The Butter Battle Book Book Review

The Butter Battle Book
By: Dr. Seuss
Published: Random House; 1984 
Reading Level: ~ 9 yrs
Number of Pages: 42
Genre: Comedy/Humor
Summary: The Butter Battle Book is the story of to groups of people. The Yooks who eat their bread with the butter side up and the Zooks who eat their bread with the butter side down. These two people have been feuding for years. A grandfather tells the story to his grandson. Each time they meet they come up with new technology to fight the other off when finally both sides have a means of destroying the other, but who will do it first?  
Problems: It might be a little violent for your children.
Reaction: My dad used to read us this book all the time when we were young. Such a fun read! I think this can be related to countries and cultures in our world today and how they rival with one another and discover ways to destroy them while they do the exact same.
Recommendation: Again I think that this book is good for all ages of children. The colorful pictures are fun to look at for younger kids, and the story is complex enough for older children to enjoy.

If I Ran the Zoo Book Summary

If I Ran the Zoo
By: Dr. Seuss
Published: Random House; 1950
Reading Level: ~ 9 yrs
Number of Pages: 54
Genre: Fantasy
Summary: The story of If I Ran the Zoo is the Story of young Gerald McGrew and his dream of running the most outrageous zoo. he would let all the animals go and get animals of the more unusual kind. He'll get Elephant-Cats and Zoomba-ma-Tants. He'll have an Iota and a tizzle-topped Tufted Mazurka. He'll have keen-shooter, mean-shooter, bean-shooter bugs. Young Gerald McGrew would have the most outrageous zoo.  With Dr. Seuss' fun clever rhymes and creative animals, Gerald McGrew dreams of scouring the globe for unusual animals so he can have the best zoo.
Problems: No parents seem to be present. Nonsensical words could create poor vocabulary.
Reaction: Fun, creative, imaginative read that promotes creativity.
Recommendation: I would recommend this book to all ages of children. The story is complex enough for older kids to enjoy yet simple enough (with rhymes and rhythms) for younger children to enjoy.

Corduroy Book Summary

Corduroy
By: Don Freeman
Published: The Viking Press; 1968
Reading Level: ~5-9 yrs
Number of Pages: 28
Genre: Fiction/Picture Book
Summary: Corduroy is a teddy bear in a department store. One day a little girl asks her mother if she can buy the bear. her mother says no and points out that his overalls are missing a button. When the store closes Corduroy goes in search of his newly discovered missing button. He wanders into the furniture department and sees buttons on all the mattresses. He tries to pull several off, but realizes they are all sewn down. He tugs on a button a little too hard and pulls it off and goes crashing to the floor with the button, taking a floor lamp with him. The security guard hears the crash and goes to see what the problem is. He finds Corduroy and returns him to the toy department. The girl came back the nest morning with a piggy bank and buys Corduroy. She brings him home, makes him a bed and sews on a new button for his overalls and they become best friends.
Problems: Corduroy sort of wanders off and doesn't seek the help of others.
Reaction: This was my favorite book as a child. I think it is a good book and teaches a good moral that you shouldn't judge people based on their outward appearance.
Recommendation: I think that younger children would enjoy this more than older children.

Wedding Days: Celebrations of Marriage Book Summary

Wedding Days: Celebrations of Marriage
By: Anita Ganer
Publisher: Peter Bedrick Books; 1998
Reading Level: ~9-12 yrs
Number of Pages: 30
Genre: Informational/Nonfiction
Summary:
This book is an informational book about different types of weddings and wedding rituals in six different religions around the world. The six religions/wedding ceremonies are Hindu, Buddhist, Sikh, Jewish, Christian, and Muslim. In the Hindu culture, they don't wear rings, they wear necklaces. The woman also wears a red dot on her forehead to signify that she is married. There really is no set ceremony or rituals in the Buddhist religion. In the Sikh wedding, the man wears white and the woman wears pink, red or orange. In the Jewish wedding they stand under a canopy that symbolizes the new home they are creating, they sign a special marriage document in Hebrew, they drink a glass of wine then stomp on the glass, and there is lots of dancing at Jewish weddings. In Christian weddings they make vows, throw confetti, and eat cake. And at Muslim weddings there is a dowry, the couple never sits next to each other the whole day of the wedding, they can marry multiple women and are encouraged to stay away from divorce.
Problems: Children may make judgments about other religions/cultures/people because of current political events/wars.
Reaction: I love weddings, so it was a fun interesting read to learn of other traditions in different cultures.
Recommendations: I would recommend this book to those who are interested in learning about different cultures around the world. It is an angle of learning about different cultures I knew nothing about.

