Tag Archives: school

Elementary, Middle School

An Idea Put to the Test: A Review of ‘Frindle’

“I know nothing in the world that has as much power as a word.” – Emily Dickinson

Reading Level

Grades 3-5, 6-8 [Scholastic]

AR 5.4 [2 points]

Interest Level

Grades 4-8

Review and Comments

This story is about Nicholas Allen’s successful campaign to use his newly invented word, frindle.

Nick has a reputation for having very creative, original ideas – ideas that often push the limits of his teachers’ patience.  Children, on the other hand, seem drawn to his plans.  One of his fool proof ideas is the “teacher-stopper.”  So, Nick tests his new fifth grade teacher, Mrs. Granger, with his tried and true routine of asking a question to take up class time. This plan never fails. He asks, “Why do words mean what they mean?”  She explains that “a word means something because he, Nick, says it does.”  Now that is food for thought.  So, when he finds a pen on the way home from school, he decides to call it a different name.  He calls it a frindle.  And that simple decision begins Nick’s greatest scheme.  He decides to call a pen a frindle while at home, at school, and he even asks his friends to join him. Continue reading An Idea Put to the Test: A Review of ‘Frindle’ →

Elementary, Preschool

Be Who You Are Perfectly: A Review of ‘Chrysanthemum’

“Kind words can be short and easy to speak, but their echoes are truly endless.” – Mother Teresa

Reading level   

Grades 1-2

Common Core  

Grade 2

Interest level

P-3

Review and Comments

Choosing a name for a child can be quite a challenging decision for parents.  Mr. and Mrs. Mouse considered this obligation thoughtfully and chose the name that was “absolutely perfect” for their new precious baby.  They named her Chrysanthemum – the perfect name for their perfect daughter.   As Chrysanthemum grew, she too found her name to be perfect whether it was written or spoken.  As a matter of fact, she often repeated it to herself because she liked the sound of it so much.

When it was time for Chrysanthemum to start school, she was very excited and full of enthusiasm as most children are.  The first time her class heard her name however, they laughed.  Some students, three girls in particular, continuously made comments about her name and thought of different ways to tell her it was unusual and weird.  Unfortunately, Chrysanthemum listened to the harsh comments of the girls and it wasn’t long before she didn’t think her name was perfect anymore.  She even had the drastic thought that she should change her name.  Alas, the next day of school was not any better.  The three girls treated her the same way, and she felt truly dreadful. She shared all of this with her parents and they assured her that her name was indeed absolutely perfect and then tried to help her see why those girls would say such hurtful things. Continue reading Be Who You Are Perfectly: A Review of ‘Chrysanthemum’ →

Elementary, Preschool

Something Very Magical: A Review of ‘Miss Smith’s Incredible Storybook’

“You can find magic wherever you look.  Sit back and relax, all you need is a book.” – Dr. Seuss

Reading level

Grades 1 – 2

AR 3.8

Interest level

Pre-K – 2

Review and Comments

Miss Smith’s rather ordinary looking storybook is truly quite amazing.  Zach, a student in her class, quickly recognizes its unique nature after the very first story time of the new school year. Miss Smith’s stories are mind blowing!  The first tale she reads is about pirates.  It’s a good story, but this time Zach can actually see the characters come to life right before his eyes and feel the atmosphere of each setting as if he is in the middle of the action.  And he also sees the characters promptly return to the book when the story ends. After that first experience, Zach’s excitement does not wane.  He has so much curiosity about the adventures of each new story that it makes him want to go to school. Continue reading Something Very Magical: A Review of ‘Miss Smith’s Incredible Storybook’ →

Elementary

A Review of Two of the ‘Kids of Polk Street School’ Books

The Kids of the Polk Street School series is written for young readers who are eagerly beginning to stretch their reading skills to chapter books.  This is quite an exciting time of new goals for children. Each book focuses on a student in Ms. Rooney’s second grade classroom.

The Beast in Ms. Rooney’s Room

“Make it a practice to judge persons and things in the most favorable light at all times, in all circumstances.”  – St. Vincent de Paul

Reading level

3.2        [Scholastic – reflects the grade level at which a student reading on grade could read the book independently]

2.1         [AR]

Interest level

Grades  3 – 5

Review and Comments

The Beast in Ms. Rooney’s Room, the first book in the series, introduces readers to several typical second grade students.  Richard “Beast” Best is one of the students beginning the new school year in Ms. Rooney’s class – for the second time.  Because of this, Richard has to deal with a lot of concerns before he feels comfortable in a class of younger children.  What will he tell his old classmates about why he was left back?  Why does he have to feel so big next to the other second graders?  Why does he still have baby teeth?  Why can he only read ten words? Why does he get in trouble so often? The reader understands more about Richard’s struggles through his relationships with other students who eventually support and accept him.  Inevitably, there is also an irritating student who attempts to upset Richard’s adjustment to the new school year with hurtful remarks. Continue reading A Review of Two of the ‘Kids of Polk Street School’ Books →

Elementary, Middle School

Finding Greatness: A Review of ‘Wonder’

“Courage. Kindness. Friendship. Character. These are the qualities that define us as human beings, and propel us, on occasion, to greatness.” –from Wonder

Grade Level:

Grades 5-8

Review and Thoughts

Wonder, by R.J. Palacio, is one of those great middle elementary books that teaches everyone the struggles and beauties of life and how sometimes they become entwined and we can’t have one without the other.

