Viola in Reel Life

Viola in Reel Life
By Adriana Triagani
Published by Harper Teen (2009)

Viola in Reel Life is the work of Saint Mary's grad, Adriana Triagnai. After flipping through a few pages and reading the summary, I was sure this was set in Saint Mary's. It tells the story of Viola, who reluctantly ends up at a boarding school in South Bend, Indiana (sound familiar?) where she does not feel like she fits in at all. She is not much for the preppy style and living with roommates who actually like the school. Viola hides behind the lens of her camera, and slowly sees that there is more to the boarding school than she initially thought.

This novel is more appropriate for upper grades, as it is a piece of young adult literature. I think girls would love this book because boarding school is a different experience than many have. With only 288 pages, the book is a fairly quick read. As a Saint Mary's student, I love to support Saint Mary's alums. I will definitely look into more of her books for both myself and my classroom.

Learn more about this Saint Mary's author on her website!

Trigiani, A. (2009). Viola in reel life. New York: HarperTeen.

The Lion, the Witch, & the Wardrobe

The Lion, the Witch, & the Wardrobe
By C.S. Lewis
Published by Harper Collins (1994)

My 4th graders recently completed a unit on The Lion, the Witch, & the Wardrobe and loved it. I remember reading it in elementary school myself. It is a classic piece of children's literature that I believe all children should read at least once. It tells the imaginative story of four siblings who discover a wardrobe which leads to Narnia, a land ruled by the White Witch. They go on a journey to help a lion, Aslan, overcome the powers of the White Witch and the winters she has created. The novel contains religious connections throughout and many strong themes such as betrayal and forgiveness. It is a highly engaging novel that students of different ages would enjoy. There are tons of resources available to help teach this novel to your class. The Lion, the Witch, & the Wardrobe is part of C.S. Lewis' series Chronicles of Narnia. It is definitely for a more mature reader due to content and themes.

Here are just a few resources available:
-http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/book/lion-witch-and-wardrobe#cart/cleanup
-https://www.pinterest.com/search/pins/?q=the%20lion%2C%20the%20witch%2C%20and%20the%20wardrobe

Some interesting facts about the novel!

Lewis, C. S., & Baynes, P. (1994). The lion, the witch, and the wardrobe. New York: HarperCollins.

Double Fudge

Double Fudge
By Judy Blume

Published by Dutton Children's Books (2002)

Growing up, Judy Blume was one of my favorite authors. I absolutely adored the Fudge books! Double Fudge is the final book in the series, and one of the most memorable for me. Fudge discovers a love of money and begins to make his own "Fudge Bucks". As always, his older brother Peter is embarrassed of Fudge's quirky ways. The family discovers relatives, Flora and Fauna, and little Farley. Judy Blume keeps it clever again, always making readers laugh and waiting for another Fudge situation to occur. Many readers can relate to crazy shenanigans that have happened with siblings. It's a great book to keep in your library because Judy Blume appeals to many young readers. She has many books related to Fudge, providing ample opportunities for those who enjoy her writing in third through fifth grade. I still enjoy these books, and I think they would make for an excellent class read aloud!

I found a great author study on Judy Blume. If you are going to look at any of her books in your class, this is worth the read.

Check out Judy's website here!

Blume, J. (2002). Double Fudge. New York: Dutton Children's Books.

Frida

Frida: Long Live Life!
By  Carmen T. Bernier-Grand
Published by Marshall Cavendish Corporation (2007)

This unique book tells the story of Frida Kahlo, a 20th century painter from Mexico, through poems and Frida's own artwork. I love the different perspective it takes on the biography of her interesting life. It is great to see the use of poetry and art together to create a piece of children's literature. This has many classroom applications. It could be used in a poetry unit where students must write poems about pieces of art they see in museums. They could also write a poem about their own lives and create self-portraits like Frida Kahlo. This is also a great multicultural book to have in your classroom library.

Bernier-Grand, C. T. (2007). Frida: Viva la vida = long live life. New York: Marshall Cavendish Children/Marshall Cavendish Corp.

Rosa

Rosa
By Nikki Giovanni
Illustrated by Bryan Collier
Published Henry Holt and Company (2005)
Caldecott Honor Book

Rosa Parks is an influential woman in American history, especially civil rights history. We have all heard her story countless times, but this book really makes you think and hear her story in a new light. The narrative keeps the reader engaged and eager to read more. It presents history is an easy to understand fashion. I love this version of the story, and I think students would also really enjoy it. It makes a connection to the Emmett Till case which is unique and important historically. At the end, there are two fold out pages that expand on the impact that Rosa Parks had on the United States. She is one inspirational woman!

