Weird But True: 300 Outrageous Facts

Weird But True: 300 Outrageous Facts

Weird but true: 300 outrageous facts. (2010). Washington, D.C.: National Geographic. 

Weird But True is based on the popular portion of National Geographic's kid's magazine. This book is a collection of the most popular outrageous facts. The book has facts about anywhere from animals, food, and people to bugs and household objects. The facts bare combines with bright and colorful pictures to illustrate the craziness of the facts.   

I would use this book as a free read, attention grabber, or prompt. As a prompt, I would have children find a fact that catches their interest and research that topic. For example, if the fact is that oldest goldfish to ever live was 43 years old, the student could research goldfish. This would just be a good addition to the classroom library as a free reading book.  

The Magic School Bus

The Magic School Bus: Inside a Beehive

Cole, J., & Degen, B. (1996). The magic school bus: Inside a beehive. New York: Scholastic.

When Tim delivers the last of the season's honey to his grandfather's customers, the jars get broken. Tim's beekeeper Grandfather has the sweetest honey in town. Tim's solution is simple. They must get more honey from some bees. As per usual, Ms. Frizzle turns her class into bees so they can visit a hive and learn how raw honey is processed firsthand.But Ms. Frizzle sweetens the idea by turning her class into bees and showing them a beehive up close and personal. During the field trip, the students learn how and where honey comes from and how much work is involved getting the sweet treat. Once again, the students find themselves in a sticky situation and must find a way to get the honey for Tim's grandfather.


Although this may not be the nonfiction we always think of, I consider this non fiction because the information being presented. The information is factual, therefore I would classify this series as narrative nonfiction because the factual information is presented in story format.  

I love the Magic School Bus series! The books and T.V series provide valuable lessons that engage the children. I would obviously use this in a unit or lesson about plants or bees. The illustrations in the book provide a good model for how honey is created and extracted. My first grade classroom last semester did a unit on bees. The students read this book, researched bees, and met a bee keeper. With this book in mind, I would like to do something similar. 

Here are some potential activities! 

Pompeii Buried Alive

Pompeii Buried Alive

Kunhardt, E., & Eagle, M. (1987). Pompeii--buried alive! New York: Random House.

This short, leveled reader gives an accurate account of the eruption of Mount Vesuvius, describes village life 2,000 years ago, the eruption itself and its aftermath, and the excitement when the buried town is rediscovered centuries later. Although not long, the detailed illustrations, captions,and body paragraphs give appropriate, detailed information about the natural disaster. 

I read this book with a third grade student who particularly likes non fiction books. She read this book for pleasure, but I would also use this book for a history lesson and/or a comprehension activity. Because it is a leveled reader, I could provide different groups (organized by reading levels) with books about the same topic. This way they are all getting the same information, just at different levels. It also presents a great opportunity to discuss literal comprehension questions, as well as, higher levels of comprehension. This could include inferential and creative.   

Here are some helpful facts about Pompeii!

Something Beautiful

Something Beautiful 

Wyeth, S. (1998). Something beautiful. New York: Doubleday Books for Young Readers. 

This is a story about a young African American girl who initially sees only the ugliness in her neighborhood. The narrator looks though her window and sees ugly. She sees trash in the courtyard, a broken bottle, writing in the halls, and "DIE" on her door. Walking around the town she sees more ugly. She sees a lady who lives in a cardboard box, a dark ally that mom tells her never to stop at and a garden with no flowers. She wants to find something beautiful in this ugly world so she asks her friends what they find and they name things that make them happy. When she goes home, she sees all the ugly again and decides that she is going to make it beautiful.After pointing out the various “ugly” aspects of her neighborhood, she seeks to find “something beautiful”.  The young girl wants to find her own “something beautiful”. The story focuses on the effects of social inequality and poverty. 

This story has many important implications. Not only is it a terrific read aloud oppertunity. It also presents opportunities to study illustrations for more detail. The illustrations provide a realistic feel to the heavy issues presented. I would read this book with a focus on philanthropy and what it means to be a philanthropist. This would need to be done with an older grade, maybe 3rd-5th. I would conduct a grand discussion and discuss with the children what she did to make her community a better house. I would have the students talk about what it beautiful in their life and lead them away from aesthetic answers. I would pair this book with a short service learning project in which the students conduct volunteer work. I would want to focus on the beauty in the world that is not associated with appearances.    

