The Witches

Title: The Witches

Author: Roald Dahl

Sci-Fi/Fantasy #2

"It doesn't matter who you are or what you look like, so long as somebody loves you." – Roald Dahl

The Witches is not my favorite Roald Dahl book. However, it is still worth reading. The story is about a young boy who experiences real witches. As Dahl describes, real witches do not wear black hats and ride broomsticks – they have ordinary lives and look like everyday people, making them extremely hard to find and catch. The only thing is, real witches hate children, and I mean hate them! Come to find out, even though the witches appear to look normal, they are truly bald and wear wigs, must wear gloves to hide their ugly fingers, and have eyes that can change colors. The main character gets turned into a mouse though his grandma still loves him despite what he looks like. To be entirely honest, this may have scared me a bit as a child.

Still, I think this book would be useful in the classroom. Some children were certainly enjoy it very much. Therefore, I would recommend that teachers in 4^th-6^th grade keep a copy in their classroom library. In the end, I believe the story teaches children to be loving and accepting of everyone. This is exemplified when the grandmother loves the boy even though he is now a mouse. The book is also good simply because of the fantasy world Dahl is able to create. Yet again, I felt completely transported and disconnected from reality. His books are truly engrossing and very, very good. After re-reading some of these childhood classics, Dahl is quickly moving up the list of my favorite authors of all time. 

The BFG

Title: The BFG

Author: Roald Dahl

Sci-Fi/Fantasy #1

When I was in fourth grade my teacher had us read The BFG. Having remembered loving the book as a child I decided to reread this one for old time’s sake and boy am I glad I did! I loved this book just as much as I did when I was a child. The story itself is about a little orphan girl named Sophie who is taken from her bed in the middle of the night by a big friendly giant (BFG). The BFG takes Sophie to his cave and at first she thinks he is going to eat her, but to her delight, she finds out that the BFG is a nice giant – not a man eating giant! While the BFG takes away bad dreams from children and blows in good ones, the other “mean” giants go around eating people! With the help of the BFG, Sophie designs a plan to stop them and you’ll never see the twist at the end of the story coming…it was truly too adorable for words!

I think this book is a must read for students in 4^th-6^th grade. It is funny, entertaining, and whimsical. It truly transports you to another world where all of your wildest dreams can come true. At times while I was reading I forgot about where I was and what I was doing. It is amazing that a book can do that to me the same way that it did when I was 10 years old. I would definitely recommend that teachers at these grade levels keep a copy of this book in their classrooms if not a group set so that it can be used for small group or whole group reading lessons. Roald Dahl is a truly amazing author and I believe this book can be read and enjoyed by all! 

Ivy and Bean

Title: Ivy and Bean

Author: Annie Barrows

Contemporary Realistic Fiction #2

This book is for younger readers – I would have been all over this book when I was in 2^nd/3^rd grade! It was beyond cute. The story follows Bean (sassy and dirty) and her neighbor Ivy (dainty and quiet). After playing a trick on her older sister, Bean escapes with the help of Ivy. Turns out, Ivy is secretively a witch in training and offers to cast a spell on Bean’s sister! Through this experience, the two girls become the best of friends. This story preaches the classic saying: don’t judge a book by its cover! You never know who can turn out to be a friend despite any differences you might have. This is a good message to share with children especially at this impressionable age.

I loved this book because of the sibling rivalry between Bean and her older sister. It reminded me of myself and my younger sister because we have never gotten along! The book also kind of reminded me of the Ramona books I read when I was young. The book is silly, has an adventure element to it, and describes a favorite topic of most seven-year-olds – getting in trouble! I personally loved reading about the friendship Ivy and Bean form. It was really just a cute book that I think children would love.

Another reason I enjoyed this book is because it is part of a series. Children at this level love series books and the Ivy and Bean series is a wonderful place to start. Young girls will relate to Ivy and Bean and the childhood struggles they encounter. As I stated, I would have loved this book as a child! This is definitely one for teachers to include in their classroom libraries. The text is large and easy to read but it complicated enough that kids can claim they have read “their first chapter book”. 

