Contemporary Realistic Fiction Book Blog

Holes

Written by Louis Sachar
Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 1998
Realistic Fiction

     This book is about a teenage boy named Stanley Yelnats that gets into a little trouble. This trouble causes him to get sent to juvenile detention center for boys. Stanley believes that his family is cursed and that he is bound for trouble. Throughout his time at the detention center, Stanley learns so many life lessons and information about his family's past. He meets many people along the way that challenge, mentor, and help him out. Check this book out to see if Stanley Yelnats could break his family's curse and get out of the juvenile detention center. 

      This book is a chapter book and does not have any illustrations. The front cover of the book has an illustration has a picture of holes and shovels in the dirt. This symbolizes the hard work that Stanley has to do at the juvenile detention center. For their punishment, Stanley and his friends have to dig holes in the middle of the desert. The cover of the book foreshadows some of the events that our going to happen in the story. This chapter book is a great book to engage students in discussion, predictions, and inferences. 

      I would use this book for a 5th grade class in reading. I would allow the class to read this book in small groups, book, clubs, and whole group. I would encourage the students to discuss what it is happening in the book to work on collaboration and comprehension. I would also use this book to incorporate a writing lesson. The students could create an alternate ending to the story, a "Wanted" ad for the characters from Stanley's family past, or a summarizing piece on the story. This would help the students practice using details from the story to support their writing. 

     This is a great book to engage student's in reading, writing, and collaborating. Check this book out to use in your classroom one day!

Historical Fiction Book Blog- Henry's Freedom Box

Henry's Freedom Box: A True Story From the Underground Railroad

Written by Ellen Levine and Illustrated by Kadir Nelson

Scholastic Press, 2007

Historical Fiction

     Reading a historical fiction text is a great way to introduce historical events to your students. This book is a great way to teach your students about slavery and the Underground Railroad. The book tells the true story of a slave named Henry Brown. It tells the story of his life and his battle with slavery. Henry was traded to a different slave owner when he was only a little boy. Throughout his life, Henry faced many obstacles and hardships in his path to freedom. Go check this book out to see if Henry ever reaches his dream of being free.

     The illustrations in this book are absolutely breath-taking. The illustrator did such a great job of making the pictures look realistic. The pictures evoke a sense of emotion in the reader because they portray everything the story is trying to tell. The pictures include many muted colors and take place in many different settings from Henry's life. These pictures portray the characters emotions and the realness of the hardships that slavery put people through. The majority of the colors are brown, black, white, and dark green. 

     I would use this book for a history lesson for fifth grade students. I would read this book to the students to introduce them to the topic of slavery and the Underground Railroad. The students could do research on Henry Brown and present their findings to the class. I don't want to spoil to much of the story for you, but the students could create an escape route to help Henry reach the Underground Railroad. You could also do a cross-curricula activity and allow them to write about Henry Brown and his connection to slavery. The students could write as if they were in Henry's shoes and explain how they were going to try to find freedom.

    This book can be used in so many ways in your classroom. Ultimately, it is a great book for your students to read to teach them about slavery. As always, I encourage you to read this book to your students and keep it in your classroom library.

Science Fiction Book Blog- If You Decide to Go to the Moon

If You Decide to Go to the Moon

Written by Faith McNulty and Illustrated by Steven Kellogg

Scholastic Press, 2005

Science Fiction

     Have you ever thought about what you would do if you ever got to go to the moon? This fun and exciting children's book almost serves as a guide for students to get to the moon. Also, the book gives examples of all of the things you can do once you make it to the moon. This book teaches kids how to prepare for their trip to the moon, and most importantly, how to make it back home. This lightheart story is such a fun way to engage student's in learning, especially about space travel. Do you want to know how to prepare to go to the moon, or even what to do once you get there? Go check out "If You Decide to Go to the Moon" and you will see how to all from a kid's perspective.

