Love That Dog

Love that Dog by Sharon Creech was a book about a student who didn’t want to write poetry and thought he was terrible at it but ended up writing some of the best work in his class. For me, this book reassured me that it is possible to inspire any student if you can get to know them and work with their interests. In this case the teacher asked to hear more about a car and a dog and ended up finding out a lot about her student. The student was inspired by an author to write a poem called “love that dog”. His dog had been hit by a car while playing in the street and that experience motivated him to write poems about it. If the teacher had never encouraged the student to keep writing and kept asking questions about his writing, he may have continued to hate poetry. Instead the encouragement and questions led to the student writing wonderful things, enjoying poems and learning a lot about poetry. I felt really sad when the student talked about what happened to his dog. I hate hearing about animals getting hurt or dying. Overall, I really enjoyed the book and I liked that it presented the idea that it is possible to reach every student.

Punk Wig

Punk Wig by Lori Ries is a book about a mother who has a cancer and loses her hair. The mother deals with the disease as best she can and tries not to worry her son. She takes her son with her to go shopping for a wig and they have a good time together picking out the perfect wig. They name the wig “punk wig” because of the hairstyle it resembles. Once the mother’s hair grows back and the cancer treatment is over she gives the wig to her son. This book deals with cancer in a lighthearted way so that you can read it to a child to talk about the disease. It refers to tumors as “alien blobs”, it may seem less intimating for a child that way.
Punk wig holds a special place in my heart because the main character chooses to fight cancer and she survives. My grandma on my dad’s side, and my grandpa and 2 of my aunts on my mom’s side had cancer and fought it. I remember the process of them losing hair, buying wigs and being extremely sick and weak. Some of them won the battle and survived and unfortunately some of them did not. I still miss those loved ones dearly each and every day. There isn’t a family get together or holiday that goes by without thinking of them and wishing they were there.
Through the experiences with cancer in my family, I have learned that it is important to remain hopeful. That is why I liked this book so much, even though it was hard for me to read it without tearing up, it left me with a feeling of hope.

Boxes for Katje

Boxes for Katje by Candace Fleming is a wonderful book inspired by the true experiences of the author’s mother. Katje, a young girl living in Europe receives a package from a Rosie, young girl in America, as part of a goodwill effort to help the people of Europe after World War II. Katje thrilled by the gifts sent in the package sends a thank you letter to Rosie, which sparks a further exchange between the girls. In the end both girls are given surprises that benefit their whole town!
I thought this story was a magnificent example of human kindness. Katje’s town was struggling with some really hard times. People in her town didn’t even have winter clothes, soap or milk. Rosie realized how much they were struggling and sent items to help Katje and a town of complete strangers. This book is a heartwarming story that inspires me to do more to help my community and also to help other communities or people in need.
I read the book first without looking at the inside cover, once I looked at the inside cover, Irealized that it was based on a true story. The fact that it was based on a true story made the book even better. It is so nice to read about people helping out others especially in a time of need. Our country is currently struggling, like many around the world and it is important to remember to give as much as we can. This book is a good reminder of the power of simple acts of kindness!

The Man who Walked Between the Towers

The Man Who Walked Between the Towers by Mordicai Gerstein is a book about a young French aerialist who walked across the two World Trade Centers in 1974 on a tight rope. He spent almost an hour on the tight rope performing tricks. The French aerialist saw the two towers and knew it would be a great spot to stretch a rope. From that moment he was determined to complete this task but he knew that it would not be easy. I liked this book because it shows determination. The performer had a dream and he did not give up until his dream was accomplished. It is important for us to remember that we should never give up on dreams of our own. The illustrations in the book are beautiful and they represent the mood given by the text on each page. For example, when the man is talking about how he knew the owners and the police would never allow him to walk across the towers, the illustrations are dark and gloomy. However, when he is thinking of a plan to accomplish his dreams the page is filled with bright colors and great detail. I am amazed that someone actually performed on a tight rope between the World Trade Center but I am even more taken back by the fact that those two towers are gone now. A teacher could use this book to introduce and start a discussion on the events of September 11th in a social studies class. Whatever your purpose for reading the book may be, it is definitely one that is worth reading.

Grandfather's Journey

Grandfather’s Journey by Allen Say is a touching story about traveling, family and friends. A man travels from the country he grew up in, to the United States. He is amazed at what he sees and loves it in the United States but he longs to go back to his friends and the country he knows so well. Many years later he moves back to the town where he grew up but wishes to travel to the United States once more. He never makes it back but his grandson, whom he told many stories about his experiences travels to the United States one day. When the grandson arrives in the United States he understands how his grandfather felt. The grandson starts to miss his friends, family and the scenery of his country, like his grandfather did. This was a wonderful story about the bond between families. Listening to family members or loved one’s stories are treasured moments in my life. Before my grandma passed away she told me many stories about her childhood and adult life. I will forever cherish those memories of her sharing experiences of her life with me. Like the book, there are moments in my life when I feel like I know how my grandma felt in similar situations. I highly recommend this book, it was an enjoyable story that brings the reader back to their own experiences with loved ones and family.

