# data[].attributes.body
This is a defining quote. This is my 6th chapter book.
“Behind them the sky had turned dark, and for the first time in over a hundred years, a drop of rain fell into the empty lake.” –Holes

This line signifies so much in the book because it is stressed so much about how dry it is. The rain signifies hope and change in the future for these boys. Stanley and his family had been under a curse for as long as he can remember. The Green Lake had been under a curse of a never-ending drought because God was punishing them for what Sam did. The drought was a big part of the book. If you do not understand the significance of the drought, you will not fully understand just how important even the one raindrop really is to the story. The rain signifies the breaking of all curses and the end of the drought for Green Lake. They can finally go back to living normal lives once again and have a hope of a better future.

# data[].attributes.headline
Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Patterson

# data[].attributes.subject
Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Patterson

# data[].attributes.body
This is a summary. This is my 5th chapter book.
In Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Patterson, a young fifth grade boy named Jess Aarons becomes friends with Leslie Burke. The two are in the same grade, however Leslie does not have many friends. Jess takes it upon himself to make her feel welcome. After spending some time together, the two hit it off. They have a lot in common and it is clear they are going to be best friends. Together, they create an imaginary magical land called Terabithia. This is their safe place where they go to escape the realities of their own world. Through the forest is a creek with a swinging rope attached to a tree. This is their door in and out of Terabithia. However, when the creek rises due to rain it gets more and more dangerous to cross. Jess decides that he thinks its too dangerous to go one day, leaving Leslie to go without him. She dies trying to cross the creek and Jess is beside himself. He has absolutely no idea how he’s going to go on with his life now that she had become such a huge part of it. Jess begins to build a bridge across the creek to Terabithia so it will be safer to cross. His sister follows him and he welcomes her into the magical kingdom that represents so much more to him now than it ever did.

# data[].attributes.body
This is a defining quote. This is my 4th chapter book
“It is much easier to be brave if you do not know everything” –Number the Stars

When I read this, it was like a light bulb went off in my head. In order to truly be considered brave, you have to know the entirety of everything that you’re being brave for. If you truly knew everything that you’re acting brave for, would you still be brave? Or would you shy away from the situation and leave the being brave to someone else? Personally, I’d like to think I would choose to be brave either way. However, that is very hard to say. Yes, it depends on the circumstances. I do think it has some to do with your pride as well. Some people wouldn’t choose to continue to be brave, but because the have so much pride they can’t bare to see themselves back down from what they have already stood up against. This would be an interesting discussion topic to bring up to a classroom of high school students. Would they continue to be brave if they knew everything? Why or why not? Honestly I think the discussion would be very intellectual and very interesting to listen to.

# data[].attributes.headline
The Watsons go to Birmingham by Christopher Paul Curtis

# data[].attributes.subject
The Watsons go to Birmingham by Christopher Paul Curtis

# data[].attributes.body
This is a defining quote. This is my 3rd chapter book.
“There's one good thing about getting in trouble: It seems like you do it in steps. It seems like you don't just end up in trouble but that you kind of ease yourself into it. It also seems like the worse the trouble is that you get into, the more steps it takes to get there. Sort of like you're getting a bunch of little warnings on the way; sort of like if you really wanted to you could turn around.” -The Watson’s go to Birmingham

I love this quote because there is so much truth to it. This would be a concept that you could use for middle school and high school both. Most of the time you do not just do something and then all of the sudden get in trouble for it. It takes steps, sometimes many steps to get there. Even if you do not get caught the first time, the more steps you take the more lies you have to tell and you will eventually get caught. While teaching this lesson in class, I could give some age appropriate examples of different times in my own personal life that this has been the case. Students always learn better when you take a concept and apply it to your life so they can better understand it.

# data[].attributes.body
This is a summary. This is my 2nd chapter book.
Because of Winn Dixie is about a little ten-year-old girl named Opal Buloni. Opal’s mother left her and her father when she was very little. Her father forces her to move to a new town with a new school where she has to make new friends. She’s very lonely and does not know where she truly belongs. However, one day her life changed forever. There was a homeless dog that tore through the local Winn-Dixie grocery store. Opal names the dog Winn-Dixie and the two become very best friends. It is because of her new dog-friend that Opal has the confidence to make new friends in her new town. One night a huge storm comes and causes Winn-Dixie to get scared and go hide in a place so good that no one can find him anywhere. This causes Opal to have a huge anxiety attack about how everything she gets close to ends up disappearing (like her mother). This makes her come to the conclusion that her mom is never gong to come back and she should just accept this. Opal and her father eventually find Winn-Dixie underneath the bed. Winn-Dixie helped Opal realize that she is capable of accepting love just as much as she’s capable of giving it.

