Zara's Blog

  Saving Winslow by Sharon Creech Fiction Grades: 3rd - 5th Awards: Bluebonnet 2019-2020 Summary: Saving Winslow is a story about a boy named Louis and a newborn donkey named Winslow. One day, Louis' father brought Winslow home and Louis developed a deep connection with the donkey. Winslow was small and sickly and Louis did not have the best record for nurturing little animals, but he was determined to help Winslow survive. Louis began to form a deep connection with Winslow which distracted him from missing his brother who was serving in the army. Louis' neighbor, Nora, also deeply cares for Winslow, but she has suffered the loss of her baby brother and dog so she does not have faith that the sick donkey will survive. Winslow grows stronger and even gets in trouble for braying loudly until everyone discovers he was trying to bring attention to the crying baby. Winslow becomes ready to go back to Louis' uncle Pete's farm, but Louis doesn't want him to go. An animal c...

  Holes by Louis Sachar Fiction Grades: 3rd - 5th Awards: 1999 Newbery Medal Winner Summary: Stanley Yelnats family is cursed because of a curse on his great-great-grandfather for not fulfilling his promise to a gypsy. This curse gets Stanely sent to juvenile detention for a crime he didn't commit while all his father's inventions continue to fail back home. At Camp Green Lake, the boys are forced to dig holes as punishment in the blithering heat. As Stanley is at Camp Green Lake, he learns more about the history of the place and the legend of Katherine aka. Kissin' Kate Barlow and her lover, Sam. Stanley realizes that the Warden is making them dig for something which turns out to be the money that Kate robbed from Stanley's great-grandfather.  Stanley becomes friends with Hector Zeroni aka. Zero at the camp, so when Zero runs away one day, Stanley follows him. They survive in the mountains with the help of Sam's old onion fields. When they return to camp, Zero and ...

  Sergeant Reckless by Patricia McCormick & illustrated by Iacopo Bruno  Biography Grade: Kindergarten - 2nd Awards: Texas Bluebonnet Award 2018-2019 Summary: Korea was at war and the U.S. Marines leader, Eric Pedersen, had the idea to have a mule haul the shells uphill to a cannon, but there was only a scrawny sorrel mare. The marines fed the mare bread and oatmeal but they worried that she couldn't carry the heavy ammunition and would scare at the sound of shots. The mare had to be trained to duck at the incoming fire and retreat. Latham taught Reckless how to march up the hill and carry a saddle. Reckless ate anything the soldiers ate. Enemy soldiers attacked and Reckless was scared at first but she calmed down. The Battle of Outpost Vegas was the first time Reckless refused to eat but she successfully marched up and down the path 51 times all day hauling her load. There was a cease-fire and the Marines got to go home but they petitioned to bring Reckless to the U.S. Re...

  A Friend Like Simon by Kate Gay nor & illustrated  Caitriona Sweeney Realistic Fiction Grade: Pre-K - 2nd Awards:  Moonbeam Children's Book  Award  Winner 2009 Summary: A Friend Like Simon is a story about a boy named Matthew and how he became friends with Simon. On the first day, Matthew said hello to Simon's mom, but Simon just stared at the ground. Simon's teacher told the class that he would do some lessons with the class and some with his special teacher. Matthew asked Simon to play at recess but he liked being alone. Matthew noticed that Simon would get upset at little things and rearrange his pencils and books the same way each day. Matthew stopped asking Simon to play because he was different. On the way to the fair, Simon and Matthew sat next to each other on the bus and shared a sandwich. Simon stood up to "horrible Hettie" when she cut in the icecream line and Matthew was grateful. Matthew learned that sometimes Simon would play and sometimes he...

  Leaves: An Autumn Pop Up Book by Janet Lawyer & illustrated by Lindsay Dale-Scott & engineered by Yoojin Kim Paper Engineered Book Grade: Pre-K - 3rd Awards: None Summary: The book, Leaves , begins by saying that leaves seem simple yet they are complex. When you lift the leaf, you find more information about a leaf's part in photosynthesis.  If you pull the leaf, it shows you that the leaves change color as days shorten. The leaves pop out in many autumn colors and if you lift the leaf, it tells you that shorter daylight hours make the chlorophyll disappear and bright colors show. Birds may migrate during this time. The pop-up reveals hungry critters hiding in the leaves and you can lift the leaves to reveal that a hedgehog sleeps with its spines out for protection and insects like to live it moist matted leaves. Moving the next leaves reveals that squirrels like to hide their nuts and food in the leaves. Mushrooms grow around the leaves and deer eat them. Leaves kee...

