The Avid Reading Mom

How many bad things can happen in your life within a short period of time before you start questioning if they are on purpose?  That is exactly how Jim and Jess feel in this story, Fire Storm, which is written by Mackenzie Dare.

Jim is a fireman who faces dangers every day of his life.  Jess is a stay-at-home mom to a sweet baby girl who has a love for nature and the outdoors.  She also loves her horses and spends time in her barn.  Jim and Jess also have best friends named Wade and Melissa who they spend a lot of time with.

As days go by, more and more bad things keep happening and Jim and Jess begin to piece together that Jess is the target of someone who wants her dead.  The story has a happy ending but not before the killer catches up to Jess.

All in all, this was a good story.  At times, it seemed like the story was dragging on.  There was a couple of places where it could have ended and still been a wonderful story.  In the end, salvation comes to those who need it and love and forgiveness are shown.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a contemporary love story.  The characters are wonderful and you really begin to fall in love with each one.  The story lines are fantastic and well written.  I would say, just persevere when it starts to drag on, it picks up toward the end and then you can’t stop reading it.  I enjoyed it very much. 

I would rate this book 3.5 stars!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the author.  I was not required to write a positive review.  The opinions I have expressed are my own.  I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Every person harbors secrets.  Those secrets can, often times, be the cause of pain, heartache, spiritual and emotional damage.  In Not A Sparrow Falls by Linda Nichols, she explores the dangers that can occur when secrets are kept from those we love.

Mary Bridget Washburn (Bridie) is a girl who is on the run from her ex-boyfriend and from the law.  Her ex-boyfriend is a meth dealer and his life is plummeting out of control.  As Mary’s life spirals out of control she decides to leave the situation she is living in, takes all the money from the house, and goes as far away as she can.  Her journey ends in Alexandria.

Enter Reverend Alasdair MacPherson.  Alasdair is a man of God who, after loosing his wife, has forsaken his family and his church in pursuits he believes God wants him to do.  Bridie is hired by Alasdair’s sister to become the nanny for his 3 children; Samantha who is 13, and the twins Cameron and Bonnie.  Bridie helps Alasdair open up and see how his pursuits are hurting his family and himself.

Samantha, Alasdair’s oldest daughter is hurting.  She lost her mom and her dad is now a workaholic who doesn’t even know she exists.  She is spiraling out of control; she hangs out with the wrong crowd, skips school, and begins stealing, which is where she meets Bridie.  After a desperate plea for help posted on the church bulletin board, Bridie begins to reach out to her and Samantha begins to heal and love again.

In the end, secrets are revealed which bring love and healing to the whole family.  Linda Nichols weaves together an incredible tale of lies, love, and redemption. 

I read this book as part of a book club read for the Christian Fiction Devours group at Goodreads. I really enjoyed reading this story.  At times, the story line seemed to drag on but I kept reading because I was engrossed in the lives of the characters.  As you experience life through the eyes of Bridie and Alasdair, you see that God is the God of redemption and forgiveness.  This story shows that nothing can separate you from the love and forgiveness of God.  This story also shows that prayer is the key to happiness in our lives.

I would recommend this book for someone who is going through trials in their life.  It will help them see that God is always there, just a prayer away.

Overall, I give this book 4 out of 5 stars!

The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane is written by Kate DiCamillo and illustrated by Bagram Ibatoulline.  This book is the incredible story of Edward, a very selfish china rabbit who is deeply loved by a girl named Abilene.  One day, while traveling on a boat with Abilene and her family, Edward is lost at sea.  Edward then is taken an a remarkable journey of discovery and he learns how important love is and the need for love in our lives.  One statement in the book really sums up the whole theme of this book": "If you have no intention of loving or being loved, then the whole journey is pointless." (p. 199)

The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane could be classified as historical fiction.  The settings throughout the book take place over several years during the early to mid 1900’s.  According to the textbook, Literature and the Child, on page 17, it explains that historical fiction tells a story set in the past; it portrays events that did or could definitely occur.  The illustrations in this book, though there are very few of them, are very detailed paintings.  The illustrator really took time to get the details correct in every illustration within this book. 

This book is recommended for students ages 7-10 years old.  I would agree with this recommendation, although I do believe students older than 10 would really enjoy reading this remarkable story and would learn a lot through the journey of Edward.  The story line is very easy to follow and the chapters are very short so struggling readers would feel great accomplishment after finishing each chapter.

