Julio's Magic

It's hard to find books that appeal to hispanic boys. Julio's Magic is the perfect choice for boys and girls.

Julio and his friend Iluminado, an older, master wood-carver, find ideas in the forest where they gather wood. Musicians, angels, and amazing creatures of all kinds hide in every curving branch.

This year there is a contest with a big prize for the best carving in the land, and Julio wants to enter. All through the Mexican village where Julio and Iluminado live, people are saying that the carvings Julio is making for the contest are great. When Julio sees how hard times are for Iluminado, whose eyesight is failing and whose crops are not good, Julio has some decisions to make about friendship and generosity.

Julio's Magic was written by Arthur Dorros. He's a prolific artist with more than thirty published titles! He writes on his website, "Working on each new book is exciting for me. I've found a wide range of subjects and experiences surfacing in my work, from interests in science to high-flying adventures, from the usually unseen—trees growing, to the unlikely to be seen—flying grandmother and granddaughter. I believe that everyone has stories to tell. I've enjoyed visiting children in hundreds of schools around the country, helping them find their own stories. Part of writing and illustrating is like being a detective, with senses as alert as possible, always on the lookout for new ideas and pieces that help put the whole story together."

Click here to learn more about all of Arthur Dorros' books.

VIKRAM And The Enchanted Seals

Vikram, an apathetic kid from California, doesn’t want to be in India. But a death in the family leaves him no other choice. So he finds himself in a rural village, at his ancestral home where he meets his imposing grandfather. A special bond forms between them, and the old man gives Vikram an enchanted seal – a mystical relic from India's earliest civilization. It turns out that the seal is one of only a handful that combine to form the Dharma Cube, the most powerful weapon against evil the world has ever seen. Before Vikram can fully grasp the seal's profound significance, Grandpa is taken by Rakshasas – evil giants from the epic Ramayana – who are intent on destroying the Cube once and for all. Vikram enlists the help of younger brother Jai, and Manu, the family’s loyal servant, to search for Grandpa. Their journey takes them through the various landscapes of India: historical, mythological, artistic, philosophical, and natural. Tension mounts when Vikram realizes that he alone must unlock the secrets of his seal and the Dharma Cube, not just to rescue Grandpa, but to save all of humanity.

This very cool book is by Sanjiv Behear. Sanjiv was born in October, 1969, to Indian immigrant parents in Manitoba, Canada. He and his family moved to Southern California when he was four. Some of his fondest memories involve spending summer vacations lounging on the sands of Redondo Beach.

His family moved often, to various spots in California, both southern and northern. He spent his college years at UCLA, where he studied economics and anthropology.

Sanjiv has a strong affinity for eastern mythology, comics, basketball, and pizza. Currently, Sanjiv resides in Arizona with his wife and four children.

Click here to learn more.

Boys of Steel: The Creators of Superman

The story behind Superman is sure to capture the imagination of reluctant readers. Jerry Siegal and Joe Shuster, two misfit teens in Depression-era Cleveland, were more like Clark Kent—meek, mild, and myopic—than his secret identity, Superman. Both boys escaped into the worlds of science fiction and pulp magazine adventure tales. Jerry wrote stories, and Joe illustrated them. In 1934, they created a superhero who was everything they were not. It was four more years before they convinced a publisher to take a chance on their Man of Steel in a new format—the comic book. The author includes a provocative afterword about Jerry and Joe’s long struggle with DC Comics when they realized they had made a mistake in selling all rights to Superman for a mere $130!

I love Superman and loved this book. Marc Tyler Nobleman’s text captures the excitement of Jerry and Joe’s triumph, and the energetic illustrations by Ross MacDonald, the author-artist of Another Perfect Day, are a perfect complement to the time, the place, and the two young visionaries. Marc is the author of more than 70 books including "Boys of Steel: The Creators of Superman," which received multiple starred reviews and made the front page of "USA Today".

Click here for Marc's blog. Click here to buy Boys of Steel.

