Giveaway Hop!

It's a November Giveaway Hop! Hosted by I'm A Reader, Not a Writer and Tristi Pinkston! For a chance to win these two really fun books for kids all you have to do is:

To enter follow this blog via FB, GFC or Email and leave a comment with your name and email


+1 Tweet this post

Title: When Life Gives You O.J.
Author: Erica S. Perl
Publisher: Random House Kids, 2011ISBN:978-0-375-85924-3

Review:

Zelda Fried, pronounced freed, wants a dog, wants to go to camp Sonrise with her best friend Allie, and she wants to move back to her old neighborhood. That's quite a bit for an almost eleven year old going int the sixth grade.


When Zelly asks her parents if she can go to camp with her best friends, the answer was no, although her parents congratulated her for making a good case. The problems is they've recently moved to Vermont to a new house. You see, she recently lost her grandmother whom she fondly referred to as Bubbles. Her grandfather Ace lives with them now, and since everyone is adjusting to the recent loss and move, Zelly and her brother Sam will be spending time with family.

In an effort to connect with Zelly, Ace comes up with a plan to see if Zelly is ready to take responsibility for a pet. It all starts with a note:

Kid,

See me immediately when you get this.

Do not speak of this to anyone,

not even your parents or your brother.

Ace

p.s. I hope are are ready for this.

Zelly is to take care to feed, water and walk a new makeshift pet. This pet is an old orange juice jug. She is forced to adapt to treating this old jug like a real dog. She makes a face and some spots on her new pet and names it O.J. As she adjusts to this crazy situation she awaits for letters from Allie, makes a new friend and tries to earn the trust of her parents so that she can get a real dog.

This hilarious story of family and friendship will have readers flipping through the pages and sharing the laughter of this Jewish family. Readers will learn some funny Yiddish terms and grow to love Ace and his antics with Zelly and Sam.

The back of the book has a glossary of Yiddish words like Chutzpah, which means “nerve” or “meshuggener” which is a crazy person. Parents and teachers will love this lighthearted family tale which will open the door to a culture they will embrace.

Title: Dancing Home
Author: Alma Flor Ada
Publisher: Anthem Books For Young ReadersISBN:978-1-4169-0088-7

Review:

Margie has been making every effort to embrace her now American heritage. When her cousin Lupe comes to live with them from Mexico, Margie finds that she is having to help Lupe adapt. It isn't easy since Lupe doesn't speak English very well and is having trouble keeping up. Margie is having to back track to the Mexican heritage she has been running away from. As Margie lends herself to family traditions and getting acquainted with Lupe, by sharing American experiences and embracing her culture through the eyes of Lupe she begins to better understand her heritage and its importance.

Ada and Zubizarreta have done an excellent job of presenting the Mexican culture through the eyes of a child. The emotions felt through Margie and Lupe will keep young readers turning the pages to see how these two girls cope with change and the challenges it brings. Young readers will learn Spanish terms and their meaning. Parents, teachers and homeschoolers will love sharing this wonderful culture and the true meaning of family and tradition.

Related articles

• When Life Gives You O.J. (firstbook.org)
• Children's Books: How to Be a Bicultural Schoolgirl (nytimes.com)