# data[].attributes.headline
The Stinky Cheeseman and Other Stupid Tales But Jon Scieszka

# data[].attributes.subject
The Stinky Cheeseman and Other Stupid Tales But Jon Scieszka

# data[].attributes.body
This is a book review. The Stinky Cheeseman and Other Fairly Stupid Fairytales by Jon Scieszka is not like any other fairytale you have ever read before. Before I go any further, I must warn you that you’re getting versions of several traditional fairytales rolled into one big fairytale so be sure you are paying attention.

The lucky narrator of this story is Jack, from Jack and the Beanstalk. The characters in this story are the counterparts to the characters in the original tales. For example, the counterpart to The Gingerbreadman in this story would be The Stink Cheeseman. Usually when the princess kisses the frog, he turns into the prince of her dreams. However, that does not happen in this story. The princess kisses the frog only to get slime all over her and he jumps back into the water.

This book would be appropriate for children ages 8 and up. The child would have to have an understanding of the original tales and how they are supposed to be told in order to really appreciate this book and everything it has to offer.

# data[].attributes.headline
The Ugly Duckling by Hans Christian Anderson

# data[].attributes.subject
The Ugly Duckling by Hans Christian Anderson

# data[].attributes.body
This is a recommendation. I would absolutely recommend The Ugly Duckling by Hans Christian Anderson to anyone. It is a classic traditional tale about a duckling who is a little different than the rest of his brothers and sisters.

The story starts off with all the eggs hatching except the biggest one. There is one egg that seems to be significantly bigger than all the other eggs, and seems to be taking longer to hatch. When the egg finally hatches, it turns out it’s not a duckling at all but a swan. As this little swan grows up, he is constantly outcast and made fun of for not looking like the rest of the ducklings it was born with. He always sees the swans elegantly swimming in the water as wishes he could be as beautiful as they are. However, one day the swan looks at his reflection in the water and realizes that he is in fact as beautiful as they are. He finally found a group of animals that he feels he belongs with. After searching his whole life, he was finally confidant in who he is.  I think this is an important story to read especially to younger children. This concept can never be covered too much.

# data[].attributes.body
This is a letter response
Dear Mrs. Kulle,

​I hope you are doing well. I just wanted to let you know how much I appreciate all you did for me throughout my years in Argyle Middle School. You were one of my favorite teachers and have become a friend. I enjoy watching your children grow up into beautiful toddlers and miss them terribly.

​I wanted to share a few thoughts with you and hope I can offer some new and exciting ideas for you classroom. I have recently read the book Rollergirl by Victoria Jamieson and think it would be a great addition to your classroom library and maybe even to your lesson plans. This is a book that I wish I had read when I was in middle school. Astrid is a typical middle school girl with a best friend who is attached at her hip. Astrid wants to join the roller derby team and just assumes her friend will join with her since they do everything together. However, this is not the case and it causes Astrid to do something on her own for once. It covers friendships, surviving middle school, and finding who you are and learning to be happy with it. Every student in middle school can relate to this book in some way. I definitely think you should look into it and consider at least putting it in your classroom library.

​Hope to talk to you soon and please tell you kiddo’s I said hello!

Sincerely,

Katye Butts

# data[].attributes.body
This is a poetry video response. https://drive.google.com/a/angelo.edu/file/d/1aklzZaYkVngvG6PVSBH-P-q4G4XLpbrA/view?usp=drive_web

# data[].attributes.body
This is a defining quote response. “This is the life you’re living. It’s not temporary and it’s not pretend and there’s no do-over.” –Natasha, The Sun is also a Star

This quote hit me like a brick wall. I have always known this is a fact, but seeing it in words is so much different. What Natasha is saying is a concept that many of us take for granted. This is the only life we have to live. There’s no “I’ll do it better the next go ‘round”. No, this is is. The term “YOLO” (you only live once) is something that today’s society uses as an excuse to justify doing really stupid stuff. However, I think this is a quote that I would have on my board everyday if I ever taught a middle school/high school class. This is a concept that young teenagers and young adults need to grasp and the faster they do, the better. As a teacher, I want my students to leave my classroom at the end of the year knowing that they gained so much more than schoolbook knowledge. I want my students to know they became a better version of themselves because they were in my classroom.

# data[].attributes.body
This is a book review. Voices in the Park by Anthony Brown could be a little confusing for a younger child. The book is written from the perspective of several different characters that happen to encounter each other at the park later on that day. The different perspectives are short, and divided in the story by “first voice”, “second voice”. However, older children will be able to appreciate the creative way this book is written. I loved that the book was written from multiple perspectives. This gives the book a new and interesting twist and keeps the reader engaged. Personally, I have never read another book like this. Not only do you get to experience the book from several different characters perspectives, but also these characters actually get to interact with each other at the park. The title “Voices in the Park” fits this book so well. It doesn’t give too much away but it’s just enough to pull you in and make you want to figure out more. Overall, I really enjoyed this book.

