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A Corner of the Universe by Ann M. Martin

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A Corner of the Universe by Ann M. Martin

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The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick

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The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick

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I will have both my 7th and 9th grade children read this book. I will help them see how Gratz skillfully interwove events and stories to show how history has been repeating itself and how we have to be aware of these refugees' stories and support change.

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I will have both my 7th and 9th grade children read this book. I will help them see how Gratz skillfully interwove events and stories to show how history has been repeating itself and how we have to be aware of these refugees' stories and support change.

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Imagine you are uprooted to unfamiliar country, and thrown into an unfamiliar world of magic, secrecy, and strangely, nuclear physics. In Malie Meloy's The Apothecary, it's 1952 and Janie Scott is enjoying life in sunny Los Angeles until she is tailed by government agents one day after school. After learning this, her parents got spooked and moved the family immediately to gray, cold and dreary London, a change she's not too happy about, considering her lack of friends, horrid classmates, and of course, dreaded Latin class. From being taunted by Sarah Pennington to sitting alone at lunch, Janie has had enough of this so-called "adventure," as her mom puts it. She feels like a thorn among roses, surrounded by Englishmen, with her American hair and accent. But then, she stumbles into Benjamin Burrows, son of the apothecary in town. Ben longs to be a secret agent, and rejects his father's plan for him - to continue the family business. Ben and Janie quickly bond over chess matches in the park and secret spy sessions on men who Ben is convinced are German spies. That is until Ben's father is kidnapped by a group of Germans, causing Janie and him race across London trying to decipher the apothecary's ancient book called the Pharmacopoeia, full of experiments and elixirs that can do anything, from making people invisible to stopping atomic bombs. Ben and Janie, joined by a pickpocket named Pip, set out to find Ben's dad and keep the Pharmacopoeia from those who would do anything to get their hands on it. This was a terrific book that I completely recommend because of the author's use of its characterization to enhance the plot and add an in depth aspect to the story.

Part of what made this book great was its fantastic characterization with the development of Jamie, Ben, Pip, and Mr. Shiskin and Mr. Danby. Jamie, for example, grew from an angry and lost teen to a strong, compassionate and resilient heroine after she is thrown into a fight against Russian spies in a post World War II setting. Meloy demonstrated this change to show a heroine who is able to adapt to whatever is thrown at her, and contributing to helping save Ben's dad, the apothecary. Janie's stubbornness when her family moves quickly changes to strength when the apothecary is kidnapped and Ben recruits her help to find him. Janie also continues to demonstrates compassion, even when it gets her into trouble. For example, the scene where they discover that Shiskin is a double agent, they lock him up and Janie is sent to talk to him. She feels empathetic for the double agent because he is forced to work against them because his family is being held hostage. Janie decides to remove Shiskin's handcuffs so he can radio the Germans so they would not kill his family. However, this show of compassion did not work in Janie's favor for Shiskin attacks her and threatens her life unless the apothecary releases him. Fortunately, Benjamin rescues her and Shiskin is locked back up. Janie's characterization is an important part of the book because it shows how a strong heroine can form and help others.

Ben's characterization demonstrates someone who is forced to grow up very quickly, after being thrown into immediate danger, and set on the task to find his missing father while trying to figure out the legacy he left he left behind. At first, Ben wants nothing to do with the apothecary business, until his dad is kidnapped and Ben is forced to pick up his work to find him, including turning invisible and shape shifting themselves into birds. Ben is very skeptical at first of the apothecary's work, believing that is it simple just giving people recipes for common colds and hot water bottles. However, when the apothecary is kidnapped, Ben discovers that his father's work was not what it seemed. Ben always dreamed of being a spy, and following in his father's footsteps came pretty close to that. Ben changes his belief in his father's work at the end of the book, and chooses to follow his father into hiding to continue their work. Ben is clever and decisive and stays that way throughout the book, the only real change was his new belief in what his father was doing. For example, when Janie, Ben and Pip were trying to escape from Mr. Danby and the Germans, Janie suggested they use the bird elixir that the apothecary gave them. However, Ben was skeptical at first, stating his beliefs that it would not work successfully, because it was impossible. However, he soon changed his mind, drank the elixir, and Janie, Ben and Pip escaped. Ben's change in character helped to show that not everything is as its seems, and that you should always take a second look at thing you initially dismiss.

The most unusual character was most definitely Pip, a pickpocket who Ben and Janie pick up when they are arrested by the police. Pip escapes with them and joins their mission when he drinks the elixir and turns into a bird with Ben and Janie. This characterization of a loyal "criminal" who provides valuable help to their mission, such as distracting the cops when Ben and Janie were trying to stowaway on a ship to follow the apothecary. This demonstrates that people can change, and the most unsuspecting people can prove the most useful. The only thing that was off about Pip was that he immediately believed Ben and Janie and tagged along with their mission. It is doubtful that someone would risk their lives for someone without question, in fact I suspected Pip to be a spy for the duration of the entire book (he's not).

