Rebecca

Rebecca's Book Selections...

__Picture Books:__
#1 (Realistic Fiction) The Night Before Kindergarten by Natasha Wing  Going to kindergarten is a monumental step in the life of a child....and a parent! In her book, //The Night Before Kindergarten//, author Natasha Wing helps both children and parents prepare for the first day of kindergarten. Wing models her book after the very famous and familiar "Twas the night before Christmas" poem. She begins her book by discussing the fears and excitement kindergarten children experience the night before kindergarten. Then, she documents the familiar moments of every child's first day of kindergarten: the pictures, the car ride, the teacher, the painful parting of parent and child, and the fun activities. Wing uses this story to help children understand the maturity level needed for kindergarten (i.e. no nap time or stuffed animals) and to help them anticipate this next stage in their young life.  I really enjoyed reading this picture book. The book was cleverly written and full of vibrant pictures. I believe that this book would be an excellent tool for parents whose children are anxious about their very first day of school. Wing does a marvelous job methodically taking a student through the first day of kindergarten. Moreover, I believe that this book would be an excellent asset for kindergarten teachers who desire a fun, first day of school book. A teacher could use this book to spark a discussion about the first day of school, the fears/anticipation the students had about the first day, and the maturity level necessary that kindergartners must have for school.

#2 (Realistic Fiction) Alice the Fairy by David Shannon  Little girls love fairies! In his book, //Alice the Fairy//, David Shannon targets these fairy-lovers and describes the imaginary life of Alice. Alice is a young girl who is a "temporary fairy." Alice uses her wings to help her fly. However, as Alice reveals, she can't fly very high (yet), but she can fly really fast! Alice is still discovering the abilities and limits associated with being a temporary fairy. Alice can make leaves fall from trees with her wand and draw pictures (i.e. make designs) in the water with her wand. However, Alice cannot turn a frog into a prince or a bathtub into strawberry Jello. Apparently, one has to be a permanent fairy to accomplish those things. Alice is content to be a temporary fairy.  This book is perfect for young readers. The words are challenging, but not impossible. The story does not have much of a plot, so the students could read one or two pages at a time. The book is very colorfully illustrated and has a fun theme. However, I was not super impressed with the content of the book. The ending was pretty abrupt. Nevertheless, I appreciated how the author exposed the fun and limitations of make-believe.

 #3 (Historical Fiction) The Gardener by Sarah Stewart In the book, //The Gardener,// author Sarah Stewart artfully shares the depression-era story of Lydia Grace. In the story, Lydia Grace is forced to go live with her uncle while her unemployed father continues to search for a job. Throughout the story, Lydia Grace writes letters to her family sharing her experiences of her time with her uncle. In her letters, Lydia shares about her new friendship with her uncle's employees, her window box gardens, her work in her uncle's bakery, and most importantly, her plan to create a secret garden to surprise her uncle. The story concludes with Lydia's revelation of her surprise garden as well as with good news: Lydia's dad had got a job! Lydia could now return home.  I really enjoyed reading this story. I believe that Stewart does an excellent job portraying Great Depression life through the optimistic eyes of Lydia Grace. I think that this book would be a great asset to help teachers introduce the Great Depression, letter writing, or plant life.

#4 (Fantasy Fiction) Miss Suzy's Birthday by Miriam Young <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Miss Suzy's birthday is approaching! As a mother of four adopted squirrels, Miss Suzy (a squirrel) is most beloved by all of her animal friends. For this reason, her friends decide to work together to get something to bless Miss Suzy on her birthday. But the question remains, what should her neighborhood animal friends give the special Miss Suzy for her birthday? An enormous piece of cheese? Something for her house? How about a party? //Miss Suzy's Birthday// by Miriam Young is the delightful tale of a diverse neighborhood working together to make Miss Suzy's birthday the best one yet! The neighborhood decides to incorporate their own gift preferences into one big gift: a whole basket of acorns. Each neighbor brings an acorn wrapped in something special (a red ribbon, a basket, brown paper, etc.) to give to Miss Suzy at her surprise party. Miss Suzy is pleasantly surprised and is very thankful for the acorns. This story is very sweet, and shares the importance of working together. I believe that this would be an excellent book to read before planning a class party or surprise event (for a parent or student teacher).

