Author Archives: midaniel

Around London with Kids by Fodor’s

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Around London with Kids by Fodor’s

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This informational text presents the best of London in a fun and intriguing way for children. The book has separate sections labeled Fun Times A to Z, Best Bets, Something for Everyone, and All Around Town. Each section has a collection of related chapters to interest, teach, and inspire the reader to visit London. This book is complied based on mom, dad, and children suggestions. The suggestions are very helpful and unexpected to tourists. Each page offers the address, website, fees, hours of operations, and age appropriateness. For example, the passage about the Changing of the Guard gives a summary as well as a Make the Most of Your Times suggestion if you arrive and the area is already over crowded. The book explains the best view, when crowds are near the front, is the Wellington Barracks on Birdcage Walk (the guard is inspected at 11am before going to the Palace for the change ceremony). Around London with Kids helps parents and children plan their journey through London with a spark of excitement and fun. It makes the voyage seem manageable and affordable for families with all the inside tips and ideas.

The Magical Worlds of Harry Potter: A Treasury of Myths, Legends, and Fascinating Facts by David Colbert

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The Magical Worlds of Harry Potter: A Treasury of Myths, Legends, and Fascinating Facts by David Colbert

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This book decodes the clues and references that J.K. Rowling purposefully places in the Harry Potter series. This book is authorized, prepared, approved, licensed, and enforced by J.K. Rowling and Warner Bros. It takes you inside Rowling’s thoughts and creativity when writing the series. An example of Rowling’s inside scoop includes, Chapter 3: Is “Avada Kedavra” a Real Curse? Here we learn that most of her spells and curses come from her imagination, but the Avada Kedavra curse originates from Aramaic phrase meaning “disappear like this word”. Another example discuses the resemblance of Medusa and the Basilisk, “Humans who looked at the snaky head of Medusa were turned to stone. The hero Perseus slayed it by looking only at its reflection in his metal shield, just as Hermione avoids the full force of the basilisk’s power because she sees only its reflection.” She thoughtfully crafts the characters, setting, and diction. My favorite chapter, Where Do Those Names Come From, divulges the origins of iconic names and words such as Quiddich, Hogwarts, Albus, and Hermione. Many are derived from maps, plants, and friends. This inside addition is a great connector to other material and studies in the class. As a teacher, you can pull out some relevant connections and use them to help students remember and understand other subjects.

Lives of the Explorers by Kathleen Krull

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Lives of the Explorers by Kathleen Krull

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Lives of the Explorers by Kathleen Krull tells the tale of a variety of explorers throughout history. The format of this book makes it manageable and interesting to learn about dozens of famous explorers in just a few pages. The author wants the reader to know the real story. Krull’s purpose is to start conversations about these explorers journeys, motivations, set backs, triumphs, and legacies. I appreciate her honest and descriptive voice.

This book is very inspiring. Many of these explorers were ridiculed, threatened, or exiled for their dreams of adventure. These brave men and women broke free from the stereotypes and cultural norms of their time to pursue something bigger than themselves. This kind of courage is important to share with students. With an diverse collection of explorers form across the world it would be easy to create reading circles for students to report or share what they learned from a particularly explorer. Students could also examine the cultural context of these heroes and determine how they might feel if they were in the same situation.

Lives of the Explorers contains authentic quotes and fascinating facts about each journey. There is also a section in each chapter labeled, Onward. This sections details results and impact of their exploration. This book is a great launch into deeper topics such as male and female roles, perseverance, loyalty, relationships, geography, and culture.

 

 

 

War Dogs: Churchill and Rufus

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War Dogs: Churchill and Rufus by Kathryn Selbert

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War Dogs: Churchill and Rufus by Kathryn Selbert shares the life of Winston Churchill through the eyes of his pet dog, Rufus. The layout of this book is unique. Each page has a short, but vibrant passage alongside an enlarged quote from Churchill (pasted on a sticky note). This makes the story feel more authentic and personal. Reading the actual words of Churchill brings in an element of truth and reality. His phrases are bold and noteworthy. These quotes could be used to inspire a connected unit of writing and grammar to the read aloud. The illustrations help the reader connect these bigger topics and actions to something tangible. The author does an excellent job discussing World War II with rich language and cohesive fluency. The word choice is purposeful and intriguing. The book comes full circle by beginning with an introduction of their relationship. They share walks and other daily activities together, but the book closes with, “Rufus and Winston share more than walks together. Walls that have crumbled from blasts and fire and rebuilt, and the streets are swept clean.” The book also contains an informational timeline of World War II events and a short biography and photo of Winston and Rufus. I highly recommend this book and will definitely use it to spark student interests and build background knowledge about World War II.

Paddington by Michael Bond

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Paddington by Michael Bond

This story of Paddington invites readers in with his charming and kindhearted spirit. This small bear leaves Peru to venture into the modern world of London with nothing, but a red hat, blue coat, and jar of marmalade. Paddington’s journey is playful and comical for young children. He learns how to live like humans by staying with the Brown Family. The Brown’s treated Paddington as their own child. This relationship may emulate the modern blended family dynamic. Students can see that physical differences and cultural backgrounds do not determine acceptance. Paddington’s story depicts true love sacrifice for loved ones.us_alley_paddington_cover