Owl Moon By: Jane Yolen
Daughter and Pa go owling into the woods.The book is about a girl and her father who is teaching her about owling in the woods such as being quiet and only calling out to the owl in a WHOOOWHOOAWHOAA voice. The owl answered Pa and daughter and swooped down staring at them for what daughter felt like numerous minutes. Underneath the owl moon, Pa and daughter walked back home. I think that this book is good to read to children because it shows when you go owling
Loser By: Jerry Spinelli
This book is about Donald Zinkoff and his journey
through first through sixth grade. Donald is usually the last person to be
picked for teams and seems to always be messing everything up when it comes to
school. Donald’s dream is to become a mailman just like his father and even
though he nicknames the name“Loser” by all his classmates he still manages to
find happiness in his everyday life. This book is about a boy who is not
athletically inclined like his peers and does not act that same way as them, but
goes to show them that he has a heart to help and this is far more rewarding
than anything else. This book goes to show children not to treat other children
differently, because its deep within what means the most.
One Green Apple By: Eve Bunting
One Green Apple is about a little girlnamed Farrah who is at an apple orchard with her class. It is very hard for her to understand what the other children are doing and saying. Farrah is from another country and starts to realize on the trip that even though words may not be pronounced the same, the same sounds such as dog’s eating apples or children laughing is similar. Farrah chooses one green apple to put into the apple crusher that makes cider for the children to drink. Farrah finally says her first word as being “app ell”. The story ending saying that won’t be the last word that she says. I think that this book is good to read to children especially when talking about different cultures because you may have children from different countries in your classroom. This will help them to understand and welcome them into their culture and share with another and build community through the classroom.
Ramona Quimby, Age 8 By: Beverly Cleary
This book is about a third grade girl
who’s school districts are switching up all the
children and making them go to new schools. Ramona
is on the bus and a boy whom she terms “Yard Ape” steals her eraser on the bus. Mrs. Whaley, Ramona’s teacher, does not care for her that much has many encounters with the principal office with Ramona.
Ramona’s favorite part of school is SSS which is silent reading. Ramona always seems to be a problem but is a very creative little girl that uses her family and friends to get along. I think that this book was funny and many young children can use it as pleasure reading and relate to the little Ramona as well.
Junie B Jones Cheater Pants By: Barbara Clark
This book is about Junie B Jones who thought that
sharing was not considered cheating. Mrs.Scary sends a note home to Junie B Jone’s parents
and they are anything but happy with her. Then in the end Junie B receives an A
on her poem showing her that cheating isn’t a good thing to do because it does
not get you anywhere in life but into trouble! I think that this book is good
for children because it shows them not to teach but also gives them a good laugh
seeing the lessons that Junie B Jones must learn.
Diary of A Wimpy Kid By: Jeff Kinney
This is about Greg Heffley and all the thoughts and concerns of middle
school.Telling people that are not a diary but only a journal of different schemes that end up misinterpreted. The book starts with the beginning of middle school for Greg and talks about the “Cheese Touch” which is also known as cooties. The end of the book is about Greg and Rowley and Greg
wanted to throw away his yearbook because of a feud he had with Rowley about him denying his editing in the comic. I think that this book is good for middle school children and older elementary school children and a good entertainment
book that they can relate too.
Because of Winn Dixie By: Kate DiCamillo
This book is about Opal and her father who is
a preacher and how they move to a different
part in Florida. Opal does not like her new life
and misses her old life especially when she was with her mother before she had
left. One day, Winn Dixie comes into Opal’s life turning it around for the
better, and introducing her to new friends. Life seems to be getting better for
Opal since she met Winn Dixie. At the end of the book Opal finally comes to the
realization that her mother isn’t coming back and comes to terms with accepting
her new life and all the good people that surround her. I think that this book
could be good for children dealing with separation of anxiety from their parents
or even good for children in your classroom that have just moved from somewhere
else.
The Lemonade War By: Jacqueline Daives
This book is about two brothers who were best
friends until younger brother Jesse is smart
enough to skip two grades up to Evans grade and suddenly the friendly brotherly
love turns into a competition. Evan and Jesse both loved selling lemonade so
they make a competition out of it, turning it into who can sell the most money
from the lemonade stand. The boys are competing with neighbors and smart
business strategies making the most money that they have ever made. Both boys
finally come to terms to realize that this business is and competition is not
worth the brotherly love that they have.
The Dork Diaries
By: Rachel Renee Russell
This book is about a fourteen year old girl
Nikki Maxwell and her diary and her drawings, comic
strips,that show the descriptions of her daily life in
middleschool. This is a good book for middle school
girls because the excerpts are really good for young
girls to relate too. I think that reading these excerpts even before they start
middle school will be good for young girls because it can relate from the
embarrassing parents, from her crush, to her rival and who she gossips about.
Grandpa’s Teeth By: Rod Clement
This book is about Grandpa waking up finding out
that his teeth had been stolen! They call the
cops and Officer Rate to come and look around the house to try and solve the mystery of
the missing teeth. Grandpa was getting very impatient and figured that they
would eventually catch the thief. Wanted posters were put up around town and
everyone was forced to smile that was in the police station. Everyone in the
town started to smile, even at funerals because anyone who didn’t smile was
brought to the police station. The town started to suffer so the mayor called an
emergency meeting. At the meeting everyone put in a dollar for collection for a
new set of teeth for grandpa and he was presented with them and he lived happily
ever after. This book is funny for children and keeps them wondering where the
teeth are and who stole them throughout the book.
Chocolate Fever By: Judy Blume
I could not find the book Chocolate Fever by Judy
Blume, so I read this book by Robert Kimmel Smith. This book is about a boy
named Henry who indulges over chocolate every single day. Until one day Henry
has spots all over his body and the hospital diagnosis him with chocolate fever.
Henry leaves the hospital where he is being held to be looked at. As he leaves a
man named Mac, picks him up on the side of the road. Mac can relate to the boy
because he says that he is African American. All of the sudden Macs truck is
hijacked. After escaping the bad guys, Henry makes it home to find a cure to
Henry’s chocolate fever ending up being vanilla! This book is a suspenseful book
for children that they can read for pleasure. It’s a great easy read that
children of all ages in elementary school can enjoy.
The Lemonade Club By: Patricia Polacco
This book is about two girls Traci and Marylin
who are in Miss. Wichelman’s fifth grade class. Marylin and Traci are best
friends. One day Marylin passes out in the garden and Traci had noticed that she
had lost a lot of weight. Traci had thought that Marylin was on a crazy diet but
then she started to find out that Marylin had leukemia. The whole class had
shaved their head for Marylin and come to find out the teacher has breast
cancer. Miss. Wichelman is to be married and wants Marylin and Traci to be in
her wedding. Throughout the book Miss. Wichelman proves to Marylin that she
understands what she is going through and takes the difficult journey as they
both seek treatment. In the end, Mrs. Wichelman gets married to a doctor and the
girls are in her wedding. I thought this book was wonderful and one of my
favorite that I have read so far. I think that this book is good for teachers to
read because it can help build community throughout the classroom and help the
children relate to other children that may be diagnosed with
cancer.
The Yummiest Love By: Lisa Mcourt
This book is about a mother and their baby bear. It talks about all the different things that they love about eachother and what makes everyday special to them by talking about all the little things in life. This book is good to read to children around Mother's Day and children will enjoy it because they are able to have a connection with the mother and baby bear.