Search Results for: blog emmy and the incredible shrinking rat lynne jonell

The Mysterious Benedict Society – Trenton Lee Stewart

Reynie Muldoon is an orphan, but he doesn’t feel particularly bad about it because he’s never known anything different. He lives in a large orphanage filled with children who ignore him, and his only friend is his tutor. She’s a kindly older woman who has taken Reynie into her heart, and it’s a good thing, too, otherwise no one would love him at all. One morning while reading the paper, they spy an ad for children of unusual abilities. Just what these abilities are supposed to be, the ad doesn’t say, but Reynie is curious. He decides to go in … Continue reading →

The Jade Dragon – Carolyn Marsden and Virginia Shin-Mui Loh

“The Jade Dragon” is a children’s book which introduces us to Ginny, a Chinese girl who’s in the second grade. She’s excited when she sees that another Chinese girl has moved in – she’s been the only one this whole time and no one really understands her. When she meets Stephanie, she’s surprised at how American Stephanie is. She has an English last name, her clothes are all American, and she doesn’t even like Chinese food. Ginny learns that Stephanie was adopted out of China by white parents, and has no memory of China itself. Ginny has grown up with … Continue reading →

Trouble According to Humphrey – Betty G. Birney

We met Humphrey the golden hamster when I reviewed “The World According to Humphrey.” Today we’re checking in with everyone’s favorite classroom pet to see what he’s been up to in the book “Trouble According to Humphrey.” Mrs. Brisbane has a wonderful idea. She is going to turn classroom 26 into a community for social studies. The children will each create a building, and they’ll all have jobs. First, though, they need a name for their community, and they choose Humphreyville. Humphrey is so excited, he can’t stand it! A whole town, named just for him! And there’s a class … Continue reading →

The World According to Humphrey – Betty G. Birney

Have you ever wondered what it’s really like to be a classroom pet? If you read “The World According to Humphrey,” you’ll find out. Humphrey is a golden hamster and was purchased by an elementary school teacher named Ms. Mac. She made everything special, from the way she bought Humphrey his own notebook and pencil, to the way she took him home every night and weekend. She’d let him run around her apartment, she made him mazes on the floor – she was a perfect hamster owner. But as it turns out, she was just a substitute teacher, and Humphrey … Continue reading →

Emmy and the Incredible Shrinking Rat – Lynne Jonell

Appearing today in stores everywhere, “Emmy and the Incredible Shrinking Rat” is a must for your reading list for ages 9+. I read it in one sitting and came away entertained and enchanted. Emmy is a very good girl who does everything her nanny, Miss Barmy, tells her. She is a straight A student, she never gets in trouble, and she never talks back. You might think she’s this way because she’s impeccably well-mannered, and she is – but her underlying reason is this – she wants her parents to like her more. If she never gets in trouble, maybe … Continue reading →

Author Interview – Lynne Jonell (part four) A New Release

Thank you for joining us for part four of our conversation with nationally published children’s book author, Lynne Jonell. If you missed parts one, two, or three, click here. Lynne, in addition to writing picture books, you write books for the middle-grade age range (9-12) as well. Can you tell us more? The book is titled “Emmy & the Incredible Shrinking Rat,” published by Henry Holt & Co., and it will be released in August of 2007. Booksellers are now taking pre-orders for it. I’m so pleased that I finally wrote a novel that someone thought was worth publishing! The … Continue reading →