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">#5 (Fantasy Fiction) <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; text-align: center;">The Busy Beaver by Nicholas Oldland <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; text-align: left;">"There once was a beaver who was so busy that he didn't always think things through..." In this delightful, modern-day fable by Nicholas Oldland, a busy beaver discovers the troubles that can come through being too busy. Beaver is so busy building dams and felling trees, that he does not take time to take care of the forest and be a good friend. He is careless. His carelessness causes him to accidentally chew down a tree that fell on top of a bear, chew on a moose's leg (because he thought it was a tree), and chew down a tree with a bird family's nest in it. Beaver's careless culminated in an accident. He was so busy chewing down a tree that he didn't realize that the tree was going to fall on his head. Beaver had to spend many days in the hospital recovering. This time was really hard for Beaver because he could not do anything at first - only heal. However, this time was really good because it forced Beaver to slow down and think about his actions. While in the hospital, Beaver resolved to be more careful and helpful with the forest and his friends from now on. The story ends with Beaver restoring his friendship with his friends and the forest. When Beaver finally took the time to slow down and be more careful, he ended up being more productive in the end. In fact, he even had time for a nap! :) I believe that this humorous story would be perfect to read to children when discussing beavers, busyness, or environmental responsibility. <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; text-align: left;"># 6 (Fantasy Fiction) <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; text-align: center;">Scaredy Squirrel Makes a Friend by Melanie Watt <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; text-align: left;">In this humorous book, the reader is introduced to Scaredy Squirrel - a squirrel that is so afraid of danger that he decides to be alone than risk being bitten. This means that Scaredy Squirrel has no friends. He is okay with this, though. Scaredy Squirrel finds interesting and creative ways to pass the time. However, one day, Scaredy Squirrel spies the perfect friend in his binoculars - a goldfish! Goldfish are clean, quiet, and do not have teeth. Therefore, Scaredy Squirrel concocts a plan to meet and become friends with the goldfish in the birdbath below his tree in the backyard. After much preparation, Scaredy Squirrel finally carries out his plan. He crawls down from his tree and begins to make his way to the goldfish when suddenly, he is confronted by a dog. Scaredy Squirrel is chased all through the backyard by the dog. Finally, Scaredy Squirrel plays dead. However, when lying "dead," Scaredy Squirrel realizes that the dog does not want to eat him, but play with him! The dog wants to be his friend! The story ends with Scaredy Squirrel and the dog becoming friends. True, the dog was not Scaredy's ideal friend, but he is a good, loyal friend - a perfect friend for him! This book would be excellent, light-hearted story for students who are struggling with the fear of making friends. This would be a great book to read to the class towards the beginning of the school year in order to encourage students to reach out to others. Sometimes, you may become great friends with someone you may never expect! <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; text-align: left;">#7 (Fantasy Fiction) <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; text-align: center;">The Call of the Cowboy by David Bruins and Hilary Leung <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; text-align: left;">This book shares the story of three friends: the cowboy, the ninja, and the bear. The cowboy is kind, caring, and fun. However, he is also very loud. Cowboy's noisiness came between him and his friends. When bear was trying to take pictures, the cowboy made obnoxious noises the scared all the bird away. Instead of telling him to be quiet, though, the bear just told the cowboy that it was not a good day for photographs. Later, the cowboy distracted ninja while he was trying to read his book. Annoyed, the ninja quit reading and told the ninja that his book was not very interesting. These responses confused the cowboy. It was not until the cowboy found a quiet place on a hill that everything began to make sense. The cowboy learned the importance of silence. Later, his friends joined him and together they made a great racket. This book teaches the importance of being considerate of others and knowing when it is appropriate to be loud and when it is appropriate to be quiet. The ending of this book kind of left me confused and wanting more closure. Nevertheless, I believe that this book had some excellent characteristics and a good theme. It would make a good read-aloud book.

