Rules

Rules
By: Cynthia Lord
Fiction/ Special needs
Lord, C. (2008). Rules. New York : Scholastic Paperbacks

Link to Prezi: http://prezi.com/k6lwvte9rpae/untitled-prezi/?kw=view-k6lwvte9rpae&rc=ref-30995299

I really enjoyed reading this book.  This would be a great book to use in literature circles.  It would also be a great read aloud to make the children aware of students with special needs and the importance of respecting these students.  I believe creating a Prezi would be a great activity to go along with this book.  I created a Prezi that descibes each character and their influence on the story.  Students could also create a story map Prezi.

Favorite Quote: " I wish everyone had the same chances."- Catherine

The Story About Ping

The Story About Ping
By: Marjorie Flack and Kurt Wiese
International Literature
Flack, M., & Wiese, K. (1933). The story about ping. New York, NY: Viking Penguin Inc.

This is a picture book about a duck named Ping.  Ping lived on a boat with his mother, father and other family members.  Ping wondered off one day and did not get back on the boat.  The next day he awoke in an unfamiliar place without any of his family members. He was lost on the Yangtze river. Ping was captured by a Chinese family who bribed him with a rice cake. Luckily for Ping a little boy set him free and he was reunited with his family.

This is a beautifully illustrated book and would be a perfect book for third grade students.  I would use this book in my future classroom as a read aloud and then as the introduction to a writing activity.  I would open this question to the students, "How would you feel if you were separated from your family?"

Favorite Quote:  "Then at last Ping was back with his mother and his father and his two sisters and his three brothers and eleven aunts and seven uncles and forty-two cousins." 

Heroes for Civil Rights

Heroes for Civil Rights
By: David A. Adler
Nonfiction
Adler, D. (2009). Heroes for civil rights. New York, NY: Scholastic Inc.
This is a great nonfiction book that gives a brief description of each of the following Civil Right's heroes:
- Ralph Abernathy
- Medgar Evers
- Andrew Goodman
- The Greensboro Four
- Fannie Lou Hamer
- Lyndon Baines Johnson
- Martin Luther King Jr. 
- The Little Rock Nine
- Thurgood Marshall
- James Meredith
- Rosa Parks
- Earl Warren
Each page describes information about the hero and what they did for the civil rights effort.  For an example in Rosa Park's section it talks about her bus ride on December 1, 1955.  Rosa Park's refused to give up her seat and was arrested.  This protest lead to the bus boycott. This is a great book with accurate information.


This would be a great book to have in the classroom. When we are discussing the civil rights movement students can look up various people in this book. Lastly students can research important individuals involved in the civil rights movement.  

Favorite Quote:  " Say that I was a drum major for peace. I was a drum major for righteousness." - Martin Luther King Jr. 

Make Way For Ducklings

Make Way For Ducklings
By: Robert McCloskey
Fiction
1942 Caldecott Medal
McCloskey, R. (1941). Make way for ducklings. New York: The Viking Press.


This book is beautifully illustrated. It is about a family of Mallard ducks in search of a good place to raise their children. Mr. and Mrs. Mallard have 8 ducklings and move from place to place searching for a safe home. Mrs. Mallard always finds something wrong with each of the places thus they have to move elsewhere. Finally in the end the Mallards decide to live in Boston Public Garden. 

Reading this book is a great way to introduce personification. Mr. and Mrs. Mallard have human characteristics. This book would also be a great way to discuss different ways to illustrate.  The illustrator uses charcoal on zinc plates to create the backgrounds and the foregrounds. This could lead to a great discussion about various medias used to create illustrations.    

Tikki Tikki Tembo

Tikki Tikki Tembo
By: Arlene Mosel
International Literature
Mosel, A. (1968). Tikki tikki tembo.


This is a chinese tale from many years ago.  It discusses why first born chinese children no longer have long names. Years ago first born children were given long extravagent names and the second born was given a short name. The first born in this family was named "Tikki tikki tembo-no sa rembo- chari bari ruchi- pip peri pembo" which means "the most wonderful thing in the whole wide world!" and their second born was named Chang, which means "little of nothing".  Chang tried to save his older brother from drowning in the well but he could not remember/ say his name. After the first born child almost died the family swore to only give their children short names. 

This would be a great book to use when studying the chinese culture.  It is important for students to learn about different cultures.  An interesting activity would to get students to research a different culture and present it to the class.  This book includes different chinese names and the foods they eat.

James and the Giant Peach

James and the Giant Peach
By: Roald Dahl
Fantasy
Dahl, R. (1961). James and the giant peach. London, England: Alfred Knopf.

This book is about, James Henry Trotter, a little boy who lives with his terrible aunts. His mother and father were eaten by "escaped rhinos"(unrealistic element). James is abused physically and mentally by his aunts.  He longs for the happiness and adventure that the man promised him with the green tongues. James escapes into the peach and befriends the magical insects.  The insects take care of James and they all work together to get to New York City.  The magical insects include the silkworm, the glowworm, Miss Spider and the earthworm. This is an interesting story that includes personification.  

This is a book by well known author, Roald Dahl.  He also wrote Matilda, The Witches and Esio Trot. Majority of the books written by Roald Dahl have a magical element. Also a lot of his novels have a orphaned child in search of happiness. This book would be a great introduction to author's purpose.  An activity that would be great would be an authors study.  During an author's study students will read various novels from the author and research his life. After reading and researching students will make connections between the author's life and his work to develop the authors purpose.

Favorite Quote:   "You're not even a real rhino! You're just a lot of smoke and noise! I'm not afraid of you!"

Will You Sign Here, John Hancock?

Will You Sign Here, John Hancock?
By: Jean Fritz
Historical Fiction
Jean. , & Fritz, (1987). Will you sign here, john hancock?. New York, NY: Scholastic Inc.

This is a good but that informs the reader about John Hancock and his life.  This book is full of random facts about John Hancock.  Including, "he lived with his Uncle Thomas and Aunt Lydia in a house with 54 windows" and "he attended Harvard College".  This book also contains information that is either opinion based or made up.  I believe the author included this information to make the book more interesting.  An example would be the story about the wishing stone, at the beginning of the book, and how the stone changed John Hancock's life. 

This book would be a great resource when researching Jon Hancock and other fathers of the constitution.  This book also includes information about Samuel Adams, George Washington and King George of England, who were also influential people during this time period.  This would book could lead into a research activity in which students can write about influential people during the revolution.