The Misfits

Title: The Misfits

Author: James Howe

Novel for ages (approximately) 11 and up

Rating: 5 of 5 stars

Summary:

This book is about four close friends, all considered misfits within their school and because of this they are regularly teased, taunted, and made fun of. Together they come up with a third party to run for student council which will represent misfits all over the school. Their platform is no name calling and they run as the No Name party.

Opinion:

This book was one of the funniest, yet most touching stories I have ever read. It really brings to life the seriousness bullying presents and the harm name calling can cause. I loved it because it seemed real. It wasn’t preachy and didn’t talk down to the reader. It was real. The characters had real problems and realistic personality traits. You can easily see each of the Gang of 5 walking down any middle school hallway. It brings you into the book evoking emotions I hadn’t felt since middle school. Every time one of them got called a name or pushed around I felt that pang of embarrassment, anxiety, and hurt. I could’ve cried during some conversations they were so filled with emotion. I also laughed out loud at some conversations between the Gang of 5 because they were funny, but also because I remember similar conversations between my friends and I when we were in the seventh grade. Overall, this book is just very realistic and relatable, and to me, that’s what makes it a knockout. Realistic lessons are much easier to learn than lessons told with fanciful surroundings because they are true and relatable, and well, real.

I would, without a doubt, use this book in my classroom. There are so many lessons to be learned within its pages it would be to my students disadvantage if I didn’t. Not only are there lessons on student to student bullying, there are messages on adult to student, student to adult and adult to adult bullying as well. It brings up questions of right and wrong which are always good for deep thinking, and that is what I want my students to do. I want my students to have to really think about what they believe and put themselves in others’ shoes. This book presents ample opportunity for that. Whether I read it as a part of a bigger unit, or read it as just because it’s a good book, I will read this to my class.

No Name Calling Week -- Started because of this book and implemented in schools all around the United States.

Dear Mr. Rosenwald

Title: Dear Mr. Rosenwald

Author: Carole Boston Weatherford

Illustrator: R. Gregory Christie

Picture book for ages (approximately) 7 and up

Rating: 5 of 5 stars

Summary:

This book takes place in the 1920’s and 30’s and is based on the true story of the Rosenwald schools. The little girl Ovella goes to school in a one room school house with a leaky roof, creaky floor, and drafty walls. The community gets word that Julius Rosenwald, president of Sears, Roebuck and Co. is donating money to help build a new school but the community needs to make up for the remaining amount needed.

Opinion:

I love that this book is based on a true story. It makes it that much easier to believe and learn from. That there really was this poor African-American community and they really did raise enough money for a school through bake sales and small donations makes it that much more impressive and authentic. There is so much to learn from this story, quality lessons that make you think about the kind of person you want to be. There are a million questions you could ask yourself and others such as, why was it only the Black schools that were in such disarray? What is sharecropping and is it right? Why is it that people back then seemed to value education so much more than they do now? Why is it important that everyone get an education? It also brings up topics of kindness, determination, struggle, and heart.

The pictures in this book are not really my cup of tea, but that doesn’t mean they are bad. They are just a little bit more abstract than I like, but everyone needs to be exposed to many different types of art. Just because I don’t like them doesn’t mean I couldn’t have a student that really connects with them.

I would definitely use this book in my classroom, not only on my library shelf, but for all grades in genre studies and author/illustrator studies as well. This book makes you think, and we need more books like that in classrooms.

Mama Panya's Pancakes

Title: Mama Panya’s Pancakes

Author: Mary and Rich Chamberlin

Illustrator: Julia Cairns

Picture book for ages (approximately) 5 and up

Rating: 5of 5 stars

Summary:

This book takes place in Kenya, Africa and is about a little boy and his mother. She decides to make pancakes one day but only has a little money yet the little boy asks all their friends to come over and join them. His mother then worries there won’t be enough but the boy isn’t worried at all.

Opinion:

This story is basically only a window book for me. I have no idea what it is like to live in an African village, walk to a market, have only enough money for one meal, and I cannot fathom the amount of determination and faith it takes to live like that. That lifestyle is so different from mine and seems so harsh yet this little boy never fails in his undying kindness and optimism. In a situation where it seems it would be very easy to become bitter and selfish he shows that kindness and selflessness are truly the attributes to possess. He shows that friends mean more than money and compassion is priceless.

The pictures in this book are fun and expressive. They are colorful and get you to really think about the Kenyan landscape and lifestyle. As most of my students will not be from Kenya or probably ever visit there I feel these illustrations really show what life in a different culture is like.

My favorite part of this book is at the end where it gives facts and information about living in Kenya. There are paragraphs on the people, schools, and general village life as well as pictures of native animals, maps, a short lesson on Kiswahili, the native language, and best of all, Mama Panya’s pancake recipe.

I would definitely use this book in my classroom, not only on my library shelf, but for all grades in genre studies and author/illustrator studies as well.

Riding to Washington

Title: Riding to Washington

Author: Gwenyth Swain

Illustrator: David Geister

Picture book for ages (approximately) 6 and up

Rating: 5of 5 stars

Summary:

This book takes place during the civil rights movement when a young white girl rides the bus with her father to the March on Washington. During this trip she finds that MLK’s dream belongs not just to Blacks but to all Americans

Opinion:

This story can be both a window and a mirror for me. No, I was not even alive during the civil rights movement and I have never experienced racism first hand, so in that way it is a window into a different time, culture, and experience. I do relate to the little girl though. She is known as a trouble maker and is having trouble making sense of the world around her. She is outspoken, especially when she feels strongly about something. I have always heard the saying, “Doing what’s easy is not always right. Doing what’s right is not always easy,” and nothing illustrates that better than this book.