The illustrations are a mix of collage and water color. In the illustrators note at the beginning, Collier said he wanted it to appear as if Rosa Parks is glowing or illuminating throughout because she is such a light of the world. I thought this was a beautiful tribute to a leading civil rig
hts leader.

This book would get great use in your classroom, whether through social studies, writing, or even art. This is an excellent piece of children's literature.

Giovanni, N., & Collier, B. (2005). Rosa. New York: Henry Holt.

Brave Girl

Brave Girl: Clara and the Shirtwaist Makers' Strike of 1909
By Michelle Markel
Pictures by Melissa Sweet
Published by Blazer + Bray (2013)

Brave Girl is all about girl power, something we at Saint Mary's love! This inspirational tale shows what life was like for many immigrants in the early 1900s. Clara, a young girl arrives and begins to work in a garment factory because her father can't get a job. The conditions are horrible, but she powers through. Not only does Clara work long hours, she loves to kern and spends any free time she has reading. The men that work at the factory say they want to form a union to protest the working conditions, but don't think the women are tough enough to do it. Clara leads the effort and starts a strike. She puts herself in major danger, but that doesn't stop her. She continues to fight and starts the largest walkout of women workers in U.S. history. Clara is an American hero. My favorite passage from the book goes as follows:

"And the strike convinces Clara to keep fighting for the rights of workers. her throat is hoarse, her feet are sore, but she has helped thousands of people. Proving that in American, wrongs can be righted, warriors can wear skirts and blouses, and the bravest hearts may beat in girls only five feet tall."

I am so glad I discovered this amazing book! The illustrations are wonderful. They are filled with different textile prints with sticking on each page to resemble the work of Clara and the other garment factory workers. The watercolor pictures enhance the powerful story and make the setting and tone clear. This is an excellent resource when teaching about strikes and factories in the the 1900s. It also emphasizes the role of women and women's rights. The book provides additional information about the movement at the end. I highly recommend this book!

Markel, M., Sweet, M., Zegar, R., Balzer + Bray,, & HarperCollins (Firm),. (2013). Brave girl: Clara and the Shirtwaist Makers' Strike of 1909.

The New Big Book of U.S. Presidents

The New Big Book of U.S. Presidents
By Marc Frey and Todd Davis
Published by Running Press Kids (2013)

I believe every classroom library needs a book about U.S. Presidents. It can have so many uses! This book in particular has a page on each President with a substantial amount of information. There is biographical information and facts along with pictures and short boxes with information about an important event during that time or an influential person of the time. There is a running timeline that goes all throughout the pages giving great context information. This book is an amazing resource for your students. It can be used during any history lesson or time period study of the United States. Unfortunately, one cannot fit all the information in this one book, but this is a great start. This book is organized well and will be easy for students to navigate. If we want students to like history we have to make it interesting and easy to understand, just as this book does.

Check out Pinterest for great ideas when teaching about the U.S. Presidents.


Davis, T., & Frey, M. (2013). The New Big Book of U.S. Presidents 2008. Philadelphia: Running Press Kids.

My Brother Martin

My Brother Martin: A Sister Remembers Growing up with the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
By Christine King Farris
Illustrated by Chris Soentpiet
Published by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers (2003)

My Brother Martin tells the story of Martin Luther King Jr.'s childhood from the perspective of his sister Christine. A unique take on his life, the book gives student's a perspective of how he began his journey in the Civil Rights Movement. My one critique would be that the story had a few additional pages on his adult life, but overall I love this book. The illustrations are beautiful, with very realistic images and vibrant colors. This would be a helpful piece in learning about the civil rights movement in social studies, or writing from different perspectives in language arts. Because many students have siblings, they would easily relate to the story and its look at siblings and childhood.

Farris, C. K., & Soentpiet, C. K. (2003). My brother Martin: A sister remembers growing up with the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. New York: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers.

Flipped

Flipped by Wendelin Van Draanen
Published by Knopf 2001

Flipped is the winner of many awards. The novel has also been made into a movie. Check out the trailer below if my blog entry makes you want to learn more!

This realistic contemporary fiction explores the romance of two young people, Juli Baker and Bryce Loski. Juli always had a crush on Bryce, but Bryce did not feel the same way. When 8th grade rolls around, Juli's feelings are waning while Bryce begins to see Juli in a new light. The book is told by rotating between both of their voices from chapter to chapter. This romantic comedy will surely appeal to middle school girls. Both of the main characters are discovering who they are and are looking beyond the exterior of others in this coming of age story.

This would be a great book to recommend for students who also enjoyed The Fault in Our Stars. I will surely be watching the movie soon!

Van, D. W. (2001). Flipped. New York: Knopf.

