Amber Brown is Not a Crayon

by Paula Danziger

Amber Brown, 3rd grade, has a problem.  Her best friend since pre-school, Justin, is moving away.  What will she do now?  To make it worse, Justin is really excited.  It doesn't even sound like he is going to miss her!  8 year old Amber learns about heartache, communication, and change as she adjusts to the idea of Justin leaving.

Audience

This is written for late 2nd grade.  I think kids from 1st grade to about 6th could relate to the emotions, though it's definitely geared to the 2-4 grade range

What I Love About This Book

1) Amber Brown's voice sounds like an authentic 3rd grader to me, and I'm teaching 3rd grade right now.

2) The idea of friends moving and parents divorcing is something children deal with every day.  I'm glad to see literature in the lower grades dealing with real issues in an age-appropriate way.

3) I love when teachers are portrayed as wise and loving.  The teacher was a minor character, but I liked him.

Cautions
Amber's parents are divorced, and while the book doesn't deal with that extensively, she will mention what has changed since the divorce.

Series

Amber Brown Is Not a Crayon
You Can't Eat Your Chicken Pox, Amber Brown
Amber Brown Goes Fourth
Amber Brown Wants Extra Credit
Forever Amber Brown
Amber Brown Sees Red
Amber Brown Is Feeling Blue
I, Amber Brown
Amber Brown Is Green With Envy

Group Reading

When we picture reading we picture someone alone with a book, probably in a silent room.  My experience has been that this is rarely the case.  Reading is meant to be shared.  When groups of kids are huddled over the same picture book ooohing and ahhhing over the same pictures and bringing observations and insight to each page, I see true reading.  This is not solitary and it is not quiet, but it is quality time with the literature.  When they progress to chapter books, I see them constantly get the same book as their friends, just to read it together.  I say more power to them.  When I read a good book, the first thing I want to do is share it with someone, so we can discuss it.  When I fall for each new character I want someone to feel that with me.  When my characters don't do so well, I want someone to share my grief.  If we want lifelong, passionate readers, we need to get rid of this idea that reading MUST be silent and solitary.  Don't get me wrong, there is a time and place for that kind of reading, but we need to see the place of the other, too.

The Tale of the Three Trees: A Traditional Folktale

by Angela Elwell Hunt

Three trees grow side by side, each with different dreams what they want to be when  they grow up.  The first wants to be a treasure chest and hold the riches of men.  The second wants to be a mighty sailing ship to carry mighty kings to far away places.  The final tree wants to stand ant point people heavenward all his life.

The first is cut down and made into a simple manger.  The second crafted into a meagre fishing boat.  The third tree is made into lumbar.  The years pass, until the night the manger has the privilege of holding, if not the riches of the earth, the Treasure of Heaven.  One stormy night on the Sea of Galilee our second tree witnesses the calming of a storm and understands he is bearing the King of Heaven.   The third tree has lived a miserable existence until now as a cross.  The day the Son of God is nailed into him may be the most difficult of his life, but this tree always invokes God to those who see him.

What I Love About This Book

I love the calm assurance that the desires of our hearts are answered in ways we never dreamed possible.  I love how everything points to Christ, and how He is the center of everything that happens, just as I feel He is for us in our lives.

Cautions

1) This book is very religious

2) The cross as defined as being the symbol of Christianity

Christmas Trolls

by Jan Brett

Christmas Trolls is about a Christmas when everything goes missing.  A little girl goes to investigate and finds something she didn't expect.

Audience
This is designed for someone to read to children, not for children to read.  My first grade teacher read it to me and we all loved it.

Why I Love This Book
1) Jan Brett is famous for her amazing illustrations, and this story is no different.  The incredible pictures and borders were breathtaking to me as a child and I think I love them even more as an adult.
2) It has a very nice message about getting along and the spirit of the season

Cautions
Again, children may need the help of an older reader on this one

The Best Christmas Pagent Ever

by Barbara Robinson

"The Herdmans were the worst kids in the history of the world.  They lied and stole things and burned down farmer John's shed."  And one day these children, who do everything wrong, end up at church.  Having nothing better to do they sign up for the main roles in the Christmas Pageant.  The biggest problem with that is they have never heard the story before.  When they are told the Herdmans are outraged that anyone would have to have a baby in a barn.  Also, why didn't anyone get back at Herod?  As they go through the story Mary, Joseph, the Wise Men, and the Angel suddenly become more human.  Many are horrified by the simple human touches the Herdmans give, but the narrator of the story sees Mary and Joseph as real people for the first time.  Christmas happened, people saw it, and this year the Herdmans are telling their story.

Audience

Upper elementary and middle school.  It is not geared toward adults or young adults, but I find it delightful.

What I Love About This Book

This book is hilarious!  I laughed all the way through, except the touching parts.  I love the way the book shows small towns and the way they are interconnected.  I love seeing the Christmas story through innocent eyes again.

Cautions

The Herdman's antics are winked at, rather than chastised, in the tone of the book.

The Legend of the Poinsetia

by Tommy DePaola

Tommy DePaola is one of my favorite authors, and this is no exception.  It's a heartwarming tale about a girl who needs a gift for the Christ child, and finds a flower on the side of the road.  Living in the Sonoran Desert as I do, this Mexican folktale is near and dear to my heart

Audience
I think anyone from third grade up.  In Phoenix it was a tradition to read it with the kids every year.

What I Love:
The illustrations are very Mexican, and the story is beautiful

Cautions:
It is culture specific and religious.

What Child is This?

Caroline B. Cooney

I reread this every single Christmas.  It shares what Christmas is like from some different perspectives-Liz, who is rich with an indifferent family, Tack from a middle class loving family, and Matt and Katie, living in a foster home together. Liz is yearning for something or someone to care about.  The cool indifference and irreverence of her parents horrifies her, but she doesn't know where to start.  Matt has learned not to care.  After being thrown out of homes so many times, he has learned to just shut himself off.  Tack is trying to be nice to Matt but feels that it is worthless as Matt doesn't care about anyone or anything.  That is, until Katie is sent to live with him.  All the sudden he has a little girl in his life that needs him.  As he opens his heart to her, he begins to need Liz and Tack.  They see the true meaning of Christmas as they all bond over this one child.

Audience

I would not go below 6th grade on this one.  There are 2 or 3 swear words and mentions of drugs, but nothing graphic.  This was assigned reading when I was in 8th grade, so the middle school reading level is spot on.

What I Love About This Book

There's a quote in here that says "He said he didn't want to give her false hope, but hope couldn't be false.  It wasn't false and it wasn't true.  It didn't promise anything, it just was."  I've thought long and hard on that and I'm still not sure I understand it.  This book makes me want to be better, to give more.  It makes me need to hug my family extra tight and give thanks for what I have.

Cautions
This is a young adult book about homes without love.  I would not want to see any of my 3rd graders reading it.  This is the only Caroline B. Cooney book I have ever  liked.