Help!

Hey everyone!

I finally got a job teaching fourth grade this upcoming school year. Since this will be my first year teaching I need to build a classroom library pronto! I'm going to go through this whole blog and write down what's already been suggested, but does anyone have suggestions for books that are good for the fourth grade level that they haven't already posted about? What books did you/your children like to read in fourth grade? I'd love to hear your ideas! Thanks!

Red Scarf Girl by Ji-Li Jiang

Ages 12-adult

When Ji-Li was a small girl in Shanghai, China, she believed that Chairman Mao and the Communist Party had saved China and that she was very lucky to live there. She was happy, smart, a star pupil admired by her teachers and fellow students. Her family was financially secure and had good standing. Then in 1966, when Ji-Li was 12 years old the Cultural Revolution began and her world began to crumble. It was interesting to read how the government began systematically restricting more and more freedoms and the devastating effect it had on the people. This book is written from the perspective of a child who grew up very quickly as she had to become the care taker of her family. Despite all that the author has been through, she still considers herself quite blessed. She says, "After surviving the Cultural Revolution, I find myself more sensitive to the beauty of the human spirit". Ji-Li faced her trials with courage. This book is a quick and interesting read.

Jungle Doctor (Series) by Paul White

Ages 9-12 years

Paul White is an Australian doctor who went to Africa in 1938 to work as a doctor and serve as a missionary to the people of Tanzania. This series of books is based on his experiences in Africa and began as a radio show in the 1940's and was later compiled into these 20 books. The book I read is called Jungle Doctor's Enemies and was about a little blind boy Mubofu who secretly brought children from a hostile village to the hospital for treatment during a measles outbreak. He selflessly helped save many lives, but then mysteriously disappeared. What a touching story to read about the compassion that this little blind orphan had for the suffering of others. I don't want to spoil the story, but this is a good book to read with a tissue in hand.

Out of Darkness by Russell Freedman

Reading level: 3rd grade-

76 pages

This is a brief biography about Louis Braille and his development of the Braille system of reading for the blind. Louis was three when he was blinded by an infection in his corneas. I learned a lot from reading this book and it really opened my eyes.

Tangerine by Edward Bloor

Reading level: 6th grade-

Pages: 240 ish

I picked this book up because I though it was about a blind boy, but turned out the boy was legally blind and the story is more centered around soccer and football. This book has won several awards and is also on Barnes and Nobles summer reading list.

Honestly I found the story a little bizarre. It is about a 7th grade boy who moved with his family from Houston to Tangerine, Florida (hence the title). The events that follow are struggling with a school, a jerk older brother that is the football star, the school falling into a sinkhole, killer mosquitoes and jewel thieves.

I won't read this one again, and i wouldn't recommend it unless you had an interest in soccer. This would probably appeal to a teen aged boy, but then again the twists and turns really made the plot interesting.

Charlotte's Rose by A.E. Cannon

Reading level: 5th grade-

230 ish pages

This is a story about a girl who crossed the plains with the Mormon pioneers to Utah with her father. During the journey one of the ladies traveling with the company dies in child birth and the father of the baby, being emotional distraught, will not care for the baby. Thirteen-year-old Charlotte volunteers to care for the infant when nobody else will. Her sacrifice in this journey is increased with this responsibility and naturally she undergoes much growth.

I actually read through the night finishing this book by flash light.

I recommended this book to Mom and the only thing she didn't like about it is a derogatory past is revealed about one of the company. Something that really didn't have any bearing on the story and seemed very out of place.

Wesley the Owl by Stacy O'Brien

Age: Adult

about 200 pgs

Sarah recommended this book to me and I found it enlightening and very interesting. This a memoir written about a biologist who adopts an injured baby barn owl. Written from a scientists point of view, this book includes many insights to animal behavior. But what is surprising (even to the author) is the relationship that would develop between Stacy and Wesley.

Goose Chase by Patrice Kindl

Age level: 4th grade to adult

214 pages

This book was recommended to me by Mom and is an interesting twist on fairy tale stories. The story is about an orphan girl who watches over twelve geese. Before her mother died she promised her that if she always treated the geese well they would protect her and keep her from want. The goose girl, Alexandria is also given three magic gifts from a hag she gives her meal to: the gift of beauty, enchanted hair that golden dust falls from and when she cries her tears become diamonds. Obviously the rumors attract the attention of royalty: a prince of one kingdom and a king of another.

This tale is full of surprises and humor (rather I found the plot very amusing). Thanks for the recommendation Mom!