Here are some potential activities! 

Diary of a Wimpy Kid

Diary of a Wimpy Kid

Kinney, J. (2007). Diary of a wimpy kid: Greg Heffley's journal. New York: Amulet Books.

Greg is one of three children. According to Greg, his little brother, Manny, never gets in trouble, even if he really deserves it, and his older brother Rodrick is always getting the best of Greg. Greg receives a journal from his mother to document his life. It is important to note this a journal and not a diary. In his journal, Greg details his daily activities, starting with the first day of middle school. Greg does not like middle school because he feels that he is awkward and small.Whether it's dealing with bullying, his friend Rowley, homework, or family life, Greg is always busy trying to figure out the angle that will make things come out best for him. Greg writes and illustrates the problems he faces as young middle school students. This is the first in the popular series.  

This book is great and so easy to relate to! I was reading it and could really imagine my own middle school experiences. I think this would be a great whole class read for 5th or 6th graders. They could easily relate to Greg's feelings and situations. While reading this book, I would have students keep their own journal to reflect on the book, but also their everyday lives. This book demonstrates a lot of themes including loss of innocence, respect, and the importance of family.     

Everybody Cooks Rice

Everybody Cooks Rice

Dooley, N. (1991). Everybody cooks rice. Minneapolis: Carolrhoda Books.

On her way to find her little brother for dinner, Carrie samples each family's dinner in her neighborhood. She goes door to door and finds that everyone is cooking dinner and Anthony had been there sampling some of their food. Carrie lives in a diverse neighborhood with people from India, China, Haiti, Puerto Rico, Vietnam, and Barbados among others. She returns home to find her brother there and realizes that everyone cooks rice in their own special way in her neighborhood. By the time she tracks down her brother, Carrie has discovered a world of rice dishes in her own backyard. This book is a terrific picture book about culture acceptance. The seemingly simple plot line, gives way for an important moral lesson. 

This book would be good for all ages. For younger grades it could be used to study immigration and the idea that being different is not a bad thing. In older grades, it could be used as a lesson for acceptance and understanding. As stated, this book would be good to use when teaching about immigration. It could be included in a unit about immigration and used for a mini lesson about the effects of immigration in modern society. Also, I loved the illustrations in this book  because they allowed for a constant theme, home, to be contrasted with the varying appearances of family; simple, but effective. 

Here are some other multicultural books! 

If I Were In Charge

If I Were In Charge

Viorst, J. (1981). If I were in charge of the world and other worries: Poems for children and their parents. New York: Atheneum.

This book features many short poems. It's very similar to the books Shel Silverstein wrote, but written as a smaller version and the poems are not as nonsensical. These poems portray the thoughts young children have about the world and people around them. Almost every poem has either rhyme or rhythm to it. One can clearly see the images brought from the children's imaginations through the text and illustrations. These poems display children's mischievous behaviors. Her poems touch on common concerns and anxieties of children with great insight and humor. They cover a wide variety of topics; some are told from a girl's perspective, others from a boy's. They are easily understandable, but do not talk down to children and many have some fairly complex underlying themes. Overall, I thought this book was insightful and entertaining. I would definitely use it in my classroom. 

I would use this book in an older classroom third of fourth grade. I would choose one or two poems to read to the whole group and then pull small groups for mini lessons on parts of poetry, alliteration, punctuation, and word choice. There are many poems in this book that could serve as a writing prompt for students. I would also use the poem "If I Were in Charge of the World" at the beginning of the year as an introductory engagement to the classroom rules. I would then follow up with an exercise in creating the classroom rules with the students. 

Here are some potential activities!

"When will I ever use this?"

All of the following books have been used in my lessons this semester. I have used them in the introductory engagement or as part of the instructional sequence. In all cases, the books have been used as a way to center instruction and focus the assessment.

