Book Review: Following Grandfather

Author: Rosemary Wells
Illustrated by Christopher Denise
Interest Level: Ages 8 and Up
Chapter Book with illustrations

From the Book Jacket: When Jenny was little, Grandfather taught her how to button her buttons and how to write J  for her name. When she was a little older, Grandfather took her to try on the expensive dresses at the stylish Mouse Boutique, hidden deep in the ductwork of the Jordan Marsh department store. And during long summer afternoons at Revere Beach, Grandfather taught Jenny the names of seashells. 

But one day Grandfather was gone. Every mouse in Boston, including Jenny, went to his funeral high in the belfry of the cathedral. So how can it be that Jenny begins to spot Grandfather about town - turning a corner, sitting on a park bench? Could it really be that Grandfather is still out there somewhere, roaming the city he loved? Jenny can't help but run after the familiar silver whiskers, hoping...

Why It's On My Bookshelf: What a special find. So many children who have lost a grandparent will benefit from reading this book. Sometimes in my own life I will see something or even smell something that reminds me of my grandma. It makes me smile and is a reminder of how much I miss her. I have to admit this book even got me a little teary. Remembering a grandparent can make a child sad but also brings up all the wonderful happy times. Be prepared for lots of share outs and discussion. What an honor to read such a touching and healing story to children. I have a feeling this will be a heavily checked out book from my shelf.

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Book Review: Growing Up with a Bucket Full of Happiness: Three Rules for a Happier Life

Author: Carol McCloud
Illustrated by Penny Weber
Book Website: www.bucketfillers101.com 
Interest Level: Grades 3 and Up
Chapter Book

From the Book Jacket: Do you know you have an invisible bucket which is filled with all of your good thoughts and feelings? If you're new to the concepts of bucket filling and bucket dipping, then this book is for you. With  easy-to-read chapters, colorful illustrations, and daily questions to help readers become better bucket fillers, Growing Up with a Bucket Full of Happiness: Three Rules for a Happier Life gives readers the tools to live a life filled with happiness.

Why It's On My Bookshelf: When I got this awesome new addition to my bucket books I had a little fun with it. So I hid it behind my back when I showed it to my 3-5th graders. They've heard Have You Filled a Bucket and How Full Is Your Bucket? For Kids countless times over the years so I knew they'd be a little shocked and excited about this new one - because it is totally geared to their age. And of course when I showed what I was hiding, they were eagerly wanting me to read it and wanted to know when it would also be available in our school library.

It's a chapter book and well.....it's PERFECT. The kids are learning all kinds of new things about bucket filling:

• BFF = Bucket Fillers Forever (and here you thought it meant best friends forever)
• Group Bucket Filling
• How To Avoid Dipping
• Accidental Dipping
• Thoughtless Dipping
• Selective Dipping
• Group Dipping
• Dipping on Television
• Long-Handled Dipping
• Use Your Lid (I've been waiting for someone to use that idea when it comes to bucket filling.  Protect your bucket from getting dipped in the first place. Love it.)
• Use Your Lid for Others
• Advanced Bucket Fillers
• When A Lid Doesn't Work

If you are a bucket believer then I know you just got a little giddy about the above list. I haven't created any lessons to go with the book yet so I've been playing it by ear and basically doing discussion as we read it. I am sensing from the kids that they would really like to have their own copy to read from. It also has cool pictures throughout. We have ordered a few copies for our school library and they will definitely be in HOT demand. I encourage teachers (grades 3 and up) to have a copy in their kid reading library. Your students will thank you. It could also be a great read aloud to increase your classroom climate. Now who is not for that!?  

Group Dipping

Use Your Lid

Hoping more bucket books are going to be published. They are an INVALUABLE resource for children.


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Book Review: Drita, My Homegirl

Author: Jenny Lombard
Interest Level: Grades 3 and up

Description from the Book Website: Drita and her family come to New York as refugees from war-torn Kosovo. Even though she barely speaks English, Drita can’t wait to start school and make a new best friend. But her new classmates don’t make it easy, teasing her about virtually everything. The worst is Maxie, a tough African-American girl whose sassy attitude hides a painful secret.

 When Maxie takes things too far, their teacher assigns Maxie a paper on Drita and her journey to America from Kosovo. Suddenly, Maxie realizes she and Drita have more in common than she thought. And when Drita’s mother gets sick, there’s only one person who can help—Drita’s new homegirl.

A sensitively written story of two worlds coming together, Drita, My Homegirl touchingly explores the effects of war on a family and how friendship sometimes appears in the unlikeliest places.

