Slob by Ellen Potter

RL: ages 9-12

Well- you know how much our family loves OREOS- how could I pass up on a book where the main character loves OREOS and obsesses about his 3/day limit?

That was what initially attracted me to this book/story but after the first page I was hooked and connected to Owen Birnbaum, the main character, his humor and ability to deal with issues of bullies and negotiating friendships and family life.

Statistically speaking: Owen Birnbaum might be fatter than the average twelve year old boy but he is also smarter. While he spends his days being teased by his classmates and tortured by his gym teacher, he finds himself trying to out-smart the new school psycho who has started stealing his oreo cookies from his lunch.

Before you judge this book to be too sad- Life isn't all bad. Something happened a few years ago and he's learning to deal with his past and current challenges with humor and relying on his family and friends. Plus he's a genius and can invent cool stuff like a new thief catching device--to help capture the Oreo snatcher and an invention that reflects the past that he hopes will help heal his heart.

IT IS SUCH A GREAT BOOK! Like Owen points out- most books start out with some kid's first day at a new school where everything is new and slightly scary.

"The thing is, when you are fatter and smarter than the national average, practically every day is like the first day at a new school."

SLOB is a great book to kick off our for Back-to-School Season!

Winter Room by Gary Paulsen

This is a short book: only 100 pages but written at a 5:4 level.
If you like to think about what life was like 100 or more years ago on a farm, this book is great. Elton, a young farm boy, explains how farms smell and sound. (Makes me a little glad I don't live 100 years ago on a farm- reading about how a manure pile smells in spring. Manure is a fancy word for poop by the way.)
But this book was very entertaining. About two boys living on a farm with uncles, their dad and mom. Small pranks they play and the stories the uncles tell at night to pass the time.

I liked it better than
The Barn by Avi (just if anyone wants to know.)
The Barn is also a short book about farm life- except this one is really sad. It too is only about 100 pages and written at a 5th grade level.
It's about a family almost torn apart by death and the aspirations of each character to go their own way... yet through tragidy they come together to finish a project ("The building of a Barn") that in the end... strenghtens and unites them again.

Legend of Red Horse Cavern by Gary Paulsen

ONLY 55 pages but packed with action- mystery- murder!
5 Stars!

Summary from the back of the book: "Deep in the damp, dark caverns of the Sacramento Mountains, Will Little Bear Tucker and his friend Sarah Thompson discover the secret of an ancient Apache legend. But armed bandits are after them. A headless Indian brave haunts them. And when they lose their way, they may not escape the eerie underground maze alive."

I loved this book- I don't know what to say- without spoiling the suprises.. so I just used the summary from the book. (I hope that is not "cheating") The author did such a great job of making me feel like I was there with Tucker and Sarah. I would recommend this story to EVERYONE!

The Family Under the Bridge by Natalie Carlson

97 pages long.


I give this book 3 stars. I enjoyed reading it but it was a little sad.


This story takes place in Paris around Christmas time. A friendly hobo named Armand is a pleasant fellow- until he reaches the bridge he lives under and finds some homeless children. Armand doesn't want to share his bridge but the children quickly win him over. Their mother is less thrilled with this new friendship or living arrangement, but without a proper home and anyone to tend the children while she works, she learns to appreciate the kind heart and good nature of Armand.

I really liked the ending of the story and the message of "families" are what we make them.

The Hundred Dresses by Eleanor Estes

Only 80 pages long- I really liked this story so I give it 5 stars.

This story is about a group of girls in classroom 13. All the girls are wrapped up in who has the prettiest dresses and poor Wanda wears the same tattered faded blue dress every day. When Wanda states she has 100 dresses at home- the girls can't resist asking her and mocking her daily about it- especially Peggy and Maddie.

There is a twist to the story- but in the end the girls learn the truth about Wanda's 100 dresses!

It is the type of story that makes you want to be a better person. I don't ever want to miss an opportunity to be friends with someone like Maddie and Peggy.