BookWalk: Terrific

This BookWalk selection has a seriously bad attitude and that’s what makes it so much fun.  Terrific, written and illustrated by Jon Agee, shares the story of a man who firmly believes that if anything can go wrong it undoubtedly will.

Eugene is a pessimistic fellow.  It doesn’t matter what happens to Eugene.  He always overlooks the positive and wholeheartedly searches for the negative.  When he wins a cruise to Bermuda, he is more consumed with the likelihood of getting a sunburn than with the possibility that he might have a good time.  Reluctantly, Eugene sets sail and finds himself shipwrecked and stranded on a deserted island.

Eugene finds one resident on this remote island; a parrot.  This is a remarkably intelligent parrot that wins Eugene’s trust and helps him to escape their island prison by showing Eugene how to build a boat.

After guiding Eugene through the boat-building process, the parrot sets sail with him in hopes of finding civilization.  Sadly, the pair runs out of their food supply and fears that they will perish on the high seas.

As their hopes are diminished, Eugene and the parrot run in to a fishing trawler and are rescued.  I’ll leave the remainder of the story for your own discovery.  This is a book that you and your young friends will enjoy and there are many teachable moments to be uncovered within its covers.

Let me know what you think of this BookWalk selection.  I’d love to hear from you.

Terrific

Jon Agee, Author and Illustrator

Scholastic

ISBN – 13:  978-0-439-89541-5

ISBN – 10:  0439-89541-3

Enjoy Your Wordless Wednesday: Done!

BookWalk: The Story of Ruby Bridges (Revisited in Honor of Black History Month)

The Story of Ruby Bridges is based on the true story of a brave young lady who, in 1960, became the first African-American child to attend a school that had previously been attended by all white children.  At the age of six years Ruby took on a challenge that most adults would have never dared to assume.

Ruby’s family was from Mississippi and her father worked in the fields until machines began doing the jobs of the men.  When he lost his job he moved Ruby, her mother, and siblings to New Orleans, Louisiana where he began working as a janitor and her mother cleaned the floors of a bank.  Regardless of where they lived or where they worked, Ruby’s parents always made faith a priority and every Sunday the family worshipped together in church.

In 1960, the schools of New Orleans were still not integrated and a judge ordered that four African-American girls begin attending white elementary schools.  Three of the girls went to one school, but Ruby was sent to the William Frantz Elementary School all by herself.

Ruby’s parents were proud of their child’s important commission and they prayed that God would strengthen them all for the days ahead.  On Ruby’s first day at her new school the President ordered that federal marshals accompany her into the school-house amid the jeers and angry picketers on the sidewalk.

The parents of the white students refused to send their children if Ruby was to be there.  Ruby faithfully attended every day and she and her teacher, Miss Hurley studied together diligently.  Miss Hurley was amazed at Ruby’s ability to walk through the angry mobs on a daily basis and still calmly and happily learn new lessons.  There’s more to the story, but I’ll let you discover that on your own when you read the book and share it with your children.

Robert Coles, a child psychiatrist and a Pulitzer Prize-winning author, detailed this account of Ruby’s story.  The illustrator, George Ford, has won both the Coretta Scott King Award and the Jane Addam’s Children’s Book Award for his visual portrayals of various works of children’s literature.

Give this one a read and please share any creative lesson activities that would accompany it.

The Story of Ruby Bridges

Robert Coles, author

George Ford, illustrator

Scholastic

ISBN:  0-590-43968-5

Non-Traditional Haiku: “Educator’s Lament”

 

I teach school by day

By night, I am a student

What am I thinking?

 

Ever weary brain

Metacognition surplus

Need to graduate

I Like to Use My Teacher Voice

I like to use my teacher voice.

                 I’m glad you’re here

                You have lots of friends here

                Your name is all over our classroom

                You belong here

I like to use my teacher voice.

                You have creative ideas

                You can do anything

                You can learn anything

                You can help me teach your friends

My teacher voice has the power to

                Calm the storm

                Turn the light bulbs on in a child’s brain

                Make a child feel safe

                Take a child to a new level

                Make a child want to try

                                To Speak

                                To Sing

                                To Move

                                To Dance

                                To Reach

                                To Know there is more

                                To Want more

                                To Get more

                                To Be more

                               To Be all

                                To Be

I like to use my teacher voice.