This is a new experience for Robeson,  nicknamed Crease, because his trousers always have a  crease in them. His term is only for three days, but those three days will be most memorable. Also three other students  are in PSS , and each will have a profound effect on Crease. Pacino, a boy from a rough neighborhood; Tariq also from a rough situation  and an eighth grade girl named Rosilyn.  During their time in PSS each student is assigned a mindless task like folding and/or stapling.  The room monitor Mr Patt involves himself doing  puzzles on his MacBook.

Not much chance for interaction one might think; however soon the three boys find themselves on a collision course headed for sure tragedy.  The relationships both bad and good develop quickly and run into trouble way beyond the confined time of PSS. The plot moves swiftly and will absorb even a reluctant reader curious to discover who will come out unscathed.

Very solid story of school relationships and family life particularly in the inner city. Lots of twists and turns to keep young readers attention on the story.

This story centers on 13 year old Samuel and takes place in the British Colony of Pennsylvania. Samuel and his parents live on the frontier. They are probably “well educated” by frontier standards meaning they can read and write. Samuel is off hunting bear when he notices smoke coming for the general area of where his family and other settlers live.  By the time he races home, he finds most of the cabins burned and many of the inhabitants slaughtered.  His family was not among the corpses. He buries the dead and then determined to rescue his parents, he begins tracking the survivors.

This story, however, is not simply historical fiction.  Each chapter is preceded by a non-fiction page telling about the Revolutionary War and its consequences for the people in the colonies. This information places the story events in a historical setting and thusly provides an aura of authenticity to the story.  As in other Paulsen books, the adventures Samuel undergoes, as he rescues his parents and a young girl whose family and home he had witnessed being destroyed by English sympathizer Indians,  are breathtaking and quite suspenseful.

The book will have great appeal for young male readers familiar with this author’s previous works. I highly recommend this also for any social science unit on the Revolutionary War. Fast read only 164 pages.

Dewey has been left in charge of the family business, The Bike Barn. Older sister Lil has been accepted as a student at an art class for the summer so Dewey and his brother Vince are very busy.  Seems everyone is using bikes now that gasoline is impossible to obtain. Add a mysterious old codger neighbor, a helper who shows up one day, two policemen and a set of impetuous twins and the plot is off and running, or should I say pedaling.

The parents call in everyday to check on the family.  The shop becomes very busy and soon Dewey discovers someone has been pilfering the shop. The sister’s summer class is cancelled so she decides to paint her summer mural project on the barn side, add  customers galore and one has the ingredients for a fun filled adventure.

Author Connor is a master plot manipulator who gets readers quickly involved. As the plot gets more and more involved the lifelike characters with their distinct personalities come alive on the pages. There is even a hint at a budding romance at The Bike Barn. I know I would love to meet this family again as the children grow and get involved with life.

For visitors to New York City who have spent any time in Central Park, this story will have special relevance. In  March 1855 an article in the New York Daily Times warned citizens the city would be taking over a large area to make a park.  Much of the area was swampy and rocky and occupied by the lowest dregs of the city.  Also included was a little settlement called BLACK VILLAGE.

In this settlement author Hansen has set her delightful story of  Maria Peters and her family. The Peters family run a small general store which serves in the capacity of a community center.  Everything happening in the community  revolves around this shop and the village school and church.  Maria is the oldest daughter in her family and seems to excel in all school subjects except sewing.  Her promotion to becoming a “Monitor” is dependent on her showing ability to make a shirt.

There are so many other activities which keep Maria involved in village life.  She befriends a new classmate Anna. Anna finally confesses her parents have bought their freedom but Anna is still owned by a former miserable mistress. Slave catchers have been sent  North to rescue her property. viz Anna.  Maria is sworn to secrecy. Sojourner Truth is in the neighborhood and so Maria decides to contact her to arrange for Anna’s freedom.

The story is alive with suspense and humor.  Family life of the period is depicted with careful attention to details. School life is also covered with fun attention to classroom life in the period. The story does provide some hope for the family after their property is sold.

A new profound and beautifully illustrated book,  BEN AND THE EMANCIPATION PROCLAMATION by Pat Sherman, illustrated by Floyd Cooper (Eerdmans Publishing Co ,  2010, $16.99 ) is based on the true story of Benjamin Holmes.  Ben, a slave in Charleston, taught himself to read. At one point his master was a tailor who sent Ben on errands around the city. By politely asking white men if he was in the correct spot he learned his way about at the same time he was learning to read street and other signs.  As the Civil War neared Charleston, Ben’s master fled but not before he put Ben in a prison to await sale after things settled down.

While incarcerated some of the other prisoners bribed a guard and obtained the latest  copy of the CHARLESTON MERCURY, the local newspaper.  Ben read the Proclamation aloud to his fellow slave prisoners. This happened at a time in our history when slaves were not allowed to read.  Ben was inspired originally by his father who taught him the letters he later was able to combine into the words, names of streets he journeyed for his master.

One can only imagine the dramatic effect Ben’s reading must have had on the other imprisoned slaves. The effect that Floyd Cooper’s illustrations will have on today’s readers are immeasurable. I know I felt I was there with Ben the entire time I was reading his story.

