teachers

Review: I Will Never Get a Star on Mrs. Benson’s Blackboard by Jennifer K. Mann

| Tasha

I Will Never Get a Star on Mrs Bensons Blackboard by Jennifer Mann

I Will Never Get a Star on Mrs. Benson’s Blackboard by Jennifer K. Mann (InfoSoup)

Mrs. Benson gives stars on her blackboard for things like spelling, neatness and raising your hand. Rose though, struggles with all of those things. Plus she isn’t good at math, her voice is too quiet for a star in reading, and she spilled snack on Mrs. Benson. Rose had been distracted by the artist who came to speak with them and dreaming of all of the things that she could create. At the end of the day, there was going to be a check for desk neatness, and Rose knew that she would never get a star for that. Mrs. Benson didn’t quite reach Rose’s desk that evening, so the next day Rose came in early and cleaned her desk. Then they got to make thank you cards for the artist who had visited, but doing art was messy and Rose undid all of her cleaning. At the same time, Rose had made an incredible card and who knows maybe art was a way that she could finally get that star!

Mann captures the pressure that a student who does not conform to classroom norms can feel. Rose desperately wants to do what is right, but none of the qualities that Mrs. Benson wants come easily or naturally to her. The presentation of someone to inspire her to do her best on something that she is definitely good at makes for a natural turning point in the book and allows Rose to continue to be herself all the way to the end. This is a celebration of artistic children who may lack in social graces but make up for it in boundless enthusiasm and creativity.

Mann’s illustrations make the book very kid-friendly as does the subject matter. The friendly round-headed characters are shown in a variety of ethnic backgrounds. Rose stands out in the illustrations with her bright-colored clothing and then the fact that at the artist presentation she is standing and listening rather than sitting. It all shows that she is a vibrant kid, filled with so much zing that it would be impossible to contain her.

A celebration of kids who don’t fit into classrooms easily, this picture book celebrates creativity and being yourself. Appropriate for ages 4-6.

Reviewed from library copy.

Review: Fish in a Tree by Lynda Mullaly Hunt

| Tasha

fish in a tree

Fish in a Tree by Lynda Mullaly Hunt

The author of One for the Murphys returns with a brilliant second novel. Ally hates school. She’d much rather spend her days drawing the vivid pictures in her head. Homework is almost impossible for her, since she has such trouble reading. To cover up her problems, she uses her disruptions and gets sent to the principal’s office often. When Ally gets a new teacher though, things start to change. Mr. Daniels can see who she is under the reading and writing problems, offering her compliments about the way she thinks and the way she draws. As Ally gets more confident, she just might be brave enough to ask for the help she needs rather than hiding and trying to be invisible.

Hunt writes with a light touch, never negating the powerful feelings that Ally is wrestling with and how serious her issues are. Yet it is that soft touch that allows the book to be so effective in its approach to dyslexia and the variations in the ways different brains think. Throughout the book, there is hope and readers will yearn to have Ally recognized as the bright and funny person they now her to be. Hunt also incorporates a bully who is intelligently drawn with just a glimpse as to why she is that way and who is just cruel and mean enough to be realistic.

Ally is a wonderful protagonist. She doesn’t hide her difficulties from herself at all, but works so hard to hide them from everyone else in her life, something she can achieve because she is so bright. Throughout Ally is immensely likable, someone who would make a tremendous friend. I love that she does not become this as the novel moves on, but she is already there, just waiting for others to discover her behind the barriers she puts up. The two characters who become her close friends are also strongly written and unique voices too, adding depth and diversity to the story.

An incredibly strong novel, this one belongs in every library and will be inspiring to students and teachers alike. Appropriate for ages 9-12.

Reviewed from library copy.

Review: Lulu and the Duck in the Park by Hilary McKay

| Tasha

Lulu and the Duck

Lulu and the Duck in the Park by Hilary McKay

Lulu loves animals, so she can’t understand it when people don’t love every animal, like her teacher Mrs. Holiday.  In fact, Mrs. Holiday has asked Lulu to never bring an animal to school again after an incident with her dog.  When their class is heading back through the park after swimming, something awful happens.  Two dogs run rampage through the ducks’ nests in the park, scaring the ducks, ruining their nests and smashing eggs.  So when Lulu sees the duck egg rolling down the hill, she just does what comes naturally and puts it into her pocket.  Once back at school though, it is hard to figure out how to hide an egg without smashing it.  It becomes even harder when the duckling decides to hatch!

