This book is probably one of the best books I have ever read. This real life story of Bill Romanowski (Romo), is all about Bill's life from when he was a young kid, being the runt and always told he could never do anything to becoming a NFL superstar. The dark part of the story comes after he has been in the NFL for a while and starts putting all kinds of stuff in his body (nothing illegal). By trying to stay in top physical shape he has to resort to more and more unorthodox ways of training and living. This would be a good book for a young athlete but teacher be warned there are some things you might have to go over with your student after he/she reads the book. From Bill taking all sorts of supplements to fowl language this book encompasses Bill Romanowski in the flesh. Strongly recommended for the die hard football fan. I think this is also a strong case to encourage your students to read more non-fiction. I was always turned off to non-fiction because of the preconceived notion I had developed about it. After reading this I have become more open in what I read and what I recommend.

This R.L. Stine classic will make you think twice the next time you buy a Halloween mask. I read this for the second time in my life just a few days ago and was just as engrossed with the read the second time around as I was the first. R.L. just has a way in which he sucks you into the story (kind of how the mask does in this story) and keeps you there until he decides he can let you go. The Goosebumps series is such a good way to get kids into reading, especially if they like one book it is a good medium to get them to read even more. My mother has kept all of our Goosebumps books which number in the fifties and I will be sure to take those off her hands when I land my first teaching job. Good Reading!

Who doesn't love a snow day. This story had a great idea for a book but failed to deliver in the text department. I know this book was aimed at little kids but the repetitiveness of the book took the fun out of the great illustrations. The pictures saved the book and were fun to look over. I felt like this book had a bigger upside but fell short, what do you think?

This is a neat book that talks about any truck ever to hit the road. In a nation that relies so much on these trucks to deliver our goods and services it is important to learn a little bit about them. I liked the book because when you read it you had to rotate the book and made every page an adventure. I loved the rhyme of the story and the zippyness it created. It was really a fun book.

This is your classic grandpa telling the grand kids about a story of when he was a kid and the grand kids eating it up and wanting seconds. I cant say I disliked the story because I thought it was fun and exiting but this is a scenario that is over played in novels and movies alike. I also liked the illustrations because they seemed real enough to touch. Maybe tomorrow grandpa will tell another story, check out this fun tale.

This book puts a scary twist on construction life. I was a little confused about the middle of the book when the mom of the monsters showed up and as quickly as she came she was gone. It really had nothing to do with the story and actually made it more confusing. I almost thought there were pages missing or something. It was a fun book to read and learn a little about construction and construction sites. The pictures are sure to engage your students too.

This is a very cleaver book. You, the reader, have to look for clues in this I spy themed book. There is a surprising ending to the book so don't give up. The book starts you off with a diary entry and you are left in suspense until the end. This would be a great read aloud book and one the whole class could help you with.

This is a fun and interactive type of book. I think this one would be good to have in an elementary classroom because it is a nice relaxing fun to read book. The rule is don't laugh but if you do you have to start back over at the front of the book. Can you make it without laughing?

This book is very simple and easy to read. I liked the rhyme scheme that the author used in the text because it really made the book flow well off of your tongue. I liked this book because you could easily use it as a read aloud and it could kick off a unit where you look at transportation in big cities vs. where you live. In a round about way I think kids would get a sense of what a subway looks, sounds and feels like by reading this book.

This retelling of an old fairytale was not very interesting. I really didn't get the story and it did not make much sense throughout the book. I just found it weird and hard to follow and never really could get into the book at all. I probably wouldn't buy this book to put on my classroom shelf. I did like the illustrations even though I did not like the book, it was a style that was new and refreshing. I think students would find the art enjoyable and there is something to be said for that.

This book is all about following a childhood dream. I absolutely loved the illustrations in this book. The painting were so real I thought they were photographs. One idea that was neat about the story was an American girl marrying a Japanese man. This idea of interracial marriage is not played out very often in children's books and it is nice to see it. It gets rid of the stereotypes of whites, blacks and others marrying people who look like them. I also like how they author made Erika adapt to life in another culture. I think this is important because when you go somewhere else in the world it is only appropriate to practice their customs and not take an American approach to everything. This allows you to better understand how they live and what they value as apposed to American culture.

