A Girl Named Disaster

A Girl Named Disaster, written by Nancy Farmer, is a very long and sophisticated chapter book. The book centers around a young African woman named Nhamo who is on a quest to find her father and escape from a marriage to a cruel man. Nhamo is only eleven and during her journey she is dealing with near death experiences, loneliness, and starvation.

This book is a realistic fiction chapter book good for readers in 6-8th grades. There are 42 chapters in this book and could be very complicated if not guided by the teacher.

After reading this book, I would pose questions such as:

• What are the two religions in the book?
• According to Nhamo's uncle, what happens to children who don't obey their parents?
• What are the beliefs of the two religions?

A motivational activity I would include after reading this book would be creating an illustrated children's book in groups. I think this is a very creative way of using some of the stories in the book  that Nhamo uses to teach lessons. Another activity would be the re-creating of the setting in a shoe box diorama that would be displayed until the novel is complete.

Other books this author has written are:

• The Ear, The Eye, & The Arm
• The House of the Scorpion
• Do You Know Me?

This book gives readers a chance to imagine what Nhamo's life is life is life through her dramatic and humorous storytelling. Nhamo is a very young brave girl who is determined to survive her harsh circumstance.

Number the Stars

Number the Stars by Lois Lowry is a story of bravery and love for what is right! The genre of this book is historical fiction and gives readers accounts of actual events which took place in Denmark during World War II. Ten year old Annemarie Johansen lives in Copenhagen in 1943 and is having a very difficult time getting used to the changes that the Nazis have made and with the separation between her and her best friend.

 

Number the Stars uses symbolism throughout the novel which is a great concept to teach in the classroom. With themes such as bravery and true friendships, motivational activities would be easy to include as well.

 

Questions I would ask before reading this book would be:

1. What do we know about the events that took place in Denmark during World War II?

2. How would you feel if you were Annemarie during that time?

3. What group was Annemarie's family a part of and what was their purpose?

 

One motivational activity I would use with this book would be to do a symbolic poster where they would choose symbols to represent each chapter they read, then write why they chose that symbol. Another activity would be filmstrips. Each students would have a partner and they would create a filmstrip for one of the chapters. In each film strip the students would include illustrations and small captions each details.

 

There are so many activities that could be included after reading this novel. It is very educational and the cover is also illustrated by Lois Lowry.

 

 

 

Her Mother's Face by Roddy Doyle

 

This book is about a young girl named Siobhan and her father dealing with the loss of her mother and his wife. Throughout the years the two continuously feel sad until Siobhan follows advice from a mysterious woman.

 

This picturebook is fiction and is created with watercolors and charcoal. The illustrator, Freya Blackwood is very creative in painting pictures that readers could actually feel while reading. The facial expressions and memories drawn from Siobhan memories of the short times she had with her mother were beautiful!

 

This book is very motivational for some readers who understands what it feels like to lose their mother. Motivational because the words from the mystery woman helps Siobhan deal with the loss by giving her encouraging words and telling her that when she look in the mirror she would see how her mother would look at her and how much she would look like her when she grows up.

 

One activity I would do with my class is a writing piece that allows students to write about a time that made them sad. My intent would be to do this in their journals. Daily journal writing is good for some students who may be dealing with hard times like Siobhan. Another activity would be to draw a picture of a person who they love and miss. This would be an activity that students could show their artistic abilities as well.

 

Questions I would include after reading this aloud would be:

- How did Siobhan deal with her mother's death?

- How did Siobhan feel when she would see other children with their mothers?

- What did Siobhan name her daughter?

 

Another book this author has written is Wilderness and The Giggler Treatment.

 

Great book to read to help those who are weeping or having difficulty dealing with a situation in their life!  

 

 

Sam and the Tigers

 

Author Julius Lester presents a new edition telling of an African American child known as Sambo. In his book, Sam and the Tigers, the author uses his memory of the past and creativity to create a picturebook of an imaginary  place where animals and people live and work together. The genre is fiction.

 

 

The illustrator, Jerry Pinkney uses pencils and watercolor to give readers full-color artwork for visualizing the imagination use of the author. The story starts off with the classic fairytale line, "Once upon a time." This tone is an interesting way to spark suspicion of young readers!

A question I would ask prior to reading this book would be:

- Has anyone ever heard of the stories about Sambo?

After finishing the book with my class, I would ask the following questions:

- Do you think Sam was brave for facing the tigers?
- How would you have reacted if you were in that situation?
- How many people were named Sam in this story? Where did the story take place?

