Goosebumps: Welcome to Camp Slither

Winnie Reviews

Goosebumps: Welcome to Camp Slither

Summer camp is awesome. Boone and Heather think so too. Their opinion is very different when they hear the stories. The camp is not Camp Hither, its Camp Slither! Why? Read the book and find out!


I love all Goosebumps books. I would say the series is probably for ages 8-12. I love mysteries and scary stories. My favorite part was when Nathen pulled a prank in the lake. Even I was freaking out! I totally rate this book 5 Stars.


If you own Netflix or Amazon prime, the author, R.L Stine has some movies/TV shows:


1. The Haunting Hour


2. 2nd movie of Mostly Ghostly


To learn more about the author go to:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R._L._Stine

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L.R.R. Smith received her degree in Educational Studies from WGU and is an elementary school teacher. She resides in South Carolina and has been married for over thirteen years. She enjoys being a mother to three children, two dogs, a cat, and a ball python. In her limited spare time she is up late writing. She is currently co-writing an urban fantasy novel. You can often find her striking a yoga pose, reading, or spending time with her family. Mostly, she’s at home writing up lesson plans and expecting her acceptance to Hogwarts letter any day.  

To contact her, email her at smithlinda60.ls@gmail.com

Check her out on Twitter @LRR_Swrites

Or see her on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/lrr.swriter/

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Winnie's Reviews: Adventures in Raceland by AJ Loft

Summary: Vroom Vroom! Kyle and Keegan McKay love to race. But sadly they were too young to actually RACE. This all changes when they discover the door of Raceland!

Opinion: This book was sometimes hard for me to understand. Also, in some parts of the book it was boring. I like this book because it’s so funny. An example is when the group had just discovered Raceland and they were in the chill chamber. While Bobby was in, he thought he was going to end up in the middle of track 12 naked! Poor Bobby! 

I rate this book 4 stars.

To order or discover new things go to: http://www.rodkingz.com/

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Winnie's reviews: The Adventures of Loriel the Wood Fairy

Loriel is worried about Grandfairy Cyce . She hasn’t heard from her in a while. Loriel gets the news that Grandfairy Cyce has been kidnapped by a goblin! Will Loriel ever see her again?

I liked this book because I love fantasy! My favorite part was when Padra (the house mouse) thought the dragon was going to eat him. There was a problem though. Some characters' names were similar to one another and the author sometimes used the wrong names on the characters. It was a bit confusing. For this reason I rate only 3 ½ stars.

Author: The back of the book flap reads, "I have always been a reader and I loved reading to my children as well as my grandchildren. I hope that comes through in my writing. Opening children's eyes to the world of books is awesome. Seeing their eyes light up to an exciting passage is so special. Computers are wonderful but holding a book and relying on your own imagination is special and individual to each one of us."

Linda's Review: Loriel's Grandfairy Cyce has been kidnapped by smelly goblins. She must figure out a way to rescue Cyce without putting Cyce in more danger.
This is a fun little story with cute pictures. I think some of the words could be difficult for children and not easy to figure out in context. However, great opportunity to learn to work a dictionary. ;) The story moves quickly and keeps the reader engaged. Occasionally, I had to go back and reread sections because I didn't catch it well the first time. That may have been me though. Overall, I'd give this book three stars. ***
It was fun! It'll be a fun read aloud to my children this year too.

Disclaimer: This was a complimentary copy of the book given to me in exchange for an honest review.

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From Tragedy to Triumph: The Story of John Tartaglio by John Tartaglio and Andrew Chapin

Perseverance. This is a great adjective to describe John Tartaglio. When John was seventeen he developed a rare bacterial infection which led to the loss of both of his legs and his left bicep. He didn't let that stop him. Despite the negativity of his doctors, he was determined to walk across the stage at his graduation.

He continued making goals -- cycling, swimming, running. If a person with legs could do it then he was determined to find a way to do it as well. his attitude throughout all of this is completely inspirational. I felt privileged to read about something that could be so personal.

This story was amazing. I was pulled into John's life and found myself crying tears of joy when he accomplished a goal, laughing at his jokes, and cheering him on. My children and husband got to hear about the story. My six year old daughter was especially excited about it.

