Twister on Tuesday: Magic Tree House #23

Author Mary Pope Osborne bring another adventure for Jack and Annie to experience in Twister on Tuesday. The brother and sister team travel to the pioneer times in this book of a popular series. In each adventure they have a job to do that a Camelot librarian, Morgan le Fay, assigns to them. In this book they have to find "something to learn." They travel in a magic tree house that begins to spin around and take them on their adventure. Jack and Annie experience how school was during pioneer times, in a one-room school, with a young teacher. When the siblings say their goodbyes to their new friends and teacher, they soon realize that a twister is heading their way. In a book of facts that they carry on their adventures they learn about the storm cellar and where they were located. Fearing that the students and teacher do not know where the storm cellar is they return to help them to safety. The Magic Tree House series teaches children's about all sorts of facts while making it interesting with the adventures the siblings encounter.

Osborne, Mary Pope (2001). Twister on Tuesdayy: Magic Tree House #23. New York: Random House.

Bridge to Terabithia

A Newberry Medal winner, Bridge to Terabithia is one of my favorite books. I read it each year in my GT 5th grade reading class and I cry each time Leslie dies. Katherine Paterson does an excellent job of bringing the friendship of Jess and Leslie to life. Jess is looking forward to being the best runner in the 5tb the grade, but is out runned by the new girl in the class - Leslie Burke. Her family has moved in next to Jess's family and they soon become the best of friends. They begin to have imaginary adventures in a nearby forest. They travel to a special place and the only way to get there is to cross a creek by swinging on a rope. Their special place is called Terabithia. The story takes a turn for the worst when Leslie ventures off on her own to Terabithia, and has an accident. Her death causes much pain for Jess, but he learns to channel his emotions by continuing the Terabithia adventure with his sister. The author does a remarkable job of paining the picture of Terabithia through words.

Paterson, Katherine (1977). Bridge to Terabithia. New York: Harper Collins.

Lon Po Po: A Red-Riding Hood Story From China

Lon Po Po won the Caldecott Medal in 1990. The author, Ed Young, recreates a Chinese spin to a favorite children's fair tale - Little Red Riding Hood. In this version, a wolf has a deceiving plan to eat three sisters who have been left alone by their mother, who is off to visit the children's grandmother. The wolf pretends to be the children's grandmother and they let the wolf into their home. The eldest child, Shang, discovers that a wolf has been trying to deceive them. She has a plan to lure him outside and after several attempts the children kill the wolf by beating him at his own game. Ed Young is not only the author, but also the illustrator. The pictures are vivid and seem to be done in either charcoal or watercolor. The illustrations are in panels in the pages of the picture book, which makes it unique. This is an excellent book to use with Little Red Riding Hood to teach a compare and contrast lesson.

Young, Ed (1989). Lon Po Po. New York: Philomel Books.

Officer Buckle and Gloria

Officer Buckle and Gloria won the Caldecott Medal in 1996. It is a cute book about how Officer Buckle tries his best everyday to give his safety tips to the students at Napville School. Although the students could really care less about the safety tips, thay are soon amazed by them when Officer Buckle takes along a companion, a dog named Gloria. Little does Officer Buckle know that Gloria is actually the star of his speeches. When he finally realizes that the audience is actually excited about Gloria's tricks he decides not to give his speeches. The school sends for Gloria, but eventually they realizes that the school needs the partnership of Gloria and Officer Buckle to bring across the message of safety. The book has great illustrations. The illustrations are colorful and bright. The characters are well drawn and look like someone you have seen before. I think Officer Buckle looks like one of our teachers.


Rathmann, Peggy (1995).Officer Buckle and Gloria. New York: Putman.