Elementary School Books - Page 3

The hundred dresses (Innovations, experiencing literature in the classroom)

Eleanor Estes

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Subjects -> Children's Books -> Authors & Illustrators, A-Z -> ( E ) -> Estes, Eleanor
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Subjects -> Children's Books -> Literature -> General AAS

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 102 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

An Ageless Tale 4 out of 5 stars.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful.

The Hundred Dresses

I read The Hundred Dresses while I was growing up. Over the years I have often thought of poor Wanda, who wore the same shabby dress, every day to school.

Wanda claimed to have a hundred dresses, all beautiful and all lined up in her closet. Peggy would wait each morning to see Wanda coming from the poor-side-of-town. She would taunt her, "Wanda, tell us about your one hundred dresses. Maddie felt bad going along with Wanda, but she was poor herself and wearing Peggy's hand-me-downs. Maddie was afraid that if she said anything, the teasing would turn to her.

Wanda proudly described her one hundred dresses, the red one, the green one and the blue one. Each of the children wondered why Wanda wore the same dress each day, when she had so many beautiful dresses.

As a young girl from a large family, I wore hand-me-down clothing from others in my school or church. I could relate to Maddie, who didn't like the teasing, but was afraid to speak up.

For a church activity, the church women were given a copy of the book The Hundred Dresses. After reading the book, we would pass on our copy to the next person on the list. One month later, we had an activity where we brought in new or gently used dresses to donate to a women's shelter. The dresses were folded neatly, placed in large, sealed bags and marked with the size. These dresses will be donated to women, so they can look their best while job hunting.

We discussed this book, and how important it is to fit in. We also discussed the importance of acceptance.

Jill Ammon Vanderwood
author: Through the Rug
Through The Rug: Follow That Dog (Through the Rug)
Stowaway: The San Francisco Adventures of Sara, the Pineapple Cat

Editorial Review:

Never out of print since its 1944 publication, this tender story offers readers of all ages a timeless message of compassion and understanding. At its heart is Wanda Petronski, an immigrant girl in an American school, who is ridiculed for wearing the same faded blue dress every day. When she tells her classmates that she has one hundred dresses at home, she unwittingly triggers a game of teasing that eventually ends in a lesson for all.

In restoring the reproduction of Louis Slobodkin's artwork, this new edition recaptures the original vivid color. And to celebrate the book's enhanced beauty, Helena Estes, the daughter of the author, has written a new letter to readers about the true story behind The Hundred Dresses.

Literature Guide: My Side of the Mountain (Grades 4-8)

Jean Craighead George

List Price: $3.95 By: Scholastic Amazon Marketplace: 3 new & used starting at $24.99

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 512 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

A child's introduction to Thoreau 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

While "My Side of the Mountain" is not Henry Thoreau it does make an enjoyable read on how to live a self-sufficient life. Think of this as "Survivorman meets Jules Verne" and you have a nice idea of the general theme.

Many have complained that they do not understand the plot and that the action moves to slowly. Personally, I find the pace of the novel to be quite refreshing. What we are given is a story about how someone can learn to become one with nature. This process was nto immediate and it took time to develop so Jean Craighead George allowed the story to move at a natural pace.

I first read "My Side of the Mountain" about 20 years ago when I was still in grade school. Oddly enough, of the dozens of books that I read from that time of my life only "My Side of the Mountain" and "Tales of a 4th Grade Nothing" are the only ones that I actually remembered. It is pretty rare that you can find a book that you enjoy as much when you are 33 as you did when you were 11 years old.

"My Side of the Mountain" is written for children and adults alike. We all can dream about what life would be like on our own mountain. Maybe this isn't a book for everyone, but if you or your child enjoys camping, hiking, or just being outside this will probably become one of your own personal classics.

Editorial Review:

Literature Guides
A complete guide to teaching My Side of the Mountain. Includes an author biography, background information, summaries, thought-provoking discussion questions, as well as creative, cross-curricular activities and reproducibles that motivate students.

Scholastic Success With Reading Comprehension Workbook (Grade 4)

Scholastic

Amazon Price: $4.99 List Price: $4.99 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Scholastic Teaching Resources - Model: SC0439444926 Amazon Marketplace: 28 new & used starting at $1.77

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Features:

• LEARNING MATERIALS
• Language Arts
• Reading Skills

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 4 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

what a fine book 5 out of 5 stars.
15 of 15 people found this review helpful.

This book is great for those kids getting started with independent reading. The authors give great passages and problems specifically for the objectives in the 2nd grade curriculum. The practice items enforce what kids taught in school that otherwise just forgotten. The book offers many fine reading comprehension and vocabulary exercises. Your kids can never have too much of them.

