Braille Book Review

March-April 2006

Books for Children

Fiction

The Last Treasure BR 15647
by Janet S. Anderson
2 volumes
Distant cousins Ellsworth and Jess spend the summer looking for hidden treasure at the old clan homestead, where an ancestor's spirit still roams. Along the way the teens also uncover family secrets. For grades 6-9. 2003.

Peter Pan BR 15663
by J.M. Barrie
2 volumes
Siblings Wendy, John, and Michael fly to Never-Never-Land with Peter, the boy who refuses to grow up. Unabridged version. For grades 5-8. 1911.

M.C. Higgins, the Great BR 15697
by Virginia Hamilton
2 volumes
Fifteen-year-old African American Mayo Cornelius Higgins hopes a visiting folklorist will make his mother a recording star so that he and his family can escape the menacing relic of a strip mine threatening their Ohio hills home. For grades 6-9. Newbery Medal. 1974.

Curse of the Blue Tattoo: Being an Account of the Misadventures of Jacky Faber, Midshipman and Fine Lady; a Bloody Jack Adventure BR 15699
by L.A. Meyer
3 volumes
Jacky Faber is sent to school in Boston after being unmasked as a girl and forced to leave the ship she sailed on in Bloody Jack (BR 14624). She roams the city and learns to ride a horse instead of learning to be a lady. For grades 6-9. 2004.

Bird BR 15782
by Angela Johnson
1 volume
Bird, a thirteen-year-old African American girl, runs away to Alabama to convince her stepfather, Cecil, to return home. Two boys linked by a heart transplant befriend her: Jay, whose dead brother was the organ donor, and Ethan, Cecil's nephew, who received a new heart. For grades 5-8. 2004.

On the Run BR 15783
by Michael Coleman
2 volumes
Luke's latest arrest results in a community service sentence to partner with Jodi, a blind teenager, to run in the London marathon. Under Jodi's influence during training, Luke develops positive traits and prefers running as a sport instead of running as an escape from the police. For grades 6-9. 2003.

The End of the Beginning: Being the Adventures of a Small Snail (and an Even Smaller Ant) BR 15790
by Avi
1 volume
After reading many books, Avon, a rather small snail, decides he needs adventures to be happy. As Avon sets out, he is joined by Edward, a take- charge ant, on a journey to no particular place in search of new experiences. For grades 2-4. 2004.

Charlie's Raven BR 15801
by Jean Craighead George
1 volume
When thirteen-year-old Charlie takes a baby raven from its nest, he hopes the bird will cure his grandfather, who is recuperating from a heart attack. The grandfather, a retired naturalist, enjoys the chick's antics. He encourages Charlie to scientifically study the effect of ravens on humans. For grades 5-8. 2004.

Worth BR 15810
by A. LaFaye
1 volume
Nebraska, late nineteenth century. After eleven-year-old Nate's leg is crushed in a barn accident, his father adopts "orphan train" boy John Worth to help with farm chores. Nate and John gradually overcome their mutual distrust, bonding during a feud between the farmers and ranchers. For grades 4-7. 2004.

Crazy Loco: Stories BR 15813
by David Rice
1 volume
Nine stories about Mexican American kids growing up in the Rio Grande Valley of south Texas. In "Her Other Son" a family's visit to their maid's tiny house in Mexico reveals she has a stronger emotional connection to them than they previously realized. For grades 6-9. 2001.

Alien in a Bottle BR 15815
by Kathy Mackel
1 volume
Eighth-grader Sean Winger feels destined to be a glassblower but his parents strongly disapprove. His stargazer classmate Olivia Ricci assists him. So does an odd assortment of extraterrestrials Sean came to know after discovering two of them in a glass bottle in the ocean. For grades 5-8. 2004.

Flip BR 15818
by David Lubar
2 volumes
Eighth-grader Taylor and her twin brother, Ryan, are complete opposites. So when trouble-making Ryan discovers mysterious alien disks that enable him to become legends from the past--Babe Ruth, Albert Einstein, and others--Taylor tries to keep him out of trouble. For grades 5-8. 2003.

Firmament BR 15824
by Tim Bowler
3 volumes
Music formed a strong bond between Luke and his recently deceased father. Now Luke's world is unraveling as he becomes involved with a gang, breaks into a house occupied by a captive blind girl, feels betrayed by his mother's new romance, and confronts his musical heritage. For grades 6-9. 2002.

The Game of Sunken Places BR 15837
by M.T. Anderson
2 volumes
Thirteen-year-old best friends Gregory and Brian travel to rural Vermont for a visit with Gregory's eccentric Uncle Max. In Max's Victorian mansion Gregory and Brian become involved in an ancient game played by supernatural opponents. Some violence. For grades 5-8. 2004.

Cabin on Trouble Creek BR 15844
by Jean Van Leeuwen
1 volume
Ohio, 1803. Eleven-year-old Daniel and brother Will are left in their wilderness cabin while Pa returns home to fetch Ma and their younger siblings. When their family fails to return, the boys learn about survival from a Native American trapper. Based on a true story. For grades 4-7. 2004.

Marika BR 15900
by Andrea Cheng
1 volume
World War II. Although Marika has been raised Catholic, her family name, Schnurmacher, reveals her Jewish heritage. This legacy is dangerous because Marika lives in Hungary, where Jews face discrimination and persecution. For grades 6-9. 2002.

Duck for President BR 16012
by Doreen Cronin
1 volume
When Duck gets tired of working for Farmer Brown, he holds an election to take over. Duck's political ambitions eventually win him the presidency but not happiness. PRINT/BRAILLE. For grades K-3. 2004.

Wild about Books BR 16024
by Judy Sierra
1 volume
When librarian Molly McGrew drives her bookmobile into the zoo by mistake, she first attracts the animals to reading with a book by Dr. Seuss. A story in rhyme. PRINT/BRAILLE. For grades K-3. 2004.

Josefina Entra en Acción: Un Cuento de Verano (Josefina Saves the Day: A Summer Story) BR 15784
by Valerie Tripp
1 volume
Josefina y su familía están en Santa Fe esperando la llegada de una caravana de carretas para comerciar mulas y frazadas con los americanos. Conocen a Patrick O'Toole, un joven explorador americano, que promete encargarse de la transación comercial de la familia. Pero de súbito Patrick desaparece, y la familia cree que el joven les ha engañado. Sigue a Feliz Cumpleaños, Josefina (BR 14707). Para grados 2 a 4. [Josefina and her family, in Santa Fe, await the arrival of wagon trains to trade blankets and mules for goods they need. Patrick O'Toole, a wagon scout, promises to handle the family's transactions, but he suddenly disappears. Sequel to Feliz Cumpleaños, Josefina (BR 14707). For grades 2-4.] 1998.


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