AR Level – 3.5
Points – 3
Interest Level – Middle to Upper Grades
To those of you who are looking at the 3.5 reading level and discounting this as a possibility for your jr. high book shelves…don’t. Home of the Brave is a book written in poems and while that may not sound like a big deal, I think it is important to expose students to many different types of writing styles. The poems are not rhyming little kid poems, but stanzas that tell the story of a refugee teenager named Kek. Kek is sent to Minnesota to live with his aunt and cousin after a deadly civil war attack on his African village leaves his father and brother dead and his mother missing. Did you just raise one eyebrow and say Minnesota? I know that is what I thought while reading this book, but as it turns out, 13% of Minnesota’s foreign-born residents are from Africa. (This information was taken from the Author’s Reading guide in the back of the book. I LOVE the comprehensive guide for teachers to use in the classroom with their students!)
Kek has a gentle disposition and a positive outlook on his new life even though it is extremely confusing at times. As a reader, we get the opportunity to experience such things as snow and french fries through the sensations of Kek who has no knowledge of such things. The scenes in the ESL classroom are eye-openers through which students can develop a better understanding of what it must be like to enter our country not knowing one English word.
The struggles Kek endures during his relocation to America is something that every student should read so they understand the need for acceptance. Both to be accepted as a foreigner and the need to accept others for their differences and what they can bring to our country.
I will be using this book during our study of immigration. While our Social Studies textbook focuses primarily on Ellis Island and the history of immigration, I think this will be a perfect addition that will allow a modern day connection.
Kek is the perfect character to make you realize America really is the “Home of the Brave”.
Since I rarely watch TV…and I mean RARELY, I was unaware that Oprah has begun a reading list for kids. So how did I stumble upon this little tidbit of reading information? It was on the back of the latest book that I just completed. “Savvy” by Ingrid Law. Among other honors, right smack-dab in the middle of the back is listed as “Oprah’s Book Club Kids Reading List“. I guess it looks like I will be heading over to this list to see what is included. As for now, my 7th review of the summer, “Savvy”.
7.) Savvy by Ingrid Law
AR Level – 6.0
Points – 9
Interest Level – Middle to Upper Grades
A special 13th birthday, super human powers, and a bi-state travel adventure are the three ingredients that make this book infectious. Mibs, short for Mississippi, is quickly approaching her 13th birthday upon which she will finally grow into her “savvy”. Her only problem…she has no idea what her savvy will entail. Her two older brother’s have already grown into theirs even though they are having a difficult time (as her Mother puts it…) “scumbling” them. Fish rumbles up storms when faced with stressful situations while Rocket has been given the savvy of conducting electricity. Two days before Mibs’s birthday, her Poppa is in a terrible car accident that leaves him unconscious in the hospital. Since Momma and older brother, Rocket, will be staying at the hospital to tend to Poppa and not be available to throw her a party, the local minister and his wife decide to take it upon themselves to help the family by hosting Mibs’s 13th birthday at the church. Mibs is very concerned about getting her savvy while away from her parents…and righteously so. After all, on Fish’s 13th birthday, after acquiring his savvy and being in the wrong place at the wrong time (on the coast), he had caused a hurricane. On Mibs’s 13th birthday, she awakens to a series of odd happenings only to discover that she has received her “savvy”. And it is a good one…maybe even one that can help Poppa recover from his accident. During her birthday party at the church, Mibs decides she must get to Salina where her Poppa is in the hospital. What to do? Sneak out and hitch a ride with the Bible delivery man. Let the adventures begin! It is one catastrophe after another from here on out.
As always, I am including any questionable content. I feel this is important as not to be caught off guard while reading the book cold with your students in class. Two bully girls that attend school with Mibs refer to her as “Missy-Pissy” since her real name is Mississippi. While this is not terrible, I can see some younger students heading straight to my desk to show me the word “Pissy”. The other part is a kiss between Mibs and a male character. It is a pretty innocent kissing scene and quite frankly I am proud of Mibs for telling him that she is not ready for that type of friendship.
I am not typically a fantasy genre fan. However, this fantasy mixes with enough of a modern day storyline to keep me “buying in”. I really enjoyed it and think kids ranging from grades 4-8 will too. It really allows for a personal reflection regarding each individual’s special talents a.k.a their “Savvy”.