  First Day in Grapes by L. King Perez & illustrated by Robert Castilla  Fi ction  Grade: 1st - 4th Awards: Pura Belpré Illustrator  Award  Honor 2004,   t he Pennsylvania Young Reader's Choice  Award  Masterlist Summary; Chico is the  third-grade  son of migrant workers. He is anxious about going to school in a new place because he doesn't want to get picked on. Chico wants to be a race car driver when he grows up. Chico rode the bus with a glaring bus driver and some mean fourth-grade kids. Chico sits by a boy named John in his class who tells him that Ms. Andrews is the best teacher ever. Chico introduces himself to the class and struggles to find the words to do his writing assignment, but he did very well in math. The mean fourth-grade kids confront Chico at lunch and tease him, but Chico stands up for himself. Chico thanks the bus driver and decided that a new friend, great teacher, and the bus driver knowing his name make...

  I Love My Hair! by Natasha Anastasia Tarpley & illustrated by E.B. Lewis Fiction Grade: 1st - 3rd Awards: None Summary: I Love My Hair! is a story about a little girl names Keyana who learns all about the beauty and history of her hair. Her mother does her hair every night and sometimes it even hurts. Keyana's mother tells her that she is lucky to hair that is so beautiful and versatile. Keyana's hair can be spun and weaved into a puffy bun like her ancestors, braided in straight lines like seeds are planted in a garden, or styled in an Afro like the globe. She can add beads to her braids which makes music. Keyana was saddened when she got teased by the kids at her school, but the teacher comforted her by telling her the history of those who stood up for what they believed wearing their afros. Keyana loves her hair and her favorite style is two ponytails on each side of her head.   Evaluation: This story is a great book for the classroom because hair is such a big c...

  Marisol McDonald Doesn't Match / Marisol Mcdonald no combina by Monica Brown & Illustrated by Sara Palacios  Fiction Grade: 1st - 3rd Awards: Notable Children's Books 2012 Summary: Marisol McDonald Doesn't Match is a book about a young first-grader named Marisol. She is known for not being able to match. Marisol's cousin points out that her brown skin doesn't match her red hair, Marisol's brother complains that her pants and shirt clash, and Marisol even likes mixing her Spanish and English when speaking. At school, Marisol's teacher scolds her for mixing her print and cursive writing and her friends don't want to mix soccer and pirates on the playground. One day, Marisol decides to match but recess isn't fun, her sandwich is mushy, and the class is boring. The teacher notices a change in Marisol so she writes a note telling Marisol that she is perfect the way she is. This makes Marisol happy because she realizes that it's okay to be hersel...

  All Are Welcome by Alexandra Penfold & illustrated by Suzanne Kaufman Fiction Grade: Pre-K - 2nd  Awards: New York Times best-selling picture book Summary: All Are Welcome is a book about students at school. The book begins by showing students who may start their day in prayer or wear different things on the playground and saying that everyone is welcome at school. Next, the book depicts the children pointing at a map and says that all are welcome no matter where the students are from. Then,  All Are Welcome talks about how children can make music, create art, and read stories together. The students play side by side at the playground. Everyone even has unique gifts and talents which may be different from their friends. The story ends by saying that everyone feels safe and welcome at school and the students can't wait to go back the next day.  Evaluation: This is a really fun story that I would use in my classroom because it has a great message and will ge...

  The Colors of Us by Karen Katz  Fiction Grade: Pre-K - 2nd Awards: None Summary: The Colors of Us  is a story about a young seven-year-old from Guatemala.  To accurately draw a self-portrait, Lena's mother tells her to mix the colors to create the right brown. This confuses Lena because she thinks brown is brown. Lena's mother takes her for a walk around the neighborhood to show her that people of color can be very unique. Around the neighborhood, Lena sees her friends, Sonia, who is a light yellow-brown color like cinnamon, Isabella who has a chocolate brown skin color like cupcakes, Lucy who is peachy and tan, Jo-Jin who skin is like the color of honey, and many more friends and family of different backgrounds. At the end of the story, Lena goes back to her canvas and paints everyone from the walk and all their difference which are beautiful. She proudly shows her mom her work and calls it "the colors of us".   Evaluation: The Colors of Us would be a gr...

  The Name Jar by Yangsook Choi Fiction  Grade: Pre-K - 2nd Awards: Arkansas Diamond Primary Book Master List 2003  Summary:  The Name Jar is a story about a young girl named Unhei who is going to school in America for the first time after moving from Korea. She is nervous about going to school especially after the kids on the bus make fun of her name. Unhei introduces herself to her class but tells them that she has not picked a name so they start a jar for her and fill it with American names. After much thought and a conversation with the store clerk, Unhei decides that she loves her own name especially because it means grace. Unhei makes a friend in the story named Joey who takes the jar of names because he learns Unhei's real name and thinks it's beautiful. The story ends as Unhei introduces herself to the class and teaches them her real name, and Joey chooses a Korean nickname which means friend.  Evaluation: I would use this book in my classroom. This book...