Hank Goes Honk (Maddie Powell-Tuck)

 

We had a lesson today on taking risks and being okay with making mistakes. Our YDC taught the lesson and at the end of the lesson she has brought in two (boiled) eggs...although she didn't tell them they were boiled. She called out a name and tossed it to some kids. The first two caught them (and let out a BIG sigh of relief because they didn't know they were boiled). The last one dropped the egg and was embarrassed and we talked about how it was okay. It was a boiled egg and no harm done. Her relief was huge. We then talked about the things she could say to herself when she makes mistakes. It all seemed very real after feeling a little embarrassed and worried about the interaction.


Goodreads says:

This humorous picture book for children ages 3-7 explores the themes of friendship and being considerate of others.Hank is a very loud, very rude goose, and his friends don't like it one bit. Will he ever find a way to be more considerate of others?Start of a character launch, pub seasons on BR and HC!Hank is one rude goose. He doesn't see anything wrong with interrupting others when they're speaking. He helps himself to the cherries on the top of other people's cupcakes. He makes loud noises in the library and movie theater...and he's upsetting everyone!But being rude, loud, and obnoxious can't always be fun--in fact, it can be downright lonely. Will Hank find a way to be more considerate of his friends? This humorous story presents the themes of friendship, recognizing others' feelings, and being considerate of those around us. Start of a character launch, pub seasons on BR and HC!

Island of the Blue Dolphins (Scott O'Dell)

 

I thought my grade three book club was going to pick this as our book for the month so I bought it. They ended up picking another book but then I read Alone and it referred to this book so I decided it was destiny and that I should read it. 

This is one of those classics that I think I probably should have read already, but hadn't. I found it slow and difficult at first, but after a while I felt like I was feeling the vibe. It is one of those books I  almost abandoned but I'm so glad I didn't. In the end, I loved the story and found it quite similar to Alone. For example, there are times hunters come to the island, but she hides from them - just like the character in Alone does when she sees looters on the streets. As a matter of fact, in Alone, Maddie's younger brother has to do a book report on this exact book, which I thought was a strange meeting of the books. That often happens to me! I end up reading a number of books in a row that follow a theme and I have to ask myself, what is the universe trying to tell me??

There were some parts that really touched me:

- Chapter 21 when she meets a girl who has come to the island with some hunters. They smile, teach each other words, exchange gifts and make a friendship. However, soon she is gone when the hunters and their ship leaves. Their interactions were really lovely though. 

- I thought it was interesting that she had a name and a secret name (like the temple?). She actually does share her secret name with this girl - which shows how much it meant to her to make a friend.

 - Chapter 24 has all sorts of stories about her relationship with animals on the island. I thought those were beautiful as well. She has relationships with animals all through the book, but I especially noticed it in this chapter.

- Chapter 25 - She becomes friends with a dog when names Rontu. In chapter 25 Rontu dies and I felt my heart break with hers. Later, she snares some wild dogs and causes a deep sleep to come upon them with a plant that causes sleepiness. She befriends a dog she thinks is Rontu's offspring. I was so happy to her!

In the end, she approaches hunters who come to the island and they take her home. Apparently, her beautiful skirt made with green feathers was sent to Rome but has gone missing. Wikipedia has some great info on the real Lost Woman of St. Nicholas.

 

Goodreads says:

Scott O'Dell's Newbery Medal-winning classic is a gripping tale of survival, strength, and courage. Based on the true story of a Nicole�o Indian girl living alone on an island off the coast of California, Island of the Blue Dolphins has captivated readers for generations.

On San Nicolas Island, dolphins flash in the surrounding blue waters, sea otter play in the vast kelp beds, and sea elephants loll on the stony beaches. Here, in the early 1800s, a girl named Karana spent eighteen years alone.

Karana had to contend with the ferocious pack of wild dogs that killed her younger brother, constantly guard against Aleutian sea otter hunters, and maintain a precarious food supply. Her courage, self-reliance, and grit has inspired millions of readers in this breathtaking adventure.