The Penguin and the Pea

The Penguin and the Pea by Janet Perlman was a great version of one of my old favorites the Princess and the pea. It’s about a prince determined to find a real princess to be his wife. The prince’s mother believed that a true princess would not be able to sleep if there was a pea under her bed. Sure enough the princess in the story felt the pea and is then able to marry the prince. I like the fact that the author chose a penguin, one of the only birds that can’t fly as the subject of the story. It gives the reader the message that anyone can be a princess. I’m glad I read this story again now that I’m older. It brought back memories of sitting in my parent’s bed and listening to my mom read stories. When my mom would read the princess and the pea to me, I remember wondering how the princess could feel that pea under all those mattresses. I loved the silly idea of a pea under all those mattresses and so will most kids! If you liked the original princess in the pea I recommended giving the penguin version a try!

Princess for a Week

Princess For a Week by Betty Ren Wright is about a boy named Roddy and an unexpected visitor. When Roddy, a young boy hears his mother say that “Princess” will be coming to stay with them for a week he assumes that “Princess” is a dog. He is really excited until he finds out that "Princess" is a young girl. Princess arrives and Roddy quickly realizes that she is trouble. Unfortunately his mother thinks that she is an angel has good intentions. Roddy looks forward to the end of the week when Princess will leave but in the mean time he goes along with her on her mischievous adventures trying to keep them both out of trouble.

The Blizzard

The Blizzard by Betty Ren Wright is about a snowstorm and the unexpected surprises it can bring. Billy, a young boy is disappointed when he finds out his 5 cousins will not be able to make it to visit for his birthday because of a blizzard. His mom tells him they are very sorry they can’t make it and rushes Billy off to school. The snow is so heavy that the school is cancelled and the teacher brings all the students to the closest house to the school, Billy’s house. The blizzard ends up turning Billy’s birthday into a wonderful experience because all the students and his teacher spend the night at his house! Many times in life things do not go as planned but just because they don't go as planned doesn't mean it's the end of the world. Sometimes the unplanned things turn out even better than the things we had planned in the first place. Billy was upset when he heard that his cousins were not going to make it to his birthday but his birthday ended up being more fun then he had ever imagined! I am the type of person that likes to have a plan and stick to it. Many times when things go unexpetedly I get upset, like Billy did. I need to learn to lighten up and if things don't go as planned to just sit back, relax and enjoy the ride!

Michael Rosen's Sad Book

Michael Rosen's Sad book is a story about a father who is mourning the loss of his son Eddie. The story is told from the perspective of the father. He talks about all the ups and downs of losing a loved one. He discusses memories he has of his son and things that sometimes make him feel better. One of the things the father mentions is that writing helps him cope with the loss. He even writes a poem about sadness for the reader. I liked that he used writing as a way of getting his feelings out. This would be a good book to read to students to show them that it is okay to write about things that do not have happy endings. The book ends with with a picture of the father sitting all alone at his desk. I felt his loneliness and wanted to jump into the pages to cheer him up.This is a heartbreaking story that represents the struggles of losing a loved one.

The Top Job

The Top Job by Elizabeth Cody Kimmel, is story is about a class who is discussing different careers. The teacher, Mrs.Feeny asks her students to stand up and talk about their parent’s jobs. One of the girls in the class has a dad that changes light bulbs. A boy in the class makes a rude comment about her dad's career but the girl continues talking about a career of changing light bulbs. She begins to tell them that she had gone to work with her dad last weekend for a special job. Her dad was in charge of changing a light bulb on the top of the Empire State Building. The girl describes the important equipment needed for such a task, the amount of time it took and the requirements of the job. The whole class is suddenly interested in her dad’s job. The boy in the class said, "boring", what many others in the class may have been thinking when she said her dad changed light bulbs for a living. He was too quick to judge her dad's career and in the end the whole class was really drawn to the girl's story. This book represents a good lesson, don't judge a book by it's cover. Things aren't always as they seem, we should always take a closer look before we assume things about something or someone.

Up

Up is a story about an energetic toddler who loves to get attention from her dad. She enjoys things like being picked up and swaying high on a swing. The toddler and her dad go to the park and spend the afternoon playing together. They have such a great time bonding and doing different activities throughout the afternoon. The story ends with the girl feeling warn out and content to be in her father’s arms. This is a cute story that represents a strong bond between a daugther and her father. It reminded me of my dad and how much I loved spending time with him when I was younger. I used to sit on his lap and rock on the rocking chair with him almost once a day. Now I am too big to sit on his lap, but we still enjoy doing things together when I'm home from college, like going on walks in our neighborhood after dinner.