There are a few motivational activities I would include after reading this book. One activity would be a learning about the different places where the animals come from. The book is about animals and people working and living together. Another activity would be to learn about the history of Sambo. Perhaps the children could write about or draw their own imaginary place as well.

I specifically liked this book because the author took a new way of introducing historical events as fun by reconceptualization. The use of syllables and the illustrations were very parallel to the story. Great book with a unique intent to retell a story from the past.

Peeny Butter Fudge

Peeny Butter Fudge, written by Toni Morrison and Slade Morrison is a wonderful picturebook filled with rhymes that young readers would enjoy. This book is about children spending the day with their grandmother, who ignores their mother’s carefully planned schedule in favor of activities that are much more fun!

The illustrator, Joe Cepeda, used beautifully created pictures made in oil paints that would easily draw the attention of young readers!

This book comes with an activity that students could do with a parent or in the classroom. The activity is a recipe called Peeny Butter Fudge! This will not only motivate young readers but it would also engage them in hands on activity that could easily involve math and science.

Questions I would include with this book would be:

1.       What are some of the rhyming words used in the book?

2.       What kind of activities do you do with your grandmother?

3.       What kind of fun would you have included with your grandmother that was not in the book?

This book is so full of creativity! I would definitely read this to young students and family members. I enjoyed this book so much that I had to buy it for a friend’s daughter! The colors and rhymes are fun and the recipe included was perfect for young readers!

Booker T. Washington by Thomas Amper

 

This book tells the story of Booker T. Washington’s childhood following the end of slavery, his struggle to get an education, and his journey at age sixteen to the Hampton Institute.

This is a realistic/historical fiction picturebook that uses text features to guide readers through the journey of Booker T. Washington’s life events.

The illustrator, Jenni Reeves, uses painterly style art that readers could easily relate to with the events in the time line. The vibrant artwork adds color and life to the story.

A great motivational activity I would include after reading this book with my students would be a history lesson. I would use this book during Black History Month and include a creation of time lined events as an activity. I would also suggest a writing piece for older students to express their relation to Booker T. Washington's  list of struggles he endured while coming of age.

 

 

Questions I would include to prompt a discussion would be:

1.       How would you feel if you had to travel alone to an unknown place by yourself at a young age?

2.       How long did Booker T. Washington attend Hampton Institute?

3.       Was Booker T. Washington allowed to attend school at an early age?

 

This book is great for learning the biography of a motivational character and the events that had taken place in their past.

Thank You, Sarah

 

 

Thank You, Sarah is written by Laurie Anderson and illustrated by Matt Faulker. The book is about a then magazine editor and author that persuaded President Lincoln to transform Thanksgiving Day into a national holiday. The genre of this book would be realistic fiction. Realistic fiction are events or things that could actually happen in modern times today that may have happened differently in the past, which in retrospect could easily turn into historical fiction. The events that happened in the book during the 18th century are actual events that has made it possible for the country to have a national holiday, Thanksgiving Day!

 

The illustrations are full of dynamic, drawn with water colors and Indian ink. Warm toned colors are used to give readers a feel of just how fall and Thanksgiving is today. The multicultural and historical images are very warm and eccentric as well.

 

 This is very good picturebook to use in the classroom also with a variety of activities. A motivational activity I would use is a standing for what is right activity! I would discuss how powerful determination and believing in the right thing could change the world. I would include a persuasive writing activity that would allow students to persuade their audiences about a change they would like to see within their community or schools.

Some questions I would include in the classroom would be:

1. What are some things other than Thanksgiving that Sarah help fight for?

2. What type of literature did Sarah write during this time?

3. What were the names of the other Presidents that Sarah wrote? What year were they in office?



This book is presented in a creative way that explains how one woman helped change the mindset of a major figure with fight and determination! The concept of the book is very powerful yet illustrated in a very interesting manner where children would like to learn about history!

Great picturebook!

Satchmo's Blues

Satchmo's Blue written by Alan Scroeder and illustrated by Floyd Cooper is based about the famous musician Louis Armstrong. When Louis was just a small child he saw a little cornet in a pawn shop and vowed to save fifty cents a week until he had five dollars to purchase it! Louis loved music so much that he pretended to have the horn when he didn't. 

