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Dear Dawn,
I'm not for sure which books are available for students to read. I have listed a few that I would recommend for the next reading assignment. Please choose one that you think is readily accessible and that the children would most like to read. :-) Thanks so much! -- Vicky
BOXCAR CHILDREN by Gertrude Chandler Warner
There is a very popular children's series here in the US called The Boxcar Children. There were over 130 of these books written. The first 19 were written by Gertrude Chandler Warner and the others by various authors. The story line is basically four children that hide out and live in a red boxcar (train car) to avoid being split up and put into an orphanage. They have many adventures and solve many mysteries. The first books in the series take place in the 1940's or so and the later numbers in the series take place in a more modern day time. The first tells the main story of how they came to live in a boxcar. Most reviews say the first is the best. I have "The Black Widow Spider Mystery, published in 2003." It is pretty good! I'm not sure which the children would have access to, but it would be good to introduce the children to this series.
On an ineresting side note, I may like this series so much because of my mother. For many years of her life, her family lived in an abandoned box car. Her father was a drunkard until he got his life right. He spent his paycheck on liquor, and so my grandma made a HOME out of an old box car. :-) I loved to hear the stories about their adventures.
SHILOH by Newbery Medal-winning children's novel by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
An abused beagle runs away from his owner. On the road, he meets young Marty Preston and follows him home. The boy immediately forms a bond with the dog and names him Shiloh. His stern father won't let him keep the dog because it belongs to Judd Travers, a local hunter. After Shiloh is mistreated again, he runs away and returns to Marty. Knowing his father will once again make him bring Shiloh back to Judd, he makes a home for the dog in an old shed up the hill from the Prestons' house and hides him from his family. His secret is soon discovered when a stray attacks the dog one night and he must turn to his father for help
THE TROUBLE WITH JEREMY CHANCE
Set in New England just as troops are returning from World War I, this is a classic American coming-of-age story. Curious and impulsive, 12-year-old Jeremy is always getting into trouble. This time, after an argument with his father, Jeremy decides to run away to Boston to meet his older brother's troop ship. Jeremy's adventures — and misadventures — provide plenty of opportunities for him to use his common sense and determination, from his train trip through rural New Hampshire to his wide-eyed explorations of Boston upon his arrival there. Showing the world through the eyes of a young boy, George Harrar's moving, suspenseful story casts Jeremy's personal struggles and successes against the backdrop of the events unfolding on the world stage. The Trouble with Jeremy Chance is a tale of heroism in unlikely places.
Frindle by Andrew Clements
After hearing how new words are derived, Nick decides to create a new word. He convinces all of his friends to call the inkpen, a Frindle. Despite his teacher's pleas to stop, the antics, the Frindle spreads throughout the school. Soon others are calling a pen by that name and eventually the word makes its way into a dictionary.
FRECKLE JUICE by Judy Blume
Nicky has freckles -- they cover his face, his ears, and the whole back of his neck. Sitting behind him in class, Andrew once counted eighty-six of them, and that was just a start! If Andrew had freckles like Nicky, his mother would never know if his neck was dirty.
One day after school, Andrew works up enough courage to ask Nicky where he got his freckles. When know-it-all Sharon overhears, she offers Andrew her secret freckle juice recipe -- for fifty cents. It's a lot of money, but Andrew is desperate. At home he carefully mixes the strange combination of ingredients. Then the unexpected happens...
This is a easy read book that will not stretch their reading ability, but will cause them to love reading just a bit more. It is funny with good moral lessons along the way. The teacher saves the day! :-)
THE WRIGHT BROTHERS by Russell Freedman
This is a Newberry Honor book from 1991. It may be good to throw in a few non-fiction books from time to time. There are many descriptive original photographs by Orville and Wilbur Wright, but lots of text.
How to Eat Fried Worms by Thomas Rockwell
A boy makes a bet that he can eat 15 worms in 15 days. He devises unusual ways to complete the mission such as adding catsup and mustard or horseradish sauce. This book was on the 100 top controversial American books due to the disgusting nature of eating worms. When I read the book to my class, I did not know that fact, but I do know they loved the book.
And then there are the classics such as the Little House Series (perhaps the children have read these ?) Old Yeller and The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
There are way tooooo many good books to choose. This week, these came to my mind. :-)
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--Vicky |
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