russian favorite tells the legend of a young archer who must undertake a series of difficult tasks to win the hand of the lovely Princess Vassilissa. With the aid of his magical horse, Dimitri fulfills the tsar's requests and wins the hand of the princess. Demi's illustrations are exquisite.

RUNNY BABBIT: A BILLY SOOK
written/illus. by Shel Silverstein, (HarperCollins, $17.99, ISBN 0-06-025653-2), 96p, Ages 8+.
Completed before his death, Silverstein's clever rhymes, spoonerisms and wordplay poems challenge the reader, as well as the listener - "Runny Babbit lent to wunch and heard the saitress way…."

CRICKWING
written/illus. by Janell Cannon, (Voyager Books, Paper $7.00, ISBN 0-15-205061-2, Harcourt Children's Books 2000, HC $16.00, ISBN 0-15-201790-9), 48p, Ages 6-9.
A small cockroach, with a slightly bent wing, tries to avoid the forest predators while scavenging for food. Angry at the larger creatures for stealing his food, Crickwing picks on the leafcutter ants. With a change of heart, he decides to help rather than hurt the small ants and in the process, he becomes a hero.

TURTLE TIDE: THE WAYS OF SEA TURTLES
written by Stephen R. Swinburne, illus. by Bruce Hiscock, (Boyds Mills Press, $15.95, ISBN 1-59078-081-7), 32p, Ages 7+.
After a mother sea turtle swims to shore, lays her hundred eggs, the hatchlings fight for survival begins. Many of the eggs provide food for raccoons that prowl the dunes. As the hatchlings scurry to the sea, some are stopped by crabs and herons. Upon reaching the water, sand sharks and gulls grab at them. Eventually one lone turtle survives and heads out to sea.

SONG OF THE WATER BOATMAN & OTHER POND POEMS
written by Joyce Sidman, illus. by Beckie Prange, (Houghton Mifflin & Co., $16.00, ISBN 0-618-13547-2), 32p, Ages 5-9.
Teeming with life and surprises, the pond is a dramatic place. This collection of poems takes a closer look at the animals, insects, and plants that call these wetlands home, with accompanying information on each.

FRIENDSHIP ACCORDING TO HUMPHREY
written by Betty G. Birney, (G. P. Putnam's Sons, $14.99, ISBN 0-399-24264-3), 160p, Ages 8-11.
In this sequel to "The World According to Humphrey," the little industrious hamster, returns to Room 26 after Winter break, only to find a new class pet, Og the frog. Humphrey keeps a notebook as he analyzes, solves problems, and tries to make friends with Og. Each chapter ends with a quote or proverb about friendship.

FREDDY TO THE RESCUE: BOOK THREE IN THE GOLDEN HAMSTER SAGA
written by Dietlof Reiche, translated by John Brown, illus. by Joe Cepeda, (Scholastic Press, $16.95, ISBN 0-439-53157-8), 208p, Ages 8-11.
In the continuing adventures of the golden hamster Freddy, a tribe of field hamsters is in danger of being killed when an automobile plant is constructed on their land. Along with a wise tomcat and two guinea pig poets, Freddy takes on City Hall.

THE SEARCH FOR DELICIOUS
written/illus. by Natalie Babbitt, (Farrar, Straus & Giroux, Paper $5.95, ISBN 0-374-46536-3, 1969, HC $17.00, ISBN 0-374-36534-2), 176p, Ages 8-12.
Prime Minister DeCree must compile a dictionary for the King, however, no one in the castle can agree on the definition of "delicious." The King sends a twelve-year-old messenger to poll the citizenry, but Gaylen discovers that no one in the kingdom can agree either, and soon the land is on the brink of civil war. It is up to Gaylen to find a suitable definition.

THE QUILTMAKER'S JOURNEY
written by Jeff Brumbeau, illus. by Gail de Marcken, (Orchard Books, $17.95, ISBN 0-439-51219-0), 56p, Ages 7-10.
A wealthy and sheltered young woman seeks what lies beyond the walls of her town and finds a harsh world where poverty and disease exist. Deciding to help the poor, she makes beautiful quilts and gives them away to those in need, even though she is banished from her home and loses her wealth. A good story with themes of kindness, love, generosity.

THE VOYAGE OF THE POPPYKETTLE
written/illus. by Robert Ingpen, (minedition, $15.99, ISBN 0-698-40025-9), 48p, Ages 7+.
In ancient Peru, a community of miniature people lead a peaceful life until the Spanish invade and they must relocate. Transforming an old tea kettle into a ship, the Hairy Peruvians cross the ocean keeping watch for giant iguanas and Sea God El Nino. Ingpen's illustrations are marvelous in this modern Australian folktale.

