EDRE 4320 - Tabitha

Title: Game Changers: The Story of Venus & Serena Williams  Author: Lesa Cline-Rahsome  Genre: Biography  Awards: Bluebonnet, ALA Notable  Age Group: 7-10 Summary: This book is a biography about Venus and Serena Williams. They were very close in age and grew up in the shadows of each other. Whatever Venus did, Serena did too. They started playing tennis, but would clean the courts at the crack of dawn. Their older three sisters played but lost interest. Their father was laughed at for his hopes and dreams for his daughters but that didn't stop him. Venus played her first professional match, and a year later, Serena did. In three years, the girls were both ranked in the top 50.  Some tennis fans were happy to see new faces, while others weren't because of them being blacks playing in a all white sport. This didn't stop them, it pushed them harder, because their parents had prepared them for this by bringing in kids to scream and taunt th...

Title: My Brother Charlie Author:  Holly Robinson Peete Genre: Non-fiction Awards: N/A Age Group: 7-10 Summary: This book was about twin, brother and sister, and the bother has autism. She talks about the things they like to do together, and the things that they don't do together. It also talks about when her mom first thought something was wrong with her brother, and how they had to watch him. Once they discovered he had autism, it discussed the things he did differently and how he showed love and his caring nature. The doctor said he would never say "I love you," but he said it to his sister when she hurt herself and began to cry. Charlie has autism but autism doesn't have Charlie.  Teacher Evaluation: I listened to this book online, YouTube. This is a very good book from a sisters point of view. It shows what they go through and even though he has a disability, they do many things together and the family has learned so much from him. I will ...

Title: The Night Gardener  Author: Jonathan Auxier  Genre: Traditional Literature Awards: Bluebonnet  Age Group: 9-12 Summary: This book is about two siblings separated from their parents traveling to England, in search of a new life. Molly, the sister, sets up servant work, or service work at a house that a local woman warns them against. The old woman says that something bad has happened at that house and no one enters the house or the woods that surround it but the Windsor family. The siblings don't take the woman's advice because they need the food and shelter. The children realize immediately that something is off about the family and the house, but Molly conveniences and proves that her and her brother are a useful cook, housekeeper and gardener. The siblings start having nightmares that really scare them, and when they wake, there are muddy footprints on the floors. They also notice the family getting sicker and paler. They eventually find out the f...