Literature for Children and Young Adults by Darling Reads

The Family Romanov: Murder, Rebellion, and the Fall of Imperial Russia By Candace Fleming ISBN: 0375867821 Bibliographical Information: Fleming, Candace.  The family Romanov: murder, rebellion & the fall of Imperial Russia . New York: Schwartz & Wade Books, 2014. Plot Summary: In this biography, readers are introduced to the royal family of Russia, the Romanovs.  Czar Nicholas was ignorant of the state of his beloved country of Russia.  Czar Nicholas married Alexandra of Germany who was the granddaughter of Queen Victoria of England.  The couple had four daughters and one son.  Their only son Alexei suffered from hemophilia and was often sick.  The Empress relied on Rasputin whom she thought was a holy man to heal her son Alexei.  The Romanovs enjoy a secluded royal lifestyle as the poor of Russia begin to rebel against their government.   Czar Nicholas in denial that there is any rebellion against him becomes a captive in his country.  The family was put to death i

Down Down Down a Journey to the Bottom of the Sea  By Steve Jenkins ISBN  0544709519 Bibliographical Information: Jenkins, Steve.  Down, Down, Down A Journey to the Bottom of the Sea . Boston New York: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2016. ISBN 0544709519. Plot Summary: In this book, Steve Jenkins takes us on a trip to the very bottom of the ocean.  “More humans have walked on the moon than have visited the deepest spot in the sea. (p.1, Jenkins)”.  Readers are taken on a visually stunning journey from the surface of the ocean down to the lowest depth.  Young readers can see what animals look like at each depth and what part of the ocean they are at on a scale at the side of each page.   Jenkins states in his introduction “In this book, we’ll descend from the sea’s surface to the sea floor and travel through one of the most extreme environments on earth.”  And what a journey it is! Critical analysis: Let’s talk about accuracy for a moment.  I am not a marine biologist or oc

Funny Bones Posada and His Day of the Dead Calaveras Written by Duncan Tonatiuh Bibliographical Information: Tonatiuh, Duncan. Funny Bones: Posada and His Day of the Dead Calaveras . New York, NY: Abrams Books for Young Readers, 2015. Plot Summary:  Jose Guadalupe Posada was educated and went to art school.  He learned how to lithograph and engrave to print publications.  He opened a print shop and was well known for publishing literary Calaveras which are short poems that showed a Calaveras and were humorous.  Don Posada was admired for his work and made the literary Calaveras for the Dias de Los Muertos holiday for years. Critical Analysis: The author makes an accurate portrayal of what is known about Posada in an entertaining story for children.  The author’s note explains the history behind the celebration of Dias de Los Muertos and has a bibliography to show the accuracy of all information provided.  The illustrations accurately describe the text.  Some of the illustrat

Brown Girl Dreaming by   Jacqueline Woodson ISBN   0399252517 Plot Summary Brown Girl Dreaming is novel in verse about a black girl that was growing up during the Civil Rights movement of the 1960’s and 1970’s.   Jacqueline starts her life in Ohio, but when her parents split up, she moves to South Carolina.   Times were tough in South Carolina, so Jacqueline's mom looked for work in New York.   They moved to New York and met new friends and a different culture.   Jacqueline discovers family and identity are important in life in this welcoming memoir. Critical Analysis It 's hard to pin down exactly where this book belongs.   It is a novel written in poetry verse but when I went to buy it at the bookstore it was in the young adult autobiography section.   According to School Library Journal, they categorize this book as Historical Fiction because the author writes her childhood in a factual way but through the lenses of fiction (Bird, 2014).   Brown Girl

What My Mother Doesn't Know  by   Sonya Sones   ISBN   0689855532 Plot Summary Sophie is a boy-crazy teenager.   Sophie tells the story of her first love and a few more.   Sophie is a 9 th grader in high school.   Sophie tells her story of her first love that she soon realizes is not the one for her, so she moves on.   Sophie then finds a smooth talker online but before they get to meet the guy is no good, and it is over.   Finally, Sophie finds the guy she seems to fit with but doesn't fit with the rest of her friends.   Sophie has decisions to make and family situations that take readers high school. Critical Review What My Mother Doesn’t Know is a novel written in free verse consisting of fast-paced short poems.   The novel is a narration that sounds like a recount of Sophie’s 9 th -grade year as she falls for different boys: Lou, Chaz and then Murphy.   Ms. Sones adds poems about Murphy throughout the book as a social outcast.   Sophie sometimes p