THE JUNGLE BOOK: MOWGLI'S STORY
written by Rudyard Kipling, illus by Nicola Bayley, (Candlewick Press, $19.99, ISBN 0-7636-2317-2), 160p, Ages 9-12.
Three stories of Mowgli, the man-cub, are presented in this fine unabridged edition. The first, Mowgli's Brother, relates to Mowgli's upbringing by wolves and the lessons learned from Baloo, the bear and Bagherra, the panther. The second story, Kaa's Hunting, surrounds his encounters with Kaa, the python and his kidnapping by the Monkey People. The third, Tiger!, Tiger!, involve his living in an Indian village and clash with the evil tiger, Shere Khan. The Jungle Book was first published in 1894.

JONATHAN SWIFT'S GULLIVER
written by Jonathan Swift, abridged by Martin Jenkins, illus. by Chris Riddell, (Candlewick Press, $ 19.99, ISBN 0-7636-2409-8), 144p, Ages 7+.
Abridged for younger children, this classic adventure still contains the original voyages to Lilliput, the land of small people, Brobdingnag, the land of giants, Laputa, where the inhabitants are hit on their heads to speak, Glubbdubdrib, the island of ghosts and magicians, and Houyhnhnms, where horses rule over people. The illustrations are splendid.

EAST O' THE SUN AND WEST O' THE MOON
translated by George Webbe Dasent, illus. by P.J. Lynch, (Candlewick Books, HC $16.99, ISBN 1-56402-049-5, Paper $6.99, ISBN 1-56402-437-7), 48p, Ages 7-12.
A romantic Norwegian fairy tale of a young girl who travels east of the sun and west of the moon to find her beloved. As with good fairy tales, there is a quest, a magic spell, strangers bearing gifts, an impossible road to travel, and, of course, good triumphing over evil. Reissued after 13 years, P. J. Lynch's illustrations are always marvelous.

THE PETERKINS' THANKSGIVING
adapted by Elizabeth Spurr, illus. by Wendy Anderson Halperin, (Antheneum Books, $17.95, ISBN 0-689-84142-6), 32p, Ages 7-10.
The Peterkins' dinner is delayed when the turkey dinner becomes stuck in the dumbwaiter on route from the kitchen to the dinner table. This endearing but eccentric family decides to call the carpenter, who tells them that the problem was the weight. Mrs. Peterkins' reply - "I've never waited so long for any meal."

WHERE DID THEY HIDE MY PRESENTS? SILLY DILLY CHRISTMAS SONGS
written by Alan Katz, illus. by David Catrow, (McElderry Books, $15.99, ISBN 0-689-86214-8), 32p, Ages 7-10.
In this zany book, new titles and words are substituted for well-known Christmas tunes. The title is sung to the tune of "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer." From shopping and family get-togethers to decorating the tree, children and adults will love this craziness.

A LITTLE HOUSE CHRISTMAS TREASURY: FESTIVE HOLIDAY STORIES
written by Laura Ingalls Wilder, illus. by Garth Williams, (HarperCollins, $12.99, ISBN 0-06-076918-1), 144p, Ages 8-12.
Nine unabridged Christmas stories from the Little House books are presented in this holiday anthology. They describe the experiences of a pioneer girl and her family during various Christmases in the Big Woods of Wisconsin, on the prairie in Indian Territory, and on the banks of Plum Creek.

EGYPT IN SPECTACULAR CROSS-SECTION
written by Stewart Ross, illus. by Stephen Biesty, (Scholastic, $18.99, ISBN 0-439-74537-3), 32p, Ages 9-12.
Father and son set out on a thirty-day voyage down the Nile River during the reign of ancient Egyptian Pharaoh Ramses the Great in 1230 B.C. Each scene is shows a different part of ancient Egypt, the Elephantine harbor, the stone quarry at Gebel el-Silsila, the temples at Karnak, an underground tomb in The Valley of the Kings, and much more. The attention to detail is marvelous.

ACE LACEWING, BUG DETECTIVE
written/illus. by David Biedrzycki, (Charlesbridge, $15.95, ISBN 0-57091-569-5), 40p, Ages 5-10.
In Motham City, Queenie Bee has been kidnapped, and Ace is on the trail with the help of his butterfly gal, Doctor Xerces Blue and sidekick, police sergeant Zito, the mosquito. With numerous puns and wordplay, the assortment of insects are based on facts. "The roaches said of course they ran from the scene of the crime - it was their nature to scatter when the lights go on."

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