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The Girl on theTrain

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The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins

the girl on the trainToday I hoped for heavier traffic so I could finish listening The Girl on theTrain.  If you were a fan of Gone Girl, this is your next read.  Rachel rides the same train every day back and forth; she is lonely, tormented, and desperate.  As she rides the train from her small town to London each day, she gazes at the back gardens of all the homes.  She starts to notice the same people each day, she begins to create caricatures in her mind of who they are, what they might be like.  Then one day she sees something; something disturbing and suspicious, and the story gets very interesting.  Three women’s lives intertwine, each one battling their own demons, each one not quite what she seems.  This book is quietly thrilling because no one is easy to figure out, no one is all good or all bad, but some very bad things happen.  Girl on a Train is not a cuddly feel good story, it is dark and gritty, but the suspense at the end is impeccably written.  The tension will grip you to the core, if you need a plane or beach read, pick it up.  If you are fan of intensity, suspense, and thrillers, you will like it.

To Purchase from Amazon, click here: The Girl on the Train

3 Books to Teach Compassion

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Here are three middle grade novels that are perfect to teach compassion and lead to disucssions on empathy. I had to update this post because I read the most wonderful book, it had to be mentioned.  Please read Wonder this year, you will be glad you did.

Wonder by R.J. Palacio

Wonder-1 (1)It is rare that I cry while reading a book, but I did as I read Wonder.  It is rare that I am so moved by a book that by the time I am finished I resolve to be a better person.  In most of my reading I am delighted, charmed, informed, and entertained.  But Wonder moved me.  August, the main character was born with a facial deformity, a one in a million chance, but he got it.  He elicits gasps of shock from strangers when their eyes take in his physical appearance for the first time.  When we meet Auggie, he is starting school for the first time, not just school, middle school.  The story is told from Auggie’s point of view, as well as his sister, and classmates at school.  The characters are written with such sharp and strong voice, you are enveloped and rooting for Auggie from the first page.  You feel his pain deeply and triumph in his joys with exuberance.  This is a must read for every adult, every teacher of 4th grade and up needs to share this book with their students.  I loved this book from start to finish, it is brilliant.

To Order on Amazon, click here:  Wonder  (Only 6.99! Get it)

The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate 

the one and only ivanThe One and Only Ivan tells the story of a Gorilla kept in the Tacoma Mall as a tourist attraction.  Told from the perspective of the animals, this books tackles issues of animal cruelty in the most perfect way.  It is honest, but heart warming.  It was moving and made you feel horribly sad and wonderfully happy all at the same time.  This book shows children that all life has value, it is our responsibility is to care for others and animals and make the world a better place where we can.  If you are an adult that loves animals, please read it, you won’t regret it.  A modern day Charlotte’s Web.

To Order on Amazon, click here: The One and Only Ivan (Only 6 Bucks!)

Absolutely Almost by Lisa Gaff 

Absolutely almost

Absolutely Almost is about Albie, a boy who is almost always striving and missing the mark.  Albie is 10 and lives in New York City.  Spelling tests are hard, reading is harder, and he is aware of every worry his parents try to hide.  Albie is at a new school, and absolutely does not need a baby-sitter; then arrives Callista , to hang out with him after school.  Callista and Ablie form a special bond.  She serves as a catalyst to show Albie his hidden talents.  Although this book is a middle grade novel, it was a superb read.  The writing was tender and relevant; it reminded me of a modern, less silly, Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing.  If you are a teacher looking for a book to teach show compassion, dealing with bullying, and learning to stand up for yourself, this is a good pick.  If you have a young person in your life that likes realistic fiction, this is a great book.  I loved that it was realistic, not preachy, and relatable, without inappropriate content.  Jaff is a fantastic writer; she captures emotions and struggles from a young person’s perspective with ease.

To Order this book on Amazon, click here:  Absolutely Almost (Cheap as well!)

10 Earth Day Picture Books

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My Kindergarten students contributed their thoughts on these books.  Please read my quick synopsis and their review or take away.  All names changed to protect the innocent.

The Earth Book by Todd Parr

Perfect for preschoolers through First grade.  Simple and fun, but gives environmentalism a fresh feel.

the earth book_Kindergarten Reviews

Alex: It teaches you to reuse paper.               Arnold: It reminds you to recycle and save a little food.                                                                   Cara: It makes you learn to clean up the whole earth.

Farmer Will Allen and the Growing Table by Jacqueline Briggs-Martin

The real life account of a professional basketball player building a community garden in an abandoned city lot.  An incredible story.  Great for 2-5, but my Kindergarteners were enthralled.

To Purchase this book on Amazon, click here:

The EARTH Book

Kindergarten Review:

martin_FarmerWillAllen

Ben: “You can read it so other kids know to eat vegetables, vegetables, not just fruit.  Vegetables make your poop come out.”

To Purchase on Amazon, click here: Farmer Will Allen and the Growing Table

We Planted a Tree by Diane Muldrow

I love this book, the text is simple and beautiful.  The pictures follow two families on different continents plant a tree.  It comes full circle in the end to show how their family grew as well as the tree.  My students were enchanted by it.

Kindergarten Reviews:

we planted a treeJoey: “It shows tree on different continents.”

Trevor: “You will become a fan of plants trees, and that is good.”

To purchase on Amazon, click here:We Planted a Tree

Seeds of Change by Jen Cullerton Johnson

A non-fiction book in story form, it tells the story of Wangari Maathai, the first African American woman and environmentalist to win a Nobel Peace Prize.

Kindergarten Reviews:

seedsofchangeSam: “Read this book because it teaches you not to take things for yourself and help the whole world.”

Nicholas: “I knew this was true because there were plants and no monsters.  The guys that planted the coffee were bad because they just wanted the money for themselves, not the experience of the adventure.”

