This book is a best fit for primary aged children but may be considered an everybody books, as all ages may benefit and enjoy the content. The Circles All Around Us, refers to the family, friendship and community circles we create and cultivate as human beings. It creates a reference for categorizing people and how close you may or may not be with them depending upon where they are in your circles. Circles closer to you are your family and circles farther away, your community. The book also touches upon inclusion and adding to your circle group and the love it gives to yourself and others.
Tag Archives: friends
Good Guys, Bad Guys
A pair of siblings that seem so different start their day – one grouchy and messy, the other happy and squeaky clean. They play with their respective groups, the “good guys’ and “bad guys”, throughout a day filled with imagination and fun. Near the end of the day, their paths converge and they retreat to their respective homes, tired and happy. The siblings wave goodbye to their friends and head to bed, agreeing to switch places tomorrow for a new day of fun and imagination.
This book is brimming with joy and play as a wonderful mixture of kids use their imagination to make the day so fun. Characters are diverse and the play is full of action and dramatic play. Colors are vivid and there is movement in the illustrations that enhances the short, rhyming text. Young readers will see themselves in the story. Or, at the very least, glean some awesome ideas for their own playtime! Recommended.
Mystery Club
This graphic novel has two stories set in London. Four kids (Tyler, Zoey, Kyle and Ashley) are part of the Mystery Club and are dedicated to solving mysteries involving monsters. In Wild Werewolves, the group solves the sudden appearance of numerous werewolves that roam the city. Mummy Mischief involves a lovelorn mummy roaming the subways. Both stories have an enemy named Harnak that is thwarted by the kids each time.
The stories are light and flow smoothly. The colors are bright and and the illustrations are not overdone. This is a fun, “safe” graphic novel for younger readers and won’t shock anyone. The reading level is set at a 2.8 and interest level at 3-6. But, younger students will certainly understand and enjoy it and your hi-lo readers will appreciate it.
Jasper John Dooley: Public Library Enemy #1
Mayhem ensues when Jasper gets his library book wet and dad decides that drying it in the oven would be a good idea.
Jasper is back for another fun beginning chapter book story. This is the sixth book in a series that follows Jasper on his comical adventures. With loving help from his parents he manages to navigate the bumps of early elementary and learn a few life lessons along the way.
A good transitional beginning chapter book that children will enjoy.
Lexile level 570 / guided reading level M grades 2/3
Should Charlotte Share?
Should Charlotte Share is a nice character development book. It helps children define what effect their choices may have on others and for themselves. Twenty-four pages in length, each “chapter” addresses a different decision and consequence. The first chapter explains that we make choices every day and that the choices we make have effects or consequences. The next four chapters target a specific behavior. Each behavior is given four pages; first is the scenario, the next two pages show the good and the bad outcome of the decision, the last page asks the reader “What would you do?” and delves deeper into the outcome of good and the bad consequence.
For example chapter two asks, “Should Henry help?” The first page sets the scenario: Henry’s sister’s shoe is untied. Page two shows that he could help, as we see him tying his sister’s shoe . The third page shows that he chose not to help her as they are getting ready to run a race with her shoe untied. The fourth page is the consequence and we see that when Henry chooses to help, he and his sister can play and have fun. But when he chooses not to help we see his sister has tripped on her shoelace and she can no longer join in the fun.
The chapters include: Should Charlotte share?, Should Henry help?, Should Wendy tease her teammate?, Should Theo tell the truth? The end pages include a picture glossary, index and notes for teaching. Full color photographs are used. Diversity is present; bi-racial, white, Latino, Indian, Asian and perhaps Native American; however, African-American does not seem to be represented.
This book could easily become a lesson in itself. Due to it’s small size (7″ x 8″) small group sharing would be ideal or the use of a projector would be needed for whole class instruction.
Fly Guy’s Amazing Tricks
Buzz has an unusual pet, a fly, whom he names “Fly Guy”. Fly Guy is a very intelligent fly and he has learned several new tricks. Buzz decides to set up a circus act to entertain his friends and to show off Fly Guy’s talent. Fly Guy swims the backstroke in the bird bath, he flies in circles around the head of a one of the kids in the audience, and then he hangs from Buzz’s nose upside down.
At dinner that night Buzz tells his parents that Fly Guy has learned some new tricks, at which point Fly Guy does a repeat performance of the day’s show. Unfortunately, Fly Guy makes a rather messy disaster of the dinner table. Buzz decides that Fly Guy should only perform his tricks when he hears the word “NOW.” Fly Guy’s performing on command helps Buzz get rid of a potential bully that very night.
In this amusing beginner reader, Buzz and Fly Guy once again prove that together they can overcome all kinds of obstacles. The story is divided into short chapters and it is illustrated with full color drawings.