The final example of excellent characterization were the two main villains, Shiskin and Mr. Danby. Shiskin was the double agent who betrayed the Apothecary because the Russian threatened to kill his family. His betrayal was one of the most important plot twists because showed that you should be careful who you trust, as well as the fact that people are forced into difficult situation, and will always act to save the ones they love. Meloy's use of Mr. Danby was Janie's latin teacher at her new school, and was at first a warm, welcoming ally. However, that soon changed when Danby revealed his true colors, that he was actually working with the Russians, and would stop at nothing for his plans to succeed. The characterization of Danby shows that sometimes, those who you think are helping you are really hurting you, such as when Danby left Janie out to die during the testing of the nuclear bomb. The characterization of these villains helped show important themes throughout the book.

Throughout this book, Malie Meloy's characterization and use of descriptive language throughout the book helped enhance and liven up the plot. This was a very fun read for me, and I have actually already begun reading the sequel. I enjoyed this book and it's many twist and turns, including its elements of magic and history. I would have enjoyed it more if the characterization of Pip had gone more in depth, and if Meloy had slowed down the ending a little big, instead of rushing to finish the book. However, Meloy's writing is clear and effective, while also being descriptive and interesting. I have and will continue to recommend this book to others, based on its interesting story line and strong and admirable characters. This book is for young adults, and I read a lot of books in that fall into that category, so you could say that I was the target audience for this book. However, I will recommend this book to all ages, younger or older. Therefore, The Apothecary by Malie Meloy is a wonderful book for all ages, full of fantastic characters and a great story line.

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Read 1,790 reviews from the world's largest community for readers. It's 1952 and the Scott family has just moved from Los Angeles to London. Here, fourteen...

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Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus

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Read 4,181 reviews from the world's largest community for readers. Aven Green loves to tell people that she lost her arms in an alligator wrestling match, ...

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Central Middle School (CMS) Library biography, auto biography, memoir book titles.

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Mo'ne Davis : remember my name : my story from first pitch to game changer by Mo'ne Davis

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Mo'ne Davis : remember my name : my story from first pitch to game changer by Mo'ne Davis

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INTRODUCTION

MY NAME IS MO'NE DAVIS. SOME PEOPLE KNOW ME AS THE first girl to throw a shutout in the Little League Baseball World Series. I am only the fourth American girl and the eighteenth girl from anywhere in the entire world to ever get to participate. Other people know that I was the first Little Leaguer and the youngest athlete to be on the cover of Sports Illustrated magazine. I was named SportsKid of the Year by Sports Illustrated Kids, too. And still others know me as the girl who read 'Twas the Night Before Christmas with the First Lady of the United States.

My teammates, who I've played with since I was seven, know more about me than almost anyone in the world. They know that I always try to make people feel good and cheer them up when they're mad or upset. They know that I tell a lot of cheesy jokes. And even though I'm a good athlete, sometimes I'm goofy and clumsy. My catcher, Scott, still cracks up about the time that I walked into a pole.

Opposing batters? Well, they know that I throw a nasty curve, a seventy-miles-per-hour fastball, and that I bring new meaning to the saying You throw like a girl.

The summer of 2014, when I turned thirteen, I played in the Little League World Series and had the best time I've ever had in my young life. Me and some of my teammates from my Philadelphia neighborhood baseball team, the Anderson Monarchs, also played on the Taney Dragons, our community's Little League all-star team. The Dragons first won our district tournament, then the sectionals, then states, then the regional tournament, and then we achieved every Little League player's dream: we went to the Little League World Series!

One hot August night that summer, I, Mo'ne-a girl who loves Disney movies, is afraid of the dark, and keeps change in her baseball pants pocket for good luck-stood on the pitcher's mound in front of 34,950 people and five million people from around the world who were watching on TV.

Even with all those eyes on our team, I didn't freak out. I just tuned out the crowd (I couldn't even hear my mom, who yells super loud!), stared straight into Scott's eyes, and fired strike after strike into his glove. Pop!

I gave up two infield hits and threw eight strikeouts against South Nashville that night. The Taney Dragons had shut out the second team in a row.

The fact that I was so calm under pressure and struck out so many boys amazed a lot of adults. It made people see girls who play sports in a different light, and turned me into a role model overnight. All of a sudden people started to recognize me, want my autograph, and remember my name.

CHAPTER 1

LUCKY SEVEN
YOU'VE REALLY GOT A NICE ARM THERE, THE MAN SAID TO ME.
I was kind of surprised that anyone had been watching me, and I didn't know the man, so I just said, Thanks, and looked away.

