What does the President do?

Written by David J. Jakubiak

Ages: 8+

Grades: 3-5
Themes: US Government, President Obama

Summary:
This book is a factual book which gives information about Barack Obama and his job as president. It explains the electoral college and the election process. The author describes the duties of the president, including how the president works with other world leaders to solve problems. There is a description of Cabinet and Congress. A tour of the White House is given with details of all the rooms in the house.

Pre-Reading Activity:
Ask the students to fill out a K-W-L chart about the US government.

Post-Reading Activity:

Revisit the K-W-L chart and fill in what the students learned. Also, have them come up with questions that they still have about the government they would like to learn. Students could research these questions to find the answers in different books or online.

About the Author:

"I am a content strategist, a writer, a husband, a father, a gardener, a brewer, and a lover of food.

My goal is to capture voices in stories that are true to those who tell them, and to offer readers experiences when they take in my words. I work each day to be a better husband and dad. I weed, I compost, I brew, and I cook." 

taken from: http://www.davidjakubiak.com/about-me/

Reflection:

I like this book and would use it in the classroom. I think it provides good explanations of the parts of the United States government. It has great photos and is layed out in a way which is visually appealing to children. It is divided into different topics which would make it easy for students to use as a reference. This author has written other informative books which would be good references for any classroom.

Level Up

Written by: Gene Luen Yang

Illustrated by: Thien Pham

Ages: Middle School
Theme: Family wishes versus individual goals

Summary:

Dennis Ouyang, a Chinese kid growing up in America, is obsessed with video games. He fights with his father, who wants him to grow up to be a doctor. When Dennis' father dies of stomach cancer, Dennis flunks out of college and unexpectedly receives several signs from his father to study hard. These signs are in the form of a group of angels who appear on his doorstep and announce they are there to help him fulfill his destiny: to be a gastroenterologist. Dennis recognizes the angels as ones from a greeting card his father had given him. The angels are helpful to Dennis. They get him reenrolled in college and push him until he graduates and is admitted into medical school. Once Dennis is in medical school, he begins to realize his destiny is not what he wants from life. He struggles between what is expected of him and what he wants. He finally settles his struggle by becoming a surgeon because it utilizes his video gaming skills.

Pre-Reading Activity:

Have the students write a journal entry answering what is more important....doing what you want to do in life or fulfilling your parents dreams for you?

Post Reading Activity:

Think about your hobby. Write about how this hobby can turn into a career. In this story, Dennis took his gaming skills and utilized them in his surgeon skills. What are your hobbies and how can they be used for your career in the future? Write a 3-5 paragraph essay.

Reflection:

This was my introduction to graphic novels and I really liked how this was a fast read with a lot of pictures. The story was a good one, but became too detailed  in medical information, which could be difficult for middle schoolers to understand. It was a good story of the conflict students can have about their career goals versus what their family wants for them. Also, the debate between what a hobby is and when it becomes an obsession would be a fun activity to do with middle-schoolers.

About the author:

Gene Luen Yang began drawing comic books in the 5th grade. In 1997, he received the Xeric Grant for Gordon Yamamoto and the King of the Geeks, his first comic works as an adult. He has since written and drawn a number of titles. His 2006 book, American Born Chinese was the first graphic novel to be nominated for a National Book Award and the first to win the American Library Association's Michael L. Printz Award. Gene currently writes the graphic novel continuation of the popular Nickelodeon cartoon series Avatar: The Last Airbender. 

 From Wikipedia

Tough!

   
 Written by: Erin Frankel

Illustrated by: Paula Heaphy

Reading Levels: Grades 2-3

Interest Levels: Ages 5-9

Themes: Friendship, Kindness

Summary:

Sam is concerned about keeping things under control at school. She thinks people need to have a tough skin in order to fit in and get along with others. Sam teases her classmate Luisa and enlists a friend, Jayla, to help. But when Sam is confronted by a concerned teacher about her bullying, and Jayla turns on Sam and befriends Luisa, Sam begins to show some heart and rethink her treatment of others. 

PreReading Activity:

Look at the cover, ask the students to talk about the expressions on the characters faces. Does Sam, the one in the hood look nice or mean? What about the kids jump roping? The seem to be having fun. How about the one holding the rope? What could her expression mean? What do you think this book will be about?

PostReading Activity:

How did Sam change from the beginning of the book to the end? Why was she being mean in the beginning? Write some ideas about how you can be nicer to your classmates. Make a list of ways to be kind to others in your community.

About the Author:

Erin Frankel has an M.A. in English education and is passionate about teaching and writing. She taught ESL in Alabama before her recent move to Madrid, Spain, with her husband and three daughters. Erin knows firsthand what it feels like to be bullied, and she hopes her stories will help bring smiles back to children who have been involved in bullying. In her free time, Erin loves hiking in the Spanish mountains and kayaking in her hometown of Mays Landing, New Jersey.

Reflection:

This book, along with Weird! and Brave!, is a wonderful book that will be an asset to any classroom. This series discusses the issue of bullying in a clear and thoughtful way any child could relate to.