When Jessie Came Across the Sea

Somehow I'm on the verge of tears every time I finish this book. Jessie is a bright-eyed 13 year old who braves the Atlantic alone in search of new life in America. The rabbi of her little village in Europe hand chose Jessie to apprentice at a lace shop in New York. But the move separates Jessie from Grandmother -- her only living relative. Adjusting to life in a new country is full of challenges such as language, culture, and new laws. However, Jessie finds that the strong Jewish community embraces her with open arms. She diligently writes letters to Grandmother about her new life, learning, and budding romance. Readers follow their correspondence back-and-forth across the ocean until the two reunite in New York City.
Lexile: 0470L

The Magic School Bus and the Electric Field Trip

Ms. Frizzle's class is learning about electricity when lightening strikes -- literally. Power is out all over the neighborhood, but no worries! Here comes the magic school bus to the rescue. This charged adventure with the Friz (America's favorite science teacher) will have readers on the edge of their seats.

AD490L

Daily Comprehension July

Rube Goldberg was the man behind the machine. This American cartoonist was born on July 4th, 1883. How did he wind up becoming a beloved American cartoonist? Read the book to find out. Or stop by his webpage.

50 Great Americans

Anne Schraff's short reading selections cover well known figures such as Sacajawea and Andrew Carnegie, as well as lesser-known figures such as Jessie Benton Fremont. Alongside her husband, Fremont was writer who helped California establish statehood. Each short story in this collection is followed by an activity, i.e. matching, comprehension questions, and a class discussion guide.

Garage Sale 2.0: #2 Paper Clip Jewelry

Here's another art instructional...because everyone needs a pair of paper clip earrings : ) My students will be exercising their creativity to recycle classroom materials. Conservation, grade-school style!  I'll be looking for more ideas at the Decatur Arts Fest today. 

The New African Americans

The New African Americans explores the trajectory of post slavery African immigration to the United States. This instructional text highlights a growing sector the African American community which is often marginalized He examines the distinct ethnic groups who have settled across the country and the cultural wealth the contribute to our nation. Ashabranner emphasizes the diverse reasons for immigration, such as education, employment, and or refugee status. This text is an excellent introduction to immigration, the African diaspora, and the 21^st. century African American community.

The Sining Man

Banzar is an oral historian and traditional Nigerian Musician. Angela Shelf Medearis deftly address the tension between following one's heart verses societal norms. Banzar chooses to become a musician, a choice which results in rejection from his Village near Lagos, Nigeria. This West African folktale comes to life through the realistic oil and pencil illustrations by Terea Shaffer. Like the Biblical Joseph, Medearis writes about rejection, grief, courage, forgiveness, and reconciliation.

Lake and the Big Snake: An African Rain Forest Adventure

Isaac Olaleye recalls his childhood memories of Nigeria in this exciting friendship story. Two young boys brave a deadly snake, quick sand, and their own shortcomings in a quest that teaches them the value of good friends.

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Mary Mcleod Bethune

Mcleod Bethune is my hero. I want to be just like her when I grow up. Here are a few reasons why...

1. She loved books!
2. She graduated from the Moody Bible Institute.
3. She wanted to serve as a missionary in Africa...God had other plans though :)
4. She founded multiple schools.
5. She advocated for those in need, particularly Black children and women.
6. She adorned herself in bright hues and rich fabrics.
7. She was a devoted wife and mother.
8. She advised the president on his youth educational programs.
9. She cherished the Word of God.
10. She was one of our nation's greatest educators, and her legacy continues bless young and old today. 
    
    

    Mary McLeod Bethune: A Great American Educatorby Patricia C. McKissack, Fredrick L. McKissack
    

    
    
    The structure of this 3rd. grade biographical texts flows extremely well. Most books about Mrs. Mcleod Bethune include the same photos and excerpts of original document. The Cornerstones series does these artifacts justice by formating them to precisely to the text. Upper middle grade students will find this a helpful resource for research projects, while lower grades will benefit from read alouds.

Are You My Mother?

Just finished watching "The Birds". Ew. I prefer this version of our feathery friends.

The First Four Years

It's official! Laura has agreed to marry Almonzo "Manly" Wilder. They wed in a simple ceremony to the displeasure of Almonzo's mother and sisters, who had something a little bit larger in mind. Some things change very little over the years : ) Besides saying "I do", Laura also agreed to be a farm wife for three years. Manly promised her that if he doesn't make a successful living for them by that time, he'll move anywhere Laura desires. Sounds reasonable...right? Now the question is whether or not these young newly-weds can make it through the first three years. Farm life on the South Dakota prairie is challenging, to say the least. Add a baby to that mix and your work is definitely cut out for you! The pioneer spirit of The Little House books have enthralled generations of American readers; you'll have to read this conclusion to the series *tear, sniff, sniff* to discover whether or not that pioneer spirit is enough to sustain Laura and Almonzo through the harsh reality of prairie life.

These Happy Golden Years

"Only yesterday she was a schoolgirl; now she was a school teacher. This had happened so suddenly... But tomorrow she would be teaching school.


She did not really know how to do it. She never had taught school, and she was not sixteen years old yet. Even for fifteen, she was small; and now she felt very small." -Chapter One

The cover of this book depicts a confident looking young woman joining hands with smitten young man. There is so much more to the story, although Laura and Almonzo's budding romance is a definite theme. Laura transitions from childhood to adulthood as she assumes classroom responsibilities far from home.  The distance tears at her heart, but she does it because of her love for the ones she holds close. Life is ironic like that. These Happy Golden Years poignantly illustrates time's bittersweet beauty, celebrating the wonder and of novelty of young adulthood in the midst of childhood lost.  

