Archive for 2011

The Case That Time Forgot

Written by Tracy Barrett

The third installation of the “The Sherlock Files” has the great-great-great grandchildren of Sherlock Holmes racing around London, literally racing against time. Their friend, Karim, is trying to find an Egyptian artifact before a certain date. The amulet is supposed to be able to stop time every fifty years, and the date is quickly approaching. Karim knows of their renowned ancestor and their past casework. His grandfather has told Karim of his ancestor, who hid the amulet. They begin only with the grandfather’s story and notes Sherlock left in his unsolved casebook. They have plenty of help from the Society for the Preservation of Famous Detectives (SPFD), but they are hindered by someone who seems determined to get to the amulet first. Their search takes them to museums and the clock tower of Big Ben. Can they find the amulet in time? Will it stop time if they do?

This book holds much fun for third graders getting heavily into chapter book series and developing their comprehension of language in general. The concept of pictographs, for example, should increase their understanding of written language. An excellent interview with the author and excerpts from another book are included.

It was named a 2011 Bank Street – Best Children’s Book of the Year.
Written by Tracy Barrett

The third installation of the “The Sherlock Files” has the great-great-great grandchildren of Sherlock Holmes racing around London, literally racing against time. Their friend, Karim, is trying to find an Egyptian artifact before a certain date. The amulet is supposed to be able to stop time every fifty years, and the date is quickly approaching. Karim knows of their renowned ancestor and their past casework. His grandfather has told Karim of his ancestor, who hid the amulet. They begin only with the grandfather’s story and notes Sherlock left in his unsolved casebook. They have plenty of help from the Society for the Preservation of Famous Detectives (SPFD), but they are hindered by someone who seems determined to get to the amulet first. Their search takes them to museums and the clock tower of Big Ben. Can they find the amulet in time? Will it stop time if they do?

This book holds much fun for third graders getting heavily into chapter book series and developing their comprehension of language in general. The concept of pictographs, for example, should increase their understanding of written language. An excellent interview with the author and excerpts from another book are included.

It was named a 2011 Bank Street – Best Children’s Book of the Year.

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  • Case that Time ForgotTitle: The Case That Time Forgot
  • Author: Tracy Barrett
  • Publisher: Square Fish/Henry Holt and Company, 2011
  • Reviewer: Sue Poduska
  • Format: Paperback, 158 pages
  • Genre: Chapter book, mystery
  • ISBN: 978-0-312-56358-5
  • Lexile: 700L

 

Don’t Let the Barber Pull Your Teeth

Written by Carmen Bredeson

Illustrated by Gerald Kelley

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Part of the “Ye Yucky Middle Ages” series, this book walks kids (and parents) through the parts of public health that we all pay attention to: washing in dirty water, piles of poop, diseases, tooth decay, leeches and more. Life, in general, was gross, and, as the book points out, bathing was optional. Why use dirty water to wash in? Were the people of old just stupid?

No, Berdeson explains, these people weren’t stupid.  They just did not understand what germs were or how these germs caused diseases. Their medical treatments were based on what they could see, and what they imagined. Doctors bled patients to restore the balance of blood to all parts of the body and they drilled holes in the head to relieve headaches. Both ideas seem obviously dangerous today, but the logic is there.

Each chapter in this third grade level book addresses a different section of medieval life, ranging from the extremely personal life (where did the medieval people go to the bathroom), to the more public life (how the plague changed the socio-economic landscape for all time). Each chapter is also self-contained, which encourages the reading skills of reluctant readers, who may want a short piece of information instead of a longer story.

Bredeson’s narration is light, but not comic. In a few words, she puts the medical decisions made by these people into the context of their time. Explaining, for example, that surgery was a risky business: “People who survived surgery often ended up with massive infections. None of the surgical instruments were cleaned between operations.  However, medieval people did pour alcohol on wounds. They did not understand that alcohol kills germs, but knew it helped with healing.”

Readers will love the yuck factor of this book, and the others in the series. And they might brush their teeth more willingly when they read about the gross alternatives.

Other resources:

While not dating back to the Middle ages, these museums offer other history on health and medicine.

National Museum of Health and Medicine

http://www.medicalmuseum.mil/ 

National Museum of Dentistry

http://www.dental.umaryland.edu/museum/collections.html

  • Dont Let the BarberTitle: Don’t Let the Barber Pull Your Teeth:  Could You Survive Medieval Medicine?
  • Author: Carmen Bredeson
  • Illustrator: Gerald Kelley
  • Publisher: Enslow Publishers, Inc.
  • Reviewer: Amy S. Hansen
  • Paperback: 48 pages
  • ISBN: 978-1-59845-373-7
  • Genre: nonfiction, history and science

 

 

Easy Desserts From Around The World

Written by Heather Alexander

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Easy Desserts from Around the World is a super fun cookbook aimed at third grade readers and up. What is unique about this cookbook is the assortment of recipes collected from around the world. Through this cookbook kids are exposed to eleven different desserts, such as Russian Strawberries Romanoff and Mexican Celebration Cookies to German Lebkuchen and Italian Lemon Granita to name just a few. Yum!