I recommend this book. There was some strong language in it but it didn't occur often. I give this book 4 stars. ****


To learn more about this author go here.

Here are some videos. If you search his name on youtube, you'll find quite a few more.

Disclaimer: This was a complimentary copy of the book given to me in exchange for an honest review.

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Winnie's Review: Patches & Buttons by Jennifer Link

Summary: Buttons is a bunny who is easy to scare. Patches is a very noisy dog and scares Buttons all the time. How will these two animals learn to live together?

My Opinion: I think this book is good because it teaches an important lesson about friendship. The pictures were fun, too. My favorite part was when buttons got scared by the vacuum cleaner. I rate this book 5 stars.

My siblings Opinion: I read this book to my younger siblings. They said “ I think the animals will learn to love each other." and  "I like this book because I had never before seen a dog and bunny get along." and "My favorite part was when the bunny hid behind the towels." I think they really liked the book so thank you, Jennifer Link for letting us enjoy this book!

Author: To learn more about the author, click here. 

Disclaimer: This was a complimentary copy of the book given to me in exchange for an honest review.

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Winnie's Reviews: The Secret at Haney Field by R.M. Clark

Can you see the shadow players? April O’ day gets hired as a bat retriever and comes to like her job. She knows everything about baseball from researching and reading. Mr. Haney owns the stadium and sets up a meeting to see April. He brings April into the stadium and sits her down and makes her look into the field. He asks her what she sees. People shaped objects are running around the bases. They're shadow players. Why are they here? What do they want?

Opinion: I like this book because it’s mysterious. Ghosts are used in a lot of books. Shadow players are one of a kind. I love the plot and how it smoothly runs. It has all the right details. Thanks for letting me read this fantastic book! FIVE stars!

Author: To learn more about the author visit this website:

http://www.rmclarkauthor.com/

Disclaimer: This was a complimentary copy of the book given to me in exchange for an honest review.

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Winnie's Reviews: A Bad Case of Stripes

The bad case of stripes

Do you like lima beans? It’s the first day of school and Camila wants to look perfect.  She looks into the mirror and sees a shocking thing that can change her life forever!

I love this book because it teaches an important lesson about being yourself. My younger siblings love it, too. I recommend it to 4-8 year olds or anyone who is scared to be themselves. I rate this book 5 stars!

If you would like to learn more about the author go to this website:                                              

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Shannon

This is Renee: Side note - this is also a very good book for older kids to work on sequencing or cause and effect.  

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Winnie's Reviews: Wages Creek by Jeffrey Hickey

Summary: Quack! I read a book called Wages Creek by an amazing author, Jeffrey Hickey. Wages creek is a beautiful place, but you can’t enjoy it when you’re sick. In this book Jeffrey Hickey is a character that goes on an adventure in his mind. This adventure includes ducks, horseshoes, and an unusual event!

Opinion: I love this book! The illustrations are well drawn and the story is thought through. It’s got all the right parts. I love how the author used himself as a character. I rate this book 5 star!

To learn more about this author, click HERE.

Renee: So, Winnie really liked this one. I gave her the book and she had it read before she even made it home. She was also given an audio book by the author. She listened to it and shared it with her younger siblings. They all enjoyed both the actual book and the audio book. 

Disclaimer: This was a complimentary copy of the book given to me in exchange for an honest review.

You can purchase your own copy here. 

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Squish: Super Amoeba

• Age Range: 8 - 12 years
• Grade Level: 3 - 7
• Series: Squish (Book 1)
• Paperback: 96 pages
• Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers (May 10, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0375843892
• ISBN-13: 978-0375843891

Author: Jennifer  and Matt Holm

This is a story about one celled organisms living their life. Elementary school is hard for everyone but especially if you're an amoeba named Squish who has bullies to deal with and Principal Planaria. Not to mention getting along with friends and a dad who secretly listens to heavy metal. Do you think Squish can save his friends and the world from the evils in the hallway or school? Read the book to find out. :)

I have, what we could call, a reluctant reader. This, however, was the first chapter book I got him to read. Granted, it's written as a comic book but I really didn't care as long as it got this young reader to read words. He loved this book. He even picked up the sequel the next time he was at the library.