McKay is one of my favorite British authors, capturing the unique qualities of her characters with a distinct merriment.  In this short novel perfect for beginning readers, she changes the perspective up sometimes by offering Mrs. Holiday’s point of view too.  It is done with a lot of humor and children will easily make the transition between Lulu and her teacher. 

The writing is simple but great fun to read.  There are plenty of jokes and moments of seriousness too that both help keep the book moving forward.  It is a trick to offer depth of story in such a brief book, but McKay manages it.

I look forward to the next Lulu book and the trouble that she gets into there.  Appropriate for ages 7-9.

Reviewed from library copy.

Review: The Art of Miss Chew by Patricia Polacco

| Tasha

art of miss chew

The Art of Miss Chew by Patricia Polacco

Polacco continues to explore her childhood in picture book form in this tribute to a teacher.  In school, young Patricia struggled with her grades, specifically when taking tests.  Luckily, she had a teacher, Mr. Donovan, who was willing to give her extra time to finish.  That little change allowed Patricia to get better grades.  Mr. Donovan was also the first teacher to recognize her artistic talent.  He connected her with an art program run by Miss Chew.  Miss Chew talked about learning to see, working with line and pressure, and taking their sketchbooks with them everywhere.  Patricia soaked all of this up like a sponge.  But then Mr. Donovan’s father died, and the substitute teacher would not give her more time to finish her tests.  She even threatened to pull Patricia out of her special art class.  Happily, Miss Chew was there to come to the rescue!

Polacco has continued to write about her challenges with school and about how a single amazing teacher changed her life again and again.  Her books are a testament to the power of teachers to make a difference in a child’s world, but in turn they are also a look at the emergence of a gifted artist who works hard and makes her own special place too.  In my eyes, it is the combination of Polacco and her teachers that is magical.

The art is done in Polacco’s signature style that is artistic, evocative and realistic too.  As she speaks about art, she demonstrates it in her art in the book.  Readers will notice how she captures shadow and light and plays with perspective too.  It is a very engaging way to create a quick art lesson in the middle of a story.

Art teachers will love this as a gift, but they will also enjoy sharing it in their classrooms.  Bravo for Miss Chew and all of the other great teachers out there who do this work every day.  Appropriate for ages 5-7.

Reviewed from copy received from G. P. Putnam’s Sons.

Review: Rocket Writes a Story by Tad Hills

| Tasha

rocket writes a story

Rocket Writes a Story by Tad Hills

This sequel to How Rocket Learned to Read has the same irresistible charm of the first.  While the first book inspired new readers on their way to proficiency, this book will inspire young writers to try their hand at the craft.  Rocket loved books like they were his friends.  He loved words too and used his nose to find new words to add to his collection.  Eventually, Rocket had so many words, he just had to do something with them.  So he decided to write his own story.  But when he was faced with the blank page, he couldn’t think of a thing to write.  The little yellow bird who was his teacher advised him to write about something that inspired him, that excited him.  Now Rocket just needs to find that perfect inspiration for a story.  It just might be much closer than he’d ever have expected.

Hills has taken the wonderful cheer of his original Rocket book and his Duck & Goose stories and transformed it into a book that will lead young authors through the thicket of writing their first story.  This is a shining example of a book that will inspire rather than lecture young artists as they strive to create.  Rocket has a wonderful combination of confidence and openness that makes him a great protagonist.  Children will be happy to learn to write a book alongside Rocket.

The art in the book is done in Hills’ signature style.  It is simple, bright colored, and joyful.  Hills plays with perspective, turns the idea of a classroom inside out, and rejoices in reading and writing. 

A must-have book for all public libraries, this will also find a welcome home in school libraries and classrooms.  Appropriate for ages 4-6.

Reviewed from copy received from Random House Children’s Books.

