Ninth grader Philip Malloy's habit of humming along with 'The Star Spangled Banner' instead of standing 'at respectful, silent attention' during homeroom, winds up getting him a two-day suspension. Told through school memos, news clips, letters, and diary entries, this conflict between teacher and student escalates into a national news story about First Amendment issues.

Reviewed by: sc

Date read: 4/29/2009

ISBN-10: 038071907X

ISBN-13: 9780380719075

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After World II, sixth-grader Norm loved to play baseball and to look at the new cars that were being produced in 1946. His parents owned a small store with a fresh meat department. Norm's father was the butcher. Sometimes Norm needed to help out in the store which leads to the plot of the story because he had an accident in the meat department. Norm has a best friend, Leon, who is opposite in character to Norm. Their friendship is an important part of the story and how Leon helps Norm overcome the effects of the accident. Ellie surprises Norm by being more than a pesky little sister. Norm gains new appreciation for his mother's strength and his father's feelings.

Awards nominated: Rebecca Caudill Award Nominee 2012

Reviewed by: cjones

Date read: 5/9/2011

ISBN-10: 0805079009

ISBN-13: 9780805079005

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Fans of the Ranger's Apprentice series will love this new series by the same author. From the time Hal is young, he is known as an outsider since his father, a warrior, was killed on a mission, and his mother was born in another region. When the time for Brotherband training arrives, the time when young men are trained to become warriors, Hal and a band of other misfits form a team. Not the most powerful or the most popular boys, they draw on their ingenuity to compete in a series of tests of strength, teamwork and agility for a chance to emerge as a winning team. While this book has a slow start with lengthy descriptions of the making and sailing of a boat, the action heats up when the boys enter Brotherband training and continues to a finish that will have readers eager to find out what happens next.

Awards nominated: Rebecca Caudill Award

Awards nominated: 2014 Rebecca Caudill Nominee

Reviewed by: emc

Date read: 6/8/2013

ISBN-10: 9780399256196

ISBN-13: 9780399256196

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When eight-year-old Owen is old enough to join the town soccer league, he talks his best friend, Joseph, into joining with him. Trouble begins when Owen learns that Joseph cannot play very well, and they find that all the other kids on the team seem to be bigger, older, and even better at soccer than Owen. Owen and Joseph face a test of their game skills, and their friendship. If you enjoy this one, look for other books featuring Owen Foote.

Reviewed by: sc

Date read: 4/29/2009

ISBN-10: 0395861438

ISBN-13: 9780395861431

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In 'Papa's Mark' by Gwnedolyn Battle-Lavert, Simms and his Papa knew how important the right to vote was to a black man living in the south during the 1960's. 'America could change for the better if all people had a say in the running of it,' was the consensus of the black community living in Lamar County. Even though the Fifteenth Amendment of the Constitution protected the rights of all people to vote, many restrictions were adopted in the southern states to make it impossible for members of the black community to exercise their rights. Gang violence, voting taxes, and literacy tests were obstacles instituted by many white communities to prevent the African-Americans from voting. So when Simm's Papa was able (after many nights of practice) to sign his own name at the voting booth, Samuel T. Blow could feel the winds of change shaping a newer and brighter America.

Similar authors: Deborah Wiles; Jacqueline Woodson;

Similar books: Freedom Summer by Deborah Wiles; The Other side by Jacqueline Woodson; Goin' Someplace Special by Pat McKissack; Pop's Bridge by Eve Bunting; Coolies by Yin

Reviewed by: mb

Date read: 8/1/2011

ISBN-10: 082341650X

ISBN-13: 9780823416509

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