My daughter asked me about the word savvy after closely looking at the cover of this novel. (I have to admit that I was VERY MUCH drawn to this cover even though I try to stay near and dear to the old “don’t judge” adage.) The response that I gave her at first was pretty dictionary-like…and after realizing I was being a teacher and not a mom, I looked up and said, “You know…savvy is what you’re good at!” Her response made my day. “Oh, like you being a tech-geek. That is your savvy!”
So, what’s your savvy?
Go ahead. Take a minute to brag about yourself. We would love to hear about it!
I hear educators talk about Battle of the Books. I honestly am not sure what that entails, but I think it sounds interesting and right up my alley. That is the first thought that came to mind as I typed this title. There will be quite a few rounds of these book reviews this summer since I have found myself on a reading hot streak that I want to ride out for as a long as I can! Also, these book reviews are in the order that I have read them…not in order of preference. Just wanted to clear that up. Since I have not finished my list, I do not want to make any preconceived decisions regarding my favorites. Maybe at the end of the summer I will do a post that ranks them…we’ll see. Ok…here is 4, 5, and 6.
This is a fabulous book for 4th graders since the main character, Georgie, is exactly the same age. Except there is this one thing…just as the title indicates. Georgie is a dwarf. It seems that every year I have some sort of “friendship drama” that takes place in my 4th grade classroom. Usually it revolves around jealousy when one friend decides they would like to play with someone new. This book is a great beginning of the year read to emulate the possibility of new friendships as well as accept the fact that sometimes your best friend might want to be friends with someone else as well. There is also a pretty great antagonist in this story that you can’t help but to love. Especially after you get a glimpse of her home life. (This is the only questionable content in the entire book. She gets into a name calling match with her brother that results in her being called “Puss Head”.) Her real name…Jeannie the Meanie. I am guessing you will understand how she earned this label within the first pages of this book. Georgie comes from “normal” parents who are now expecting another baby. At first Georgie is excited at the possibility of being a big brother but soon realizes he may not be the “big” sibling of the family in the long run. Georgie’s 4th grade year proves to be a struggle while dealing with all of these personal issues, but something with which I believe most 4th graders will be able to identify. This, too, will make the list of book club choices for the upcoming months. I loved it!
5.) All the Lovely Bad Ones by Mary Downing Hahn
AR Level – 4.5
Points – 6
Interest Level – Middle to Upper Grades
Brother and sister, Travis and Corey, are sent to spend the summer with their grandmother in Vermont after being asked not to return to the summer camp they had visited last year. Being the pranksters for which they are so famous, the siblings are delighted to find out the inn that Grandmother owns (and in which they are staying) has been rumored to be haunted. The previous owners sold the inn to their grandmother and then left after a series of odd happenings throughout the old hotel. Grandmother has yet to see anything weird happen and flippantly mentions how business might actually be better if the guests were attracted to the inn for the possibility of seeing a ghost just as they had in the past. Well, that is enough of a spark to light the fire for the ornery siblings to put on a “ghost show” for the inn’s guests. What they don’t realize is the grounds surrounding Grandmother’s inn are haunted and they are about to wake up those sleeping ghosts for the scare of a lifetime. I am not a big fan of ghost stories, so I was a little skeptical of this book, but I really did like it and am glad I have found a book that I can recommend to students with that genre interest. Overly mature readers might find some of the parts in the story a little hokey while younger readers might actually become frightened. So choose your audience carefully here. On a side note, since I scour books as I read them for possible book club candidates, the word Hell does appear several times. Although it sort of fits the theme of ghosts and the supernatural. This is a possible book club choice AFTER I get to know the students who will be participants this year.
6.) Shooting the Moon by Frances O’Roark Dowell
AR Level – 4.5
Points – 6
Interest Level – Middle to Upper Grades
This book is a bit near and dear to my heart since the 12 year old female character, Jaime, is an Army Brat. So is my mom. While I have absolutely no idea what it must have been like to attend 14 schools in 12 years as did my mom, I got a little insight to Army life from my mom and I was able to connect the stories that she has told me to Jaime, the daughter of an Army Colonel. This book takes place during Vietnam. Jaime’s older brother has decided to enlist and shockingly to her (and her brother), The Colonel is NOT HAPPY! To Jaime and her brother, TJ, this is a contradiction in terms. They had been brought up in knowing that serving your country is the finest honor bestowed upon any individual, yet now that “the time has come for all good men to come to the aid of their country”…TJ is shocked that his parents are not supporting his decision. As the story progresses and TJ goes off to fight, Jaime is left back at the Army base working at the Rec Center for the summer where she befriends young Private Hollister whose brother has recently died in Vietnam. When TJ sends his first letter saying all is well, he includes a roll of film for Jaime to develop. You see, TJ’s most beloved hobby is photogrpahy and now that he is in Vietnam, he is not able to develop his own film. Jaime takes on the responsibility with a fierce determination that she will learn how to develop the film in hopes that she will be able to see the story behind the story in the “boring” letters that TJ sends his parents. I really enjoyed this book, but maybe it was because of my personal connections to Army life. I would love to hear other’s perceptions of this novel. As always, I include any questionable content…The colonel quotes a colleague and uses the word Damn.
