Kids Books - Teaching

The Giver (The Giver Quartet)

The Giver (The Giver Quartet)

By Lois Lowry

The main character Jonas lives in the future, in a small Community. It is a place without pain, where people are formal and have carefully outlined procedures for things, ranging from Rituals of Loss to Acceptances of Apologies. They follow rules or are formally chastised, or are even punished with the despised "Release", such a mark on the reputation of the family that is never talked about, when it is used as a punishment. On the day of the Ceremony of Twelve, where everyone is given their Assignment, which they have no say in, and which they will keep on doing for the rest of their life, Jonas is chosen to see beyond, acting as the Reciever. The Reciever is the one who holds the memories of countless generations. He is respected, as he holds the most important job of all, but the community rarely uses him. Instead, they usually persist in their traditions. As the Receiver in training, Jonas is given memories by the wise old Giver, the former Reciever. There is pain, but there is also love. As the memories keep coming, Jonas realizes things. He questions the world that he was brought up in. He grows more and more aware of how no one else in the society is like him or the Giver, and realizes that they are all like robots: brought up to not feel, to be precise in their language, and to have no emotions. He begins to wonder if everyone, not just him, should have feelings and emotions. But what can just two people do to change a society? I loved this book. The writing style, overall, was very direct, like the society itself, but the message was the more important part: it was really thought provoking, especially the end. Another perk is that the book was short, just 168 pages in my edition, so you can finish it in just a few days. I highly recommend this to dystopian lovers, but I could see how those who like fast-paced books such as The Hunger Games would prefer other books.

The BFG

The BFG

By NA

Ho Hum.... What do we have here? The BFG by Roald Dahl is a classic for a reason. So, let's start shall we? I really loved this book. The characters are full of love and are just AMAZING. But.... there is still something going on here. Even though the story was amazing and such, I felt a tad-bit of randomness. Because of that it knocked off one star. Still four stars, nothing to worry about. Now, now , now.... let's talk about the main characters- The BFG and Sophie. Their friendship is adorable. I felt that this was a message to love someone in the inside not the outside. I know what you're thinking, just spill it out...... awwwwww❤️ Anyway, to wrap this whole thing up, The BFG by Roald Dahl is just plain AWESOME! And hey, 4 stars is not that bad.

My Side of the Mountain

My Side of the Mountain

By Jean George

This book is about a boy named Sam Gribley he ran away from his parents to a forest where his great grandfather had a farm. Sam thought that his great grandfather was still alive and that is part of the reason why he ran away. The other reason is that he did not like it in the city because it was too noisy. He hollowed out a tree and and started to live there, he got a little lonely so he stole a hawk from it's mother and started to live with it. I recommend this book for ages 9-15 because it is a little too violent for people who are younger.

My Side of the Mountain By Jean Craighead George Reading Activity Guide

My Side of the Mountain By Jean Craighead George Reading Activity Guide

By Jason Elliott

I love realistic fiction, it makes me feel like it REALLY could happen. The author Jean adds great nonfiction details, so you really believe that Sam could survive on his own. I like that Sam gets help from the town librarian and from the old man. It makes sense that if you had help, and knowledge, you could survive in the wild. This book makes me want to live in a tree!

Gulliver's Travels

Gulliver's Travels

By Jonathan Swift

Gulliver's Travels gives an account of an Englishman (Gulliver, of course) who goes on voyages but is very unlucky. He meets (famously) Liliputians, the small people; Brobdinagians (the big people); Laputans and Balinarbians; and Hounyhnms, the virtuous talking horses. Through these travels, Jonathan Swift, the Irish writer of satire, weaves in criticisms of the world during the 18th century, criticizing the following: Whigs, Hanoverians, people from the Netherlands, and Europeans. It is interesting to read all the brilliant sarcastic ways things are allegorized in this book. The sheer absurdity of some events was diverting too. For example, LIliput battles its rival, Blefuscu based solely on the "correct" method of cracking eggs, and Gulliver urinates on the place in a noble attempt to put out a fire, and is promptly sentenced to blinding and slow starvation. Of course, you will have to read the book to realize all of its brilliance. But as this book does not have dialogue, only long monologues without even quotation marks, and because the sentences are long, and semicolons put in at strange places, this is not so quick to read. This, I know, will detract from the reading experience of some. But if you are prepared, you should read these pages and bask in its deep glory, irony, and wit. I especially recommend it to people who like reading classics or are prepared to think while they are reading. Lastly, I recommend that you read it with some footnotes to understand political references, such as the Sterling Edition, which also has good printing and large font.

