Number Thirteen

Once Upon a Dragon: Stranger Safety for Kids And Dragons by Jean E. Pendziwol; Illustrated by Martine Gourbault. (Kids Can Press; 32 pages; ISBN: 1553377222; Ages: 4-8.)

Told in rhyming couplets, the story features a little girl and her friend (a dragon) who find themselves inside a fairy tale book. As the two venture from chapter to chapter, tale to tale, they find themselves in situations that could be potentially dangerous. Fortunately, the little girl knows about stranger safety and teaches the dragon as they go. A "Stranger Safety Rhyme" is appended, as is a checklist of safety tips for parents and teachers to discuss with their children. The lively pencil crayon illustrations are just right. A wonderful springboard for discussing stranger safety.

Iris and Walter and the Birthday Party by Elissa Haden Guest; Illustrated by Christine Davenier. (Harcourt; 44 pages; ISBN: 0152050159; Ages: 6-9.)

Note: The Iris and Walter series is a favorite among the teachers here at the Oasis. The reason: They contain everything that educators look for when choosing easy-reader chapter books. The characters are believable. The vocabulary is "just right." The dialogue—which tells the story—sounds natural. The stories are never didactic and have loads of child appeal.

In this latest installment, Walter is having a birthday party. There will be cake and ice cream and even horseback riding. Iris and Walter prepare for the big day by giving Rain, Walter's horse (whose belly is big with foal), a sprucing up. Walter has a hard time falling asleep the night before the big event: He is excited, but worried that it will rain. Not to worry, however, "The next morning the sky was blue, blue, blue!" Although it does not rain, the day does not go quite as planned. To the surprise and delight of Walter and the party goers, Rain has her foal.

On the Go with Mr. and Mrs. Green by Keith Baker. (Harcourt; 72 pages; ISBN: 0152050159; Ages: 6-9.)

Mr. and Mrs. Green are back—and on the go! Mr. Green has a new hobby: magic. Unfortunately, he makes Mrs. Green disappear and he can't get her back. After many tries, he figures out a solution. (And in doing so introduces the concept of counterclockwise.) In another episode Mrs. Green bakes a double batch of cookies which Mr. Green promptly eats. Mr. Green begins "'calculating cookies. What if we double the doubled recipe?' he asked. 'And then double that! And double that! And again! And again! And again! And . . .' (He ran out of breath.)" In the final chapter, Mr. Green invents the "Green Machine 317 . . . an astonishing achievement." It can not only slice anything, it can make pie à la mode."

These delightful alligators are a huge hit with students. Highly recommended.

The Web at Dragonfly Pond by Brian "Fox" Ellis; Illustrated by Michael S. Maydak. (Dawn Publications; 32 pages; ISBN: 158469078X; Ages: 6-12.)

If you are looking for a way to teach your students about the food web and the interconnectedness of life, this title is an excellent choice. The main character, a young boy, is fishing with the father on Dragonfly Pond. There he witnesses the food chain in the form of a bass, a bullfrog, a dragonfly, and a mosquito. Woven throughout are scientific concepts such as predator-prey relationships, insect behavior, biotic features of the pond, and more. Appended is a double-page spread detailing the organisms featured in the book. The accompanying illustrations are realistic and full of action and detail.

Art Against the Odds: From Slave Quilts to Prison Paintings by Susan Goldman Rubin. (Crown Publishers; 64 pages; ISBN: 0375824065; Ages: 10 and up.)

Although this title is not new—it was published in 2004—it is most certainly noteworthy. Rubin introduces readers to "outsider" art; that is, artwork created by prisoners, slaves, folk artists, the mentally ill, and others whose work exists outside the mainstream. The profiles of the artists are fascinating, and sometimes heartbreaking. Helga Weissova, for example, was twelve when she and her parents were deported to Terezin, a concentration camp, during WWII. There she chronicled in her drawings life as she saw it.

Photographs of the artwork discussed is included, as is a list of resources and references. Highly recommended.

Casey at the Bat by Ernest L. Thayer; Illustrated by Joe Morse. (KCP Poetry; 48 pages; ISBN: 155337827X; Ages: 9-12.)

This book is the fourth volume in a series titled "Visions in Poetry" which features classic poems illustrated by contemporary artists. Morse's version of "Casey at the Bat" takes place in a concrete, urban environment populated by inner-city kids.

We found this series to be hugely popular with adolescent readers (particularly reluctant readers). Highly recommended.