The Family Under the Bridge
Posted on | November 2, 2008 | No Comments
by Natalie Savage Carlson
Illustrator, Garth Williams
AR Book Level: 4.7
Interest Level: Middle Grades
Summary: An old tramp, adopted by three fatherless children when their mother hides them under a bridge on the Seine, finds a home for mother and children and a job for himself.
Opening: “Once there was an old hobo named Armand who wouldn’t have lived anywhere but in Paris. So that is where he lived.—Everything that he owned could be pushed around in an old baby buggy without any hood, so he had no worries about rents or burglars. All the ragged clothing he owned was on his back, so he didn’t need to both with trunks or dry-cleaners.—It was easy for him to move from one hidey-hole to another so that is what he was doing one late morning in December. It was a cold day with the gray sky hanging on the very chimney pots of Paris. But Armand did not mind because he had a tickly feeling that something new and exciting was going to happen to him today.He hummed a gay tune to himself as he pushed his buggy through the flower market at the side of Notre Dame cathedral.”
Polaris’ Perspective: Winner of the Newbery Honor, The Family Under the Bridge offers the read an exceptional opportunity to consider how others should be treated despite their circumstances. Although shunned by society and gripping to his motivation to be independent, and free of responsibility, Armand’s life takes a new direction when he meets Paul, Evelyn and Suzy and their playful pup, Jojo. Little does Armand know, as he tries to avoid their kindness in inviting him into their little space under the bridge, he discovers his heart is not as hard as he had thought.
The children in this story teach the reader lessons about sharing, compassion and forgiveness. Even old crusty Armand discovers that he too has compassion in his heart, despite the paths he has traveled in life. Take the time to read this delightful story with your children and share a heartwarming discussion about respect and dignity for every human being. You will be amazed by the questions your children will pose to you.
Enjoy!
Tags: dignity > family > family under the bridge > middle school > respect > sharing
Dear Mrs. LaRue: Letter From Obedience School
Posted on | October 31, 2008 | No Comments
by Mark Teague
Illustrated by Mark Teague
AR Book Level: 3.6
Interest Level: Lower Grades
Summary: Gertrude LaRue receives funny typewritten and paw-written letters from her dog Ike entreating her to let him leave the Igor Brotweiler Canine Academy and come back home.
Opening: ‘Dear Mrs. LaRue, How could you do this to me? This is a PRISON, not a school! you should see the other dogs. They are BAD DOGS, Mrs. LaRue! I do not fit in. Even the journey here was a horror. I am very unhappy and may need something to chew on when I get home. Please come right away! Sincerely, Ike”
Polaris’ Perspective: Cleverly written and artistically illustrated, this delightful story by Mark Teague tells us about he escapades of Ike, a misunderstood terrier, whose owner has just had enough of his “mischief” and places him in obedience school for a little attitude adjustment. But Ike wants none of it. He’s miserable. From his perspective, he can’t understand why Mrs. LaRue would have reacted so severely to his behavior. Told from the dog’s perspective, this book is funny and entertaining from beginning to end. Read this one together…out loud. And you will soon see that there are two sides to every story. Enjoy!
Tags: dogs > obedience school > Third grade level
Stellaluna
Posted on | October 14, 2008 | No Comments
Stellaluna by Janell Cannon
AR Book Level: 3.5
Interest Level: Lower Grades
Summary: After she falls headfirst into a bird’s nest, a baby bat is raised like a bird until she is reunited with her mother.
Opening: “In a warm and sultry forest far, far away, there once lived a mother fruit bat and her new baby. Oh, how Mother Bat loved her soft tiny baby. “I’ll name you Stellaluna,” she crooned. Each night, Mother Bat would carry Stellaluna clutched to her breast as she flew out to search for food. One night, as Mother Bat followed the heavy scent of ripe fruit, an owl spied her. On silent wings the powerful bird swooped down upon the bats”
Polaris’ Perspective: This delightful story of mother and child is only surpassed by the luminous illustrations of Janell Cannon. Using acrylics and colored pencil on bristol board, her visional images draw you into the story and build upon the emotion of the little bat’s journey. I suggest this book for “Snuggle Time” with your child just before bedtime in sharing a moment together. It’s a great book in giving parents an opportunity to tell their children how much they love them. You will feel blessed to hear what they have to tell you in return.
Enjoy!
