Hello from Down Under! I’ve come to Australia to visit my daughter and her family and to help out a bit while she recovers from surgery. During my visit I’m reading a few books for a Book Fair Talk that I’ll be doing when I get back.
I didn’t teach primary classes in my teaching career so novels aimed at the Grade 1 to 3 student are a new thing to me. They are quite an eye opener. Having my grandson, who is in Grade 1, with me as I read the books is also a revelation as I am amazed by his strong sense of right and wrong.
I’ve read 4 Primary novels – Hiro’s Quest Into the Fire, Roscoe Riley Rules #5 Don’t Tap Dance on Your Teacher, Meet the Kreeps Kicking and Screaming, and Calendar Mysteries January Joker. Each book has a different setting and theme but they all have a similar message – standing up for what is right.
It interests me that in each book the characters have a sense of justice and a drive to overcome inadequacies. Despite odds – such as older siblings who tease or a certain lack of confidence – they are strong enough to make good decisions.
In Hiro’s Quest Into the Fire by Tracey West, illustrated by Craig Phillips, a continuation of the first adventure of the Hinata family, Hiro takes his older siblings by surprise because of his sensible way of handling a dangerous quest for the Amulet of the Sun. He shows that despite still being a ninja in training he can make wise decisions.
Roscoe, the main character of the Roscoe Riley Rules series, by Katherine Applegate and illustrated by Brian Biggs, teaches children that there are no “only boys can do this” or “only girls do that” in life. The book is an excellent way to initiate discussions about bias and gender discrimination with Primary students. One of the characters in the book is a male nurse – a good example of a non-traditional job for males.
Meet the Kreeps, by Kiki Thorpe, is also part of a series. In this book, Polly Winkler, one of the children in a very odd, blended family feels that she has no special talent like all of her siblings seem to possess. Polly is having a hard time fitting into her weird family and has to learn to try her best despite being challenged by another member of her soccer team. In the end Polly finds that she has the ability to do things on her own though a little help from a step-mother with magical powers is good too.
Older brothers and sisters can often tease and scare younger siblings. In the Calendar Mysteries January Joker, by Ron Roy, twins Bradley and Brian Pinto and their friends Nate and Lucy, have a scary adventure that is the work of their older siblings. The story deals with fears that young children have but also shows that they are able to handle situations well. When the police become involved, it is because the youngsters know that they can rely on them to help if they are in danger – a good choice. The parents in the story teach the children, both older and younger, a fair way to dole out punishment without being mean. The Calendar Mysteries are a favourite, easy reader for Primary students.
I would say that each of these books, in their own way, is a good read for a Primary child. They give parents and teachers many opportunities and topics for discussion with their Primary learners. They also give a bit of an insight into the world of children and the problems they face through their voices and eyes.