Marissa's Book Talk

Book title ___The Bone Gap___________   Author ____ Laura Ruby______  Publisher, Year ____ Harper Collins Publisher, 2015_______ Bibliography  Ruby, L. (2015).  Bone Gap  [eBook]. Retrieved from https://www.harpercollins.com/9780062317636/bone-gap/ ISBN 9780062317636 Plot Summary   Finn O’Sullivan witnessed the abduction of his friend, Roza, in the cornfields by a dangerous man. With no one believing his story, it is up to Finn to find her while falling in love with the town’s outcast Petey. Readers follow the stories of Finn, Roza, and other residents of Bone Gap to understand the events leading up to Roza’s disappearance, what happened to her, and if they can get her back.  Critical Analysis The story of Bone Gap took place in a town of the same name. Located in Illinois, the town is surrounded by a cornfield and other farms. Roza went to study abroad in Chicago and had to flee from her professor who wanted her...

Book title _______ The Midwife's Apprentice________________ Author, Illustrator ________ Karen Cushman__________________________ Publisher, Year ____ Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2019 ______________ Bibliography Cushman, K. (2019).  The Midwife's Apprentice . New York, NY: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. ISBN 978-1328631121 Plot Summary The story of The Midwife's Apprentice involves a young girl living in medieval England around the age of 12 or 13 who believes that she will not amount to anything. After gaining an apprenticeship with a midwife named Jane, the young girl - eventually self-named Alyce - defies all expectations held to her by society and herself. Critical Analysis The Midwife’s Apprentice is one of the many books Cushman has written that is an award-winning children historic fiction novel. Like her other award-winning book, Catherine Called Birdy , which is also set in the medieval era. Cushman even includes a bibliography of the...

Book title __________Dash_________________________ Author, Illustrator _ Kirby Larson and Kathy Hsieh__________   Publisher, Year ____ Scholastic Inc. _2016___________________________ Bibliography Larson, K. (2016).  Dash . New York, NY: Scholastic, Inc. ISBN 9780545416368 Plot Summary Due to her heritage, Mitsi Kashino and her family were forced to pack their suitcases and evacuate their home and leave their dog, Dash, after the attack on Pearl Harbor during World War II. Mitsi and her family were relocated to a few overly crowded internment camps. The only comfort for Mitsi were letters she received from her beloved dog, Dash. Critical Analysis Larson’s Dash is one of her few books that take place during WWII and has a dog that greatly impacts the story. As a Scott O’Dell Historical Fiction Award recipient, Dash takes into consideration the era it is based on, the events that were occurring during this time, and the audience it is intended to r...

Book title __ The Family Romanov: Murder, Rebellion, and the Fall of Imperial Russia __ Author, Illustrator ___ Candace Fleming _____ Publisher, Year ______ Schwartz & Wade/Random, 2014 ____________ Bibliography Fleming, C. (2014).  The Family Romanov: Murder, Rebellion & the Fall of Imperial Russia . New York: Schwartz & Wade Books. ISNB: 978-0-375-86782-8 Plot Summary Tsar Nicholas II was unprepared to inherit the throne once his father, Tsar Alexander III, passed away. In this Fleming book, readers learn the history of the Romanovs, the iconic family of Tsar Nicholas II, and the events that unfold that lead to the Russian Revolution. Critical Analysis Many people were introduced to the Romanovs from the 1997 movie Anastasia. While iconic and based on true events, it was not accurate. With a degree in history and a flair for writing books, Fleming has written books ranging from young readers to young adults including Amelia Lost: The Li...

Book title __________ Quest for the Tree Kangaroo ______________ Author, Illustrator _______ Sy Montgomery, Nic Bishop ________________________________ Publisher, Year ____________ Houghton Mifflin, 2006_______________________ Bibliography Montgomery, S., & Bishop, N. (2006).  Quest for the tree kangaroo . Boston: Houghton Mifflin. ISBN: 0618496416 Plot Summary Montgomery and Bishop team up with Lisa Dabek to the mountains of New Guinea in search of the rare Matschie tree kangaroo. The book recounts the team’s journey in search of this rare species from arriving at the missionary to tagging and examining a few of the tree kangaroos. Critical Analysis Readers join Montgomery once again to learn about our animal kingdom. Montgomery is known for her nonfiction books within both the children and the adult community. Many of her books have gain recognition within her field. Quest for the Tree Kangaroo holds merit as it won the honorary Robert F. Sib...

Book title _____ My First Day _________ Author, Illustrator _ Steve Jenkins & Robin Page & Illustrated by Steve Jenkins   Publisher, Year ___ Houghton Mifflin, 2013___________________ BIBLIOGRAPHY Jenkins, S., & Page, R. (2013).  My First Day . Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin. ISBN 9780547738512 Plot Summary Jenkins and Page introduce the audience to 22 different animals and how each newborn survive the challenges they face within their first twenty-four hours. At the end of the book, Jenkins and Page go into more detail about each animal so the readers can learn more about them. Critical Analysis My First Day is one of the many books Jenkins has written about to inform children about the animal kingdom. Many of which have gained recognition and awards. Jenkins was raised with a father with multiple science degrees and eventually became a professor in his field. Jenkins would research about different types of animals during his yout...