The Wild Robot by Peter Brown

Recommended for students who are interested in technology (especially robots) and nature.  Also recommended for students who are ready for longer chapter books, but may be overwhelmed by the idea--the short chapters make it seem like a more friendly read.

As I was reading this story, I kept thinking of The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein.  This connection may seem far off, but Roz very much put me in the mind of the tree.  

The Wild Robot by Peter Brown is unlike any book I've ever read.  It is the story of a robot who washes up on an island that is filled with animals.  The robot, Roz, has to learn how to survive the elements and relate to the animals.  It is a fast paced book that is both funny and touching.

I have decided to share this story with my fourth graders as my first read aloud of the school year.  It truly has something for everyone.  I know that each of my students will find something to love about this story, just as I did.

nine, ten: A SEPTEMBER 11 STORY by Nora Raleigh Baskin

"Some people will say that the distance a person happened to be from where one of the planes went down is in direct proportion to how deeply they were affected by the events of a day that came to be called simply 9/11."--Nora Raleigh Baskin

Recommended for students who are interested in current events, world events, and understanding different cultures.

When I was growing up, my mother told me that people of her generation would always remember where they were the moment they heard the news of the assassination of John F. Kennedy.  I don't know if it's because the world seems much smaller these days or because we hear of news so much more quickly and extensively, but I have many such moments:  the death of Elvis Presley, the shooting of Ronald Reagan, the Challenger disaster, the death of Princess Diana, the death of Michael Jackson, and the events of September 11.  

On September 11, I remember watching live footage of the events while holding my then eight month old twin boys.  I remember being so scared of a world where this could happen, of wondering what this would mean for the United States.  The world did indeed change on that day.

While my students were not yet born when 9/11 occurred, they all are somewhat familiar with the events and curious about what happened.  They want to know specific details and to know that they are safe.

nine, ten: A SEPTEMBER 11 STORY follows four young people in different parts of the United States in the days leading up to 9/11.  We get to know these four characters and what they are dealing with in their lives.  This personal familiarity with the characters allows the reader to make a very emotional connection to the events of 9/11.

I am very pleased to add nine, ten: A SEPTEMBER 11 STORY to my classroom library this year.  It adds a humanity to the events of that day that most students will not have seen.  I appreciate the fact that none of the characters in the story directly lost anyone--this allows a more global insight into the effects of that day.  This is a story that is very well told.