Magic Tree House- Night of the New Magicians

Magic Tree House- Night of the New Magicians
By Mary Pope Osborne

2006

Jack and Annie have experienced many, many great adventures from magical librarian Morgan le Fay’s magic tree house, usually at the request of Merlin from Camelot.  One this particular adventure the duo are sent to the 1889 World Fair in Paris to find The Magician of Sound, The Magician of Light, The Magician of the Invisible, and the Magician of Iron to warn them about the evil sorcerer who wants to steal their secrets. Jack and Annie are asked to learn about their secrets for Merlin. Soon we learn that the Magician of Sound is Alexander Graham Bell, the Magician of Light is Thomas Edison, the Magician of the Invisible is Louis Pasteur and the Magician of Iron is Gustave Eiffel!! 

I have loved the Magic Tree House adventures with my own children.  It was so neat to see how jack and Annie have evolved through the years and how the author, Mary Pope Osborne keeps their adventures fresh and new!  I really appreciate how this particular adventure linked itself to real people in our history. 

Two- Minute Mysteries Collection

Two- Minute Mysteries Collection

By Donald J. Sobol

I love this book for those little breaks in between gathering backpacks and lining up to leave, or washing hands for the lunch line.  I took this book with me to 3^rd grade and 5^th grade practicum classes; it will be one to sit on my desk always!!  This book contains 422 pages of 2 to 3 page mysteries (more than 200 mysteries in all!), at the end of each mystery upside text reveals the solution. The mysteries are told through a narrator, about the adventures of Dr Haledijian!  Dr. H exposes the reader to clues in an incredible way to engage kids, while prompting some critical thinking!  Dr. H will indeed solve the mystery, but he gives us a chance to solve it first! I love it!!! 

Homeless Bird

Homeless Bird

By Gloria Whelan

2000

AWARD: National Book Award Winner

At 13 years old young Koly is expected to leave her family and marry someone she has never met.  It is custom in India to have your parents arrange a marriage for you!  Koly’s family, although of highest Hindu caste Brahman, still had very little to offer as dowry for Koly so the family cow, among other family possessions had to be sold to pay to the grooms family to take her. UGH!  Upon arriving in the village of her groom, Hari, the first thing asked was of her dowry, leading her to believe that the money for her was all her in-laws were interested in. She was correct. The money would be used to take Hari to Varanasi to the holy Ganges River in hopes of curing her sickly and terminally ill husband. The events that unfold are heartbreaking as well as uplifting, but the strength and courage in the heart of young Koly is inspiring.

I really didn’t think I would like this book.  The cover did not appeal to me, and the title was vague.  It wasn’t until about half way into the book that the title held meaning!  I love the culture and tradition depicted in the book, but I really think it should be more for older elementary students as opposed to 3^rd, 4^th or 5^th grade.  I fell in love with Koly and delighted in her happy ending!

The Trouble with Huck

The Trouble with Huck

By Theodore Taylor

1981

AWARD: Young Reader Medal

This is an inspiring story of Helen and Friar Tuck and the friendship, bond and unconditional love shared by both girl and dog.  When Friar Tuck (Tuck) was 3 years old his family had discovered his blindness.  The family found Lady Daisy, a female Germans Sheppard from a companion-dog school in San Carlos.  She was only six years old, but they thought she may be too old to start retraining with a new master, so they placed her with Tuck.  Lady Daisy would be a Seeing Eye dog…….to a dog. 

I loved that this story was inspired by the true story of the Orser family in San Francisco and their beloved dog, Big Bonanza.  I loved that it was an exceptional story for animal lovers and I love that it was about taking care of the ones we love!  Its a fast read, with only 17 chapters.

Keeper of the Doves

Keeper of the Doves

By Betsy Byars

2002

 I was so impressed with The Pinballs written by Betsy Byars that when I came across this book a the Library titled Keeper of Doves, I was excited to read it. 

