Izzy lived on a beautiful island where she shared many an adventure with her friend Frank, the seagull. Izzy loved everything about island living: no corners in her house, blue-sky-sunny days, playing in the sand, and her beloved Frank.
Category: Bookshelf
Browse through our most recent reviews. For an A-Z history of our reviews, click here.
Review: How to Write a Story
Messner gives you the building blocks for helping your child, from the youngest age possible, craft a story they’d be proud to write.
Review: On the First Day of Summer Vacation
In this story, Rabe very subtly gives us a great combination of reading fun and learning tools. The story takes us through the first twelve days of summer and includes the reader in twelve days of adventures and experiences that are the kinds of things every kid loves to do.
Review: The Other Half of Happy
At school, she is ridiculed both because she is and is not latina (in appearance yes, in culture, no)–sometimes called a coconut [brown on the outside, white on the inside]. She sings in the choir, loves English class, has two great friends and has trouble with some mean girls. Internally, she struggles to figure out who she is, at the same time rejecting everything she perceives as being forced upon her. I know. She sounds like the ordinary 12-year-old. And that’s why this is extraordinary. As she faces each challenge, and overcomes each perceived failure, she builds her identity with each step.
Review: Rain Boy
Into every life, a little rain must fall. But, what if you are that rain? And nobody appreciates you? Sure, everybody likes sunshine. But let a rain cloud ruin your picnic, or flood your basement, or ruin your play date, and you are bound to be miffed. Such is the story of our hero, Rain Boy, a kid unlike any other.
Review: Red (A Crayon’s Story)
The plot is a straight-forward one. A pencil, symbolic in that pencils are generally used to describe everything presented to the eyes, the heart and the mind, tells us the story of a crayon called Red. His name is Red, because he’s wrapped in a red wrapper. But, to anyone who can see beyond the wrappings, he’s a blue crayon with a red label.
Review: Papa, Daddy & Riley
A young girl posits that she should not have to choose between her two Fathers. She shouldn’t have to do so.
Review: Jules vs the Ocean
On a special trip to the beach, Jules has one thing on her mind: building the BIGGEST, FANCIEST, MOST EXCELLENT castle that has ever been built–all with the ultimate goal of impressing her big sister. She soon finds out that even the best laid plans do not always work out as intended.
Review: And Then Comes Summer
Transitioning from school routines and days that follow schedules, to days with more freedom and less structure, can sometimes cause anxiety in children; even if that anxiety isn’t immediately visible. Brenner follows three friends as they prepare to end their school year and enjoy their summer vacation together.