Tag Archives: lost and found

Venturing Home: A Review of ‘Stickman’

“There are two ways of getting home; and one of them is to stay there. The other is to walk round the whole world until we come back to the same place. ” – G. K. Chesterton

Reading Level

Pre-K – Grade 5 [Scholastic]

AR 2.8 [0.5 points]                

Review and Comments

Poor Stick Man is just trying to get home to his family after a morning jog but one difficult situation after another block any progress. He is mistakenly used as a stick in a game of fetch, material for a swan’s nest, a flag pole on a sand castle, a sword, a hook, a pen, a bat, a boomerang, and an arm for a snowman! Each time he is used for a different purpose, he announces:

“I’m not a stick! Why can’t you see,

I’m Stick Man, I’m Stick Man,

I’M STICK MAN, that’s me,

And I want to go home to the family tree!”

 His family patiently watches for his return, but after some time they are discouraged and wonder if he will ever come home.

The final problem for Stick Man is the most serious. He is added to a pile of kindling for an inevitable Christmas fire.  Just when the situation seems dire, he is discovered by Santa. Well, actually Stick Man rescues Santa who is stuck in the chimney.  He not only rescues Santa, he helps Santa deliver Christmas presents.  His good deeds are rewarded when Santa brings him home after his busiest night, and Stick Man is finally reunited with his family.

Continue reading Venturing Home: A Review of ‘Stickman’

Expect the Unexpected: A Review of ‘I Want My Hat Back’

“The things we lose have a way of coming back to us in the end, if not always in the way we expect.”  – J. K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

Interest Level:  4 – 8 years

Reading Level:  Grade 1

Review and Comments:

A rather large, imposing bear lost his favorite hat, and he is desperate to find it.  He launches a search in the forest where he confronts seven forest animals, asking each one about his hat.  The animals’ responses are slightly different, but all of them boldly deny seeing or knowing anything about the bear’s hat.  Bear always ends the conversations with a thank you for he is a very polite (but still imposing) bear. After awhile he accepts the fact that his search is futile.  He lies down and laments the loss of the red, pointy hat he misses so much.  Wait a minute!  He absolutely has seen his hat recently, but it does not dawn on him until this very minute where he saw it.  The bear runs across two pages past the animals he questioned previously.  He confronts innocent looking Rabbit who is indeed wearing a red, pointy hat.  The reader will remember that Rabbit has the longest questionable response because he is the only animal who declares he did not steal the hat.  Now Bear is accusing Rabbit of stealing and there is nothing left to be said. Fast forward a bit and Bear is wearing his favorite hat again.  In a humorous twist, Squirrel approaches Bear and asks if he has seen a rabbit wearing a hat.  Bear responds with a guilt-free explanation that he definitely has not seen any such rabbit, and he absolutely would not eat a rabbit. Continue reading Expect the Unexpected: A Review of ‘I Want My Hat Back’

Lost and Found: A Review of ‘Knuffle Bunny: A Cautionary Tale’

“When a child loves you for a long, long time, not just to play with, but REALLY loves you, then you become Real.” – Margery Wilson, The Velveteen Rabbit

Reading Level:

Grades K – 1 [according to common core]

Grade   1      [according to Scholastic – reflects the grade level at which a student reading on grade could read the book independently]

Interest Level: Pre-K – 1

Review and Comments:

Knuffle Bunny by Mo Williams is a humorous story that both parents and children will enjoy. Mo Willems has captured an authentic moment in the everyday life of a father and daughter – one of those moments that is better appreciated when reminiscing after some time has passed. Continue reading Lost and Found: A Review of ‘Knuffle Bunny: A Cautionary Tale’