It was late October 2008, and I was playing catch with a football with my cousin Mark and some friends on the outfield at Marian Anderson, the neighborhood recreation center. Mark had just finished playing a baseball game and we were hanging out on the grass.

It's okay, Mo, Coach Steve is my coach, Mark said. Mark is two years older than me.

I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you, the man said. That's your name, Mo?

My name is Mo'ne, I answered, catching the ball. I aimed at the top of the silver skyscraper pointing into the blue sky over the tops of the trees, and threw the football back to Mark.

Anderson was just a few blocks from my house, but the field, it was like my backyard. It is this green oasis the size of a city block. A fence, parked cars, and, across the street, three-story redbrick row homes run all around it.

Oh, Mo-NAY, he said, pronouncing my name carefully. Nice to meet you, I'm Coach Steve.

Hi, I said. Coach Steve's dark blue sweats had the word Monarchs in white across the chest. A yellow pencil balanced behind his ear. For a split second I wondered if it ever fell off.

How old are you?

You've got a really strong arm. Most boys your age can't throw as far as you can, he said. I'm starting a Monarchs team for seven-year-olds. It's a boys' team, but you can play if you want. Why don't you think about coming out to basketball practice?

Okay, I said, looking him in the eye for the first time. He looked kind. Lots of kids played for the Monarchs. And I liked basketball. A lot.

Then he took the pencil and wrote on a scrap of paper he pulled out of his pocket.

Will you give this to your mother and ask her to call me?

Okay. I smiled at him, and carefully put the paper in my front pocket.

Later on, after I rode my bike home, I uncrumpled the paper and handed it to my mom.

What's this? she asked me. She was roasting a chicken, baking macaroni and cheese, and mashing sweet potatoes-my all-time favorite dinner-and the house smelled really good. My little brother, Maurice, who is four years younger than me, was watching cartoons on the couch.

This man wants you to call him, I told her.

Who is he? You shouldn't just be talking to strangers.

He isn't a stranger, he's Mark's baseball coach, I said. He wants to invite me to play on a basketball team.

Oh, okay, I'll call him, she said as she sprinkled some cinnamon into the sweet potato pot. Yum!

I hoped my mom would pick up the phone while she cooked. But she didn't. She didn't pick it up then, or when she washed the dishes, or when we were watching TV later on that night.

Mom, you gotta call that man, I reminded her the next morning when I put on my uniform for school.

When I got home after school, I asked her again.

Did you call that man yet?

When are you going to call him?

It turns out that my mom wasn't exactly thrilled about me playing what she saw as an aggressive sport. When I was a baby, she thought that I would become a girlie girl-the kind who would like dressing up, and getting her hair braided and curled, and playing with dolls. But I wasn't that girl. My mom says whenever she would buy me a doll, I would just look at her like she was crazy. I'd rather run around with a football or basketball and try to keep up with my brother Qu'ran, who is four years older than me.

I was a big Allen Iverson fan, says Qu'ran. So I started playing basketball, and she saw me dribbling and found it attractive, and started doing the same thing.

People say I look just like Qu'ran. You could say he is the boy version of me.

The next day, I tried with my mother again.

Mom, you gotta call that man.

All right, Mo'ne, I'm gonna call.

When I came home from school, she picked up the phone and started dialing Coach Steve.

My daughter, Mo'ne, gave me a piece of paper with your name and number on it and said that you wanted me to call you, she said as she sat in a kitchen chair.

I leaned up against her so I could listen.

Oh, yeah, hi, my name is Steve Bandura. I coach the Anderson Monarchs. I was watching your daughter play football the other day.

Football! Mo'ne's playing football? My mother frowned. My mom, she's the kind of person who sometimes fusses a lot, but even when she's yelling, you can do something funny and make her laugh.

She was just throwing the ball around with her cousin Mark, who I coach on the Monarchs, and some of their friends, Coach Steve said.

Oh, okay. My mother relaxed.

I've never seen anyone throw like that at her age-boy or girl-and I've been coaching kids for a long time.

I didn't even know Mo'ne could throw a football, she said, raising one eyebrow and giving me a side-eye.

A few weeks before, I had talked to her about football. Qu'ran had taught me how to throw a football.

My friend Qayyah and I wanted to play for the South Philly Hurricanes at Smith Playground.

Her mom said that if my mom let me play, she could play. And my mom said, if her mom let her play, I could play, Qayyah says. But then they wouldn't let us.

Not many kids that age can throw a football, because the ball's so big and their hands are so small. But Mo'ne was throwing the ball about twenty yards, Coach Steve told my mom. I'm starting a Monarchs team of seven-year-olds. It's all boys, but I invited her to come to basketball practice.

You want Mo'ne to play on a basketball team with all boys?! My mother started to talk very fast, like she does when she gets worked up.

Your daughter's got something special, he said.

But playing with boys-I don't want my daughter getting hurt!

