Who Says Women Can't Be Doctors?

Who Says Women Can't Be Doctors? The Story of Elizabeth Blackwell
by Tanya Lee Stone
illustrated by Marjorie Priceman
Henry Holt and Co. (BYR); First Edition edition (February 19, 2013)

This book is about a young woman who at first didn’t want to be a doctor. She couldn't be a doctor because women couldn't be doctors, they were supposed to become wives and mothers. Or maybe teachers, or seamstresses. But being a doctor was not an option because men thought they weren’t smart enough. So she thought of an idea and she sent out multiple applications to medical schools. And she got back 28 no’s in all. In different ways, the letters all said the same thing: Women can not be doctors. They should not be. One day she got an envelope from a college. The answer was yes. She packed her bags and went to Geneva Medical school in upstate New York. People didn’t accept her. Sometimes she would stay up till mid night studying. Elizabeth Blackwell proved that she was as smart enough as any boy. On January 23,1849, Elizabeth graduated with the highest scores in her whole class and she became the first woman doctor in America. --Fu

The Smurfs Anthology

The Smurfs Anthology
by Peyo
Papercutz (June 25, 2013)

review copy from the public library

The Smurfs Anthology is 6 stories about the Smurfs and it a graphic novel. I think it cool how the problems or situations get fixed. If you like the Smurfs, you should read it.

P.S. It isn’t like the movie that much. --Fu

All My Noble Dreams and Then What Happens

All My Noble Dreams and Then What Happens
by Gloria Whelan
Simon & Schuster/Paula Wiseman Books (April 2, 2013)

Rating: 4.5 / 5 stars

Summary: Young Rosalind James is living two worlds in the 1920′s of India. There is the world of her heritage, in which she stands with a British Indian Army major for a father, a muted mother, and two aunts who go by Aunt Louise and Aunt Ethyl; along with a few helpful friends. The second, where Gandhi and his fellow followers surround her in India. The two worlds plow into each other, Rosie begins to rethink everything she has been taught about the rules of the British. Should she choose to help India? Or should she keep quiet and be a lady?

What I Liked Best About This Book: First off, this was a terrific book! It was hard to understand sometimes – and yes, this book is for young adults – but I somehow managed to understand; still, the dictionary did come in handy. I really liked Rosie as a person, and not just as a character. The author gave her a lot of hard times, and very difficult decisions. Rosalind was mature about it though, and always had a friend to keep her accompanied. Even if it was her Aunt Louise. --SA

Missy's Super Duper Royal Deluxe #2: Class Pets

Missy's Super Duper Royal Deluxe #2: Class Pets

by Susan Nees

Scholastic Inc. (May 28, 2013)

review ARC provided by Cover to Cover Children's Books

This great book is about Missy bringing home class pets. 

First, she had to get ready. She made a sign that said welcome pets! Then she packed her lunch and she needed Pink, her cat to look her best and so she brushed Pink. But after all that hard work, she saved her best for last. She had to ask her mom if she was even allowed to bring home a class pet. And of course her mom said NO. They would be noisy and messy. And smelly. What if they were to get lost? Missy asked again sweetly, then loudly and even on her head! But the answer was the same. No.

Then right before Missy headed to her bus stop, she asked one more time. Missy said it would only be a few days and they are so cute and cuddly and she promised to take very good care of them. So her mother thought for a few seconds and her answer was… YES! IF Missy eats her veggies, combs her hair, and make her bed. And so Missy promised to do all those things. Then she went to school. 

At school everyone was happy for Missy. Until Tiffany came along and said that she was going to get a class pet too and that was going to be Eenie-Meenie, Miney, and Moe. But Missy wanted Eenie-Meenie, Miney, and Moe. But Tiffany can pick first because she is new. So Missy has to make a plan so that noodle head does not take Eenie, Meenie, Miney, and Moe. So in library, Missy started annoying Oscar, a class mate, until he started to read about pets. That’s when she had an idea! She could tell Tiffany that they are disgusting and smelly and dirty and worst of all, they could get lost! Then Tiffany would not want them. At recess, Missy told her that they are bad, smelly, and they could get lost. But that noodle head still would not budge. 