Confetti: Poems for Children

Confetti: Poems for Children
(Confeti: Poemas para Niños)
By Pat Mora
Illustrated by Enrique Sanchez
Published by Lee & Low Books 1996

Confetti is a wonderful bilingual book for young children that gives them a taste of the southwest and its beautiful nature. The narrative, free verse poems are great for young readers. There is  mix of rhyming and free verse to show students that not all poems rhyme. It combines spanish and english in a great way, showing the experience of a young Mexican-American girl. They will especially connect with the young female perspective.  This vibrant illustrations of this book of poetry will be sure to keep students' attention. This would be an excellent book to have in your classroom library as many students have a hispanic background or are learning spanish in school. Poetry is a great way to share the culture of Mexican-Americans and the southwest.

Find out more about Pat Mora!

Mora, P., & Sanchez, E. O. (1996). Confetti: Poems for children. New York: Lee & Low Books.

Poetry for Young People- Lewis Carroll

Poetry for Young People- Lewis Carroll
Edited by Edward Mendelson
Illustrated by Eric Copeland
Published by Scholastic Inc. 2001

My cooperating teacher shared this book with me, and it is quite the treasure. I am teaching a lesson on the poem "Jaberwocky" by Lewis Carroll to my fourth graders. The nonsense poem comes from his famous Alice and Wonderland story. I am going to have the students listen to the poem and illustrate what they believe a Jaberwocky is. I think it will be a really cool lesson!

This book contains many of Lewis Carroll's poems with soft, watercolor illustrations. Many of the poems contain a short introduction with background information. For those students who love Lewis Carroll, this book is for them. It is directed towards older readers, probably grades four and up. His work could also provide a great text in the classroom for various activities such as poetry, powerful language, word choice, and fantasy. I will definitely be looking into more books like this one because I think a book like this can really get students to be interested in poetry.

Carroll, L., Mendelson, E., & Copeland, E. (2000). Lewis Carroll. New York: Sterling Pub. Co.

If Not for the Cat

If Not for the Cat
Haiku by Jack Prelutsky
Paintings by Ted Rand
Published by Scholastic Inc. 2004

If Not for the Cat is a great piece of poetry by Jack Prelutsky. Each page contains a different animal haiku. One of my personal favorites is this one:

Wingless we went in,
But we emerged as fliers-
And oh, such colors!

The images of animals are quite realistic and colorful throughout. This piece of poetry would be a great model for students learning about haikus. It would be awesome to create your own classroom book of animal haikus like this one. It could connect well to a science lesson on animals. You can never go wrong with Jack Prelutsky!

Prelutsky, J., & Rand, T. (2004). If not for the cat: Haiku. New York: Greenwillow Books.

The Hunterman and the Crocodile

The Hunterman and the Crocodile: A West African Folktale
retold and illustrated by Baba Wagué Diakité
published by Scholastic Press 1997

Coretta Scott King Award

This folktale tells the story of three crocodiles who leave their home in the river and eventually become tired and famished. They meet a crocodile who they convince to take them back home to the river. They promise they won't eat him up as most crocodiles would do. However, when they return to the river, they question their choice and argue with right over wrong with the hunterman. Various animals weigh in on their opinions of the situation. The animals say that the crocodiles should eat the hunterman because of various things man does to the animals. At the end, a rabbit tells the man to bring the crocodiles back home to his family instead. Th man learns a valuable lesson, as his wife has fallen ill and needs the tears of a crocodile to live. The lesson to be learned is that man and nature must live in harmony.

I very much enjoyed this piece of literature. It would be a great mentor text for teaching write and wrong or respect for nature. The abstract illustrations really keep your intention. There is a mix of color and black and white along with watercolor backgrounds. It is a great book to show students the West African culture.

Diakité, B. W. (1997). The hunterman and the crocodile: A West African folktale. New York: Scholastic.

The War That Saved My Life

The War that Saved my Life by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley
Published by Dial Books (2015)

This piece of historical fiction takes place during World War II. The main character, Ada, is relatable to intermediate readers because she is nine years old. Ada and her brother are evacuated from their home and abusive mother in London during the war. Ada must overcome her disability with her twisted foot, but she does not let this stop her from learning to ride a horse or watching German spies. The children go to live with a woman and struggle to develop a trusting relationship with her. However, throughout the novel they all discover love and hope once again. The children are on a new adventure during a difficult time in history. 

I would recommend this novel because it takes a different viewpoint on WWII. It is interesting to hear the perspective of a young girl in London during the war. I think this novel would be a great addition to the classroom because it tells the story from the perspective of a young girl. It also has a touching theme of family, along with an adventure plot. This would be a great way to get students to read historical fiction, and it is new to the library!

Bradley, K. B. (2015). The war that saved my life.