Read, Write, Repeat.

There are all kinds of lies.

Little white ones.

Nasty, malicious ones.

And real whoppers.

In The Big Whopper, the second book of Patricia Reilly Giff’s early chapter book series The ZigZag Kids, it’s Discovery Week at the Afternoon Center. And Destiny Washington wants to think of something new to discover.

Instead, she ends up telling a really big whopper — that she’s distantly related to George Washington.

And then she doesn’t know what to do about it. 

Let’s see what today’s guest reviewer has to say.

Today’s reviewer: Julia

Age: 8

I like: Volleyball, horses and playing with my friends.

This book was about: A girl tells a story about that her great-grandfather is George Washington, but he’s really Abraham Washington. Then she knows she told a big whopper, and she doesn’t want her teacher to know.

The best part was when: Two older high school kids pushed a big cart of paper and the kids got to ride in it.

I was surprised when: Destiny said who she was related to.

This book taught me: It’s easier to tell the truth. That way your stomach doesn’t get tied in knots.

Three words that best describe this book are: “Lying.” “Funny. “ “Honesty.” At the end, Destiny is honest.

My favorite line or phrase in the book is: “Abrehem Washington Father of our Kuntry. My greatest great grandfather. ” And “Telling fibs was not the way they did things at the Zelda A. Zigzag After School Center.”

You should read this book because: It teaches other kids not to lie. And Destiny, too.

You can see Cora’s review of the first book in the series here.

Or, you can learn more about Patricia Reilly Giff by:

• Visiting this website.
• Reading this blog.
• Or reading this interview from the Teaching Authors blog. (Which originally offered the first two books in the ZigZag Kids series in a giveaway. Which I was lucky enough to win.)

Want to learn more about illustrator Alasdair Bright? Visit his website.

Numbers and nature are all rolled up into one enjoyable picture book in This Tree Counts (Albert Whitman, 2010).

Author Alison Formento and illustrator Sarah Snow combine their talents to tell the tale of the lone oak tree behind an elementary school.

A class decides the tree needs friends, so it plants 10 new oak trees nearby. But first, the students listen to the story the old oak has to tell and learn something about the 10 animals that live in the tree and what they do.

This book is also cool because it is printed on recycled paper and a portion of the proceeds go to planting more trees through AmericanForests.org.

Here’s what today’s guest reviewer, Julia, has to say:

Our reviewer: Julia

Age: 6

This book was about: A tree that told a story about counting, bugs and animals.

The best part was: The first page and how you can use your finger like a car and drive down the streets.

I laughed when: I saw the tree house and it didn’t have anything holding it in the tree. Because it kinda looked like it was flying and tree houses aren’t supposed to fly.

I was worried: That the spiders would kill the tree. They can sometimes kill trees. My cousin Payton told me that once.  

I was surprised that: That the boy was building a house. Because I didn’t really think that houses were made of wood. I thought they were made of walls.

This book taught me: That sometimes trees can talk. No, no, no. Trees can do lots of good things like clean the air, give nice shade and have good climbing spots.

Other kids reading this book should: They should learn that this book is a good one and that trees are really helpful.

Three words that best describe this book are: “Great.” “Awesome.” “Exciting.”

My favorite line or phrase in the book is: I have three sentences that I like. The ones where it’s like … “Four robins tweet out hello,” “Three squirrels hop on my branches playing hide and seek,” and “One owl waits on a branch until it’s night.” (If you look at the top photo, Julia is holding the book open to her absolute favorite page.)

You should read this because: Because it’s fun. Because the counting part is kinda fun.

Thanks, Julia!

You can learn more about Alison Formento by visiting her website. It features a tree of the day. Alison also has a blog where she talks about books, trees and more.

You can learn more about Sarah Snow by visiting her website.

Dessert Schneider has a lot going on in her life. First, she’s finally convinced her parents that she should be able to eat her dessert first every night. Second, she doesn’t quite know what to make of her new teacher – Mrs. Howdy Doody. And third, there’s a box of Grandma Reine’s famous double-decker bars in the fridge labeled “Do Not Touch.”

Well, what would you do? Dessert eats those bars. Unfortunately, they were supposed to help celebrate her grandmother’s birthday, and Dessert ends up having to find a way to apologize to her family.

That’s the premise of Dessert First (Simon and Schuster, 2009), the debut novel of Hallie Durand.  And how Dessert says she’s sorry makes for an enjoyable read. (Hint: It involves sacrifice, fund-raising and baking.)

Today’s reviewer is Julia, who admits she’s quite fond of dessert. Take it away, Julia!

Our reviewer: Julia

Age: 7

I like: Jumping rope, playing games and recess. I wish recess would never end.

This book was about: A girl named Dessert. Her family has a restaurant and her parents let her eat dessert first. Then, she gives up dessert for two weeks. But her grandmother had a famous recipe for double-decker bars and her mom made them and put a note on them saying not to touch them. But Dessert ate all of them and had to think of a way to say she was sorry.

The best part was when: When Dessert eats dessert after two weeks without it and she learns chocolate isn’t always the best. Her mom says, “There are some things you need to discover for yourself.”

I laughed when: Dessert was supposed to write down what she was giving up and she said, “I don’t feel good.”

This book taught me: Eat dessert last. It’s worth the wait.

I was surprised that: Dessert got the chef at the restaurant to make some double-decker bars to make up for the ones she ate. And they even got added to the menu.

Three words that best describe this book are: “Dessert.” “Dessert.” “Dessert.”

My favorite line or phrase in this book is: How Dessert signed her name and then drew a maraschino cherry after it.

If you’d like to learn more about author Hallie Durand, read this interview.

So what’s YOUR favorite dessert? Julia likes cherry lollipops, and she wouldn’t be especially excited about giving those up for two weeks.

Today’s guest reviewer: Julia, age 5

Book reviewed: Ocean Wide, Ocean Deep by Susan Lendroth (Tricycle Press, 2008)

This book was about: A papa sailing over the ocean, and his little girl is worried. It had a cat in it. A mom, too.

The best part was: What she said about the pirates. That her papa might be caught by pirates and not be able to escape.

I laughed when: When she was dreaming that she was with her papa. When she was dreaming about that clothes-and-shelves stuff. I also thought it was funny that the baby boy was always wearing a dress!

I was worried when: She asked how long her papa was going to be gone. I’m glad my daddy doesn’t go away.

I was surprised when: The papa came home and made ships and whales and all that kind of stuff.

This book taught me: How to read the book. How to make upper-case letters and lower-case letters. (Note: Julia’s mom, who helped her complete this review, says she has no idea where this answer came from.)

Other kids reading this book should: Pay attention to the words so they can read the whole book.

Some words that best describe this book are: Pirates. Oceans wide. Boy.

My favorite line or phrase in the book is: When the mommy told the daughter how long her papa is going to be gone.

Kids should read this book: To learn how to read other books.

Thanks for sharing your thoughts about this picture book with Read, Write, Repeat, Julia!

If you want to learn more about Susan Lendroth, who wrote Ocean Wide, Ocean Deep, visit here. 

If you want to learn more about Raul Allen, who illustrated Ocean Wide, Ocean Deep, visit here.