Shark Girl

Title: Shark Girl

Author: Kelly Bingham

 Contemporary Realistic Fiction #1

What can I say? I love sharks; so, when I picked up Shark Girl by Kelly Bingham I was very intrigued. When I found out that the book was also written in free verse poetry, I knew that I had to read it. Sharks and poetry? It must have been written for me. I can honestly say that I enjoyed the book. The story is about a young, teenage girl named Jane who innocently goes on a swim with her family during the summer. That is when everything changes and Jane becomes a victim. During the shark attack she loses her arm, and for someone who is an aspiring artist – this is devastating! To make matters worse, her attack was filmed and put on the news for everyone to see. Now she has sympathy cards, letters, and flowers from people she doesn’t even know. Everyone wants to be her friend but still everyone whispers and no one seems to care that she can’t even button her pants with ease anymore.

I found this story to be truly touching and eerily realistic. I felt like I was reading about an actual event, an actual teenage girl that experienced this. Though I couldn’t relate to the attack first-hand (though I can tell you, I don’t plan on getting in the ocean anytime soon!), I did relate to the alienation Jane felt. I believe this is something all teenagers can relate to regardless of their situation which is what makes this book so appealing. It is fun, interesting, and different while being completely relatable at the same time. I would definitely recommend this book for 6^th grade and up. It’s excellent and shows children that telling a story in poetry is just as effective as traditional story writing. 

More About Boy

Title: More About Boy

Author: Roald Dahl

Biography #5

Reading about Roald Dahl’s life was just about as strange as picking up a Roald Dahl book. It was truly interesting to read about all of the things he experienced as a child as many of these experiences seem to have influenced his later writings. For example, Dahl experienced a cruel headmaster much like the story many know and love, Matilda. Dahl also visited candy and sweet shops much like another story many know and love, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. One thing I particularly enjoyed about this book was the authentic feel it encompassed because of all of the artifacts it had. There are report cards, family photos, and letters – not to mention amazing illustrations that really make the story come alive.

I learned so much about Dahl from reading this book, such as him spending his time away at boarding school for most of his childhood and joining the Air Force when he got older. I would definitely recommend this book for classroom use, though I feel it to be most appropriate for older students. This book can appeal to a wide variety of age groups and interests. I feel like anyone can relate to at least one thing mentioned in this book which makes it highly relatable and versatile. Most of all, I would recommend this story to any Roald Dahl fan. As I mentioned before, Dahl’s personal history sheds an important light on his later writings that I feel most people would find to be very interesting.  

What's the Big Idea, Ben Franklin?

Title: What’s the Big Idea, Ben Franklin?

Author: Jean Fritz

Biography #4

When I first picked up, What’s the Big Idea, Ben Franklin”, I thought to myself boooorrring. To my delight, this notion was proven wrong within the first few pages of the book. I had absolutely no idea Ben Franklin was such an important and inspirational man. I learned so much from reading this book. For example, did you know that Ben wrote the Poor Richard’s Almanac? He also came up with the sayings “eat to live, not live to eat” and “a penny saved is a penny earned”. Franklin was also the reason France joined America in the war against Britain. This was all fascinating and new information to me.

I would definitely recommend Jean Fritz’s work to my students and any educator. These books are fun, educational, and very interesting to read! Though they may appear boring, this certainly isn’t the case. On a final note, I think this series needs to be reprinted and updated. These books are so good; I would hate to see them wither away on a library shelf simply because they look old and boring. The illustrations are very good as well, but would really “pop” on a glossy page with some color enhancement. Overall, however, excellent read that I would recommend to anyone. 