Placement this semester:
South Bend, IN
5th Grade Classroom

The classroom I was placed in this semester completed an author study on Gary Paulsen. They read two books from the Hatchet series (Hatchet and The River). 

Hatchet-Realistic Fiction

Paulsen, G. (1987). Hatchet. New York: Bradbury Press. 

Hatchet is about a young man, early teens, who finds himself in a struggle with himself and nature after his plane crashes. While on his way to his father's for the summer, the pilot of Brian's plane dramatically dies from a heart attack. Brain unsuccessfully tries to land the plane and becomes stranded alone for weeks in the Canadian woods. Luckily, Brian landed the plan into a lake and escaped with very few injuries. Before he left, Brian's mother gave him a hatchet. This hatchet becomes essential to his survival in many instances throughout his struggle in the wild. When a rescue plane does fly overhead, though, Brian misses it, seeing it just in time to watch it fade off into the distance. As time passes, Brian is attacked by a porcupine, learns how to make fire, makes a fishing spear from a tree branch, and eats mildly disturbing things. All the while, Brian is bidding his time before the rescue plane arrives. Brain is left in despair after the rescue plane comes and goes and he is still left in the woods. It should be noted, that during his time in the forest, Brain is dealing with emotional turmoil as well. His parents are recently divorced. He knows his mother had an affair that caused the divorce and is contemplating how he will reveal this to his father. this compounded by the trauma of the event. Some time after, there is a tornado that tears up the land he is living on, to the point that the crashed plane is turned around in the lake. Brian takes the opportunity to dive into the water and retrieve the emergency, survival pack from the plane. In the pack, Brian finds a sleeping bag, a compass, cooking tools, lighters, matches, bandages, a rifle. Most importantly he find a transmitter. After several attempts to turn it on, Brian assumes the transmitter is broken. Thankfully it is not, a rescue plane soon arrives and Brian is rescued. 

In my classroom this semester, this book was used to focus on Paulsen's use of figurative language. My cooperating teacher focused a lot on the use of repetition. Paulsen creates such vivid image with his writing style that it is a direct portal to imagery. I would have also included lessons about writing style. Paulsen's books are written so similarly, especially the Hatchet books, that it would be worth while to focus on how he conveys this style.  

The River-Realistic Fiction

Paulsen, G. (1991). The river. New York: Bradbury Press.

The second book in the four book Hatchet series, takes place two years after Hatchet. Brain return to the Canadian wild where he was stranded. He returns with a psychologist, Derek, who wants to study Brain's survival first hand. Brain insists that they must live like he did the first time. There should be no type of survival gear, food, or protection; just the men and the wild. With that said, Derek and Brain trek into the Canadian wilderness in such a manner that it might be confused with a camping trip. Brian finds himself reverting to the behaviors he learned during the Time. He notices everything around him: every bird, every plant, the feel of the air and the clouds. As the two men work to survive, Derek presses Brain to speak aloud about what he is doing. Brian and Derek work together to survive and slowly Brain teacher Derek how to survive in the wild. Brain feels different about this trip because it is no longer an emergency and he is no longer alone. Ironically, not long after, Derek is struck by lightening and falls into a coma. Derek is forced to create a raft and float 100 miles down river to the nearest trading post. There are many trials and tribulations while on the raft including losing the raft with Derek on it and getting lost.  Brian makes it to land with Derek still in a coma on the raft and is found by two adults and a child. Derek is still alive and makes a full recovery, but once again Brain has experienced trauma to his psyche.   

This is book was read directly after Hatchet. The children enjoyed this book! I think that the 5th graders enjoyed the fact that it was a series book. They got to hear from Brain again and relive his experiences with him. They continued to look at figurative language, but focused on specific vocabulary a lot more with this book. There was a lot of talk about cause and effect in relation to the first novel. Gary Paulsen was the perfect author to choose for an author study. With that said, I would have maybe included this on in a book talk groups with other Paulsen books that are not included in the series. This would have given more options to those not interested in the first book.

