KIDS’ BOOK REVIEWS
“The Giraffe and the Pelly and Me” Roald Dahl
A boy befriends three animals: a giraffe, a monkey and a pelly. “Pelly” is short for pelican. They work for a window cleaning company. They have to clean 677 windows in a mansion owned by a millionaire. Are they able to clean all those windows? Reviewed by Elihjah, 8 Glenoaks Elementary, Glendale “Wanderville” Wendy McClure
Three children are on an “orphan train.” In the 1900s they had “orphan trains.” They were filled with children who are being sent to work on farms. These children jump off the train and meet a kid in the woods who welcomes them to Wanderville, where they can be free. One child winds up being taken to a farm to work. Will he be rescued? Reviewed by Miriam, 9 Monterey Hills School South Pasadena “Marven of the Great North Woods” Kathryn Lasky
In 10-year-old Marven’s town, there is an illness called influenza. His parents send him away so he won’t get sick. He boards a train that takes him near a logging camp. He then skis to the camp and meets someone who shows him the office that will be his. His job is to wake up the lumberjacks. Each day he does this. Then one day, he meets a big, bald lumberjack who won’t get up! Good luck, Marven! Reviewed by James, 9 Tamura Elementary Fountain Valley “The Legend of the Lady Slipper” (an Ojibwe tale) Margi Preus
In a village, many people fall ill. A young girl from the village travels to a distant place to get medicine for her people. Wearing moccasins, she crosses a frozen lake in the dead of winter.
Does she get the medicine she needs for the village? Can she get back home?
I loved this book. The author uses the local language of village. This makes you feel like you are living there. Reviewed by Aadesh, 7 Welby Way Magnet, West Hills “Shilo” Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
A young boy named Marty finds a beagle with a purple eye. He knows the dog belongs to a man named Judd Travers, but he doesn’t want to give him back. Marty names the dog Shiloh. He knows that Judd has been hitting the dog.
Marty’s parents find out about the dog and make Marty give it back to Judd. So Marty works for Judd to earn the money to buy Shiloh. Then what happens?
I recommend this book because it teaches kids how to save a dog and how to be a better dog owner. Reviewed by Galylea, 5th grade Vena Magnet, Arleta