reading – The Dusty Jacket

Book Review: Runaway Ralph by Beverly Cleary

Runaway Ralph

Beverly Cleary (J Fiction)

Ralph wants a life of speed, danger, and excitement. Ralph wants to be free from his cousins and the rules imposed by his mother and uncle. But most of all, Ralph just wants a peanut butter and jelly sandwich! Determined not to be just another crumb-scrounging rodent, he decides to run away from his home at the Mountain View Inn and heads to a place filled with the promise of those wonderful sandwiches…Happy Acres Camp. With a little effort, and some luck from a downhill journey, Ralph is on his way. It’s not long after that he gets more than he bargained for when he meets the camp guard dog, a sneaky tom cat, and a philosophical neighbor in the form of a hamster. Soon, Ralph realizes that perhaps home isn’t so bad after all.

Cleary delights audiences once again with this charming follow-up to her popular The Mouse and the Motorcycle. In the first book, Ralph meets an extroverted boy confined to his hotel room due to illness. This time around, he meets an introverted boy confined by his own self-doubts, shyness, and desire to be alone. It’s a nice twist for Ralph to meet such an opposite ally named Garf (short for Garfield). The reader also gets to watch Garf come out of his shell as he’s given the responsibility of caring for Ralph and begins to develop a friendship with the mouse. Ralph also begins a transformation of his own. Once feeling “trapped” by his mother’s silly rules, Ralph literally becomes trapped in a cage and begins to appreciate the freedom he once had at the inn. He also understands that the rules he once viewed as restrictive were actually imposed to keep him safe.

Readers shouldn’t be worried that this book will fall short of its predecessor! On the contrary, there’s plenty of action and nail-biting situations to keep young audiences engaged and ready for more. The book’s ending also introduces Ralph’s next adventure nicely and enticingly lures readers to complete their journey with Cleary’s third and final installment of her Ralph Mouse series: Ralph S. Mouse.

There’s a great quote that says, “Remember, being happy doesn’t mean you have it all. It simply means that you’re thankful for all you have.” After several near-catastrophic events, Ralph slowly began to appreciate the life he had and even started to value those pesky, nuisance rules. He missed home because he realized that home—rules, cousins, and all—was enough…even though a peanut butter and jelly sandwich every now and then would be good, too.

Rating: 4/5

Ramona Quimby, Age 8 by Beverly Cleary

Ramona Quimby, Age 8

Beverly Cleary (J Fiction)

Ramona has a LOT going on! She’s starting the third grade at a school where NO ONE knows that she’s Beatrice Quimby’s little sister (yay!), she gets to ride the school bus ALL by herself, and she has THE most important responsibility of the family—be nice to Willa Jean at Howie’s grandmother’s house. Sound like a lot to handle? It might be for anybody, but this is Ramona Quimby and if anyone can tackle a challenge and new situations head on, it’s this girl…even though she’s just eight. But between a school bully, an ever-tightening family budget, an unfortunate egg incident at school, and a teacher who thinks she’s a show-off, even Ramona is starting to feel the pressure. Can she find a way to toughen up and pull it together? She has to because her family is depending on her!

Beverly Cleary’s endearing Ramona series continues as our feisty heroine returns and is as lovable, surprising, and formidable as ever. She’s opinionated, clever, resilient, and demands accuracy. She’s a girl who’s fair, loyal, and loves her family. Most importantly, she’s human and serves as an example of what to do (and what not to do) when things don’t go your way. With her unflappable charm, spunk, and candor, she turns an adversary into an unlikely ally, accepts a punishment as a challenge, tackles a boring school assignment with creative flair, and realizes that she’s part of a nice sticking-together family, although they might not be nice all of the time.

What makes Ramona Quimby, Age 8 such a great story is the relatability of its main character. Whether she’s dealing with the humiliation of getting sick at school in front of her classmates, standing up to playground injustice, dealing with the shame of falling out of favor with a teacher, or dealing with overly stressed parents who might be on the verge of falling out of love, Ramona deals with life’s ups and downs as best she can. She takes her responsibility within her family seriously, is hurt when treated unfairly by her parents, and is pragmatic in whose side she takes in a family squabble. She pouts, whines, and agitates, but she’s also curious, kind, and helpful. Ramona is allowed to be a lot of things because she knows that she has a family who loves and supports her unconditionally and this allows her the freedom to explore, challenge, and fail without suffering long-lasting repercussions. And through some tough lessons, our heroine vows to try harder, promises to be dependable, and strives to be more patient in the future. As for today, she’s just Ramona Quimby, age 8, and that’s good enough…for now anyway.

