Junior Books

Our class read this book. We are in the fourth grade. We really like this book because there are not many books about black kids and white kids being together like friends. Our class has all kinds of kids, not just black and white. We are all friends, like the two girls in this book. We all want to read this book again!

Amber, who is black, and Shelby, who is white begin middle school as best friends. But soon the girls meet other friends who do no approve of their interracial friendship. Does their friendship last among a divided school where the black kids sit on one side of the cafeteria and the white kids on the other? It is up to Amber and Shelby to make difficult decisions about their friendships. Finally, a book that shows minority characters in realistic, believable situations. There are no stereotypes. A rare book which portrays a friendship between a young black girl and her white best friend. More than that, it is a book that teaches young people (ages 8-14) that true friendship can withstand the worst--even racial hatred and discrimination. Yay!

I have been a special eduation teacher, Reading Recovery teacher, and resding specialist for 30 years. This book is by far the most comprehensive and READABLE book I have seen on the subject of working with struggling readers. It is to to teachers of struggling readers what Reading Essentials (Routman) is to all teachers of reading... a must have. I particularly like the way she addresses student motivation. Very reader friendly and easy to put into practice.

DO NOT BE FOOLED BY THIS BOOK'S TITLE! Many teachers will be tempted to pass on this book because of it's title. Teachers who face reading instruction for a wide range of abilities in large classrooms of 20 plus students may be discouraged by a book that, at first glance, seems to approach the teaching of reading one student at a time. Again, DO NOT BE FOOLED. Once inside, you will find that many of the reasons that students struggle to read are quite common. Therefore, much of what she teaches you can be used in group work with your students who have a common need. If you would like to read more about Pat Johnson's approach and about the teaching of reading in this book, please see the Stenhouse Publishing website where the entire book is on-line for review!

All the books I ordered were delivered in the time I requested. I appreciate Amazon's promptness.

My students' growth in writing is directly attributed to the continual conferencing they have with me or other advanced writers. While conferencing, I find various phrases starters and conferencing techniques from this book pop into my head. This book offers a framework in which to teach the writing strategies and process. This book was intended for early childhood writing, but I find the framework directly applicable to in a high school setting. I am amazed how this book has helped my under-performing,inner city,below-grade level high school scholars to reflect on their writing to produce meaningful prose. The conference transcripts are the most valuable.

"Gran" (Bess Preston) thinks her son being fired from his advertising job may be a blessing in disguise. And it's what it turns out to be for the Preston family: dad John, mother Molly, 12-year-old Dick, 8-year-old Janet, and Gran, who start out from their "shining modern apartment" one day in June 1941 on vacation and end up, through Gran's innocent machinations, buying a rundown farm in upstate New York. Gran's determined to keep the farm and the rest of the family respond to the challenge by turning the decrepit place into a beautiful place to live and work. In doing so they befriend an elderly couple and their grandson, a talented artist, whose lives are changed by the Prestons.

This is a charming novel in which Seredy again promotes life on the farm, and threads about belonging, home, and the diversity of American life are wound tenderly through it. Although she doesn't sugarcoat the hard work the Prestons must do to bring the farm to life, she makes it so appealing that you will want to buy a farm yourself to see if you can recreate the joy the family finds in simple living. Although the news of Pearl Harbor strikes a blow to all involved (especially a Polish couple farming nearby), the beautiful ending of this story will have you misty-eyed.

This is a wonderful story that takes place just prior to WWII. It starts out with the family living in a big city, in a modern apartment with all the latest gadgets. The grandmother, who lives with her son, daughter-in-law, and two grandchildren, would like to move back to a farm, but knows she can't by herself. Just as the story opens, the father has lost his job and isn't sure what to do next, but decides to take his family on a vacation at a new lakeside vacation home development. On the way his mother tricks them into going to an estate auction at a farm. While there the father unintentionally buys the farm. They decide to stay for awhile and see how they like it. The rest of the book tells about all the experiences they have on the farm. It is a very good picture of what farm life was like in the late 1930s and a heartwarming story about the interactions of these city slickers and their new farming neighbors.

"Oranges on Golden Mountain" is an excellent children's book. The text by Elizabeth Partridge is complemented by Aki Sogabe's colorful illustrations.

