No, David!

Summary:

This is the story of David, the little boy who did everything he wasn't supposed to! What a funny story to read students about a little boy who does everything wrong and is still hilarious! He is always covered in mud, wears snorkels down the street and picks his nose!

About the Author: David Shannon

David Shannon won a Caldecott Award for this book in 1998. He also is the author of A Bad Case of the Stripes. He truly recognizes with the character David and believes that his vivid pictures truly make his books.

Theme/Skills: Problem Solving, Fiction, Humor

Grade Level: Pre-K-Grade 1

Activities:

Ask students to think about a time they've ever done something "wrong"  when they were little and didn't know any better. Have your class make a "how-to" book. How to not torture you parents, and not burn down your house like little David!

Reflection:

This book truly represents what it is to be a child. Some adults try to give a child like David a label or an IEP when he just might be a little different! Children relate great to this book and its so easy to read and go by the pictures. Even if a child couldn't read they could go by the pictures and still understand the story.

A Little Princess

Summary:

Sara Crewe couldn't have had a more perfect life. But once her father is announced "dead" from war her life comes to a halt. She is forced to work in the school she was attending and the headmistress continues to treat her awful, while she knows the real secret to Sara's father. Sara sees her father on the street and realizes that he's alive but has lost his sight temporarily. Will Sara overcome all these obstacles to be reunited with her father again?

About the Author: Frances Hodgson Burnett

Also the author of Secret Garden Burnett was a well established writer and playwright in England. Growing up as a teen she herself had to overcome issues very similar to Sara Crewe's. 

Theme/Skill: Fiction, Problem Solving, Overcoming Obstacles

Grade Level: 4-6

Activities:

Assign students to write letters to Sara Crewe. If you were her friend what would you do to help her get through this time? Also ask students to write a diary entry as Sara Crewe. Would they be as optimistic as Sara?

Reflection:

While reading this book as a little girl I absolutely fell in love. This story isn't exactly relatable to my students now, but they may find some common ground with the trials that Sara had to overcome. 

145th Street: Short Stories

Summary:

This book includes several short stories that cover the tough topics that many urban children have to live with. For example, The Streak talks about how Jamie a basketball player feels that his life has all bad luck in it. Until finally his luck turns around and he wins a big basketball game for the school and gets a cute girl to go with him to the school dance.

About the Author: Walter Dean Myers

Myers was raised in Harlem, where he was shielded from the dangers of the street life from his church. Myers dropped out of high school and joined the army. As an urban child, he writes his stories from the heart and from personal experiences.

Theme/Skill: Fiction, Short Stories, Problem Solving

Grade Level: 5-8

Pre-Reading Activity:

Ask students to respond in a journal entry if they've ever felt lucky or unlucky? What made them feel this way?

Post-Reading Activity:

Have the students work in groups to re-write the ending of their favorite story in the book. Why did they make those changes?

Reflection:

I was introduced to this book at Blodgett. This book truly engages my students and they can relate to the issues covered. This book will stay on my list of books to read from now on. 

You're Not My Best Friend Anymore

Summary:

Molly and Ben are best friends who have a falling out because they disagree on their birthday party plans. They both say hurtful things to each other and truly want their friendship back the way it was. They continued to have their birthday parties together, but they didn't acknowledge each other. They both got each other presents that the other one would only know they would want. Their friendship is rekindled and they learn to move on past their fight.

About the Author:Charlotte Pomerantz

Pomerantz is an author of several other children's books such as Piggy in the Puddle which was shown on the show Reading Rainbow.

Theme/Skill: Friendship, Problem Solving, Fiction

Grade Level: K-3

Pre-Reading Activity:

Ask students if they had ever had a conflict with a friend. How did it turn out? What would they have done differently?

Post-Reading Activity:

Assign students to reflect on Molly and Ben's fight in a journal entry. Was the fight a big deal? Should they have disagreed?

Reflection:

The title of this book is a classic line that many children say out of spite to make their friend mad. So many students have issues with something silly that a friend did and start a fight over nothing. Some students in my class now that are eleven and twelve years old should read this story and realize how stupid some of their fights are. 

Don't Call Me Fatso

Summary: 

Rita is a  young girl in a class where she is the outcast because of her weight. When the class has lunch, she inhales her unhealthy food. When the class is weighed by the school nurse she is announced as the heaviest in the class. She tells her parents she doesn't want to eat sweets anymore and tries her best to exercise more. Rita continues to be picked on by her peers and feels low about herself. Finally she is re-weighed and has lost five pounds but has grew one inch. By the end of the book she is confident and slim.

Author: Barbara Philips

Theme/Skill: Character Education, Fiction, Problem Solving, Health, Bullying

Grade Level: K-4

Pre-Reading Activity:

Provide children with a plate of fake food (healthy and unhealthy). Have volunteers come up and choose healthy foods out for the class to see. Discuss with the students what a healthy diet means. Then discuss what it means to be unhealthy and different body types. Not two people look alike and being "chubby" does not mean you're unhealthy.

Post-Reading Activity:

Ask the students to respond to what Rita's peers/teachers did wrong. What would they change?

Reflection:

Honestly, I picked this book because I knew it would have some controversial content. What school now would weigh a class in front of each other? What class would allow bullying like the art teacher tolerated? Bullying is such a bigger topic now than it was around this books publishing date in 1980. Now it's unheard of that a book would recommend to students to go on a diet, work out and then you won't be picked on. At the end of the book, I perceived the message as "if you're skinny you'll be popular." What a horrible message to send to children.