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">#8 (Fantasy Fiction) <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; text-align: center;">If You Give a Mouse a Cookie by Laura Numeroff <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">What happens when you give a mouse a cookie? He will ask for a glass of milk, of course! In this delightful tale, author Laura Numeroff explains the outrageous chain reaction that happens when a young boy decides to give a mouse a cookie. First, the mouse wants a cookie, then milk, then a straw, etc.... One granted request leads to another until the young boy is worn out trying to appease the mouse. Although this book is a classic, I believe that it is timeless. A few weeks ago, I used this book to help teach a lesson on cause and effect to my practicum. The kids loved it! This book is an excellent tool for helping students understand cause and effect in literature.

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">#9 (Fantasy Fiction) <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; text-align: center;">If You Give a Pig a Pancake by Laura Numeroff <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">If you give a pig a pancake, she will want syrup to go with it. And if you give her syrup, she will get all sticky and need a bath....and so the saga continues! This timeless book by Numeroff mirrors the literary style of Numeroff's //If You Give a Mouse a Cookie//. However, in this book, both of the main characters are female (little girl and pig). In this story, a little girl attempts to help a pig by giving her a pancake. Little did this girl know, that giving a pig a pancake would have so many reactions. The pig wants a bath, a bath toy, a trip home, music, pictures, wallpaper, and more! Through this book, Numeroff teaches her audience about all the effects that can arise from one simple action: giving a pig a pancake. This book would be great for young readers.

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">#10 (Fantasy Fiction) <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; text-align: center;">Tu<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">rkey Trouble by Wendy Silvano <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Turkey is afraid he is going to be the centerpiece of the family Thanksgiving meal. Therefore, Turkey attempts to disguise himself from Farmer Jake. First, by tying a broom to his head, Turkey tries to dress up like a horse, but this does not work. Turkey is too skinny and small. Then, he tries to look like a cow, but this doesn't work either. Finally, Turkey decides to disguise himself as a rooster. This works great, until he realizes that the rooster is the next one on the list to be eaten! Frantically, Turkey attempts to come up with a better plan! He decides to make and deliver a pizza to Farmer Jake's family on Thanksgiving day. They love the pizza! Due to his perseverance and creative mind, Turkey succeeds in surviving Thanksgiving! :) This story is perfect for Thanksgiving. It is very humorous and creatively illustrated.

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">#11 (Realistic Fiction) <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; text-align: center;">Thanks for Thanksgiving by Julie Markes <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">There are many things to be thankful for. However, in our attempt to remember the "big things" we are thankful for, we often forget the simple little things to be thankful for each day. In this book by Julie Markes, children are reminded of the many "little things" they have to be thankful for each day such as umbrellas, rainboots, pie, and time with family members. Although this book is geared towards fall activities, it covers a wide variety of things to be thankful for. This book is cleverly written. It has a simple style that rhymes. I believe that this book would be great for young children. I would use this book in my classroom to help introduce Thanksgiving and help students brainstorm the more abstract things that they are thankful for.

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">#12 (Fantasy Fiction) <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; text-align: center;">Dear Santa, Please Don't Come This Year by Patricia Ludlow <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Santa is discouraged. Children are becoming more and more greedy. They write long lists of what they want and don't even say please! However, one letter that Santa receives greatly encourages him. This letter is from a group of kids. Instead of asking for toys in their letter, the kids ask Santa to not come this year. They already have so much. They encourage Santa to go to the needy children in the world. After reading their letter, Santa decides to take a year off from being Santa. He writes a letter to all the parents and explains that they will have to give out their own presents this year. Then, Santa goes to the different needy parts of the world. He gives supplies to schools and helps children dig wells for water. After one year, Santa returns to his primary duty, but promises from then on to spend every "off season" helping needy children all over the world. I really enjoyed reading this book. My practicum teacher shared it with me, and it almost made me cry. With the holiday season fast approaching, I believe that it is very important for teachers to help their children to see that Christmas is not about getting, but giving. I believe this book would be an excellent tool to help teachers promote this philosophy