This book is not only striking to the eye but very interesting as well. It really makes learning about Abe fun for kids. There is a lot of information embedded in the story of the book. The only part I was concerned about was how true some of the events were. I know the main ideas were correct but wondered how accurate the storyline was. It was fun to read about a great leader in this nations past and find out he did some of the same things I did when I was a boy, it almost makes you feel as if anything is possible.

This is a must read book for anybody of any age. The first time I read this book was in high school but if I would have read it at an earlier age I think it would have touched me even more. It is hard to explain what you take away from this book except life isn't always fair but it is beautiful and precious no matter what. Mich Albom writes a wonderful story about his late mentor Morrie Schwartz. He speaks of the lessons that he learns from Morrie who's body is starting to surrender to Lou Gehrig's disease. He teaches Mitch to love and to let go of his greed and go back to the person he was as Morrie's student so many years ago. The best thing about this book is that it reminds you of the little pleasures in life like being able to walk, take yourself to the toilet and all the other things that we "normal" people take for granted. This book makes you, in a way, evaluate whats important in your own life and who is important in your life. As an elementary student I know kids will have read longer, "harder", books but none will carry the weight of a lifetime and the wisdom of Morrie Schwartz.

This is a very strong book with a lot of information packaged in a way that is useful and not overwhelming for elementary aged kids. I found this book would be a good jumping off point for a class discussion or a talk because although it answers some questions it doesn't really tell you how people contract HIV. I thought the book was done in a tasteful way and represented that HIV only lives in a persons blood not their tears, sweat or saliva. These facts are so important because most kids associate AIDS and HIV to bad people or bad things and that is not always the case. People who have the virus are moms, dads, teachers etc. and it makes children comfortable knowing more about these things and having the confidence that although the virus itself is bad the person is good and not contagious unless they are bleeding, cut etc. I think this book could be very useful in a classroom especially if you know of a child or a parent that has the AIDS/ HIV virus.

Debbie Bertram and Susan Bloom paired up with award winning illustrator Micheal Garland in this book about books! This is a great book to give a student who has no idea what they want to read about because it talks about a wide variety of books. It covers so many genres and topics by the end your student should have a few ideas of what they want to read. The best part is the book gets you excited to read and that is so important. I love the illustrations and the idea of the book. I felt like there was good diversity of books and looks in this particular books. Although it portrayed a suburban lifestyle it still had many ethnicity's represented in the book. Kids will be begging to read more after reading this one by Debbie and Susan.

This book was written by Peter Brown. He is the illustrator as well, graduating from the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, California his pictures are great. It is almost like he took a still shot from a pixar movie to illustrate his book. His story is a funny lighthearted one too. It portrays a lovable bull dog that does not fit in because he acts like a HUMAN! He finally gets in with an unlikely crowed. Your students will have fun with this funny and unforgettable book.

This book is really neat. Eric Carle and Kozuo Iwamura team up in this one to bring two languages together. Eric starts the book and the story progresses to the center. Then you can flip the book over and read it from back to the middle in Japanese. The coolest thing is that the two artist/authors draw in their famous techniques where Eric uses collage and Kazuo uses water colors. This book is so cool because it brings two languages/cultures together. I like the fact that the publisher put the sounds the Japanese characters make along side of them so you can read in another language. It is exactly the same story in two different languages so for any struggling Japaneses students in you class this book could be a big help. I think this is a book everyone should check out and I am kind of embraced that I had never heard of it before. Kids will love the story and have fun learning another language.