Another book by this author I hope to read is called "Woman in the Wall"

When You Reach Me

by Rebecca Stead
197 pages
reading level: 4-6 grade ish
2010 Newbery Award winner

I first noticed this book in the bookstore last year, but I didn't think it looked remotely interesting, so I ignored it. Then while I was supposed to be studying in the library a couple of weeks ago I just happened to walk past the Newbery display and was surprised to see this there. I picked it up just to read the back, but the back had nothing but reviews. So in a very non-committal way I cracked open the cover just to read the front page. It hooked me! I sat down on the ground and read for two hours. It is amazing. It is 92% contemporary realistic fiction, and 8% (the main part of the plot) blow-your-mind-away, mysterious, almost weird, modern fantasy/science fiction.  That is all I can say at present, as this book is too good to divulge any aspect the plot. You just have to read it for yourself.

Blogs!

Ok, I know this blog is about books, but I just want to say I also LOVE reading blogs! I feel like blogs are a way for people to connect in a way that people have stopped connecting - through writing and reading each others' words. And my latest and greatest discovery is the cooking blog! I honestly could spend hours searching for something to make - and enjoying it! (Cookbooks terrify me) Cooking blogs are personal, and by the time I'm done reading the recipe I feel like the dish is being recommended by an old friend. So, I am sharing with you the link for a great cooking blog that also so happens to be having a fabulous giveaway right now!
http://just-cook-already.blogspot.com/

This is just one of a few cooking blogs that has turned me from my ramon noodle ways and made my dad admit that he no longer fears for my husband's health and well being. Happy reading! (/cooking)

Building Your Personal Library - The Cheap Way!

 Hello friends!

I don't have a particular book to recommend right now, but I'll probably be posting on this one soon. I'm half way through and am loving it so far, but curious to see how it will line up with the movie in the end. I got this at the BYU bookstore the other day for $3.00. Not bad! They have a table at the end of children's section with a bunch of great deals on children's lit. I'm holding off on building my personal library right now in anticipation of the flood that will inevitably come if I get a teaching job next year. I want to know which grade level to start with. But I thought I'd share some places that I've found -and a lot of teachers use - to get cheap books.

A. D.I. - So good! Check out the children's section of the books next time you go. They have great books - often Newbury winners - at a great price. With a little digging you can get books in good condition ranging from $.50 to $4.00 for a really fat, popular, hardcover book in perfect condition.

B. Libraries - Libraries periodically get rid of old books either by giving them away, or by selling them for cheap.

C. The BYU bookstore - New book. Tuck Everlasting. $3.00. Enough said.

D. Amazon - My husband got me the entire Percy Jackson series for Christmas and the price was less than half on Amazon than at Borders (I think I'm a little anti-large book chains).

Well, hopefully that's helpful to some of you. Happy library building!

Daily Universe Article: Religion Professors Discuss Books with Religious Impact

This article is on the front page of the paper today and I enjoyed it. It gave me some good ideas for more books to read.

Click here to read the article

I recently read Enzio Busche's book "yearning for the living God" (mentioned in the article). I highly recommend it.

The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie: A Flavia de luce Mystery by Alan Bradley

Reading level adult
number of pages 385
published by Bantam Books

I just finished reading a new mystery described as an "enthralling mystery", "a rich literary delight", "a quirky, delightful whodunit" about a little girl about the age of eleven who is both irresistible and incorrigible, a sleuth and a budding scientist. The story takes place in the summer of 1950 in England in a once -grand mansion where Flavia lives with her father and two older sisters. This wonderfully told tale begins when a dead bird is found on the doorstep, a postage stamp bizarrely pinned to its beak. This is the beginning of a series of events that was delicious to read and impossible to stop turning the pages to the very end. There were no slow or dragging parts to the story. Once begun, I was simply pulled in and enjoyed every twist and turn. I am happy to see that the second book in the Flavia de Luce mystery series, The Weed That Strings the Hangman's Bag is due out this month.

Goose Girl by Shannon Hale

Reading level: 6th grade
Hardcover 383 pages
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC, 2003

This book is amazing! So well written, the characters just come to life as you read. It's based on an old Grimms fairytale, but I had never even heard of it till I read this book.

Ok, the real reason I'm writing about this book - funny story. I'm doing student teaching in 6th grade right now and my mentor teacher wanted to get the kids more excited about AR (reading program), so we both did a couple of book talks (basically introducing a book in an appealing way) in front of the class. I told them about this book and read a short passage, but I was worried none of the boys would want to read it. I thought about adding a blurb about it not being just a girl book, but decided not to, just to see what would happen. Turns out my boys were clambering for this book! I didn't have a single girl ask me for it, but several boys were searching the book shelf saying, "who took Goose Girl?" It made me sooooo happy.

