Whale Talk

Crutcher, C. (2001). Whale Talk. New York, NY: HarperCollins.

Brief Annotation: T.J. Jones attends a high school that is very focused on its athletic department. T.J., a wise and insightful boy ends up being talked into joining a swim team, and decides to recruit some of the most unlikely students in the school to become athletes and earn a letter jacket to help these students gain some confidence and respect, while mocking the school’s obsession with competition. While training for the swim team, T.J. faces some of the difficulties and truths within his complicated life, and the complicated lives of those around him.

Genre: Contemporary realistic fiction

Grade Level: 8-12

Readers who will like this: Readers who enjoy stories about sports, making good decisions, facing adversity, and high-school life.

Response/Rating (1-4): 4. This book is sometimes humorous, touches upon profound and important subjects, and portrays the characters in a very realistic fashion.

One question you would ask before a read aloud: How would it feel to grow up in a town full of people who are different that you or did not respect your ideas?

Knuffle Bunny Too

Willems, M. (2007). Knuffle Bunny Too. New York, NY: Hyperion Books.

Brief Annotation: Trixie brings her beloved Knuffle Bunny to school with her, and is excited to show all her friends! She is surprised to see that a friend at school has a Knuffle Bunny that looks just like hers! When the two girls have a small fight, the teacher takes both animals away until the end of the day. They are given the wrong stuffed animals by accident, and only realize it when they are home....can these two girls put their differences away so that their Knuffle Bunnies can go to their correct homes?

Genre: Fiction, picturebook.

Grade Level: Pre K through 1

Readers who will like this: Children who enjoy picturebooks, children who are attached to a stuffed animal or toy.

Response/Rating (1-4): ***. I liked the first Knuffle Bunny better, but this one is a great read as well. It was interesting to see how Willems changed his art style to fit a character who was growing up, and the story is still touching and moving.

One question you would ask before a read aloud: Do you have a toy with deep significance?

Knuffle Bunny

Willems, Mo. (2004). Knuffle Bunny. New York, NY: Hyperion Books for Children

Brief Annotation: Trixie's dad decides it's time to go to the laundromat, and Trixie brings along her favorite stuffed animal, Knuffle Bunny. She helps her dad do the laundry and then they go home....but when they get home Trixie realizes that her beloved bunny is gone! Trixie can't talk yet, and she tries everything to make her dad realize that her stuffed bunny is gone....until finally her mom intervenes and realizes that Trixie's bunny is gone. Will they find Knuffle Bunny?

Genre: Fiction, picturebook.

Grade Level: Pre-K through 1

Readers who will like this: Kids have a favorite stuffed animal. Children who are just learning to read. Children interested in new art forms.

Response/Rating (1-4): ****. I loved the art in this book; the blending of drawing and computer images really captures the mood of a lot of scenes. This really is a feel good book that is great for younger readers. I highly recommend this, it was enjoyable from start to finish.

One question you would ask before a read aloud: Have you ever lost something important? Did you find it?

What Charlie Heard

Gerstein, M. (2002). What Charlie Heard. Illus. Mordicai Gerstein. New York, New York: Frances Foster Books.

Brief Annotation: Charlie’s father was a music teacher and brought the beauty of music into Charlie’s life. Everywhere Charlie went he heard music; therefore, he started writing music, specifically symphonies. He tried to have them published but no one liked his symphonies, they thought they were noise. However, when Charlie gets older, someone heard his music and played it. Soon many more orchestras were performing his symphonies. As a result, Charlie became the famous Charles Ives, the composer.

Genre: Non-fiction

Grade Level: K-3

Readers who will like this: Readers who are interested in reading a biography book or reading about how someone did not give up on his dreams, and he got to see them come true. Readers who want to know more about Charles Ives and how he became a composer will be interested in this book.

Response/Rating (1-4):*** I thought this was a great book for kids to read about a famous composer. It was kid-friendly and told the story in a fun, informational way through the use of illustrations and color. This book teaches students that what music might be to someone may not be the same to another person, and also to never give up on your dreams because someday someone will listen.

One question you would ask before a read aloud: Do you know who Charles Ives is?