Eric Carle tells his simple tale on how the pretzel might have been invented. The best thing about Eric is that his illustrations are like no other persons in the world. I Love to look at all of the detail and it is actually amazing if you ever can see a video of how he does it and how much time and effort it really does take to make them. I am not a huge fan of the story but I had to read it because I had never heard of it before. It is cool because at the back of the book there is a short history on the pretzel, when it used to be eaten and why it looks the way it does. Kids will have fun with the pictures but you may find it hit and miss with the story. I found it kind of odd that some of the pictures of the sun had a face drawn in them and some didn't. That made me kind of curious on why he did it with some pages but not all. I guess I might never know.

This was such a powerful story from start to finish. I seemed to like this a lot better than the Year of Impossible Goodbyes. I loved how the author left us yearning for more information on what happened to the brother. I felt like the end was a little rushed but at the same time the brother took a path we had already read about. I thought for sure the brother was going to die as he took off by himself to find his family.

Yoko is so strong and self motivated. even after the death of her mother she powered though her life and made perfect marks in school and excelled at everything she did. It makes me sad that she had to grow up so fast in her life. She saw horrible things and managed to do whatever she needed to do to stay alive. Not only did she survive the war but she survived the relentless teasing by her classmates. It just makes you really think about some of the kids you went to school with and wonder how bad they really had it. You may have looked down on them for some reason or another but they may have been twice the person you are because of what they had to do to survive.

This book was really powerful and the journey alone kept me interested. The side plots and the two separate stories really made my mind jump around with excitement. I would recommend this book to anybody who wants to see the struggles of war and what it can do to a family. I was really mad that we didn't get a solid lock on what happened to the father. I was really wondering what happened. I thought he probably died halfway through the book but I was looking for closure on the issue. The horrors of war are evident in this book but the love of family is also very strong too. This is a great book and a must read.

This is a very powerful children's book about child abuse written by Doris Sanford. It is a book about how a young child gets abused at the daycare they attend. It talks about the symptoms that the child goes through, from change of behavior to not eating. You also see the anguish the parents are put through wondering if it was them that made their child so unhappy. In the book we find out exactly what happens to the child and it make you angry but also scared for when you have your own children. The most helpful part of the book is in the back it has ten suggestions on how to help your child through this situation if you ever are unlucky enough to have to go through it. I felt like this might be a hard book for kids to understand right away because it seems to skip over a lot of obvious information and leads you to make a lot of assumptions. I don't know how I would feel about reading this book to kids but I feel like it is also important to let kids know they too have rights that should not be violated. I loved the illustrations in this book and thought the soft touch of each picture really added to the mood and feeling of the story. this is one of the most powerful children's books I have read. Check it out.

Another author illustrator does some great work. Barney starts off with a story that talks about parents acting weird at their children's sporting events. As an athlete my whole life I can absolutely attest to parents acting weird and embarrassing their children while they play sports. I have seen parents get kicked out of events because they get so crazy and the looks on their kids faces are ones you will never forget. I liked this book because it helped explain why parents act like they are from outer space when they watch their kids play sports. The main thing is that the parents just want their kids to be happy and at the same time support them as much as possible. My favorite part of the book is it looks at both sides of the issue. You get to see why the parents do it and on the other hand why the kids wish the parents wouldn't act like they were from outer space. This book is full of funny cheers and silly outfits and is a book most kids who participate in extracurricular activities could relate to.

Leslie authored and illustrated this book. It features her lovely main character which is a baby in a diaper. The illustrations are really neat because it looks like she used a brush on top of a rough canvas so you get that little bit of canvas coming through on the page. The story itself is a simple but good one. It does a great job of reminding us (not kids) how we used to be so creative and easily entertained. The child in this story is just as interested in the box his present came in than the present itself. It takes me back to a simpler time when I would play with my farm toys in an imaginary world for hours and days on end. I didn't play video games or watch TV but i could keep myself entertained by just my mind and a few objects. It just reminded me of the things that used to make me happy.... like a box!

