Historical Fiction - Lincoln and His Boys

Lincoln and His Boys

Written by Rosemary Wells

Illustrated by P. J. Lynch

Published by Candlewick Press

Copyright 2009

96 pages

A/R Reading Level : 4.4

Historical Fiction

This book tells a story about President Abraham Lincoln from the eyes of his son.  This book was especially interesting to me because I had never read much historical fiction before this book.  I found it to be extremely engaging and fun to read because it exposes the reader to a brand new perspective on one of our greatest's presidents.  

I feel like this book would be a great way to further engage students in a course of study about Lincoln and the way life was during the time of the Civil War.  This would be an awesome way to get students thinking about what life would have been like for them if they had lived during this turbulent time of history.  Lincoln's son retelling some of his experiences makes the history come alive and would spark much conversation about how life would have been for students living during this time period.  

I feel like including a piece of literature like this in a week-long study about Lincoln could deepen the students' understanding and reflection about this historical time.  

Contemporary Realistic Fiction - Rules

Rules

Written by Cynthia Lord

Published by Scholastic Press

Copyright 2006

200 pages

Contemporary Realistic Fiction

A/R Level : 3.9

This book is an enjoyable read about a girl who is struggling to love and assist her autistic brother to make sense of the world around him while trying to avoid embarrassment and judgment from others against her and her brother.  She hates how autism makes him become so easily subjected to ridicule by their peers and tries to avoid these types of conflicts by teaching her brother "rules" to live by.  What is woven throughout the book are these rules that she has written for her brother but slowly become excellent rules for her and actually good rules for anyone to live by.  She is such a likable character because she is honest about her dilemmas throughout the book.  She struggles with fears about fitting in with her peers, helping her brother and later helping her new friend, Jason, who is confined to a wheelchair and cannot speak.  We find a sweet friend in the main character, Catherine, and can learn many life lessons from her simple "rules".

This book could be used as a teacher read aloud to spark discussions about how everyone that you meet has situations in their life that are not easy to deal with and that it is hard for everyone to open up and make new friends.  A discussion about sharing your own unique qualities with the world is worth the effort because everyone is different and everyone is valuable.  You could begin this discussion and continue it throughout the reading of this book with a class.  

Science Fiction - Frank Einstein and the Electro-Finger

Frank Einstein and the Electro-Finger

Frank Einstein and the Electro-Finger

Written by Jon Scieszka

Illustrated by Brian Biggs

Published by Amulet Books

Copyright 2015

165 pages

A/R Grade Level:  4.4

Frank Einstein, Watson and their robots, Klink and Klank, build a static-electricity finger while trying to provide free electricity to their town, Midville.  In the book, their enemies are T. Edison and Mr. Chimp who are trying to make the whole town need him to provide their electricity.  This struggle about the town's electricity supply makes for a fun story.

Children that are interested in science will enjoy the illustrations and drawings throughout the book and continue to be drawn into the story.  There is a world of information and learning provided through the illustrations alone and many could be used to spark scientific discussions and debates with students.  

This book will engage students in the science of energy in its different forms and there are several ways that it can spark continued research by readers about science.  Use of this book before performing science experiments could be interesting also because it would introduce the idea of being a scientist, experimenter, or even an inventor.

  

Nonfiction - Those Rebels, John & Tom

Those Rebels, John & Tom

Those Rebels, John & Tom

Written by Barbara Kerley

Illustrated by Edwin Fotheringham

Published by Scholastic Press

Copyright 2012

46 pages

A/R Grade Level: 6.3

This book presents a quick introduction to two of America's founding fathers, John Adams and Thomas Jefferson.  It contrasts how very different they were but brings their story together by explaining how they worked together for America's good.  It outlines their relationship and work together in a story-like, light-hearted way that easily will engage children.  The book is a quick summary of their early lives up to the birth of the Declaration of Independence.  

Using this book to introduce a study of that time period in history could help "hook" students because it casts these men as real people with different personalities and different talents but with very similar beliefs and convictions.  Although the A/R reading level is 6.3, I feel that the use of this book could be used even in the third grade to help introduce any unit about American history during that time period due to the way it personifies these two particular men.  It makes them come alive as real people and could spark interest in students to research other important historical figures from that time period.  

The illustrations are very cartoonish but interesting.  This adds to the entertainment factor of the book and keeps it from being boring.  There are many facts and ideas woven into the book through the illustrations which adds to the ways that this book could be utilized to increase students' interest in further study of the topic.

  

Modern Fantasy - The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane

The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane

Written by Kate DiCamillo

Illustrated by Bagram Ibatoulline

Published by Candlewick Press

Copyright 2006

200 pages

A/R Grade Level 4.4

The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane is a great fantasy book about a beautiful china rabbit that has very little emotional connection to anyone or anything.  At the beginning of the book he is very proud of his outward appearance but has very little emotional connection to anyone.  He takes great pride in how he looks and how he is treated.  Through a series of events he is lost, mistreated, gets dirty, loved, discarded, forgotten, treasured, and experiences many other radical events.  Throughout these events his outward appearance becomes "less than" beautiful but the real story is that his inward feelings are changed.  He begins to "feel" things for his owners and actually miss and appreciate his previous owners.  This book is a great story of how outward appearance is not nearly as important as your inner values.

This would be a great book to share with your class as a whole group to "journey" through the changes that Edward Tulane experiences and have your class predict what may happen to the little china rabbit next.  It teaches love and friendship in such a beautiful way.  Discussion would spontaneously begin with students while reading this book about the true value of friendship and how love can change things in your life.

The illustrations are what I would call art gallery quality.  They are gorgeous and provoke an emotional reaction because they convey and add so much meaning to the story. 

Thea's Tree Book Talk

Thea's Tree Book Talk