To Purchase from Amazon, click here: Seeds of Change: Planting a Path to Peace

Bumblebee, Bumblebee, Do you know me? by Anne Rockwell 

anne rockwellSimple, repetitive, with a nice beat for preschoolers. It is a guessing game book, so you can make extensions or tie it in with a plant unit easily. Great for early childhood to Kindergarten.l Lesson plans to go with it can be found online.

My students simply say: “You learn about flowers, that is nice.”

To Order on Amazon, click here: Bumblebee, Bumblebee, Do You Know Me?: A Garden Guessing Game

These Bees Count! by Alison Formento

bees-coverWhat a wonderful book to show children how bee-keeping works.  Part counting book and part informational narrative, it is great to show children bees are not to be feared, but cared for. Lesson plans to go with it can be found in a google search.

One student said: “If you don’t like bees then you can see the experience of the bees. It helps you learn about them.”

To Purchase this book on Amazon, click here: These Bees Count!

Miss Rumphius by Barbar Cooney

Positively Timeless, it is perfect for young children to help them think about how they can help the world, and perfect for older elementary for the same reason.  A good book to read out loud every Earth Day.

miss-rumphius-cover Sophie: “It teaches you about kindness and keeping the world beatiful instead of stony and ugly.”

To buy on Amazon, click here:Miss Rumphius

Honey a Gift From Nature: by Yumiko Fujiwara

honey a gift from nature_A wonderful book that shows a boy and his father keeping bees and harvesting the honey.  A great blend of story and information, with beautiful pictures.

To buy on Amazon, click here: Honey: A Gift from Nature

Composting: Nature’s Recyclers by Robin Kootz 

composting bookLA simple but clear and concise book on how ecosystems and decomposing work.  Good extensions and experiments to try in the back.

To buy on amazon, click here:Composting: Nature’s Recyclers (Amazing Science)

A Life Forgotten: 2 Books, 2 Alices, No Memories

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The two books waiting for me at the library last week just happened to both be about women named Alice, and coping with memory loss. Coincidence I suppose, but they were perfect, simple spring break reads.  Here is what I thought of each book:

What Alice Forgot by Liane Moriarty

what alice forgotImagine you lose 10 years of your memory, ten years of relationships, technological innovations, and major life changes, instantly disappeared.  Alice hits her head at the gym and loses ten years of her memory.  What she remembers is she is pregnant with her first child, happily married, hates exercise, and owns a fixer house with her loving husband.  She wakes up a woman with a body sculpted by exercise, 3 grown children, and a vastly altered marriage.  The story unfolds bit by bit as Alice regains pieces of her memory a little at a time.  It is like a huge map of her life with ten years of journey taken out.  This book was simple, well told, and with just enough intrigue to keep you happily hooked.  There were hard moments; however the end note was redemptive and hopeful.  This is a great plane or vacation read.  As I have said before about Liane Moriarty’s books, if you liked The Husband’s Secret, you will like this book more.  If you did not like The Husband’s Secret, try What Alice Forgot, it is worth the time.

Still Alice by Lisa Genova

still alice_Alice is a Harvard Professor, intelligent, active, and at the top of her career. She begins to forget small details, and her capabilities begin to lapse.  Alice has early onset Alzheimer’s disease.  Lisa Genova has worked in the medical field, so her books always have a strong thread of medicinal knowledge woven throughout. Alice, her husband and her grown children begin to cope with her mental demise.   It is difficult to read about her failing to recognize her familiar surroundings, thinking her area rug is a hole in the floor, and ultimately feeling that life is not worth living without memory.  You root for Alice and hope that the exercise, medicines, or a miracle will cure her.  The plot flows well, but the writing is a bit cliché, and the characters seem to follow a formula that one has read many times over.  The movie was recently released of Still Alice; I can honestly say I might like the movie better than the book in this instance.  The story was strong, but the telling was a bit flat.

The Love Song of Miss Queenie Hennessy by Rachel Joyce

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queenie hennessy_

Rachel Joyce wrote a companion book to her best-selling book, ‘The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry.’ Her hit book in which the main character Harold Fry walks across England to see his old friend Queenie Hennessey before she dies.  In her newest novel, ‘The Love Song of Queenie Hennessey’ we meet Queenie and hear her story.  Joyce is a beautiful writer and creates very strong characterization, but I would have preferred to not know Queenie’s story. It was a very sad tale, and I was left feeling devastated at the end of this new installment.  I loved the story of Harold Fry because it was quirky and heartfelt.  There were sad times, yet covered over with healing, and sprinkled with dusting of hope that the rainbow was just up around the bend. This book was much darker and tragic.  If you liked Harold Fry I would recommend stopping with his journey.

However, you really should read the first installment.  Here is the review and link for her first book.

The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry by Rachel Joyce 

The Unlikely Pilgramage of harold fryFrom start to finish I enjoyed the tale of Harold Fry and his Unlikely Pilgrimage.  Harold and his wife exist, but do not live; they function, but do not thrive.  It is as if a large gray cloud cover their lives with gray and shadows and they have accepted their drab life.  Unexpectedly Harold receives a letter from an old friend.   Queenie, is terminally ill in a town across the country.   He gets the letter, and begins to walk to see his old friend.  Without a  plan, and a lousy pair of shoes upon his feet, he just walks.   The strange pilgrimage shocks and frustrates his wife, but Harold begins to collect a small following to cheer him on.  Pretty soon the whole country of England begins to rally for Harold to make it to see his old friend Queenie.  Harold sets out searching to find closure with an old friend, but the journey leads him to a vastly different destination.  This is a sweet story, honest, and well written.

To Order this book on Amazon, click here:    The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry: A Novel