This story is retold from popular African folklore of the Bulu people of Cameroon, Africa. The illustrations in the book are out of this world and are unlike any I have ever seen in a children's book. I loved the book because it was kind of a David vs Goliath type of story. No matter the bully, or person there is always someone out there who is better than them or can out smart them. It really makes you think about how you act towards other people and especially how you treat others. I love reading folklore from other countries and cultures because it really makes you realize how much the same we really are. I thought the author illustrator did a great job of putting this story together and this is one I would like to have in my classroom. I especially liked the part at the back of the book where it describes the drum that was featured in the book. Really neat idea to do that. Good read.

This is a pleasantly disgusting story about a boy who loves the dirt. He loves it so much that he runs away from home so he doesn't have to take a bath. It doesn't take long for him to realize how smelly and gross he really is. This book is funny and gross. The boy sprouts mushrooms from in between his toes, his teeth get green and nasty and his hair becomes home to a family of mice and some birds. It is funny the more children's books I read the more I realize how un-diverse they are. Usually they have a white, middle class, boy as the main character. Regardless of the diversity factor I found this a great book and one a nice clean kid would enjoy.

All I have to say is the last forty or so pages had me on the edge of my seat and if I did I don't remember breathing. This book was great because it gives you a child's view of the end of WWII. I can not imagine growing up in a world torn apart by war and thank god every day that it didn't happen to me. I was so sucked in when the author would describe people especially the grandfather. When he is siting under the tree 10 year old Sookan describes in detail what her grandfather looks like, from his skinny legs to the wrinkles on his face. I could really picture the characters in the book. When she described the blue eyes of the Russian soldiers its like the eyes popped out of the book and hit me in the face. All of the struggles that little Sookan had to endure it felt like I was there with her from her troubles at the Japanese school to her long journey south. I was hoping and praying that her and her little brother made it there safely near the end of the book. One thing I noticed was it took a while to get hooked into the book but once I did the book was over, the pages flew by. I would recommend this book because it depicts horrors of a war from a child's point of view and although some of the references might be touchy subjects in school they are things that happen all over the world today and are issues that probably should be taught about in school. This book is a great segway to topics like human rights and children's rights. Good book By the author Sook Nyul Choi.

This is a cute story of a boy who writes letters to is baby sister in hopes "one day she might like to read them". Sarah Sullivan put together this book. The letters are neat because in the book it looks like the letter is actually on the page. The book is so well put together and resembles a scrap book of the babies younger years. I love it because some of the letters are funny, some are angry and some are just off the wall like when he tells his sister "this is not a happy letter, it is one to tell you never to touch my stuff!" On the page is a picture of his action figure with its head broken off. I recommend this book to all big brothers who have a younger sister because being one of those myself, many things in this book hit really close to home. I almost want to buy a copy and give it to my sister. Think she would like it?

This book has some of the coolest illustrations I have ever seen in a children's book. P.J. Lynch is the artist behind these drawings and you should definitely check out his work on the web. The book comes with a CD ROM of P.J. in action making the book come to life. I thought overall the pictures saved the book. I didn't really get wrapped up in the story and it was a LONG story. I felt like I was reading a chapter book. After a while I just felt like turning the page to look at another picture. Like I said it seemed long for a picture book but it was refreshing to see a different style of book than every other one on the shelf for a change. P.J. Lynch is an artist that I will follow now for sure. If you read this let me know what you think.

This book was extremely interesting. From the water color paintings to the unique setting, it really is top notch. It depicts young Manyoni, a girl from Zimbabwe, as she makes here long journey to school. This book is kind of a whats-what of Zimbabwe too. The author actually took drawing paper and sketched most of the scenes we see in the book. All of the animals in the book are live sketches except the leopard. It is an amazing book when you think about how true it is. It is not uncommon for kids like Manyoni to travel upwards of two hours to go to school everyday! This book is also very cool because it used many words that come from Zimbabwe and in the back of the book it tells what each one of them means. Books like these really expand a persons knowledge of the world and when I make lists of books I want for my classroom this one will be on there. Check it out!

