Sprucewood read-aloud and pair-share titles

School:  Sprucewood                         

Month/Year:  May 2008

 

Recommended Read-a-loud or Book-talk books:  

 

Title:   Wilfrid Gordon McDonald Partridge                                               

Author:  Mem Fox                                                                              

Topic:  Friendship, Memory Loss, Aging    

Grades: 1-3   

 

Comments: This is a delightful book about friendship between a young boy named Wilfrid Gordon and an elderly woman named Miss Nancy.  Miss Nancy has lost her memory. Wilford Gordon goes out in search of a memory for his friend.   It is a heartwarming story.   

 

Title:   Chester                      

Author:  Melanie Watt 

Topic:    Writing, Books

Grades: All      

 

Comments:  Melanie is writing a book about a mouse.  However, Chester, her cat, wants it written about him.  The two battle back and forth throughout the book.  The kids loved the playful attitude of the story and especially the ending.  The story could be hard to follow unless it is read in two different voices – Melanie's voice and Chester's voice.   It is a fun story and the kids enjoyed it.

 

 Pair and Share Topic:          

Grades:  1-4

 

Titles/Authors used: Dark Day in the Deep Sea (Magic Tree House #39)

By Mary Pope Osborne

 

Mary Pope Osborne by Jill C. Wheeler

 

Comments:  We introduced "Dark Day in the Deep Sea" the latest book in the Magic Tree House Series.  Jack and Annie find themselves in an adventure at sea on a ship with a group of scientists looking for sea monsters.  The oceans are rough and they are tossed and turned and thrown from the ship into the grasps of …. You too will have to read the book to find out just what happens to Jack and Annie. 

As part of this pair and share, we introduced a biography on Mary Pope Osborne.  The biography is "Mary Pope Osborne" by Jill C. Wheeler.    This book shares some interesting facts about Mary.  She once lived in a cave for six weeks in the Greek island of Crete.  She also survived a riot in the city of Kabul.  No wonder she writes amazing adventure stories.