Shakespeare, William. A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

Shakespeare, William.   A Midsummer Night’s Dream.    Stone Arch see Capstone, 2012.      88p.  $26.65  ISBN 978-1-4342-2605-1      All Ages    VG-BN Graphic novel     This is a graphic novel that relates the story of Shakespeare’s play A Midsummer Night’s Dream. In addition to colorful graphics and a clear text, the book includes facts about Shakespeare, historical information about the play, and supporting activities.
     Readers will enjoy the colorful and whimsical illustrations that support the story line, which has been carefully adapted for young readers.   

     This book is one in the series entitled Shakespeare Graphics, which consists of four books at this time.    

Linda McNeil

 

Hooks, Gwendolyn Pet costume party : a Pet Club story

Hooks, Gwendolyn     Pet costume party : a Pet Club story         

Stone Arch see Capstone      2011   32p     16.00  978-1-43422-513-9

 elem   Animal stories            Stone Arch Readers: Pet Club          VG      

╥Andy is planning a Halloween party for his friends in the Pet Club, but when he realizes

his pet fish Nibbles does not have a costume, he wonders how he can dress up a

fish.╙   Beginning readers will smile as they read this short fiction title

when they meet the characters of the ╥Pet Club.╙  Pet Club members include Lucy

and Ajax, a rat, Jake and Buddy, a dog, Kayla and Daisey, a cat, and Andy and

Nibbles, a goldfish.  The club is having a Halloween party and Andy and Nibbles

are very excited.  Andy calls everyone from the Pet Club to invite them to the

costume party.  Andy begins to wonder what costume they should wear to the party. 

Andy searches for ideas and comes up with ideas such as lions and spiders, but

Nibbles was not happy with either choice.  When the other Pet Club members

present their costumes at the party, the other members see that Andy and Nibbles

decided to be sharks, making Nibbles very happy.  

The author uses vibrant color graphics to display the story, short sentences for

young readers to be able to comprehend easily, likable characters for young

students to identify with, and easy vocabulary for readers to build upon.  A

short list of story words at the end could help students learn spelling and

reinforce the meaning of the word learned.          Each title in this pet series

introduces students to various pets who help prepare children for life

situations since the stories stress positive character traits. 8 books are

published in this series at the time of this review.   Forba-Mayer, Charleen

Gassman, Julie. You Can’t Spike Your Serves

Gassman, Julie.           You Can’t Spike Your Serves         

Stone Arch see Capstone      2011 56p       18.99  978-1-4342-2231-2           

elem    Realistic Fiction          Sports Illustrated Kids (Capstone) VG-BNes        

Alicia wants to raise money to help a friend’s

school buy new cheer pompoms.  When her school has a visiting volleyball star, a

tournament is planned as a fund raiser to help the school of Alicia’s friend.

            Alicia attends a school to prepare promising athletes.  She is very good

at jumping.  A volleyball star comes to her school to teach  volleyball skills

to the fourth grade.  Over the summer Alicia met a girl at another school and

they became friends.  The friend’s school needs to buy new pompoms for the

cheerleaders but does not have the money.  Alicia has the idea of a volleyball

tournament as a fund raiser.  In preparation Alicia learns the skills of

volleyball and how to apply her special talents.

  Students will learn some of the skills in volleyball as well as the value of

practice.  Reluctant readers will enjoy the action in this story.  It encourages

the development of female athletes.          The Victory School Superstars group of

the Sports Illustrated Kids series includes 18 titles pending or in publication. 

Each tells the story of one sport and a kid with super skills and ability.

            Theal, Joan

Maddox, Jake. Cheer Captain

Maddox, Jake.   Cheer Captain         

Stone Arch see Capstone      2011   64p     18.04  978-1-43422-551-1

elem    Realistic Fiction          Jake Maddox:Girls Sports Stories(Stone Arch)      VG

            ╥Julia is nervous about starting a new school, even though her best friend

Ava has offered to help her practice for cheerleading tryouts, but when Julia

learns they both want to become captain, she fears their friendship will not

survive the competition.╙    In this title, Julia and her family have moved

across town to River City East and she will begin a new middle school.  Luckily

for Julia, her best friend Ava also attends and was on the cheerleading squad

for the past two years.  In her old school, Julia had been the captain of her

cheerleading squad and now she along with the other girls must try out for the

team again this year.  Since the two girls are best friends, Ava loaned Julia a

uniform and together they practiced all their moves for the upcoming tryout. 

When cheerleading tryouts occurred, Ava╒s routine did not go as well as planned. 