AR: Grade level 2.2

Lexile: GN230L

This would be a fun book to have in the classroom, especially for science when covering one celled organisms. Unfortunately, most 2nd graders don't learn about one celled organisms for a while but it would be a great way to introduce them to the topic. It really is mostly just for fun.

RATING: **** Four Stars

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Collin's Corner: The Fastest Pet on Earth by J.E. Bright

This is about two enemies... a cheetah and a kangaroo. The kangaroo and Wonder Woman are friends. The Cheetah and Cheetah Girl are friends. The Kangaroo and Wonder Woman are good and the Cheetah and Cheetah Girl are bad. It is a little funny. They are fighting over a golden turtle. The golden turtle gives anyone powers. If you think the golden turtle is a toy, you are wrong; it is a real animal. If you want to know the rest of this story, then read the book.

It was really fun reading. In some parts it was funny and in other parts it was a little intense. If I could give it more than 5 stars, I would give it 10. I recommend everyone read this book.

I have already asked my mom to get me the whole series.


Reading Levels:
AR: 3.4
Lexile: 560L


About Collin: It's been a while since he reviewed a book on here so I thought I'd remind you. He is 8 years old and just completed 2nd grade. He is also my son. ;) And, apparently, he's a huge fan of DC Super-Pets book series now. haha! This is also the first time his book review was done completely by him. I added the reading levels and this but he did the rest. In the past, I just added his opinion to the end. This one is all him. :)

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Bink & Gollie by Kate DiCamillo

• Age Range: 6 - 9 years
• Grade Level: 1 - 4
• Series: Bink and Gollie
• Paperback: 88 pages
• Publisher: Candlewick; Reprint edition (April 10, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 9780763659547
• ISBN-13: 978-0763659547

This is about two friends who are a bit quirky and seem to be complete opposites yet they are always the most marvelous of companions. They get into fights, they go on adventures and they test their friendship. It's mixed with plenty of humor and fun to keep students engaged.

The young reader who read this book really enjoyed it. He opened it up just to see what it was about. Soon, he was enthralled in the story and thirty minutes later he was finished. He laughed at himself because he hadn't meant to even read it. He just wanted to flip through the pages. This is a really cute book. 

AR: grade level 2.5

Lexile: AD310L

This would be a great addition to any classroom. It's a fun read and something many of the students would enjoy and laugh about. It teaches important skills of friendship along with improving learning. There are a few words in it that are tricky and would be a wonderful opportunity for students' vocabulary to grow as they learn words like implore, compromise, outrageous, baffle, and several other larger words. The character Gollie likes to use larger words and quite often baffles Bink with her vernacular. A fun little book and great story for a classroom.

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Winnie's Reviews: Tuck Everlasting

Summary: Have you ever met an unusual family who never ages because they own a youth fountain? I read a book called Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt. Winnie Foster loves adventure. She craves to see what’s in the woods, but she’s not brave enough to jump over the gate that blocks her adventurous spirit. One day she makes that little voice go away and decides to explore the woods. But who does she meet in these mysterious woods?

Opinion: This is an amazing book! I could read all day long if I could. My favorite character is Winnie because of what bravery she has. I rate this book 5 stars.

Author: If you want to learn about this author vist this site:

http://www.ipl.org/div/askauthor/babbitt.html

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Charlottes Web

Summary: I read a book called Charlotte’s Web written by E.B White. It’s about a girl that begged for her dad not to kill a runt out of a pig litter. She raises it until  it’s time to sell it to her uncle. It gets raised on a farm and one day a miracle happens, but what? Read and find out!

     Opinion: I like this book because it’s very funny and it’s a heart touching story. I didn’t like this book because one of Wilber’s closest friend dies at the end. My favorite character is Avery. (Fern’s brother) I like Avery because, well he is just one of those annoying big brothers. I rate this book 4 ½ stars!

