UEL Primary PGCE 2013-14 discussion
P5 on-course reviews
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8 down 4 to go - enjoy!!
My final SEN PWR book review
The Snowman by Raymond BriggsMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
The actual book I read was called 'The snowman a puppet play book'. This is more for younger children and children with SEN because it has a hand puppet that pops out of the book. This book is about a boy who builds a snowman and brings him alive. This book has beautiful illustrations, and is very interactive where you can use the hand puppet to dance and fly as the snowman character does in the story. This would keep the attention of young children aged 2-5 years and also students with SEN.
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Seven Deadly Sins, My Pursuit of Lance Armstrong. by David Walsh'I'm sorry that you can't dream big. I'm sorry you don't believe in miracles'. L Armstrong
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The Snake's Mistake by Keith FaulknerMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
This is a story about a very hungry snake who proceeds to gobble up a Line of children. The snake has great success until meeting a quick thinking fifth child. I found the story in a year 1 classroom and I think it works well in this class as it is very visual and layer out in an interesting way which young children may well enjoy. The story is written in Ryhming couplets, which serves as a simple way to introduce some poetic techniques. This was a fun story to read to this age group
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The Graveyard Book by Neil GaimanMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
A book starting with a murder may sound a bit dubious for a children's book, but Neil Gaiman has managed to created a hugely entertaining and heart warming story. The Graveyard book centres on an orphaned boy called Nobody Owens (bod for short) who, is adopted by the ghostly Silus after his family were murdered. Silus, as custodian, is charged with protecting Bod and promptly gives him the graveyard. It is here Bod grows up and in the subsequent chapters (short stories in of themselves) he encounters many fantastical people and creatures. It is within these meetings, contrasting the dead with the living that Gaiman begins to deliver positive messages. With the macabre overtones of vampires and ghouls it is Bod who has all to live for, you're alive Bod, that means you can do anything, make anything and dream anything.Bod makes one living friend, Scarlett who opens his mind to the possibility of life beyond the graveyard, that someday things may change. Danger is never far away as well from the mysterious and creepy Jack. The imagination and humour contained, as Bod's story unravels is a joy, as is Bod himself, who manages to be inquisitive, upbeat, brave and daring despite the danger that lurks.
I thoroughly enjoyed this story and think it would be an excellent choice for a year 5 or 6 child. In the classroom it would be easy to see this book being in a book corner for reading pleasure. The episodic nature of the book means a teacher could dip into a chapter and use it as a starting point for a creative writing project.
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The Hobbit by J.R.R. TolkienMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
The first book that made me cry. A fantastic gateway into Tolkien's obsession for detail, his reproduction of British countryside as a place otherworldly. I think it is this eye for detail that is so useful for year five and six students whilst they can also learn how Tolkien uses fantasy as allegory. And purely as I once did for the adventure story that is gripping and immensely satisfying. I think this means the story can be used to stretch more able pupils and serve as a lesson on adventure or fantasy genres for a whole class.
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The French Confection by Anthony HorowitzMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
Disaster zone Tim Diamond and his brother head to Paris for a weekend on what they believe is a holiday. Of course it is anything but! Arrested, threatened, kidnapped and stuck in the middle of a huge crime racket, both quickly realise this is no accident and certainly. I holiday.
A great read that that is irreverent, silly and a great take on adult genres. It reminded me of television and cinema icons such as laurel and Hardy, or cartoons like pinky and the brain. Essentially it's a buddy movie with tonnes of charm. I think children around year 4 would love this.
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The Second Princess by Hiawyn OramMy rating: 3 of 5 stars
This story see a second Princess set of in a mission to usurp her sister the first sister so she would no longer be second. Needless to say she gets into a whole lot of bother before her parents show themselves to be a deft hand at politics in finding just the right compromise that solved the problem. This story like many for this age range (5-7) has very useful lessons for children that could help in their day to day socialisation. I think I would use this to begin a circle time session.
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Tadpole's Promise by Jeanne WillisMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
This story see a second Princess set of in a mission to usurp her sister the first sister so she would no longer be second. Needless to say she gets into a whole lot of bother before her parents show themselves to be a deft hand at politics in finding just the right compromise that solved the problem. This story like many for this age range (5-7) has very useful lessons for children that could help in their day to day socialisation. I think I would use this to begin a circle time session.
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Angry Arthur by Hiawyn OramMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
This story see a second Princess set of in a mission to usurp her sister the first sister so she would no longer be second. Needless to say she gets into a whole lot of bother before her parents show themselves to be a deft hand at politics in finding just the right compromise that solved the problem. This story like many for this age range (5-7) has very useful lessons for children that could help in their day to day socialisation. I think I would use this to begin a circle time session.
