Tuesday, April 25, 2017

Bubble by Stewart Foster

3233318511 year old Joe has never lived outside of the hospital.  He lives in a climate controlled bubble room in the hospital.  His life consists of electronics, the medical team that cares for him and visits from his sole surviving relative - his sister.  His life is consumed by monitoring the room temperature, air quality and his heart beat.

When a new nurse joins his medical team, Joe thinks he might be crazy.  He talks of alien visits.  Is he just being funny or does he believe aliens are coming?  Regardless, he's something new and exciting in his life.  But then the nurse constructs a plan to take Joe outside and he needs to decide if his new nurse is serious and if he can be trusted.  

I really enjoyed Bubble.  I loved all the characters.  It was fun and sad.  Bubble is being released May 2, 2017.  I will definitely be buying this book for our school library.

Wednesday, April 19, 2017

The Wild Robot by Peter Brown

26030734The Wild Robot has been my most favourite read aloud that I've done this year.  I found myself always looking forward to seeing my grade 4 class because I couldn't wait to read more about The Wild Robot.  I think the students enjoyed it as much as I did.  I can always tell because if no one moves the light sensors turn off in the library and every single week the light sensors went off.  No one wanted to miss it.

There is a boat full of robots that crashes and sends crates of robots crashing with the waves into an island.  Only one robot survives - Roz.  Roz starts making her way around the island and scaring all the animals.  What is this monster they all want to know.  Roz watches and observes the animals in their habitat.  She soon learns how to speak to each of the animals and survival instincts from watching the animals adaptations.

When Roz finds an egg one day she knows exactly what to do from watching the other birds.  Soon Roz is a mother to a baby gosling - Brightbill.  The two form a mother and son relationship like no other.

This is a fantastic read aloud for a grade 4 class.  There is a sequel coming this fall.  The Wild Robot has also been chosen as the global read aloud.  I've never participated in this before but I'm motivated to join in this October.


Monday, April 10, 2017

I Found You by Lisa Jewell

30753651I Found You by Lisa Jewell is NOT another Girl on the Train.  Sure, it's a mystery.  The only similarity is going to be that everyone is going to be talking about it - it's that good.  

I Found You tells three separate stories in alternating chapters.  Readers will not want to put the book down so they can read how it all comes together.  In one story line we have a man sitting on the beach for hours not moving.  It begins to rain and still he doesn't flinch.  Alice watches from the window and finally ventures down to find out what's going on.  There she discovers a man with no memory.  

Then there is a newly married couple.  Lily's new to London.  She doesn't know anyone except her adoring husband, Mark.  When Mark suddenly goes missing one night after work she doesn't know who to turn to.

There is also a flashback to 1993 where a family is vacationing.  They meet a man named Mark that begins obsessing over the family's young daughter.

The story has many likable characters and many twists and turns.  I Found You is very unpredictable.  You won't be able to sleep without one more chapter.  The book will be released in Canada on April 25th, 2017

Also, check out Lisa Jewell's The Girls in the Garden.


Friday, April 7, 2017

Phoebe Sounds It Out by Julie Zwillich

31213668Phoebe thinks her mom made a mistake when she wrote her name on her backpack.  Phoebe obviously starts with the letter 'F' not a 'P'.  There is no 'O' sound in her name either.  At least Phoebe and her mom can agree on the 'B'.  But she's seen her friend Nicky spell his name and the ending sounds the same as Phoebe's so it seems her mom made another mistake.

Such a cute story about learning to sound out the letters and learning to write and spell.  It's so tricky!