Introducing…Sasha Abramowitz by Sue Halpern is such a great book on so many levels. The plot is tightly written with memorable characters that somehow all get interwoven into the final chapter. Sasha is also such a engaging and realistic character that you can’t help but sympathize with her point of view but also gain insight as she does as she starts to see her brother from other people’s point of view. I highly recommend this book for grades 4-6th.
Chewy Jewelry for Orally Fixated Kids from Kid Companion
Chewrlry: Chewy jewelry designed for special needs kids but works for orally fixed kids as well to help them stop biting their nails or sucking their thumb!
Maniac Magee + My Side of the Mountain = Hoot by Hiaasen
Hoot by Carl Hiaasen won an insane amout of awards including A Newbery Honor Award and it’s not hard to see why once you read it. It’s a mystery and an adventure with multiple happy endings including the school bully getting what he deserves.
How To: Raise a Reader and a Writer
This brochure from the National Association for the Education of Young Children comes home with every about-to-be-a-kindergartner at our school. This is their guide to parents for raising a reader and writer. I just condensed it and added a few ideas of my own.
Humor for Moms: The Stages Of Motherhood
Here is a light hearted presentation of what we all think about our moms, at different points of our lives. Don’t get surprised because we all have the same tendency towards our mothers!
Percy Jackson: Add-On Books Get Rave Reviews
We saw the The Lightening Thief movie and it has sparked a renewed interest in mythology in my 4th grader so I wanted to suggest two other great books on mythology by THE classicist, Edith Hamilton.
“Outside-the-Box” Algebra Textbook for Visual Learners
Life of Fred: Beginning Alegebra as serious as it needs to be is a totally different and actually fun textook method. You go as fast as you want. It teaches algebra — abstract stuff — in relate-able story vignettes. In short, this is the textbook or method for kids who are visual or who need something concrete and non-intimidating to learn algebra. With this textbook, they will actually like algebra.