I think this book would be great to include in a unit study on love, maybe during Valentines Day.  Some activities to include when using this book within your classroom could be:

1.  Have each student choose a different character, major or minor, and draw his or her portrait. The cast of characters should include everyone from Edward to the crows in the garden. Label each drawing with a paragraph describing the character and his or her relationship to Edward.

2.  Throughout Edward’s journey, there are folks who are kind to Edward, some who love him, some who are indifferent, and others who are downright cruel. Make a chart of these characters and discuss their differences.

3.  Throughout his journey, Edward Tulane yearns to go home, which he considers to be Egypt Street. And yet he spends many happy years with people who take him in and give him new homes. Make a list of things that mean home to you.

READER RESPONSE QUESTIONS:
1.  Why does Pellegrina tell the story about a princess who loves no one and is turned into a warthog by a witch to Abilene and Edward?

2.  What are some of the life lessons Edward learns on his journey, through good times and bad?

3.  How and why do all adults (except Abilene’s sharp-eyed grandmother, Pellegrina) condescend, or talk down, to Edward?

4.  Is there a difference between the love Edward receives from Abilene at the beginning of the book and the love he receives from Sarah Ruth?

REFERENCES:
Candlewick Press Teachers Guide on The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane.  Retrieved from http://www.edwardtulane.com/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=Yny-zUwaGF0%3d&tabid=76

DiCamillo, K. (2006). The miraculous journey of edward tulane. (1st ed.). Somerville, MA: Candlewick Press.

Galda, L., Cullinan, B. E., & Sipe, L. R. (2011). Literature and the child. (7th ed. ed.). Belmont: Wadsworth Pub Co.

The Golly Sisters Go West is written by Betsy Byars and illustrated by Sue Truesdell.  The wagon is ready.  The songs and dances are ready.  The horse will not go.  As soon as the horse goes, then the adventures begin.  The Golly sisters, May-May and Rose, encounter some pretty hilarious adventures as they make their way west.  Their story is told in six short stories that will leave you laughing as you turn each page.

The Golly Sisters Go West is one of three books written by Betsy Byars about the hilarious tails of May-May and Rose, two sisters who travel west and have some very hilarious adventures.  According to the textbook, Literature and the Child, on page 17, it explains that historical fiction tells a story set in the past; it portrays events that did or could definitely occur.  It is made up of stories that take place in a certain time or place in the past.  Real historical figures and events can be included in the story.  The illustrations throughout this book are line drawings.  They were drawn to look very cartoonish which goes along with the funny stories. 

The book is recommended for ages 4-8.  It is an I Can Read level 3 book so it is written with larger text and fewer, simple words on each page.  I would agree with this age.  The stories are very easy to read and understand.  They are written in a way that children will realize that the sisters are having some very fun adventures.  The book would be a good book to include on a unit study about settlers in the old west.

When including this book in a classroom unit, I would recommend the following activities:

1.  Have children brainstorm a list of resources they could consult to learn what life was like during this time period. Examples include old newspapers, the Internet, etc. Record responses on chart paper. Use these resources to find
images from this period.  Have students pick out on of the pictures and write a fictional story based on the example they find.  Make sure the students understand to keep the historical setting accurate.

2.  Have students write a seventh adventure to go along with this book.  What new adventure would May-May and Rose encounter had their been a seventh chapter to the book.

READER RESPONSE QUESTIONS:
1.  When and where does the story take place?

2.  How do you know it takes place then?

3.  How do you think the writer knew what life was like during that time period?

4.  How do you think the illustrator knew what life was like during that time period?  Make this answer differ from question #3.

REFERENCES:
Byars, B. (1985). The golly sisters go west. New York, NY: HarperCollins Publishers.

Galda, L., Cullinan, B. E., & Sipe, L. R. (2011). Literature and the child. (7th ed. ed.). Belmont: Wadsworth Pub Co.

I Can Read books classroom activity guide.  Retrieved from http://www.icanread.com/educators/downloadables/icanreadclassroomguide.pdf

Independent Dames: What You Never Knew About the Women and Girls of the American Revolution was written by Laurie Halse Anderson and illustrated by Matt Faulkner.  We have all heard about the amazing men who made a difference in our country during the American Revolution, but, what about the women?  What role did the women play during that time?  Who were these remarkable women?  This book tells about women who played an integral part of the lives of the men during the Revolutionary War.