Rating: 5/5

Share Ramona with your class with our study guide: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Study-Guide-Ramona-Quimby-Age-8-by-Beverly-Cleary-12745834

Pippi Longstocking by Astrid Lindgren (J Fiction)

Pippi Longstocking

Astrid Lindgren (J Fiction)

Way out at the end of a tiny little town was an old overgrown garden, and in the garden was an old house, and in the house lived Pippi Longstocking.

Whether she’s waving hello to her mother in heaven or waving goodbye to the sailors on her late father’s boat, Pippi Longstocking always says the same thing: “Don’t you worry about me. I’ll always come out on top.” And if you knew Pippi Longstocking the way her friends and the people of her little town did, you’d know that she does just that. From finding things in odd places and putting a bully in his place to engaging policemen in a friendly game of tag and teaching would-be burglars the schottische, you can count on the girl with the mismatched stockings, wild hair, and too-big shoes to turn any outing into an unforgettable adventure.

Move over Hermione Granger, Anne Shirley, and Jo March! When you talk about feisty, fearless, pragmatic, precocious, brave, boisterous, and benevolent female characters, there’s none that ranks higher than Astrid Lindgren’s red-headed heroine. Although her forthrightness is often mistaken for rudeness and her lack of respect for authority is merely an absence of parenting, our nine-year-old orphan is fair, just, and generous. Raised for the most part by sailors, Pippi says what she means and means what she says and looks beyond social, political, and economic status to treat all people equally. One would be hard pressed to find a more loyal friend whose sincere kindness and desire to behave make her penchant for exaggerating and interrupting forgivable.

Written in 1950, this classic hasn’t aged as well as most other children’s books of this era. With a mention of animal abuse (Pippi nonchalantly breaks off the horns of a bull), child endangerment (a nine-year-old left alone to fend for herself), a total lack of respect for rules or authority, and a small matter of Pippi firing two pistols into the air (need to make sure they’re not loaded!) before handing them over to her friends as gifts, it’s easy to understand how Pippi Longstocking might not be viewed as the spirited and light-hearted adventure story that Lindgren intended. Critics may view young Pippi as nothing more than a rude, troublemaking liar who holds no respect for herself or others, but fans know that beneath Pippi’s brash exterior is a heart of gold and a genuine desire to do right.

One of my favorite quotes about celebrating differences is from author and speaker John Mason who said, “You were born an original. Don’t die a copy.” Hate, love, fear, or admire her, Pippi Longstocking is here to stay and her neverending optimism, graciousness, and fearless zest for life are things we should all aspire to.

Share Pippi with your class with our study guide: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Study-Guide-Pippi-Longstocking-by-Astrid-Lindgren-12389118

Study Guide: Because of Winn-Dixie by Kate DiCamillo

A great supplement to Kate DiCamillo’s Newbery Honor book about a mangy dog, a lonely girl, and the power of kindness and understanding. Activities include expository writing, comparison and contrast, researching topics, and completing a character study. End-of-book tests included with answer key. Perfect for self-guided study. Grades: 4-7

Study Guide: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Study-Guide-Because-of-Winn-Dixie-by-Kate-DiCamillo-11472615

20 Early Reader Books that Celebrate Gardens and Gardening

Encourage beginning readers with these books that celebrate the joys of gardening and the beauty that comes from growing different kinds of gardens. These 20 early readers will help cultivate a love of reading while promoting the excitement that comes with watching something grow.

