Archive for Fiction

Being Frank

By Donna W. Earnhardt
Illustrated by Andrea Castellani

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Frank, like many children, has been told that “honesty is the best policy”, so he tells the truth at all times, even in situations where honesty is clearly not appreciated. One such time his mother was pulled over by a policeman. Frank confessed to them that his mother knew how fast she was going because he had just told her. There was also the time that he told his teacher, Ms. Zaroma, that her breath smelled funny. That outburst got him sent to the principal’s office.
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NERDS Book 4: Villain Virus

By Michael Buckley

Illustrated by Ethen Beavers

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Silliness runs rampant in this fourth installment of the NERDS series. NERDS is a team of nerdy kids whose challenges have been turned into strengths by nanoparticles. Now they are super spies that go around saving the world. The NERDS are nearly defeated in this book, while the world gets dangerously close to complete chaos. A virus is infecting everyone and turning them into villains who have the intent of taking over the world. Not only are the victims angry and capable of turning anything into a weapon of terrible destruction, but the team has been promoted to middle school. They got away with unexplained absences in elementary school by being charming and having good help. However, the principal of Thomas Knowlton Middle School has her eye on Julio Escala aka Flinch, one of the NERDS. She keeps giving him detention when the team needs him the most. Flinch is hyperactive and once his powers are activated, he moves faster than the human eye can see. In the first missions of the book, the boss puts Flinch in charge, but it’s a disaster. As he expected, things went crazy just like his thoughts normally do. Because of his unique metabolism, he is immune to the virus and, when everyone else succumbs to their own delusions of grandeur, he is the only one left. Flinch has to overcome his self-doubt to save the world. He does just that in the nick of time.
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The Adventures of Titch & Mitch: Shipwrecked!

By Garth Edwards

Illustrated by Max Stasyuk

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The Adventures of Titch & Mitch: Shipwreckedis an excellent chapter book for the third grade level reader.  It offers quirky characters that second graders will love to read about and the plot triggers the imagination making children of this age want to keep reading to see what more fun adventures come along.

While the book is about a fun and whacky adventure of two young pixies, Titch and Mitch, the language might be challenging to comprehend for some third grade readers. The lesson of friendship will not go unnoticed by the third grade reader and they will love the characters from yellow seagulls to flying bicycles and talking turkeys. There is also a fairy, a hedgehog, and so much more.
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The Boy and His Mud Horses and other stories from the Tipi

Written and Illustrated by Paul Goble

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At first glance, this lovely story collection is a bunch of random myths and legends that have nothing in common.  On closer inspection, magic is the common theme.  The foreword and introduction written by a tribal leader, Albert White Hat, and the author, Paul Goble, talk about the role that storytelling played for Native Americans.  White Hat emphasizes how stories teach about life, both the good and the bad.  Goble talks about how stories teach in a symbolic way that is meaningful in different ways during different times of a listener or reader’s life.  Goble urges readers to allow time to let the stories take hold in the imagination.  At the heart of all the stories, there is a mystical happening, an ever-present knowledge that there is more than what we humans can see.
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Weird! Book One of the Weird! Series

By Erin Frankel

Illustrated by Paula Heaphy

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Luisa thinks there is something wrong with her because a girl in her class calls her “weird” every time she does something.  Whether she’s answering a question in math, telling a joke at lunch or kissing her mom at pick-up time, Sam says, “weird!”      Luisa keeps changing the things she does but Sam keeps calling her weird.  After her mother’s advice to be herself, Luisa works at building her self-confidence and ignoring Sam’s hurtful words.  By gently and realistically taking a sweet character through an all-too-common dilemma, the reader can see Luisa triumph in the best possible way: being herself.
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A Winning Goal

By Laurie Calkhoven

Illustrated by Arcana Studios

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As part of the “Innerstar University” series, A Winning Goal  is about a girls’ soccer team and how teams work. With much of the text written in second person, the reader becomes one of the team and participates in all activities, on and off the field. This approach works well for third grade reading, making the reader feel a part of the story.
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My Even Day

By Doris Fisher and Dani Sneed
Illustrated by Karen Lee

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When the unnamed narrator wakes up to see a Mom with two heads, he realizes this is no ordinary day. Wackiness highlights the fact that in order to have an even number of things, there could be some extras around. There are two tour guides on their field trip to the zoo instead of one. The trip abounds with other oddities like elephants with four trunks, lions with six wings and alligators with antlers sporting eight golden rings. As the sights become more outlandish, the boy can only hope that the next day will be normal. Alas, the day must be fraction day: one half of his hair is normal, the other half shaved.
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Victricia Malicia Book-Loving Buccaneer

By Carrie Clickard

Illustrated by Mark Meyers

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Victricia Alicia Calamity Barrett comes from a pirate family, where she has learned the correct behaviors of being a pirate. However, piracy is not her forte.  Victricia doesn’t tie her knots right. She can’t climb ropes. And, all she  wants to do is READ!    Third grade strong boys and girls will laugh at this funny story.
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Lulu and the Duck in the Park

By Hilary McKay
Illustrated by Priscilla Lamont 

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Lulu and the Duck in the Park is a charming third grade level chapter book that will interest both boys and girls. The plot is one that will hook a new reader because it begins with Lulu and her love for animals. Animals are a big interest for third grade readers.

This chapter book is 92 pages for the story and another few pages for third graders to read a preview of the next book in the series. This serves to entice students and encourage them to read more.

The language used in this chapter book for third grade level readers is both appropriate yet challenging and is easy to comprehend. It will reinforce reading comprehension for these young students. The book has chapters that may appear lengthy but are broken up by exceptional illustrations which serve to keep the third grade student interested when they get tired of reading a page or paragraph.

Lulu and the Duck in the Park  will be a great addition to any third grade classroom or library and will encourage third grade level readers to be successful.

  • Duck in the ParkTitle: Lulu and the Duck in the Park
  • Author: Hilary McKay
  • Illustrations: Priscilla Lamont
  • Publisher: Albert Whitman and Company
  • Reviewer: Terri Forehand
  • Hardback: 104 pages
  • ISBN: 978-0-8075-4808-0
  • Genre: Fiction
  • Lexile Score: 740
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