The Case of the Class Clown (NOVEL)

 

Title: The Case of the Class Clown

Author: James Preller

Illustrator: Jamie Smith 

Cover Illustrator: R.W. Alley 

Publisher: Scholastic Inc.

I think this book was an interesting and funny book. The story atarts off with Athena Lorenzo meeting Jigsaw at his tree house, asking him to solve a case for her. I like this part because she comparing themseves to the pig and the big bad wolf. Athena being the big bad wolf and him being the little pig. This is a text to self connection.
The author in this book uses alot of descriptive words and visual clues(you just have to look for them).
I was so into this book that I couldn't stop reading it! I was hypnotized to see the ending. The suspense was killing me! When I got to the end. I was really surprised how all the characters reacted. My favorite part was when they started to lick socks to find out if the slime was really slime or not. I like this part because with stuff like that at the beginning I knew it was gonna be a good book.  But you'll have to read it to find out for yourself! There was actually a lot of surprises in this book so get your detective caps on, and read, read away!

I think as a educator that students of all ages would love to hear this as a read aloud. So many unpredictable things happen in this book. If you add in the right monotone and intonation this could keep your students interested for a while.

Welcome To Kindergarten

 

Title: Welcome to Kindergarten

Author & Illustrator: Anne Rockwell

Publisher: Walker & Company 

In the book Welcome to Kindergarten by Anne Rockwell, I observed that she focuses on all the fun things kids will get to do when they go to school.The way that she illustrates the book is amazing. She takes it to a new level, a level for children to truly understand. It breaks it down to a typical day of school for a kindergartner. Even though this is a big place it is shown as a safe place just for him.  

The main character is nervous about kindergarten until he attends an open house and is able to explore his kindergarten room. The gentle, positive tone is perfect for kids about to start school.

I know because this was read to my kindergarten class at open house. I think helped the children make a positive connection with the teacher.

The Pirate of Kindergarten

 

Title: The Pirate of Kindergarten

Author: George Ella Lyon

Illustrated: Lynn Avril

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing Division

The book,  The Pirate of Kindergarten by George Ella Lyon was a great book. Initially when I picked up the book I thought it was something else, but I was pleasantly pleased with the selection. I feel that the book touched on things that are important in a kindergartners life. As a future teacher I know there will some students in my classroom who are not able to see and being so young, they may not know that something is wrong. I think this book addressed the issue in such a way that you could read it to the class or even to individual students to bring up the topic. Not only is is a good way to bring up the topic but to help a student who may have just started wearing a patch or glasses and feeling self conscious about it.
This is a great book to talk about diversity and how we are all different as the front page says "for everyone who sees the world differently." I would definitely use it as a resource.

Not only do I think the story was great but the illustrations that went along were also very important to the books meaning. I think that by adding the seeing doubles students who are not having the problem will be able to see the world through a classmates eyes. For the young children they may not understand what the theme of the story is by being read to but with the addition of the pictures, it brings the story full circle.

This book is great and a must read for young readers

The Junkyard Wonders

Author and Illustrator: Patricia Polacco,

Publish Date: 07/2010

Publisher: Philomel Books

Subjects: Children's Books/Ages 9-12 Fiction

This week I have been introduced to a whole new part of literature and a book that I read was, The Junkyard Wonders by Patricia Polacco. I love the characteristically stylized illustrations.But more, I love the way she shows  through her story and her art, the quality of being a individual is inherent in every child, the sheer possibilities with which each of us is born, regardless of our physical or mental handicaps.

This is the story of children who are denied individuality. One of the children is dyslexic. One has Tourette’s.  Another never speaks. They’re not quite persons in the minds of the Powers That Be, so they’re shunted into a special class. It’s called The Junkyard.

Enter the wonderful classroom of Mrs. Peterson, teacher of the Junkyard kids. She believes in these kids and all the possibilities that entails: intelligence, creativity, compassion and friendship. She expects them to live up to her beliefs in them and builds their confidence so that they can. So, to everyone's surprise what is supposed to be a holding pen of shame becomes instead a place of flourishing learners and individuals.

At the end of the book is a short afterword, and I learned that the story is based on Polacco’s own childhood, that the characters are real people who grow up to … but I won’t spoil it for you. Let me just say I cried reading that afterword.

Math Curse

Author: Jon Scieszka

Illustrator: Lane Smith

Publisher:Viking Press 1995

I love read books that bridge a gap between math and literature, and this is my favorite so far and it is Math Curse by Jon Scieszka The book tells the story of a student who is cursed by the way mathematics works in everyday life. It is a tale where everything is a math problem, from tabulating teeth to calculating a bowl of corn flakes.  Everything in life becomes a math problem.