So at the end of the day Tiffany picked Eenie-Meenie, Miney, and Moe, and Missy got the gold fish. Then Missy gave Tiffany some rat food and that’s when Tiffany freaked. She thought that Eenie-Meenie, Miney, and Moe were gerbils and not rats! She threw them and ran. Thankfully Missy caught the rats and so she got to take them home. -- R

Hide And Seek

Hide and Seek
by Kate Messner
Scholastic Press (April 1, 2013)

ARC provided by Cover to Cover Children's Books

This book is about how Anna, Jose, and Henry meet again in Washington D.C to see the Sliver Jaguar Cup. Unfortunately, the parents noticed something weird about it and they realized it was fake. So they go to Costa Rica because they believe the cup is there. They leave the three kids in a friend-owned hotel and leave. Some important events happen like they visit Rainforest and so on forth and then in the middle they meet Alejandro and notice he is giving a illegal tours to see the Green Macaw birds that are almost gone. Then they sneak around and find nothing is weird about him and then they leave. Some time passes and then Jose got mad at Anna, Henry, and Sofia (the hotels owner's daughter) and he goes on his own and then he sees a man at the counter that looked exactly like Vincent Goosen the head of a gang who steals art. Jose thoughts became reality. He and Alejandro investigated and found many pieces of evidence that he knew who stole the Cup. Then some time passes with some details and then Mr. Loupe was once a part of the gang that steals art called Serpentine Prince and he stole the cup and hid it under his bed. With the help of his friends, Jose was able to catch Mr. Loupe and police arrested him but he didn’t catch Goosen and he disappeared. 

This is a really good book. This book is good for grades 4 to 7. --SR

The Life of Ty: Penguin Problems

The Life of Ty: Penguin Problems

by Lauren Myracle

illustrated by Jed Henry

Dutton Juvenile (May 2, 2013)

review ARC provided by Cover to Cover Children's Books

This book is about this boy named Ty and his school and family. He goes to school (like we do) and his mom had a baby so her attention was her mostly on the newborn. Ty doesn’t know that and he is only 7 so he thinks his mom doesn’t care about him anymore.

Then some events happen like he digs out his baby stuff and go to school. Then he has this trip to the aquariam and he gets lost ( kind of ). He meets these penguins and this penguin comes up to him and made piu noise and so he thought it was saying take me home with you. Ty had noticed that the other penguins (like his family) didn’t care about him and so he took the penguin home. 

His teacher got mad at Ty for going off on his own and he got a phone call home and his mom was MAD. He told...well his sisters found out he brought a penguin and they said they would take it back for him if he learns his lesson. His mother came in and she left the baby in there and it ended up the baby and Ty became friends.  --SR

Bink and Gollie: Best Friends Forever

Bink & Gollie: Best Friends Forever

by Kate DiCamillo and Alison McGhee

illustrated by Tony Fucile

Candlewick (April 23, 2013)

review copy provided by the publisher

Summary: Bink and Gollie return in the third book, Bink and Gollie: Best Friends Forever. Like usual, there are three chapters. The first is Empire of Enchantment, Gollie finally finds out that royal blood is in her veins. She ventures off to say hello to her fellow servants, but in the end decides that friends are better, so she goes back to Bink! The second chapter is Why Should You Be Shorter Than Your Friends? Bink doesn’t like the fact that she’s short and Gollie can do everything she can’t. She orders a ‘stretch-o-meter’, and well… things get a little rusty. But have no fear, for PEANUT BUTTER IS HERE! Oh, and Gollie. The third chapter is Kudos, Bink and Gollie. The two friends try to get into their version of the world book challenge.

What I Liked Best About This Book: Well, first off, IT’S BINK AND GOLLIE. Who doesn’t love those two? It might be better for younger kids, like first graders. Although, it’s always fun to read a book like this. Bink and Gollie always have funny things to say. There have been three Bink and Gollie books so far, and I’ve read all of them. It might seem a little kid-ish, but this is like another version of that Pigeon book to me.  --SA

The Odd Squad

The Odd Squad: Bully Bait

by Michael Fry

Hyperion Book CH (February 12, 2013)

review copy from the public library

I liked this book, but I would recommend it for older readers because there is a bit of language in it.