David Wiesner

I am a firm believer in quality picture books. There was nothing that made my childrens' lit teacher madder than to hear someone excuse a poor quality book as being "good enough for children" (as Anna can attest), and pointed out the wealth of high quality picture books out there. These books are a combination of meaningful art that enhances the text, and a compelling dramatic question. I found myself discovering picture books as an adult that I love for their literary value, rather than sentimentality. One of my most exciting discoveries was David Weisner.

Anna already wrote about his wordless picture book Flotsam. It's a Caldecott award winner and is absolutely genius.

 Another wordless picture book, a Caldecott honor book, and probably my favorite of all his books is Sector 7. It's the story of a boy who goes on a field trip to the Empire State building and ends up messing with the production of a cloud factory. I love his wordless picture books because so much is left to fill in with your imagination, but his other books are fabulous too.

Tuesday is a bizarre, delightful little tale about the strange things that happen on - you guessed it! - Tuesday. I'm pretty sure this book only has three words in it, so I'm not quite sure which category it belongs to.

 The Three Pigs is the classic tale as you've never read it before. Basically, it's the pigs' escape from the world of 2-D animation and their ability to make friends that conquers the wolf in the end. These two are also Caldecott award winners.

And finally there's June 29, 1999. This one's more of a classic picture book than the others, but it definitely has that unique Wiesner style. The main character sends vegetables into the sky as a science experiment - with large results. My favorite part about this story is the hilarious twist at the end. 



So, next time you're at the library, for your kids or for yourself, stop by the picture book section and enjoy a sample of quality literature from David Wiesner.

Christmas Jars by Jason F. Wright

122 Pages
Reading Level: adult ? (I think it's not really complex, so anyone could read it)

SO this book is really NOT my type of book (uplifting/feel good, non-fantasy, non-romantic), but I really enjoyed this Christmas story, here in the middle of March. AND I must admit- I even cried. It's a sweet story about how service can change people's lives. It was a quick read with a great message. It left me wanting to be better, but still feeling good. I'm hoping to pick up the sequel at the library and possibly I'll eventually branch out to some of the author's other books.

Prairie Songs by Pam Conrad

Reading level: age 8-10
167 pages

I inhaled this book (from start to finish in just a couple of hours) and it was wonderful. It was very quick to read but was well written. To me this means that story allows me to make a connection with the characters and who they are as well being able to discover subtle themes and beautiful messages.

Percy Jackson and the Olympians

Reading level: 4th grade - adult
Paperback 375 pg.

Meet Percy Jackson. Your average twelve year old demigod gets accused of stealing Zeus's master lightening bolt and sets off on a quest to find the real thief and clear his name.

Now you may have seen the movie, or previews for the movie, and thought "lame", and there I would have to agree, but the books are actually quite fabulous. My husband and I read the entire series together and loved it. It's especially fun if you have some general background with Greek mythology. I've heard it compared to Harry Potter because it has that secret magical world hidden in our world theme, but it's actually a fresh original idea. It brings Greek mythology to life and points out that being a hero isn't always all it's cracked up to be.

The Zookeeper's Wife by Diane Ackerman

Reading Level: Adult
Number of pages: 363
Publisher: W W Norton and company paperback 2007

After their zoo was bombed, Polish zookeepers Jan and Antonina Zabinski managed to save over three hundred people from the Nazis by hiding them in animal cages and other buildings in the Warsaw Zoo during WWII. This is a true story, exuberant and absorbing. By the end of the book I felt that Antonina was someone I would love as a friend and I was so inspired by her efforts to keep a home and normal atmosphere for her children during the atrocities of war. She had a gift for nurturing animals in her role as the zookeeper's wife. Those gifts were magnified as she was thrust into the role of caretaker of hundreds of human souls who took refuge in the home she created, depending on her for survival. The author, a naturalist, beautifully weaves details into the story that capture all the senses and breathe life into the retelling. This book is poignant, and beautifully written. The author reminded me of a modern Gene Stratton Porter. (That is high praise coming from me) This will be on my reread list for years to come.

Unlucky Arithmetic

My children's lit teacher has this poster hanging on the door to his office. It's genius.