I like such practices as the reading is checked by the questions, so you know objectively how much is understood. Otherwise, your child may read many funny books but still has a poor comprehension. Another great resource like this is the Beestar ELA programs (www.beestar.org). They cover everything required in the curriculum, so you are confident that your child has obtained the expected knowledge and skills regardless how his teacher teaches him.

Editorial Review:

Practicing skills has never been so easy! This ready-to-use resource includes more than 40 fun practice pages. The simple directions and fun exercises make them perfect for kids to use independently in school or as homework. For use with Grade 4.

Teeth Are Not for Biting (Board Book) (Best Behavior Series)

Elizabeth Verdick

Amazon Price: $7.95 List Price: $7.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Free Spirit Publishing - Model: 9781575421283 Amazon Marketplace: 39 new & used starting at $3.47

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Features:

• Made with the Best Quality Material with your child in mind.
• Top Quality Children's Item.

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 29 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Cute book, message works! 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

My son had a real problem w/ biting, but after reading this book over and over, I really saw a reduction. It's a cute book, great pictures. Def would buy it!

Future Children's Librarian bears her "Teeth" 4 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

The best behavior series is tackling children's less than desirable behaviors one by one;preventing kicking, hitting, the sharing of germs, tail pulling, and now, biting. The text highlights the benefits of teeth for activities such as chewing and smiling as well as acknowledging situations where children might want to bite and alternatives to biting. A variety of well-drawn illustrations present a variety of children in multiple environments. The text does not follow a predictable pattern-while some phrases are used repeatedly, the pattern changes a few times over the course of the text, from "Teeth are not for biting" to "Biting hurts" and back again, which may be confusing for the 0-3 year old audience. Parents may appreciate the resources for discouraging biting and assistance with teething available at the end of the book.

Editorial Review:

Teeth Are Not for Biting is a board book that imparts the message that biting hurts.

Follow the Directions & Draw It All by Yourself!

Kristin Geller

Amazon Price: $8.76 List Price: $10.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Scholastic Teaching Resources - Model: SC0439140072 Amazon Marketplace: 28 new & used starting at $5.93

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Features:

• LEARNING MATERIALS
• Teacher Resources
• Language Arts

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 12 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Very basic great for a young beginner 4 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

This was a great book for a young child that is very interested in starting to draw. Very simple and basic.

The best , most charming of all the draw it yourself type books, 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

I really love this book. It is charming,so simple and not cartoony influenced . I have a lot of instructional drawing books for children and this is the best. I want more copies!

Simple 3 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

Very nice book for mom's like me who have no artistic ability at all. Plus my 4 year-old who is somewhat artistically inclined seems to be able to follow the steps pretty easily. It entertained us, and will hopefully do so for awhile yet.

Excellent in Kindergarten!! 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

I bought this book hoping that it would help me (drawing challenged!) as a Kindergarten teacher to be better at making illustrations and drawings that are often required by K teachers. I ended up leading my class in some of the step by step directions on the board while they drew on their papers just to try it for fun. They absolutely LOVED IT!! They would beg and beg to learn how to draw more things. My students are required as part of our curriculum to draw illustrations frequently, and I always have those students who are so upset that they "don't know how" to draw what they need to. I have used this book and other similar books for my students to use as a guide, and it has really empowered them! This one is definitely the very best one of all I've purchased (for kids aged 5-6), and it's so popular that I am having to buy more copies! I wish Scholastic would make more like this with different animals/objects!

Editorial Review:

25 Easy, Reproducible Lessons That Guide Kids Step-by-Step to Draw Adorable Pictures & Learn the Important Skill of Following Directions
Includes Creative Extension Activities!
From teddy bears to dinosaurs, kids will love drawing easy pictures on their own! Helps kids learn shapes and build fine motor skills.

First Art : Art Experiences for Toddlers and Twos

MaryAnn F. Kohl, Renee F. Ramsey, Dana Bowman, Katheryn Davis

Amazon Price: $10.17 List Price: $14.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: GRYPHON HOUSE - Model: GR-18543 Amazon Marketplace: 40 new & used starting at $8.83

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Features:

• Paperback
• 160 pages

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 20 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Great theory, tougher practice 3 out of 5 stars.
32 of 42 people found this review helpful.

