The Name Jar by Yangsook Choi

• Title: The Name Jar
• Author: Yangsook Choi
• Publishing: Dragonfly Books, Reprint Edition. Octerber 14th, 2003. 
• Synopsis: This story revolves around the life of a little Korean girl named Unhei. Unhei has just moved from her native Korea to America where she finds herself in a completely different environment in an American school. Unhei is really nervous that her fellow classmates will not like her, so instead of telling her fellow classmates her name, she decides to let her classmates choose her name for her, by putting the names that they would like to  call her in a jar. Her new classmates are fascinated by this new no name girl, and help by filling the jar with name suggestions. While Unhei practices getting accustomed to an American name, one of her fellow classmates discovers her real name and the meaning behind it. On the day of Unhei's name choosing, she is surprised that the name jar is gone and she is encouraged by her fellow classmates to keep her native name and she teaches her fellow classmates how to pronounce it. 
• The language in this book makes the words flow so well and keeps the reader engaged. There is also excellent word choice as well as very good descriptive writing to help paint the picture of the story. 
• I really enjoyed this book and I feel that it addresses an important topic. People come from different backgrounds from all over the world and at times some names you come across may be difficult to say because the originate from a different language. However, everyone has the right to their name and the right to have people respect it. By putting forth effort to understand everyone's names and how to pronounce it, we show respect not only for them as people, but also for their culture. This book does a wonderful job of translating this message for school age children and therefore I think this is an important book for young children to read. 
• While reading this book, I thought of a number of different activities that would go along with it. I thought it would be nice to teach about Korean culture and Korean names. I could have students pick a Korean name out of a hat, research what it means and how to pronounce it, and then have them present it to the class. That way, children can become accustomed to a variety of different names from a different culture. We could also do a lesson about the importance of names and I could have them research their own names and present on their meaning. I found a lesson plan on  the internet that pertains to names that can be found here: http://www.readwritethink.org/classroom-resources/lesson-plans/investigating-names-explore-personal-878.html In addition, I would definitely do a mini lesson on being inclusive of everyone and talk about how that includes knowing how to pronounce everyone's names, not just those you already know. 
• The author Yangsook Choi's website can be found here: http://www.yangsookchoi.com/bio.html
• I also found an excellent book trailer for The Name Jar on YouTube that I would share with my students that can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=htuL3YU-Uiw 
  

Ruby Holler by Sharon Creech

• Title: Ruby Holler
• Author: Sharon Creech
• Publishing: HarperCollins, Reprint Edition. April 24th, 2012. 
• Synopsis: This book starts at Boxton Creek Home, and orphanage in which the main characters of this novel, boy and girl twins Dallas and Florida live. The 13 year old twins have been tossed around by many adoptive families before and are making plans to run away, that is before they are adoptive by an older couple named Tiller and Sairy Morey who live on a plot of land called Ruby Holler. The elderly couple reveals their plans to go on separate trips, each with one of the twins. Over the course of the preparation process, the elderly couple works to prove that not everyone is the twins' enemy and that some people are worth trusting. The twins struggle to trust Sairy and Tiller, with multiple episodes of attempted running away. Eventually the twins realize that they can't trust the Moreys after all and they learn the true meaning of trust and family. 
• This book is a gentle story with themes pertaining to belonging as well as family. In addition, trust seems to be a common thing throughout the story. The author uses direct quotations to make the reader feel like they are actually present while the story is unfolding. The author also does a great job using imagery to really help the reader visualize  the setting of Ruby Holler. 
• I really enjoyed this book and remember reading it in a small group novel study in 4th grade. The author made me fall in love with Ruby Holler and really sympathize with the twins. This book really transported me into the story and I felt involved with the character's lives and the plot of the story, which I think is the mark of a great book. I also think that the themes of trust, belonging and family are excellently woven into the story.
• Like I did as a student in 4th grade, I would definitely use this novel as an older grade novel study. One of the activities I would do to work on comprehension and using imagery would be to have the students work in groups to create a labeled map of Ruby Holler. Once all of the groups finish their maps, I would have them present them to the class, and then we would make a full class final draft of the map and hang it in our classroom. 
• In searching for things to use Ruby Holler for, I found an awesome website that had a printable word search with vocabulary words from the book, ideas for fun related activities, as well as discussion questions for literature circles. Here is the link to this resource: http://www.surreylibraries.ca/programs-services/4858.aspx
• I found a really good book trailer for Ruby Holler that can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_IoGa84TrDA
• The author Sharon Creech has a really nice website that has resources specifically for teachers using her books in the classroom that includes discussion questions as well as suggested activities to go along with her book. Her website can be found here: http://www.sharoncreech.com 
  