11 Planets- Non Fiction and Non English Speaking Author

This brief non fiction book gave short, but detailed synopses of the 11 planets in our solar system. It included facts about where it lies in relation to earth, what its surface is like, and other interesting facts. The pictures in this National Geographic book were the most informative piece. They pictures taken by satellites that fully showed each planets surface. Just like most Nation Geographic pieces, this book did a terrific job of informing and engaging readers.

 

At the time that I read this book, the students were working on planet projects. A group of students were assigned to each planet and conducted a research project. The students were very interested in this book for that reason and enjoyed adding details the book did not include. I also created a model for the distance from each planet to the sun. I used toilet paper to represent the distance. The students love this and were completely shocked when I had to use a whole roll of toilet paper for one planet. This book demonstrated the importance of using non fiction. 

The Midnight Ride of Paul Revere- Poetry

Longfellow, H., & Bing, C. (2001). The midnight ride of Paul Revere. Brooklyn, N.Y.: Handprint Books.

This poem describes the action-packed night of April 18, 1775; the famous ride of Paul Revere. It starts in Boston, where Paul and a friend are talking about the British army. They think the soldiers are going to leave Boston that night, but they aren't sure whether they will go by land or sea. Paul has a plan to warn people in the countryside about the British coming. Longfellow's classic poem ensues in conjunction with paintings by Christopher Bing. The combination of the classic poem and striking paintings create a fresh take on the classic poem.  

I used this poem for a lesson on the revolutionary war. I read this in conjunction with My Brother Sam is Dead. The students then created their own narrative poems. The students examined paintings based on the revolutionary war and then wrote narrative poems based on what was happening in them. This activity prompted very creative and emotion evoking poems from the students. 

My Brother Sam is Dead- Realistic Fiction

Collier, J., & Collier, C. (1974). My brother Sam is dead. New York: Four Winds. 

My Brother Sam is Dead is told in the first person by Tim Meeker. It recounts the hardships endured by Tim and his family during the Revolutionary War. When Tim's older brother Sam joins the rebel forces, it impacts the rest of his family who are Anglican and firm believers in the Church of England. Through Tim Meeker we learn of the issues, the concerns and the conflicts of the rebellion on a personal level. Sam is exiled by the family because of his support for the American Rebels. Tim does not voice his conflicting feelings and stays home while Sam runs off to the American army. While on a trip with his father to sell beef to loyalists in New York, they are stopped by a band of brigands who presumably abduct him. Tim goes home, and watches one of his friends be decapitated, and another friend get captured by the British. Tim begins to have stronger feelings about the two sides.The next year Tim finds out that his father and friend have died on a prison ship due to an outbreak of cholera. After this, Tim's mother begins to drink heavily.The last time Sam returns, he is framed for stealing cattle. His own army executes him as a warning to soldiers who might do the same thing if faced by extreme hunger. The story then cuts to 1826, where Tim reveals he has survived the Revolution. He has written the story to tell what life was like during the war. He mourns Sam, and then reveals he has a happy life. Even though life in the old days was hard, Sam and Tim made it seem easy.

This book was quite graphic for a fifth grade classroom, but it coincided well with their current area of study. I included this book with the lesson using the last book. I did not particularly enjoy this novel although I did enjoy the area of study. This unit was heavily entwined with their social studies unit. The class focused on vocabulary and life during this era. 

Horton Hears a Who

Horton Hears a Who!

Horton hears a Who! (1954). New York: Random House.

Horton is an elephant from the Jungle of Nool who finds himself in an unusual predicament on the fifteenth of May. He hears a noise. Not just any noise, but a noise that is coming from a tiny speck of dust. He wonders if there is someone on the speck, someone so tiny that they cannot be seen, in need of his help. Indeed, it is soon revealed that this is the case. His jungle friends and neighbors doubt the existence of Horton’s new friends, the Whos. His friends do not help him as he suspected. Instead they mock him for his supposed antics. The story focuses on the conflict Horton and all speck-life are threatened by because of the small-mindedness of those around him.

I would use this book as a read aloud during free time or in an author study. Dr. Suess is a common author study used for the primary grades that I would gladly follow suit in. this would be a fun one to include because there is a movie adaptation. The book can also be used to teach lessons like honestly, trust, and kindness. 