First you see the math teacher, Mrs. Fibonacci, ( I just love that name.) declare, “You know, you can think of almost everything as a math problem.” Then you watch as the student turns into a “raving math lunatic” since he (I think) believes “Mrs. Fibonacci has obviously put a math curse on me.” 

From sunrise to sunset, the student anxiously mulls over the answers to countless calculations such as: How much time does it take to get ready and be at the bus stop? (a problem the reader can solve.).  Estimate how many M&Ms you would eat if you had to measure the Mississippi River using M&Ms. There is even an English word problem: “If mail + box = mailbox, does lipstick – stick = lip? Does tunafish + tunafish = fournafish?”   (silly, but funny.)  A class treat of cupcakes becomes a study in fractions, while a trip to the store turns into a problem of money. The story continues until the student is finally free of the math curse, but then again Mr. Newton, the science teacher, regrettably says, “You know, you can think of almost everything as a science experiment.”

Math Curse is full of honest to goodness math problems (and some rather unrelated bonus questions, such as "What does this inkblot look like?"). Readers can try to solve the problems and check their answers located on the back cover of the book. The problems are perfect to get students’ minds working and thinking about how math really does apply to their everyday life.

The illustrations by Lane Smith are so unique. They are busy and chaotic to reflect the “math zombie” this student becomes. Many resemble a cut and paste project, with some images touching or overlapping others. Mostly dark colors are used especially when the student begins to dream s/he is trapped in a blackboard room covered with never-ending math problems.  (a nightmare for many) Smith’s art work makes Scieszka's words come to life and helps to paint a picture of what is going through the mind of the main character as s/he deals with the dreaded math curse.

John Scieszka does a remarkable job of breaking down the typical school day into math problems while also adding some humor which every math-phobic needs.  The math is perhaps a little advanced for elementary students, but the problems are perfect for middle school or high school students. But I hope that he writes a book just for Elementary (K-3) sometime soon.(hint,hint)

Math Curse also demonstrates how a problem may seem difficult, but if you are persistent, you can find the solution to the problem. The book teaches not to fear or be anxious about math or for that matter, any other subject in school.  Despite the fact the main character is completely overwhelmed by mathematics, it allows students who struggle with the identical feeling to know they are not alone. Any student who has ever been distressed over numbers, fractions, word problems and the like will certainly identify with the main character.

As a educator, I think this book makes math fun as well as interesting. Although I recognize math is everywhere in everyday life, I never realized just how much until I read the Math Curse and mathematically saw the day of a typical student.  I like that this book accurately illustrates and explains how math is actually used and applied in someone's daily routine.  I love the story, the message, and especially the content. Everyone should read this book, it is silly, funny but at the same time learning is taking place. Imagine that you can make learning fun to do.

Science Verse

Title: Science Verse

Written by: Jon Scieszka

Illustrated by: Lane Smith

Themes: Science, Poetry, Humor,

Published by: Viking, the Penguin Group, 2004, fiction.

I read this book in class for the first time on Thursday and I absolutely LOVE, LOVE< LOVE IT!!! By the way did I tell you that I LOVE THIS BOOK!

On the first two pages it starts out: “ON Wednesday in Science class, Mr. Newton says, “You know, if you listen closely enough, you can hear the poetry of science in everything.” I listen closely. On Thursday, I start hearing the poetry. In fact, I start hearing everything as a science poem. Mr. Newton has Zapped me with a curse of SCIENCE VERSE.” This page just sucked me right in and I couldn't put this book down.

On the third page the poems start with:

“Evolution-

Glory, glory, evolution.

 Darwin found us a solution.

 Your mama is that shape,

and your knuckles always scrape…

’Cause Grandpa was an ape.”

From the book jacket:

HAVE you ever stopped to smell the roses? HAVE you ever paused to listen

to the poetry of science in everything? Here’s the story of one kid who did. Too bad for him. It turned everything into science poetry. Roses are red. Violets are blue. The science Verse curse Will drive you nuts too. ONLY the creators of this book could make science and poetry so much fun.

Why I love it: Yes, It’s Jon Scieszka’s humor but its famous poems from Longfellow and Edgar Allen Poe made into a science parody that really turn me on to science. The little ditty above is just a taste. Jon turns body parts into gory soup with a poem off of Lewis Carroll that is sure to please the most boyish boy teaming with testosterone. He plays with the poem of Hiawatha turning it into the cellular structure. It’s just so darn clever. The book can even turn the most nonacademic student (or that is what they think) into one who appreciates poems and science and even history. I know that it changed my outlook on Science/Poetry.

What a great way to get students interested in Science without having to take out a boring textbook. They will hear these poems and will start singing and quoting them right before your eyes. Again a great tool for learning and exciting students.