The story opens with Rhea giving her son, Zeus, to an enchanted she-goat on the isle of Crete. Rhea tells that she fears  Zeus’ father Cronus will harm the baby boy.  On the isle Zeus has a happy childhood but when he questions why he has no playmates, he learns that Cronus, fearing he might be overthrown by one of his own children,  did away with all his siblings. His mother, Rhea, gives Zeus a stinky potion to use whenever he catches up with his father.  Eventually he finds Cronus sleeping and pours the potion into his open mouth. And while doing this Zeus sings, ” One, two, three, four, five,You swallowed my brothers and sisters alive.  Now drink this stuff — set them free! For I am ZEUS , you didn’t eat me!”  Zeus organizes everything and everyone. Thus he becomes ruler of heaven and earth.

It is a bit simplified, yes, but the story is there.  The artwork is splendid  and reinforces the irreverence beautifully.

Greek Mythology Zeus —  humorous retelling   elementary level

This story opens as eleven year old Fadi is staring out a cab backseat window one starry night.  Fadi, his parents and two sisters are fleeing from Kabul, Afghanistan,  heading to Jalalabad in the eastern part of the country.  Fadi’s father has given him a charge to watch over his six year old sister, Mariam. The taxi leaves the family at an abandoned site where they will be collected and taken the final part of their journey into Pakistan. When the truck arrives, other refugees hiding at the site rush to board.  Fadi refuses to put his sister’s Barbie doll in his jacket and in the confusion she slips out of his hand. She is swept into the crowd and, when they arrive, Mariam is not with them. She has been left behind.

After trying valiantly to locate the child, the family continues on its flight to America where they will seek asylum. Fadi is stricken with guilt over his minor role in the sister’s disappearance.

His father with a PHD in agriculture lands a job driving taxi; the older sister, Noor, starts working at MacDonalds and Fadi starts middle school in Freemont California. His mother is not well over worry about Mariam. As one might imagine Fadi faces multiple problems adjusting to school.  Conflicts arise and get resolved in a variety of ways

The particular importance of this book to me was in the blending of the coming of age of Fadi and the history of Afghanistan. At no time does the author ever interrupt the narrative to give the reader a history lesson. Instead history is brought out naturally as the characters talk, react to each other, and generally go about their daily living. Concerns over Osama, the Taliban , President Karzai  all surface especially after the terror attack in New York and Washington. Now the concerns over their Muslim faith  surfaces and must be confronted.

The story is captivating and will hold any readers’ interest. A Glossary of terms and suggested other writings are included at the end of the book. One writing in particular I know is very helpful in explaining the Taliban’s effect on the country.  Ellis, Deborah  PARVANA’S JOURNEY , Groundwood Books, 2004.   Appropriate for any reader grade 5 and up.

Needless to say this journey is fraught with dangers. Many of the dogs are older now and travel is very difficult. At one point in the story
an abandoned skate board is discovered and ultimately used to transport an ailing member. They make the trip safely through the intervention of their long standing friendship with a financially well-off semi- derelict old lady. She speaks dog language and is able to secure veterinary help for the injured leader shortly before they arrive at their new home.

During the leader’s absence, Waggit is forced to assume the role.  While he enjoys the adulation, he regrets terribly the loss of privacy. When the leader returns all healed and ready to resume his role, Waggit is happy and sets about exploring and searching for other lost and thrown away dogs.

The reader leaves each volume of this  series hopeful and happy.  The earlier books are WAGGIT’S TALE and WAGGIT’S AGAIN. These would make tremendous readalouds for grades 3 through 5 or even 6th. It is a series so well crafted with humor, suspense and loving characters .  If a child is breathing, I can almost guarantee he/she will fall in love completely with Waggit.

The nuns run the facility with iron gloves and offer little sympathy to the girls. To earn money for upkeep the nuns put the girls to work doing various jobs. At one point they crochet black berets to wear and sell; other times they are taken into the city of MIlan to sing at funerals and wakes. The two friends are constantly thinking of the parent(s) who have left them there.

They know Pina’s mother was sent a telegram but never responded. The girls get the address of the telegram and head into the city to approach Pina’s mother. Shortly thereafter Susanna’s US Navy father makes contact and arranges a visit at the Instituto.

Things seem to be looking up for the girls.  But in an attempt to emulate a saint suffering the stigmata and bring more suffering into her life, Susanna falls very ill. Her father’s reappearance after all these years aids greatly in her recovery. Pina however meets a different kind of reception.

By the end of a very quick moving story both girls are in  much improved positions with  more positive futures.

This author has written so many distinguished books for young readers independently and has co-authored a significant  number also.

Her newest book, THE BIRTHDAY BALL , with illustrations by Jules Feiffer (Houghton Mifflin, 16.00  April  2010) brings us Princess Patricia Priscilla about to turn sixteen.  This age is crucial for at her birthday ball she will select her husband from a group of “unappealing” suitors. And unappealing is a subject Lois handles most adroitly. She manages to make each suitor more unattractive than the others.

Princess Patricia Priscilla is not one to wait around for the fickle finger of fate.  No, she disguises  herself as a peasant girl, sheds her shoes and enrolls in the village school where she meets a young and handsome schoolmaster. Marveling at what she learns about the other children, she soon develops friendships unheard of in her former life.

The day of the ball arrives, the suitors are in house, the festivities begin. Who will claim the prize of the princess and the kingdom? Never try to out guess Lois Lowry.  Remember the schoolmaster was young and handsome  and actually from a noble family!

The whole package here is splendid fun.  The independent princess, her personal staff who becomes absorbed in reading ALICE IN WONDERLAND, the students of the village school, the bizarre suitors  combine to make rollicking happy read.

The artwork is typical Jules Feiffer and adds form and body to Lois’ characters.  This is an genius combination of talents. Fun for all readers no matter the age.  Independent readers grade 4 and up.