# data[].attributes.headline
Sylvester and the Magic Pebble by William Stein

# data[].attributes.subject
Sylvester and the Magic Pebble by William Stein

# data[].attributes.body
This is a recommendation. I definitely recommend Sylvester and the Magic Pebble by William Steig to people of all ages. There are many lessons to be learned from this book. My favorite lesson is “be careful what you wish for”. This is a book that you can never read too many times. You see, Sylvester the Donkey found a red magic pebble and grants wishes. He was so excited that he ran home to show his family. However, on the way home a lion startled him. As the lion was about to attack, Sylvester quickly wished to be a rock. I won’t spoil the rest of the story, because it is definitely a must read. My advice for you when reading this book is to appreciate the message the book is conveying and don’t keep it to yourself. Share this book with others as I have shared it with you. This book is not one to keep secret. Everyone should read Sylvester and the Magic Pebble at least once.

# data[].attributes.headline
Where the Wild Things are by Maurice Sendak

# data[].attributes.subject
Where the Wild Things are by Maurice Sendak

# data[].attributes.body
This is a book review. Where the Wild Things are by Maurice Sendak is a story about an imaginative young boy named Max. He dressed up in his wolf costume and his mother called him a “wild thing”. He then gets in trouble for making too much of a mess around the house and talking back to her. He was sent to his room without any dinner, which obviously makes him very upset. He then imagines that he is in a whole other world on an island. He referred to this place as “where the wild things are”. This place was full of scary wild things, but Max was the scariest of all. He had his fun on the island until he started to smell something delicious. He hoped back on his boat and headed back to his room to find that his mother left his dinner on the table for him in his room. This book is a perfect description of what goes on inside a child’s mind, especially if they get in trouble. For the time being, they wish to be somewhere else. Somewhere with no adults where they can rule the world.But they snap back into reality and realize that home is exactly where they want to be.

# data[].attributes.headline
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl

# data[].attributes.subject
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl

# data[].attributes.body
This is a infograph response. I wanted to show the insane kindness and humility Charlie’s family has. They are extremely poor and have nothing to give, yet they would give everything they have for each other. These values are so important to who Charlie is as a person, and ultimately why he is the “last one standing” at the end of the contest. The crown at the top left of the heart goes to show that even when they had nothing, the Bucket family were still incredible, hard working people with honorable character and that’s what truly matters.

# data[].attributes.body
This is a story map

# data[].attributes.body
This is a blog response. Rosa Parks had an extremely hard life. Not only was she bullied at home by her siblings, she was also bullied at school. See, Rosa was a young black girl back in the time where black people and white people were not seen as equals. Even with this being so, her family taught her to not only respect others but also to expect respect from them as well. She always made it a priority to stand up for herself. Having this attitude and being a young black person was uncommon and looked down upon. This is what made Rosa a rare find. Throughout her life, she stood up for race equality. She was even arrested for not giving up her seat to a white man on a bus. She started a movement that changed history forever.

If you would like to learn more about Rosa Parks, please visit: https://www.biography.com/people/rosa-parks-9433715

Here are some lessons and activities that you can do with your students about Rosa Parks and Civil Rights:

https://www.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/americon-lp-rosa-parks/lesson-plan/

# data[].attributes.body
This is a book review. I am Amelia Earhart by Brad Meltzer is a wonderful book. It starts at the beginning when Earhart was a little girl. She talks about how girls were supposed to wear dresses and should not be adventurous. This was definitely not who she was. She goes on to tell about her attempt at making a roller coaster in her grandma’s yard. It sent her flying into the air, right before she crashed and got in trouble. However, this is where she got her first taste of her love for flying. She was able to take her first flight as a passenger on a plane when she was 23 years old, and eventually bought a plane of her own-which she names Canary. It was in this very plane that she became the first woman to fly across the Atlantic Ocean as well as the first woman to fly by herself across the Atlantic Ocean. I absolutely love the overall message to the book. Yes, it tells a pretty accurate description of Amelia Earhart and her life. But her story is a testament to children everywhere, but especially girls, that if you put your mind to something anything is possible.

# data[].attributes.body
This is a recommendation. I highly recommend the book I Am Abraham Lincoln by Brad Meltzer. It is the perfect way for children to understand the trails and troubles that Abraham Lincoln dealt with during his life. Abraham dealt with being lonely, being the new kid, bullies, and struggles that come with standing up for your beliefs. These are all issues that children will encounter at some point in their life, if they aren’t already dealing with it. Seeing the way that Abraham Lincoln dealt with his problems could possibly help the children reading this book understand how to cope with their own problems as well. When children can relate to a book, they remember the information better. By highlighting these troubles of Abraham Lincoln’s early life, the children are most likely to remember the important details about his story. All of the information in this book are facts about the 16th President of the United States. These facts are presented in a way that even younger children can comprehend and remember.

