Kassidy’s Comments (group member since Oct 27, 2011)

Kassidy’s comments from the http://www.EDUG573Fall2011 group.

Al Capone Does My Shirts by Gennifer Choldenko is another historical fiction book that I used with my sixth graders. It is about a 12 year old boy named Moose and his "ten" year old sister Natalie. They move to Alcatraz Island because Moose's dad is a new prison guard. Moose is facing many issues from the problem causing Piper, the Warden's daughter to his mom's denial about Natalie. Natalie is 16 and thought to have Autism, but mom pretends she is ten in hopes of getting her into a special school. She has a button collection that she constantly lines up and sorts. Moose is made to take Natalie everywhere and even miss his favorite thing in the world Baseball. The story follows the evolution of Moose's relationship with Natalie, with his mom, and with his friends.

I liked this book, and my reluctant boys read it easily. They loved the references to gangsters and prison and also Moose's inner struggles he faced. This is a great novel to help struggling readers understand historical fiction and also begin to study novels.

A Boy at War by Harry Mazer is a novel about Adam Pelko. Adam is the son of a navy commander stationed at Pearl Harbor. Adam is struggling to fit in and misses life back at his old school. He finally makes a friend Davie, who happens to be Japanese. Adam's dad does not want him seeing Davi anymore, but Adam sneaks out to go fishing on Pearl Harbor. While fishing Adam, Davi, and their friend are engulfed in the bombing of Pearl Harbor. Adam watches the sinking ships, the bombs, and the bullets. He is mistaken for a young sailor while looking for his father. He finally makes it home, only to find out his dad is Missing in Action.

I loved this book and used it to teach historical fiction to my sixth grade students. My boys ate this book up. It was mesmerizing for them to read the story about Adam and the bombing of Pearl Harbor. They are struggling readers, who read this chapter book and all earned A's on their AR test!

Kristys Great Idea by Raina Telgemeier. This was another graphic novel that I read to see if my struggling readers would like it. This book tells the story of the creation of the Babysitters club. It tells the story of the friendship of Kristy, Claudia, Stacey, and MaryAnn while still focusing on internal and external struggles that the girls face.

I guess I am just not a graphic novel fan because again I did not care for this book. I found too much missing and that it was dry. I was so eager to like ti being a Babysitters Club fan myself when i was in 6th grade. I wanted to like it to be able to reccommend it to my students, but I feel that it is written too low for them. It is written at a 2nd grade level for 5th and 6th grade students.

The Boxcar Children 1 by Shannon Eric Denton is the first graphic novel that I have read. It is about 4 siblings, Henry, Jessie, Benny, and Violet that are struggling to remain together after their parents die. They do not know who to trust, and are scared. They have a grandfather that they do not know, and are scared that he will seperate them. Then something happens that forces them to trust him. Violet becomes ill.
I was eager to try this book because I remember the original. I was hoping that because it was written at the second grade level, it would be appealing to my struggling readers. I did not care for this book, because I felt like it cut out so much of the original book and story line. However I could see this being appealing to lower readers.

Wintergirls by Laurie halse Anderson is a book about Lia an 18 year old girl with a terrible secret. Lia is currently mourning the loss of one of one of her best friends Cassie. The two have been friends for many years. Cassie and Lia had many things in common including their eating disorders. They were constantly competing to see who could be the thinnest. This book follows Lia's struggles after Cassie's death and the guilt that she feels. Lia continues to battle her eating disorder and even tries to commit suicide. This book follows her internal struggle with her body, herself, and her lack of control.
This book was hard to read, because of the pain that you felt for Lia. I think it would be a good book for young women, to help them see what battles others face with their body image. It is emotional and stimulating to see the struggles that Lia goes through throughout the book.

Twisted by Laurie Halse Anderson is a young adult novel that focuses on Tyler Miller. Tyler is a senior that makes a poor decision to graffiti the school. His poor choice increases his popularity and he begins to date one of the most popular girls in school. The book features crazy parties, nude pictures, vandalism, and the pressures of high school.

I think this book is great for high school boys. There are many books that focus on the pressures that girls face in school, but few that focus on the increasing peer pressure that young men face. Although Tyler makes some poor choices in the end he tries to turn his life around and fix his life.