Here are some potential activities!

Click Clack Moo Cows That Types

Click Clack Moo Cows That Type

Cronin, D., & Lewin, B. (2011). Click, clack, moo cows that type. New York: Simon & Schuster.

In this book, Farmer Brown discovers a problem.  His cows spend all day typing on a typewriter!  As the story moves on, the cows end up leaving Farmer Brown notes demanding items for themselves and their friends, the hens. But when Farmer Brown does not answer their demands, they go on strike and type, "no milk, no eggs."  Farmer Brown is not happy with their demands and he gives them an ultimatum, which they respond to quite surprisingly (for cows and hens, that is)!  The end is unexpected and very funny when the ducks learn a few tricks from the cows and the hens.

This is such a cute story. It is an easy read aloud book. I would sue this introduce animal fantasies. It would also be a great book to use for older students when introducing personification. I would most likely use this in a younger classroom though. Older students may not be amused by the animal antics. 

Here are some potential activities! 

The Magic Tree House Series

Dinosaurs Before Dark 

Osborne, M. (1992). Dinosaurs before dark. New York: Random House.

While exploring one afternoon with her older brother Jack, 7-year-old Annie discovers a tree house. Before he can object, Annie climbs up the rope ladder to see it is filled with books. Jack follows her, and the two of them investigate the stacks of books, including one about Pennsylvania and Frog Creek where they live, and one about dinosaurs. When Jack touches a picture of a Pteranodon and says that he wishes he could see a real one, Annie claims to see a monster flying through the sky. Suddenly the wind begins to blow and the tree house starts to spin wildly. The children hold onto each other and close their eyes. When they open them, they find that they have been transported back in time to the Cretaceous period, 65 million years ago. They meet a flying reptile they name Henry, a 12,00 pound flower-eating Triceratops, a duck-billed dinosaur with a voice like a tuba called an Anatosaurus, and a T-rex who could eat a human in a single bite. A mysterious gold medallion with the letter M is collected along the way, reassuring the two that their trip in the flying tree house was real. This is the first book in the extensive Magic Tree House Series. 

This series would fit great in to many science or history lessons. These books would be better for younger students, maybe as a first chapter book.The students could read them aloud or in groups. For this particular book, I would include this is in a science unit because of its association with dinosaurs. It should also be noted that this series is both fantasy and historical fiction. It should be discussed with younger students that time travel is not possible, but you could discuss what it would be like if it was. 

Pippi Longstocking

Pippi Longstocking

Lindgren, A. (1945). Pippi Longstocking. Rabén & Sjögren.

Pippi Longstocking is a series of books that tell the tales of an adventurous adolescent girl. A series of short stories tell the tales of a girl whose mother =dead and whose father disappeared at sea. Pippi must live alone in a house at the edge of a small town. Pippi is able to survive on her own because of the large amount of money her parents left her with. Her whit and independence help tremendously too. She doesn't go to school because her one attempt to do so did not end well. Moreover, she spends all of her time with her pet monkey and horse and playing with the well-behaved children next door. The unrealistic account of a girl surviving by herself, display ordinary days as exciting and wildly adventurous. 

This story would be great as a read aloud. The teacher could model fluency practices including expression and prosody. The short stories could be used separately or all together as the whole novel. I would use small sections to focus on visualizing and imagery. The story creates some wild scenes that would be fun for students to illustrate. The book also displays great use of figurative language. It could be used in older grades for to teach about the various types of figurative language.  

Here are some potential activities!

Ella Enchanted

Ella Enchanted

Levine, G. (1997). Ella enchanted. New York: HarperCollins.

This story takes places in an enchanted kingdom. When the main character, Ella, was just born, the fairy Lucinda "blessed" her with obedience. Whenever Ella is told to do something, she must do it, including promising never to reveal her terrible secret. After her mother dies, Ella is sent to finishing school with her nasty stepsisters, Hattie and Olive. Hattie soon discovers the curse and takes advantage of Ella. Ella decides the only solution is to run away. After running away, Ella finds Lucinda and begs her to lift the curse. Unfortunately, Lucinda refuses and Ella must go home. It seems she is resigned to a life of drudgery. All the while, her friend, Prince Charmont, is in love with her, but Ella knows she can never marry him. She fears her curse would put him in grave danger. When he commands her to marry him, she struggles not to obey. She scrounges up all of the self confidence and courage she has and cries out "No" which breaks the curse! At last, Ella and her beloved prince can truly live happily ever after.

