BOOKS FOR CHILDREN: How do you know what's good?

While there are many places (especially on the internet) where you can read book reviews, how do you really know if it's a good book or not when a single book might receive anywhere from one to five stars?
The answer: read the reviews of a book-addicted teacher librarian.


NOTE:
** The age recommendations are guidelines only; whether or not a certain book is suitable for a particular child depends on multiple factors, including their maturity, reading level, interests, and in some cases their experiences.
** While the ratings are largely based on my own personal appreciation/enjoyment of the book, they are also influenced by my experiences as a teacher and the potential attraction for the target-aged child (acknowledging that what one child may love, another may find exceptionally boring). A rating of 5 indicates the book is likely to be popular with the majority.


Wednesday, June 23, 2010

Superpower series

AUTHOR: Alex Cliff (UK) (2007)

NOTES: The 7-book series covers one day (one superpower/task) in each book. By lining up all 7 books, the back cover creates a board game. Each book contains a paragraph of information about Hercules and other gods, and the topic for each book (Namean Lion, etc).

ISSUES: friendship, good vs evil, ancient mythology.

PLOT: Two young boys, Max and Fin, discover Hercules trapped in a castle, imprisoned by the goddess Juno. By using one of his powers each day, they must complete a task set by Juno in order to return Hercules' powers to him and set him free. Eg: In Book 1: The Jaws of Doom, Max and Fin use Hercules' power of strength to capture a saber-toothed (Namean) lion.

AGE: 6-9, or 10 y.o with low reading ability. Will attract younger boys with advanced reading skills in particular.

GENRE: Fantasy, Adventure. RATING: 3 1/2 stars.
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