War Boy

Title: War Boy

Author: Michael Foreman

Biography #3

 War Boy was one of the more unusual books I have read this semester. Told by English artist and children’s book illustrator, Michael Foreman, he recounts his experiences during childhood growing up in a small village in England during the war. Frequently under attack, Michael and his family are literally living on a battlefield! The remainder of the book details his experiences including rationing and raids. I personally learned a great deal from reading this memoir and feel that children can especially relate to this book because it is told through the eyes of a child.  

The text is pretty simple and fairly easy to read and understand but it is the pictures that truly make the story! They are detailed and absolutely beautiful to look at. One can learn a lot just from looking at what the illustrations have to offer. I particularly enjoyed the diagrams because they helped me understand what he was talking about better. I also liked the authentic looking historical documents he drew, there are several letters and notices that help the reader get a better feel of the story and the time. In the end, though I must admit this story wasn’t my favorite, I would still recommend it for students in 3-6 grade and think it has tremendous educational merit. 

Through My Eyes

Title: Through My Eyes

Author: Ruby Bridges

Biography #2

Through My Eyes is the courageous tale of Ruby Bridges, one of the first African-American children to integrate into all white schools during the civil rights movement. Recounted by Ruby herself, the story was literally impossible to put down. I was so intrigued and inspired by her struggles and was in tears nearly the entire time. Reading about what this young girl went through and the horrendous things she had to hear and see every day was heartbreaking. In the same breath, it was so amazing to read about the kindness Ruby and her family received during their difficult time. Letters of encouragement and care packages arrived often; Ruby even received a letter from the former first lady, Eleanor Roosevelt.

Reading this book was especially important to me as a future educator because it really put things in perspective. Though we have come a long way, Ruby’s story isn’t so far in the past that it is no longer relevant. Even with integrated schools, some become highly segregated because of achievement gaps between rich and poor students as well as white and non-white students. I learned so much from reading this book and think children would too. I would use it for students in 4-6 grade and would recommend it to teachers to keep in their classroom library.  

Planting the Trees of Kenya

Title: Planting the Trees of Kenya: The Story of Wangari Maathai   

Author: Claire A. Nivola

Biography #1

I have read other stories about Wangari Maathai before but this book has got to be by far one of the clearest portrayals of her life that I have read. The story begins be detailing what life was like for Wangari when she was a child growing up in Kenya. As she remembers it, the hills were lush and green and the trees thick and ground full of water. The fig tree was sacred and protected. When Wangari grew up she decided she wanted to go to college to study Biology. In the five years she spent in America, Kenya changed drastically. No longer were the hills lush and full of life, the trees were diminishing, and the water dried up. Instead of growing food for themselves, farmers were now selling their crops and buying lower quality food from the local store. Wangari did not like what she saw so she began to educate the women in her community on how to grow and replant trees. Men began to admire what they women were doing and joined their efforts. Wangari taught local schools all she knew about making plants grow. Many years later, Kenya is once again lush and full of life.

I would recommend this story for children in 3-5 grade. Though I loved the content of the story, the pictures were particularly magnificent. They were so incredibly detailed and colorful I found myself looking at them longer than the time I spent reading the words. As with many books, the pictures added to the story greatly and helped tell the story. Throughout reading the book, I found out a lot about Wangari Maathai and think children would learn a lot too. I especially liked the author’s note in the back that gave more information about who Wangari is and how her efforts have made a difference in the world.  In my opinion, this was an excellent book I would love to see be shared with more students. There is plenty of room for more research to be done about Wangari for students who are particularly interested by her story.

Edwina the Dinosaur

Title: Edwina: The Dinosaur Who Didn’t Know She Was Extinct  

Author: Mo Willems

Author Study #3

Edwina: The Dinosaur Who Didn’t Know She Was Extinct is an adorable story about a dinosaur named Edwina who lives in a town with humans. Edwina plays with the neighborhood kids, does favors for everyone in town, and bakes chocolate chip cookies. Everyone likes Edwina except a rotten boy named Reginald Von Hoobie-Doobie, who is just determined to prove to everyone that dinosaurs are in fact extinct. Reginald does a presentation for the class, hands out fliers, and protests, but no one seems to be listening to him! What is a boy to do? Finally, Edwina decides to listen to his evidence, and she must admit, he is very convincing! Edwina decides that she probably is extinct, but you know what? She just doesn’t care and by the time someone finally listens to him, neither does Reginald! 