Argus: A Celebration of Being Different

| Tasha

argus

Argus by Michelle Knudsen, illustrated by Andrea Wesson

When her class at school does a science project with eggs, Sally’s egg looks very different from the regular white chicken eggs.  Hers is much larger and polka-dotted.  When the others eggs hatch, the fluffy yellow chicks emerge.  When Sally’s egg hatches, out comes something scaly and green.  Argus is completely different from the other chicks.  He doesn’t eat seeds, instead he’s rather eat the other chicks.  Perhaps even the students!  Sally finds herself longing for a yellow, fluffy, normal chick of her own.  But when Argus disappears, she realizes that he has become very special to her and that his own unique qualities are what make him himself.

Knudsen has created a picture book that is very funny.  She plays up the humor of a dragon emerging from an egg in a classroom.  I also enjoyed the role of the teacher, Mrs. Henshaw, who takes all of the differences and surprises in stride, managing all of the situations without getting flustered.  It is as matter-of-fact a book about a dragon as you are likely to find, which is a large part of its charm.

Wesson’s illustrations have a light touch and lots of details.  The yellow chicks are roly poly and jolly.  Argus is not.  Yet children will never be afraid of Argus because he wears a smile and has friendly yellow eyes.  Another touch from Wesson are the graphs and measurements that the class makes of their “chicks.”  Argus definitely does not conform.

A funny, wry book about differences and acceptance, this book will be welcome in libraries and classrooms as a way to discuss difficult subjects with humor.  Appropriate for ages 5-8.

Reviewed from library copy.

Also reviewed by:

The Junkyard Wonders: Timely and Timeless

| Tasha

junkyard

The Junkyard Wonders by Patricia Polacco

Polacco tells another very personal story of an amazing teacher in this book.  Trisha thinks she has a fresh start when she moves to live with her grandparents and father.  She expects that she will no longer be in a special needs class anymore, but in her new school she is once again in a special class.  At this school, the class is known as The Junkyard.  Happily though, it has an incredible teacher in Mrs. Peterson.  Mrs. Peterson begins the school year talking about what genius is, and continues to lead the class forward by inspiring them every day.  She allows them to create their dreams, to realize that a junkyard is place of opportunity, and to achieve and grow.  When tragedy strikes the class, they persevere on with their efforts as a tribute. 

Polacco’s books are always heartfelt and vibrantly real.  Here readers see that differences are not disadvantages and friends are not always the most likely but can be the longest lasting.  The arc of the story takes readers through a wide range of emotions, from the dismay and shame of the special class to the achievements they realize to the loss they experience together.  Her tributes to teachers and the difference the great ones make in children’s lives could not be more timely and more timeless.

As always, Polacco’s illustrations are bright and evocative.  Obviously based on real people, the characters in the book are consistently portrayed and entirely unique from one another. 

Highly recommended for all children, whether in special classes or not.  I guarantee they will all long to be part of a Junkyard class by the end of the book.  This would make a great book for elementary classrooms discussing diversity and differences.   Appropriate for ages 6-9.

Reviewed from copy received from Philomel Books.

Also reviewed by:

Magical Ms. Plum

| Tasha

The Magical Ms. Plum by Bonny Becker, illustrated by Amy Portnoy

Third-grade teacher Ms. Plum is the most popular teacher in the school.  Everyone wants to be in her class.  Children who have had her speak of their love for her, but then stop talking and just smile mysteriously.  Ms. Plum has a wonderful secret: a magic supply closet.  It smells of something wonderful and has dark corners filled with wondrous things.  When a student is asked to get something from the closet, they return with an animal that perfectly matches what they need.  A shy girl is pampered by a group of little monkeys.  A loud child returns with a parrot who talks even more than he does.  And who knows what the smart boy who sees himself as not needing anything will get! 

This book is a delight.  Ms. Plum is a mix of Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle and Ms. Frizzle.  She solves children’s problems with magic and a modern style.  Becker has just the right touch, nicely building from one story to the next in episodic chapters.  Ms. Plum’s teaching is evident, but the animals and children are the heart of the story, just as they should be.  Portnoy’s black-and-white illustrations are have a modern feel that is right at home here.  They nicely break up the text, making a book that reluctant readers will feel right at home reading.

Perfect for reading aloud to a class, this is also an ideal book to hand to young readers who can reach the end of a chapter and have some resolution and a sense of accomplishment.  This would also be a good pick for readers who are reading above their age group.  There is nothing scary here but plenty of interest.  Appropriate for ages 6-9.

Reviewed from copy received from publisher.