DOWN ON THE BAYOU - SOUTHERN GOTHIC FOR KIDS

There are many emotional animal stories dealing with adventure and tragedy, but none as poetically beautiful as THE UNDERNEATH by Kathi Appelt. Many creatures lurk in dark places, waiting to come out into the light. Some are evil, but some, like two frisky kittens and their mom, are innocent and curious. Unfortunately, from their home underneath the porch of a mean old man called Gar Face, the cat family and their trusty watch dog and companion Ranger rarely get to experience the light. When they dare to risk it, their lives are changed forever. Written with captivating imagery and the dark enchanting tone of a much more mature novel, this story will draw readers in to its tangled web of raw feelings and vivd personification of the many animal characters. Appropriate for grades 6 and up.

WRITING WITHOUT WORDS

Juno lives with his parents and a dog named Sam. His grandmother lives far away in Seoul, Korea, but she writes him letters. Juno cannot read the words she writes as they are in Korean, but he knows what it says because of the items that accompany the letter. When Juno decides to write a letter in return, he draws pictures of his life and sends a leaf from his swinging tree. Juno learns to interpret meaning through a language outside of writing. Even though they don't speak the same language, they can still communicate with images from the world around them. DEAR JUNO by Soyung Pak is a beautiful story for pre-k through 3rd grade.