This book was awesome. I really liked how Nina illustrated the book/used real pictures to tell the story. The use of real pictures is something I really haven't seen in children's books a lot but it really worked well. It was neat to see what Jack (the boy in the story) was imagining based on the real life picture. If there was a bigger plot behind the words there was a light overlay of another real picture over the photo and that was a neat touch as well. I think this book kind of reinvents the picture book in a way and Nina has a good handle on what could be a neat twist on an old tradition. I would like to read other stories with this same kind of theme in them because they are fun not only to read but to look at. You can spend so much time looking at all of the little details in the picture. I looked at this book for a good thirty minutes before I was done. It was a really fun read.

There were not a ton of words in this book but it still tells a common story. Its Illustrates the frustrations of being a younger brother. I was the younger brother in my family and I always wanted to do what my older brother would do but I was either too young or too small. I love it when stories give power to the younger sibling like Martha did in the Blackboard Bear. Th pictures worked great with the story and almost told the story better than the words. the detail in the faces and body language was awesome in this book. It also goes to show what you can do with your imagination and how fun using it can be.

Crash is a very likable story. It stars an all-star Jr. High Tailback by the name of John "Crash" Coogen. I like this story because it is about change and friendships. When Crash finally realizes what a friend really is, a person who no matter what always loves you and respects you no matter what you do. This story has some unlikely plots for a "sports" book. It is more about family, understanding and a desire to be who it is you really are (if that makes any sense). It is a good read and one that will probably go fast. I could not put the book down every time Jerry Spinelli talks about Penn Webb and his "weird" lifestyle, parents or mannerisms. Jerry Spinelli is a Newberry Medalist author and knows how to keep you in a book. This book really makes me want to read more of his stuff.

Controversial Book

This Book is hilarious not controversial. I don't know one elementary student who wouldn't laugh at the word FART let alone a farting dog. I was not a fan of the art though. I think they could have done so much more with the illustrations, but again that is my opinion. I thought the pictures were actually down right scary. If farts are a controversial topic then what is this country coming to? Two farts up for the story. Two farts down for the pictures.

Controversial Book

Well I guess Babette Cole likes to get herself on the controversial books list huh? This book by her is simply controversial because of the topic of puberty. This is a story I would probably let my children read to get a better idea of what puberty is. They will understand it and it is a tough topic to talk about with kids and Babette Cole does a good job of using humor to deal with it. The illustrations of Mr. and Mrs. Hormone are hilarious. the pictures are funny and entertaining along with the story. I don't really see this book as controversial, just natural.

Controversial Book

Well this book is controversial. to me i get the idea that the children want their parents to be happy but at the same time saying the parents should get "divorced" or un-married probably doesn't sit well with a 70% Christian country. I think showing children benefiting from their parents getting un-married is probably not a very good thing either. I don't know if children in that position would agree it was all fun and games when it happened to them. I am torn on this one because it results in the parents being happy and the kids being happy, so I can see why you would want to share it. The pictures are too funny tho! Just loved them.

Controversial Book

I am not really sure why this is a controversial book. It is really just celebrating every thing that is BOY! But because it is labeled as such I will dig to find some things that could be construed as controversial. One thing people might see is the illustrations as exaggerations of African-American features such as big lips, and nappy hair (funny because the also the author of Happy to be Nappy). Another reason may be the strange construction of language in the book resulting in some people connecting bad language to the African-American culture. I found this book a refreshing step away from the norm and a book who's words tell the story as good if not better than its words. But I guess if you split hairs it could be offensive.... pick your battles people.

Controversial Book

I can see how this book could be viewed as controversial. Because it is written in a child's point of view there are tones and language that are racist and demeaning to African-Americans, and they are kind of thrown around in the book. On the other hand living in the world I grew up in I can pick all of those things out and see the injustices that many African-Americans were treated with. So in a way it may be good to read TO children so you can talk through some of those injustices but maybe not a good book for young elementary aged students to read by themselves.

