Reading Abounds

 Title:  The Girl and The Bicycle  Author/Illustrator:  Mark Pett   Perma-Bound Catalogue #: 80407  Description:  A wordless picture book in which a  girl sees a bicycle she wants to buy, works hard  for a kindly neighbour to earn the money for it,  then gets a pleasant surprise. Curriculum Links:  Art: Pencil Illustrations, Lines Character Education: Kindness, Perseverance, Responsibility Math: Financial Literacy Reading: Inferring Science: Daily and Seasonal Changes Social Studies: Our Changing Roles and Responsibilities Notes: Design:  This book is slightly wider and shorter than an average picture book.  The cover and title alone made me want to pick up this book.  A little girl and her younger brother are on the cover with the girl looking at a green bicycle in a toy store window.  The pages in the book are done in taupes and greys so the pages seem soft and aged (rather than ...

Title:  365 Days of Wonder {Mr. Browne's Precepts} Series: Wonder Author:  R. J. Palacio Perma-Bound Catalogue #: 127343 Description:    A book of precepts, with one saying for each day, from Auggie's teacher Mr. Browne. Rubric Rating:  Level 4 - Love It  Why I Read It:   I’m a bit of a fan of precepts and it looked like a very quick read. Notes:   I really enjoyed reading this book.  Interestingly, I had this book and Wonder delivered at the same time.  Usually I would have read wonder first but I ended up sticking my nose in this one instead and couldn’t put it down.  While it did give away some of the plot points of Wonder I find I’m more interested in reading the book now than I had originally planned.  If the book is written with the same tone and care as this book I think I will find it delightful. While I had heard/seen/read many of the precepts before I did find ones that were new to me....

Title:  After Eli Author:  Rebecca Rupp Perma-Bound Catalogue #: 5668967 Description:    After the death of his older brother, Daniel Anderson became engrossed in recording details about dead people, how they died, and whether their deaths mattered but he is eventually drawn back into interaction with the living. Rubric Rating:   Level 4 - Love It Why I Read It:   Read as an ebook on my Perma-Bound eHub account. Notes:   Daniel loves his older brother Eli, he looks up to him, admires him, goes to him for advice.  So when Eli is killed during a military mission, Dan is heartbroken and a little lost. His mother retreats into herself, and his father can’t help but criticize his academic and decisions.  Rather than go to summer school Dan gets a job on a farm and finds he likes it. He also takes a look at his life, his family and his friends. When he runs into Walter, the school geek, in the cemetery and begins to u...

Title:  The Invisible Boy Author:  Trudy Ludwig Illustrator:  Patrice Barton Perma-Bound Catalogue #: 71464 Description:  Brian has always felt invisible at school, but when a new student arrives, everything changes. Curriculum Links:  Anti-Bully Art: Drawing Character Education - Empathy, Kindness Friendship Social Studies: Developing a Sense of Self and Others Reading: Transforming Lori's Notes:  I think this is a beautiful picture book and story.  Brian is an invisible boy, he doesn't take up much room, doesn't make a fuss, he's barely noticed by the teacher and ignored by the kids in his class. He isn't picked for the kickball team, isn't invited to birthday parties, and eats his lunch alone.  But when Justin begins school and is teased, Brian wonders whether it is better to be laughed at or ignored. Brian draws Justin a picture and just like that a friendship is born.  Justin can see Brian's talent in his ...