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Vermont Books • Book Reviews • Author Interview • Dorothy Canfield Fisher Award

Book Reviews

A Time for Angels: Reviewed by Aviva, age 13, Montpelier, VT - July 2003 Animal Habitats: Reviewed by Ari, age 8, Montpelier, VT - July 2003 A Moose for Jessica: Reviewed by Emma, age 9, Underhill, VT- July 2003 Mountain Pose: Reviewed by Sandra, age 10, Montpelier, VT- July 2003 A Day No Pigs Would Die: Reviewed by Jacques, age 14, St. Albans, VT- August 2003 The Canada Geese Quilt: Reviewed by Kayla, age 11, Manchester, VT- August 2003 The Inn at Lake Devine: Reviewed by Clio, age 13, St. Albans, VT- September 2003 Night Flying: Reviewed by Clio, age 13, St. Albans, VT- September 2003 Jeremy the Puny: 7 Reviews by Children in Roxbury, VT - December 2003 Soup: Reviewed by Aaron, age 11, St. Albans, VT - December 2003 The Canada Geese Quilt: Reviewed by Lois, age 8, Vergennes, VT - December 2003
A Time for Angels: Reviewed by Aviva, age 13, Montpelier VT - July 2003
	A Time for Angels by Karen Hesse Published in 1997 by Hyperion This book is about: Hannah is an expert artist, and realizes that the only thing that is keeping her alive is her drawings of the angels she keeps seeing. The terrors of World War 1 from the paper frightens her, but when disaster strikes Boston she realizes that the city is having its very own war -- against the deadly disease. Influenza spreads through out the city making it impossible to even go outside without cathing the sickness. Its spreads like fire so its no wonder when Hannah and her two sisters suddenly catch the disease. Eventually Hannah becomes deathly ill and is lead by an angel to a red cross hospital in Brattleboro VT. There she meets an elderly man who takes care of her until she is fully recovered. The angels and her hope to see her sisters again rekindle her energy, helping Hannah gain the courage to accept the hardships of life. Recommendation: I throughly enjoyed this book, and found it a quick and exciting read. Karen Hesse portrays the early 1900's so well it is easy to get a clear picture of what Hannah is experiencing. I would recommend this book to any 5th or 6th grader who enjoy books about Vermont. A Time Of Angels increased my understanding of World War 1, and the fight against influenza. It is wonderful historical fiction. Back to the top
Animal Habitats: Reviewed by Ari, age 8, Montpelier VT - July 2003
	Animal Habitats Written and illustrated by Jim Arnowsky Published in 2000 by Aladdin Picture Books This book is about: This book describes animal habitats in nature. There is an old man named Crinkleroot who carries a wooden staff and has a pet snake and a canoe. Crinkleroot gives us a tour of the wilderness. The author lives in Vermont and he came and visited us in school and gave me this book. Recommendation: I would recommend this book because it has great pictures and you can learn alot from it. I especially like the part of the book where you have to try to spot hidden animals. Also, you can get more Crinkleroot books and look at different pictures (but I only have this book.) Back to the top
A Moose for Jessica: Reviewed by Emma, age 9, Underhill VT- July 2003
	A Moose for Jessica Written by Pat A.Wakefield Photos by Larry Carrara Published in 1987 by Penguin Putnam Books for Young Readers This book is about: A wild moose finds his way into where the cows were. He makes friends with a cow named Jessica. The moose stays with Jessica for a while but finally leaves in the fall. Recommendation: Yes! It has a lot of detail and tells a lot about Vermont... especially farms! Back to the top
Mountain Pose: Reviewed by Sandra, age 10, Montpelier VT- July 2003
	Mountain Pose Written by Nancy Hope Wilson Published in 2002 by Scholastic This book is about: Mountain Pose is about a girl, Ellie. Ellie's mean grandma dies, leaving Ellie her house in Brattleboro VT and a couple of old diaries dating back to 1884. As Ellie reads these, she sees how much she is like the writer of the diaries, Sarah Evans and finds out about Sarah's hard life. Recommendation: I would recommend this book to kids who are between the age of 9 and 12. It wove Sarah and Ellie's lives together in an interesting way. Back to the top
.A Day No Pigs Would Die: Reviewed by Jacques, age 14, St. Albans VT- August 2003
	A Day No Pigs Would Die Written by Robert Newton Peck Published in 1972 by Alfred A. Knoph This book is about: This book is about the coming of age of a Vermont Shaker boy named Robert. Robert learns about farming, life, death and what it is to be a man. It is set in rural Vermont and Robert is a Shaker, meaning he is of the Shaker religion a form of Christianity. Recommendation: I would recommend this to kids who are 11and older because there are some touchy subjects such as when Pinky, Robert's pet pig is killed for food. This is a very good book about growing up and accepting your duties as an adult. Back to the top
The Canada Geese Quilt: Reviewed by Kayla, age 11, Manchester VT- August 2003
	The Canada Geese Quilt Written by Natalie Kinsey-Warnok Illustrated by Leslie W. Bowman Published in 1989 by Cobblehill Books/Dutton This book is about: This book is about a girl who is going to have a baby brother and she helps her mother a lot. One day her grandmother is very ill so she is left alone and feels very bad. Recommendation: Yes, I would recommend this book for other kids because I think it would encourage them to read other books because it is sad and happy at the same time. There are a lot of secrets to be told. Back to the top
Inn at Lake Devine: Reviewed by Clio, age 13, St. Albans, VT- September 2003
