Animal fiction

Lately I've been reading some animal fiction: 

Black Beauty by Sewell; 

Shiloh by Naylor; 

Tennessee Rose Horse Diaries by Kendall; 

And Old Yeller by Gipson. 

In each instance I struggled to finish these titles, and they took me way too much time to complete. Why? 

I've discovered that I am a great big cry-baby when it comes to reading animal fiction. Animals such as horses and dogs are at the mercy of events, circumstances, and people. Most people are kind, but some are cruel.  I can't tolerate cruelty. 

So what am I reading this weekend?

Because of Winn-Dixie by DiCamillo.

So far, so good!

No fighting, no biting

     If your young students want to read a book with some subtle humor, then I recommend this classic by Minarik (author of the Little Bear series). Some things just never go out of style.

     Look carefully at the cover art. Two young children (Rosa and Willy) keep snipping at each other. Their older cousin Joan keeps telling them to settle down, to no avail. Joan finally teaches the two youngsters by telling them a humorous story about two naughty baby alligators (do you see the baby alligators in the cover art?). Readers will delight with the parallelism in the story.

     This book is ideal for independent reading for young readers. It has simple language and cute illustrations.  I always get a warm and fuzzy feeling when I read this book. 



The Little Prince

 

 

     I've finally finished rereading The Little Prince. This is one of those books I recommend ALL educators and parents revisit every year. Why? Author Antoine de Saint-Exupery reminds us Grown-Ups why we must never lose sight of the importance of childhood.  When I say childhood, I mean kids age 2-99. Childhood is important business. It's fleeting and fragile as a rose. Roses, as children, need constant care, regardless how tired and busy we become.

     The character little prince meets an assortment of adult characters who I hope never to resemble. Some of these odious characters remind me of real people I know. 

     If you are interested in reading this Classic, I have a few copies in the library. You can also download it on your ereader. If you want to read it aloud, you might consider having discussions about the different Grown-Up characters the little prince encounters.  Just be prepared for some insightful observations from your young readers!

     Happy reading!

     

James and the Giant Peach, by Roald Dahl

     This is a classic in children's literature...the "meat and potato" of books...Young James Henry Trotter loses his parents and is shuffled off to live with two hideous and abusive aunts. He then meets up with a strange (and sometimes cranky) mix of insect characters. Together they embark on an adventure of a lifetime, in a giant peach, of course! 

     Interestingly enough, some schools have actually banned or challenged this title. 

I like this book, especially as a read-aloud because the plot really moves along, and the short chapters leave young listeners yearning for more.
     This summer I read the book to my 7 year old and he was appalled by the wicked Aunt Sponge and Aunt Spiker. I suggest teachers be prepared for their students' reactions to the two Aunts. Some children come from homes where abusive language is part of life, and may be very sensitive to the subject.