Upset with her routine, she left the tryout.  Julia╒s tryout went very well and

when the list came out with cheerleading squad members, both girls made the team,

and Julia was selected as the team╒s captain.  Even though Ava did not say she

was upset with the decision, her actions proved otherwise.  Ava╒s behavior and

actions reflected her disappointment and jealousy.  With the way Ava treated

Julia, Julia decided to quit the cheerleading squad, since her friendship with

Ava meant more to her than the team.  Ava, along with her teammates soon

realized that they needed Julia as their captain and Ava and Julia made up and

the team was able to enter the cheerleading competition.  With the team╒s

practice and commitment, they placed first in their competition.

Includes black-and-white illustrations, information about the author and

illustrator, a glossary of terms, three discussion questions and writing prompts,

and basic cheerleading terminology.          Series includes 74 sports stories with

the emphasis on speed, skill, and fair play. The young athletes in these books

face obstacles not just on the gridiron, the court, the ice, or the half pipe,

but meet mental and social challenges as well.  Forba-Mayer, Charleen

Hoena, Blake Carly's Angels : Swamp Sting!

Hoena, Blake      Carly's Angels : Swamp Sting!     

Stone Arch see Capstone      2011   33p   17.04    978-1-43422-960-1

 elem   Graphic novel            Graphic Sparks          G         

╥Three school newspaper

reporters find themselves in a mess after uncovering that the science club is

responsible for a bee attack on the playground and dumping chemicals in a nearby

pond.╙

            Elementary school students who enjoy graphic novels will like the format

of this new title.  In this title, students are introduced to the characters of

Carly╒s Angels, a book spin off title of the real Charlie╒s Angels television

show.  As with Charlie╒s Angels, Carly╒s Angels are out to solve the mystery

presented to them by their mysterious leader, Carly. Tina, a staff writer,

Gillian, a staff interviewer, Keely, a staff photographer, work together to find

out why so many people are getting stung by bees near Wally╒s pond.  After

investigating and seeing first-hand, the girls figured out that someone has been

polluting the pond with blue slushies causing the bees to grow extra large. 

With the help of Bugs, the staff gopher, Carly╒s Angels were able to catch those

students responsible for the mess.   

Includes full color graphics, an introduction to Carly╒s Angels (Carly, Gillian,

Tina, and Keely), information about the author and illustrator, a glossary of

terms,  discussion questions, and writing prompts.  An entire page is devoted to

promoting Princess Candy, another graphic title by Stone Arch even before this

title╒s own discussion questions, writing prompts and glossary.  This extra page

should have been included at the very end of this book, not intermixed with the

contents of this title.             Series includes 55 titles with lively and humorous

stories, with comic book-style illustrations, are designed to develop reading

skills, as well as to communicate such values as responsibility, fairness,

caring, etc.     Forba-Mayer,Charleen

Dahl, Michael Green Lantern: Guardian of Earth

Dahl, Michael Green Lantern: Guardian of Earth  

Stone Arch see Capstone

            2011   48       25.32  978-1-4342-2611-2            

elm/ms           Science fiction            DCSuperheroes(Capstone)       VG-BNes         

Hal Jordan becomes the new Green Lantern,

Guardian of Earth, after a close encounter with a mysterious alien from a UFO.                    

From the ╥3-D╙ cover art, eye-catching endpapers and full-page illustrations,

through the inclusion of hand-lettered sound-effects in the text, this novel is

designed to be visually arresting.  Fans of the superhero comic genre ╨ as well

as reluctant (high-low) readers ╨ will make this volume fly off the shelf.  

 The release of a movie featuring the Green Lantern this summer will focus

interest on the new-to-this-generation superhero.  The story focuses on the

origin of Earth╒s first Green Lantern, Hal Jordan.  Hal is a test pilot, whose

jet takes a nosedive when it encounters a mysterious UFO.  The alien, who was

making an emergency landing on Earth due to injuries sustained in a recent

battle, rescues the aircraft, preventing a crash.  With his dying breath, the

alien announces that Hal is now the new Guardian of Earth, and gives him a green

ring with incredible powers.  The action-packed chapters are a mere 8-10 pages

long, in friendly font accompanied by lively comic-style graphic art.  A

glossary defines unfamiliar terms and is followed by discussion questions and

writing prompts.  

            Readers are also invited to visit two websites.  After drilling

through the links, the facthound.com link ties in to DC Comics website (which

was featuring Green Lantern at the time of this review). The capstonekids.com

website did not feature superheroes, which might disappoint some readers.

      This is not a graphic novel, but a brief novel with graphic/comic book

elements.    Welliver, Hilary