The book begins with a baby, minutes old, awaiting her fate. Of course, she realizes that she couldn’t possibly remember, but the story had been told to her so many times that she assumed it as her own memory.  The child, a baby girl, was born to a man who desperately wanted a son but had 4 daughters already.  In disappointment and disgust, he named her Amen!, later nicknamed Amie. The family took in a stranger who had saved her fathers life, Mr. Tominski (Mr. Tom).  Mr. Tom is mysterious, speaks in German and is the Keeper of the Doves.  The girls make fun of him and fear his mysterious ways, but Amie sees gentleness. 

I really didn’t like this book.  It seemed to drag on, it was full of judgment and I really felt so sorry for Mr. Tom.  I did like that young Amie was an aspiring poet and that her father was supportive of that, and I thought it cleaver that the author had 26 short chapters beginning with each letter of the alphabet.

The Pinballs

The Pinballs

By Betsy Byars

This is an endearing story about three kids in foster care for various reasons.  Carlie is there because of an abusive step father that her mother just could not part with, so she sent Carly away. Harvey’s mother ran away and his father drank the memory of her away and blamed Harvey for much of it.  The state took Harvey away from him when in a drunken rage, he backed over Harvey’s’ legs.  Little Thomas J. had been orphaned as a toddler and taken in by two old sisters who simply grew too old to take care of him.  The Masons were unable to have children of their own so they began fostering children.  The bond that developed between hard nosed Carly, quiet and damaged Harvey and curious and proper Thomas J. was touching.

This book, although controversial, should be one offered as a classroom read aloud.  It looks deeply into friendship, trust and a child’s ability to move forward.  It’s topics of abuse and abandonment may be what keeps teachers from sharing this book with their students

Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life

Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life

Written by Wendy Mass

2006 Realistic Fiction

“THE MEANING OF LIFE: FOR JEREMY FINK TO OPEN ON HIS 13^TH BIRTHDAY” …. Those lines revealed on page 13 of the book sets the entire story up.  A five year old newspaper, dated on week after Jeremy’s father died in a somewhat expected automobile crash, wrapped around a beautifully crafted wood box with four separate, intricate key holes accompanied by a letter written to Jeremy’s mother, from his fathers college buddy Harold!!  WOW!!  If you think that is confusing, wait until you get into the story.  Back to the box, as Harold explains, the four keys have been misplaced and this begins the search for the keys…..and much more significant, the meaning of life.  Jeremy’s best friend Lizzy loves adventure and vows to help him.  The duo of Lizzy and Jeremy decide that Larry the Locksmith and his son Larry Junior are of little help in unlocking the secrets held within the box, so they turn to the streets of New York!

There they find an array of people who have a specific hand in their adventure……..that is all I can tell you right now.  His father, dead 5 years, had a plan and in the end Jeremy discovered that love was stronger than death!! 

I have never read Wendy Mass, but I will again.  It was a longgggg book to have read this week with so much going on, but it would be an incredible read aloud because of all of the life questions it poses to its readers!  I loved it!! 

Witches

Witches

Written Roald Dahl

Illustrated by Quentin Blake

Roald Dahl is a book I could remember reading to my oldest sons years ago, but I could remember them being a little frightened by it.  I read the book one afternoon again and while it may not be appropriate for younger children, I do think that 10 to 12 year old kids would find it funny and suspenseful. 

The story takes place in England and the main characters are a young boy and his Grandmamma.  The grandmother has had an encounter with a witch when she was a young girl, so she sets out to warn her grandsons about the many ways of the witches:  bald, blue spit, larger nose holes, no toes, always wears gloves.  They are usually dressed nicely and one can hardly tell if they are looking at a witch or not, in fact, your sweet teacher could be a witch!!  Throughout the story the young boy gets turned into a mouse as part of a diabolical plan concocted by The Grand High Witch herself!!  Luckily the plan backfires and the boy and his Grandmamma are able to turn the tables and begin wiping our witches all over the world!! 

A fun read along…..and the author sets the stage as a perfect read-aloud for a classroom teacher of elementary students!  However, one must note that the American Library Association listed Witches as number 22 on the ‘100 Most Frequently Challenged Books of 1900-1999.’