Junie B. Jones is a Party Animal by Barbara Park

• Title: Junie B. Jones is a Party Animal
• Author: Barbara Park
• Publishing: Random House Books for Young Readers. September 16, 1997.
• Synopsis:  This story is the 10th in the wonderful chapter book series following the spunky elementary schooler Junie B. Jones. June B. and her friend Grace are invited over to their classmate Lucille's grandmother's house for a sleepover. Lucille, however has a bit of a more fancy lifestyle than Junie B. and Grace. While at Lucille;s grandmother's house, Junie B. notices that everything is so elegant even the fancy glasses they drink from at supper. Being her clumsy self, Junie B. drops and shatters her elegant glass. While at the house, Junie B. and Grace help Lucille beg her "nana" for a pet poodle as her grandma has the money to easily afford one and Lucille is spoiled. At the end of the sleepover, Junie B. decides that she would love to live this way when she grows up, but would rather party with her own grandmother's plastic cups as that's where she feels at home. 
• This book has excellent illustration that really do an excellent job showing Junie B.'s spunky personality. The book is written in first person as the main character young Junie B. Due to this, there is special language used that might be used by little kids such as saying Lucille's "richie grandma." This type of language is really effective in making the reader believe that the author is a young elementary school student.
• This book is my favorite out of all of the Junie B. Jones series. I know this because I have read every single book. I grew up with Junie B. Jones and loved her as if she were my own best friend. It is for this reason that I know that she is an effective character that really resonates with young girls. Young girls especially love her and relate to her every day life. This book is so relatable and really got me reading as a kid, which in my opinion makes this book an excellent choice. 
• Last year in one of my education classes, I learned that Junie B. Jones is on some banned book lists. I was very surprised to hear this as I grew up loving this series and often times read them in school as well as at home. For this reason, I don't think I would use this book as a class book to read together, however I would definitely have the whole series in my classroom library to be read as a private SSR book with parent permission. Due to the fact that Junie B Jones has such a distinct personality that really shines in the books, I would definitely use her in creative writing prompts if I were to use her books in the classroom. I would ask questions such as how do you think Junie B. Jones would bring in for show and tell to her classroom and why? If her class had a dress as what you want to be when you grow up day, what do you think Junie B. Jones would dress up as and why? I think students would really have fun with those prompts and would have really creative answers. 
• My childhood dreams came true when I discovered that there is a Junie B. Jones website! There are various games that can be played, Junie B. Jones activities as well as book reviews and a kids club. I would definitely use this website for a student that could not get enough of Junie B. Jones. The website can be found here: http://juniebjones.com 
  