This book has potential to be included in a fairy tale unit or a a fantasy unit. Student could compare and contrast it to classic fairy tales of examine its plot elements for hints of fantasy. This would have to be used for book circles, as I don't think many boys would choose to read this book. I would like to include this in a unit of fractured fairy tales. All in all, it is a fun adventure that many students would enjoy. 

Here are some potential activities! 

Young Hoosier Book Awards: My Choices

Picture Books:

The Girl Who Never Made Mistakes- Picture Books

Pett, M., & Rubinstein, G. (2011). The girl who never made mistakes. Naperville, Ill.: Sourcebooks Jabberwocky.

This is an adorable story about Beatrice Bttomwell, a young girl who is seemingly perfect. Beatrice has never made a mistake and does not intend to. She always has matching socks, puts her shoes on the appropriate feet, remembers to feed her hamster and makes her brother’s sandwich the same way every day. Most importantly, she always wins the school talent show. When her first mistake, EVER, occurs on stage, Beatrice must learn to accept her own imperfections. 

 

This story is quite profound for being a children's picture book. Although I would not use it for a content lesson, this book is great for a grand discussion setting. I would use this as a way to discuss with a younger audience that it is ok not be perfect. Some questions could include those below. In addition to discussion, this book can be used to teach about narratives. Students can write about a time they made a costly mistake and how it made them feel. 

1. How do you feel when you make a mistake?

2. Explain Beatrice’s reaction when she makes a mistake during her performance. She could have cried or ran away, but she laughed. Why do you think that is?

3. How can you learn from your mistakes?

4. Why is it important that everyone just calls her “Beatrice” at the end?

I would recommend this book to win the Hoosier Book Award because it displays strong moral convictions and prompts self-confidence and a positive self-image. It is will written and illustrated in such away the scenario is relatable and believable.  

Intermediate Grades:

Cardboard- Graphic Novel and Fantasy

TenNapel, D. (2012). Cardboard. New York, New York: Graphix.

Interestingly enough, this is a graphic novel. The story is centered on Cam, a young boy, who recieves a cardboard box with magical powers for his birthday. His father, who is morning the death of his wife, is down on his luck and unable to afford anything more than a cardboard box for Cam. The $0.78 gift comes with rules. Cam can make anything it wants out of it, but he must return the scraps to the toy store it came from. Cam makes the best of the lackluster gift and he and his father work through the night to make a life size person. To their surprise Bill, the cardboard person, comes to life! Bill is a boxer complete with red shorts and blue gloves. The conflict evolves when Marcus, the bully next door neighbor, gets a hold of the cardboard scraps. Marcus uses the scraps to create a cardboard army of monsters. Cam and his father are challenged to find a solution before the neighborhood is destroyed.

I loved this book! The author does such a great job illustrating the novel. The overarching theme of creation stresses the importance of how the end product is dependent on the creator. I would like to sue this book in my classroom to help teach characterization and varying types of conflict. The illustrations are a huge portion of the plot development. The students should be taught to decode the pictures to find character traits, emotions and conflict. I would teach about the various types of conflict Cam finds himself in (nature, character, self) and use the illustrations as evidence. Using this book would be great opportunity to appeal to different types of readers. The illustrations may also help struggling readers comprehend. 

I would recommend this book to win the Hoosier Book Award because the graphics provide an alternative method to reading a novel. The story is told through detailed pictures and dialogue. Although this book may not be for all students, the adventure would be entertaining for most.

Middle Grades:

The False Prince-Historical Fiction

Nielsen, J. (2012). The false prince. New York, New York: Scholastic.

