An Egg Is Quiet

This might be my favorite book in the whole school, right now. An Egg Is Quiet, by Diannna Aston and illustrated by Sylvia Long, is a non-fiction picture book all about eggs. It tells you about all the different animals that have eggs, how animals take care of their eggs, shows what's inside eggs, and finally what comes out of eggs!

I could look at it for hours.

Did you know that ostrich eggs can weigh up to 8 pounds, while hummingbird eggs are as tiny as jellybeans?!

My favorite page is about how colorful eggs are--it shows all of these eggs, from birds and fish and bugs, laid out in a rainbow. Really amazing! Sylvia Long is one talented artist!

It's still at my desk, instead of on the shelves, because I like looking at it all the time! Come see it and take it home.

The Homework Machine

If you had a machine that could do all your homework for you, in minutes, would you use it?

I just finished reading one of our new books, The Homework Machine, by Dan Gutman, and I loved it.

The D-squad is a group of four fifth graders whose desks are grouped together by their teacher. They couldn’t be more different. Ordinarily, they’d never be seen in public together. There’s Brandon, the natural genius—he’s always been the smartest in the school; he gets top marks effortlessly, but he’s a little awkward…he doesn’t have too many friends, and he’s fine with that. There’s Kelsey, the slacker—she doesn’t care too much about school, dyes her hair wild colors, and does just enough work to barely pass…that’s good enough for her. Snikwad is the cool kid, new to the school—he’s never done well in school, and doesn’t plan on changing that. And then, there's Judy, a model student, who works really hard at it—she puts in lots of homework-time after school, and sometimes wishes she had more time for other things, like dance classes.

When Snik grills Brandon about how he gets his homework done and how he got to be a genius, Brandon nonchalantly reveals that he’s invented a homework machine. That’s right: he figured out how to revamp his computer to do his homework for him. Snik doesn’t believe him, and insists on seeing it for himself. Brandon shrugs and says sure, come over and see.

Before long, the D-squad is going to Brandon’s house everyday after school. They’ve made a pact to keep this a secret. They hang out; Brandon’s mom brings them snacks; the computer churns out their homework; and they say goodbye.
Soon the D-squad is making perfect marks. Sweet Miss Rasmussen isn’t even suspicious; she’s just overjoyed that they’re getting along and doing so well.

Of course, while they’re busy getting their homework done, they accidentally get to know each other—they could even be called friends.

Miss Rasmussen might not be suspicious, but the rest of the class is. Rumors are circulating…something’s up: why are these four hanging out so much?

Things begin to unravel when a mysterious, creepy man starts IM-ing the D-Squad, asking about the machine; and they realize that even when they unplug the machine, it stays on…like it has a mind of its own.
Oh, and I almost forgot: the police are on their case.

Will the D-Squad remain friends? Does the Homework Machine Survive? Did they do something illegal?? Are they going to jail? Will the creepy guy track them down?—What does he want?

Read this book! Good choice for UE!

Book Review: Esperanza Rising

Esperanza Rising by Pam Munoz Ryan is a heartfelt story about a girl who lives in Mexico and has to move to California. This book is best for girls who are into some tragedy and a little bit of adventure. Each chapter's title is a name of fruit in Spanish. In the back of this book there are fun arts and crafts, recipes that are mentioned in the book, and a Q&A with the author, Pam Munoz Ryan.

Review by Sarah J.

All About Babymouse
Book interview with
Rebecca & Sophie

REBECCA: When did you start reading Babymouse?
SOPHIE: I was in BookCourt and I wanted to get a new book, but I had nothing in mind. I was just looking all around, and couldn’t find anything. Then I looked at the top of the shelf and I saw Babymouse!

REBECCA: What do you like about Babymouse?
SOPHIE: I think that Babymouse is just a typical girl…but then when you get to know her in the book, she daydreams a lot. And, like, when she’s walking down the school hall, in her mind it’s the yellow brick road.

SOPHIE: Who introduced you to Babymouse?
REBECCA: You did!

REBECCA: Babymouse is a little different from other books. It’s a graphic novel. It’s as much about the pictures as it is about the words. What kind of reader do you think would like to read Babymouse?
SOPHIE: In my mind, I feel like, I don’t really love graphic novels. I feel like Babymouse is different from other graphic novels, partly with the story. I think it’s good for all ages—anyone who can read! Someone who likes funny stories and who wants something quick and easy to read, should try Babymouse.

REBECCA: Is Babymouse a series by any chance?
SOPHIE: Yes, Babymouse is a series! And there are five books. Our library has Babymouse: Queen of the World, Babymouse: Our Hero, and Babymouse: Rockstar!

REBECCA: Which is your favorite?
SOPHIE: The first one—Queen of the World.

REBECCA: Is there anything else you’d like to tell us about Babymouse?
SOPHIE: My tip for anybody who starts to read Babymouse is when it’s black and white it’s her real life, and when it’s pink and white she’s daydreaming.


Babymouse trivia: Jennifer and Matthew Holm are siblings! Jennifer writes the stories and Matthew draws the pictures.