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">#13 (Fantasy Fiction) <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; text-align: center;">Diary of a Fly by Doreen Cronin <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">For a young fly, Fly has a variety of exciting adventures! She documents all of them in her diary. Through reading Cronin's fun book, the reader is given a sneak peak into Fly's diary. The reader learns all about Fly's struggles learning to fly in fly school, her friendship with Worm and Spider, the drama she has with her 327 brothers and sisters, and her aspirations to a superhero. Moreover, the reader also learns a few fun and interesting facts about flies! This is a very cleverly written book. I read through this book with the students in my practicum, and they absolutely loved it! I believe that this would be a great book to incorporate into a unit about bugs. It is interesting and integrated with many subtle scientific facts. It helps the students learn while having fun! :)

Sound the Shofar by Leslie Kimmelman In this book, author Leslie Kimmelman shares about two Jewish holidays, Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, known collectively as “The Days of Awe.” Kimmelman explains the traditions that these two holidays entail from a child’s perspective. In this story, the girl’s Uncle Jake is practicing blowing the Shofar horn. A Shorfar is a ram’s horn. Uncle Jake is practicing blowing the horn because he will blow the horn in the Jewish synagogue for both Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. Rosh Hashanah is the Jewish New Year. On Rosh Hashanah, a special meal is prepared and the shofar is blown at the synagogue. Ten days later, on Yom Kippur, Jewish people fast and pray for forgiveness. The shofar is sounded at the end of the day. This book was very enlightening for me. I believe that this book would be a great introduction for helping speak about other cultures’ New Year holidays.
 * 1) 14 (Multicultural)

You Are Special by Max Lucado The Wemmicks were small wooden people who all lived in the same village. Every Wemmick was made by Eli, the wood carver. All day long, the Wemmicks would give each other stickers. If a Wemmick said something smart, looked pretty, or did something cool, the Wemmicks would give that Wemmick a star sticker. However, is a Wemmick said something silly, looked ugly, or did something stupid, the Wemmick would be given dot stickers. Punchinello was one such Wemmick. He had been given a lot of dot stickers. So many, in fact, he began to believe he was a worthless Wemmick. One day, Punchinello met someone who had no dots or stars. She was only wood. He asked this Wemmick how she did it. She explained to Punchinello that everyday she went to see Eli and encouraged Punchinello to do the same. Punchinello decided to see Eli. Punchinello went to Eli’s workshop and talked with Eli. Eli explained to Punchinello that what the Wemmicks think of him does not matter. Only what he thinks should matter to Punchinello. Punchinello is special to Eli because Eli made him. As Punchinello began to believe this, his dots began to fall off. This is a wonderful story! I believe that it would be a great story for children who are struggling with caring too much about what other people think. It reminds children that only what the Lord thinks really matters.
 * 1) 15 (Fantasy Fiction)

A is for Adam by Ken and Mally Ham In this delightful alphabet book, //A is for Adam//, by Ken and Mally Ham, children are exposed to the Creation story through rhyme. Beginning with Adam and Eve, the authors explain the creation of the world, the fall of man, and the Flood. The story concludes by looking to the coming return of Christ. Through using rhyme, authors Ken and Mally Ham attempt to share the Gospel through Genesis. They help their young audience make the connection between our fall into sin and our need for a Savior. Then, they point to Jesus Christ as that Savior. I really enjoyed this book. I thought it did an excellent job incorporating good storytelling skills and Biblical truth. I believe that this would be a great book for a young Sunday School or Kindergarten class.
 * 1) 16 (Historical Fiction)