Each recipe features a photo of the dessert along with a picture of the country from where the dessert originates, as well as colorfully presented fun to know information relevant to the country and/or dessert. Kids will not only be motivated to make something sweet to eat, they will also experience another culture first-hand and see the world a little differently because of it.
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Bloodsucking Creatures

Written by Ron Knapp

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Load up a book with the ‘ouch’ facts, the ‘yech’facts, and the ‘oh yeah?’ facts. Do away with the blah. Add to that mix magnified photos of the bloodsucking creatures and you have an instant readership – second and third grade readers who delight in the icky and gross and awful.

The vampire bat on the cover looks like it is on its way to the next meal source – you. We learn that the only real vampires in the world are these tiny (three-inch long) vampire bats. Count Dracula with his red cape is a figment of our imagination.
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Tashi and the Tibetan Flower Cure

Written and Illustrated by Naomi C. Rose

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Naomi C. Rose weaves a heart-warming tale about the resolve of a little girl to help her Popola get well. This story is perhaps best suited for a third grade class; it speaks of a little girl’s Tibetan grandfather who is healed by the power of nature and people’s enveloping companionship and love. As a third grade class reads this book, it encourages reading skills in comprehension. There are several culturally relevant words that students will perhaps have to research or at least dig deep into the text for context clues. Words such as “Tibetan chants,” “mala,” “thangka,” and “solja” encourage students to look up their meanings to deepen comprehension. The theme of this book is a girl’s determination on behalf of her grandfather. She rallies a community to help heal him from the spirit outward. An easy journal assignment after reading <em>Tashi and the Tibetan Flower Cure</em> would be to have students write how they can relate to Tashi. Perhaps students could share what they would be willing to do for a beloved family member.
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Ben Franklin His Wit And Wisdom From A – Z

By Alan Schroeder

Illustrated by  John O’Brien

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If you are contemplating reading this book or have it in hand, it tells two things about you. You are a reader, and you want to learn about Ben Franklin. It does not matter that you are a third grade reader or an adult. The strength of the book lies in the fact that all ages will enjoy it.

The illustrations add such verve to the text. “Never leave till tomorrow what you can do today” is one of Ben Franklin’s aphorisms. Well, guess what? Even an animal takes it to mind. Multi-tasking farmer, multi-tasking horse chomping on an apple TODAY.
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The Adventures of Titch & Mitch: Shipwrecked!

By Garth Edwards

Illustrated by Max Stasyuk

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The Adventures of Titch & Mitch: Shipwreckedis an excellent chapter book for the third grade level reader.  It offers quirky characters that second graders will love to read about and the plot triggers the imagination making children of this age want to keep reading to see what more fun adventures come along.

While the book is about a fun and whacky adventure of two young pixies, Titch and Mitch, the language might be challenging to comprehend for some third grade readers. The lesson of friendship will not go unnoticed by the third grade reader and they will love the characters from yellow seagulls to flying bicycles and talking turkeys. There is also a fairy, a hedgehog, and so much more.
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Wings Within

By Franklin Hill, Ph.D.

Illustrated by Aries Cheung

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“I’m tired of being a plain old turtle,” says Myrtle, the main character in Wings Within, “I want to be a BUTTERFLY!”  Myrtle thinks butterfly thoughts and imagines that if she tucks into her shell she will be able to grow beautiful wings and fly. Try as she might, though, Myrtle remains a turtle.
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A Winning Goal

By Laurie Calkhoven

Illustrated by Arcana Studios

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As part of the “Innerstar University” series, A Winning Goal  is about a girls’ soccer team and how teams work. With much of the text written in second person, the reader becomes one of the team and participates in all activities, on and off the field. This approach works well for third grade reading, making the reader feel a part of the story.
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Marching with Aunt Susan: Susan B. Anthony and the Fight for Women’s Suffrage

By Claire Rudolf Murphy

Illustrated by Stacey Schuett

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Bessie Keith Pond, a real girl from Berkeley, California, wanted to ride bikes and go on hikes with her father and brothers. But back in 1896, girls were only supposed to stay home and take care of the house.The man of the house, in this case Bessie’s father, was the decision maker of the household.
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