My school is a zoo by Steve Smith is a story about a young boy who wakes up to find out that everyone at his school from his busdriver to the principal has turned into an animal! It is a creative and fun book for young readers, that emotes giggling and fun on every page.
I love this book for young readers because it helps increase fluency in a fun and silly manner. Students will not even realize that the fluidity of the poetry is helping them to become better readers!The pictures are very cute and fun and this is a great readloud or read together book.

I'm still here in the bathtub by Alan Katz is a silly and fun book of poetry. The poems are a paradox of popular childrens songs. Children will love being able to sing these silly poems to tunes that they are familiar with.

I love this book because it will help students increase their fluency and comprehnsion. Poetry and singing are effortless for most kids and the fluidity helps improve thri fluency!

Goldilocks and the three bears is another recent favorite in our house. Goldilocks comes upon a small house in the forrest that is unoccupied becuase the Bears have left on a walk. She helps herself to their breakfast until she finds one that is just right. She then sits in their chairs until she finds one that is just right, she lays in their beds until finding one just right and falls asleep. The bears return to find their breakfast gone, their chairs in shambles, and a stranger asleep in their beds.

This is a great readaloud but also a great book to co read. The repetition helps even the youngest reader participate and become engaged while teaching sequencing, and sizing. The little ones love hearing the different voices and perspectives throughout the book.

Dear Juno by Soyung Park is a sweet book about the relationship between Juno and his grandmother. Juno draws her pictures, and she writes in Korean, but they still exchange mail. Juno uses pictures that she sends, and she uses his drawings to communicate. This story spans generations and is sweet and inspiring.
This would be a great book for grandparents to read to their grandchildren, or to read to children whose grandparents live far away. It shows even the littlest ones can communicate and how love has no boundaries.

Crow Call by Lois Lowry is an emotional picture book about a young girl and her father. Her father has recently returned from war, and Liz has to readjust to life with her father. This book is the story of getting reaquainted with her father on a father daughter hunting trip. The imagery and voice that Lowry uses throughout the story helps the reader feel the emotions and imagine that they too are with Liz.

This is a great story about bonding with a parent that has recently been gone. It shows the struggles that Liz faces with her relationship with her father and also with the hunting trip itself. This is a beautiful book that I would put on my bookshelf.

The gingerbread man is my sons current favorite story. It is the story of an elderly couple that has no children and decides to bake a gingerbread cookie boy. The boy excapes from the oven and runs away from several pursuers including a butcher, a cow, a pig, and a fox. As he runs away the gingerbread man repeats the same tauning rhyme to each of his pursuers. He is eventually caught by the fox, as the fox pretends to be unable to hear him. The gingerbread man gets closer and closer to the fox until the foxz gobbles him up.

I love reading this book with my 2 year old son. he loves the repetion and sequencing throughout the story, and is able to help me read it aloud. This also would be good for teaching cause and effect. This is a classic that will be used for years to come.

Every Soul a star by Wendy Mass is a young adult or childrens literature novel that follows three 13 year olds that are unlikely put together. Jack is an unconfident overweight young man, Aly dreams of becoming an astronaut, and Bree wants to be featured on 17 magazine. The three meet at camp called The Moonshadow, there they view a total eclipse together. At the end of the book the three accept that life is going to change and that there is more important things in life.

This is a good book for young adults that are coming in to who they are and who they want to be. It focuses on how you can't always have what you want, and that that is okay. It also tells what is important in life and what should be focused on.

The Mailbox by Audrey Schafer tells the story of poor 9 year old Gabe. Gabe has been in and out of foster care for years, and has finally been placed with his old hermit of an uncle, Verne. Verne is a gruff and distant Vietnam vet, but begins to build a relationship with Gabe. One day Gabe comes home from school only to find Verne's dead body. Gabe is scared and usure what to do so he acts as if nothing has happened. He goes to school the next day, but when he comes back Verne is gone. Strange and coded messages appear in letters in the mailbox. Gabe struggles with telling what has happened or continuing on alone. Finally the police arrive and take Gabe into custody. What will happen to Gabe and where is Uncle Verne?