Officer Buckle and Gloria by Peggy Rathmann Officer Buckle knows a lot about safety! Each week, he shares his safety tips with the students at Napville school – but none of the students listen to him. This remains the case until Officer Buckle receives a new police dog named Gloria. Officer Buckle takes Gloria with him when he gives his safety speech at Napville. With Gloria on stage, the students begin to pay attention. Unbeknownst to Officer Buckle, this is because Gloria does actions with each of Officer Buckle’s safety tips. Soon, Officer Buckle is receiving many requests to speak at schools. One day, a television news team videotaped Officer Buckle’s safety speech. While watching himself on the news that night, Officer Buckle realized that Gloria’s actions were stealing his show. Officer Buckle refused to give another safety speech to Napville school – or anywhere else! That afternoon, Napville had their worst accident ever! The next day, Officer Buckle received a bundle of letters from Napville students that described the accident and asked to Officer Buckle to come back. Officer Buckle decided to keep doing his safety speeches with his best friend, Gloria. This book teaches about the importance of safety and friendships.
 * 1) 17 (Fantasy Fiction)

The Shy Little Kitten by Cathleen Schurr A mother cat just had six baby kittens. Five of these kittens were little roly-poly black and white kittens. One of the kittens striped and very, very shy. One day all of the six kittens followed their mom from their home in the hayloft to the sunshine outside. While following her mother, the very shy kitten came across a mole. The very shy little kitten went with the mole on a walk. While on their walk, the mole and the kitten came across a frog, a shaggy puppy dog, and a squirrel. Finally, the shaggy dog led the shy little kitten back to her family on the farm. When she returned to her family, the shy little kitten went on a picnic with her family and her new-found friends.
 * 1) 18 (Fantasy Fiction)

The Little Red Hen – A Folk Tale One Summer day, the little Red Hen found a grain of wheat and decided to plant it. The Little Red Hen asked the duck, goose, cat, and pig to help her plant the grain of wheat. “Not I!” They all replied. They refused to help her plant it. “Then I will plant it myself!” The Little Red Hen decided. After she planted the grain of wheat, the Little Red Hen reaped the wheat, carried it to the mill, made it into dough, and baked the bread, all by herself. She offered to have the others help her, but they refused. However, when it came time for the bread to be eaten, the duck, goose, cat, and pig all volunteered to help eat it. The Little Red Hen refused their “help.” If they would not help with the work to make the bread, they were not going to be able to help eat the bread. I believe that this story teaches a lot about a good work ethic and the rewards of hard work. This would be a great story to read to young readers.
 * 1) 19 (Folk Tale)

The Thanksgiving Story by Alice Dalgliesh Although this book was published in 1954, it still appeals to young audiences today! In this Thanksgiving story, author Alice Dalgliesh shares the adventurous story of siblings Giles, Constance, and Damaris Hopkins who are Pilgrim children. The Hopkins children are aboard the crowded Mayflower and on their way to the New World. While on the Mayflower voyage, a new baby brother, Oceanus, is born to the Hopkins family. Dalgliesh weaves historical facts into her story while sharing about the hardships that the Hopkins siblings faced upon the Mayflower and in the New World. She shares about the challenges the Pilgrims faced during their first winter in the New World, the sickness that plagued the Pilgrims, and the farming difficulties the Pilgrims encountered. However, Dalgliesh also shares about the Pilgrims' first encounter with the Native Americans, their successful visit by Massasoit (the Wampanoag Indian chief), and the first Thanksgiving celebration. To be honest, I learned so much from reading this book. Nevertheless, although this book is filled with historical facts, it is not dull. I believe that is why this book is such a delightful classic!
 * 1) 20 (Historical Fiction)

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">#21 (Fantasy Fiction) <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">The Hat by Jan Brett <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Winter is coming! Young Lisa decides that it is finally time to break out her woolen clothes. She places all of her warm winter clothes outside on the clothes line to air out. As she is placing her clothes on the line, a strong winter wind blew one of her stocking off the line. This stocking is found by Curious Hedgie, the Hedgehog. Hedgie sticks his nose into the stocking and gets the stocking stuck on his head. While Hedgie is attempting to remove the stocking, a mother hen, then a goose, a talkative barn cat, a dog, a pig, and a pony. In their own way, each of these animals makes fun of Hedgie's silly hat. However, Hedgie defends his winter hat. Finally, Lisa comes across Hedgie and removes his "hat." She scolds Hedgie by telling him that animals do not wear clothes! Ironically, during this time, all of the animals that made fun of Hedgie's human "hat" have made their way to Lisa's clothes line and stolen a piece of Lisa's winter woolen's clothes. After removing Hedgie's hat, Lisa notices that all her articles of winter clothing from her clothes line are missing and strives to collect the missing articles from the other animals. Apparently, the other animals decided that Hedgie had a great idea of "choosing" to wear a winter hat! :) This is a delightful winter tale! I loved the beautiful illustrations in the book and really appreciated the theme. I would read this book to both young and old students.