"Oranges" tells the story of Jo Lee, a Chinese boy who emigrates to California, where he works as a fisherman with his uncle. He misses his mother, who is still in China, but he plants orange branches that she gave him to take on his journey.

This is a realistic immigrant story with some fantastic/supernatural touches that evoke traditional Chinese beliefs. Illustrator Aki Sogabe creates many memorable scenes: a letter writer engaged in Chinese calligraphy, the Dragon King flying over a stormy ocean, Jo Lee tending his orange saplings, and more. To sum up: this is an excellent book for children of all cultures.

Jo Lee has to leave China because his family orchard can not support everyone after two dry years in a row. Mother uses the last of the money Father sent to get Jo Lee to Fourth Uncle in California. She knows he will have food there and learn to fish. Jo Lee's comfort is that he can send his Hun, his dream spirit, to keep in touch with his family in China. He leaves his family orchard for California with the bundle of orange tree twigs his mother gives to him. When he reaches Golden Mountain, Fourth Uncle helps him plant the twigs.

When the orange twigs root and bloom, Jo Lee's hope bloom too. Then, when he sleeps, his Hun travels to China to tell his mother. A heart-tugging story of the sacrifice made by a Chinese boy to help his family during hard times.

The cut paper drawings, by illustrator Aki Sogabe, beautifully compliment this story. The white caps,the swirling water, the fishing net, the misty Hun, and the clouds are superb illustrations for this simple little story.

Otis is a pig unlike other pigs. He doesn't like mud. He avoids muddy play, does his best to remain spotless. As seen on the cover, he even takes baths. but has a lot of trouble making friends. He's just not like them. What can Otis do?

One day, Otis discovers somebody new, somebody who isn't a pig at all. This individual doesn't like mud either, but he does have a muddy problem. Otis helps him out and discovers a new friend in the process!


Those of us who find ourselves different from others in one or more ways can identify with Otis. He gives us hope that we can find others to relate to. The illustrations are soft and charming. The text seems like it would work well for read-aloud, or for young readers with a bit more advanced reading knowledge.

Poor Otis has the same problem many children have...fitting in. While the rest of the pigs cavort in the mud, Otis prefers to stay nice and clean...which doesn't win him many friends. Until he meets Little Frog, who is the perfect friend for Otis. Not only did I find this an enchanting tale, but Bynum's rich watercolors and attention to detail (a copy of This Old Sty is among the clutter in the pig's livingroom)grabs every child's imagination and heart. And Otis is a character that you will naturally fall in love with. He's so adorable! Great for the preschool set.

Great menu and party ideas. Well-organized with various party venues, invitation, decoration and serving ideas.

Got as a gift from my father more than 20 years ago and it has served me well for all kinds of entertaining.

Entertaining, recipes, drinks all in one. I have used it for over 20 years and am delighted to find it still in print.

The Perfect Present is a very sweet Christmas story with wonderful pictures. Kind of Beatrice Potter looking. And many of the pages open up to one really big page. It's just a wonderful book to read to young children.

This is the story of two rabbits looking for each other, each hoping to give the other a "perfect present." Hague's illustrations are the most cheerful and bright I've seen in any of his books. The children love looking through each page for the miniature kangaroo that is madly hopping away from the young rabbit lad. The fold-out pages are fun, but since they are so large, this is a better book for children who are old enough to be trusted not to pull too hard or smash the pages back in crooked. My 6 & 8 year olds both love this book and have for several years. A fun addition to your Christmas library.

If you're looking for a way to make students feel a part of the Middle Ages, the Civil War, Ancient Greece or Egypt, this book is a must have! The authors use literary or historical characters to introduce children to history--in a first hand way. Learn about medieval times by taking on the persona of King Arthur or Guinevere. Learn about the Civil War by being Grant or Lee. Understand ancient Greece and Egypt through the eyes of their mythological gods. Children will love this approach to history.

This book provides a creative yet practical way of bringing history to life for students in grades 4-6. Each chapter provides teachers with ideas for enriching curriculum content areas. I've shared this book with several of the teachers in my school and, now, they all use it.

I found the book very helpful. It was easy to read and I believe that I can take the information straight into the classroom.

Bobbi Fisher has done it again! This is a must for all early childhood teachers. A very readable, practical book about using shared reading as a strategy in your early childhood classroom, along with the added pleasure of having Bobbi's daughter talk about her experiences as a first year teacher. A must!