5th grade booktalks
2019-2020
February 11, 2020: "What factors can contribute to an individual's success in changing society?" The answers might be in a book!
Daring Play: how a courageous Jackie Robinson transformed baseball by Michael Burgan
- 796.357 BUR. informational nonfiction.
- This book is another perspective of what made Jackie Robinson famous AND inspirational.
- It also describes the iconic photograph of him stealing home that is part of what people associate with Jackie today.
All Rise for the Honorable Perry T. Cook by Leslie Connor
- F CON. realistic fiction.
- Perry was born and raised by his mom in the Blue River Co-Ed Correctional Facility in Surprise, Nebraska. So far the warden has allowed them to be together. But then a new district attorney discovers what is going on, removes Perry, and sends him to a foster home.
- Perry struggles on the "outside," so he sets out to find answers to his mom's past crime. As he gets closer to the truth, he discovers that love makes people resilient, and the true meaning of the word "home."
Number the Stars by Lois Lowry
- F LOW. historical fiction.
- Annemarie Jensen and her best friend Ellen Rosen live in Copenhagen, Denmark in 1943. The are in the midst of World War II, but the two try to remember better days.
- Then the Nazis arrive, and the Jews of Denmark are soon becoming "relocated."
- Annemarie and her family decide they need to help Ellen and her family. Can Annemarie find the courage to do what is right, even if it is extremely dangerous?
Amal Unbound by Aisha Saeed
- F SAE. realistic fiction.
- Life is fairly routine for Amal, growing up in a Pakistani village. She has dreams of being a teacher one day. But those dreams get put on hold when she, as the oldest daughter, must stay home to take care of her younger siblings.
- One day in the market, she has a run-in with the village's corrupt landlord. She unintentionally offends him, and suddenly she is his servant, paying off her family's debt.
- Life is very different and difficult for Amal living at the landlord's estate. As she learns more about the landlord's family, she realizes she and the other servants are going to have to work together to be courageous enough to make changes to how life is in the village--and she Amal can achieve her own dreams.
Happy reading!
January 14, 2020: really good books you shouldn't miss
How They Choked by Georgia Bragg
- 920 BRA. collective biography
- Some people famous for doing really successful things actually had some major mistakes along the way.
- Introduction to the book...
Greetings From Witness Protection by Jake Burt
- F BUR. mystery/suspense/adventure
- Nicki is in foster care and is a pick pocket, and she has been chosen by US Marshals to keep a family in the Witness Protection Program alive.
- As Nicki adjusts to her new identity, she also must keep that identity believable, dodging hitmen, cyberbullies, and standardized testing. And she must face her past that could be the biggest danger for her new family.
Roll with It by Jamie Sumner
- BRAND NEW!
- F SUM. realistic fiction
- book trailer
- Ellie and her mom live in Nashville. Ellie has cerebral palsy, so she gets around in a wheelchair, but she's doing OK with the help of an aide.
- But then she and her mom move to Oklahoma for awhile to help her grandparents because her grandpa has Alzheimers. And suddenly Ellie has to start over--a new town, a home, a new school, everything.
- Ellie slowly begins to adjust to life in Oklahoma, even making a few friends, and realizes she needs to convince her mom that Oklahoma is where they should stay.
Ghost by Jason Reynolds
- F REY. sports/realistic fiction
- Ghost (what he calls himself even though his real name is Castle Crenshaw) has always considered basketball to be his game. But he is also a runner.
- He's never run for track before--only from his life. He has a past he'd like to outrun. But when he sort of accidentally challenges a cocky runner on the neighborhood track team and blows past him, the coach quickly recruits him.
- Ghost quickly learns that running on a track team isn't as easy as it looks. Although he connects with his teammates and his coach, can he do what it takes to stay on the team?
Happy reading!
October 15, 2019: the immigrant and refugee experience
The Journey That Saved Curious George: the True Wartime Escape of Margret and H.A. Rey by Louise Borden
- narrative biography. 813 BOR
- This story starts in 1940 Paris as the Nazi army of Germany advanced towards the city. Hans and Margret Ray knew they needed to leave, so they began their journey on bicycles, heading toward southern France.
