All eyes were on London this summer, and Newsbee’s July Picks had connections to the English city. Students inspired by the Olympics chimed in like Big Ben, offering their ideas and opinions in jolly good reviews. Congrats to this month’s Book Buzz prize winners. A quality hardcover book will be delivered to your school, compliments of the Washington Optimist Club.
“A Walk in London”
by Salvatore Rubbino.
Reviewed by Macie Steffens, fourth grade, Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic School.
“I loved the book ‘A Walk in London.’ The book reminded me of some of my trips and adventures.
“The facts in the book really helped me learn more about London. I liked to read the parts about Big Ben, the castles and the banks. The book will probably help me when we learn about the continents, cities, states and countries.
“In the book, it looked like the girl and her mom had fun in London. This book was very good.”
“Touch the Sky: Alice Coachman, Olympic High Jumper,”
by Ann Malaspina.
Reviewed by Tracy Wyrick, sixth grade, New Haven Elementary School.
“ ‘Touch the Sky’ is an outstanding book. It’s about a girl who lives in Albany, Ga., in the 1930s. Alice has a big dream of being an Olympic high jumper. She would race through the woods jumping over logs and fallen down trees.
“Her teacher realized what Alice had in her active body. She took Alice to a track and meet. Alice made her own high jump out of twigs and ropes. Alice was on the waiting list for the London Summer Olympics. She finally made it! Alice was 25 when she won the London Olympics high jump. She left her mark in history.
“I would recommend this book to my Great-Grandpa Clay Picker. He has done amazing things in his life and I very much appreciate it. I love my grandpa — nobody could have a better one!”
“The Cheshire Cheese Cat,
A Dickens of a Tale,”
by Carmen Agra Deedy and Randall Wright.
Reviewed by Rachel Bolte, third grade, Beaufort Elementary School.
“From the title, I guessed this book would be about the cat in ‘Alice in Wonderland.’ Instead it was about two cats, two mice (that you hear the most from) and seven people.
“The story is set in London at Ye Old Cheshire Cheese during the time before the French Revolution. I liked this story because it is set back in time. A cat and a mouse have an unusual friendship in the book, because cats usually eat mice.
“The good cat’s name is Skilly, and the bad cat’s name is Pinch. I liked Skilly better because he was nicer. I found it hard to keep up with the characters. I did not like the art in the book but I did like the cover art.
“I might have liked the art better if it was in color because it might have helped me see the character’s color. I recommend this book.”
Reviews from the following students can be read online at emissourian.com, Desiree Stehlau, Julia Unnerstall, and Christian Paterson, all from New Haven Elementary School.
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