Tag Archive for fourth graders

Raymie Nightingale

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Written by Kate DiCamillo

Raymie Clarke has to learn to twirl a baton because she has to win the Little Miss Central Florida Tire 1975 title so her father will see her picture in the paper and return home after he ran off with a dental hygienist named Lee Anne Dickerson. Raymie’s fellow students, Louisiana Elefante and Beverly Tapinski, lead similarly crazy lives and make Raymie’s life even more crazy. Meanwhile, their baton twirling teacher, Ida Nee, has her own problems, including not being a very good teacher. Raymie is trying to do good deeds for the contest application, including reading a Florence Nightingale biography to the uncooperative and unimpressed elderly. Louisiana tells long, complicated stories about her family. And Beverly wants to sabotage everything and is very good at picking locks. Raymie does hear from her dad, but for an accomplishment other than winning the contest. Louisiana helps her family, if not her cat. Eventually, Louisiana learns that Raymie is not a Nightingale. And Beverly gains friends and a more relaxed perspective. Minor characters add a lot to the fun. Louisiana’s grandmother drives an old clunker much too fast and has Louisiana steal cans of tuna fish. The elderly ladies are unpredictable.

Fourth graders and above will get a kick out of their antics and get a chance to practice literacy skills. They will also learn a lot about friendship and about the value of looking at things from the other person’s perspective.

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  • Raymie NightingaleTitle: Raymie Nightingale
  • Author: Kate DiCamillo
  • Published: Candlewick Press, 2016
  • Reviewer: Sue Poduska
  • Format: Hardcover, 272 pages
  • Grade Level: 4 to 7
  • Genre: Fiction, Friendship, Humor
  • ISBN: 978-0-7636-8117-3

 

Posted in 2016, Fiction, Friendship, Humor tagged with ,

Jazz Day: The Making of a Famous Photograph

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Written by Roxanne Orgill
Illustrated by Francis Vallejo

Nothing goes better with jazz music than poetry. The author chose poetic form to tell the amazing story of how Art Kane, a graphic designer at Esquire magazine, gathered fifty eight of the best jazz musicians and took their picture.

Kane spent an entire day scouting a typical brownstone for the shoot. He sent the word out through the musicians’ union for all to show up on August 12 without their instruments. Despite the early hour (for musicians), all showed up in their Sunday best. Was it curiosity or for love of their craft? No one knows for sure. The photograph was so famous, it was featured in the movie The Terminal. The main character was trying to get a copy autographed while the musicians were still alive.

Mary Lou Williams, pianist and composer, arrived in her Cadillac and fashionable dressed. Thelonius Monk, pianist, was late because he had to try on all his jackets. Willie “the Lion” Smith, another pianist, wasn’t in the final picture because he was on the stoop next door. He couldn’t stand up for long. Neighborhood children buzzed around and helped where they could.

Any fourth grader with interest in music or history will treasure this peek into a historic gathering. The details are amazing.

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  • Jazz DayTitle: Jazz Day: The Making of a Famous Photograph
  • Author: Roxanne Orgill
  • Illustrator: Francis Vallejo
  • Published: Candlewick Press, 2016
  • Reviewer: Sue Poduska
  • Format: Hardcover, 66 pages
  • Grade Level: 3 to 7
  • Genre: Music, Jazz, History
  • ISBN: 978-0-7636-6954-6
  • Extras: Table of Contents, The photograph with key, Author’s Note, Source notes, Biographies of selected musicians, Harlem 1958: Beyond Esquire, Extensive bibliography
Posted in 2016, History tagged with

The Genius Factor: How to Capture an Invisible Cat

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Written by Paul Tobin
Illustrated by Thierry Lafontaine

Red Death Tea Society, giant invisible cats, and talking dogs are some of the less outrageous elements to this raucous story of a sixth grade genius, Nate, and his new friend, Delphine. Delphine is welcomed as a friend partially because Bosper, Nate’s talking dog, decides she smells like a friend. Occasionally, Nate does stupid things just to shake up his world. One of his stupid things was to make his mother’s cat, Proton, invisible and giant. Nate hid the formula for returning to normalcy throughout the city, and he needs Delphine’s help to retrieve him. Meanwhile, his archenemies, the Red Death Tea Society try to clock his efforts. Encounters with toads, hippos, and skydivers are orders of the day.

With a smattering of real science and a whole lot of fantasy, this is a great read for fourth graders, especially with a teacher or parent to help separate the fact from the fantasy. The wild humor is sure to hold attention and propel Proton back where she belongs. Because Nate and Delphine have a unique friendship, readers will learn about the possibilities among friends who don’t necessarily spend every day together.

