Published by Scholastic, Inc.
Summary: In the first book in this series, Eva (an owl) decides to organize a spring festival at her school. Her excitement turns to dismay as the date approaches and she realizes there is no way she can have everything ready in time. She finally remembers her teachers advice when she suggested her idea: share the work. It’s easy to ask her friends for help, but a little tougher to go to mean girl Sue Clawson. Everyone pitches in, even Sue, and the fair is a big success.
Pros: Scholastic has a relatively new line called Branches, which are chapter books for ages 5-8 (scholastic.com/branches). They’re all in the guided reading level range of M-P. Not great literature, but definitely high interest. The different series are clearly being marketed to girls and boys (see Cons). This one is definitely for the girls, and is written in the very popular diary format.
Cons: I’ve recently read two entries in the girls’ series—Lotus Lane and Owl Diaries. Both main characters love fashion and their BFF, and have to deal with a mean girl at school. It would be nice to see a series about a girl that is not quite so stereotypical.
Summary: A parent and child work together to make a serve a dessert called blackberry fool in four different centuries. In 1710 England, a girl and her mother beat cream with a bundle of twigs to whip it, pick and strain blackberries, and store their concoction in an ice pit set into a hillside. 100 years later, a mother and daughter who are slaves in Charleston, South Carolina do the same thing, using the tools available to them at that time. The process is repeated by a mother/daughter pair in 1910 Boston, and finally, by a father and son in San Diego in 2010. The author’s note at the end suggests topics of discussion, not only noticing the changes in technology and food preparation, but also the inclusion of slaves and the fact that a boy and his father would probably not have been in the kitchen before the late 20th century. Don’t worry, a recipe is included!
Summary: Miles is the new kid at school. He’s hoping to establish himself as the best prankster there, a title he held in his last school. His pranks keep backfiring, though, and he finally learns why: Niles, the apparently goody-two-shoes kiss-up kid is actually a prankster extraordinaire in disguise. The two eventually put aside their differences and team up to become “The Terrible Two”, ultimately bringing their nemesis Principal Barkin to his knees.
A Kids Book A Day 