Unlucky Arithmetic
Thirteen Ways to Raise a Nonreader
by Dean Schneider and Robin Smith

1. Never read where your children can see you.

2. Put a TV or computer in every room. Don’t neglect the bedrooms and kitchen.

3. Correct your child every time she mispronounces a word.

4. Schedule activities every day after school so your child will never be bored.

5. Once your child can read independently, throw out the picture books. They’re for babies.

6. Don’t play board games together. Too dull.

7. Give little rewards for reading. Stickers and plastic toys are nice. Money is even better.

8. Don’t expect your children to enjoy reading. Kids’ books are for teaching vocabulary, proper study habits, and good morals.

9. Buy only 40-watt bulbs for your lamps.

10. Under no circumstances read your child the same book over and over. She heard it once, she should remember it.

11. Never allow your child to listen to books on tape; that’s cheating.

12. Make sure your kids only read books that are “challenging.” Easy books are a complete waste of time. That goes double for comic books and Mad magazine.

13. Absolutely, positively no reading in bed.

The Slave Dancer by Paula Fox

Reading Level: age 10-12
Paperback: 150 pages
Newbery Award Winner

A surprisingly good read. This is a story of a boy who was kidnapped and force to play his pipe on a slaving ship. Well written and an interesting perspective to the cruelties that took place as part of the slave trade.

The Book of Three by Lloyd Alexander

Reading Level: ages7-10
Paper back: 190 pages

Alexander has a gift with bringing his characters to life. His characters have very unique personalities and Alexander's writing allows you to get to know them. The Book of Three is the first book of the Prydain Chronicles (including the Black Cauldron) and I had to hold myself back from continuing right on to the next book.
The book starts out with Taran, the assistant-pig keeper, who, through events beyond what he could have expected, sets out on an adventure that requires more of him than he thinks he is able to give. Alexander prefaced the book by asking "Aren't there times when we all feel like assistant pig keepers?" Embarking on this journey with Taran, I could relate many times to Taran's feelings of inadequacy, but I, like Taran, often am surprised by what I am able to achieve even if I can still see my flaws.

I'd give this book four stars.

Some of my Re-Reads

Frankly, I re-read almost everything. If I can get through it the first time, I usually want to revisit a second, third, fourth, and on and on. I could post about so many, but I'll just start with one author.

One of my favorite fantasy authors is Robin McKinley. I recommended her to my mom and she doesn't like her writing at all. It's pretty wordy and has some strange sentence structure, but I love it. I was wandering through the library recently wishing that I owned almost all of her books and that she had written more of them.

In order of recommendation, or perhaps the order I was introduced ...

Beauty.

• Reading level: Ages 9-12
  
• Mass Market Paperback: 336 pages

It doesn't seem like it could possibly be over 300 pages. It must have really large margins. This is a fun retelling of Beauty and the Beast.

Spindle's End.

• Reading level: Young Adult
  
• Paperback: 384 pages

A version of Sleeping Beauty. It gets a little strange near the end. Most of her books do, but I love all the rest of it.

The Hero and the Crown and The Blue Sword

• Reading level: Young Adult
• Mass Market Paperback: 227 pages
• Newberry Medal
  

• Reading level: Young Adult
  
• Mass Market Paperback: 248 pages
• Newberry Honor
  

These two are about the same land, but are set generations apart. I love The Blue Sword more. In fact I don't think I'd use the word love in relation to The Hero and the Crown, but it's fairly interesting and a fun read.

The Outlaws of Sherwood

• Reading level: Young Adult
  
• Paperback: 368 pages

I haven't read this one very much, but it seems like I liked it pretty well.

Chalice

• Reading level: Young Adult
  
• Paperback: 272 pages

I liked this one a lot, but I think it is pretty weird and I wish it was longer.

Rose Daughter

• Reading level: Young Adult
  
• Paperback: 304 pages

I don't think I liked this one until I'd read it a couple of times so I don't know that I can recommend it strongly. It is another telling of Beauty and the Beast and Beauty is much better!

She also has a couple collections of short stories that are fun but not marvelous. DON'T read Deerskin- seems like it is a bit offensive. I didn't care for Dragonhaven- it wasn't bad- just didn't really like it. Her adult book Sunshine is an intriguing vampire tale, but has two pages that I wish I'd never read as they were too graphic for me.

The Doll People

This is a really good read! All about this Doll family trying to find their aunt.
Along the way they meet some new friends. I wont tell any more so you have to read it to find out what happens :)

Ulysses Moore the long lost map

A while ago my mom bought me a book.A good book.
This is a book of mystery,excitement,and suspense.
really good. This girls brothers get trapped in ancient Egypt and go on a
exciting adventure trying to find their way home. Meanwhile the girl has to face
Oblivia Newton a greedy young woman and her chauffeur Manfred. A really
cool read! I rate it 6 stars out of 5 :)