Tag Archives: father

Elementary

A Mutual Gift of Love: A Review of ‘Sarah, Plain and Tall’

“Do not be afraid, for she was set apart for you before the world existed.”  Tobit 6:18

Reading Level:

Grades 2-3

Review and Thoughts:

Sarah, Plain and Tall by Patricia MacLachlan is a story about three hearts that still grieve after the death of a wife and mother– hearts that yearn to be filled with love once again.  It is about another earnest heart searching for a place to entrust its love.  Each character is waiting, tentatively looking to the future with hope for a new life as a family.

Continue reading A Mutual Gift of Love: A Review of ‘Sarah, Plain and Tall’ →

Elementary

Adventure in the Jungle: A Review of ‘My Father’s Dragon’

“When one is convinced that his cause is just, he will fear nothing.”–St.  John Bosco

Reading Level:

Grades 2-3

Review and Thoughts:

A boy + an alley cat + tigers + a rhinoceros + a lion + a gorilla + crocodiles + a dragon = ADVENTURE!

My Father’s Dragon by Ruth Stiles Gannett is an exciting adventure story about Elmer Elevator’s quest to free a dragon from captivity, narrated by his son. Elmer faces many dangerous situations along the way with steadfast determination and courage.  The reader experiences the suspense of Elmer’s perilous encounters with anticipation and then his relief as he diffuses each crisis. Continue reading Adventure in the Jungle: A Review of ‘My Father’s Dragon’ →

Elementary

A Daughter’s First Love: A Review of ‘Crow Call’

“It is a wise father that knows his own child.”  William Shakespeare

Suggested Reading Level

Grades 2-3

Review and Thoughts

Crow Call is the story about a young girl named Liz and her dad as they begin to rediscover their love after the very long separation of World War II.  They begin this journey by going crow hunting soon after he returns.  It is the fall season and Liz is dressed in her rainbow colored hunting shirt – an overly large adult shirt that comes to her knees and with sleeves that have been rolled up in order to see her hands.   From the beginning of the story the reader can sense that Liz is having trouble getting used to being with her dad again.  As they ride in the car on their way to their hunting destination she says, “I sit shyly next to the stranger who is my father.”   She also practices whispering his name over and over again, “Daddy. Daddy.” Continue reading A Daughter’s First Love: A Review of ‘Crow Call’ →

High School

Wounding Others: A Review of ‘Falling into Place’

“No one heals himself by wounding another.”—Saint Ambrose

Suggested Grade Levels:

Grade 10-12

Review and Thoughts

I heard about Falling Into Place by Amy Zhang from the HarperCollins Common Core Reading List recommendations for high school students.  I feel like the increase in contemporary literature in today’s high schools can really help students find that love of reading that they may have lost.  At this age most students have been reading classic literature and may have had trouble connecting with it.   Unfortunately, along with contemporary literature comes a lot of contemporary issues.  I, in no way, ever condone banning a book, but there are times I feel like some literature may not be the best fit for a classroom setting.  I would strongly advise parents to look for an alternative contemporary piece.  I think Zhang’s writing is truly poetic and beautiful, but this book does not portray much goodness in its characters.  I understand that teens are bombarded with these issues in media and even in their own schools, but this doesn’t necessarily mean we need to teach it in our classrooms as well. Continue reading Wounding Others: A Review of ‘Falling into Place’ →

Elementary

Inside the Imagination of an Eight-year-old: A Review of ‘Ramona Quimby, Age 8’

“The ordinary acts we practice every day at home are of more importance to the soul than their simplicity might suggest.”  St. Thomas More

Suggested Grade Level

Grades 2-3

Review and Thoughts

Ramona Quimby, Age 8 by Beverly Cleary is a realistic fiction story about a girl named Ramona, her sister Beezus, and her parents. We are allowed a close up look at this family as they handle the pressures of everyday life, adjustments to new schools for the girls and the dad, money issues, and family responsibilities.  All of this is seen through the eyes and imagination of Ramona.

Ramona is a lively and dramatic character.  Throughout the story the reader gets an intimate glimpse into her thoughts and interpretations about the events in her life. Many times these thoughts are humorous and may sound familiar and at other times they are not very nice, like those of an upset eight- year-old.  What’s fair and not fair is always an issue with children, and Ramona is no different.  She just desperately wants to be “the clever young daughter who is doing her part to help the family,” but life and her perception of things seem to get in the way, and she struggles to uphold that promise to herself. Continue reading Inside the Imagination of an Eight-year-old: A Review of ‘Ramona Quimby, Age 8’ →