__<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Intermediate Books: __ Eric Liddell: Gold Medal Missionary by Ellen Caughey Eric Liddell was the first Scotsman to ever win an Olympic Gold Medal. However, Eric was much more than a Gold Medal recipient; he was also an incredible man of faith and integrity. Growing up, Eric spent quite a few years of his life in China. His parents were missionaries to China. Although Eric was sent to Scotland for boarding school at age 9, he promised to return to China as a missionary when he was older. Little did Eric know, much would transpire before he returned to China many years later. While at boarding school, Eric became involved in sports, and through his competitions, Eric proved himself to be quite the athlete. Soon, Eric began competing in many races. He qualified for the Olympics in the 100 yard dash. However, Eric discovered that the preliminaries for the 100 would be held on Sunday. As a devout Christian, Eric refused to compete. He opted to run the 440 yard dash instead. Although it was not his favored race, Eric ran and won the Gold medal in this race! As an Olympic Gold medalist, Eric later fulfilled his childhood promise and returned to China as a missionary. He stayed in China during the beginning of World War II and ended up dying for the cause of Christ in China by the hands of the Japanese. Through reading this book, I was both encouraged and challenged by the life of Eric Liddell. Truly, as evidenced in his life, Eric was a man of faith and integrity.
 * 1) 1 (Biography)

Ramona the Pest by Beverly Cleary Ramona does not mean to be a pest. She just likes to have fun! As a brand-new kindergartner, Ramona enjoys her new teacher Miss Binney and all the adventures that kindergarten provides. In kindergarten, Ramona meets, Davy, her first love. She wants to kiss Davy and so everyday, Ramona attempts to catch Davy before kindergarten and kiss him. Thankfully, Davy is fast and able to run away. Nevertheless, Ramona is not deterred. During the Halloween parade, Ramona catches and kisses Davy. This is only one of Ramona’s kindergarten adventures. One day, Ramona gets stuck in a mud pile in her brand new red rain boots. She has to be rescued by Henry Huggins. After Henry rescues her, Ramona pledges to marry Henry. Finally, the book concludes with Ramona loosing her first tooth and threatening to drop out of kindergarten because she cannot commit to stop “boinging” Susan’s curls. Thankfully, with a note from her beloved kindergarten teacher, Ramona is persuaded into attending kindergarten once again. I really enjoyed reading this story. I believe that this would be a delightful story to read aloud to the class. Although there is an underlying plot, each chapter contains a new adventure which, I believe, would make a great read-aloud for second or third grade.
 * 1) 2 (Realistic Fiction)

Frindle by Andrew Clements Nick Allen is not a troublemaker. He just likes to liven things up! Nick is full of great ideas. Unfortunately, some of these ideas do lead to some trouble…especially his latest one. As a fifth grade student, Nick has the infamous Mrs. Granger for language arts. Mrs. Granger is known for her love for the dictionary and all grammatical rules. She is tough and not to be messed with. Thus, when on the first day of class, Nick attempts to distract Mrs. Granger from giving the first assignment by asking a question about the dictionary, Mrs. Granger turns his question on him and instructs Nick to research the answer to his question and give an oral report about the answer the next class period. While researching the question, Nick realized that words are created by ordinary people. Thus, Nick decides to create his own word. He proposes that a pen should be called a “frindle.” Soon, Nick convinces the entire fifth grade to begin calling pens, frindles. Mrs. Granger balks at this idea and bans the use of the word in her class. This action ensues a long battle over words between Mrs. Granger and Nick. Soon, the media became involved and kids everywhere began to use “frindle.” Ten years later, Mrs. Granger sent a new dictionary (complete with the word “frindle”) and a pen/frindle to Nick. The battle was finally over, and Nick (and the public) had won. I especially enjoyed reading this book! I love reading and language arts. I believe that this book teaches a wonderful point: words are created by people. Our language is not stagnant. It is alive and changes with our culture. I believe that this book does an excellent job teaching this complex truth to young children. I would utilize this book as a read-aloud book or a book for use in reading groups. It would be a perfect book for upper elementary students.
 * 1) 3 (Realistic Fiction)

