Robot Dreams is a graphic novel with few words. When a dog orders a robot in the mail, they become fast friends. Then, a trip to the beach leaves Robot rusty. Dog doesn’t know how to fix his robot friend, and ends up abandoning him on the beach. Dog tries to replace his robot friend, but no one is the same. Meanwhile Robot is daydreaming about better places while he is left lying on the beach.
My Thoughts:
As a reading teacher, I normally wouldn’t recommend a book with so few words. But this book lends itself to a lot of meaningful discussion, while also appealing to kids with it’s playful characters. This book could really work for any age. Young children would enjoy the fun animal characters, while older kids would pick up on the bigger themes about friendship and loss.
I’m so excited to participate in my first Book Tour with TBR And Beyond Tours and to help spread the word about this wonderful book!
Book Info:
Daisy Woodworm Changes the World by Melissa Hart
Genre: Middle Grade Contemporary
Publishing Date: November 8, 2022
Synopsis:
When her social studies teacher assigns each student a project to change the world for the better along with an oral report, Daisy fears the class bully—who calls her Woodworm— will make fun of her lisp. Still, she decides to help Sorrel fulfill his dream of becoming a YouTube fashion celebrity despite their parents’ refusal to allow him on social media.
With the help of her best friend Poppy, and Miguel—the most popular boy in school and her former enemy—Daisy launches Sorrel’s publicity campaign. But catastrophe strikes when her parents discover him online along with hateful comments from a cyberbully.
If Daisy has any hope of changing the world, she’ll have to regain her family’s trust and face her fears of public speaking to find her own unique and powerful voice.
My review
We need more books like Daisy Woodworm Changes the World. It has such a positive message about how everyone can make a difference. It doesn’t have to be a huge change that affects the entire world, but can be something as simple as helping someone else achieve their goals. There’s also an emphasis on working together.
I also loved the way diverse characters were represented in this book. The book features characters from different racial backgrounds, people with disabilities, and LGBTQ+ parents. But, that’s just part of who the characters are, not the focus of the plot. It was nice to see a diverse community that felt natural.
My rating: 5 stars
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 5 out of 5.
Favorite Quotes
“But any etymologist worth her microscope would tell you people-like insects-went through metamorphosis all the time.”
“I hated that, how you could be going about your business, and then you caught sight of yourself-not just your reflection, but your eyes-and it was like meeting upwith your conscience, or something. Creepy.”
“…if you know what your goal is, and you know to ask for help in a way that makes people care, it doesn’t matter how young you are. You really can change the world.”
“If you want to change the world…cross-pollination is key!”
I’m an Oregon-based author, journalist, and instructor for the MFA in Creative Writing program at Southern New Hampshire University. My essays and articles have appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, CNN, The Boston Globe, The Chicago Tribune, The Los Angeles Times, Real Simple, Orion, High Country News, The Rumpus, Brevity, Woman’s Day, The Advocate, Parents, The Chronicle of Higher Education, Hemispheres, and numerous other publications.
I’m the author of The Media Adventurer’s Handbook: Decoding Persuasion in Everyday News, Ads, and More (World Citizen Comics, 2023), Daisy Woodworm Changes the World (Jolly Fish, 2022), Better with Books: 500 Diverse Books to Ignite Empathy and Encourage Self-Acceptance in Tweens and Teens(Sasquatch, 2019), the award-winning middle-grade novel Avenging the Owl(Sky Pony, 2016), the memoir Wild Within: How Rescuing Owls Inspired a Family (Lyons, 2007), and the memoir Gringa: A Contradictory Girlhood(Seal, 2005).
I’m a contributing editor at The Writer Magazine, and I teach frequently at writing conferences, libraries, universities, and bookstores. I grew up near Los Angeles with my younger brother, who has Down syndrome. I live in Eugene with my husband and teen daughter, where I love to run and hike long-distance, cross country ski, kayak, cycle, cook, and roam the Pacific Northwest as an amateur naturalist.
When her tribe leaves the island, Karana is left behind. For years she survives on the island alone with nothing but the animals as company. Based loosely on the story of a real woman who survived on San Nicolas Island for eighteen years.
My thoughts:
This is a favorite from childhood (which is why I chose that cover rather than a later addition- I chuckled when I saw the $1.50 on the front). It’s rare to find a young adult book with such a strong female lead written in the 1970’s. When I reread it years later as an adult, I feared it wouldn’t hold up to my memory. But, the story is just as strong today as it was when it was written 50 years ago. I took a trip to California in 2019, and was thrilled to find out that one of our stops featured the grave of Juana Maria, the woman Karana’s character is named after.
Bod is a living boy being raised by ghosts. There are many dangers living in graveyard. There’s the Sleer and a desert of ghouls just to name a few. But, the real world is even more dangerous for Bod. That’s where Jack is, the man who killed Bod’s parents.