Room 13 (New Windmills)

Room 13 (New Windmills)

By Robert Swindells

I loved this book! I loved when Felicity, Lisa, David, and Gary try to stop Ellie-May from entering room 13 even though she was possessed by Dracula the Vampire but when they told their teacher Mr Hepworth and they checked room 13 it was a Janitors closet... Even though they were in big trouble for doing this they still did what was right to protect Ellie-May even though their superiors thought they were pulling pranks. In the end Fliss, Lisa, David and Gary still got into trouble, they saved Ellie-Mays life and gained her trust for doing that! The lesson is to always do the right thing even if others think we are liars, it will hurt but Good things will always find a way through in the end! 😁😁😀😊

Harriet the Spy (M Books)

Harriet the Spy (M Books)

By Louise Fitzhugh

Kensie

Harriet the Spy I am going to tell you about my opinion of Harriet the Spy by Louise Fitzhugh published in 1964. This book is about an eleven year old girl who goes to middle school and always carries around her journal where she writes things good and bad about everyone even her friends. In my opinion this is my favorite book. I like it because it gave me a lot of emotions like sadness, happiness, shock, anger and more. I think that fourth through sixth boys and girls would like this book. People who like to read chapter books and longer books would also like this book. This book is not the best for younger kids it has some big words and not many pictures.

Maniac Magee

Maniac Magee

By Jerry Spinelli

Jeffrey Lionel Magee. At least that was his name before he was known to be maniac. Jeffrey is a lonely, uncared for child whose parents died in the P&W trolley accident. After that, his auntie and uncle, Uncle Dan and Auntie Dot, took care of him. But unfortunately, they weren't talking to each other at the time when Maniac came into their lives. They were strict about catholicism and wouldn't get a divorce. Soon they started having two of everything, two TV's, two toasters, two bathtubs, two tables, Jeffrey ate with Uncle Dan on monday, Auntie dot ate with him on the tuesday, if they could they would even have two Jeffrey's. Then one night at the spring concert, after his class was finished singing, he was yelling at his aunt and uncle to talk, and that's what made him run away. Then he came into Two Mills, a few people say he saw him. People who actually saw him say they saw a kid with flapped sole sneakers running around. He then met a nice girl who's name was Amanda Beale. He begged and begged for her to give him a book but when she gave it to him, she was late to school. Now, he was doing a lot of stuff to get a lot of fame, he blocked a pass from Hand's down, he saved a kid from Finsterwalds backyard and sat on Finsterwalds front steps, he hit McNab's fastballs faster than he could pitch it, and also hit a frog ball, and lastly, he walked into the East End where he met Mars Bar. I highly recommend this book. It is very funny and entertaining.

A Dolphin Wish (Faithgirlz / Glimmer Girls)

A Dolphin Wish (Faithgirlz / Glimmer Girls)

By Natalie Grant

I love this book! It is exiting, heart warming, and full of mysterys!

The Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants

The Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants

By Ann Brashares

4 best friends. 4 different destinations for the summer. 1 pair of magical pants. This is a recipe for a summer Carmen, Tibby, Lena, and Bridget will never forget!! The 4 friends are all going different places for the first time in their lives this summer. It’s going to be very different. On their last day together before parting ways, they find a seemingly normal pair of pants in Carmen’s closet. But when they try them on, they realize the pants fit everyone perfectly!!! They must be magic, because they all have different body types and heights. They decide to send the pants back and forth during the summer so they can each have some of its luck. Get ready for a wild ride, because this book has a lot of fun and energy inside! I personally really enjoyed this book, but it does have some mature content, so I recommend it for grades 8 and up, maybe 7th grade if you are a mature reader. What will the Pants have in store for you?? :)

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