Little House in the Big Woods by Laura Ingalls Wilder Young Laura lives with her family in a small house in the big woods in Wisconsin. In this story, Laura shares about the experiences that she and her family have as pioneers. Although pioneer life can be hard, Laura confirms that the blessings definitely outweigh the challenges. Laura shares about how her family prepares for winter, the terror of animal attacks (i.e. Ma's encounter with a bear and panther), the happiness of celebrating Christmas with her family, and the joy the maple syrup brings her. In this story, Laura shares everyday experiences from her young life. I believe that this would be an excellent book for 4th-5th grade students to read both for enjoyment and to learn more about American pioneer life. This book does a wonderful job describing pioneer life.
 * 1) 4 (Historical Fiction)

20,000 Leagues Under the Sea by Jules Verne, adapted by Judith Conaway In this revised 1870 classic, children are introduced to Professor Aronnax and the infamous Captain Nemo. Professor Aronnax agrees to help an American ship attempt to locate the "Thing" (a sea monster). On the last day of their "hunt," the American ship finally comes across the "Thing." However, after a long battle, they discover that this sea monster is actually a submarine! The American ship escapes, but Professor Aronnax, his servant, and a sailor are washed overboard and land on top of the submarine. They are "rescued" by Captain Nemo, the captain of the submarine. However, shortly after their rescue, Professor Aronnax is informed that he and his two friends will never escape. They will be allowed to live and work on the submarine, but they will never return to their home countries. Therefore, for the next few months Professor and his two fellow captives travel around the globe via the Nautilus submarine. They discover the lost underwater city of Atlantis. They help save an underwater pearl diver from a shark's attack. Through all of these experiences, Professor Aronnax discovers more of Captain Nemo's character. He realizes that Captian Nemo has a very troubled past. This surfaces very evidently when Captain Nemo rams another ship and watches as the sailors drown. After this, Professor Aronnax is afraid for his life and decides to escape with his two fellow captives. They escape via a small boat and end up in a fisheman's hut off the coast of Norway. Although I am not a big fan of science fiction, I did enjoy reading this book. I was astounded by the accuracy of some of Verne's pre-submarine ideas. Due to its reading level, I believe that this book would be a great alternative for ELL or low-level readers instead of the original version. It still allows the students to understand the flow and content of the book without the difficult reading vocabulary and style.
 * 1) 5 (Science Fiction)

Junie B, First Grader Toothless Wonder by Barbara Park Junie B. has a loose tooth! After showing off her loose tooth to her first grade class, Junie B. discovers that she is the first person in her class to loose a top tooth. However, this scares Junie B. What if no one recognizes her with new smile? Also, there is the issue of the tooth fairy. Junie B. is convinced that the tooth fairy is actually not a fairy - but a mean witch who takes children's teeth so she can eat them! What would a tooth fairy want to do with all the teeth except eat them? Thankfully, though, everything works out okay for Junie B. Her class not only recognizes her with her new smile, but they love it! Also, after Junie B.'s tooth is collected from the tooth fairy and her baby brother Ollie receives a new tooth on the same night, Junie B. comes to believe that the tooth fairy recycles old teeth to give to new babies. :) This is a very funny book! I was laughing out loud during most of it. I believe that this would make an excellent read aloud book for young children - especially those with loose teeth.
 * 1) 6 (Realistic Fiction)

