The Giver

The Giver, by Lois Lowry is a good short novel to read. It is written from the point of view of Jonas, an eleven-year-old boy living in a futuristic society that has eliminated all pain, fear, war, and hatred. There is no prejudice, since everyone looks and acts basically the same, and there is very little competition. Everyone is unfailingly polite. The society has also eliminated choice: at age twelve every member of the community is assigned a job based on his or her abilities and interests. Jonas is selected to become the communities receiver of memory. The community is all happy and don't have any sad, emotions, in their life because of the receiver. The receiver takes in all the hurt and bad from before so that nobody else has the hurtful experience. This book is interesting because it shows a good sense of imagination but the people in the community lack individuality and love, among others. They have their life chosen for them, that wouldn't be ok with me if someone else chose everything for me and I had to be exactly like everyone else. I also would not like how I couldn't make up my own family or by in love. I do think this is a good book to read in classrooms though. In teenage years, I remember reading it in school, this book would be appropriate and have conversations about the differences in choices in our world and the lack of choices in theirs. There are other topics that could be discussed throughout this book but I feel like students, classrooms, and teachers would learn a lot from reading this book and carrying out conversations throughout it.

Princess Pig

Princess Pig is written by Eileen Spinelli and illustrated by Tim Bowers. This story is geared for children preschool to second grade. Princess Pig is a story about an ordinary pig that wakes up to a sash next to her that says "princess" that had blown off of the pickle princess that was in a parade. She then thinks she is actually a princess and tells the different animals that she is a princess. One by one the animals say she is not a princess because she doesn't have other things that a princess has. So, the pig makes things or finds things to add to her outfit to make her look like a princess. The other animals begin to believe she really is a princess, all except the pony. Princess Pig ends up alone, and finds the other animals having a party. She doesn't know why she wasn't invited and they tell her because she is a princess and princesses do not go to ordinary parties. The pony makes her realize she can go to the party because she is an ordinary pig. I thought this book was a good book and would be good to read in a classroom in trying to teach kids that they do not need to act like anything other than themselves.

Amelia Bedelia's First Day of School

Amelia Bedelia's First Day of School by Herman Parish, pictures by Lynne Avril is a fun and creative book to read! The book is geared for children ages 4-8. This book is like the other Amelia Bedelia books except this time, instead of being an adult maid, she is a young girl on her first day of school. Although it is a different time setting, the idea is the same. When her teacher asks her to do things which may not be meant in a literal sense, Amelia takes seriously. An example from the story is when Amelia is out of her chair a number of times, the teacher says she needs to glue herself to her seat. Her teacher didn't mean to actually glue herself to her seat, she meant to stay seated...but Amelia didn't take it like that, so she actually glues herself to her seat. I think this book should be read in a younger grade classroom on the first day of school. I think it is funny and add humor to the first days with a new teacher and how the students aren't the only nervous ones, that teachers are nervous also.

Jeremy Draws a Monster

Jeremy Draws a Monster is by Peter McCarty. This book is geared towards children ages 3 to 6 years old. I think this book is creative, and shows things that may go through little boys minds, monsters. This book is about a boy named Jeremy. Jeremy never goes outside, so one day draws a monster. This monster is alive, and bored. The monster continuously asks Jeremy to draw more things because he is bored and hungry. Jeremy decides he's had enough so makes the monster leave, but by taking him outside to catch the bus, other kids see Jeremy and ask him to play, and he does. This book, in my opinion, shows how you won't get anything if you don't go try it. I think this because Jeremy didn't have any friends because he never went outside, but when he finally went outside, he finally got to play with the other kids. I think this book could be shared in the classroom when discussing drawing and art as well as when showing kids not to give up and go out and try new things.

Ready, Set, Skip!

Ready, Set, Skip! by Jane O'Connor, illustrated by Ann James is geared towards children ages four and up. I think this book is fun and creative for young kids to read. It is about a little girl showing that she can do many locomotor skills like running, twirling, skating, but she the one she cannot do is skip. Her mother helps teach her to skip. I think this book would be great for parents and teachers to read when discussing new skills as well as keeping courage and determination when learning and perfecting new skills and tasks.

Yes Day!

What do you call a day when very answer is yes? Yes Day! is by Amy Krouse Rosenthal and Tom Lichtenheld. This story is geared for ages 4 to 8. This is a great story to read to younger kids! It is about a little boy who waits all year for this one day to arrive, this day where he gets whatever he asks for. He gets to eat and do many things that he usually wouldn't be able to. This book is clever and fun to read. The illustrations help fit the story nicely. This day that he waits for makes me wonder if it could possibly be his birthday. I think this because people usually get to do a lot of things they want on their birthday that they don't usually do. I think this story would be a great and fun story to read to a classroom just for fun or when discussing specific days.

What REALLY Happened to Humpty?

What REALLY Happened to Humpty? by Jeanie Franz Ransom, illustrated by Stephen Axelsen is geared for children ages 6 to 9. This book is written in the perspective of Joe Dumpty, Humpty Dumpty's brother. Through the story Joe is trying to prove that Humpty Dumpty falling off the wall was no accident, that it was a crime. I though this book was really good in the text as well as the illustrations. They were very detailed and helped tell the story. The story does a great job putting other characters within the story for example, the three little pigs, Jack and Jill, Mother Goose, Chicken Little, Goldoe Lox, Miss Muffet, Little Red Ridinghood, just to name a few. I thought this story was very detailed and fun and enjoyable to read! I think that a teacher could read this in the classroom of any grade and the students would enjoy it greatly! This book would help in explaining detail to character, storyline, illustrations, and many other cases.