Ella Enchanted

Levine, G. (1997). Ella Enchanted. New York, New York: Scholastic Inc.

Brief Annotation: At birth Ella is given a gift, the gift of obedience by Lucinda. When Ella’s mother dies, her father remarries to a terrible stepmother with terrible stepchildren. Ella is forced to obey their commands no matter how she feels. As a result, Ella sets out to find Lucinda and ends up falling in love with the prince, finding Lucinda and breaking the curse of obedience.

Genre: Fantasy

Grade Level: 3-5

Readers who will like this: Readers who enjoy Cinderella and fantasy/magical stories.

Response/Rating (1-4):*** I highly enjoyed this book because the book it is similar to Cinderella but has more magical spells, magical creatures and more detail that the original story of Cinderella. This book allows readers to enter a magical world and get lost in relationships that could exist in real life.

One question you would ask before a read aloud: If you could grant one wish for an infant, what would want to give them?

Reading Strategies Connection: Plot Profiles

In this activity, students will mark on a graph how they viewed the excitement or tension in a chapter. At the end of the novel, students will visually see where the plot thickens or calms down. The students will learn about plot development. This type of activity is introduced when students are learning about plots. They will learn about conflict and how conflict is the driving force in books that makes students want to keep reading.

This is a relevant activity for Ella Enchanted because for some students this book may not sound interesting, so graphing their sense of excitement in each chapter allows them to gain insight into the book and their feelings. This book may be complicated in all the magical elements that occur throughout the book (orges, giants, and magical spells) and understanding the relationship between Ella and Lucinda that marking the excitement in a graph can create discussion. Students will be able to discuss what that chapter meant to them and a genuine excitement for Ella Enchanted may develop.

Strega Nona Takes a Vacation

dePaola, T. (2000). Strega Nona Takes a Vacation. Illus. Tomie DePaola. New York, New York: G.P. Putnam’s Sons.

Brief Annotation: Strega Nona had a dream about her passed away Grandmother Concetta who told Strega Nona to take a vacation to her little house by the seashore. While she is there, Strega Nona sends a bag of candy to Big Anthony and bubble bath bubbles to Babolona. However, Babolona switched presents and when Big Anthony tool a bath using the bath bubbles, he used too much and flooded the city with bubbles. Babolona learned her lesson by not switching presents.

Genre: Myth

Grade Level: K-2

Readers who will like this: Readers who like to read fun stories that cannot happen, like a city being flooded by bubble bath bubbles.

Response/Rating (1-4):*** I enjoyed the story because it was funny and silly that a city was flooded by bubbles. Young children will like this book because it’s light, interesting, and they can made predictions about what Babolona will do with the presents and what happens when Big Anthony uses the bubble bath soap.

One question you would ask before a read aloud: If you used too much soap in the dishwasher or washing machine, what do you think might happen?

Forever

Blume, J. (1975). Forever. New York, New York: Simon Spotlight Entertainment.

Brief Annotation: Katherine and Michael are both seniors and think they have found love. They go through emotions and experiences that most first couples go through who think their relationship is the one; who think that they will be together forever. However, when Katherine leaves the summer before college to be an assistant tennis coach and Michael goes to North Caroline for his summer job, their relationship changes. Katherine becomes attracted to another tennis coach, Theo, and her feelings for Michael are compromised. Before they both leave for college, their relationship ends and Judy Blume doesn’t say if Katherine and Theo get together, but certainly leads to suggest it.

Genre: Contemporary Realistic Fiction/ Frequently Banned Book

Grade Level: Young Adult

Readers who will like this: Young adults who may going through the same experiences as Katherine, or older adults who enjoy reading about a young girl’s high school experiences.

Response/Rating (1-4): **** I thought this book was highly relatable because Judy Blume describes experiences that all girls either think about or actually do experience. The subject of sex can be complicated for girls and boys, especially when deciding to actually experience it. Judy Blume portrays a magnificent picture of a high school couple who think they have their lives figured out, until life jumps in and changes everything.

One question you would ask before a read aloud: I would like you to write in your journal what you would do if you were in a relationship that became serious and started asking too much of you. What would you do in that situation?