The pictures in this book are wonderful paintings with the characters painted from real people in David Geister’s life. They really bring to life the issues being faced in this story and the feelings portrayed in the text are made that much more real through Geister’s paintings.

I would definitely use this book in my classroom, not only on my library shelf, but for all grades in genre studies and author/illustrator studies as well. It really makes you think about what would you do in this situation? Would you do what’s easy or what is right?

The Lucky Star

Title: The Lucky Star

Author: Judy Young

Illustrator: Chris Ellison

Picture book for ages (approximately) 6 and up

Rating: 5of 5 stars

Summary:

This book tells takes place in 1933 during the Great Depression. The little girl, Ruth, has a hard time understanding her mother’s favorite phrase, “Count your lucky stars.” Throughout the course of the book she learns not only why her mother says it, but comes to believe in it too.

Opinion:

This is a heartwarming story about perseverance, love, and silver linings. This little girl always hears her mom say, “Count your lucky stars,” but Ruth has a hard time seeing these stars. Things her mom says she’s lucky to have Ruth doesn’t see as very good at all. For instance, her father lives hundreds of miles away so he can work. Her shoes are hand-me-downs and too big, and worst of all, she can’t attend school in the fall because the school is closed. She learns, however, that she can help change some of these things. She begins to teach her sister how to read and then goes on to teach the whole neighborhood. What better example of determination is there? She learns to take nothing for granted and ends up finding many stars to count. This is a skill I feel is becoming lost. People whine and complain seeing all the bad things life throws at them when there are hundreds of good things all around them they forget about. Optimism is often hard to find, maybe because it’s just easier to be a pessimist, but what’s easier is often not what’s right. As teachers, I don’t believe we intentionally teach pessimism, but we definitely don’t teach against it either. I believe we all would be a little happier if we did.

The illustrations in this book are gorgeous paintings filled with color and expression. They make you feel like you’re there, in the story watching everything that is going on. Ellison uses a variety of colors and sizes depending on the words of that particular page. My favorite is the very first illustration. It takes up two pages and shows the mother and daughter on the porch at night looking up to the stars. You can see the warm glow from inside the house and you can almost smell the night air.

I would definitely use this book in my classroom, not only on my library shelf, but for all grades in genre studies and author/illustrator studies as well. It sends messages of optimism, perseverance, and love, all of which are important messages to share.

The Gardener

Title: The Gardener

Author: Sarah Stewart

Illustrator: David Small

Picture book for ages (approximately) 5 and up

Rating: 5 of 5 stars

Summary:

This book tells a story about a little girl, Lydia Grace Finch, who gets sent off to stay with her Uncle Jim during the Great Depression. Her mission becomes getting her uncle to smile and she does this through gardening. It is a Caldecott Honor book.

Opinion:

This is wonderful story written in letter form. You get to see every letter this little girl sends through her journey. She has a passion for gardening and is very good at it. This book is a tale of perseverance and strength. It shows that even in the worst of times there is something good that can be done. It speaks against moping and feeling sorry for oneself and instead focuses on the silver linings in life. It shows that just because someone is poor does not necessarily mean they have a lower quality of life. If anything it shows that people like that are happier as they are better able to find little things every day to make them happy.

The illustrations in this book are just as wonderful. They start on the front cover, which I like, and give the background to the story. Because this book is written in letter form you need the pictures to fully understand and grasp the situation at hand. Without the illustrations you would never know how close this girl is to her grandmother, how optimistic she is, smiling on every page no matter the problems being faced. And most of all, you wouldn’t get to see the amazing way she transforms the building she lives in with only a few packets of seeds.

I would definitely use this book in my classroom, not only on my library shelf, but for all grades in genre studies and author/illustrator studies as well. It sends several messages I want my students to hear loud and clear namely, there is always a silver lining, never take life too seriously, always do your best and help others, and finally, you don’t have to do huge things to make a huge difference.

Jacquline Woodson

When I started reading my first book by Jacqueline Woodson I wasn’t sure I was going to like it. First of all, her main character was nothing like me, rich, popular, living with a single parent, and black. Secondly, I got the feeling this book was going to have a lot of uncomfortable topics in it. After I read the book I was amazed at the quality of literature available for pre-teens and adolescents. It was wonderful! No, I didn’t really make any meaningful connections with either of the main characters, but the book was full of drama, the kind that gets your pulse racing and emotions flowing. Yes, I was uneasy during parts of the book, but it made me think, is that really bad? Why shouldn’t I be uncomfortable? These are awful topics and they happen every day. The more I thought about it, the more I believed if I were comfortable with these things such as child molestation, racism, and class systems, there would be something horribly wrong with me. Uncomfortable is good and we need to make people uncomfortable more often. We can’t just brush these things under the rug like they’re nothing, or only happen to people no one knows. All Woodson’s books address, not just one or two, but several “controversial” topics such as, rape, sexual identity, racism, class-ism, death, and suicide. Yes, all these topics make us squeamish. We don’t want to bring it up and we don’t want to listen about it because that makes them all the more real to those of us fortunate enough to have not experienced them. But they are real. They are real and they happen all the time. The reason we don’t hear about it more often is because we as a society have decided these topics distress people unaccustomed to them and no one wants to be distressed so they get deemed taboo. Unfortunately this then works against those who need help with these issues. We make victims feel that if they do break the unwritten rule and say something like this is happening, no one will believe them anyway. Instead of lending our arms and voices to assist these people, we shut them out so we don’t feel unpleasant. This is not how our society should run and this is not how I want my classroom run. I want my students experiencing these things to know its okay to talk and I want my students who don’t know what these things are like to be aware that it goes on. This way everyone can better help each other.