Hyperactive by Scott Christian Sava

This is a graphic novel about a young boy who goes to school and throughout the day is experiencing weird things; in gym class they are playing dodgeball and everything begins to slow down for him. Before he knows it he has hit everyone on the other team and he is the only one left standing. He finds out from his friend that everything wasn't slowing down, it was him that was speeding up. He goes home and tells his parents and they take him to the doctor and he finds out that his metabolism is in overdrive and that's what is causing things to go really fast for him. Later, he gets kidnapped because someone wants to steal his DNA but he gets out of it by using his super strength from his overactive metabolism.

This book was really fun to read and the graphics were amazing! The pages were very glossy and they made the colors stand out a lot. I thought it was kind of an interesting twist on graphic novels because I typically think of them as super hero comics. The boy in the story is somewhat of a super hero but it's not what you would usually expect since it is a young boy so I think it makes it really relatable to children. I picked this book because of the title "Hyperactive" because I was curious to see what it would be about. There is a lot being said about students being hyperactive and having hyperactive disorders so I was interested to see what was going to be discussed. The book didn't discuss hyperactivity really other than saying that it was the reason for making him go so fast but I did find that two main characters are boys. I thought this was interesting because when talking about schools there is always a stereotype that boys are distracted and can't focus and boys are usually the students who are diagnosed with disorders like ADHD. I would be concerned that this book would be promoting that thought and that stereotype so I would be cautious about having in my classroom. However, I also think that it is cool how the book makes it into an advantage (being super hero-like) instead of a disadvantage as it is often perceived so I think there are good points and bad points about using this book in a classroom.

Araminta Spookie: My Haunted House by Angie Sage

This children's novel is about a young girl name Araminta who lives in a haunted house with her aunt and uncle. She has been searching for ghosts the entire time she has lived in the house and can never find any. Then, after struggling with the boiler, her aunt decides she is going to sell the house. Araminta is furious! She begins devising plans to get rid of all of the possible buyers. In her planning she finds a key that opens up secret passages and secret doors throughout the house and eventually finds a ghost that helps her ambush potential buyers. However, a family comes to look at the house and no matter what awful things she does to them, they love the house even more. Finally, she tells her aunt that she doesn't want to leave the house and that she will help with the boiler and whatever else she needs as long as they can stay.



This book was really fun to read. It had amazing detail and I could see exactly what was happening and what the characters were doing throughout the story. I thought it was different from the "normal" books about a girl leaving her home and moving away and it gave the reader another world of fantasy. It reminded me of a younger version of Harry Potter which could definitely help in a classroom because

There's An Alligator Under My Bed by Mercer Mayer

Mercer Mayer is one of my favorite children's authors and he doesn't disappoint in this book either! I read this book when I was younger but it was a lot of fun going back and reading it again now. The book, for those who haven't read it, is about a little boy who believes there is an alligator living under his bed. He is determined to get it out so that he can get some sleep so he makes a trail of food from his bed to the garage hoping the alligator will come out. Sure enough, it does! Then, he leaves a note for his dad letting him know that there is an alligator in the garage and that he should be careful when he goes to get his car in the morning.



I think this book is great for children. I loved it when I was younger and I think that students today would still enjoy it. It is a very fun and imaginative story and it could help get children using their imaginations to create stories of their own. I also love the illustrations, Mercer Mayer is one of my favorite illustrators as well and I think the illustrations are great in this book! Also, at the end the main character leaves a note for his father and in the illustration you can see pictures, "invented" spellings, and corrections in the note. From a teaching point of view I think this could help students with the writing process and help them understand that it doesn't have to be perfect and that it doesn't have to be writing at all. There are many things that can come from this book and I think it is great for teachers and students because it's just fun to read!

Dinner at Alberta's by Russell Hoban

This story was about a crocodile name Arthur who does not have good table manners. His parents and his sister try to correct him at dinner but he just won't listen. Every time they correct him he ends up getting discouraged and leaves the table to go play his guitar very loudly. His sister, Emma brings her friend Alberta to dinner one night and Arthur watches her through the whole dinner. He begins to copy her manners at the table; when she breaks a piece of bread off to butter it Arthur does too. Then, Alberta invites Arthur and Emma over to her house for dinner. Immediately, Arthur's family begins working with him on his manners and how to act. When goes to dinner he does very well and behaves just as his family has taught him. Alberta's family is very pleased with him and tells Alberta's brother to learn from Arthur.



This book was really sweet and a good way to discuss table manners. I could see it being very helpful for children when they are beginning to understand manners and behaviors. I thought the book was somewhat stereotypical and I would have some concerns about having it and reading it in my classroom. There was a line in the book that said "boys are trouble" and throughout the entire book Arthur is getting in trouble for anything and everything while his sister is not. He is being told to watch his sister and listen to her so he can learn how to behave. In a classroom, it is important to get rid of stereotypes as much as possible and I definitely think this is one of the most common stereotypes that teachers see. Not all boys are going to be trouble and not all girls are going to be perfect angels so it is important not to promote these ideas to students.

My Lucky Day by Keiko Kasza

This is the second book I've read from Keiko and I loved it just as much as the first. This story is about a fox and a pig. The fox is preparing to go out to hunt for his dinner when a little pig knocks on his door; he thinks it is his lucky day. Through a series of requests or "suggestions" as the pig puts it, he has the fox bathing him, feeding him, and massaging him. By the time all of this is finished the fox is exhausted and is too tired to eat the pig. The pig walks out of the foxes house feeling as though it is HIS lucky day.

I thought this story was really entertaining and I definitely think children would love it. I really enjoyed the twist at the end and how it turned out to be the pig's lucky day instead of the fox. I was interested through the entire story and I could see students loving this book because it has a lot of humor that children can relate to.

I Wonder Why by Lois Rock

This was a poem that asked a lot of questions about life and things around us in the world. For example, one page in the book reads; "And why is grass green and the flowers so bright? And how do seeds know they should grow to the light?" This book is a great way to get children to use their imaginations and think about what is around them and how they can use these things to write. Also, I usually do not like reading poetry but I really enjoyed this book and I think that can help teachers present poetry to students who may be reluctant. I thought it was really interesting and I would definitely have it in my classroom.

Amanda's Perfect Hair by Linda Milstein

This is a really cute story about a little girl named Amanda who has CRAZY hair. Everywhere she goes people are always making comments about her hair and she doesn't feel that they are really noticing her. Her teachers always tell her how beautiful her hair is, her friends tell her how much fun it is to style her hair in new ways, and her brother and sister always pester her about it. Eventually she gets tired of people noticing her hair before they notice her and she decides that she will cut it all off. When she comes out of the bathroom she has cut her hair extremely short and at first everyone is shocked. Then they realize how much they love it and tell her that it looks great.

I thought this was a good story because it was really fun and I think children would like it a lot. I think it also shows that you can be yourself and do what you want to do and people will still like you and respect you for it. I definitely think it can provide a lesson for children but it is also just a fun story to read.