Independent Dames: What You Never Knew About the Women and Girls of the American Revolution tells the story of real women who were an integral part of the Revolutionary War.  The book begins with a who’s who which gives definitions for words such as parliament, patriots, loyalists, etc.  From that point forward, there is a timeline that runs along the bottom of the pages that begins in 1763 and runs through 1920.  The timeline chronicles the details of our American history and also includes the lives of the women within the pages of this book.  As you can tell from the pictures above, the book is written like a cartoon.  Each page includes a text box with information on the women being discussed then there is a cartoon drawing with word bubbles that put that text box information into simpler terms.  This is a great example of a non-fiction biography and includes a large number of text features that make the book fun to read and engaging.   According to the textbook, Literature and the Child, on page 18, it explains that nonfiction books are informational sources that explain a subject.  It also further explains that biography tells about a real person’s life.  The book concludes with a few additional pages of information on more important women who were part of the war.  It just gives facts about them in regular text writing.

This book is recommended for ages 6 and up.  I think this is a good age to introduce this book to students.  I think it would be an important book to include in a unit study on the Revolutionary War or a unit study on Women Who Made a Difference in our United States.  There are so many things you could do with this book within the classroom.  There are so many different unit ideas that this book would be perfect for.

Some activity ideas I would include when using this book within the classroom would be:

1.  Have students create riddles of the women within the pages of this book.  Have them write their riddles on index cards.  Students will then have the opportunity to share their riddle and see if other students can guess who they wrote their riddle about.

2.  Create a brief introduction about themselves as one of the women discussed. They will give information about a their lives with a focus on their actions during the Revolutionary War. They will also be asked to comment on the feelings they had during this difficult time.

READER RESPONSE QUESTIONS:
1.  How did the contributions of women during the revolution differ from the men?

2.  What kinds of daily jobs or chores did women have then?

3.  How do women support wars today?

4.  How did women affect the economy during the war?

5.  How did women protest and oppose British taxes and actions?

REFERENCES:
Anderson, L. H. (2008). Independent dames: What you never knew about the women and girls of the american revolution.
     New York, NY: Simon & Schuster Books.

Galda, L., Cullinan, B. E., & Sipe, L. R. (2011). Literature and the child. (7th ed. ed.). Belmont: Wadsworth Pub Co.

Teaching American History lesson plan.  Retrieved from http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=4&ved=0CEcQFjAD&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mrpk.k12.ca.us%2FLinkClick.aspx%3Ffileticket%3DxohCLc_wxSs%253D%26tabid%3D1288%26mid%3D5583&ei=fm8hUYDwJZDa8wSNioCYBA&usg=AFQjCNEWbnIHBiVPjg0vaK3EsHJlJKaK5Q&bvm=bv.42553238,d.eWU&cad=rja

The Frog Prince, Continued was written by Jon Scieszka and illustrated by Steve Johnson.  This story is the continuation of The Princess and the Frog.  Some people may think they know the true ending to the story, but they didn’t live happily ever after.  The princess is tired of the prince’s froggy ways and the prince is tired of the princess always nagging him.  One day he gets fed up and runs away to find his happy ending.  He meets up with three witches along the way who give him advice, but in the end, does the prince get his happy ending?

The Frog Prince, Continued is another great example of a fractured fairy tale based on the story The Princess and the Pea.  According to the textbook, Literature and the Child, on page 15, it explains that folklore, another name for fairy tale, is composed of stories that have been passed down from generation to generation, by word of mouth.  The story has no known author.  Folklore comes in many different forms, including rhymes, fairy tales, fables, and many more.  Fractured fairy tales are explained in further detail on page 198 of the textbook.  It states that many authors have created their own literary fairy tales which are stories patterned after traditional tales.

This story is recommended for ages 6 and up.  I would agree with this.  The story line is fun but some of the illustrations throughout the book are dark and dreary and they might frighten littler children.  The story is written in a really easy way that makes the story easy to understand. 

When including this book into your classroom, I would suggest you include the following activities:

1.  Have students look at each witch that is included in the story.  Ask students to write a description of a horrible witch of their own.  They should describe how she looks and how she behaves.  Then have children draw a portrait of their witch and display the portraits and descriptions around the classroom.

2.  For a science project, break students into three groups.  Have one group research the frog life cycle.  Have another group find out where frogs live and what they eat.  The last group can find out about different kinds of frogs.  Have groups create an informational poster describing their findings.

