OISE Book Blog!

The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett is a classic piece of children’s literature that has had several stage and film adaptations (with one released this year!).

The Secret Garden follows the story of 10-year-old Mary Lennox, a sallow, miserable child living in India with her wealthy British family. When a cholera outbreak sweeps across the region, Mary is orphaned and sent off to live with a distant uncle at Misselthwaite Manor in Yorkshire, England. With her uncle travelling often to escape the memory of his deceased wife, Mary is left to herself to explore the grounds of the manor. Mary learns of a secret garden that has been walled and locked since the wife’s death and is determined to find a way inside. Curiosity and determination lead to the discovery of other secrets hidden inside the manor. Over the course of the story, Mary undergoes a complete transformation of character through not only the discoveries but also the friendships she makes along the way.

My favourite part of The Secret Garden is in the final chapter. Without spoiling the magic of the book, it is a moment of complete contrast from the beginning of the story. I recommend this book to anyone who likes Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery.

Themes: healing, growth, nature, friendship, independence; but also, child neglect, abandonment and isolation.

Thank you, Mr. Falker, the children’s book, was written in 1998 by world renowned author, Patricia Polacco. Polacco tells the story of a young girl who’s journey through education is changed for the better by Mr. Falker, a teacher who grew an interest in her literary development.

Trisha grew up loving books and listening to her family tell stories. She was excited for the day that she would be able to read and share her own stories, but when the opportunity arose, her struggle became very imminent, showing no progression. Trisha endured years of ridicule and bullying from her fellow classmates, which resulted in a severe deterioration of her self confidence.  This was until a new teacher was assigned to her class, Mr. Falker, who encouraged her to overcome her learning disability.

My favourite part of the book was watching Trisha grow through the help provided by Mr. Falker. As teacher candidates this book exemplifies the power that we have as educators to change the life of our students. Providing students with the tools that they need and going above and beyond to ensure all students succeed is one of the most important parts of being an educator.

I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys inspirational stories, and tales of motivation. I would especially recommend this book to those who have endured a momentary laps in self-confidence, as they would find this book to be very relatable.

Bridge to Terabithia tells the story of an unlikely friendship formed by two isolated fifth graders, and the unique way they use their imagination to transform their ordinary lives. The winner of the 1978 Newberry medal, the tale explores themes of love, friendship, loss, and the power of wonder. 

Disillusioned by his chaotic family life, Jesse spends spare moments between chores and school dreaming of earning the respect of his peers, and creating fantastical narratives in his sketchbook. He soon finds himself intrigued by Leslie Burke, the eccentric daughter of his recently moved next door neighbours, who challenges his ideas about gender, religious norms, and everyday experiences. The two create their own special place in the forest, called “Terabithia”, where they weave magical tales, and use their creativity to cope with the joyful and less positive events of their young lives. 

As someone who did not infrequently spend recesses alone drawing pictures, I found myself relating to circumstances of its artistic and somewhat lonely protagonist, Jesse. I think the story provides a good example of children that make the effort to befriend those they see in need of companionship, and the ability for children to have wonderful friendships with all kinds of people. With the divisive climate our world currently exists in, I think this message of inclusion will serve its readers in important ways.     

I would recommend this book to anyone who feels they might relate to the themes presented in the story, or simply those in need of an inspiring tale. The book is fairly short, and the plot quite simple, but it captures the confusing and exciting experience that is growing up in a notably poetic and thoughtful way.

Wanda fled Europe during WWII and came to live in a small town in the United States. She had a funny name that nobody at her school knew how to pronounce. She had no mom and lived in a shed with her dad and her brother. Wanda didn’t have any friends. She came to school alone and went home alone. She always wore a faded blue dress that didn’t hang right. No one ever paid attention to her. One morning, the girls were talking about all their dresses and Wanda timidly joined in. She said that she had one hundred beautiful dresses, all in her closet. The other girls laughed at her. From that point on, Wanda would be teased daily about her hundred dresses. She would walk away and would stand alone by the red brick wall, close to where the little kids played. One day, Wanda didn’t show up in class. Her classmates would soon find out the truth about the hundred dresses.  The Hundred Dresses is a warm and emotional story that Eleanor Estes wrote more than sixty years ago. It still speaks to people of all ages, to those who don’t fit in, or who feel lonely and rejected. It is a story about discrimination but also about forgiveness and generosity.

Bridge to Terabithia is an award-winning, 1977 coming-of-age novel by Katherine Paterson. The story chronicles the growth of a boy boy named Jess Aarons, who lives in the rural south after befriending Leslie Burke, a new girl coming in from the suburbs. As the two grow closer together, they create the world of Terabithia, a fantastical kingdom where the two of them are queen and king. Leslie teaches Jess about courage, empathy, and strength. However, a tragic event occurs, and Jess needs to use the lessons that Leslie taught him to grapple with the situation.

What I love about this story is how accessible but incredibly poignant the story is. It’s an example of a high interest but low entry book, as the reading level is around Grade 4, but the themes are relatable to everyone. I particularly liked how Paterson critiques gender roles using Leslie and Jess, as well as other characters present in the story. Near the beginning of the book, Jess watches his father be physically affectionate with his sisters, but not to him. He yearns for the same affection but feels that it was a privilege that he never had since he was born, implying that was likely due to his gender. It tugged at my heartstrings and I was pleasantly surprised by this subtle depiction of how gender divides start young. A highly recommended read!

