Room 7’s Page

The Penderwicks

I Am the Ice Worm by MaryAnn Easley (Boys Mill Press, 1998). This book is sort of a girls’ version of Gary Paulsen’s classic Hatchet. In both stories, a teenage character is stranded in the wilderness following a plane crash. In I Am the Ice Worm, 14-year-old Allison is rescued from the Alaskan wild by an Inupiat trapper, who takes her to his village to stay until she can be reunited with her mother. Allison’s upbringing in an upper-class family in southern California certainly didn’t prepare her for this icy adventure, but she turns out to have courage and adaptability that she didn’t expect. Though Allison may initially seem too “girly” for boy readers, this novel has a great blend of adventure, wilderness and family matters that will captivate boys and girls alike.

Peak by Roland Smith (Harcourt, 2007).
When 14-year-old Peak Marcello is caught scaling a skyscraper to place his signature graffiti tag, he is offered a choice: spend three years in juvenile detention or climb Mt. Everest with his long-absent father. Though the choice might be easy, the journey is not. Peak is physically and emotionally challenged by the grueling climb, the weather, and the politics and drama of climbing culture. And the pressure is on, because if Peak can reach the summit before his 15th birthday, he’ll break a world record and gain glory and money. Peak is gripping and surprising, and though it’s written for a middle-grade audience, readers young and old will be sucked in by the sharp writing and memorable characters

Baseball in April and Other Stories by Gary Soto (Harcourt Paperbacks, 2000).
Set in a Latino community in Fresno, California, these contemporary short stories take on universal life lessons. Perfect for a fifth-grade reader, Soto is gifted at telling tales that intrigue and instruct kids. Baseball in April is sure to inspire discussion, so chat about it with your child.

Sir Cumference and the First Round Table: A Math Adventure by Cindy Neuschwander, illustrated by Wayne Geehan (Charlesbridge Publishing, 1999).
This book is the perfect read-aloud to introduce the concepts of circumference, diameter and radius. Students will be exposed to many other geometric shapes as well. Children of all ages will enjoy this mathematical adventure. Sir Circumference and his Knight work to solve a mathematical dilemma. What would be the best-shaped table for Sir Circumference to gather his knights? Will it be a square, rectangle, parallelogram or circle? You must read to find out.

The Top 10 Ways to Ruin the First Day of 5th Grade by Kenneth Derby (Holiday House, 2004).
Tony Baloney is obsessed with David Letterman and is determined to be a guest on his show. This fast-paced, action-packed story is sure to keep the reader amused — top 10 lists and all!

What Would Joey Do? by Jack Gantos (HarperTrophy, 2004).
Now that Joey’s divorced mom has a new boyfriend, his dad has returned to town to buzz their house on his roaring motorcycle. The fact that his own sick, elderly mother is living with his son and former wife doesn’t deter him at all. When Joey’s mom sends him to be homeschooled with a bratty blind girl with a religious mother whose motto is “What Would Jesus Do?” Joey adopts this motto – with his own modifications. While the premises of Joey’s story – no allies except a small dog and a sick old lady – are harsh, the book is hilarious.

The Homework Machine by Dan Gutman (Simon & Schuster, 2006).
Young readers will recognize their classmates and maybe themselves in the key witnesses who describe the events (interrogation-style) leading up to the discovery, use and destruction of a computer that was supposed to make kids’ lives easier. It didn’t.

No Talking by Andrew Clements, illustrated by Mark Elliott (Simon & Schuster, 2007).
This is an ear-to-ear-grinningly delightful school story. Parents need to know that there is nothing to be concerned about here and lots to cheer. It’s a story that even reluctant readers can love, about good-hearted children and adults who grow in compassion and understanding. Families can talk about silence and civil disobedience. Why does the silence seem so powerful? How does it change everyone’s perceptions? What do you think of the standoff between Dave and the principal?