As part of her Girl Scout Silver Award project, Miranda McParlin began gathering book reviews from friends and fellow students in fall 2021. She has created a beautiful display in the Children’s Area of the library featuring the reviews. She has been rotating them throughout the year, and we encourage you to stop by to view her display in person! Even better, all of these books are included in the library collection and are available to checkout. We have included some of featured books below, along with the student-written reviews.
To view a book in our catalog or to place a hold, click on the book’s title.
Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? by Bill Martin
Recommended by: Katherine Peticcolas
Why it’s recommended: I would recommend this book because it helps with colors and animals. I think this is a great book for parents to read to their children because it provides many different animals and what color they are, which is beneficial to human development. I think this is a cute book that is great for any baby, toddler, or child in early grade school! This book provides good information in an easy to follow storyline. It is also a good book for children to learn to read because it has limited words.
Oh, the Places You’ll Go! by Dr. Seuss
Recommended by: Mary Jane Clark
Why it’s recommended: I love this book so much. It is so fun to read with all ages! Oh, the Places You’ll Go! has many fun and colorful illustrations. Overall, this story is very well done, contains a positive meaning and can be enjoyed by everyone, not just young children.
Chrysanthemum by Kevin Henkes
Recommended by: Mallory Green
Why it’s recommended: I liked Chrysanthemum by Kevin Henkes because Chrysanthemum, the main character, taught me a valuable lesson, which was confidence. I grew to love Chrysanthemum herself. She is creative and calm when it comes to the hard situations she has to deal with at school. This is a great story for kids because of the fun pictures and the overall story.
Room on the Broom by Julia Donaldson
Recommended by: Mary Green
Why it’s recommended: This book was one of my all time favorites as a child. Reading this book shows so many morals to live by that a younger child would need growing up. This book displays the importance of friendship and the benefits of being kind to others. It displaces these ideas in a funny yet understanding way for kids. The rhythmic wording makes it even more enjoyable and interesting to others.
The Pigeon Finds a Hot Dog! by Mo Willems
Recommended by: Zoe Lawyer
Why it’s recommended: This is such an adorable book with a great lesson. It is super creative and funny. I love reading it and seeing how Pigeon will react to any situation he encounters. This story is about a cute little chicken and a pigeon that wants a hot dog. Kids can learn a very valuable lesson from this tale. I love this book and every short story in the series.
Among the Hidden by Margaret Peterson Haddix
Recommended by: Emma Vaughn
Why it’s recommended: I enjoy this book because it is an easy and fun read. It is a page turner and a mystery at the same time. I recommend this book to others because of its plot and message in the end. This book has a large sequel, so if you enjoy the first one, there are many more books to continue this plot. If you enjoy thriller/page turning type reads, or if you are needing a break from reading large books, I highly recommend this novel.
The BFG by Roald Dahl
Recommended by: Anna Melihercik
Why it’s recommended: Lots of children will thoroughly love this book. It is a very funny and sweet book. The BFG is a real page turner and will keep you hooked. It is also not incredibly long, so kids who do not love reading or have a lower reading level can easily make it through.
Counting by 7s by Holly Goldberg Sloan
Recommended by: Ella Jahant
Why it’s recommended: I liked the book Counting by 7s for many reasons. My favorite part about this book is that it explains the concept that even when the worst has happened, things will begin to look up in life. This story motivates you to always keep going and helps you realize that you can overcome any obstacle.
The Unteachables by Gordon Korman
Recommended by: Kendall Hall
Why it’s recommended: I enjoyed this book because it was very fun and I never wanted to stop reading. I loved every single character and how they acted. Also, The Unteachables contains many great life lessons. The main characters are students at school, so it is easy to relate to their feelings. Overall, I highly enjoyed this book.
The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan
Recommended by: Peyton Bono
Why it’s recommended: This is a fantastically written start to an amazing series. It is a cross-country road trip with an extremely lovable cast of characters and the best protagonist of all time. I loved this book because of the funny dialogue, epic battles, fantastic world, and of course, Percy Jackson, who is the BEST. Arguably one of Rick Riordan’s best, this book was the one that sparked my love of reading and was such a joy. If you’re a Harry Potter lover, an adventure seeker, or if you just like to read a book that is both serious and has a ton of fun, I highly recommend this one.
The Silver Award is the highest award a Girl Scout Cadette can earn. To learn more about the Silver Award, visit Girl Scout Silver Award (gscb.org).