         This is the first book in the Ascendance trilogy. The books take place in a divided kingdom that is on the edge of civil war. Bevin Conner, a noble man in the court, takes it upon himself to create a plan to unit the kingdom. His plan in contingent on finding the long lost son of the king. Instead of finding the king's actual son, he seeks to find an impersonator. The prince was lost at sea and is presumed dead after his ship was attacked by pirates from the hostile neighboring country of Avenia. Conner kidnaps three orphans who have a likeness to the prince. It is presumed that the two who are not chosen to impersonate the prince will be killed. The orphans are given a crash court in royalty and the kingdom: riding, fencing, history, and basic literacy. The story is told from the perspective of Sage, one of the orphans. Before the choice is made, Sage withstands a beating for stealing a rock, an encounter with a prince, and an attack from enemy forces. In the end Conner does not choose Sage, and instead chooses Roden. To avoid death, Sage demonstrates expertise at a parlor trick that Jaron was noted for, and Conner changes his mind and chooses Sage instead, deciding that only Sage is capable of fooling the Court. It is then revealed that Sage is actually Jaron! Jaron and the rest of the company must now travel to the capital and convince the court of Sage's true identity. Conflict ensues and Sage's true identify is revealed when he shows the rock he had stolen back from Conner to be true gold. Sage is then crowned as King Jaron.

 

  

This book was well written, but I was not a huge fan. I'm not particularly a fan of time period pieces like this. Sage, the narrator, is also hard to follow and comes off as unreliable. This book could be easily used in a book circle. I think that boys would enjoy the action and quick paced development of this story. I would include other books based in the same time period. Students could choose their book for the book circles. With that said, I would time the book circles at a time we were studying serfdom or the British world history. I could also use this as an independent read for students. They could complete some sort of book report: posters, book tailors, power points, etc.     

Although I did not particularly like this book, I would recommend this book to win the Hoosier Book Award because it presents all the characteristics of a well written novel. The plot is dramatic and presents an interesting and engaging problem. Due to the age of the prince, the story is complete with timeless problems of coming to age and losing innocence. I think middle school student would, especially boys, would like this book for the action and because it is part of a series.  

Check out all of the nominated books here!

The Gardener

The Gardener

Stewart, S. (1997). The gardener. New York: Farrar Straus Giroux.

Lydia Grace Finch brings a suitcase full of seeds to the big gray city, where she goes to stay with her Uncle Jim, a baker. There she initiates a gradual transformation, bit by bit brightening the shop and bringing smiles to customers' faces with the flowers she grows. But it is in a secret place that Lydia Grace works on her masterpiece, a rooftop garden, which she hopes will make even Uncle Jim smile. Lydia is a determined young heroine, whose story is told through letters written home. This book takes place during the Great Depression and the smoothly drawn illustrations reflect the time well. 

This book can not only be used with older students to discuss the implication of the Great Depression, but can also be used with younger children. This book can be used to teach younger students letter writing. It provides a clear model for letter format. The illustrations also allow for practice turning pictures to words. Students could be asked to write a letter based on a picture from the book. I like this book a lot because it is a very different format than what we are used to seeing. The letter format introduces an interesting way to sequence a story. 

Here are some potential activities! 

The Watsons go to Birmingham

The Watsons go to Birmingham

Curtis, C. (1995). The Watsons go to Birmingham--1963. New York: Delacorte Press.

The Watsons Go to Birmingham is set in 1963 at the height of the civil rights era. Through the eyes of ten-year-old Kenny, the reader learns about the crazy antics of his family. Kenny believes that everyone in his neighborhood and school must think his family is strange, "The Weird Watsons". Dad and Momma, as the Watson children call their parents, are determined to raise respectful, well-behaved children who make good choices and possess high moral standards. Realizing they have been unable to instill fully their standards in their oldest child, Dad and Momma decide to take By to Birmingham and leave him with his Grandma Sands. They know there is some violence in the South with the beginnings of the Civil Rights movement, but have been assured by Grandma Sands that it is quiet around her. Kenny and his family leave for Birmingham just as the violence moves into Grandma Sands neighborhood. First, Kenny nearly drowns and By saves him, then the nearby Baptist Church is bombed on Sunday morning. In the remainder of the story, Kenny must deal with his emotions due to the escalating violence. The book stresses the importance of respect and acceptance and the negative consequences of discrimination and segregation. 