Sophie Simon Solves Them All by Lisa Graff

• Title: Sophie Simon Solves Them All
• Author: Lisa Graff
• Publishing: Square Fish. September 18, 2012. 
• Synopsis: This book is a short chapter book intended for grades third through fifth. The story follows the story of Sophie Simon, who is a very smart student. In her spare time Sophie loves to teach herself calculus. She is also very good at dealing with her parents and has even performed heart surgery on a worm. Although Sophie Simon seems to be an overall smart girl, she struggles with realizing the value of friendship.  Her parents and teachers worry about her issue making friends, but Sophie just doesn't see the point. However, this changes in the story when Sophie really wants a 100-dollar calculator and is faced with the task of using her smarts to interact with some of her peers with some issues at home. In helping her fellow classmates, Sophie realizes that it's not so bad to have friends and to be a friend in return. 
• The illustrations in this book are unique in that they literally show what is Sophie as the person she is, in that the illustrator depicts above her head the inner workings of her mind as she tries to solve all of her classmates problems. 
• I found Sophie Simon Solves Them All to be an excellent book. I really loved the message on the importance of friendship. This book is geared towards children in the middle of elementary school and blossoming friendships are becoming more and more important which makes this a great and relatable book for young children. 
• I would definitely use this as a novel study for a 3rd grade class because the main character Sophie is also in 3rd grade. I would include mini lessons about the importance of friendship and what it means to be a good friend. I would also incorporate math lesson as mini lesson because they tie in with Sophie Simon's love of math. While reading this book, I cam up with the idea for a bulletin board and activity. I would call the bulletin board called the "Friendship Equation" I would then have cut out little calculators for each of my students. I would instruct them to write on their calculator what it takes to be good friend and then I would paste them on the board. 
• In searching online, I found an excellent book trailer for Sophie Simon Solves Them All which can be found here: http://www.booktrailersforreaders.com/Sophie+Simon+Solves+Them+All+SchoolTube
• I also found the author's website that can be found here: http://www.lisagraff.com 
  

Because of Winn-Dixie by Kate DiCamillo

• Title: Because of Winn-Dixie
• Author: Kate DiCamillo
• Publishing: Candlewick. February 10th, 2009. 
• Synopsis: This story revolves around the life of fictional character, a little girl named Opal Buloni. Opal and her preacher father move to a little town in Florida called Naomi. Opal is really not happy living in Naomi and she really misses her old home, old friends and her mother who abandoned her as a little girl. Opal keeps feeling sad until one day she makes a new friend in a dog who she names Winn-Dixie, due to the fact that she found him ransacking a grocery store with the same name. She begins to love Winn-Dixie as does her father, and Winn-Dixie leads to Opal finding new friends in Miss Franny a little old librarian, an alleged witch Gloria Dump, and a pet store worker named Otis. Soon the friends begin chatting all the time and swapping stories. Opal learns through talking to them that sometimes people aren't always what they seem. Opal's new friends convince her to have a party and even invite the children who taunt her. Everything at the shindig goes well until a thunderstorm comes and Winn-Dixie becomes scared and runs off into the night. Opal and her father search and search for him but with no results. Opal breaks down and her and her father have a heart to heart. During the conversation Opal realizes that her mother isn't coming back and that she still has many people who love her and that she can love in return. Things get even better for Opal as she discovers Winn-Dixie, who was under her bed hiding all along. 
• The illustration on the cover of the book does a great job of portraying the bond between Winn-Dixie and Opal and really helps the reader to visually realize the special bond that the two share. 
• I think this is a wonderful book because it portrays a powerful lesson. This book really shows that even if you have lost people in your life, there are always people who love you and that you just have to stop and realize it. In addition, this book shows that love can come from unlikely places and can be as simple as love from a dog. This lesson is woven so well into this story by Kate DiCamillo and this book is one of my favorites because of that fact. 
• I would definitely use this book in a 4th or 5th grade class as a novel study. I found only some awesome worksheets that would help my students with comprehension that can be found here: http://www.superteacherworksheets.com/book-because-of-winn-dixie.html
• I also stumbled upon a great learning activity online that I would definitely use when doing a novel study of Because of Winn-Wixie. Just like the ghost tree in the novel, I would make our own personal class ghost tree in which each student would create a tag with something they regret and wish they could take back on one side, and something they are very proud of on the other. They would then hang their tag on the tree. I found this idea on site that can be found here: http://greatteaching.carnegie.org/?p=3186
• Kate DiCamillo's website can be found here: http://www.katedicamillo.com