Frindle by Andrew Clements
Summary: Frindle is about a "battle" between Nick, a ten year old, and his teacher, Mrs. Granger who has a reputation for being strict, for loving the dictionary, and for using the dictionary as punishment for misbehavior. When Nick tries to get his teacher off track by asking a question about how words are added to the dictionary, she punishes him for his mischief by having him do a report to answer his own question. What he learns in his research is that words can be powerful and anyone can create a new word as long as enough people use it. The result is the new word "frindle"and a war between the students and Mrs. Granger, who is secretly pleased about Nick's discovery.
My Impressions:
I thought this book showed how perseverance can pay off and that a person should fight for what they believe.
Review:
Gr.
3-6. Ten-year-old Nick Allen has a reputation for devising clever, time-wasting
schemes guaranteed to distract even the most conscientious teacher. His
diversions backfire in Mrs. Granger's fifth-grade class, however, resulting in
Nick being assigned an extra report on how new entries are added to the
dictionary. Surprisingly, the research provides Nick with his best idea ever,
and he decides to coin his own new word. Mrs. Granger has a passion for
vocabulary, but Nick's (and soon the rest of the school's) insistence on
referring to pens as "frindles" annoys her greatly. The war of words
escalates - resulting in after-school punishments, a home visit from the
principal, national publicity, economic opportunities for local entrepreneurs,
and, eventually, inclusion of frindle in the dictionary. Slightly reminiscent
of Avi's Nothing but the Truth (1991), this is a kinder, gentler story in which
the two sides eventually come to a private meeting of the minds and the power
of language triumphs over both. Sure to be popular with a wide range of
readers, this will make a great read-aloud as well.
Library Use: Frindle could be used as an introduction to dictionary skills. The children may be more interested in looking up words and finding their origins, etc. after reading this book.Resource List:
Clements, A. (1998, c1996). Frindle. New York, NY: Aladdin Paperbacks.
Weisman,
Kay. (1996, September 1). Review of the book Frindle, by Andrew Clements. Booklist 93(1), 125. Retrieved from Literature Resource
Center. http://go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?id=GALE%7CA18697125&v=2.1&u=txshracd2679&it=r&p=LitRC&sw=w
Because of Winn Dixie by Kate DiCamillo
Summary: Because of Winn Dixie is the story of a young girl, Opal, who has just moved to a new town and hasn't made any friends. She saves a dog who is causing problems inside the Winn Dixie grocery store by saying that he is hers. She has to think quickly when asked what his name was, and she says it's "Winn Dixie." Opal convinces her dad to keep the dog and they become inseparable. Through Winn Dixie she makes several new friends, all of which have interesting life-stories.
My Impressions: This book made me laugh out loud at times and made me sad at other times. Opal has such a unique way of seeing the world. I think the author has created a book that elementary and middle school students can relate to, as meeting new friends is always an area of concern. She also teaches the reader to look beyond what you see and try not to judge a person, rather learn their story instead.
Reviews:
"It's
hard not to immediately fall in love with a dog who has a good sense of
humor," reflects ten-year-old Opal after she rescues a dog who is creating
chaos at a Winn-Dixie grocery store. She names her new good-natured pet
Winn-Dixie and, through him, starts to make friends in the small Florida town
to which she and her kind preacher father have recently moved. Her friends,
young and old, have touching stories to tell, conveyed in simple, well-crafted
prose with a Southern flavor. An unconventional party brings Opal's new pals
together in a fitting conclusion to the short, heartfelt book which won a
Newbery Honor Award.
Library Use: This book could be used in a "cause and effect" lesson. Looking at each character's personality, the student can then use the information about the character's life story to explain why they act the way they do. They could create a table or T- chart to show the cause and effect in each case.
Author:
Judi Moreillon
Gr. 9-12--When India Opal Buloni follows her
preacher father to Naomi, a town in rural north Florida, leaving friends and
home behind [in Because of Winn-Dixie], she feels even more acutely the loss of
the mother who left the family when Opal was small. Winn-Dixie, the dog she
finds and befriends, helps Opal pull together the lives and losses of other
lonely and grieving Naomi residents. The story told by the elderly town
librarian of her ancestor who fought in the Civil War and lost everything
important to him except his appreciation for the sweetness and sadness that
mingle in life weaves through this story of new beginnings.
Resource List:
DiCamillo, K. (2000). Because of Winn Dixie. Cambridge, Mass.: Candlewick Press.
Moreillon,
Judi. (2000 May). Review of Because of
Winn-Dixie, by Kate DiCamillo. Book Links, 9(5),
12. Retrieved from Literature Resource Center. http://go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?id=GALE%7CH1420072905&v=2.1&u=txshracd2679&it=r&p=LitRC&sw=w
Odean,
K. (2001, May). Review of the book Because of Winn-Dixie, by Kate DiCamillo. Book, 80. Retireved from Literature
Resource Center. http://go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?id=GALE%7CA74090725&v=2.1&u=txshracd2679&it=r&p=LitRC&sw=w
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