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RatBurger by David WalliamsMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
Tina is a young girl who befriends a rat. The book harks back to Roald Dahl at his grotesquely funniest. Imagery that wouldn't be amiss in the twits borders the line between horrible and funny that children can revel in. I think this would be a great book for year 5 and 6 children. There are words such as 'surreptitiously', that can extend children's learning on the same page that will have them laughing at snot on the ceiling. The idea of a child befriending a rat turns convention on its head, taking a perceived notion and forcing readers to have a look at it from a different point of view. This could be extended in the classroom in a variety of ways; looking at different religions, different cultures, or any topic plans. Children could write the story from the rats point of view. I enjoyed this book and would use it in class.
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The Giants and the Joneses by Julia DonaldsonMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
The giants and the Joneses is a modern progression of the Jack and the beanstalk fairytale. The story swaps point of view from initially following Jumbeelia, a young Giant girl who likes collecting things and exploring to her latest collection, a sibling trio of humans who are it seems, equally dysfunctional. Jumbeelia finds her family to be hard work, especially her younger brother who is away at boarding school. On an escapade down the beanstalk she encounters something fantastical, something that's not supposed to be real, little people. The book then switches to focus on the siblings ordeal as captives and how each of them grows to understand more about themselves as they understand more about Jumbeelia and her family.
A wonderful story full of warmth. I found the giants' language quite jarring to begin with but enjoyed the challenge of figuring out the English equivalent words as the book went on. I think this would be a good read for primary children at year 4-6, as they may already be familiar with the jack and the beanstalk story.
Very enjoyable
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Mrs. Armitage and the Big Wave by Quentin BlakeMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
Mrs Armitage is waiting for the big wave to come in the Californian sun so she can surf aboard it. As she waits she collects things to make the wave even more special. She encounters other surfers, and fish that give her ideas of how toThe story is a great read for younger children who could explore what they might take with them on a trip. It could also serve as an starting point to talk about the beach as a topic. This would be a good book for anyone in ks1.
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A Hat Full of Sky by Terry PratchettMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
I went into this book not knowing that it followed from a previous Pratchett novel, The Wee Free Men. This does little to deter from following or indeed enjoying the story, but rather makes you yearn to have got to know the mac feagle clan earlier. Tiffany Aching is the central character of the story, struggling with her identity as a young witch trying to find her own path. A path that has its perils in the shape of the all consuming Hiver, a dangerous entity that takes host a person's mind. Tiffany is aided in her quest by Miss level, granny weatherfax and others, to find her own identity. I found this tale very funny and very entertaining. I think it would be a good read for children in year 5 and six and easy to relate to, especially for young girls striving to find an identity. The theme of identity offers opportunities to use this book in the classroom too, within literacy settings and citizenship.
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Say Hello by Jack ForemanMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
Say hello is a story about being left out and friendship. I like that it begins with a little dog, how it is all alone and how it becomes a part of a game. This same plot is then transferred to a little boy, and the message is very clear for young children. The topic about being left out is a very familiar and real issue for children at school especially in a playground environment. This helps them see what being left out looks like from a perspective other than their own.
I liked this book and would use it in a year 1 or reception class, especially if a new child arrived into the classroom.
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My 11th review - Dis Poetry by Benjamin Zephaniah Dis Poetry by Benjamin Zephaniah
Benjamin Zephaniah struggled with reading and writing at a young age and incorporates the difficulties that he suffered within his poetry. Dis Poetry is written as a Jamaican would speak, in patois, it shows us that not all poems have to be written in Standard English, just as poems don’t need to rhyme. Dis Poetry is written from his own perspective to tell us what he has tried and as a result what came from it. The style of the poem is very simplistic there is no heavy description, no use of words that may confuse children and no hidden meanings to try and decode. This poem is perfect for upper key stage two as they will understand the concept more of being able to write a poem without using Standard English, it would also be good for those children who struggle with writing and possibly spelling, seeing the layout of the poem would most likely put them at ease and produce some confidence in writing their own.
My 12th review - Crayon Poem by James CarterI really enjoyed listening to this poem. I feel that the poem is aimed at key stage 1, specifically year 1. It is a rhyming, repeat after me poem. I feel that the key point of this poem is allowing children to use their imagination and creativity to express themselves. The poet uses crayons as a medium of expression and describes a range of objects pupils can draw from, windows to a rainbow to a crazy purple dinosaur. This poem would work well when introducing rhyming poems to your class, as it is full of descriptive lines.
UEL Primary PGCE 2013-14
Books mentioned in this topic
The Ugly Duckling (other topics)Tuck Everlasting (other topics)
Florence Nightingale (other topics)
Chicken Licken (other topics)
Just Because (other topics)
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