Something To Hold

A poignant voice has arisen from the soul of a master storyteller. My daughter, who's eleven loved this book. She was very disappointed when the story was over, a sure sign of a great novel! I loved it too. The storyline is fast-moving and all of the characters are well developed. Typically, boys like stories from a male protagonist point of view. However, this is a perfect cross-over book for classroom teaching. I highly recommend it for humanities. There are many layers for deep and meaningful discussions with your students. From an American History perspective, it's a door-opener for exploring our past through the eyes of our modern world. Kids get a lifelike feel for living on a Native American Reservation.

You can start with this premise: Can a white girl feel at home on an Indian reservation?

Inspired by the author’s childhood experiences in the early 1960s, this debut novel centers on Kitty, whose father is a government forester on the Warm Springs Indian Reservation in Oregon. Kitty is one of only two white kids in her class, and the Indian kids are keeping their distance. With time, Kitty becomes increasingly aware of the tensions and prejudices between Indians and whites, and of the past injustice and pain still very much alive on the reservation.

RAVE:

"Kitty's discoveries and ethical dilemmas are age-and era-appropriate, the characters affectionately portrayed, rounded individuals."--Kirkus

"Based on the author's own experiences, this novel fills a gap in the historical fiction genre. Great for classroom discussion as well as independent reading." --School Library Journal

This unique novel is by Katherine Schlick Noe. She is a wonderful author, teacher, speaker, and literary specialist. Click here to visit Katherine's website. Be sure to visit her Teaching Ideas page by clicking here.

ECHO'S REVENGE

What would you do if the evil extreme predator in your video game came after you...in real life?

Would you be ready?

With exciting, heartpounding, nonstop action, ECHO'S REVENGE is the first in an original new YA series written to capture the imagination of young readers who are passionate about playing online/video games.

Click here for ECHO'S REVENGE: The Ultimate Game

Teaching The Civil War

Below is a teaching the Civil War best-practice.

"I am a 9th grade Social Studies teacher for some wonderful students at a Charter School in California. We are currently learning about The Civil War. I just wanted to let you know that we have been using your, Brothers of War page . It's been so helpful for one of our projects in class. My students just absolutely loved your site!

One of my students came to me with another resource that was very helpful:

Civil War Weapons

She thought it would be a perfect addition to your site of already valuable resources! (She is always going above and beyond...such a great kid!)

As educators, we may not like it that kids are interested in weapons, but many are. Boys are especially interested in reading about historical weapons. One of my continued top books to hook boys on reading is Ben Boo's book SWORDS. Ben tragically passed away last summer. By buying his book we help boys transform into lifelong readers and in a small way help support his family.

Please consider supporting Ben's family by buying copies his books. You can also help support Boys Read by purchasing copies of Brothers of War and The Bird.

The demon-king Ravana

The demon-king Ravana, born of a union between the holiest of mortals and a demon princess, has risen from an obscure beginning at a hermitage to conquer not just hell but heaven too. No less than a god to his own people, he is the sheer embodiment of evil to his enemies. This arrogant demon brooks no hindrance to snatching his heart’s desire, and his terror seems unstoppable to gods and humans alike. But he makes a mistake when he abducts the wife of Lord Rama, the exiled divine ruler of Ayodhya.

Ravana is a story of a demon, who dared to challenge the gods, and almost got away with it. Ravana’s tale is one that will incite awe and fear simultaneously. Whose side was this enigma on, good or evil? The obvious answer seems to be but one: his own. Or was he really? This graphic novel seeks to explore that question, and others.

Graphic novels are a great way to move reluctant readers who are stuck in a rut. Campfire out of India is producing a prolific volume of high-interest subject matter that will appeal to boys. The graphics are stunning and capture the imagination of all readers. I'm currently reading Jack London's Call To The Wild and White Fang with my eleven-year-old daughter. We're using Campfire's graphic novel as a supplement to our reading.

To learn more about Campfire, click here.