I would recommend Mitali Perkins' Rickshaw Girl to students in 4th - 6th grade (contemporary realistic fiction). Rickshaw Girl portrays a story that takes place far away from Massachusetts, but the reader is drawn into the book and into life in this far away country through the relatable personality and struggles of its main character, 10-year-old Naima.
Naima lives in a village in Bangladesh (a country bordering India) with her sister and parents. Naima is talented painter of traditional alpana designs, which she likes to paint whenever and wherever she can. Her parents can no longer afford to send Naima to school, and women and girls do not typically work to earn money, so Naima tries to find a way to keep busy and also help her father's struggling rickshaw business (a rickshaw is like a bicycle taxi). Naima first tries to help her tired father by driving his rickshaw while he rests, but she quickly finds out that this causes more trouble than good. Naima tries to fix things by using her talent at painting alpana designs, which leads her to unexpected success...but will her family allow her to break the traditions of her culture, in which women rarely work outside of the home?
I learned a lot about what life and culture are like in Naima's Bangladesh village, which is very different from the way many people live in the United States. However, I also learned that, in some ways, Naima is not so different from students here. She loves her family but is struggling to prove to them that she is growing up. Naima also has friendships that grow and change as she gets older, like her relationship with her friend Saleem. Naima faces some different challenges in her village, including the lack of access to education as well as different views about girls' and women's roles in her community, but she overcomes these challenges with creativity and strength that I also see in students in my school community.
This short chapter book is told from the perspective of a child (Naima) and contains illustrations and brief chapters that make the book a manageable and enjoyable read for children. At the same time, the book approaches difficult and complex issues such as the culture, tradition, and changing role of women in Bangladesh. The author's note offers some additional, helpful background about these themes. The book provides rich learning opportunities about culture in Bangladesh- this book could provide a connection to social studies lessons about lifestyles, education, and jobs in other parts of the world. I would recommend this as an independent read for students in 4th - 6th grade or for a small reading group in a classroom, with guided discussions about Naima's community, lifestyle, and the challenges she overcomes.
You can learn more about author Mitali Perkins and her book Rickshaw Girl at Perkins' colorful and easy-to-browse website (http://www.mitaliperkins.com/rickshaw_girl.html). The website even includes a "Contests" feature, where students can submit their own poetry or prose about the joys and challenges of growing up in a multicultural family or community. You can borrow Rickshaw Girl through the Minuteman Library Network (search for Rickshaw Girl, http://library.minlib.net/search/). You can also purchase Rickshaw Girl through Amazon.com (http://www.amazon.com/Rickshaw-Girl-Mitali-Perkins/dp/1580893082).
Thanks for reading; enjoy!
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Monday, March 28, 2011
Review: When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead, 2009
This fantastic book, When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead, is the winner of the 2010 Newbury Honor Award. I would recommend this fantasy / science fiction novel as an independent or class read aloud for students in 4th - 6th grade.
The book draws the reader in quickly, by providing just enough information to get the reader interested but not enough to reveal how the story is going to play out! The book's narrator, Miranda, is a sixth grade student in New York City who is struggling to understand why her friendship with her childhood friend Sal is falling apart. To make things more difficult, she has begun to receive strange notes that predict the future, and she cannot figure out who is sending them or why- but she is sure that they have something to do with her issues with Sal.
The book's plot becomes more complicated and exciting as Miranda learns more about the notes and about her classmates at her middle school. Very strange things continue to happen around Miranda, but they relate and make sense in a way that helps Miranda and the reader believe that what is happening in the story is real. At the end of the book, all mysteries are revealed- and you will never believe how everything in the book takes on a shocking new meaning! The reader learns and grows with Miranda as she understands the importance of the strange notes, events, and friendships she experiences throughout her 6th grade school year.
I loved this book- I could not put it down! I was completely drawn in to Miranda's New York City world and felt like I knew and understood the characters. I also loved how the book came together at the end. Despite the complexity of the book's plot, the author did not leave any loose ends. Stead incorporates the fantastical, futuristic concept of time travel into the book's plot, and gives clues to the reader about this through frequent references to Madeleine L'Engle's book A Wrinkle in Time, which also explores the concept of time travel. While the reader must stretch her/his imagination to consider the possible reality of time travel, Stead builds the concept so thoroughly into the entire plot that it is hard not believe in its logical role as an explanation of events in the book.
I felt that this book approached a level of plot complexity that I have not seen in many other children's books. However, it was still a very fast-paced, engaging read and contained characters that 4th - 6th graders could relate to, regardless of the reader's connection to the setting and science fiction elements of the book.