# data[].attributes.body
This is a Defining Quote response. This is my 1st chapter book.
“You can’t expect everyone to have the same dedication as you”- Jeff Kinney, Diary of a Wimpy Kid

This concept has been something I have always struggled with. For me, it was always with friendships. It seemed like I was always more dedicated to my friends than they were to me. Don’t get me wrong, I had great friends. However, anytime they needed anything I dropped whatever I was doing to be there for them. This action was very rarely returned. In Diary of a Wimpy Kid, this quote may have been said sarcastically, but there is a lot of truth to it. I want my students to learn life lessons in my classroom, not just school subjects. I want my students to leave my classroom knowing that they became a better version of themselves that year. I know with my personal experiences throughout school, I can teach them this concept of accepting that not everyone is going to be as dedicated as you are to something-no matter what it is.

# data[].attributes.headline
My Elephant Paints Pictures by Jack Prelutsky

# data[].attributes.subject
My Elephant Paints Pictures by Jack Prelutsky

# data[].attributes.body
This is an oral reading response

# data[].attributes.body
This is a summary. The Dreamer was written by Pam Munoz Ryan and drawn by Peter Sis. The book was inspired by the childhood of Pablo Neruda, a well-known Chilean poet of the twentieth century. It is a classic story about a young boy who faces many trials in his life due to his incredible imagination, but always stays true to himself. The main character, Neftali Reyes is a very shy, yet creative young boy who loves reading, music, and collecting things. He was bullied many times throughout the book, but he found most of his trouble from his father. He was incredibly abusive in many ways and thought Neftali’s interests were stupid and a waste of time. Neftali’s mother passed away when he was only two months old, and his father blamed her death on her imagination and creativity. No matter what he faces in life, Neftali always finds his happy place in his head. He feels safe there because he can create anything he wants and escape from the reality he lives everyday.

# data[].attributes.body
This is a sticky note response

# data[].attributes.headline
The Day the Crayons Quit by Drew Daywalt

# data[].attributes.subject
The Day the Crayons Quit by Drew Daywalt

# data[].attributes.body
This is a 1 min book talk response. https://vocaroo.com/i/s0csDF4vzJt7

# data[].attributes.body
This is a book review response. Help Me, Mr. Mutt by Janet Stevens is a fabulous children’s book. Most children either have dogs and cats or know someone who does. This book allows children to get inside the minds of pets and what they really think. Help Me, Mr. Mutt is a book based on dogs that write to another dog-named Mr. Mutt for advice on how to deal with their problems. Most of the problems that these dogs are experiencing are about how their owners are doing something wrong and tend to favor the cat over them. Mr. Mutt gives them advice, and obviously advises them on how to get revenge on the cat. However, the cat hears about the advice given and also writes a letter to Mr. Mutt explaining to him how he is wrong.

Stevens gives each dog a different personality and a different problem that is unique, yet realistic. It is because of the realistic aspect of these pet problems that children will find this book hilarious and entertaining. Even children who don’t like to read will enjoy hearing about Mr. Mutt’s advice to these troubled animals.

# data[].attributes.body
This is a letter response.
Dear Mrs. Beaver,

​I recently read the book An Egg is Quiet by Dianna Aston for a Children’s Literature course I am taking. As I was reading, I kept thinking about how much your students would enjoy this book. You always mention how nature is one of their favorite subjects to learn about. I would like to share my thoughts with you on a few things you could do in your classroom to incorporate this book.

​I noticed when I began the book that there are a lot of vocabulary words you could go over with your students. The words could go with any science/nature lesson or even an art lesson. I thought the students could start their own nature dictionary as an activity to go with this book. However, they would be able to use the dictionary for several other books as well. With each nature book that they read, either as a class or individually, the students would add words that they don’t know into their nature dictionary. This way they strengthen their dictionary skills by looking up the meaning of the word as well as their vocabulary exposure.

I hope you decide to read this book to your students. They are going to love it!

Sincerely,
Katye Butts

# data[].attributes.body
I have currently read 12 of the 25 books required for the 25-book challenge. I feel as if I am right on track for turning this assignment in on time. Before starting the challenge, I went through the required categories and chose my books that I was going to read. I am taking notes as I read and noting which response I think would be appropriate for each book. My plan for the rest of the semester is to continue to read the remaining books and making sure I cover each type of response that is required for the assignment. I am keeping track of the responses and books that I read in a word document. When I’m done, I can upload everything to padlet all at once.