Fred Stays with Me

Fred Stays With Me by Nancy Coffelt is a book told from the perspective of a young girl whose parents are divorced. The girl in the story switches off living between both her parent's homes. Her dog Fred goes wherever she goes, giving her a sense of stability. At one point neither parent wants Fred at their house because he can cause trouble. For example, at her mom's house Fred barks a the poodle next door. The mom and the daughter come up with a solution for Fred to quit barking at the neighbor dog. They decide to introduce the two dogs in hopes of sparking a friendship. The conflict of allowing Fred to stay at both homes is resolved in a positive way allowing the girl to see effective problem solving skills. This is a good book to allow children to see that divorce does not have to be a negative thing. The young girl in this book is still loved by both parents and stays close with each of them even though they live in different homes.

Bad to the Bone

Bad to The Bone by Lucy Nolan is a story told from a dog’s perspective. The dog talks mainly about its troubles with the neighbor cat and squirrels. It is interesting how the dog names things for instance she calls her owner “Rruff” , her best friend “sit” and she believes her name is “Down Girl”. Down Girl and Sit feel like they are not getting enough attention so they intentionally act out for their owners to notice them. This happens with kids sometimes too, they are so desperate for attention they will do anything to get someone to notice them. The dogs also discriminate against the cat because it is different. They don’t try to get to know the cat they just assume that they do not like it. I was hoping at the end of the story that they would befriend the cat but they didn’t. Overall, the book was cute but I wish it would have left me with a greater take home message.

Where the Wild Things Are

Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak is a brilliant picture book driven by a child’s imagination. When Max is sent to his room by his mother without dinner he dreams up a world far away with enormous creatures. The creatures crown Max the king and he rules until he becomes lonely. Max returns to his room where his supper is waiting for him. This is a good book that illustrates the power of imagination. Many kids dream up their own fantasy lands when they are playing. When I was younger I used to dream up a new place each time I played Barbie dolls. As an adult it is easy to lose sight of our imagination and books like this remind us of the endless possibilities when we dream. The illustrations in this book are amazing and help represent the overall idea of imagination.

Friends and Pals and Brothers Too

The book Friends and Pals and Brothers Too by Sarah Wilson reminded me of how it was growing up with a brother and sister. The story is about two brothers close in age and all of the things they do together throughout the year. It goes through the seasons and the different things you can do outside in certain months of the year. For example they go skiing together and play in the snow in the winter. I thought back to all the fun things my brother, sister and I used to do. We would go on ski trips as a family and it was always so much fun. I always wished that I was closer in age with my brother and sister so we would have had more in common growing up. My brother is eight years older than me and my sister is seven years older. They were much closer in age and much closer in general because of that. I always felt left out because they would go do things that I was too young to do. Now that we’re older we’re all close friends and I no longer feel left out. This story is cute and it shows how the bond of siblings can turn into more than just family but also friends.

Drive by Nathan Clement is a book about the work of a truck driver told from the perspective of a child. The child describes the work schedule of his father, a truck driver on a regular day. The child is shown sleeping in the beginning showing us that his dad leaves for work before he is up. In the end of the book the boy and his father are playing baseball with the dog in the backyard. Even though the father has a busy day at work he still makes time to spend time with his son. The book shows the importance of a father’s relationship with his children. A lot of times the relationship between a mother and her kids is emphasized leaving out the significance of the father’s relationship. Drive is a good representation of how hard working fathers maintain a close relationship with their kids.

Hello Ocean by Pam Munoz Ryan allows us to experience the 5 senses while on a trip to the beach. It goes through smell, touch, taste, see and hear each one with many different examples from the ocean shore. The illustrations are so realistic they look like photographs. The realistic illustrations make it easy for anyone to imagine a day the beach, swimming in the salt water. As you read along you become absorbed in the book and it’s like you are there experiencing it yourself. When I was finished reading the book it made me want to jump in my car and go to the nearest beach! This would be a good book to demonstrate the 5 senses in a classroom. Students could see the power of writing using the senses.

Suki’s Kimono by Chieri Uegaki was a good story that represented the salad bowl theory of multiculturalism. Suki wanted to wear her Kimono to school but her sisters frowned upon the idea. They told her she would be made fun of and it wasn’t a good idea. Suki wore her Kimono anyways because she liked it and it reminded her of her grandma and the festival they went to together. The story represents the magnificence of everyone being different.
Suki teaches her class something new by wearing her kimono and showing how people dance at the festival in Japan. Her classmates thought her outfit was weird at first because they were not familiar with Japanese culture. However, by the end of the day they had respect for Suki and appreciated her for her uniqueness.
People should not have to change their background to conform to mainstream culture. We can embrace these differences and encourage diversity so that we can began to see things and understand them from multiple perspectives. This is a wonderful book that shows what we can all learn from each other by bringing something different to the table.