Links Galor! Take A Look At My Favorite Author

This is a link to Gary Pulsen's web page. One of my favorites you can learn a lot about him as a person too!http://www.randomhouse.com/features/garypaulsen/index.html

The Misfits: Part II

Wow! I was surprised that Collin liked Joe too. I saw that going a totally different way in my head and cannot believe it worked out. I felt so much pride about the things Bobby was able to accomplish too. He finally found his niche in his job and started a new relationship with Mr. Kellerman. He set new groundwork for the relationship with his father and he really found out who he really was. I thought the process of Bobby finding himself in the last 100 or so pages really sums up why this book is important. You can go through life so long before you find out who you really are and once you do you turn that leaf and really start to live your life. Howe accomplishes this without it being an overwhelming ordeal. In a way we all go through this "growing pain" so to speak where we don't really know who we are and why we are on this earth. I think Addie was in this book to really help the people who read it to questions everything. Learn out why you feel the way you do and why you act the way you do. It is kind of the lesson I learned from this book, and in a way we are all "misfits" and like Bobby we do finally find ourselves in the end.... at least we can only hope we do.

Part I: 1-142

It is wierd, I find myself so different from the Skeez, Bobby, Addie and Joe but at the same time there are parts of me who feel like I am them. Who hasn't been mistreated or seen others mistreated or even been the one doing the mistreating? All of the names those four have been called I have said, have heard or have been called and that is sad. I found myself judging each of the charaters in the book before I really knew them. Like Bobby found out, is this really what it is like to know somebody? Bobby also said somthing else that really struck me. On page 46 "..thinking of somebody as 100% human seriously gets in the way of hating them." I found that passage so powerful. When you don't know somebody or you find yourself judging them do you really know them or are you just lableing them so that they fit into your "catagories" and make your life easier. I know one thing for sure, getting to really know somebody and learning to care for them does make it really hard to hate them. I am excited to see where the book turns next. And why is Ms. Wyman such a BITCH!?

This book was very different than any book I have ever read. Not in a bad way but... just different. It had kind of a Alice in wonderland feel mixed with a Cat in the Hat type of mischief. The illustrations really were pleasing to the eye and very life like. Ted in this story is the imaginary friend and looks like a big fat pink dog... I think. He almost comes off as scary but I guess looks can be deceiving. I found it odd that no mother was ever depicted in this book especially because the author dedicated it to his mother and father. Weird. overall it was a silly book but a light read and a fun one. The illustrations alone could keep you occupied for a good half hour. It was about halfway up my scale of coolness.

First off, the pictures in this book are done by Boris Kulikov and they are out of this world. I love the different angles that he gives the reader, there are times when the reader can look at the illustrations and feel like an ant in the grass watching this story unfold. I am not sure what type of art this is but the pictures are truly amazing. There is also a picture of a lizard on every page of the book, even the cover. I found myself looking for the lizard every time I turned the page, even before I started reading! I found this "side story" very effective. The story itself was funny and cleaver but the lizard kind of tells one by itself. The book is light hearted and used some funny rhymes by three brothers. This is just a good 'ol fashioned fun read.

This is one of the first non-fiction books I have blogged about so far. I found this book to be very factual in the textual information but the illustrations tell a different story. All of the "Native People" in this book,(Include all of the following: Native Americans, Aztec's and Mayans), are wearing some sort of feathers on their head. I think this is a silly misconception that all "Native People" of this land (and Mexico) wore head dresses comprised of feathers. This book definitely plays into the easy stereotyping of Native Americans and other cultures such as the Aztec and Mayans. There are also some inaccurate depictions of farming practices through the illustrations in the book. Growing up on a farm this may bother me more than the average person but the pictures in a book tell a story too and in this book they are not entirely correct. I would definitely use this book for factual knowledge because it is quite accurate from what I can tell, but I would be sure to explain some of the pictures to children if I ever read it to them.