     The illustrations in this children's book are incredible. The artist used lots of watercolor and pastels for the drawings. Many of the pictures on earth have bright and vibrant colors. The pictures in space have more dark and muted colors. The pictures themselves tell another story, and it is very obvious that the author and illustrator worked together to create symbolism behind the pictures. Most of the illustration stake place on Earth, the moon, or the rocket to get to the moon. The illustrations capture the reader's eye with its' constant variation of shapes and colors. 

     I would use this book in a second grade classroom for a science lesson. I would allow the students to read this book and then let them research ways to actually get to the moon. They could learn all about space travel and America's firs space travel from this children's book. This book is a great way to incorporate reading into science, but also a fun way to stir creativity within the students. The students could learn about astronauts that have gone to the moon and what they actually did once they got there. You could even tie in a compare and contrast component for students to do with the book and real life. Overall, your students will love reading this book about space travel. This is such a fun book for you to read to your students during a science lesson.

As always, go check this book out! 

Modern Fantasy Book Blog- Flotsam

Flotsam

Written and Illustrated by David Wiesner

Clarion Books : Houghton Mifflin Company, 2006

Modern Fantasy

     Have you ever read a book that had no words? If you had to re-read that question again then you might be thinking exactly the same thing that I was when I heard of this book. I knew there were picture books that had very little words in it, but I did not know that there were books for older students that had nothing but illustrations. In "Flotsam", a young boy finds an underwater camera while on a beach trip with his family. He asks around to see if anyone knows where this mysterious camera appeared from, but no one was claiming it. Intrigued by this mystery camera, he takes the film from the inside of the camera to be developed. Little does he know the journey that these pictures are about to take him on. Check this book out to see what new and unknown places these pictures transport the young boy too.

      The illustrations in this book are incredible because they tell the whole story. There is so much detail poured into these pictures with many muted colors and many different drawing devices. Many of the illustrations are boxed in with lines. Also, there are many drawings that look very realistic. Each picture is symbolic to the story and is important because it tells the story. The setting in these illustrations mainly take place on the beach or in the ocean. However, they also take place in the mysterious realms that  the pictures transport the young boy to. 

      I would use this book in a fourth grade classroom for a reading unit. You could teach about the deeper meaning behind illustrations and how sometimes you don't need any words to tell a story. This book would challenge student's to think critically and creatively. After reading the story, they could create their own story using nothing but illustrations. This would be a great way to incorporate art standards into a reading lesson. I would also suggest talking with your students as they read through the book. Get them to explain what they think is happening in each picture. Overall, this book would be a great way to challenge your students and introduce them to new forms of literature.

I highly encourage you to go check this book out!

Nonfiction Book Blog - How Much is a Million?

How Much is a Million?

Written by David M. Schwartz and Illustrated by Steven Kellogg

Harper Collins Publishers, 1985

Nonfiction

     Nonfiction books make up a large part of today's literature. These books include real life facts and information about real people, places, and events. In the book "How Much is a Million?", there is wizard who is trying to teach children how big the number a million is. This wizard uses multiple examples to connect real life to number amounts. The author uses picture examples to show that one million things combined can be higher than the mountains. He even gives examples of the quantity of a billion and trillion. This book does a great job of helping students understand numbers through real-life connections. Check this book out to find out how big a million, billion, and trillion are!

     The illustrations in this book were done primarily with watercolors. The pastel pictures bring so much vibrant energy to the book. These illustrations help the reader visualize the concept of a million, billion, and trillion. There are many straight lines and repetitive shapes throughout the book. The pictures take place in a ton of different places like the mountains, city, football stadium, the moon, and even in a different galaxy. Each picture is a new example portraying one of the three numbers. Also, there are illustrations of children in every picture.

     I would read this book to my third grade students for math and reading. I would do a cross-curricula lesson to incorporate both content areas. First, I would allow the students to read the book and then I will focus on the quantity examples for each number. You could use this book with your students to help them understand the concept of a million. This book gives multiple real-life examples that students can connect to their everyday learning. You could do multiple math activities and practice using this book in your classroom. 

If you are interested in "How Much is a Million", go check this book out today for you and your students!

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