MM-mm, Candy!

     When I think of the different subjects that you can find a book for I think of social studies. I don't believe that I have ever said to myself "let me go find a math book to read'. Well the book that I found for math I feel would be a great book for me to use with math. 

     The book that I found is 'The M&M's Counting Book' by Barbara McGrath. The person reading the book starts off by pour out a bag of chocolate M&M's. It then goes through the colors that are found in the bag of chocolates. As you go through the book it wants the reader to count along with the book using the M&M's. It tells you when to add in M&M's, as well as what color it should be. Then it goes into sets of M&M's, and then it goes into making shapes with the candies. Finally, the books gets tot he best part, it goes through subtraction! As the reader is subtracting they get to eat the M&M.  At the end of the book there is a short review over what was in the book.

     This book would be a good book to use as review at the end of the year or at the beginning of the year depending on what grade you have. I know that every student would enjoy the M&M's, and they learn something along with it. This would be a fun book to use with students!

                                          

Where did you come from?

     Almost everyone in the United States emigrated from somewhere.  The book that I chose for this blog post tells about one little boy's journey of coming to the United States, and his life settled here. The book is titled 'How I Became an American' by Karin Gundisch. It begins with Johann Bonfert giving us his background story. He tells about his family and of Romania,the place they live. He also tells of a man that passes through the village telling everyone of some place in America called Youngstown. The man stirs people up by telling them that in America there are many jobs and a better future to work towards. Soon Johann begins to notice that there are lots of men going to America to find jobs, and they often leave their families behind. Many of them promise to send money back for their families to join them in America, but not very many of them do. One day Johann comes home to find Tata, his father, gone as well. He runs to his mother and asks where his father is, and she tells him that he has gone off to America. She tells him that Tata will send money for them to join him in America when he is able.
     After a long wait Tata finally sends money for the rest of the family to join him in America. It is a long journey for Johann and his family, with lots of hardships along the way, but they finally arrive in Youngstown, Ohio. It is hard for Johann and his family to adjust to the new country but they help each other through it, and eventually feel like they are becoming real Americans.  
     Emigration is something that is taught in depth in the fifth grade. There is even a Georgia Standard to go with it, which is SS5H3d. describe the reasons people emigrated to the United States, where they emigrated, and where they settled. The book that I chose for this blog would be great to read as a class, and then discuss the reasons behind the family emigrating, where they emigrated to, and where they settled. This book is on the fifth grade level so it would be perfect to read with fifth graders over emigration. It is a historical fiction book that is very interesting, and I'm sure the students would love because it is told by a boy that is close to there age group. I hope that if you get a chance you would read this book and enjoy it just as much as I did!
                                                 

Fascinating Lands

I have always enjoyed reading about far away places. I have read so many books on different animals and where they live and even the habitats in which they live in. I never really thought that I was learning science every time I read one of these books, because I was reading them for enjoyment. I think that it's great when you learn about something as you read.
The book that I chose to read this time was the Polar Lands by Margaret Hynes. It is a nonfiction book that takes you to the North and South Poles. It describes the landscape and some of the features of each. It also describes some of the animals that live at each pole, such as oxen, beluga whales, and walruses. The pictures in the book are also very pretty and detailed.
I would use this book in my science lesson for habitats. It goes into great detail about the differences between habitats. It also gives examples of what you would find in each habitat. This book is very informative and keeps you interested with wonderful pictures. Hope you get a chance to pick this book up and get excited about learning something new!

What's a mummy?

     Mummies are such an interesting topic. My younger brother used to ask me various questions over mummies. He was so interested in what they were and how they came to be that I went out to the local library and found a book to answer his questions. When he was finished reading the book he was so happy with what he learned that he talked about it for about a week straight! Now I'm not sure that you are as interested in mummies, but after reading this book you will definitely find them very fascinating.
     The book that I am referring to is Mummies by Joyce Milton. This nonfiction book takes you step by step as King Khufu gets mummified. It also explains why the ancient Egyptians believed that they should mummify their king. It explains the Egyptian's beliefs about life after death. After explaining what happens during the mummification process the book goes on to describe how the king is put in his tomb, as well as how it is sealed so that the king will be protected.
      The information that was written in the book was factual and authentic. The reason that I can say this is because the author had help in writing the book. The person that helped her was James F. Romano, Ph.D., Curator, for the Department of Egyptian, Classical, and Ancient Middle Eastern Art at the Brooklyn Museum.
     This book is simple to understand and full of interesting information. If you're looking for a book with lots of information on mummies, then this is the book for you! Hope you enjoy it!

The Insightful Story of Swan Lake by Mark Helprin

     I have always enjoyed reading a good story, especially if there was a princess or prince in it. There are very few stories that I have not read some version of, so when I went to my local library I decided to look for a story that I didn't know much about. As I was looking through all the wonderful books I happened across one that I knew very little about, Swan Lake. As I flipped through the pages the illustrations caught my eye. The pictures were so beautiful that I just had to take this book home with me. So I checked it out and started reading it as soon as I got home, and boy was I in for a treat!  

     The book that I picked out was Swan Lake by Mark Heprin, with illustrations by Chris Van Allsburg. The story is told from an outside perspective, an old man. The old man is talking to a young girl and telling her about his past, something that he rarely talks to anyone about.  

The old man focuses his story in part on the Prince and Princess Odette. The Prince must choose whether he wants to be apart of the wold of beauty and nature with Princess Odette, or apart of glamour and riches of being with Odile in the palace. In the end the Prince makes his decision and must pay deary for his choice. There is also an unexpected twist to the end of the story that had me gasping as I read it!

     I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and will more that likely read it again just for the mere pleasure of it! Mark Helprin's version of Swan Lake is different and gives deeper meaning to the story. I would recommend this book to higher elementary readers because there is some difficult vocabulary. Those students that are able and willing to read the story will get a wonderful treat with reading the story and getting to look at the beautiful illustrations. Next  time your at the local library I hope you get the chance to pick up this marvelous and most enjoyable book!

Judy Scruppernong by Brenda Seabrooke

     Growing up I never really liked reading poetry. I liked simple straight-forward reading and with poetry I always thought that it was complicated to figure out all of the meanings. Well now that I am older I still kinda feel the same way, so in order to change my way of thinking I thought I would look for a different type of poetry book. What I found was very unexpected! I found a book that I just couldn't put down! This book is made up of poems that tell a story, and an interesting one at that!
      In the series of poems we catch a glimpse of how life was in the 1950's back when it was a world of powdered mitts,nickel cokes and candy bars, and fourteen-cent movies.The book Judy Scruppernong is set in the summer of the early 1950's in Fitzgerald, Georgia.  A new girl named Judy has come to town and become friends with 3 girls. The book is a set of poems that are from Deanna's, one of the friends, perspective. She goes through how the four girls play together and become close friends. She also talks about the differences between how the local girls are treated in comparison to the new girl, Judy. At the end of the book we see exactly why Judy is treated so differently and if Deanna tells the rest of her friends the truth..
     I enjoyed reading this series of poems because it feels like I'm actually reading a book. The freestyle writing made it easy to read and even enjoyable. For example, one poem titled Lunch is exactly what it says, it's about the three friends wanting to go to lunch with Judy but being told they couldn't and feeling disappointed.  Although it was set in the 1950's, I feel that the story being told is still relate-able today.

     In conclusion, the book Judy Scuppernong is a highly enjoyable series of poems. The story of Judy and what happens to her is very interesting and I couldn't put the book down! The ease in which you can understand the poems makes this book a great read!