As Smithsonian magazine put "For kids all over the country, reading the book in language arts classes, Karana is a powerful symbol of their growing independence. Through her, they can imagine themselves making their way in the world alone--and thriving."

Alone (Megan E Freeman)

 

Updated Hatchet! 

I got up early on a Saturday and read this while everyone was asleep....seemed like just the right setting. It added to the creepiness! I wish I knew what happened to all the people to disappear so suddenly and leave their cell phones behind. Creepy!

I wondered why she wrote it in verse and she answers that in the pages after the book. Well explained and I'm on-side with her decision. Because it's written in verse, it's a really quick read.

Coincidently, I happen to have just bought a copy of Island of the Blue Dolphins, which is mentioned in the beginning of this book. Funny how books come in themes in my life. I think I'll read that next.

Goodreads says:
When twelve-year-old Maddie hatches a scheme for a secret sleepover with her two best friends, she ends up waking up to a nightmare. She’s alone—left behind in a town that has been mysteriously evacuated and abandoned.

With no one to rely on, no power, and no working phone lines or internet access, Maddie slowly learns to survive on her own. Her only companions are a Rottweiler named George and all the books she can read. After a rough start, Maddie learns to trust her own ingenuity and invents clever ways to survive in a place that has been deserted and forgotten.

As months pass, she escapes natural disasters, looters, and wild animals. But Maddie’s most formidable enemy is the crushing loneliness she faces every day. Can Maddie’s stubborn will to survive carry her through the most frightening experience of her life?

Billy and the Giant Adventure (Jamie Oliver)

 

I might be the only person on the planet who didn't know who Jamie Oliver was before I read this book. He's a chef. He has trouble with words and is apparently dyslexic. He wrote a book. 

I read lots of raving reviews about it....but I'm not on board. I didn't think it was really well written. I also thought it was way to long for J fiction. He could have made each adventure one book if he really wants kids to read it. Close to 400 pages is too much. Although, the pictures were great. They were big and interesting and really well done. 

I always tell my students, when we are learning narrative writing, that they can't a story with "I got up and had breakfast" and they can't end it with "I went home, had dinner and went to bed". Jamie Oliver does that with EVERY single chapter. I know he's a food guy....but it was too much. 

The recipes were interesting. Not sure why he also added his favorite movies from the 80s. Maybe they inspired his story? I don't know. 

It's part Narnia (they escape into a magical forest....David Robertson did a Narnia remake way better in The Barren Grounds), part environmental education (something is wrong with the "Rhythm"....which is always capitalized in the book....I'd encourage kids to read Willowdeen instead of they want that topic) and part adventure (Magic Tree House anyone?).

Oh. And it's called the GIANT adventure because there's a giant....but you don't find that out until the last few chapters. Weird.

There's controversy with book 2. He has been criticized for stereotyping First Nations people in Australia. I blame that one on the editors. Seriously? No one clued in?? I think they just ran with something they thought could really sell because he's already famous. 

Because we picked this for our Grade 3 book club book, I did finish it. I wouldn't have otherwise.

I don't usually have this much to say about books I don't like.

Update: My students LOVED this book. Maybe I should stop being such a grumpy old teacher. LOL We sat in a circle and talked about our favorite parts. Ten students had read it and their responses were so delightful. We had lots of laughs remembering the funny parts of the book.

Goodreads says:

One pinch of adventure, a dash of friendship, a sprinkle of mystery and a HUGE spoonful of magic . . . Jamie Oliver, bestselling author and internationally renowned chef, delivers the perfect recipe for a page-turning children's fiction debut!

Billy and his friends know that Waterfall Woods is out of bounds; strange things are rumoured to have happened there and no one in their village has ventured past its walls for decades...But when they discover a secret way in, Billy and his best friends, Anna, Jimmy and Andy, can't resist the temptation to explore! Only to quickly discover that the woods are brimming with magic and inhabited by all sorts of unusual creatures, including a whole community of sprites who need the children's help!

With magical battles, a long-lost mythical city, fantastical flying machines, epic feasts and one GIANT rescue, get ready for an adventure you'll never forget!