3.  Have students perform this story by doing a reader’s theater.  Here is a great script for this project.

READER RESPONSE QUESTIONS:
1. What do you think the frog prince’s “worse” thoughts are while he was a carriage?

2. How do you think the princess will feel about being a frog?

3.  How can you change the ending of this book to make it become “happily ever after”?

REFERENCES:
Galda, L., Cullinan, B. E., & Sipe, L. R. (2011). Literature and the child. (7th ed. ed.). Belmont: Wadsworth Pub Co.

Scieszka. (1991). The frog prince, continued. New York, New York: Penguin Group (USA) Incorporated.

The Frog Prince Continued activity guide. Retrieved from http://www.liveoakmedia.com/client/guides/24905.pdf

The Frog Prince website and resources for the classroom.  Retrieved from http://rileycenter.msstate.edu/pdf/frog-prince.pdf

You Forgot Your Skirt, Amelia Bloomer was written by Shana Corey and illustrated by Chesley McLaren.  Would you DARE to bare YOUR underwear?  If you like CLOTHES and people with the courage to SKIRT conventions and adDRESS injustice then Amelia Bloomer and her unFITTING ideas will charm the PANTS off you! (This description is taken directly from the inside cover of the book because I love how it was written).  Amelia Bloomer was a rebellious reformer and early women's rights activist who invented bloomers (baggy pantaloons worn with a short skirt over them) and liberated women from the dangerous and oppressive clothing of the mid-nineteenth century.

You Forgot Your Skirt, Amelia Bloomer has a style all it’s own.  It is a non-fiction biography.  According to the textbook, Literature and the Child, on page 18, it explains that nonfiction books are informational sources that explain a subject.  It also further explains that biography tells about a real person’s life.  This book is a very good example of a non-fiction biography in that it explains a person’s life by giving information. The book has very colorful and whimsical illustrations that flow throughout the entire story.  The font style uses large and small font sizes to make various points throughout the book. 

This book is recommended for students ages 4 and up.  I am not sure that I would include children that young into this recommendation.  While the writing is simple and there are pages with few words on them, the story line may be hard for children that age to understand.  I would recommend students in 2nd grade and up for this book.  I think, with some background information, they would be able to understand the history behind this story and can learn a lot from it.

When presenting this book to your students, I would include the following activities:

1.  If you are in a school where your students wear uniforms, have the students write letters, or create an article for a newspaper (just like Amelia Bloomer did) to spread their opinions about the dress code. It could also be used if the students were not required to wear school uniforms, it could be a hypothetical situation such as "How would you feel if...?"

2.  In the 1800s, women wore clothing that weighed between 20 and 40 pounds. Let your students experience how difficult it was to move carrying all that weight. Place a large book-bag on a bathroom scale. Let students take turns adding books, one at a time, until the scale reads 20 pounds. Give each child an opportunity to lift the bag and walk around the classroom. Repeat by adding more books to weigh 40 pounds and have students life that bag.  Ask them to imagine wearing all that weight every day! Ask: How much do you think pants and a shirt weigh? Take out a child’s shirt and pants (bring them to school in advance), and place them on the scale. Compare the weight of the pants and shirt to the weight of women’s clothing in the 1800s.

READER RESPONSE QUESTIONS:
1. How and why did Bloomer change women’s dress and how did people react to these
changes?

2.  Are there any styles today that your parents disapprove of? Do you agree?

3.  Would you wear styles that your parents disapprove of? Would you object to other people wearing them?

4.  Does the school have a dress code? What is it?

5.  Do you own any clothes that you can’t wear to school because of the code?

6.  Do you think it is fair for schools to have dress codes?

REFERENCES
Brooklyn Public Library women’s unit.  Retrieved from http://www.bklynpubliclibrary.org/civilwar/lesson_plans/cw_lesson3_1.pdf

Corey, S. (2000). You forgot your skirt, amelia bloomer. New York, NY: Scholastic Press.

Galda, L., Cullinan, B. E., & Sipe, L. R. (2011). Literature and the child. (7th ed. ed.). Belmont: Wadsworth Pub Co.

You Forgot Your Skirt, Amelia Bloomer blog post. Retrieved from http://6elementssje.blogspot.com/2011/10/you-forgot-your-skirt-amelia-bloomer.html

You Forgot Your Skirt, Amelia Bloomer extended activity.  Retrieved from http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/lesson-plan/you-forgot-your-skirt-amelia-bloomer-extension-activity