	The Inn at Lake Devine Written by Elinor Lipman Published in 1998 by Vintage Contemporaries, Random House This book is about: The Inn at Lake Devine is a romantic comedy novel about Natalie Marx, a Jewish girl whose family is denied accommodations at a gentile resort in Vermont. the Inn's injustice becomes a fixation for Natalie and as she grows up it has interesting effects on her love life. Set in the early 1960's this novel shows you how prejudice wasn't completely defeated with the war. Recommendation: This is a sharp, entertaining story full of twists and turns. The Inn at Lake Devine is a joy to read and I highly recommend it to young adults. Back to the top
Night Flying: Reviewed by Clio, age 13, St. Albans, VT- September 2003
	Night Flying Written by Rita Murphy Published in 2000 by Delacarte Press This book is about: Night Flying is the story of Georgia Hansen, a girl from Southern Vermont who can fly. All of the women in her peculiar family can- from her domineering grandmother to her eccentric artist aunt. Georgia is quickly approaching age 16 when she can be initiated as a solo flier. Suddenly her estranged Aunt Carmen turns up and shatters Georgia's perspective of their family. All Georgia believed was wrong. Recommendation: Vermont author Rita Murphy won an award for her first novel Night Flying and aptly so. This is a well-crafted tale and unputdownable. Young adult readers will love the Hansen family. Back to the top
Jeremy the Puny: Reviewed by Ryan, age 9, Roxbury, VT- December 2003
	Jeremy the Puny Written by Janet Hayward Burnham Published in 2003 by My Little Jessie Press This book is about: A little boy who got caught by a dragon and brings him to a witch who can read minds. Recommendation: Yes because it has a lot of action. Back to the top
Jeremy the Puny: Reviewed by Hunter, age 9, Roxbury, VT- December 2003
	Jeremy the Puny Written by Janet Hayward Burnham Published in 2003 by My Little Jessie Press This book is about: The book is about a boy named Jeremy Bottom. In the beginning Jeremy got taken by a dragon to a far away land. There a witch turned Jeremy into a potwasher. Jeremy helped a puddle puss. In the book a puddle puss is a cat with a lot of skin and loose bones so it feels like a bag of bones but with fur. Jeremy escaped in the end. Recommendation: Yes I would because it is for kids all ages. The book was sort of like a good book. The book is recommended to kids about 7 to 12. Back to the top
Jeremy the Puny: Reviewed by Haley, age 9, Roxbury, VT- December 2003
	Jeremy the Puny Written by Janet Hayward Burnham Published in 2003 by My Little Jessie Press This book is about: It is about a new kid names Jeremy. He just moved to a town and he finds a dragon calling for help. The dragon wants to have Jeremy ride on his back but the dragon didn't always tell the truth. The dragon wasn't telling the truth and the dragon took Jeremy to a witch. He has to wash pots. He tried to escape and he did. Recommendation: Yes because a lot of people liked the book and I think you would like it too. Back to the top
Jeremy the Puny: Reviewed by Sonny, age 8, Roxbury, VT- December 2003
	Jeremy the Puny Written by Janet Hayward Burnham Published in 2003 by My Little Jessie Press This book is about: The book is about a boy that is very small and had a normal life until a dragon came and picked him up and brought him to another world. Recommendation: Yes I would recommend this book to other kids because it really inspires you to write a story and the story is really funny. Back to the top
Jeremy the Puny: Reviewed by Justin, age 10, Roxbury, VT- December 2003
	Jeremy the Puny Written by Janet Hayward Burnham Published in 2003 by My Little Jessie Press This book is about: It is about a little boy names Jeremy. Jeremy was tricked by a dragon who brought Jeremy to a witch. The witch turned Jeremy into a potwasher. Jeremy was a potwasher for a long time. Jeremy tried to escape from being a potwasher. Jeremy finally got away from being a potwasher. Recommendation: Yes I do recommend this book to other kids. This book is full of experiences for little kids. Back to the top
Jeremy the Puny: Reviewed by Cheyenne, age 9, Roxbury, VT- December 2003
	Jeremy the Puny Written by Janet Hayward Burnham Published in 2003 by My Little Jessie Press This book is about: It is about Jeremy who met a dragon and the dragon said he was in mortal danger. He wasnt. He was sent there by a witch. Jeremy became a potwasher for the witch. There were puddle pusses. There was a girl named Fiona. She was a potwasher and they escaped. Recommendation: Yes because it is a good, really good, book and the kids should read it. Back to the top
Jeremy the Puny: Reviewed by Patrick, age 9, Roxbury, VT- December 2003
	Jeremy the Puny Written by Janet Hayward Burnham Published in 2003 by My Little Jessie Press This book is about: A witch that needs 2 potwashers and the potwashers tries to escape. Recommendation: Yes so they would read. Back to the top
Soup: Reviewed by Aaron, age 11, St. Albans, VT- December 2003
	Soup Written by Robert Newton Peck Published in 2003 by Alfred A. Knopf This book is about: Robert and Luther, also known as Soup, are troublemakers. They have a ton of exciting adventures. These are stories of two best friends with great imaginations. Recommendation: I would recommend this book because it's hilarious what Soup and Robert get up to. Back to the top
The Canada Geese Quilt: Reviewed by Lois, age 8, Vergennes, VT- December 2003
	The Canada Geese Quilt Written by Natalie Kinsey-Warnok Illustrated by Leslie W. Bowman Published in 1989 by Cobblehill Books/Dutton This book is about: This book is about a young girl named Ariel whose mother was pregnant with a boy. Ariel's grandma was making a quilt for the baby and she had a stroke. So Ariel had to finish it even though she didn't want to. Recommendation: It will make your mother cry. Back to the top