My Thoughts
I love how Gaiman can create books with such dark premises so funny. This is a perfect example. Here’s a book that opens with the murder of a child’s parents, yet it’s filled with love and humor.
“With a bolt of lightning on my kicks . . .The court is SIZZLING. My sweat is DRIZZLING. Stop all that quivering. Cuz tonight I’m delivering,” announces dread-locked, 12-year old Josh Bell. He and his twin brother Jordan are awesome on the court. But Josh has more than basketball in his blood, he’s got mad beats, too, that tell his family’s story in verse, in this fast and furious middle grade novel of family and brotherhood.
Josh and Jordan must come to grips with growing up on and off the court to realize breaking the rules comes at a terrible price, as their story’s heart-stopping climax proves a game-changer for the entire family. – Goodreads
My Thoughts
I only read this book because it was added to a novel unit we were teaching in eighth grade. It was not something I would have picked to read. I’m not a fan of novels in verse and don’t really like basketball. Therefore, I was shocked by how much I loved this book. The poems were engaging and unique. Even though Josh’s experiences are very different from mine, the struggles we all go through during adolescence are relatable. I’m so glad I read it.
When troublemaker Donovan Curtis pulls a prank that goes too far, it looks like he’ll be facing serious consequences. Then his paperwork is confused with students with a genius IQ. He ends up being placed in the Academy of Scholastic Distinction. It’s the perfect alibi, as long as he convince a group of geniuses that he’s one of them.
My Thoughts:
This is the classic Korman formula:
1.) Due to unusual circumstances a kid ends up with a group of other kids they would usually never associate with at school.
2.) Chaos insues.
3.) They find a passion project, that is somehow threatened
4.) They overcome the thread and everyone learns a lesson.
I am not saying this as a criticism. The formula works. Korman’s books are funny and appeal to both kids and adults. I love that his books are popular with kids who do not like to read.
John “Crash” Coogan is the star football player and one of the most popular kids in school. Crash can’t figure out his neighbor Penn Webb. He doesn’t fit in with the other kids. His family doesn’t eat meat or own a television, and he’s a cheerleader. Crash and his friends taunt Penn and pull mean pranks, but the kid can’t take a hint. Then when Crash faces family difficulties he starts to realize that Penn acts more like a real friend.
My Thoughts:
This is kind of a throw-back selection since it was written in 1996, but I decided to include it since I started reading it with one of my classes this week. We always focus on dynamic vs. static characters for this unit because Crash undergoes such a big transformation. Spinelli does a great job of writing from the viewpoint of a seventh grader. Crash makes impulsive decisions and is overfocused on what others think. But, he’s figuring out who he is and becoming a better person.
Hanna is a half-Asian girl living in California during the 1880’s. At a time of extreme prejudice against Chinese people her simple dreams are nearly impossible: graduating from school, becoming a dressmaker and making a friend. As the story progresses, Hanna finds ways to fight for what she wants.
My Thoughts:
If you’re a regular reader, you know that I love Laura Ingalls Wilder. But, even as a young white girl in the 1980’s I recognized how insensitively Native Americans were portrayed in the novels. Park gives readers a more realistic view of pioneer life, while still paying homage to Wilder. Hanna faces prejudice ranging unintentional microaggressions to legalized racism. At the beginning of the novel, she is very timid. I love the way she finds ways to quietly stand up for herself. Rather than focusing on a major historical protest or legal case that promoted change, Prairie Lotus small ways change individuals hearts and the power of friendship.
Mr. Wolf is tired of always being the bad guy and decides to make a change. He recruits Mr. Shark, Mr. Snake and Mr. Piranha for a mission to rescue 200 dogs from a pound. But it’s not as easy as he thinks. The public thinks of them as the bad guys, not heroes. The other bad guys aren’t as enthusiastic about the change, and Mr. Snake keeps trying to eat Mr. Piranha.
My Thoughts
I love this entire series. Going in, I picked this out expecting it to be like other graphic novels such a Captain Underpants or Dogman. All three series are funny and appealing to kids. However, I think Bad Guys has more adult appeal. The humor is a little more subtle, and the characters are more complex. Even though I was reading it with a student because I thought they’d like it, I found myself wanting to continue reading on my own.
Jordan wants to go to art school, but his mom is convinced Riverdale Academy Day School will provide him with the best opportunities for his future. The exclusive private school, with little diversity, is a whole new culture for Jordan. He struggles to balance two worlds while staying true to himself.
My Thoughts:
Many teachers, myself included, are often guilty of picking books we find meaningful rather than books that are interesting to kids. New Kid is a perfect mix of both. The graphic novel format and humor make it appealing to kids. At the same time, it deals with relevant social issues. While it’s specifically about microaggressions that students of color face, anyone who has ever felt like they don’t belong can relate.