This book is about a group of three kids who try to stop a bully from bullying other kids. In the beginning, the main character, Nick, is stuffed in a locker again by a bully named Roy. After that, two other kids who were bullied by Roy. Nick, Roy, and the other kids who were bullied are all forced to be on Safety Patrol. Lots of other bad stuff happens, like Roy talks to Nick's crush and Nick lays on an ant mound.

In the end, Nick and Roy become friends. They even worked together to get Roy's stuffed pig back. To do this, they had to climb through a vent. --Ja

A Dash of Magic

A Dash of Magic

by Kathryn Littlewood

illustrated by Erin McGuire

Katherine Tegen Books (February 12, 2013)

Review ARC provided by Cover to Cover Bookstore

This book is about a girl named Rosemary Bliss and she loves to bake and should never have trusted her Aunt. Lily Le Fay is Rose's aunt and she kept the book. She said she would protect it but she used it and now has she has her own tv show and magic ingredient that goes with her other baking suplies. She is very evil! 

In the beginning Rose went to her aunt's tv show with her family in disguise. Rose challenged her to the gala in Paris to see who gets the cookbook (if Rose wins she gets the cookbook and if Lily wins Rose's family can not get the book or try to ever again). Next they went to their great-great-great grandfather's house to get a copy of the cook book in a different language that only her great-great-great grandfather can translate. Then they head off to Paris to compete. Then Rose's sister ate one of her aunt's cakes and turned into a 2 year old again. 

In the middle Rose wins a cooking challange by getting magical ingredients. Then she finds another ingredient for the next baking challange and she needs to find Mona Lisa's whisper and moves on to the next challange. Next Lily makes a team go home by switching olive oil with freashly squeezed lemon juice. 

In the end someone wins and doesn't do their part of the cookbook. And the person who does not win says something bad about the other person and gets escorted by security. --Fo

Dog Diaries

Dog Diaries #1: Ginger

by Kate Klimo

illustrated by Tim Jessell

Random House Books for Young Readers; 1 edition (January 8, 2013)

Review ARC provided by Cover to Cover Bookstore

This book is about a dog named Ginger who is a golden retriever. In the beginning she is a pup in a mill with her family and wants to play but her sister went over the rainbow when she was sleeping (dog heaven). Then her mom got taken away and Ginger gets adopted by a family and then runs away because the owner left to go to his mom's house because she was sick. Then Ginger gets taken to another mill and got adopted by another family. There was a son and he only liked cats but his parents got him a dog. Ginger bit the kid and met their cat for the first time. Then something bad happened and someone saves the kid. After that the kid took swimming lessons. --Fu

Safe Social Networking

Safe Social Networking

by Heather E. Schwartz

Capstone Press (February 1, 2013)

Review copy from the public library

Safe Social Networking is packed with facts about how to be safe on your electronics. Facts like: whatever you post on the internet can never be deleted! So be careful! You should most definitely read this book if you are on a social networking site, like pinterest, facebook, or twitter! There are some tips on how to keep your password unknown, keep private information to yourself, and just how to be safe! This book is really good, and I recommend it to anyone who uses electronics a little more than they need to. --So.

The Granddaughter Necklace

The Granddaughter Necklace

by Sharon Dennis Wyeth

illustrated by Bagram Ibatoulline

Arthur A. Levine Books; First Edition edition (January 1, 2013)

Review copy from the public library

This book is about a beautiful necklace passed down from generations of women. It’s kindness, and bravery, that gets these women the owner-ship of this necklace. The story is told from a the women who has the necklace at the moment, and she tells the story of how the necklace got passed down from generation to generation. Like how one women (was a girl back then) baked cookies with her mother, and when she saw a poor family she handed them the cookies without hesitation. At the end the necklace is not just a necklace it’s a story of it’s own just told by the beads and string, not words and paper.

I would rate this book a possible 5 stars out of 5.It is a fantastic book, taking you back in time. Although it is a picture book, it’s an amazing picture book, that would put a smile on your face. In my opinion it was a very pleasant read, taking my eyes off chapter book for a bit. --Sh.