Tags: bats > First Grade > Kindergarten > Pre-K > Third Grade
Tessa’s Tip-Tapping Toes
Posted on | October 14, 2008 | No Comments
by Carolyn Crimi
Illustrated by Marsha Gray Carrington
AR Book Level: 2.9
Interest Level: Lower Grades
Summary: Inspired by the rhythm of the rain, a mouse that loves to dance and a cat with a penchant for singing find that they can no longer control their impulses.
Opening: “Tessa had swinging arms, skipping feet, and tip-tapping toes. She was built to dance. Most mice scurried along floorboards and ledges, trying note to be seen. Not Tessa. — She boogied, she bopped, she shimmied, she hopped, she flounced and shoe bounced, but she never scurried.”
Polaris’ Perspective: All young children at one time or another have had to try to grasp the concept of self control. Tessa is no different. Try as she might, Tessa has tip-tapping toes and they have to move. But when she meets Oscar, who has an equally difficult issue with self control, Tessa finds a friend who inspires her to embrace her talent. This book offers a silly humorous story that you will enjoy as much as your children.
Enjoy!
Chicka Chicka Boom Boom
Posted on | October 2, 2008 | No Comments
by Bill Martin, Jr, and John Archambault
Illustrated by Lois Ehlert
AR Book Level: Pre-K, Kindergarten
Interest Level: Lower Grades, suggested for ages 2 – 4.
Summary: A rhythm and rhyme book of ABC’s. Great fun for babies, preschool and kindergarteners.
Story Opening: “A told B, and B told C, I’ll meet you at the top of the coconut tree.”
Polaris’ Perspective: This book is a must read in sharing time as parent and child. Great fun and interaction. Jois Ehlert’s illustrations are colorful and simply eye catching for babies and little children. If you read it often, you will be amazed at how quickly your children will be willing to try and recite the poetry in the book….and their ABC’s. Enjoy!
Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs
Posted on | October 1, 2008 | No Comments
by Judi Barrett
Illustrated by Ron Barrett
AR Book Level: 4.3
Interest Level: Lower Grades
Summary: Life is delicious in the town of Chewandswallow, where it rains soup and juice, snows mashed potatoes, and blows storms of hamburgers–until the weather takes a turn for the worse.
Opening: ”We were all sitting around the big kitchen table. It was Saturday morning. Pancake morning. mom was squeezing oranges for juice. Henry and I were betting on how many pancakes we each could eat. And Grandpa was doing the flipping. Seconds later, something flew through the air headed toward the kitchen ceiling…..and landed right on Henry.”
Polaris’ Perspective: This book if just plain silly fun; a great choice for reading to your children. The illustrations give the readers a good opportunity to play “I Spy.” Don’t hesitate to laugh outloud when reading. Enjoy!
THE GOLDEN COMPASS
Posted on | September 4, 2008 | No Comments
The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman
AR Book Level: 7.1
Interest Level: Upper Grades (7-12)
Summary: Accompanied by her daemon, Lyra Belacqua sets out to prevent her best friend and other kidnapped children from becoming the subjects of gruesome experiments in the Far North. (His Dark Materials, Book #1)
Opening: “Lyra and her daemon moved through the darkening hall, taking car to keep to one side, out of sight of the kitchen. The three great tables that ran the length of the hall were laid already, the silver and the glass catching what little light there was, and the long benches were pulled out ready for the guests. Portraits of former Masters hung high up in the gloom along the walls. Lyra reached the dais and looked back at the open kitchen door, and seeing no one, stepped up beside the high table. The placed here were laid with gold, not silver, and the fourteen seats were not oak benches but mahogany chairs with velvet cushions.—–Lyra stopped beside the Master’s chair and flicked the biggest glass gently with a fingernail. The sound rang clearly through the hall.—–”You’re not taking this seriously,” whispered her daemon. “Behave yourself.”
Polaris’ Perspective: Hailed by some as “one of our most distinguished writers of children’s literature,” the majority of the public were unaware of Pullman’s trilogy until the movie, The Golden Compass, was released. Many Christian groups quickly found his work problematic since Pullman is a professed atheist.
The first in a triology entited, His Dark Materials, on the surface, The Golden Compass fuels the imagination of young and old alike with a yarn about good and evil. However, in this piece of “acclaimed literature” the evil is a blatant defamation of the Magisterium of the Catholic Church and Christianity as a whole. In fact, Pullman’s motivation to write his trilogy was based primary on his great distain for C. S. Lewis and his successful trilogy, The Chronicles of Narnia. Pullman has proudly professed that he actually wrote his work to “show the other side.”