They're just seven. There's not a lot of physical contact.

Oh, okay. I could feel my mom calming down. Thank you very much. I'll think about it and get back to you, she said, and hung up the phone.

Mo'ne, you wanna go?

I broke into a smile.

Even though she didn't like the idea of me playing with boys, my mom took me to practice the very next day. I didn't know it then, but when I look back on it now, the year I turned seven was the year that I started having good luck.

CHAPTER 2

ALL EYES ON ME

WHEN MY MOM AND I WALKED INTO THE GYM, THE FIRST thing I thought was that it was hot. The second thing I noticed was the smell of dirty socks.

Coach Steve and the team were already on the basketball court when my mom and I got there. As we cut across the corner of the court and headed toward the bench, it seemed like the grown-ups in the stands and along the court were staring at us.

Coach Steve said something to the team, then walked off the court and came over to greet us.

Hi, I'm Lakeisha, my mom said as she reached out her hand. I guess you already know Mo'ne.

Nice to meet you, Lakeisha. Thanks so much for letting Mo'ne come, he said, before smiling at me. Great to see you, Mo'ne. You ready to have some fun?

Yes. I smiled back at him, feeling excited but shy.

I see they're all boys . . . , my mother said. I could tell by the sound of her voice that she was nervous.

Yes, we have twelve boys on the team. Most of them have been with us since they were four, so I know them very well, Coach said. That one over there, in the navy blue Monarchs T-shirt, is my son, Scott. They're all very nice kids, and a lot of them have been together since they were three or four-they're like family to each other. You don't have to worry; they won't be mean to Mo'ne or give her any trouble.

Okay, that's good to know, my mom said, relaxing.

If it's okay with you, I'd like to get her started with practice, Coach said.

That's fine, she said. I'll stay for a little while to make sure she's okay. But I have to go to work. My boyfriend, Mark-we call him Squirt-is gonna pick her up.

Okay, no problem, Coach said.

My mom smiled, gave me a hug, and then walked toward the sidelines.

Coach Steve put his hand on my shoulder and turned me toward the court. He told me the boys were doing something called a three-man weave.

You don't have to do this drill; it's a little tough. You can wait till the next one, Coach Steve said, watching me. But watch for a while, and let me know if you want to try.

The boys stood in three lines

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Mo'ne Davis: Remember My Name: My Story from First Pitch to Game Changer

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Be inspired to reach for your dreams! At the age of thirteen, Mo'ne Davis became the first female pitcher to win a game in the Little League World Series and the first Little Leaguer to be featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated. A month later she earned a place in the National Baseball Hall of Fame.

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Verse/4-8

Grades 4-8. As Amira’s twelfth birthday approaches, she finds herself distracted from her daily responsibilities on the family farm: doing chores; looking after her little sister, Leila, who was born with special needs; and caring for her little lamb, Nali. She dreams of school, but that is not the traditional way for girls in Sudan. Life is hard, with scarce food, distant water, and the looming obligation of marriage and motherhood. Still, she scratches out her thoughts and dreams in the dirt with a precious twig, wishing. Then the Janjaweed arrive and decimate the village in an attack that kills her father and Nali. After the remaining family members and their friend Old Anwar relocate to a refugee camp, Amira’s spirit is sorely tested, but the gift of a pad and a red pencil restores her sense of agency and offers the promise of learning. Pinkney’s short, clipped verse expresses the harsh difficulties and intimate beauties of daily life—dust storms, orange soda, family devotion—in broken lines that capture Amira’s breathless anxiety and hope. And if the evocative poetry is the novel’s beating heart, Evans’ spare, open, graceful line drawings are its breath, recalling Amira’s own linear musings, drawn on the ground or in her own tablet. Ultimately, this is an inspirational story of the harrowing adversity countless children face, the resilience with which they meet it, and the inestimable power of imagination and learning to carry them through.
Booklist starred (October 15, 2014 (Vol. 111, No. 4))

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Taking liberty : the story of Oney Judge, George Washington's runaway slave by Rinaldi, Ann

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Taking liberty : the story of Oney Judge, George Washington's runaway slave by Rinaldi, Ann

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Hist Fic/12+

In this swiftly paced historical novel, Rinaldi (Girl in Blue) chronicles the life of Oney Judge, favorite "servant (they were never called slaves)" to Lady Martha Washington. By Oney's own admission in the prologue, as Lady Washington's "pet," she enjoyed "a life of comparative ease and even luxury." Oney surreptitiously learns to read (and though this violates the law, Lady Washington keeps her secret), wears fine clothes and accompanies the General's family to New York and Philadelphia. Rinaldi seamlessly weaves history and strong characters, from the mansion house to the servants' quarters, to offer a balanced portrait of their complex and contradictory interactions. Publishers Weekly (December 2, 2002)