Poppy (1995), Avi

During my student teaching semester (Fall 2010), I tried to read a new children's book each week.  It was an admirable goal, but the demands of the semester were just too hard to keep up with and I eventually had to stop.  During this time, I was able to read quite a few books so I will share my thoughts with you now.

Poppy is a story about a field mouse who takes on the self-appointed "leader" of Dimwood Forest to avenge the death of her love, and to save the future of her family. It was a quick read and very entertaining. I also loved that the the main character is a girl - she is clever, brave, and ends up outwitting the evil dictator. A great read that is part of a series - it would be easy for students who like this book to keep on reading the other two books. There are many illustrations throughout the book, which can help young readers to transition to chapter books.