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  • Genius FactorTitle: The Genius Factor: How to Capture an Invisible Cat
  • Author: Paul Tobin
  • Illustrator: Thierry Lafontaine
  • Published: Bloomsbury USA Childrens, March 1, 2016
  • Reviewer: Sue Poduska
  • Format: Hardcover, 272 pages
  • Grade Level: 2 to 6
  • Genre: Fiction, fantasy, science, friendship
  • ISBN: 978-1619638402
Posted in 2016, Fantasy, Fiction, Friendship, Humor, Science tagged with , ,

Dolls of Hope

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Written by Shirley Parenteau

This delightful book is a charming example of the kind of goodwill that can be engendered by simply getting to know what you have in common with another culture.

In 1926, Dr. Sidney Gulick, a missionary, began the Friendship Dolls project. In an effort to cool tensions and avert the coming war, the group arranged for an exchange of dolls between the children of Japan and the USA. Of course, the project did not stop the war, but the it lives on and still engenders goodwill.

The story follows a country girl as she struggles to keep one foot in tradition and the other foot in the future. Eleven-year-old Chiyo is sent to a girls’ school to learn from the shining example of a general’s daughter, Hoshi. Her benefactor is her future brother-in-law, a wealthy landowner. Hoshi is completely jealous of Chiyo and tries to make her life miserable. Both are chosen to represent the school in a welcoming ceremony in Tokyo. While there, Chiyo manages to become the sweetheart of the city, getting her picture in the paper and befriending the master doll maker. Of course, Chiyo’s notoriety only adds to Hoshi’s jealousy. Chiyo ends up taking some dangerous risks in order to protect the American doll placed in her care. Not everyone is happy with her solution, but it does make very exciting reading.

Fourth graders can practice their literacy skills while learning about Friendship Dolls, Japan, and a few words of Japanese. They will also fulfill requirements in history learning about an era not always thought about.

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  • Dolls of HopeTitle: Dolls of Hope
  • Author: Shirley Parenteau
  • Published: Candlewick, 2015
  • Reviewer: Sue Poduska
  • Format: Hardcover, 336 pages
  • Grade Level: 3 to 7
  • Genre: Historical Fiction, Culture
  • ISBN: 978-0-7636-7752-7
  • Extras: Author’s Note, Glossary
Posted in 2015, Culture, Fiction, Friendship, History tagged with ,

Jump Back, Paul: The Life and Poems of Paul Laurence Dunbar

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Written by Sally Derby
Illustrated by Sean Qualls

In this engaging biography, Sally Derby gets right to the heart of Paul Laurence Dunbar and his poetry. She chose to write directly to the reader and did an amazing job of drawing in that reader. The illustrations match the feel of the story perfectly.

Living only thirty-three short years, Dunbar made a huge impression on the world. As a poet, he was unusual. He was well-educated and knew how to write in “proper” English, but he chose to do much of his work in dialect. He demonstrated how real Negroes (as they were then called) spoke. Of course, his mother and his wife both preferred him to write in standard English. This was when they were most proud of him.

Dunbar’s parents and a half-brother were all born into slavery, and he felt the effects of not only that but also of the Jim Crow era. He grew up and went to high school in Dayton, being the only Negro in the school. One of his friends was Orville Wright. Upon graduation, he learned he didn’t have the same opportunities as his friend. His poetry career took off quickly, with early encouragement of such people as James Whitcomb Riley and Frederick Douglass. He became world famous and traveled extensively to share his work. Sadly, Dunbar died young of a not uncommon malady of the time, tuberculosis.

Fourth graders and up will learn a lot about history and civil rights and about the flexibility of poetry for expressing your feelings. They can practice their literacy skills reading the many poems included in this wonderful book.

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  • Jump Back PaulTitle: Jump Back, Paul: The Life and Poems of Paul Laurence Dunbar
  • Author: Sally Derby
  • Illustrator: Sean Qualls
  • Published: Candlewick, 2015
  • Reviewer: Sue Poduska
  • Format: Hardback, 128 pages
  • Grade Level: 4 to 7
  • Genre: Nonfiction, Biography, Poetry, History, Civil Rights
  • ISBN: 978-0-7636-6070-3
  • Extras: Extensive notes, timeline, bibliography, index
Posted in 2015, Biography, Civil Rights, History, Nonfiction, Poetry tagged with ,

Frank Einstein and the Brain Turbo

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Written by Jon Scieszka
Illustrated by Brian Biggs

 

The third book in the Frank Einstein series is just as silly and just as wonderful as the first two. The names alone make the book worth reading, but the great illustrations also add to the mood. Lots of robots with interesting parts and diagrams of human body systems.

Frank Einstein, kid-genius, is flanked by robots Klink and Klank as he invents a machine to boost brain power for pitcher Janegoodall and the rest of the team, including Watson. Meanwhile, T. Edison and Mr. Chimp hatch an evil plot to foil them

Of course, the science should be taken with a grain of salt and used only as a jumping off place. The science of the plot sort of falls apart with the mind control aspect. And there are a few minor errors in the real science. (The muscles are biceps and triceps. These are singular words.) Kids may be inspired to work with the real science, though. The extras at the end add to the fun. Fourth graders, particularly, will strengthen their literacy skills with this hilarious gem.