Miracle on 49th Street

Miracle on

49^th Street

By Mike Lupica

Miracle on

49^th Street

is a feel good story about a little girl who needed peace and the chance to meet her dad, after the passing of her mother.  Young Molly Parker lost her mother to cancer and has learned the identity of her basketball star father.  While living with her mom’s college friend, Barbara and her family, Molly sets out to let Josh Cameron know that she was his daughter.  Her buddy Sam helps her along the way , as does her new found friend Mattie, of self discovery and what it means to have a family again.  Molly is an independent young girl on a path of no return, but will she be able to convince Barbara and more, Josh, to let her seize her opportunity to feel wanted again and the chance she desperately needs to connect to her father? 

I loved this sweet little story!!  I loved the strength and independence in the characters. I can see this book being a wonderful tool for kid feeling lost or abandoned and the discussions the students could have with one another would be incredible!

Chains

Chains

Laurie Halse

A book that focuses on a time in our history that was so horrific and tumultuous for so many, the Revolutionary War.  The writing was so clear that at times, I truly felt like I was there. As I read,  I often had a hard time believing that it was written for children.  The story of young Isabel took place in less than a year, which seems so crazy given the amount of obstacles, heartbreaks and change that she had to endure. I liked the book talk in the back of the book for student lead discussions. This story was heartbreaking.

I will not read the second book, I was hanging on my seat until the very end, hoping that Isabel would somehow be freed or even reunited with her baby sister Ruth.  The book contained pieces of historical fiction, and the writing was poetic, I found it difficult and sad to read. We did have a nice discussion about it.

Where the Sidewalk Ends

Where the Sidewalk Ends

By Shel Silverstein

A collection of beloved poems and short stories by a treasured author, Shel Silverstein guides us through a whimsical “sidewalk” of verses about Band-Aids and a Boa Constrictor and characters like Chester and Sarah Cynthia Sylvia Stout who simply would not take the garbage out!  This is a book I grabbed for my unit so I could read about Sarah Cynthia Sylvia Stout Would Not Take the Garbage Out….but I kept it handy for those brief breaks in the day, hand washing time, bus line up, or clean-up time that I could share a brief excerpt with the kids.  Shel Silverstein’s writing brilliance accompanied with he vivid imagination and illustrations has created a masterpiece in “Where the Sidewalk Ends’!

This will be a book that will one day find its way to my classroom library. It may also sit on the corner of my desk for sharing!  I thought I would initially use it for my unit, however, it became something that the kids enjoyed having me read aloud.  The book lends itself to the use of voice and emotion while reading,  I love it!! 

A Kid’s Guide to How to Save the Planet

A Kid’s Guide to How to Save the Planet

By Billy Goodman

The Glossary in the back of this chapter book focuses on the vocabulary kids need to have to understand the threats to our environment.  It has 8 chapters the focus on recycling, reusing and reducing.  It gives kids suggestions on ways to conserve earth’s resources and ways to protect the many gifts of our planet.

I particularly loved sharing this book with the kids in my practicum classroom, not only for the vocabulary rich text, or the incredible stories featuring our water, our soil and our air, but mostly for the “What can we do?” sections at the end of each chapter.  These sections gave kids some great everyday way that they can “Save the Planet”!! 

Heroes of our Environment: True Stories

Heroes of our Environment: True Stories

By Harriet Rohmer

A chapter book with photographs depicting people and stories that have had an impact on our environment and our world!  Most of the stories were from the United States, however the one I story I selected to read aloud to my 3^rd graders during our unit featured El Hijo Del Santo from Mexico City, Mexico.  Santo is a famous Champion Masked Wrestler, respect4d and loved by young and old, who vowed to “Fight the Enemies of Our Environment”.  Santos enlisted the help of local children in Tijuana to help clean up the pollution and waste floating in the river, which is the main water source of the city.   The children of this community were so excited to help their environment and partner with Santo that the results of their cleanup caught media coverage and community cleanups began all over Mexico, as well as some Southern California areas. 

