Book of the day 12/28/2014

• How To Steal A Dog By Barbara O'Connor

  Georgina has not always lived this way. She used to have both a mother and father and they lived in an apartment. Until her father walked out and left them with very little money. Now, Georgina, her brother and her mother are homeless and living in their car. It is very hard at school as the other kids are starting to make comments about her wrinkled clothes and dirty hair. She isn’t doing her homework so her grades are falling. Everything is going wrong. But when she sees a poster about a lost dog, Georgina comes up with a plan – steal a dog and collect the reward. Then they will have enough money to move into a real place and not have to live like this. Georgina and her brother scout out different areas looking for the right dog. It has to be a friendly dog owned by a rich person who can pay the reward. When they find the right dog, they put their plan into action. What they don’t count on is that the owner doesn’t have any money for a reward. Georgina and her brother stash the dog at an empty house in the woods. Is this really going to work? Will they be able to pull this off?

  tags: podcasts elementary blueduke

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Book of the day 12/27/2014

• Journey To Jo'burg By Beverly Naidoo

  Naidoo, Beverly. JOURNEY TO JO'BURG New York : Harper, 1988 IL 3-6, RL 5.1 ISBN 0064402371 The book takes place in South Africa during the time of Apartheid. Naledi is afraid when her young sister becomes very ill. Although her grandmother is doing her best, Dineo needs medical help. There is no money for doctors or hospitals. Naledi’s mother works in Johannesburg, 300 kilometers away. There is no way to get word to her about Dineo. Naledi and her younger brother,Tiro, decide to walk to Jo’burg to get their mother. They really have no idea how far it is. As the two journey, they learn about the harshness of apartheid and the kindness of strangers who help them on their journey. They also learn about the people who have risked everything to fight for the rights of blacks in South Africa.

  tags: podcasts blueduke elementary

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Book of the day 12/26/2014

• Sophie's Squash By Pat Zietlow Miller

  Miller, Pat Zietlow. SOPHIE'S SQUASH New York : Schwartz & Wade Books, 2013 IL K-3, RL 2,7 ISBN 0307978966 Sophie picked out a squash at the farmer's market. Mother thought it would be nice to have for supper. But Sophie drew a face on the squash and named it Bernice. She took it everywhere. No one could convince her that it was getting a bit squishy and should be eaten before it rotted. When Sophie asked the man at the farmer's market how to make Bernice better, will she take his advice?

  tags: podcasts elementary

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Book of the day 12/25/2014

• Skylark By Patricia MacLachlan

  MacLachlan, Patricia. SKYLARK New York : HarperCollins, 1994 IL 3-6, RL 3.3 ISBN 0060233281 In this sequel to Sarah, Plain and Tall, we pick up the story after the marriage of Sarah and Jacob. The family is doing well and are happy living on the prairie. Things are about to change, though. There has been very little rain. The crops are drying up and some families are leaving. Papa refuses to even think about that possibility. He says that they were born there and that their names are written in the land. But the drought is getting worse every day. When they lose the barn to a fire, Papa knows that he needs to make a drastic decision.

  tags: podcasts blueduke elementary

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Book of the day 12/24/2014

• Lena's Sleep Sheep By Anita Lobel

  Lobel, Anita. LENA'S SLEEP SHEEP New York : Alfred A. Knopf, 2013 IL K-3, RL 1.9 ISBN 0449810267 Lena is all tucked into bed and ready to start counting her sheep. There's a full moon out and Lena asks her parents to keep the curtains open so she can look at the beautiful moon. Little does she know that her sheep are really scared of the moon. They think it is a horrible beast. How can Lena convince the sheep that the moon is friendly and that it is ok to come out?

  tags: podcasts elementary

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

Book of the day 12/22/2014

• Letters From Camp By Kate Klise
  Klise, Kate. LETTERS FROM CAMP New York : Harper, 2000 IL 5-8, RL 6.4 ISBN 0380793482 Told in a series of letters, memos, receipts, and ledger pages. Three sets of siblings are off to Camp Happy Harmony. Brisket Roast whose father says is as lazy as a slug and his sister, Barbie Q. who is as spirited as a mustang. Charlie and Charlotte Lee who are described as wonderful kids who are liked by everyone except each other. Ivan and Mimi Gems who have no social skills and won’t go to bed but stay in their rooms for hours. The counselors are also siblings and used to appear in the singing group The Harmonys. They have advertised their camp as specializing in sibling relationships. For the next four weeks, the children will learn to get along. Sounds perfect. Things are not what they seem.
  tags: podcasts elementary blueduke
• Terror At The Zoo By Peg Kehret
  Kehret, Peg. TERROR AT THE ZOO
  New York : Puffin, 2001
  IL 5-8, RL 4.6
  ISBN 0142300284
   Ellen was just given the best birthday present ever.  Well, she has to share it with her little brother but that is fine.  Together with their grandparents, they are going to camp out at the zoo for the night!  They both love the zoo and have spent lots of time there.  But never at night.  They will be staying with their grandparents anyway since their parents will be away.  This is going to be just about perfect.  But then there is a change of plans.  Grandmother has broken her leg and can’t go camping.  But it will fine since their parents have changed their plans and now will be home to share the camping trip.  When the time arrives, their parents aren’t home.  The plane has been delayed.  The grandparents have gone to the hospital to have grandma’s leg reset.  Fearing they will have to miss the camping trip, Ellen and Corey decide to take a taxi to the zoo and wait for their parents there.  They leave a note so their parents will know to meet them at the zoo.  When they get to the zoo, their parents aren’t there and the coordinator is anxious to leave since her daughter is having a baby.  Corey lies and says his parents have just pulled up.  Now everyone is gone and Ellen and Corey are alone in the zoo.        
  tags: podcasts blueduke elementary

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Book of the day 12/20/2014

• A Hidden Enemy By Erin Hunter — Adobe Voice

  Hunter, Erin. A HIDDEN ENEMY New York : Harper, 2013 IL 5-8, RL 5.5 ISBN 0062102605 Lucky has rejoined the pack of Leashed Dogs in the start of the second book of the Survivors series. Lucky still wants to be a Lone Dog but he knows that the Leashed Dogs need him and they may not survive without his help. His litter mate Bella is doing her best to lead the dogs but there are dangers out there that she has never encountered. She is a smart dog and has a plan that involves Lucky. She wants him to join the Wild Pack and find out what they are up to. If they are willing to share the water and the hunting, there is plenty for both groups to live in the valley. What Lucky finds is a brutal pack system. The Alpha dog is actually part wolf and he rules with an iron paw. His partner is Beta who is actually Sweet who Lucky knew in the city. Lucky is able to join the pack and finds out what time they are at the water and when they hunt. He returns to his Leashed Pack and tells Bella what he has learned. She is happy with the news but tells Lucky to remain with the Wild Pack. Lucky is reluctant but does what Bella asks. Just what is going on here?

  tags: podcasts elementary blueduke

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.