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  • Frank EinsteinTitle: Frank Einstein and the Brain Turbo
  • Author: Jon Scieszka
  • Illustrator: Brian Biggs
  • Published: Amulet Books/Abrams, August 2015
  • Reviewer: Sue Poduska
  • Format: Hardcover, 192 pages
  • Grade Level: 3 to 7
  • Genre: Fiction, Science
  • ISBN: 978-1-4197-1643-0
  • Extras: Frank Einstein’s Human-Body Notes, Pitching with Janegoodall, Watson’s Inventor’s Corner, Bob and Mary Einstein’s Travelallovertheplace.com Travel Hot Spot, Klank’s Turing Test (jokes), Mr. Chimp’s Word Search, Mr. Chimp’s Alphabet (American Sign Language)
Posted in 2015, Fiction, Quirky, Science tagged with ,

Voice of Freedom: Fannie Lou Hamer: Spirit of the Civil Rights Movement

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Written by Carole Boston Weatherford
Illustrated by Ekua Holmes

In light of the fiftieth anniversary of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, many books on the civil rights movement are being published. This book gives a personal face to the movement like no other. Set squarely in the events of the twentieth century, this is the story of one woman who had a profound effect on the world. The timeline is very helpful in letting the reader know what else is going on.

Fannie Lou Townsend was born to poor Mississippi sharecroppers in 1917, the last of twenty children. To say she had a rough childhood would be a severe understatement. She picked cotton alongside her family after suffering through polio. After her marriage to Pap Hamer, her doctor forced her sterilization, but she adopted two daughters. Partnering with white Freedom Riders, she learned of her right to vote and eventually ran for Congress. She was jailed and beaten into lingering injury. Any time she found herself at odds with a group seeking to give her limited help, she moved on to a more helpful group. The Democrats would not seat her group at convention, so she helped form a separate party. She also worked for women’s rights and for early education.

Weatherford’s use of language is striking, lyrical, and completely appropriate for the topic. Holmes’ use of collage for the backdrop adds immeasurably to the feel of the text and often lets the reader know about many of the events happening around Fannie Lou. Fourth graders will learn about literature, civil rights, history, and the biography of an individual. Parents and teachers may want to consider reading the text aloud to facilitate discussion.

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  • Fannie Lou HamerTitle: Voice of Freedom: Fannie Lou Hamer: Spirit of the Civil Rights Movement
  • Author: Carole Boston Weatherford
  • Illustrator: Ekua Holmes
  • Published: Candlewick Press, August 2015
  • Reviewer: Sue Poduska
  • Format: Hardcover, 56 pages
  • Grade Level: 4 to 7
  • Genre: Nonfiction, History, Civil rights
  • ISBN: 978-0-7636-6531-9
  • Extras: Author’s note, detailed timeline, source notes, selected bibliography, copyright acknowledgements
Posted in 2015, Biography, Civil Rights, History, Nonfiction tagged with , ,

Stella by Starlight

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Written by Sharon M. Draper

Inspired by her grandmother’s diary, Draper relates the realistic tale of Southern black family during the Depression. The author dives right in with a cross being burned near Stella’s home on page one. The eleven-year-old does well in school, except for a continuing struggle with her writing. She has great ideas. She just can’t seem to get them on paper. So she goes to the barn at night to practice. When the Klan becomes more active and the weather turns colder, her parents plead with her to stay indoors. The year is 1932, and Stella’s father is determined to vote in the general election. He takes Stella with him when he registers to vote, and she sees the bravery he and two other men must show in order to get registered. The family faces many other battles as Stella’s brother suffers through the flu and Stella’s mother is bitten by a poisonous snake. The black doctor is unavailable and the white doctor refuses to treat her. The Klan burns the house of one of the men who also registered to vote. A man with thirteen children. Stella is a heroine when she finds the hiding place of one of the younger children, frightened by the fire. She also witnesses white men beat up her friend for no reason and saves the life of the daughter of the white doctor.

This exciting book will give fourth graders a good feel for both the Depression and the consequences of discrimination. Stella is a wonderful, though not perfect, child who everyone will identify with. Highly recommended.

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  • StellaTitle: Stella by Starlight
  • Author: Sharon M. Draper
  • Published: Atheneum/Simon & Schuster, 2015
  • Reviewer: Sue Poduska
  • Format: Hardcover, 336 pages
  • Grade Level: 4 to 8
  • Genre: Fiction, History, Civil rights
  • ISBN: 978-1-4424-9497-8

 

Posted in 2015, Civil Rights, Fiction, History tagged with