Many of you have seen our reinvention of the “Book Bag” by placing important images from the story into a music video via Animoto. I have created one for “Shooting the Moon”. It is a bit wordier than our standard book intro which gives more information than I typically like to give my students. But maybe this could be a trailer/book bag combined. This will definitely be one of my forms of book reporting this year. Can’t wait for the kids to do them.
Lately I have been reading…and reading…and reading. I think you get the point. Since I am always on the search for new novels for my monthly school book club, I am quite picky when it comes to choosing “winners”. So far, I have read nothing BUT winners! I am going to quickly run down the books that I have checked off my summer reading list and give a quick opinion for which classrooms it is most suitable. I have also found a couple of fun “tech tie-ins” that have already been published to the web! Book reports/trailers created by students who are using technology…I LOVE IT!
1.) Wednesday Wars by Gary D. Schmidt
AR Level – 5.9
Points – 12
Interest Level – Middle to Upper Grades
If you have ever seen the TV show ‘Wonder Years”, that would sum up this book’s feel. A young man who is neither Jewish nor Catholic is not required to attend Wednesday afternoon’s religion class which means he is the only student staying in the classroom with his very “put-out” teacher, Mrs. Baker. After all, this would have been her planning period, but now she has to babysit a 7th grade boy. Insert her sigh here! Each Wednesday is spent reading Shakespeare and watching the odd but lovable relationship grow between teacher and student. Due to some deeper content and questionable choice of “vocabulary”, I will not be choosing this book for my 4th grade book club. However, I would recommend it for upper intermediate and junior high level classes. I laughed out loud on more than one occasion!
2.) Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life by Wendy Mass
AR Level – 4.5
Points – 11
Interest Level – Middle to Upper Grades
This quirky story had me hooked right from the beginning. Jeremy’s Mom receives a package in the mail that is to be given to Jeremy for his 13th birthday. Inside the package is an intricately carved wooden box that requires a series of specials keys to open it. What’s so special about this box? It was carved by Jeremy’s father and has been under the care of his lawyer since his death 5 years ago. It contains “The Meaning of Life”. Well, as you can imagine, I wanted to know what was in that box right away…kind of like Jeremy and his best friend Lizzy. There is just one problem. The lawyer has misplaced the keys and hopes “they understand”. Quite a series of events unfold while on the mission to locate these keys which kept me turning the pages. I loved this story. However, I will have to read it aloud to my class and NOT make it a book club choice for 4th graders. Why? Once again, there is some mature content when Jeremy’s best friend “becomes a woman” and has to seek advice regarding feminine products from Jeremy’s mother. There are also a couple of swear words that can easily be avoided along with the “womanhood talk” as I read aloud to my fourth graders. If your students are mature enough to handle the previously mentioned questionable content, I would make this a must-read for your students this year!
First off, I must clear up that the “letters” are not in fact letters, but a series of email exchanges between Frankie (actually a girl) and her widowed father’s new “possible” girlfriend, Ayanna. Dad has recently returned from a business trip in Washington D.C. where he and Ayanna met. He took one afternoon to visit the zoo during his stay, and as a result of an unexpected downpour went into the small mammal house where Ayanna takes care of the mole-rats. Ayanna helped him pick out some souvenirs to take back to his family, and Dad ended up with an unexpected and growing friendship. Frankie is not pleased…AT ALL. She finds herself making quite a few uncharacteristic decisions and getting herself into a bit of trouble. One of these poor decisions includes posing as her father in a series of email exchanges with Ayanna in hopes to sabotage the budding romance. I love this book because it fosters the discussion regarding digital footprints while online. It will also be easy for my students to connect with this small town, everyone knows everyone else’s business type of setting. I love the strong female character and how she evolves throughout this book. This definitely makes the book club list. DEFINITELY!