Author: If you want to learn more about the author visit this site: http://www.biography.com/people/eb-white-9529308#awesm=~oF7Fdmea4vdfRc

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How Do Apples Grow? by Betsy Maestro

How Do Apples Grow? by Betsy Maestro


This is non-fiction and science-y. ;) We've been doing a unit on plants and while he was focusing on flowers -- the pistils and ovaries and reproduction of flowers, we decided to read this book. It starts with winter of an apple tree's life and goes through the process all the way until the next winter. It includes the bees, parts of a flower and everything. It's the perfect book for a plant lesson. I wouldn't recommend it for preschool but it is great for elementary school!

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Winnie's Reviews: Anne of Green Gables

Remember that exciting news I was so excited about? Well, here it is!!!! My niece (9 years old) loves to read and write book reviews. So, I asked her if she'd like to write them on my blog. She said yes and was soooo excited about this too. YAY!!! :) She is going to try to get a review on here each week. I am super happy about this. I think it'll be fun. Her pen name, Winnie Foster, is from her favorite book.

Anyways, enjoy her review! :)

***

I read a book called Anne of Green Gables by L.M Montgomery. This is my favorite book and I love it because of how it inspired me. It’s about a little orphan girl who dreams about having her own family. One day she receives a message to go to the train stop because she has been adopted. She thought her dream came true until she hears there has been a mistake. She wasn’t the one who was suppost to have been adopted. My favorite part is when she makes her very first friend. There is an event that makes it hard to read. However, I do still recommend it to people who love heart touching stories like this one!

To learn more about the author vist this site:

http://www.lmmontgomery.ca/aboutlmm/herlife

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Exciting news....

I have exciting news for the blog!!! However, I can't tell you yet until it's official. Just know that I am excited for it and I think lots of people will like it. :) *keeping fingers crossed* that it all works out and this exciting news is able to happen! :) YAY!!! Anyways, stay posted. It will be revealed soon. :)

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Hairy, Scary, Ordinary by Brian P Cleary

My sister introduced me to this author. You can see a list of his books on Amazon here. I'll focus on only one book but I think all of his books are probably amazing! :) I haven't read them all... only 2 of them but such a fun concept.

This is a very colorful book. The graphics are bright and fun to pull a student in and entertain them. Even the font is exciting. It begins by defining an adjective but then it goes on giving examples. It goes on with funny pictures and the text describes the pictures with lots of adjectives and rhyming words. Such a fun read and great way to show students what an adjective is.

I recommend these books and can think of so many uses for them. The author not only writes these for grammar but for math, science, and other language arts words like antonyms and such. Really cool. Below is a cute video some students created about the book. hehe! It's their own little adaptation.

I guess, overall, I'm saying I totally recommend these books. I think classrooms should use them, parents should get the ones needed, and home education families should have them. Luckily, our library has a lot of them and so does my sister so I have places to borrow it from. hehe! YAY!!! :)

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Where Butterflies Grow by Joanne Ryder

I am so sorry it's been so long since I posted here. I will tell you that I virtual school two children (kindergarten and 2nd grade) through public school so that's intense. I am the cub master of the cub scout pack my son is in, my children are involved in scouting, dance, and taekwondo, and I am working on my teaching practicum. So, lately, all I've been reading are textbooks (mine and my children's) and children's literature (again, mine and my children's). So, I figured since I'm reading so much children's literature, I may as well review it on my blog. :) hehe! So, enjoy.

Where Butterflies Grow by Joanne Ryder

I actually got this book from Dolly Parton's Imagination Library. If you have a child under 5 then I absolutely recommend joining that... a free book every month. Woot! I love free books.

The last science unit of second grade is on life cycles. We read this while learning about insect life cycles. While it doesn't give the correct terms the students learn in the unit it brings the whole process to life with very descriptive words and beautiful illustrations. The reader is told to imagine they are an egg under a leaf. Throughout the book the reader is told to imagine what it's like as they go through the life of a caterpillar and then into a butterfly. It's very beautiful and detailed. My children love it. I absolutely recommend this book for all classrooms. Like I said, it doesn't use the vocabulary terms the students use so review those as you read but it's just too beautiful not to use when studying a butterfly life cycle.

Rating: 4 stars ****    

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