Grades: K-3

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/20-Early-Reader-Books-that-Celebrate-Gardens-and-Gardening-11418606

FREE Study Guide: The Hundred Penny Box by Sharon Bell Mathis

This FREE study guide supplements Sharon Bell Mathis’s multi-generational story about family and compassion. Activities include vocabulary, content questions, and topic research. Perfect for self-guided study. Answer key included. Grades: 1-4

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Study-Guide-The-Hundred-Penny-Box-by-Sharon-Bell-Mathis-11285435

Study Guide: Sarah, Plain and Tall by Patricia MacLachlan

A great ELA supplement to Patricia MacLachlan’s Newbery Medal book. Includes vocabulary, content questions, discussion topics, and students will learn number patterns, showing contrast, and symbolism.

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Study-Guide-Sarah-Plain-and-Tall-by-Patricia-MacLachlan-11171286

Study Guide: The Magic Finger by Roald Dahl

Designed to eliminate loose papers and leftover craft pieces, this all-in-one study guide contains vocabulary words, content questions, discussion topics, puzzles, activities, crafts, and more! Everything is done IN this book and STAYS in this book! Answer key included.

Subjects: English Language Arts, Vocabulary, Reading

Grades: 3-7

Types: Lessons, Activities, Discussion Topics

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Study-Guide-The-Magic-Finger-by-Roald-Dahl-11122038

Study Guide: The Bears on Hemlock Mountain by Alice Dalgliesh

If you enjoy my book reviews then you’ll LOVE my study guides! I want reading to be fun AND fulfilling! If you are an educator or homeschooler, save time with this all-in-one solution. Best yet, it’s FREE on my TeachersPayTeachers store so get yours now! And, stay tuned for future content. Keep reading!

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Study-Guide-The-Bears-on-Hemlock-Mountain-by-Alice-Dalgliesh-11120519

Nightjohn by Gary Paulsen (YA Fiction)

Nightjohn

Nightjohn

Gary Paulsen (Young Adult Fiction)

“It was in the flower bed that I first heard about Nightjohn. Not by name, but by happening.” Sarny remembers that moment well. That and other moments—both horrible and hopeful—that has happened on Master Clel Waller’s plantation: the beatings, the constant humiliation, the rapes, but also the songs and stories that provide some comfort to her and her fellow slaves. But most precious of all were the moments spent with Nightjohn for he brought with him freedom. Freedom that only knowledge could bring, and Nightjohn was bringing it to Sarny and anyone brave enough to accept this unique and powerful gift.

Gary Paulsen notes that the events written in Nightjohn (with the exception for variations in time and character identification and placement) are true and actually happened. Knowing the atrocities, brutality, and savagery that happened during the period in American history where slavery was practiced and largely accepted, the story of Sarny and what she witnessed and experienced should come as no shock. Unfortunately, it does for Paulsen is relentless in his detail and spares no sensibilities when it comes to depicting the treatment of slaves and the punishment ravaged upon those attempting escape. The book is recommended for ages 12 and up and although the message is important and the details written are accurate, I would suggest a slightly higher starting age due to several highly graphic scenes and some mature subject matter.

I appreciated the theme of this book and the heroism shown by Nightjohn who had successfully acquired freedom in the north, but chose to return south so that he could teach slaves to read and write. During one pivotal scene, Sarny’s “adoptive” mother, Mammy, asked Nightjohn why teaching the slaves to read and write mattered. “They have to be able to write,” Nightjohn responded. “They have to read and write. We all have to read and write so we can write about this—what they doing to us. It has to be written.” The singular problem I had with Paulsen’s book was the overuse of violence. Paulsen describes what runaways endured when the dogs finally caught up with them and he did so not once, not twice, but three times. The reader understands the gruesomeness of this action and the utter deprave satisfaction the master gets in seeing a man or woman being literally torn to shreds, but to restate it numerous times was borderline gratuitous.

Nightjohn is a quick read (the hardback edition is ninety-two pages with large typeface and a narrow page width), but its characters and their unfailing faith, their struggle for dignity, and their fight for a better life will have a long-lasting impact on you and will forever change how you view the everyday things that are often taken for granted. In that respect, Nightjohn has given each of us a very valuable lesson.

(Reviewer’s Note: In 1997, Paulsen wrote Sarny: A Life Remembered, a sequel to Nightjohn, which follows Sarny after she fled the Waller plantation in the last days of the Civil War.)

Rating: 4/5

*Book cover image attributed to www.amazon.com

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