Front Desk by Chinese-American author Kelly Yang is a reflection of her own upbringing her family immigrated to the United States when she was only a child. On her website, Yang writes that about 60% of Front Desk was real and based off of her own childhood, and the other 40% was fiction, which can be felt in her passionate and illustrative writing of an immigrant story from the perspective of a child. Front Desk is a powerful novel that touches on complex issues in ways that are approachable and digestible for readers of all ages, emphasized by childhood curiosity and innocence. Stories of xenophobia, racism, anti-Black racism, extortion, bullying, and the immigrant experience are all told in a way that teaches the reader to empathize with Mia, who is the main character of the novel. This book resonated very deeply with me and had me wishing that 10-year-old Cecilia had the opportunity to read literature that she could see herself in. This book will speak deeply to students of colour and immigrant students, and illicit empathy for other students towards their peers. Front Desk was one of the best books I have ever read, and I would recommend it as a read-aloud book for grades 3 and above, and as independent reading for grades 5 and above.

Out of My Mind is a novel about an 11 year old named Melody who was born with Cerebral Palsy (CP) and has never been able to communicate verbally the many thoughts she has. Melody is surrounded by a loving family and an incredible support system who advocate and push for her to be seen. The entire book is narrated from Melody’s point of view in which she outlines her struggles and frustrations with her inability to express herself verbally and physically. Melody becomes integrated into some classes with other grade 5s in which some of the students tease her and underestimate her abilities. When Melody gets a machine that helps her to communicate, students and teachers are able to see how bright she is.

My favourite part of the book is the use of Melody’s voice as the narrator all throughout. I felt like it was a very powerful way to illustrate how someone who is non-verbal like Melody still has a high level of understanding. I chose the book because of my previous experience working with those with CP and I would recommend this book to anyone, even adults. I think it is important for educators to understand how amazing and intelligent kids like Melody can be!

Monster is an amazing novel that puts us in the place of 16 year old Steve Harmon who is on trial accused of participating in the murder of Harlem store owner Alguinaldo Nesbit. Harmon writes diary entries about his experiences at the Manhattan Detention Centre such as how he suffers from nightmares and the presence of contraband. In his diary, he transcribes the voices of those present in the courtroom such as the prosecutor and his defense attorney Kathy O’Brien. During the trial we hear medical examiner James Moody state that Mr. Nesbit died of a fatal gunshot wound. Detectives unfortunately find new clues at the crime scene and can only go off of word of mouth. My favourite part of the book is when Kathy questions Osvaldo’s intentions of attributing participation in the crime to Steve. This is my favourite part because it draws readers attention to the fact that jail informants tend to say anything in efforts of shifting the blame and receiving a lighter sanction. Overall, if you’re a fan of criminal justice forms of entertainment for example shows like Lockdown, People’s Court, Accused: Guilty or Innocent and so forth you’ll most likely enjoy this Myers’ novel.

-Vanessa Tuffour

The Year of Billy Miller by Keven Henkes is one of my favourite children’s books. It would be a perfect read-aloud book for a Grade 2 class, because it is about a boy named Billy Miller who is just starting Grade 2. He is nervous that he will not be smart enough for Grade 2, and the book focuses on his fears and bravery and his relationships with the important people in his life: his Grade 2 teacher, his father, his mother, and his sister. This book is easily relatable to anyone who reads it, and it fills me with nostalgia because Henkes writes it in such a way that one feels like one is a seven-year-old again.

My favourite part is when Billy is frustrated and angry with his younger sister, but they end up sharing a beautiful moment that wonderfully sums up sibling relationships, and always makes me tear up. If you’re a fan of Beezus and Ramona by Beverly Clearly, I would recommend The Year of Billy Miller, because they are both wonderful works of realistic fiction that are relatable to children, and remind adults what it’s like to be young. They also both show heartwarming and realistic portrayals of the relationships of a child with their siblings and parents.

Little Women is a novel written by Louisa May Alcott, who is an American writer. The write narrates the story during the American Civil War. Mr. March went to the battlefield to work as a military chaplain, and his wife Mrs. March and four daughters live a bitter but optimistic life at home. Poor as they are, they are still willing to help their neighbour, who need more help than they do. It is a story of love, care and self-esteem. The novel also realistically shows that it is normal for little girls to have vanity, and they want beautiful dresses and delicious food, and they wish they could live like a princess. In real life, they have been relying on their own efforts to solve the hardships of life. Four little girls have totally different personalities, and they are independent but rely on each other. The story follows the four women’s years of growing from girls to little women, telling the story of their love experiences and their respective pursuits of different ideals and destinations.

The first time I read this book was in grade 5, and I could still remember the excitement when I reading every interesting and attracting chapters, and I could also feel the happiness, madness, and sadness with four little girls. The second time I reopened this book was this year in April. 14 years after, I review it from a different perspective as an adult and educator and I really found this book is educational, and age appropriate for grade 5 students.

My favourite part of this book is the role of mom. She never tell her daughters to obey what she says, but uses many lovely stories to inspire and model the way she hopes her daughters could learn from. I really love the way how mom teaches four little girls to forgive, to love, to feel the empathy and help other people. And this is the reason why I choose this novel as my read aloud book.