Nick Magazine

Nick Magazine, May 2008.


Nick magazine is a side kick for Nickelodeon. Whether you watch this station or not all readers will enjoy what this magazine offers. Written to intrigue the most reluctant readers you can find a wide variety of articles, a celebrity page, and lots of fun quick reads. For your comic book lovers, readers can enjoy multiple comic stripes that will have you laughing out loud. While you are reading though, don’t forget to look for Zelda Van Gutters, Nick mag’s great reporting dog. That’s not all, readers can also enjoy there website at Nickmag.com that offers much more including games. This addition will be a thrilling read for many young adults.

Sports Illustrated Kids

Sports Illustrated: Kids is the perfect magazine for our children who are sport nuts. This magazine offers the same content as Sports Illustrated, but it is geared to what our children want to know. The articles are shorter in length that will help maintain a child’s interest in the story. Throughout the magazine readers can find many well taken photos that will grab at it readers. Also, included on several pages is their website, http://www.sikids.com/, which offers students more information on the topic, numerous photos, and sport tips. For those children who love free stuff the magazine offers several tear out posters and a variety of sports cards. This magazine is well put together and great addition to magazine racks everywhere.

Sigmund Freud by Kathleen Krull

Krull, Kathleen. Sigmund Freud. New York: Penguin Group, 2006.

Illustrated by Boris Kulikov

Kathleen Krull will take readers into the life of Sigmund Freud from his childhood through what he accomplished in the world of science. Krull discusses with readers how he invented psychoanalysis and his steps to getting to that point. However, she doesn’t hold back on her facts. Readers will also be informed of his study of cocaine, problems with women, and even discuss his final disease. Krull will capture her audience with her writing as she describes the life of a man that truly made a impact on our world of science today. To add a small touch to this book, Kulikov does a fabulous job with a few of his drawings that portray Freud. This book is a great addition to any library’s biography section.

Hitler Youth: Growing Up in Hitler's Shadow by Susan Campbell Bartoletti

Bartoletti, Susan Campbell. Hitler Youth: Growing Up in Hitler's Shadow. New York: Scholastic, 2005.

Could you imagine being a teenager during Hitler’s term in office? Did you know that German teenagers where required to become a part of Hitler Youth by the year 1939? Using a wide range of resources like diaries and letters, Bartoletti will share stories of teenagers who were a part of Hitler’s Youth and what their life was like through the rise and fall of Nazi Germany. From experiences like wrecking Jewish homes to Herbert Norkus being killed on a public street, readers will be amazed with the lives these children lived. The black and white historical pictures provided will also help readers visualize what life was like during Hitler’s reign. This book is a great addition to classrooms all over who are studying the Holocaust, and will help students understand what it was like for children their own age.

Bone: Out From Boneville by Jeff Smith

Smith, Jeff. Bone: Out From Boneville. New York: Scholastic, 2005.

Who can’t love these crazy characters of Boneville that will begin an adventure of a lifetime? When greedy Phoney Bone gets himself ran out of town his loyal cousins, Fone and Smiley, will come along. Soon tragic strikes and this three pair will be separated for some time. However, Fone makes friends with a country girl, her grandmother, and a great dragon that will help him and his cousins fight the “hooded ones.” This graphic novel will be a hit for young adults and many others. The illustrations created for this tale adds much creativity to the book that all will enjoy. Nevertheless, don’t fret readers with the ending of this book, because there are plenty more to follow that will continue the adventures of the Bones.

The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis

Lewis, C.S. The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe . New York: HarperCollins, 1994, c1950.

C.S. Lewis captivates his audience with The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe as he takes his readers on a journey they will never forget. In the midst of hiding, four children will find the world of Narnia that will take them to a mystical land of Narnia. There they will discover engaging and villainous creatures, learn to do heroic deeds, and find a whole world of magic. As they enter into this new world, it has been frozen into eternal winter by the White Witch. However, with the help of the Great Lion, Aslan and many new friends they will battle the war of good and evil. Readers of all ages will enjoy this extraordinary fantasy that will have them wanting more adventures from this series.

Cirque Du Freak: Tunnels of Blood by Darren Shan

Shan, Darren. Cirque Du Freak: Tunnels of Blood. New York: Little, Brown, and Company, 2002.