Why It's On My Bookshelf: I always have a lot of optimism as the school year begins that students will continue to blossom in their math, reading, and writing skills....but more importantly I have a hope in my heart they will also grow as a community. If you want to create, build, and bind positive student relationships then start with an inspiring story like Drita, My Homegirl by Jenny Lombard. It will inspire kids to be appreciative, compassionate, sensitive, and take care of one another. Starting in third grade I sometimes notice a negative shift in friendships. This sometimes stems from the differences they notice about each other. Instead of taking a genuine interest and being curious about diversity, sometimes kids can knock one another down with hurtful teasing and exclusion. Enter Drita and Maxie, two girls with not a lot of commonality...sounds like a lot of students in my school. Each chapter changes back and forth between their voices. This is key to developing empathy and understanding towards their personal stories. It reminded me of the quote, "Never judge a person until you've walked a mile in their shoes." Drita, My Homegirl embodies those words. It's also the adults who get Maxie to take a REAL look at who Drita is and what she's been going through. This allows Maxie to show her own vulnerabilities and it sparks her caring side to come forward. I'm excited to have this in our school library this year. But it can also be used as a wonderful read aloud that will surely increase empathy, friendship, and community building.


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Book Review: Rules

Author: Cynthia Lord
Interest Level: Grades 4 and Up

About This Book: Twelve-year-old Catherine just wants a normal life. Which is near impossible when you have a brother with autism and a family that revolves around his disability. she's spent years trying to teach David the rules from "a peach is not a funny-looking apple" to "keep your pants on in public" - in order to head off David's embarrassing behaviors.

But the summer Catherine meets Jason, a surprising, new sort-of friend, and Kristi, the potential next-door friend she's always wished for, it's her own shocking behavior that turns everything upside down forces her to ask: What is normal?

Filled with humor and warmth, Cynthia Lord's novel takes a candid and sensitive look at feeling different and finding acceptance - beyond the rules.

Why It's On My Bookshelf: A few years ago, I was listening to a 5th grade class discuss their transition on becoming middle schoolers. They shared many fears and concerns: 'What if I forget my locker combination?' 'What will the cafeteria food be like?' 'What if I get lost?' 'Will there be more homework?' Mostly, it was the usual stuff I hear every year. But one comment has stayed with me - "I'm worried kids will make fun of my sister because she is disabled." The room went silent. And then an eruption of hands went up around me. Students responded with an empathatic discussion in support of their peer. I was grateful for two things: 1)the power of a caring community of kids and 2)how brave the student was to share his challenge. I realized he must have felt emotionally safe to do so. But I also wasn't aware of the stress he had been feeling about his sibling. These students need support and care. Enter the essential read Rules. It's full of insight, understanding, and strength.

An autism diagnosis affects the whole family. Because of the daily demands and interventions required, balancing daily life activities can sometimes be difficult. This can be very hard on siblings of autistic children. Through Catherine's eyes you feel her annoyance, frustration, jealousy, embarrassment, and worry. And you also feel her love, compassion, care, and loyalty. Those traits help her overcome the emotional obstacles she faces.  If you want to encourage understanding and care for children like Catherine, read Rules. This book has been making a difference in my school.


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Book Review: Call Me Hope

Author: Gretchen Olson

Interest Level: 5th Grade and Up

About This Book: Eleven-year-old Hope leads a seemingly normal life. She is looking forward to sixth grade, and the promise of Outdoor School, an annual camping trip that happens in the spring. She is thrilled when she lands a job at a used clothing store, and manages to attract the attention of a cute boy from her class. But Hope's self-serving mother, Darlene, who frequently flies into rages, calling Hope "stupid" and "hopeless," always manages to overshadow everything good in Hope's life. When Darlene threatens not to sign the permission slips for Outdoor School, Hope decides she can no longer keep silent about what is happening at home. By drawing strength from the example of Anne Frank, whom she is reading about in class, Hope gathers the courage to tell her mother how much the names hurt. The message of this story about the destructive power of verbal abuse is thinly veiled, but Hope is a winsome character whose bravery and determination will resonate with middle-grade readers. ~from Booklist

Why It's On My Bookshelf:  Recently, a parent volunteer was working in our school library and approached me holding a new book arrival, "Mrs. D, I think you might want to read this." I flipped it over and started reading the description:

A bully is ruining eleven-year-old Hope's life, and she doesn't know what to do. She can't even go to her mother for help, because the bully is her mother.

We do a lot of talking with students about stopping the verbal bullying of one another. But what if they are being verbally bullied by a parent? Are we talking to them about how to handle that? Are we teaching them to identify that as verbal abuse? Sometimes kids have difficulty thinking of verbal abuse as abuse, especially when it comes from a parent. I've chosen Call Me Hope as my first chapter book review because it's a critical read for kids. There are not enough books addressing the issue of verbal abuse by parents. There may be more 'Hopes' walking the hallways of our schools then we know. Maybe a life could be changed by living through the eyes of Call Me Hope.