Cook Book: The Star Wars Cook Book II: Darth Malt

If you've been wondering how to get your preteen boy to read, look no further than the Star Wars Cookbook set. These books feature easy and delicious recipies with star wars related names. Each recipe comes with an illustration of the food, and a related star wars figurine.

Recipies include Sith Speeder Sunrise Granola, Forceful Fritatta, Pickle Jar Jar, and Hideous Sidious Sorbet. There are lots more corny names to choose from, and recipes range from breakfast foods through main courses, right up to dessert.

The recipies are fairly simple, abut many will require an adult's assistance (chopping, use of blenders, etc. all require a grownup's help). There's plenty for kids to like in this book, and it combines two all time favourite topics for boys: food and Star wars!

Cookbook

Grades 3-6

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Nonfiction: Learn to Speak Music

This unique and fun book is a guide for kids who want to play their own tunes. For kids who want to start a band, this book lays out the steps that need to be taken to make it to stardom.

We start by finding out about some different types of music, and learning how to form a band and find space and time to practice. Next, we cover songwriting, playing live (tech requirements are highlighted!) and recording tunes. Finally, kids might want to think about getting word out about their band through advertising and media.

Most of the sections have tons of great information, and this book will make a great starting point for anyone thinking about playing in a band.

nonfiction

Grades 5-10

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Graphic Novel: Binky the Space Cat

Binky is a cat with a purpose! His mission? To fly into OUTER SPACE! He's all ready to go, now that his official space cat certification has arrived in the mail (courtesy of a postcard he found in his cat food bag). It's very important that Binky get into outer space, because he wants to fight aliens!

Of course, Outer Space is the space outside the house, and aliens are those flying creatures that dumb humans keep referring to as bugs. Binky does a great job of keeping his dumb humans safe inside (he chases and crunches up any bug he finds) but he knows it's time to go straight to the source of the problem.

Once Binky builds his rocket ship, there's nothing to do but fill it up with rocket fuel, climb onboard, and check his important list of things to bring one last time...uh oh! He forgot his humans! What to do?

This is a funny and simple graphic novel for the under 12 crowd. Anyone who likes garfields will love Binky!

Graphic novel

Grades 2-5

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Fiction: Amelia's Guide to Babysitting

The Amelia's Notebook series is written by Marissa Moss, and it's aimed at middle school girls. The notebooks start when Amelia is in fifth grade, with subsequent notebooks following her as she passes through sixth, seventh, and eighth grades.

In this book, Amelia is in grade six. She's decided to try her hand at babysitting to make some extra cash. Little does she know...babies can be hard work!

The book is written in what looks just like a standard school notebook, complete with lined pages and periodical tables/measurement charts at the front and back. Amelia has recorded her babysitting adventures in diary style format, with liberal use of colour cartoons and notes. The writing and art look just like a sixth grader's work, and this is a great book for encouraging kids to start keeping their own diary/comic notebook. What an excellent way to support writing skills! This is a fun, fast read for middle school girls, and most will identify easily with Amelia and her troubles.

Fiction

Grades 4-8
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Nonfiction: That's Why We Don't Eat Animals

Talking about dietary choices is an important part of teaching kids healthy habits, and some families believe strongly in eating a vegetarian diet. This short nonfiction book is a resource for vegetarian families, and it aims to show that animals deserve the same protections and care that we show people.

The book talks about the differences between animals' natural lives, and their lives when they are raised for food; it points out the natural behaviours that resemble those of human families, and suggests ideas for living sustainably and mindfully.

This is certainly not a book for everyone; many families who include meat in their diets will find it too preachy, and point out that it fails to talk about why some people do choose to eat meat. However, it is a rare and useful book for families who are vegetarian and vegan, or who have kids interested in exploring these ideas.

Nonfiction

Grades 3-6

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Nonfiction: Mohammed's Journey: a refugee diary

This books is the memoir of Mohammed, a fourteen year old kurdish boy who wa born in Kirkuk, Iraq. The book describes his life in Iraq, right up until his father was arrested and killed in 2000, and then his refugee journey afterwards.

Mohammed and his mother flee Iraq, and the book describes their route through Iran, Turkey, and finally into the UK. Mohammed talks about how it felt to be moving all the time, running from the police and always hungry and afraid.

Once in Dover, England, Mohammed and his mother seettled in to an apartment, and began to meet other people in the community. Mohammed talks about how important the charity services were in helping his family get started; he also talks about how great it was to meet other friendly kids in school, and to not be so afraid all the time. Although Mohammed still misses his dad and has some lingering problems from his traumatic experiences, he's hopeful for the future.

This book can provide kids with an understanding of how it feels to be a refugee. Written in plain language, the text is very accessible for kids of all ages. A great pick for schools or kids who are interested in humanitarian issues.

Nonfiction

Grades 3-7

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First Chapter Book: Friend of Fiend? With the pain and the great one

Classic author Judy Blume has written another fun and realistic series about siblings. The Pain and the Great One are, of course, an older sister and a younger brother. Now just guess who is who! Told in alternating chapters that are short enough for budding readers to get through, this book describes the daily adventures of Jake (the pain) and Abigail (the great one).

This book tackles topics such as classroom embarassment (Jake makes a mistake in reading circle, and vows never to speak in class again), frienship (Abigail has a best friend problem) and family (why are teenage cousins so stuck up??). Kids will see their own feelings and families reflected i this book, and parents will be reminded about how simple life really was when they were 8 years old. A simple but heartfelt series, worth looking up.

First Chapter Book

Grades 2-4

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