With this third installment of Cirque Du Freak, Darren Shan will continue to hold on to his readers. Crepsley will take his assistant and new found friend, the snake-boy on a mysterious mission. While Darren and Evra are running the town, Crepsley will be on a mysterious mission that turns out to be a “vampaneze” that believes in killing his victims. The problem is that Crepsley does not share his mission and the boys think that he is the killer. After many nights of following Crepsley, they will soon interfere that will cause more problems for this trio. To add to this great obstacle will be Shan’s new found friend who happens to be a girl that he likes. From meat lockers to sewer tunnels, Shan will keep his readers coming back for more. Although this book belongs to a series it could definitely stand on its own if readers prefer, due to Shan’s explicit details of the characters and their past. Don’t worry though because the ending will bring some closure, but have readers itching for more.

Cirque Du Freak: The Vampire's Assistant by Darren Shan

Shan, Darren. Cirque du Freak: The Vampire's Assistant. New York: Little, Brown, and Company, 2001.

Darren Shan’s second sequel to Cirque Du Freak: A Living Nightmare will continue to grab his readers. Vampire Larten Crepsley begins to train Shan on how to be a vampire’s assistant, but runs into trouble when Darren refuses to drink human blood for survival. Now traveling with the Cirque Du Freak, Crepsley hopes that finding new friends will help him except his new life. Soon finding friendships in a snake-boy, a human boy named Sam, and another who turns out to be an eco-warrior that will eventually cause problems after seeing the show. This will bring death to a new found friend, but will save Darren’s life as he finally drinks the blood to hang on to his friends memories. Readers be ready for a page turner that will have your heart pounding and your stomach queasy, but will keep you wanting more.

Lily's Crossing by Patricia Reilly Giff

Giff, Patricia Reilly. Lily’s Crossings. New York: Delacorte Press, 1997.

In this Newbery Medal/Honor book, Giff writes about the life of girl and her family who’s affected by World War II. As Lily is preparing for a summer of fun in her grandmother’s house, she soon learns that her best friend is moving so her father can work and her own widowed father is going overseas for the war. To make matters worse Lily has a slight problem of telling lies which will get her in trouble with her new Hungarian friend. As the summer progresses the two friends will learn to trust one another and use each other for support to survive this time of need. This story will tug at your heart as you learn their secrets and watch these two children grow through hard times.

Number the Stars by Lois Lowry

Lowry, Lois. Number the Stars. New York: Bantam Doubleday Dell Books, 1989.

Lois Lowry does an incredible job in her first historical fiction novel and it truly deserves the Newbery Medal/Honor. Annemarie Johansen, at the age of ten, already knows what life is like under Nazi occupation. However, her lessons in life will continue to grow as she learns that she must help her best friend and family to escape and have a chance of survival. Learning that everyone’s chance of life depends on the least that everyone knows, Annemarie must help her friends and remain silent throughout. Readers will be caught up in the suspense of whether or not they will all escape. This gripping story will give a small glimpse at life in Denmark and what citizens were willing to do for their friends during the Nazi invasion.

Days of Tears: A Novel in Dialogue by Julius Lester

Lester, Julius. Day of Tears: A Novel in Dialogue. New York: Hyperion Books, 2005.

Through dialogue, Julius Lester recreates what could possibly be going through the minds of people who went through one of the most emotional slave events in American history. In 1859, Savannah, Georgia will have one of the biggest slave auctions, and Lester will show readers what they are thinking during the time it takes place and their thoughts when each person becomes older. Seeing viewpoints from the auctioneer, the masters and their families, and adults and kids both included in the auction will give readers a vivid image in their head of what is was like for each of them. During the three days this auction takes place, rain will fall as it represents the tears that will shed from people who are truly affected by this auction. Hearing of split families, runaway slaves, and the lives of everyone around, you will walk away from this feeling like a part of this time period.

Bud, Not Buddy by Christopher Paul Curtis

Curtis, Christopher Paul. Bud, Not Buddy. New York: Delacorte Press, 1999.

Your heart will just melt for Bud, a ten year old boy who is placed in an orphanage after the death of his mother. Trying to find his father is now the goal, Bud will spend his time searching based off of simple clues his mother left behind. Making the journey from Flint, Michigan to Grand Rapids after running away from a terrible foster home, Bud will come across many people who will in their own way help him complete his search. Curtis does a fascinating job creating this story that will allow readers to laugh at Buds encounters as well as fall in love with him. This book is one that will have you rushing to turn the page to see what happens.