Dragon's Library

Sunday, October 25, 2020

Auggie and Me: Three Wonder Stories

Written by: RJ Palacio

First line: Okay, okay, okay.

Why you should read this book: A companion to the popular novel Wonder, this books tells the parallel stories of Julian, Christopher, and Charlotte, three kids whose lives were impacted by Auggie's. We learn that Auggie's bully, Julian, suffers from nightmares, and that his response to Auggie is born of shame and fear; Christopher learns the importance of sticking by friends through his own relationship with Auggie; and Charlotte learns to see the world and the idea of popularity through a new lens.Written with wisdom and compassion, Palacio's stories show kids' real inner worlds.

Why you shouldn't read this book: Although these stories all stand alone, it probably makes more sense to read the first book first.

Hold Fast

Written by: Blue Balliett

First line: It was the bitterest, meanest, darkest, coldest winter in anyone's memory, even in one of the forgotten neighborhoods of Chicago.

Why you should read this book: Early's idyllic family life is shattered when her kind, smart, beloved father disappears under mysterious circumstances and strangers invade and rob her home, and the police don't seem to care. Now she, her mother, and her brother are broke, homeless, and desperately adapting to a new way of living, but Early is determined to use every resource available to find her father and make her family whole again. A smart story about love and family, which is also a clever mystery.

Why you shouldn't read this book: Kids will likely identify with Early's determined optimism, but as an adult, I couldn't help but put myself in her mother's shoes, terrified that her husband has been murdered and that she won't be able to protect of care for her children as their world gets bleaker and bleaker, and this book wrecked me.

The Sign of the Beaver

Written by: Elizabeth George Speare

First line: Matt stood at the edge of the clearing for some time after his father had gone out of sight among the trees.

Why you should read this book: Matt and his father have spent all spring and summer preparing a new home in Maine in 1769, but when Matt's father leaves him to protect their claim while he retrieves his wife and daughter from Massachusetts, a series of unfortunate events makes it difficult for Matt to feed and protect himself. Befriended by an Indian chief, he finds himself the tutor of the chief's unwilling grandson, Attean whose interest in learning to read is almost nonexistent and who is much less impressed with Matt than his grandfather. In time, the two boys become friends and Matt realizes he has much more to learn from Attean than Attean has to learn from him.

Why you shouldn't read this book: This book has received some criticism for its stereotypical depiction of American Indians.

Island of the Blue Dolphins

Written by: Scott O'Dell

First line: I remember the day the Aleut ship came to our island.

Why you should read this book: Life on Karana's island becomes dangerous when the Aleut otter hunters arrive, bringing lies and death for Karana's people, who decide it would be safer to trust in white people who will carry them to a safer land. When her brother, Ramo misses the boat, Karana chases after him and the two end up stranded in their abandoned home. Karana must battle the elements, wild dogs, devil fish, and dozens of other threats in order to survive on her own.

Why you shouldn't read this book: A little sad.

Julie

Written by: Jean Craighead George

First line: A wolf howled.

Why you should read this book: It picks up where the award-winning classic left off, but Julie's teenage anger at finding her father adopting the ways of white people fades. Returning to the home he shares with his Julie's new Minnesotan stepmother, Julie resolves to be a good Inuit daughter, but when her father's new venture—ranching the arctic musk ox, or uminmack—is threatened by the presence of the wolves that saved Julie's life, she must choose. Can she protect her friends and respect her father's way of life?

Why you shouldn't read this book: Considering how the first book ended, it seemed unlikely that Julie would go back to her father's house.

FAQs

What's in Dragon's Library?

The intention was to create a record of every book that I read. I wish I'd had the idea about twenty-five years ago, but better late than never.

What's the deal with all those Amazon links?

Dragon's Library is a real, live Amazon affiliate site. Go ahead! Click those links. You can buy any book on this site (heck, you can buy any book in the world) directly from a trusted source. [Disclosure: I get 4% of the sales. Please buy a book and help support a struggling artist.]

How do you choose books?

Years of reading to elementary kids has given me a good sense of what kids respond to. I only review children's books if both my students and I enjoyed them. Otherwise, I favor speculative fiction, classic literature, and non-fiction books about science. However, I have been known to read just about anything.

Will you review my book (or a book I like, or a book I am publicizing)?

Yes. Yes, I will. I will review pretty much anything you send me, provided it does not suck. I do not review books I don't enjoy. If I like it well enough to finish it, it will appear on this site. Email me for further details.

Read to Your Dragonet

Studies show that children who regularly hear books read and see adults reading books have an easier time learning to read. If your children do not realize that books are fun and contain interesting ideas, they will be less motivated to learn how to read and write. Children who do not learn to read and write have difficulty succeeding in school and at life.

Even infants can enjoy books. You can check baby board books out of the library. Your baby will enjoy sitting on your lap as you read the words and point to the brightly colored pictures. If your baby wants to chew on the book, that's OK too.

Toddlers and pre-schoolers should understand how to hold a book (right side up) and how to turn the pages (left to right in English). Even if they're not ready to read, you can help your child prepare for school by teaching them how to talk about the stories they've heard. Pre-schoolers should be able to tell you something about character, setting, conflict, and resolution. After reading a story, prompt your child to tell you who the story was about, where it happened, what the problem was, and how it was solved.

If your grade-school child has difficulty learning to read, you can advocate for them. Your public school district is required to provide special help to kids with learning disabilities. If you suspect your child has dyslexia or some other difficulty in recognizing words, you may have to fight for your child's rights. Your child has the right to be tested by the district to determine the level of his or her disability, and your child has the right to a qualified specialist who can understand the best way for your child to learn. Some districts may be reluctant to pay for the extra help your child needs. Don't give up! Make sure your child gets the help he or she deserves. In America, every child has a right to an education.

You can learn more about children's books at the American Library Association website. Your public library is a great place to introduce your children to books. They will have special programs and incentives for kids of all ages to love reading. In most systems children are entitled to their own library cards from the time they are old enough to write their own names. It's a great way to teach responsibility as well as foster a lifelong love of learning and books.

If you can't get to the library, but you have an Internet connection, you can find many full-text books on-line. For adults, Project Gutenberg offers thousands of full-text books you can download for free.