This light hearted story is a continuation of the famous fairy tale of Humpty Dumpty. The author Dave Horowitz takes us through the rough life of post nursery rhyme life for Mr. Dumpty. I was not a big fan of the actual story because he just kind of threw other nursery rhymes into the story with little or no meaning attached. Although I did not enjoy the story, I did really love the illustrations. They had a individual quality to them that I have not seen in another story book before. I like how the illustrator Incorporated talking bubbles into the pictures. I had more fun looking through the book a few times then I did reading the actual book. It does give you a reminder of other books like The Real Story Of The Three Little Pigs and makes you really think about lessons you could do with your class in terms of writing stories based off of popular stories. I think that would be something kids could really have a lot of fun with.

This book has very few words but what it does not say on the page it makes up for in its drawings. The pictures in the book are just outstanding. What is real is drawn in black and what is imagined by the character is drawn in blue. The drawings are a simple sketch but it fits with the book and the whole stick idea. The author Antoinette Portis uses earth tones on the pages to fit the whole wood, stick idea too and it really does work with the blues she puts in the book. I like the simplicity and complexity of this book. ( I read it five times) The best thing about the book is it really inspires imagination. I think in school today we cut children off from being dreamers to make a more efficient system and this book gets back to the idea of play before critical thinking... and of course I like that idea.

I decided to read this book called Dear Santa for one reason, I already miss the holiday season. This book is put together so cleverly by Bill Harley. He does a great job with the letters. It is about a boy James B Dobbins who really wants a bunch of things for Christmas. The illustrations really help tell the story too and each page of the book is a letter from James to santa. It is quite a good book. It is funny and almost reminds me of Denis the Menace because James is always getting into trouble... but not because he wants to but because he is a curious little kid. Surely a great read any time of the year. I would of course be careful reading this one in schools... just so you don't upset anybody.

This book is Terrific. I liked the simple drawings and the plain to mildly boring main character. This book about a shipwrecked man and his new parrot friend with have you saying TERRIFIC all day long (if that is a good thing). The constant use of the word TERRIFIC gets to be kind of funny in the story. The whole time I was reading this book I couldn't help but think of how cool this would be to let your kids in your class do this. It would be awesome to take you favorite word and make a book surrounding it right? Maybe... well it would be a fun idea to try. The book may not have been the best or most exciting but it did bring up some possible teaching ideas.

This book has just jumped into my top five favorites for sure. Written by Jon Scieszka, this book comes out of the same mold as classics like the Stinky Cheese Man and The Real Story Of The Three Little Pigs. I love the illustrations. They are simple but so intricate at the same time. The effort that goes into each page is just amazing. I love the story too. It teaches and asks so much about math it could be used in a classroom for days before you got through all of the material. I think this book would be great to incorporate reading in your math class, fun reading at least because we know FUN+READING=FUNREADING.

This book by Babette Cole is a step off of the beaten path. It is a mildly funny book all about HAIR! The illustrations are just fantastic and add to the books humor. The story is written in mostly rhyme so it is easy to read and follow. I like it because it is a simple book that you can read again and again without getting sick of it. I thought it was creative and fun and would love to give this book to a young/beginning reader.

The dot is a great story about a girl named Vashti. I really liked it because being a future educator it is important to know how influential you can be as a teacher. Sometimes all it takes is a little push to allow your student to achieve greatness. In this a little dot on a piece of paper and the confidence given to a student from a teacher makes all the difference. It also goes to show that once you make a difference in one persons life they are able to help another.

This book was different than any book I have ever read. For one it only took me about a half hour and it was so FUN! Sharon Creech really allowed me to see how a little boy can grow and develop as a writer and not only just develop but learn to love writing. I was a lot like this boy in the book. He didn't think that poetry was for boys and that it didn't make sense. The teacher never gave up on the boy and continued to encourage what he liked to talk about. The boy had his own voice and the teacher didn't take that away from him. It is so fun to see where the boy got his inspiration and how he thought. The words on the page feel like they came right out of the boys brain. It was a fun read and one that can be done in one afternoon and it is sure to put a smile on your face.