But before you think that Pullman has just used his trilogy as an antithesis of Narnia just to sell books, think again. In his own words, Pullman has said, “I don’t profess any religion; I don’t think it’s possible that there is a God.” Critics of Pullman’s books such as conservative British columnist Peter Hitchens, have described Pullman as “The Most Dangerous Author.” Pullman’s books leave little doubt about his intent. He has said in interviews, “My books are about killing God.” In 2001, during an interview, Pullman again confirmed his intent by saying that he was “trying to undermine the basis of Christian belief.”
It is important to note that when the movie company produced The Golden Compass, it dumbed down many of the important elements to sell the movie to the public. As Bill Donohue, President of The Catholic League, pointed out, “the movie was the bait for the books.”
In fact, many young people and their parents wrote to me asking my opinion of the book, only after they had seen the movie and thus began reading the book. I will tell you what I told them. I do not advocate banning books or literature, regardless of the message whether it’s blatant or subliminal. However, I do advocate that parents read book reviews carefully BEFORE encouraging their children to read the book. And don’t rely on one review alone. Obtain several.
If you want your children to read a fantasy series of books with a strong Christian message, choose C.S. Lewis’ books. They offer the reader the ability to distinguish between good and evil with no hidden agenda. Likewise, The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings series by J.R.R. Tolkien, are much better options.
You can read any of the more respected critiques of Pullman’s work by visiting the links below.
The Most Dangerous Author in Britain by Peter Hitches
Philip Pullman and the Seduction of Children by Pete Vere
The Catholic League: The Golden Compass Agenda Unmasked
Reader Beware!
THE HUNDRED DRESSES
Posted on | September 2, 2008 | No Comments
The Hundred Dresses by Eleanor Estes
Illustrated by Louis Slobodkin
AR Book Level: 5.4
Interest Level: Middle Grades
Summary: In winning a medal she is no longer there to receive, a little Polish girl teaches her classmates a lesson.
Opening: “Today, Monday, Wanda Petronski was not in her seat. But nobody, not even Peggy and Madeline, the girls who started all the fun, noticed her absence.—Usually Wanda sat in the next to the last seat in the last row in Room 13. She sat in the corner of the room where the rough boys who did not make good marks on their report cards sat; the corner of the room where there was most scuffling of feet, most roars of laughter when anything funny was said, and most mud and dirt on the floor.—Wanda did not site there because she was rough and noisy. On the contrary she was very quiet and rarely said anything at all. And nobody had ever heard her laugh outloud. Sometimes she twisted her mouth into a crooked sort of smile, but that was all.”
Polaris’ Perspective: This heartfelt story won the Newbery Honor in 1945, and has been an endearing classic ever since. It is by far one of my favorites. Its timeless message of compassion and understanding motivates young girls to refrain from judging someone based upon their outward appearance. It clearly shows them how taunting and teasing someone has clear ramifications. When we choose to judge someone without ever bothering to get to know them, we often miss out on appreciating the uniqueness of that person.
When her classmates notice that she wears the same tattered blue dress to school everyday, Wanda Petronski tells everyone that she had one hundred dresses at home. But the girls in her class find her claim outrageous, and begin teasing poor Wanda. All the girls participate in the taunting, until one day one of the girls in the group, Maddie, wrestles with her conscious to find the courage to speak up in Wanda’s defense. But when Wanda doesn’t show up for school one day, the girls quickly learn an invaluable lesson.
Enjoy!
Dick for President
Posted on | August 2, 2008 | No Comments
Duck for President by Doreen Cronin
Illustrated by Betsy Lewin
AR Book Level: 3.9
Interest Level: Lower Grades (K -3)
Summary: When Duck gets tired of working for Farmer Brown, his ambition to be in charge eventually leads to his being elected President.
Opening: “Running a farm is very hard work. At the end of each day, Farmer Brown is covered from hear to toe in hay, horsehair, seeds, sprouts, feathers, filth, mud, muck, and coffee stains. He doesn’t smell very good, either.”
Polaris’ Perspective: Published in 2004 by Simon & Schuster, this book is one of several books by Doreen Cronin about the shenanigans of the character simply called, Duck. Like all Cronin’s books, this is an adorable “read aloud” book. It sends the message that life is meant to be an adventure. And for Duck, the adventure begins when he realizes that there must be more to life that just waddling around on a farm. But when he begins to run for President, he quickly learns that with the office comes responsibility. Ah, life was easier down on the farm.
It is worth noting that the illustrations by Betsy Lewin only make the story more enjoyable. Ms. Lewin has a clever eye for capturing the hilarity of the moment.
Enjoy!