“The City of Ember” by Jeanne DuPrau

Grade Level: 5-6 | AR Points: 9.0

The City of Ember

Imagine living in a city that is eternally dark with the only light being from an electrical system that is falling apart.  Not only that, but food and other supplies are running out as well.  The Builders only meant for the city to last 220 years, but it has now been 241 years.  The Builders left instructions on leaving the city after 220 years, but those have been stuffed in a case and forgotten.

However, the case is found, but Lina’s baby sister ate most of the instructions.  So, now she and her friend Doon must try to figure out what the instructions said before the city completely shuts down.  From this, they learn why the city of Ember was built in the first place and what the Builders were trying to do.  When they try to tell the citizens, they find out the mayor is stealing supplies and doesn’t want it to end.

Read the book and find out if they escape the mayor’s guards and escape the city.

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“Freak the Mighty” by Rodman Philbrick

Grade Level: 5-6 | AR Points: 5.0

Freak the Mighty

Max is huge, can barely read and write, and thinks himself brainless.  He lives in his grandparents’ basement and he knows they fear him because he looks just like his father, known as Killer Kane, who is in prison.  He knows other people fear him, as well.

That is until a new kid moves into the neighborhood.  Meet Kevin, a brilliant, crippled boy who seems willing to look past Max’s shortcomings and befriend him.  The two together become strong and go on imaginary quests with Kevin mounted on Max’s shoulders.  Together, they are known as Freak the Mighty and they find they are much braver together.  Using Max as his legs, the two find exciting adventure right there in their own town.  Kevin teaches Max to read and even has Max join him in his classes.

All is good until the day Max’s father is paroled and returns for him.  Upon hearing of Max’s kidnapping, Kevin tries to rescue him.

Find out more by reading this thrilling adventure and learn what true friendship is all about.  This book can teach young readers to accept others who seem different and to befriend those who just don’t fit.

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15 Ways to encourage students to read

As a teacher who knows the importance of reading, I try to find ways to encourage my students to read. Of course, parental involvement is most important as children tend to pick up on their parents’ “habits”. I would like to share some ideas I have to encourage your children to read.  Not all of these suggestions will work with every child, but once you find the key, you will develop your own techniques.

1. Care about reading yourself.  Children who know that reading is important to the adults in their lives (parents, teachers, grandparents, etc.) tend to put more emphasis on reading.  Children who see their parents read are usually readers themselves and accept reading as a daily activity.
2. Allow your child to read for fun.  Children are required to read every day at school.  They must read in every class and, most would agree, that is not fun.  Allow your child to read what interests him or her, even if it is a magazine.  Set aside some time for the whole family to read so your child knows that this hour is set aside for reading.  No television, video games, etc.
3. Subscribe to magazines that interest your child.  Subscribe in their name so they have some ownership in the idea.  Also, visits to the news stand to purchase magazines is a great idea.  Again, allow your child to pick the material (of course, you need to monitor to make sure it fits in with your family’s values).
4. Put a bookshelf in your child’s room for his or her books.
5. Read aloud to your children and encourage older siblings to read to their younger brothers and sisters.  Again, they see their parents and older siblings reading, they tend to want to read themselves.
6. Take your children to the library.  Open a library card in their name.  Teach them how to find books that interest them and have them check out books with their own cards.
7. If age appropriate, recommend books you’ve read to your children.  Give them a brief synopsis and let them decide if they want to read it or not.
8. Allow your children to read to you, encourage them and praise them when they do.
9. When a child starts asking questions, encourage them to look it up.
10. Review vacation spots by reading travel brochures and books.  Encourage your children to find facts about your destination, and spots in between.
11. Discuss books your child is reading for school.  Read the book yourself so you have a frame of reference.  This usually provides good discussion.
12. When you are assembling something, have your child help by reading the directions to you.
13. Praise your child for reading.  If your child has finished a difficult or long book, celebrate the feat with praise.
14. Ask your child to review a book he or she has just finished.  Ask them if they recommend it to you.
15. Shop for books on the web with your children, such as at Amazon.com.

I hope this list helps, and I’m sure to be posting more in the future.

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“Holes” by Louis Sachar

Grade Level: 4-5 | AR Points: 7.0

Holes - Louis Sachar

This is a story of young Stanley Yelnats, a meek young boy from a very unlucky family.  The family’s bad luck goes back to a curse upon his “no-good-dirty-rotten-pig-stealing great-great-grandfather.”  The bad luck manifestes itself with  Stanley being wrongfully convicted of stealing a pair of shoes belonging to a famous basketball player.  The judge does not believe him when he tells him the shoes fell from the sky and gives him the choice between jail and Camp Green Lake.  Of course, not knowing about Camp Green Lake, Stanley chooses camp because his poor family has never been able to send him to camp.

However, Camp Green Lake is not a summer camp, there is no lake, and there’s nothing green in sight.  The Warden makes her charges dig holes to “build character”, but Stanley soon figures out that she is looking for some type of treasure and they are the labor.  Mr. Sir and Mr. Pendanski oversee the boys to make sure they dig a five foot hole every day.  Stanley befriends a young, quiet boy named Zero and agrees to teach him how to read.

Stanley learns the history of Green Lake, how a teacher became known as the legendary outlaw Kissin’ Kate Barlow, sweet onions, and how his own family history fits in.  Louis Sachar brings all the elements of this story together so well, it has enthralled both kids and adults.

This book was made into a movie, and even if you’ve seen the movie, you need to read this book.  Most of the time, movies don’t closely follow the book, but this is one of the exceptions.  However, there are some differences you can find between the book and the movie.

I highly recommend this book.

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Welcome Readers

As a reading teacher, I try to give my students the same love of reading I have myself.  In a day and age where we have television, movies, video games and the internet for entertainment, reading seems to take a back seat and imaginations suffer.  My goal with this site is to write about books, review books I’ve read, and provide a place for people, especially students, to share with me books they’ve read.

Please visit often as I am constantly reading and plan to share my books with you.

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