Little Town on the Prairie

Laura is a teacher! As a bright student and a dutiful sister, Laura acquires her teacher certification so that she can support older sister Mary's education at the college for the blind. Talk about a dedicated fifteen year old. Just thinking of her entering her classroom for the first time thrills me to the core! On a side note, tomorrow I begin my final student teaching assignment at a Decatur Elementary school. Laura Ingalls Wilder's relentless curiosity and thirst for learning have always inspired me.  In some small way, she deserves credit for my current career track. You're my hero, Laura! Apparently Almonzo Wilder thought she was too cool for school himself. He requests permission to walk her home from church *OOOHOOOH*, heralding a new season of friendship...and more to come! Ahh, there's nothing better than a coming of age- teacher tale with a side of heart-flutters and sweet nothings.

The Long Winter

Brrr! Dakoata Territory winter smothers the countryside in snow. The Ingall's little town is bombarded by blizzards, which cut-off supplies crucial to their survival. Waiting for the snow to melt while watching the food stock dwindle to nearly nothing makes for a desperate Christmas season! Is hope lost? Not if Almonzo Wilder has anything to do with it. Our childhood friend from the New York farming community reappears on the scene, this time as a courages young man. Together with a friend, Almonzo rides a daring journey across the Winter-streaked plains to secure food for the starving town's folk. The atypical Christmas story sends readers on a suspense-packed ride through the midst of the blizzard and into the enveloping warmth of loving hearts.

By the Shores of Silver Lake

Laura takes her first train ride as the Ingalls begin a new adventure. Pa's pioneer spirit leads them to Dakota Territory, where Pa works on the railroad. The new territory is sparsely populated when the Ingalls arrive. Laura and her family are the first to establish a home in the new town by Silver Lake. How long will they remain in Dakota Territory? It looks as though Pa's pioneering spirit has finally found sanctuary on the Western plains. 

Farmer Boy

Ok, up to this point we've tracked the Ingalls family as the traveled around the Midwest. And by they, I mean Pa, Ma, Laura and Mary.  Farmer Boy alludes to Laura's future relationship status by ushering us into the daily grind of Almonzo Wilder.  Tracking this young man around a New York farm offers the reader a broader perspective on 19th century  life. I personally found this forray into farm life intriguiging as a child.  I certainly didn't grow up anywhere near on, and none of my relatives were farmers. The simple details skillfully acquaint the sub/urbanite with a life-style that still characterizes many around the globe. Almonzo is a tough, hardworking kid with a passion for horses...a passion that may send away from the East Coast and out to the plains one day.

On the Banks of Plum Creek

Move 'em out! The Ingalls are back in the wagon and headed across the prairie to Minnesota. Laura trades in her little house for a dug-out nestled beside Plum Creek. Your budding architects and civil engineers will love this one ; ).  Pa eventually builds a real house, sheltering the Ingalls  from blizzards and a plague of pestilence.  Book three of the Little House series continues the saga of planting and uprooting: the rhythm of pioneer life.

Little House on the Prairie #2

Pa says it's time to move. As more and more people move into the big woods, Pa feels the need to cultivate unsettled land.  The Ingalls family does precisely that in this second installment of the Little House series. This title book recounts the Ingalls journey by covered wagon from their log-cabin in Wisconsin to a little house Kansas.  The prairie is dangerous, unfamiliar, and beautiful; but most importantly, it is home.

Little House in the Big Woods

The best part about this book is that it is true! Wilder penned her first-hand experience into The Little House series, which is the classic American saga of 19^th century pioneer life.  We meet Laura as a young girl residing in the great white north and follow her across the years to the even whiter prairie plains. Are you beginning to since a pattern here? Think winter weather. I'm slightly preoccupied with the issue as we head into day 3 of Atlanta's 2011 snow-siege. Laura Ingalls devoted a whole book to the subject, recounting her family's survival in the face of starvation one harsh winter (not a concern these days...thank God for Whole Foods down the street :).  But I'm getting ahead of myself – The Long Winter is book #6. 

Book #1, Little House in the Big Woods, begins the series with blizzards and sleds, a quirky pig game, and (my faves!) syrup-turned-snow-candy. According to my sources, “sugar on snow” is a long standing tradition for our northern-dwelling brothers and sisters. My Mom (Illinois native) helped me and my siblings make our own candy on the back porch as kids. That was when we lived in the States of course! Definitely didn't taste any snow candy in Ghana. 

 Mom loved the Little House  series. Sitting on her lap, gazing at the sketches of Laura and Mary while listening to the story of Pa and the panther is one of my earliest Mommy-read aloud memories. The Little House Books are ideal for early readers with their short chapters and Garth Williams' descriptive sketches. Young boys and girls alike will enjoy these heart-warming narratives of olden-day life.  

• Age Range: 8 to 12
• Lexile: 0930L

The Adventures of Tintin

Over the next few days I'll be writing about Les Aventures de Tintin, one of Europe's most popular children's series. Tintin is a Belgian reporter who travels the world, tackling daring adventures with his precocious fox terrier sidekick, Snowy. The Belgian comic book series was originally published by Hergé (George Remi) in French, but has since been translated into numerous languages. I grew up reading the English version of Tintin's mystery, political suspense, science fiction, fantasy and comedy. During my visit to the Decatur library today, I was delighted to pick up a copy of The Red Sea Sharks en français. I can't wait to revisit a childhood favorite in my second language! I'm curious to see what was lost in translation.