Kids Books - Teaching
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.
What Therapists Say and Why They Say It: Effective Therapeutic Responses and Techniques
By William McHenry, James McHenry
This will be very helpful, as someone who hopes to become a therapist.
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.
Number the Stars
By Lois Lowry
This.. this... is a beautiful story about trust, believing in yourself, the horrors of war.. and most importantly, it's about the friendship between Annemarie and Ellen, and how families can get through the most horrible of crises if they just.. believe. This book takes place in Copenhagen, Denmark in the middle of World War II. The king is Christian X, who is loved by his people.. but unfortunately, King Christian X couldn't stop soldiers from Germany to be stationed in Denmark. It was either the soldiers or war, which King Christian X knew he couldn't win. In this time, Annemarie and her family are living a moderately peaceful, normal life.. until their normal life is shattered by a new law - that all Jewish people must be captured. One by one, the Jewish people start going missing, and Annemarie and her family need to protect Annemarie's best friend, Ellen, who is Jewish. So Ellen is disguised as Lise, Annemarie's oldest sister who died in the hands of Germany. But when a German soldier comes to investigate and Ellen is almost caught, Annemarie and her family know that the only way to save Ellen now is to take her (through a boat) safely to Sweden. But they learn people are being caught on boats going to Sweden.. but they will have to risk it. Annemarie MUST deliver a very important package to her uncle (who is driving the boat) that might save Ellen's life.. before it's too late! Lois Lowry is one of my favorite authors, because she can write brilliant masterpieces.. honestly, I think this book is possibly her best yet. It's cleverly written so that it can make readers cry, laugh, rejoice, and feel horror, without missing a beat, constantly throughout the story. I felt like I was experiencing the pain of Annemarie, the fear of Ellen, and the author made me feel like I was basically in the story, watching the events happen. Oh, and the ending.. is very touching.. possibly one of the best endings I have read in any book. I would definitely recommend Number the Stars to any reader that understands the value of life, family, and friendship.
Adventures of Tom Sawyer (Boys' & Girls' Library)
By Mark Twain
A classic by Mark Twain of "Adventures of Tom Sawyer" which is about a boy who goes by the well-known name of Tom Sawyer with at first mischievous and immature boy at the beginning of the story, often getting in trouble with his aunt Polly often scold her nephew. You would often see that Tom would be with his friend, Huck (Huckleberry Finn) whom Tom really close to, getting in trouble, too with him. Then Rebecca (known most of time as just Becky) Thatcher, a daughter of the town's new judge, as Tom got the romantic interest in Becky, got "engaged" due to the kiss until it's revealed by Tom that he actually "engaged" by another girl, Amy Lawrence, had the fight with Becky about it. Then, we have Injun Joe, a Native American who would defend himself most of time but got the racism from Tom and Huck. Later in the book, as Tom grew more considerate, kind, funny, and more mature than the beginning of the story. I had to read this for school and finally finished with this book today as I didn't really enjoy this due to the type of English which is Old English which can make me more harder to understand and also with the racism against the colored or even Native Americans. - Happy Reading...maybe!
Calico Captive
By Elizabeth George Speare
It's 1754, as Revolutionary War fought between America and Great Britain not yet took place until nearly 20 years later as a young girl, Miriam Willard, a headstrong girl who later got captured from the Indians (Native Americans to be exact). Miriam then befriends Natives, and learning new things, such like herbs for the sick and their own ways of growing and hunting for food, and making the clothes out of the buffalo skins. She eventually got sent home, safely. This story was based on true story about Miriam's older sister, Susanna and her siblings and baby got kidnapped during Indians' raids in Charlestown, New Hemisphere. - Happy Reading!
Second World War (See Inside)
By Rob Lloyd Jones
This book is great! World War 2 stared 1939 to 1945. About 50 million people died from the war! If you are interested in World war 2 you should read this book! I would like to give a big thank you to dogo23irene for following me. If you ever see this I followed you back😀 Everyone have a bless day! Make sure to follow me!
Call of the Wild and White Fang
By Jack London
Warning! This review may contain spoilers. Call of the wild: A dog named Buck is kidnapped (or dognapped), and force to work as a sled dog. I didn't read White Fang. What I thought of it: Well, I don't like books about animals (I had to read this for homework). Mainly because the main animal character almost always gets mistreated and/or dies. Buck was definitely mistreated and I hated that. I absolutely can't stand animal cruelty or when animals die. When I'm reading a book and there's an animal and a human, I'd rather the human die than the animal. Buck, thankfully, didn't die. But everyone else did. Almost every single animal and human that appeared in the book died. I mean Curly got ripped apart 10 minutes into the book. I guess I get the purpose of it, but I still didn't like it. That was my main problem with this book. It was pretty well written, though. I liked how even though the dogs didn't talk, you still knew what they were thinking. I liked the way Buck grew as a character. In a lot of books, you just kind of suppose the main character changed over the course of the book, but it's not that obvious. In this book, it was obvious. There was a huge difference between Buck when he was first introduce and Buck when the book ended. He really changed a lot, yet he kept some of his character traits. I really liked that. Overall, I appreciated this book, but I didn't like it.
The Bronze Bow
By Elizabeth George Speare
Is revenge ever a good thing? Sometimes in school you want to get back at people for making fun of you, leaving you out of things, not inviting you to a birthday party or simply just being mean to you. This book is a great way to learn love is more powerful than revenge. When you are hurting and feeling angry and sad, it is hard to not seek revenge. Daniel, the protagonist had it worst in this book. It is written during biblical times during Jesus' ministry. He loses his father to the Roman army and runs away to join an outlaw group of Jews fighting against the Romans. He later sees the group stealing from Jews to help their cause and becomes friends with others. He begins to see that maybe this isn't the best way to seek his revenge. Later he meets Jesus.Wow, what an amazing moment that is for Daniel and other characters in the book. This book is great and I couldn't put it down. It is filled with love and compassion and fight scenes. Daniel later learns there is another way to handle the pain of vengeance. A great story.
Johnny Tremain
By Esther Hoskins Forbes
Jonathan Tremain, who is known as Johnny, a 14 years old at the beginning of the story which took place in America's Revolutionary War against British in 1770s. Johnny, who is known for his temper being lost, hurting other people with his hurtful remarks, etc. Priscilla, nicknamed Cilla who was Johnny best friend since they are young who Johnny often talked with. Isannah, nicknamed Izzy, who was Cilla's younger sister who look up to her sister but those two girls had lost their relationship for each other. Then, we have Dove, who Johnny truly detest who later became a spy during the wartime. Tremain, who had lived with Lytes for Johnny's apprenticeship with Mr. Lyte until the war had started, Paul Revere, Dr. Joseph Warren, Gen. Gage, and few other notable figures during that time took off, fighting for the Patriots against Loyalists. Everything suddenly seems upside-down, as Johnny learned his family secret, his father's death, plus with his wife, Johnny's mother. People who Johnny knew taking off to fight in the war, wounded or killed in action, and Johnny eventually took up the risk-taking but also dangerous job of all, being a spy for the Patriots. - Happy Reading!