This story captured our hearts and El Hijo Del Santo became a hero in our 3^rd grade class as well!!  We were inspired by the difference one man could make, and WE Vowed to make a difference in our own community as well!!  Yeah Santo!!

Heartbeat

 I wept through this entire book......was is because my three little girls are now 12 years old like Annie?  Was it because through the torment of my father's brain tumor, I watched the brilliant, full-of-so-much-life man that I deeply loved become weak, confused and scared, much like Annie's grandfather? Was it because we all know a "Max" for whom we can do nothing to help?  Was it because I grew up a nurturer and still to this day have an ingrained sense of responsibility to everyone around me, much like Annie?  I can't be sure why this book touched my heart the way it did, but it is well worth the time to read.  I am currently reading it to my daughters at bedtime.  Annie's story is written in poetic form and helps us as the reader discover, right along with Annie, the many moments in life that can change things forever.  You have GOT to read this Book!!

I have never read Sharon Creech, but what a joy!  Even the tears were worth it.  I get the impression that she truly loves children, she writes to them, not for them.  The nature of the book may appeal more to older children, maybe 4th- 7th grade.  It is likely that it may be enjoyed more by girls than boys, but it really could be for everyone.  This book could be a real asset to the classroom because it uses beautiful language to describe the daily struggles that face many kids today: Family dynamics, friendship, school challenges, and watching life change before our very eyes. 
Sharon Creech is becoming a favorite author for me, and I can hardly wait to share her with my future students!!

The Mouse and The Motorcycle

A classic story, written by a well known author, "The Mouse and The Motorcycle" tells the story of a mouse named Ralph and his great adventures in the old, run down lodge in California called the Mountain View Inn.  Ralph and his family reside in a small hole in room #215, with the exception of his father, who died carrying an aspirin tablet in his cheek. Through a mishappy and a little misfourtune, a forbiden friendship develops betwen the little mouse and the young boy Keith, who is currently staying in room #215.  The two bond through their mutual love of a little red motorcycle....and a few morsels of food from the dining room that Keith can sneak back up to the family waiting behind the wall. Some great adventures develop from their friendship with the red motorcycle, and near the end of the story, Ralph has a chance to help Keith as well.  A story of friendship overcoming differences and judgement.  An absolute classic!

I read this book years, and years ago, so it was not a first read.....but it did remind me how much I loved it!  I selected this book for my third grade reading buddy.  He doesn't like to read, but it was primarily because he didn't know how to find books he liked.  I picked this up for him for three reasons:  1) It is written by a well known author of man, many books and I knew it would be easy for him to find similar books by the same author, 2) The two main characters are boys and I thought he may be able to relate to some of the action and adventure in the story, and 3) I liked the cover, and there are illustrations throughout the story so he can visually recall what he is reading, and I think it will help with his overall comprehension.....thus building MOTIVATION FOR READING!!  Yeah!!

A Dog's Life: The Autobiography of a Stray

This is a beautiful story told from the perspective of a stray dog named Squirrel.  Ann M. Martin captures our hearts in the very beginning with the birth of Squirrel and her brother Bone in a wheelbarrow in an old abandoned gardening shed shared with cats and mice.  Life begins for Squirrel in that shed and so do her adventures.  As her story unfolds, we become aware of the goodness and the sorrow Squirrel faces as a stray, the people and other dogs who enter into her life and the masterful way she adapts to survival.  Friendship gets her through!!

I love this book!  It has been a long time since a book has made me cry, it was incredibly well written.  The author speaks so sensitively to the needs and feelings of this poor little stray. Squirrel's story will tug at your heart from the first chapter.
I chose the book because of the cover!  I adopted my border collie from the human society after she had spent time on the road alone.  She was torn and tattered when I brought her home and 10 years later, she remains by my side!!  Chloe is my Squirrel.
I think this story could be enjoyed by either boys or girls, in grades 4th through 7th.  I feel like the story captures the essence of being rejected, being alone, being lost.....and being found.  It is truly a story of strength and ultimately, friendship.  It will be one I keep in my classroom library!!