This book would be especially fun as a 4th - 6th grade class read aloud or reading group selection, as there are so many interesting twists and turns to discuss and pick apart with a group. If you choose to read this book independently, ask a friend or family member (adults will love it too) to read it along with you so you can discuss it- this will help clear up any confusing points and also provide a chance to share thoughts about what surprised you and what you liked. I found that I was able to clarify a lot of points and take more meaning from the book by discussing it after I finished reading it.
You can learn more about author Rebecca Stead and her book When You Reach Me at her website (http://www.rebeccasteadbooks.com), which is set up to be easy and fun for students to navigate. You can purchase Stead's books through the Independent Online Book Sellers Association (http://www.iobabooks.com/books/294373321.html) or through Amazon.com (http://www.amazon.com/When-You-Reach-Rebecca-Stead/dp/0385737424). The book is also available through the Minuteman Library Network (search When You Reach Me, http://library.minlib.net/search/).
Thanks for reading; enjoy!
The book draws the reader in quickly, by providing just enough information to get the reader interested but not enough to reveal how the story is going to play out! The book's narrator, Miranda, is a sixth grade student in New York City who is struggling to understand why her friendship with her childhood friend Sal is falling apart. To make things more difficult, she has begun to receive strange notes that predict the future, and she cannot figure out who is sending them or why- but she is sure that they have something to do with her issues with Sal.
The book's plot becomes more complicated and exciting as Miranda learns more about the notes and about her classmates at her middle school. Very strange things continue to happen around Miranda, but they relate and make sense in a way that helps Miranda and the reader believe that what is happening in the story is real. At the end of the book, all mysteries are revealed- and you will never believe how everything in the book takes on a shocking new meaning! The reader learns and grows with Miranda as she understands the importance of the strange notes, events, and friendships she experiences throughout her 6th grade school year.
I loved this book- I could not put it down! I was completely drawn in to Miranda's New York City world and felt like I knew and understood the characters. I also loved how the book came together at the end. Despite the complexity of the book's plot, the author did not leave any loose ends. Stead incorporates the fantastical, futuristic concept of time travel into the book's plot, and gives clues to the reader about this through frequent references to Madeleine L'Engle's book A Wrinkle in Time, which also explores the concept of time travel. While the reader must stretch her/his imagination to consider the possible reality of time travel, Stead builds the concept so thoroughly into the entire plot that it is hard not believe in its logical role as an explanation of events in the book.
I felt that this book approached a level of plot complexity that I have not seen in many other children's books. However, it was still a very fast-paced, engaging read and contained characters that 4th - 6th graders could relate to, regardless of the reader's connection to the setting and science fiction elements of the book.
This book would be especially fun as a 4th - 6th grade class read aloud or reading group selection, as there are so many interesting twists and turns to discuss and pick apart with a group. If you choose to read this book independently, ask a friend or family member (adults will love it too) to read it along with you so you can discuss it- this will help clear up any confusing points and also provide a chance to share thoughts about what surprised you and what you liked. I found that I was able to clarify a lot of points and take more meaning from the book by discussing it after I finished reading it.
You can learn more about author Rebecca Stead and her book When You Reach Me at her website (http://www.rebeccasteadbooks.com), which is set up to be easy and fun for students to navigate. You can purchase Stead's books through the Independent Online Book Sellers Association (http://www.iobabooks.com/books/294373321.html) or through Amazon.com (http://www.amazon.com/When-You-Reach-Rebecca-Stead/dp/0385737424). The book is also available through the Minuteman Library Network (search When You Reach Me, http://library.minlib.net/search/).
Thanks for reading; enjoy!
Welcome to my book review blog!
Hello and welcome to my blog about children's literature!
Here is a little background about my reading history and my current interest in children's literature: I was busy reader in elementary school, spending many an afternoon or weekend morning with my face in a book in my quiet, rural hometown in N.H. Books were a favorite pastime and a chance to imagine and learn about worlds outside of my own. I recently began my career as an elementary school educator and I am beginning to build a classroom library, so I am excited to not only revisit some of the books I enjoyed reading as a child, but also explore the vast selection of new books for children and young adults through this blog. I also look forward to including student contributions on this page, as I could never hope to be an expert on all of the books that students are reading and enjoying- I hope to learn from student reviews as well as share some of my own ideas about good reads, old and new!
Thanks for reading!
Here is a little background about my reading history and my current interest in children's literature: I was busy reader in elementary school, spending many an afternoon or weekend morning with my face in a book in my quiet, rural hometown in N.H. Books were a favorite pastime and a chance to imagine and learn about worlds outside of my own. I recently began my career as an elementary school educator and I am beginning to build a classroom library, so I am excited to not only revisit some of the books I enjoyed reading as a child, but also explore the vast selection of new books for children and young adults through this blog. I also look forward to including student contributions on this page, as I could never hope to be an expert on all of the books that students are reading and enjoying- I hope to learn from student reviews as well as share some of my own ideas about good reads, old and new!
Thanks for reading!
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