I loved this book, it is an emotional rollercoaster as you feel the fear and uncertainty that Gabe is projecting. Gabe begins to learn more about himself, his mothers death, and his uncle while trying to figure out what will happen to him.

Found by Margaret Pererson Haddix is a science fiction novel that centers around Jonah, his sister Katherine, and their friend Chip. Jonah has always known he was adopted, but lately things have gotten strange. He has started getting weird letters. Next Chip gets them too, and Chip finds out he was adopted. The letters keep telling him that he is one of the missing. They meet with a secretive FBI agent, and something is wrong. There are new letters that state " they are coming back to get you." Jonah , Katherine, and Chip embark on an adventure to figure out what happened and who is coming.

I loved this book, like Haddix's Among the Hidden series, I could not put this book down. I have already reccommended it to a few students who love this genre. It is full of suspense and mystery.

Notes from the Midnight Driver by Jordan Sonnenblick (other) is a book about Alex Gregory who is dealing unsuccessfully with his parents separation. The 16 year old drinks too much one night and takes his mothers car. He hits a garden gnome and is arrested for Driving under the influence. At Court he is sentenced to community service at a nursing home with Sol. Sol is a gouchy old man that has run off many other volunteers. The book follows the growth in both Alex and Sol’s relationship and also the growth and maturity in Alex.
This book was not my favorite that I read, but I understand how it could be appealing to teenagers. It deals with Alex’s frustrations with his parent’s relationship, his anger, and also his feeling of being out of control. It also shows that you can find friends in unlikely places, and that everything happens for a reason.

Saavy by Ingrid Law(chapter Book) Mississippi Beaumont has been looking forward to her 13th birthday forever. In the Beaumont family the 13th birthday is when “it” happens. It’s when you get your Savvy or gift. Her brother Rocket can manipulate electricity and her brother Fish can create storms. However just before her 13th birthday her father is in a car accident and left comatose. Mississippi embarks on a mission to go to her father and use her Savvy to wake him up. The trip she finds herself on is full of mischief and crazy situations, and people that she never expected.
This book is a fun read for intermediate to middle school. It is full of magic and relationships. Relationships that are complicated and unexpected with friends, enemies, family, and love. It is full of mystery and suspense and you never quite know what will happen next.

The girl who threw Butterflies by Mick Cochrane (chapter book) is a book about 8th grader Molly Williams. Molly is struggling with her father’s recent death and the relationship she has with her mother. She feels that all of the other kids have treated her differently since her father’s car accident and is trying to just fit in. Molly decides to try out for the school baseball team, because baseball was the strongest connection she had with her father. He was the one that tougher her to throw the knuckleball. The season is rough as Molly struggles to be one of the team, but in the end she begins to gain confidence in whom she is, what she wants and baseball.
This is a great book for middle school students. It explores the complicated relationships with parents, boys, and friends. It also deals with Molly’s grief and how she chose to remember her father. The book focuses on both the internal and external struggles Molly is dealing with, and how she chooses to cope.

The Boy who Dared by Susan Campbell (Historical Fiction) is another book that is set during WWII and the Holocaust. This book provided another perspective that is rarely seen in children’s literature. It is the story of Helmuth Hubener, the youngest person to be sentenced and executed by the Nazi’s. This book tells the story of a young German man who is waiting for his execution for treason. It utilizes flashbacks to tell the story of his childhood and maturation through WWII and the Nazi regime.
I liked this book because of the contrast between it and the Yellow Star. I think that it is important to expose students to multiple perspectives about life during conflicts and war. This is another book that would be great to use in a Holocaust unit. It focuses on the internal and external conflicts that the protagonist faces as he grows up and disagrees with the government.

Yellow Star by Jennifer Roy (Historical Fiction) is a novel that is written in verse about life in the Lodz ghetto by a young Jewish girl. The story is based off of the true story of Roy’s Aunt Sylvia. The story follows Sylvia from the age of about 4 through the age of 10. It tells the story of 1 of only 12 children to survive the Lodz ghetto. This story is told through the eye of a young child and is a strong representation of what their life was like.
I loved this book. It told the story from a child’s perspective which would be easy for students to relate too. This book would be great to use in a unit on World War II or the Holocaust. It provides detailed descriptions of what happened without being graphic or too mature in nature. It reminded me of Number the Stars.