This book has many of the same themes as Number the Stars. Themes like loss of innocence, segregation, discrimination, and family appear in both novels. This novel could be read in conjunction with number the stars, perhaps in literature circles or book clubs. The book can also be integrated with a unit of study on the Civil Rights movement. Just as the other book, I would not read this book to any grades lower than 5th. The themes and events in this book are important, but hard to digest. I liked this book when I first read it in middle school, but I appreciated the themes the second time around. 

Here is good resource for teachers while reading this novel! 

Number the Stars

Number the Stars

Lowry, L. (1989). Number the stars. Boston: Houghton Mifflin.

Annemarie Johansen is a young girl who hangs out with her friend Ellen and takes care of her little sister Kirsti. She lives in Copenhagen, Denmark, during World War II. Copenhagen is no longer a peaceful place to live because it is full of enemy soldiers. The Nazis have come into Denmark from Germany and are slowly forcing the Danish people to do what they say. Annemarie's older sister Lise died around the time the war began. Annemarie struggles with how much she misses her. The Nazis have begun gathering up Jews and taking them somewhere unknown. Brave families like the Johansens insist on helping their Jewish friends, no matter how dangerous it might be. Ellen comes to live with Annemarie, pretending to be her sister, and even removing her Star of David necklace to hide her identity.The plot develops in this context as Annemarie must learn to survive and help others through the conflicts of war. The book concludes two years later, as World War II is ending with a spark of hope for herself and her friend.

The central theme of Number the Stars is the difficulty of growing up. The novel focuses on Annemarie Johansen's personal experiences with growing up, but her experiences are common to most young people. Growing up is presented as a struggle for identity. The roles Annemarie must play blur the line between a child's responsibilities and an adult's responsibilities.

 

This book has many heavy themes and historical topics that may be heavy for most students. The book introduces racism and violent segregation and discrimination. I would not read this book to any class younger than the 5th grade. I would include this book in a unit study on World War II. The many themes of this book could also be used in a thematic unit. I would also read this book as a class in order to better address the themes and events occurring. 

Here are some potential activities! 

An Author Study in April...Isn't this Poetry Month Though?

Shel Silverstein: An Author Study 

A Giraffe and a Half

• Silverstein, S. (1964). A giraffe and a half. New York: Harper & Row.

A rhyming book about a giraffe that accumulates some ridiculous things, like glue on his shoe and a bee on his knee,-only to lose them again, one by one.

Where the Sidewalk Ends

• Silverstein, S. (1974). Where the sidewalk ends: The poems & drawings of Shel Silverstein.New York: Harper and Row.

Shel Silverstein's masterful collection of poems and drawings is outrageously funny and profound. You meet a boy who turns into a TV set, and a girl who eats a whale, a unicorn and a Bloath. He writes about Sarah Cynthia Sylvia Stout who will not take the garbage out. His writing is a place where you wash your shadow and plant diamond gardens, a place where shoes fly, sisters are auctioned off, and crocodiles go to the dentist.

A Light in the Attic

• Silverstein, S. (1981). A light in the attic. New York: Harper & Row. 

Silverstein's humorous and creative verse can amuse the dullest of readers. The poems include lemon-faced adults and fidgety kids who cannot sit still. These rhythmic words are full of laughs and smiles.

The Missing Piece

• Silverstein, S. (1976). The missing piece. New York: Harper & Row.

An unhappy circle searches for its missing piece as it rolls along singing a song. The circle is an animal like creature that is missing a wedge of itself. It does not like that it is missing a piece and seeks to find it.

All of these books could be easily used in a poetry unit or an author study. In my author study, I focus on Silverstein's use of poetry and illustrations. There are also many character  lessons by utilizing the themes in his poems. I wrote my author study with the 5th grade in mind, With that said, Shel Silverstein's writing can be used for many different grades and purposes. 

Here are some potential activities! I used this as a resource in my author study unit plan.