I purchased this book so I could have more fun with my daughter, about a year and a half at the time of this review, and teach her a thing or two about creativity along the way. When I first got the book and read it, I LOVED it. There were tons of homemade recipes for saving money, ideas seemed relatively simple, yet fun, directions thorough... However, when I started implementing the ideas with my toddler, I slowly changed my mind.
I see a number of problems with this book:
Homemade recipes sound wonderful. You save money, you use ingredients you already have in your pantry, and you feel like such a handy supermom, what's not to love, right? Well, wrong...
First, the recipes often call for things I definitely don't have in my pantry, I was not even sure what some things were. For instance, cream of tartar. I wrote down a list of things I needed for a project and asked 3 employees at the store for it and all of them pointed me to tartar sauce. So, I had to go home empty-handed and do research online to find out what it was and why I needed it and where I could buy it, what I can substitute it for, etc. Most of the sources online seemed to indicate that it is something that used to be big in baking, but hardly ever needed now that we have baking powder. It'd be nice if the author provided some substitutions. I ended up using baking powder and it seemed to work alright. I later accidentally found cream of tartar in the spices section of my grocery store - and I looked in baking to no avail.
Another things is that a lot of recipes (80%, I'd say) call for tempera paint... If I'm going to buy paint, why buy tempera paint and mix it with stuff to make finger paints, might just as well buy finger paints - will probably end up cheaper. Same goes for, for example, a home-made blackboard. You need to buy the tape that has that chalkboard surface or chalkboard spray paint. Well, both are rather pricey, so it is almost as cheap to buy a ready-made chalkboard easel (not to mention much less trouble). Also, some recipes call for things like "an old grater you no longer use" (because you're going to be grating a bar of soap, for example) or "a big appliance box". I don't know if it's just me, but I think my Mom still uses the same grater she had when I was a year and a half and I don't buy big-screen TVs on a monthly basis... So, I don't really have all these lying around the house, nor is it always easy/cheap to find/buy one just when you want to try a project - often it really is easier and maybe even cheaper to just buy whatever it is you were going to make (case in point - beads).
Also, many recipes call for huge amounts of flour, salt, cornstarch, and food coloring. While those aren't that expensive in and of themselves (and food coloring CAN be), they add up! 4 cups of flour here, 4 cups of flour there, with a lot of these recipes not having the same shelf life as the store-bought equivalents. So, once again, the savings are questionable, even if we don't factor in the time we have to spend preparing stuff versus buying it ready-made.
The quality of projects.
My daughter is a pretty determined and focused toddler when she wants to be, but a lot of those projects are too contemplative to really keep her attention for more than 10 seconds. For instance, exploring the sounds and textures of a piece of foil or the much-favored by many feeley goop. My daughter was done exploring the sounds and textures of foil in 5 seconds and she did not want to explore the feeley goop at all after the initial try, so how was I supposed to make her realize that it has some unique qualities? The same goes for quite a number of projects that are meant to just "explore", but I realize that it is highly individual and there might be children out there who love those projects, just be aware that it is not automatic. Perhaps some of these activities would work well in a group, where children can feed off of each other's ideas and where interaction is already exciting enough, but for one child they can be a tad on a boring side and are over too quickly to be called an "activity".
Another thing in the projects I often have issues with is their messiness. The author does do a good job of outlining how to prep the working space, but with some projects, the colors will get splashed all over the place - it's toddlers we're talking about! I can cover a relatively large portion of the floor and the whole table, but I can't cover the walls and the ceiling... Not to mention that toddlers are known to run away in the middle of a project. So, unless you have a whole room you don't mind getting dirty and where you can contain your child (porch, sunroom, child-proof play room?), some of those projects will be just too much of a risky business to attempt in a nicer room. We live in a fully-carpeted apartment, and there is no way I'll be able to clean it up nicely if my child decides to have too much fun with one of the messier projects.
Finally, I find some "cooking" directions a little too sketchy. I have never made this thing before, I don't know what it should look and feel like, I actually ruined a couple of projects because I did something too soon or too late, even though I thought I was following the instructions religiously - there went 4 cups of flour and 2 cups of salt :-). Just so you don't think I'm a complete idiot, I do bake regularly and cook quite a bit too, and while sometimes my pizza dough made from scratch does turn out a little drier than I like, it is always edible, never a complete failure.
Overall, I'd say it's a good book with good ideas. If I were a kindergarten teacher, or had 2 or more kids of different ages, I'd probably rate this book better. But as a parent of only 1 child, I'd probably ever use only 1/3 of all the ideas of the book, with 2/3 being eliminated for one or several of the reasons mentioned above, which I find rather disappointing, since I am not paying only for the ideas I'm using...
Our favorite project so far? The bread. It did not taste spectacular (although was edible), but my daughter loved messing with the flour, watching it turn to dough, playing with the dough, etc.

Editorial Review:

Take a deep breath and jump in--doing art with toddlers and twos is fun, rewarding, and a wonderful learning experience. Children will joyfully squeeze a rainbow, make their own (safe) beads to string, and create their very own art baggie book. First Art starts children on a lifelong journey full of exploration and creativity.

Sylvester and the magic pebble

William Steig

By: Frank Schaffer Publications Amazon Marketplace: 2 new & used starting at $14.29

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 49 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Sad, depressing story 1 out of 5 stars.
2 of 9 people found this review helpful.

