Archive for June 30, 2016

The Somewhat True Adventures of Sammy Shine

Written and Illustrated by Henry Cole

Sammy Shine is a warm and loveable mouse who lives in a shoe box in Hank’s room. When Hank’s brother, Jimmy, decides to test his new airplane design by sending Sammy into the air, the mouse’s adventures begin. He crash lands in the big woods and meets a family of wild mice, including Phoebe and old Osmund. Naturally, they are being threatened by a weasel and some rats, who want Sammy’s plane. Sammy also meets a mole, a crow, a newt, a shrew, and a raccoon. With his new friends, Sammy eventually gets the plane back in working order. He loves his new friends, but he also misses Hank and is afraid of the weasel.

Cole’s beautiful and detailed pencil drawings are a big plus throughout this book. They have that three-dimensional feel that pulls the reader right into the action. Even the chapter headings are works of art.

Though this is a simple and somewhat familiar story, these are characters a reader can care about and want to follow to the end. Third graders will learn so much about friendship and working together. Because the story holds the readers’ attention, they will get a chance to practice literacy skills.

Buy on Amazon

  • Sammy ShineTitle: The Somewhat True Adventures of Sammy Shine
  • Author/Illustrator: Henry Cole
  • Published: Peachtree Publishers, 2016
  • Reviewer: Sue Poduska
  • Format: Hardcover, 160 pages
  • Grade Level: 3 to 7
  • Genre: Fiction, Fantasy, Friendship, Family
  • ISBN: 978-1-56145-866-0

Julius Zebra: Rumble with the Romans!

Written and illustrated by Gary Northfield

A fun and exciting way to explore the Roman Empire, this story about an unlikely hero will have kids wanting to be gladiators. Julius, a rebellious zebra, gets caught all alone at the local watering hole. When he is captured by Roman soldiers, he finds himself insulted, boxed, and transported a long way across land and onto a boat. He talks to and befriends other animals. Even the humans understand what Julius and the other animals are saying. Through a series of silliness, Julius is trained as a gladiator and is due to appear at the birthday celebration for Emperor Hadrian. There are a lot of details and terms that relate directly to the gladiator world, if you can weed out the obvious absurdities. The cartoonish illustrations add to the excitement and actually make this almost a graphic novel. Children younger than third graders would have fun reading this with a parent or teacher to learn more about Rome. An enjoyable read all around.

Buy on Amazon

  • Julius ZebraTitle: Julius Zebra: Rumble with the Romans
  • Author/Illustrator: Gary Northfield
  • Published: Candlewick Press, 2016
  • Reviewer: Sue Poduska
  • Format: Hardcover, 288 pages
  • Grade Level: 2 to 5
  • Genre: Creative, fantastical historical novel, humor
  • ISBN: 978-0-7636-7853-1
  • Extras: Primer on Roman numerals, extensive glossary