I found this book to be particularly amusing because it reminded me of the typical classroom know-it-all that everyone encounters at some point or another during their educational career. What I found to be most interesting was that all Reginald wanted was for someone to listen to him. This was a pretty deep concept for such a seemingly shallow book. I must also compliment the pictures – as usual, Mo Willems has really made them spectacular! The way Edwina is drawn reminds me of an old lady. It is quite adorable. I would recommend this book to any classroom teacher in a K-2 classroom. Like Mo Willems’ other books, Edwina is a perfect story for a read aloud lesson or story time on the rug. It is also a good independent reading book because the pictures help the students figure out what is happening in the book and what the words are saying.

Knuffle Bunny

Title: Knuffle Bunny  

Author: Mo Willems

Author Study #2

Mo Willems has done it again; Knuffle Bunny was a hilarious tale about a lost friend. When Trixie goes on an errand with her daddy to the Laundromat she accidently places her prized knuffle bunny stuffed animal into the machine as she is helping him put the laundry in. On their way back home, Trixie throws a most horrendous fit trying everything she knows best to get her father’s attention. She needs to let him know that knuffle bunny is gone! By the time they return home, Trixie’s father has had it! That is, until Trixie’s mother asks, “Where’s Knuffle Bunny?”. Suddenly it all makes sense! The family rushes back to the Laundromat to find her lost friend. 

What I loved most about this book was the interesting way the illustrations were done. They are a combination of actual black and white photos and cartoon characters. This makes them really pop off of the page because they are the only thing in color. I also liked the story itself. Everyone deals with a lost friend at one point in their childhood whether that is a beloved stuffed animal, blanket, or doll. I personally related to this story though mine didn’t end on such a happy note. I never got my blanket back. 

I would recommend this book for any classroom teacher in a K-2 classroom. Like other works by Mo Willems, Knuffle Bunny is truly hilarious and is sure to spark the interest of all of the students especially when read aloud during circle time. However, the book is also a good independent reading book because the detailed illustrations help the reader understand what is going on in the story. Trixie’s facial expressions and baby talk were particularly hilarious – I found myself cracking up the entire time!

Pigs Make Me Sneeze

Title: Pigs Make Me Sneeze

Author: Mo Willems

Author Study #1

Let me just say, I am a huge fan of Mo Willems! I absolutely love his work and the Elephant and Piggie series is no exception! After finishing Pigs Make Me Sneeze, I couldn’t help but smile. The book made me laugh and was so cute and funny. The story is about two best friends – one an elephant and one a pig. As they are trying to find out what to do with their day, Elephant can’t stop sneezing! Every time he tries to talk he ends up going “ACHOO”. Elephant finally concludes that he must be allergic to his best friend, piggie, and there is no sadder news than being allergic to your best friend. After visiting the doctor (who happens to be a cat), Elephant concludes he must be allergic to cats too because he just cannot stop sneezing! Finally he learns that he just has a cold, but piggie has already found this out as he himself now has a cold. 

Young students will be especially intrigued by this story because of the amazing illustrations. Elephant and piggie express so much emotion; each face they make is explicit on each page and is quite funny for the students to see. I absolutely love how the pictures can tell the story almost perfectly without the words even being there. The different sizes of font provided are also nice. The aaaa and the chooo are especially large helping to emphasize the dramatic nature of the sneezes. I would personally recommend this book for any classroom teacher K-2. This story is perfect for struggling independent readers or as a read-aloud lesson. It will be sure to have your students laughing!