I bought this book - sight unseen - because it was on my son's reading list for kindergarten. I about cried the first time I read it - it is very sad. It is about a boy who gets a magic pebble, and he can get whatever he wishes - and he accidentally turns into a rock and his parents cannot find him and mourn his loss. Then circumstances happen that he turns back into himself - like a year later. I just thought it was very weird and we will likely donate this book to the local library. Did not like it at all.

Sylvester and the Magic Pebble 3 out of 5 stars.
1 of 8 people found this review helpful.

I was disappointed in the book as a whole. When I read it to my second-graders, their "review" of the book was mixed. I don't think that I will be reading it again to another class.

Editorial Review:

On a rainy day, Sylvester finds a magic pebble that can make wishes come true. But when a lion frightens him on his way home, Sylvester makes a wish that brings unexpected results.

How Sylvester is eventually reunited with his loving family and restored to his true self makes a story that is beautifully tender and filled with true magic. Illustrated with William Steig's glowing pictures, this is a modern classic beloved by children everywhere.

Words Are Not for Hurting (Ages 4-7) (Best Behavior Series)

Elizabeth Verdick

Amazon Price: $9.56 List Price: $11.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Free Spirit Publishing Amazon Marketplace: 38 new & used starting at $5.95

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 21 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Great teaching tool 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

This book (and the entire series) is a great teaching tool for little ones. Often times, when my daughter needs a "reminder" about choosing her words carefully, we put this in our bedtime story rotation.

I bought the wrong book 3 out of 5 stars.
0 of 2 people found this review helpful.

I bought this book for my son's collection of best behavior books but it is not the same board book collection that he has, they have 2 different collections of books with the same name, so I had to return it and order the right one.

Editorial Review:

The older children get, the more words they know and can use-including hurtful words. This book teaches children to think before they speak, then choose what to say and how to say it. They learn that there is a connection between hurtful words and feelings of anger, sadness, and regret. They explore positive ways to respond when others say mean or unkind words to them. And they discover the importance of saying "I'm sorry," two little words that can be a big help. Includes activities and discussion starters that parents, caregivers, and educators can use when working with children.

Change the page count to 40 pp.

Add the age range of Ages 4-7.

What Your Kindergartner Needs to Know: Preparing Your Child for a Lifetime of Learning (Core Knowledge)

E.D. Jr Hirsch

List Price: $24.95 By: Doubleday Amazon Marketplace: 44 new & used starting at $0.56

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 44 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

Education experts agree: the first years of a child's education are crucial to lifetime educational achievements. Parents and teachers have known this instinctively for years--the fact that What Your First Grader Needs to Know remains the bestselling Core Knowledge title is solid proof--and in response to their repeated requests, Doubleday is proud to offer What Your Kindergartner Needs To Know. The latest volume in the phenomenally successful Core Knowledge Series, which has more than one million copies in print in hardcover alone, features eighty pages of vibrant, full-color illustrations and a user-friendly design--specifically created for parents and teachers to use with kindergarten-age children.



Based on E.D. Hirsch's realization that much of the decline in America's educational standards has occurred because vague "skills," not information, are taught in the primary grades, it emphasizes fundamental knowledge in math, science, art, history, language arts, geography, and technology.  E.D. Hirsch and the staff of the Core Knowledge Foundation worked with more than two thousand parents and teachers to create a book that children will enjoy while they learn.

The wild Christmas reindeer

Jan Brett

By: Frank Schaffer Publications Amazon Marketplace: 1 new & used starting at $0.41

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 6 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Beautiful pictures full of color and detail. Great story. 5 out of 5 stars.
11 of 12 people found this review helpful.

My 5 year old daughter brought this book home from Kindergarten one day. We read it at bedtime and were both amazed at the wonderful illustrations. Any child who loves animals will enjoy this book. It also has a nice change from the normal Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen thing. These reindeer have more interesting North Pole sort of names. We loved it!

A refreshing change from the "standard" Christmas stories 5 out of 5 stars.
8 of 8 people found this review helpful.

This was the first Jan Brett book in our family library. From the first reading, this book became one of our very favorite Christmas stories.

Follow Teeka's adventures as she works furiously to prepare Bramble, Heather, Windswept, Lichen, Snowball, Crag, Twilight, and Tundra for their Christmas Eve outing. Don't be surprised to hear your children murmur "that's not going to work" as Teeka finds that being bossy isn't always the best way to get the job done.

As with all Jan Brett books, the illustrations are captivating. As a special treat, each page is framed with Christmas illustrations containing "extra" pictures relating to the story.

If you've grown tired of reading about Rudolph and friends, you and your children can snuggle up with this book and learn about the "wilder" side of Santa's reindeer.

Editorial Review:

Brett provides a marvelously original Christmas story in which Santa asks young Teeka to get his reindeer ready to fly on Christmas Eve. "Beautifully conceived and finely wrought."--Booklist, starred review. "This sweet Christmas fantasy . . . shows Brett at her best."--Publishers Weekly. Full-color illustrations.