Satchmo's Blues is a non fiction picturebook that includes factual information about Louis Armstrong's childhood while in New Orleans. It gives an accurate account of how much Louis loved the art of music and how his interest in music as a child manifested in his adult life. Satchmos's Blues is Dell Dragonfly Book which are made to inspire children to discover talented artists and writers! 

 How can we connect this book to learning?

One motivational activity I would include is a learning the importance of sharing lesson. In the book, Louis struggled with giving his mom a portion of the money he had been saving to help with his sister's birthday dinner. This lesson would be for smaller children that may not understand the value in sharing! Another activity would be a compare and contrast activity. I would encourage students to find another artist that Louis could compare with and note their similarities and differences. 

Questions I would include are:

1. How important was music to Louis Armstrong?

2. How long did it take Louis to earn the money to buy his born? 

3. Are there any other artists from New Orleans that you know of? Where is New Orleans on the map? 

The painterly style of art the illustrator Floyd Cooper used gave readers a taste of that New Orleans flavor, as some may know! The pictures were full of life and happiness with the variety of instruments and dancing illustrated! The illustrations were definitely in line with the story and readers could easily relate to the events in this book 

This is a great book for ages 4-8 years. 

The Girls in the Circle ( Just for You!)

The Girls in the Circle is written by the well-known Nikki Giovanni. This book of poetry gives readers a dose of what may be their own reality. It is about a group of young African American girls playing dress-up with clothing from their grandmother’s closet! The girls are having an exciting time putting on lipstick and perfume but they have absolutely nowhere to go! How many young African American girls can relate to this in some way? I know there are many!

This book would fall under the realistic fiction genre. The events in this book are actually events that are realistic and very well may take place or have taken place in real life. While poetry is often treated as a separate genre, Nikki Giovanni is an award winning poetry writer and has always been a favorite to most readers which is why this book is full of rhymes with motivational activities that could possibly be included. One motivational activity that could be included as an activity used with this book is a self-esteem activity for young girls who may be experiencing difficulties in their childhood. Many young African American girls are faced with those issues in school and at home. Another activity may be a family together time when parent and other family members can join in with the girls and dress up. I find that to be a perfect way to bond with children and to discuss things that may be bothering them or upsetting them in school or at home.

 

Questions I would include after reading this book would be:

What words did the author use to rhyme with bows?

How can you tell if the girls are having an excited time?

What do you think the girls were getting dressed up for?

 

 

 

This book is a great book illustrated by Cathy Ann Johnson. The illustrations gave readers a vivid picture of beautiful little girls having a great time with each other and their family members. The colors are eye capturing for young readers and the words could easily grab the attention of young listeners with the right tone and with the same excitement as the girls, if you use your imagination!

 

Below is an example of an activity that I would do with my children or students to engage them!

 

( While we are in the circle, after reading the book, I would ask the girls to get up and I would make my own poetry and dance session.)

 

Get up! Join in! Move around! Let's bring this book to life! 

 

Hey guys!

The girls in the book want to have some fun with you!

Let's put on grandma's scarf and pretty pearls too!

Don't be shy and don't be blue.

You are beautifully made, smart, intelligent, and simply wonderful!

-Comec'ko Webber

 

Enjoy! :)

 



 

Bridge to Terabithia

Bridge to Terabithia, written by Katherine Paterson and illustrated by Donna Diamond is about a special friendship between a boy and a girl. Jess and Leslie create an imaginary land, Terabithia, where their own wonderful adventures are brought to life. The two friends were from different backgrounds who learned so much from each other. The tragedy in this friendship was the death of one of the characters which left the other character to cope and move on.



Bridge to Terabithia would fall under the fantasy genre. In this book the illustrations allow readers use the writer's idea of similes to enhance their own writing. Motivational activities I would include in a lesson with this book, is how to positively deal with death and fear. For example, readers could discuss with each other how Jess deals with the death of his friend Leslie and categorize those feelings. When dealing with fear, readers could possibly discuss how Jess's friendship with Leslie helps him face his fears.  

One positive writing activity that could be included with this book is writing a letter to someone who would be a special friend and include how they have changed their life. Questions I would ask during and/or after each chapter as reading responses are:

1. Why does Jess stand up for Leslie?
2. Why is Terabithia so important to Jess?
3. How would you feel if you were Jesse right now?

This book has so many themes that includes friendship, family, revenge, peer pressure, and death. There is so much that you could learn from reading this book in so many ways both positive and negative depending on the way readers interpret it. I would likely recommend this book for motivation and imagination.

Enjoy!