Papa and the Pioneer Quilt

By: Jean Van Leeuwen
Illustrated by:  Rebecca Bond

This story tells the tale of a young girl whose family picks up and moves to Oregon.  This book depicts the hardships of the Oregon Trial in 1853.  The characters in this story wear out their shoes and clothes and oxen on the way. While walking across miles to their new home the little girl hears about a quilt another traveler plans on making from scraps that she collects along her journey.  The young girl in the story decides to collect scraps of her own to also make a quilt. The family suffers and yet finally makes it through to Oregon where they find rich land.  The little girl and her mother make her quilt together and hope that they have stopped thier wandering and have found home.

This is a wonderful book to teach children about the hardships pioneers found along the Oregon Trail.  The story teaches us to value our past and embrace the hardships that make us who we are.  Many times throughout the book you find yourself concerned and saddened by the families trials and are relieved when they make it to their new home.  I would recommend this book, not only for a study of the Oregon Trail,  but any other trials experienced by our ansestors and their sacrifice for something better.

Just Like Josh Gibson

by; Angela Johnson

illustrated by; Beth Peck

In this story Grandmama retells one of  her childhood memories to her grand-daughter.  Grandma tells about being and African American girl in the 1940's.  She wanted wanted nothing more than to play baseball like her hero Josh Gibson but girls at that time were not allowed to play.  Her father buys her a bat on the day she is born and teaches her how to play.  Sometimes she was able to play with her brother and his friends.  Everyone said it was a shame she was a girl because she could catch and throw just like the boys.  She always watches the game from the sideline.  She finally got her chance to play in a game when her brother broke his arm and they needed and eighth player.  She ends her story by recalling the cheers she heard that day. 

 

This is an inspiring story about following your dreams and not giving up.  The story itself does not give much information about Josh Gibson but there is great information in the back about black baseball players, including Josh Gibson.  Although the story does not teach about the famous baseball player it does do a nice job of  showing what it was like to be discriminated againt.  It is a wonderful book to teach African American History.

 

 

F is for Freedom

 by Roni Schotter

 

Ten year old Amanda discovers that her home is a stop on the Underground Railroad. Her parents have brought in a family of four slaves and has hidden them in thier Hudson River farmhouse. Amanda befriends the oldest child, Hanah.  As with most slaves, Hannah has been forbidden to learn to read or write by her former owner.  Hannahs mother tells her, "Reading is freedom" and she believes that this is the only way to be truly free.  Amanda risks everything to help her friend and gegins to teach Hannah to read and write.

 

I think this book is a wonderful book to teach children about the Underground Railroad and the treatment of slaves.  The most beautiful central message of the story is how reading is freedom and something we should value.  The friendship between the two girls gives this book a very endearing feel.  This book not only gives children general knowlege about the historical events of this time period but also the power of reading and true friendship.

 

The World According to Humphrey

By; Betty B. Birney

Humphrey is the classroom pet hamster of Room 26 and the narrator of this story.  Each weekend, Humphrey visits the home of a different student, and learns a little bit more about each of them. Life, school, friendship, and family, are seen through the eyes of a hamster, and Humphrey makes a difference in the lives of the families who care for him.  Humphrey helps everyone from Mrs. Brisbane's angry husband to Aldo's lonely social life, but the story also shows that people have many different reasons for acting the way they do.


This is a great book. I really enjoyed reading it for a number of reasons.  Reading a book from a hamster’s perspective is very interesting and could teach children to understand life as seen through someone else’s eyes. Children would also be able to make many connections to this book since it is set in a classroom.  The story describes students and teachers and therefore would be easy for a student to associate with the context and identify with the activities and adventures which take place. The end of each chapter has funny and informative nonfiction tips about hamsters. There are also fun pages at the end with games and comprehension questions and a fun quiz on how well you know Humphrey! This would be a great book for literature circles and/or class discussion.  

The Brief Thief

Published 2013

Author; Michaël Escoffier 

Illustrator; Kris Di Giacomo

Leon the chameleon is having a good day until he has to go poo and there is no toilet paper.  He uses an old pair of underpants and, after tossing them in a bush, a voice questions his naughty behavior. The chameleon washes the underpants and hangs them to dry as instructed. The voice of his conscience is revealed to be a rabbit who wears the underpants as the mask to his superhero costume. An unexpected and laugh-out-loud ending!


This book is a humorous, lighthearted, fun read! Children will love the bathroom humor. This is a book to read for pure enjoyment.  If you needed to find a moral to the story it would be to "listen to that little voice inside of your head"; but who needs a moral                                                                           when this book is such hilarious fun! 

The Princess and the Pig

By; Jonathan Emmett 

Illustrated by Poly Bernatene

copyright 2011





A poor farmer and his little piglet are passing by the castle one fateful day when a mishap causes the piglet to swap places with the new born princess.   Due to the mix-up, the pig was raised as a princess and the princess was raised as a peasant.  Many years later when the farmer figures out what must have happened, he and his wife attempt to right the wrong and return their beloved daughter to the palace.
Their attempt is rejected as the King and Queen who think the story is foolish accuse the farmer of trickery. The three return to their life on the farm and "live happily ever after".  Although the ending is not as enchanted for the pig.

The book stands out as a fun play on the traditional fairy tale.  In fact, many references are made in the book to other fairy tales. The characters in the story are always comparing their situation to "the sort of things that happens all the time in books" while pointing to the tale they are referring to.  This would be a great addition to a fairy tale unit as students will be naturally curious to read the story mentioned by each character.  

This book was funny and cleverly written.  It would appeal to all ages because of its depth.  This book can be read for pure enjoyment or the reader can dig deeper into the different fairly tales and/or contemplate the struggle the farmer faces in deciding to tell the King what he has discovered.

Spoon

By, Amy Krouse Rosenthal 

Illustrated by Scott Magoon

Published in 2009

Spoon is a charming story about a young spoon that thinks everyone else has life better than him, the knife gets to cut and spread and chopsticks are just so exotic. Meanwhile his friends think that spoon has it pretty good too. He gets to be silly and measure things.  As his mother tucks spoon in bed she reminds him of the neat things spoons can do!

Spoon is an inspirational story that children and adults alike can relate to. Everyone has moments when they think the grass is greener elsewhere, or that life is better in another section of the utensil drawer. Some cute little jokes are peppered through the story, like Spoon mentioning that the fork does not go 'stir crazy' and part of the spoon's family history when his great grandmother ran off with a dish. The illustrations are perfect and add humor and emotion to the utensil characters.

I highly recommend Spoon, and think that it will entertain and open the way to discussions about jealousy and appreciating differences in others and seeing the good in ourselves.  Spoon brought a smile to my face and had me thinking of how wonderful it is that we are all unique and we all have a special part to play in the "place setting" that is our world.