- Among the few possessions they could carry with them were children's book manuscripts. Some of those turned into the character we know today as Curious George. Imagine what might have happened if they wouldn't have escaped!
Little Cricket by Jackie Brown
- historical fiction. F BRO
- 12 year old Kia Yang, nicknamed "Little Cricket," has always lived peacefully with her extended family in Laos.
- That peace ends one day when North Vietnamese solders destroy in her village and her family must flee in order to survive. They spend three years in a Thai refugee camp, and finally hear the heartbreaking news that only Kia, her brother, and her grandfather have permission to emigrate to America.
- Kia is overwhelmed by her new life in Minnesota, but when her brother gets into trouble and her grandfather becomes sick, she realizes she's not as alone as she thought she was.
A House of Tailors by Patricia Reilly Giff
- historical fiction. F GIF
- Dina has worked for her family's dressmaking business since she was a small girl, and the sewing machine has been a part of her life. When she leaves her small town in Germany to join her uncle's family in Brooklyn, New York City, she is determined to leave sewing behind.
- Unfortunately for her, her search for a job takes her right back to the sewing machine. So now she's working with something she doesn't like AND she's homesick.
- These hardships also show her new things about herself, though, like how much bravery she has and how she can grow so close to her new family.
The Night Diary by Veera Hiranandani
- historical fiction. F HIR
- On her 12th birthday, Nisha receives a journal where she can record her thoughts. She has lots of thoughts, because it is 1947 and her country, India, has just been divided in two in order to create two new independent countries, Pakistan and India.
- This division creates a lot of violence as Hindus, Muslims, and Sikhs begin to have conflicts with each other. Nisha's mama, who died when Nisha was born, was a Muslim, and her papa is a Hindu. He decides it's no longer safe to stay in Pakistan, so Nisha and her family become refugees.
- The family begins a dangerous journey by train and by foot to try to get to India and their new home.
Happy reading!
September 10, 2019: recommended reads
Crenshaw by Katherine Applegate
- Science fiction/Fantasy. F APP
- book trailer
- Jackson and his family have fallen on hard times: money is tight, there's no food, and they may have to live in their minivan again.
- Crenshaw is a cat. A large, outspoken, imaginary cat. Jackson's imaginary cat. He has come back to Jackson to help him out. But how can an imaginary cat help Jackson and his family?
The Giggler Treatment by Roddy Doyle
- Science fiction/Fantasy. F DOY
- This book is about Mr. Mack, his wife Billy Jean, and his children Robbie, Jimmy, and Kayla.
- Even more, this book is about what happens when adults are mean to children.
- What happens? The Gigglers, of course. What are Gigglers? They are "baby-sized and furry. Their fur changes color as they move." The look after children and punish adults who are mean to them.
- And their treatment? "Poo on the shoe."
Babe and Me: a baseball card adventure by Dan Gutman
- Historical fiction/Sports/Science fiction. F GUT
- October 1, 1932. Game 3 of the Chicago Cubs vs New York Yankees World Series.
- Babe Ruth hit a long home run straight out to centerfield. According to legend, right before the ball was thrown, Babe pointed to the bleachers in centerfield and boldly predicted he would hit it there.
- Witnesses never agreed as to whether Babe actually called his shot or not. And like most other fans, 12 year old Joe Stoshack wants to know the truth.
- Unlike other fans, Joe has the ability to travel through time using his baseball cards. And Joe is determined to settle this debate once and for all.
Squirm by Carl Hiaasen
- Action/adventure. F HIA
- Billy Dickens once saw a biker swerve across the road to hit a snake. Later that motorcycle somehow ended up at the bottom of a canal. Billy isn't one to let things go.
- Billy's family has moved six times in Florida because his mom insists on living next to a bald eagle nest. Billy's dad left them when he was four and he knows basically nothing about his father. But now he's found his dad's address--in Montana.
- This summer, Billy will fly across the country, hike a mountain, float a river, dodge a grizzly bear, shoot down a spy drone, save a neighbor's cat, save an endangered panther, and then try to save his own father.
EngiNerds by Jarrett Lerner
- Science fiction/Fantasy. F LER
- Jarrett will tell you about his book!