Miss Nelson is Missing! Book Summary

Miss Nelson is Missing!

By: Harry Allard 

Illustrated by: James Marshall 

Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Co., 1977 

Reading Level: ~6-8 yrs

Number of pages: 32 

Genre: Humorous Fiction Picture Book 

Summary: Miss Nelson's class is very misbehaved. She can't get them to settle down and listen during story-time. One day Miss Nelson doesn't show up to school. The class's new teacher is Miss Viola Swamp. She is very ugly, strict, and mean. After a few days with Miss Swamp, the kids get worried that they will never see Miss Nelson again. They come up with all kinds of crazy ideas about how Miss Nelson went missing. But none of them could really have happened.Just when the class thinks they will be stuck with Miss Viola Swamp forever, Miss Nelson is at school the next day. The children missed her and from that day on the kids behaved themselves. It turns out Miss Nelson had the same ugly dress in her closet and a wig that looked oddly like the hair of Miss Swamp...

Problems: Misbehaved children and deception by an adult. 

Reaction: This was one of my favorites as a child. I think it teaches a good moral and lesson to be grateful for what you have cause you never know when it will disappear. I love it and will read this to my children.

Recommendation: I would recommend this book to younger audiences. Also for teachers to read probably towards the beginning of the school year.

The Eleventh Hour Book Summary

The Eleventh Hour
By: Graeme Base
Publisher: Penguin Books (Australia) , 1988; Abrams Books (America), 1993
Reading Level: ~9-12 yrs
Number of pages: 32
Genre: Mystery/Fiction Picture Book
Summary: Horace is having a birthday party for his eleventh birthday. He made a marvelous feast for all his eleven friends that he invited, but they aren't allowed to eat this feast until the 'eleventh hour'. So all morning they played lots of fun and different games. But when it came time to eat (11 am) all the food was GONE! Everyone denies that they were the one who ate all the food. But someone had to have eaten it.  Who was it? it's your job to follow all the hidden clues on each page to find out who the culprit it.Problems: Someone eats all the food that was meant for the entire group that could be considered stealing. Gluttony is a potential problem. And obviously lying and deceit. 

Reaction: I know I shouldn't say that I love every book, but I really loved this book. It was so fun to read. The illustrations were very intricate and filled with rich colors. Mike and I were up almost all night trying to figure out the mystery of who ate the feast.
Recommendation: I would recommend this book to older children and even adults who like solving mysteries. 

Clara and Asha Book Summary

Clara and Asha
By: Eric Rohmann

Publisher: Roaring Book Press, 2005

Reading Level: ~5-10 yrs

Number of Pages: 32

Genre: Fantasy Picture Book

Summary: Clara is a very imaginative girl. it's time for Clara to go to bed, but her friend Asha comes to visit and play. Clara recounts the story of how they "met". (Asha is an imaginary fish). Clara tells about all the fun they've had together at the park, in the woods and even at Clara's house. The story then continues to tell of their adventure that night. But Clara's mom insists it's bedtime. They say goodnight, but another friend comes to play...

Problems:Clara doesn't obey her mother.

Reaction: This is a very neat book! Being an art major I was 'drawn' :) to the beautiful illustrations. The story is very imaginative and fun and encourages children to be more creative and imaginative.

Recommendation: I would recommend this book to those who love art firstly. And also all those wishing to encourage and inspire children to be creative and imaginative.