__<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Adult Books: __

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">#1 (Autobiography) <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; text-align: center;">Kisses From Katie by Katie Davis with Beth Clark <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">As her high school’s homecoming queen, Katie Davis was the perfect American teenager. She had everything a teenage girl could ask for – including a cute boyfriend and a sporty convertible. After high school, Katie planned to go to college, marry her high school sweetheart, and settle down to the comfortable, All-American lifestyle. Then, something happened. <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Jesus wrecked Katie’s life. <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">This "wrecking" did not occur in a dramatic incident, but rather, a gentle revelation. Jesus slowly began to reveal to Katie that His desires for her life and her own desires did not correlate. As Katie allowed Jesus to align the desires of her heart with His desires, she began to feel a passion for missions. God led Katie to Uganda first on a three-week missions trip, and later, for life. In her book, Katie Davis shares the challenging and inspiring journey God took her on to Uganda. This journey included the adoption of 14 Ugandan girls, the creation of Amazima, a non-profit ministry, and the writing of her book, //Kisses From Katie.// <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">I absolutely loved reading Katie's book. In her book, Katie exemplified honesty and humility. In her book, Katie weaves together unadulterated truth and life. She has allowed her theology to become biography in the streets of Uganda. And she encourages us to do the same - wherever God places us. As Davis states, "...this is why my everyday, crazy, chaotic life seems so normal. It is simply an ongoing, ever-changing result of what it looks like to try to love like Christ in my life. [Uganda] is the spot on the map...where I am supposed to follow Jesus..." (11-12). In her book, Katie encouraged me to live and love like Christ on the spot on the map where He has placed me.

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">#2 (Historical Fiction) <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; text-align: center;">Little Women by Louisa May Alcott <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">In this timeless classic, author Louisa May Alcott shares the delightful tale of the four March sisters, Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy who attempt to survive and enjoy life while their father is away during the Civil War. This book documents the lives of the four girls as they mature from "little girls" to "little women." Through sharing about the struggles, triumphs, and mishaps of these four sisters, Alcott aptly highlights some of the familiar characteristics that have be true of women throughout the ages. She shares about the vanity of Meg with her white gloves and Amy with her desire for beautiful dresses. She documents the quick temper that plagues Jo and the jealousy that tempts Amy (as demonstrated through the mishap with Jo's manuscripts). Alcott also highlights Beth's struggle with her shyness and her sickness. In truth, Alcott does not share any intricate plot in this story, but instead, simply shares the fictional lives of these four girls and their transition to womanhood. I found this book to be absolutely delightful! I appreciated how Alcott carefully weaved moral truths in her story. I believe that this book would be an excellent book to recommend to middle school or high school readers.

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">#3 (Autobiography) <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">The Little Woman by Gladys Aylward and Christine Hunter <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">From a young age, Gladys Aylward desired to be a missionary. However, as a housemaid, Aylward lacked the education necessary in order for her to be accepted by a missions board. Nevertheless, Aylward was not deterred. She used all of her savings to buy a train ticket to China. After arriving in China, Aylward began to develop relationships with the Chinese people. However, with no knowledge of the Chinese language, this proved to be very difficult. But in truth, nothing is impossible with God! God helped Aylward learn the language and granted her the opportunity to travel to different villages as commissioned by her province in order to enforce a new law that forbade the ancient practice of foot binding. Since Aylward was from Britain, her feet were never bound as a child, so she was able to help the government enforce this law. However, while she traveled from village to village, Aylward was also able to share the gospel with many Chinese people. Moreover, Aylward also began to care for orphaned children. With the advent of the Sino-Japanese war, the needs of recently-orphaned children only increased. When her region was invaded by the Japanese, she led almost 100 orphans over the mountains to safety. She proved to be an incredible example of what God can do through the life of a willing individual. :) I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. It encouraged and challenged my faith. I believe that this would be make an excellent read aloud book due to its concise style and exciting nature. Each chapter contains a new adventurous example of God working through a "little woman."