The story begins with our introduction to August Pullman who has been born with a terrible facial deformity.  In fact, when he is first born, he tells us that the nurses took him away so that his mother couldn’t see him.  He goes on to explain how everyone is so shocked and flustered in the hospital, but when his mother sees him, she notices how beautiful his eyes are and loves him the way any mother would.  And so the book begins with that combination of struggle and beauty and continues throughout. Continue reading Finding Greatness: A Review of ‘Wonder’ →

Elementary

Rhythmical Creation of Beauty in Words: A Review of ‘Pocket Poems’

“Poetry is a packsack of invisible keepsakes.”–Carl Sandburg

Grade Level:

K-1

Review and Comments:

Pocket Poems by Bobbi Katz is an anthology of 55 short poems that are both humorous and thought provoking. They cover subjects from nature themes to a twist on traditional stories like ‘Humpty Dumpty’, ‘The Old Woman in the Shoe’, and ‘Mary Had a Little Lamb’. There is even a poem written in English and Spanish entitled “You – Tu.”  Teachers will find the poem using homophones and a few poems about punctuation marks good additions to English lessons.  My particular favorites are “The Drum” and [from]” Arithmetic.”  The poems are written by classic authors such as Emily Dickinson and Carl Sandburg along with contemporary authors like the author of the anthology, Bobbie Katz. Continue reading Rhythmical Creation of Beauty in Words: A Review of ‘Pocket Poems’ →

Elementary

Life Spills Over For Better or Worse: A Review of ‘The Great Gilly Hopkins’

“No man is an island, entire of itself. Our lives are involved with one another, through innumerable interactions they are linked together. No one lives alone. No one sins alone. No one is saved alone. The lives of others continually spill over into mine: in what I think, say, do and achieve. And conversely, my life spills over into that of others: for better and worse.”  Pope Benedict XVI

Reading Level:

Grades  4-5

Review and Thoughts:

Foster Child: a child without parental support and protection, placed with a person or family to be cared for, usually by local welfare services or by court order. This is Gilly Hopkins.  Gilly, or Galadriel Hopkins, is an eleven year old girl who is starting over yet again in the third foster home in three years through circumstances beyond her control.  Gilly’s life experiences have forced her to create a list of rules written on her heart.  These rigid rules are what she fights to live by:

  1. I will accept no kisses or hugs.
  2. I will be clever and hard to manage.
  3. I will dare anyone to accept me or change me.
  4. I will be in charge of my own life.
  5. I will never appear the fool.
  6. I will never need help.
  7. I will be in charge of my education by making teachers treat me differently.
  8. I will be tough.
  9. I will continue to build a reputation and be proud of it.
  10. I will never attach myself to something that is likely to blow away some day.
  11. I will be Galadriel Hopkins – some day.

Continue reading Life Spills Over For Better or Worse: A Review of ‘The Great Gilly Hopkins’ →

Elementary

Making a Mark: A Review of ‘The Dot’

“Art is not what you see, but what you make others see.” Edgar Degas

Reading Level:

Grades K-1

Review and Thoughts:

Many of us have confronted a blank paper when faced with the task of writing an assignment or drawing a picture. It can feel overwhelming.  After some initial struggles there is a glimmer of an idea – the promise of something unique and worthwhile.  Then, the first sentence or the first stroke blossoms into an exclusive creation. The Dot by Peter H. Reynolds is a story about such an experience. Continue reading Making a Mark: A Review of ‘The Dot’ →

Elementary

A Mysterious Turn of Events: A Review of ‘Bunnicula: A Rabbit-Tale of Mystery’

By Deborah and James Howe

A dog has one aim in life…. to bestow his heart. J. R. Ackerley

A cat has absolute emotional honesty: human beings, for one reason or another, may hide their feelings, but a cat does not.  Ernest Hemingway

Reading Level:

Grades 4-5

Review and Thoughts

Before the actual story begins James Howe, the author, explains the evolution of Bunnicula — how he and his wife created a group of characters who became a story and ultimately how that story became the book, Bunnicula.

The Editor’s Note is quite clever and explains how the story of Bunnicula is then delivered to the editor by a dog carrying a large brown envelope.  Inside the envelope is a letter addressed to the editors. The letter is actually written by the dog and explains that the manuscript, also in the envelope, is written in his own words.  It tells a true story about his family (names changed to protect family), and he hopes they find it interesting enough to publish. Continue reading A Mysterious Turn of Events: A Review of ‘Bunnicula: A Rabbit-Tale of Mystery’ →

Elementary

A Third Grader Extraordinaire: A Review of ‘Clementine’

“When the light turns green, you go.  When the light turns red, you stop.  But what do you do when the light turns blue and orange with lavender spots?”  Shel Silverstein, A Light in the Attic

Reading Level

Grades 2-3

 Review and Thoughts

“There is absolutely nothing common about Clementine.”   This is a testimony given by Clementine’s parents, and the reader will surely agree with them after reading about one week in her life. Clementine is an extraordinary girl, although some may say she is a bit peculiar. She has a lot of ideas and impressions about things bouncing around in her head, and the reader is allowed to observe them as they develop.  They provide a good idea of who this young whirlwind of a girl is.  She says, “Spectacular ideas are always sproinging up in my brain.”  I have to “grab them fast or else they get bored and bounce away.” These notions often lead to dilemmas that become more and more complicated, and the consequences of her actions are not what Clementine thinks about until she meets them face to face. Continue reading A Third Grader Extraordinaire: A Review of ‘Clementine’ →