Can I please have a dragon?

Jeremy Thatcher, Dragon Hatcher
Bruce Coville

genre: children's fantasy, middle grade reader
pages: 151
series: A Magic Shop Book
rating: ****

Jeremy Thatcher, Dragon Hatcher is a story about a boy (Jeremy) who buys a dragon's egg and hatches.  Afterwards he must raise the dragon, who becomes his best friend, and eventually send the dragon home.

This is a great book, like The Monster's Ring, you have a protagonist who deals with bullys, parents, and teachers.  Jeremy must learn to care for his dragon, while protecting the family pests as she grows, and keeping her existence a secret.  It dosent' help that a girl in his class has made it her goal to track him down and kiss him!  Jeremy learns responsibility and sometimes doing what is best for someone else may not be the easiest thing for you to do.  HMMM....sounds like a parenting lesson there.

Anyway, it's a great summer read full of laughter and excitement and of course dragons.

- Caren

Baaaad Kitty!

Bad Kitty Gets a Bath
Nick Buel

genre: children's chapter book
series: Bad Kitty
age: 5+
pages: 125
rating: ****
favorite quote: "It's simply that...CATS HATE BATHS!"

I was subbing in my daughter's 2nd grade class, when I came across this book.  Knowing I would be surrounded by little people I didn't bother taking reading material.  All year I have heard about Bad Kitty, so I decided it was time to read it.  It only took about 30 minutes, tops.

Bad Kitty Gets a Bath is a story about a kitty who gets dirty and needs a bath.  It's a how-to guide, complete with diagrams and a dictionary in the back.

I loved this book.  Th illustrations are very funny, especially the one of kitty after the bath.  It is funny to read about what could possibly happen if you gave kitty a bath.  Kids love this book, they laugh at the funny pictures and story.  I really enjoyed the added notes from the editor when things became too harsh for children!  Those were really funny.


-Caren