Sofia is an 8-year-old brilliant reader who aspires to be a book reviewer. On select Saturdays, Sofia will share her favorite books with kids! She is one of the most well-read elementary schoolers that we know, so she is highly qualified for this role!
Ban This Book Author: Alan Gratz Published: August 29th 2017 by Starscape Books
Hi!
It’s Sofia Martinez again and I just finished reading this amazing book: Ban This Book by Alan Gratz. You definitely would not want to ban Ban This Book. It is for ages 8-12. Ban This Book won a 2020 Nutmeg Book Award in Connecticut. It is a chapter book.
Amy Ann’s favorite book is banned from the library along with others. She decides to make a locker library of all the banned books: the B.B.L.L, the banned books locker library, but when the principal finds out things start to get ugly. For example her favorite librarian gets fired trying to speak up for her. More things happen but I don’t want to be a spoiler.
I really like Ban This Book because it teaches courage. The girl in the book speaks up for her favorite book, something that I would have never done before I read this book. Another reason why I like Ban This Book is because it gives you ideas on what to read next. For example, Fromthe mixed up files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E. L. Konigsburg and Matilda by Roald Dahl. The last reason why I like it is because it is very entertaining. I like how it seems real. For example, there are typical arguments with sisters and a bit of sadness and lots of happiness.
A few months ago I was walking in the library and saw Ban This Book on the Nutmeg Book Award shelf and thought it looked nice so I checked it out. Once I got home I changed my mind about it and didn’t want to read it anymore. I put it back in the library bag and started reading some other books, but now I really regret that.
Here are some discussion questions I came up with.
Would you have spoken up for your favorite book?
Would you run away if you had annoying brothers or sisters?
Did you like Ban This Book? Why or why not?
How much do you think Amy Anne likes books?
If you want a book that teaches you something even if you’re a grown up, Ban This Book is perfect. I hope you have tons of fun reading this book!
**Thank you, Sofia, for your continued brilliance. You inspire us!**
When I was younger, I always liked reading, but it was The Baby-Sitters Club series that truly sucked me in. My parents made the wonderful mistake of saying they’d always buy me a book if I ask for it, and there are a lot of BSC books, so I read so many of them!
The Baby-Sitters Club taught me much more than the wonderful world of books though. Through the books, I learned about:
Baby-Sitting
Racism
Autism
Diabetes
Death
Divorce
Eating Disorders
Deafness and ASL
Asthma
Childhood Cancer
Crushes
Friendships
Being a Strong Girl
Acceptance of Different Personalities
And so much more!
I truly believe that the BSC is a big reason why I feel like I have a foundation of empathy and openness. The books also prompted me to copy many of their baby-sitting techniques such as an information sheet and a kid kit probably giving me a foundation of being an educator also.
The original Baby-Sitters Club books were published from 1986 to 2000 (with a few spin-off book series, a TV mini-series, and a movie during the same time period). Then they reemmerged through graphic novels in 2006. And now, on Netflix, a new TV series came out on July 3rd, and that is what prompted me to write this post.
The Netflix series exceeded my expectations. It was beautifully done. The series has taken what made the BSC books a favorite of millions and moved the story to 2020. In the 10 episodes that have come out, once again the BSC girls are teaching their viewers about so much, including about:
I realize that sometimes we have to let go of the books we loved as a kid because of different reasons, but The Baby-Sitters Club has lived on. I hope they redo the books with just a few modernizations because the revival of the show shows that the stories still resonate with kids.
I will always be thankful for Ann M. Martin (who I met and cried!!!) and her characters for showing me about life, and I am so happy a new generation are going to love them too.
I am extremely excited to share this virtual-hands on learning system with you because my kids love it. Plugo offers a variety of learning options, and I elected to get their Letters, Count, and Link package. I chose the Letters kit by itself, and it came with a very high quality gameboard and alphabet kit (a lot of letters and a display that allows the app to read the letters). I also chose to get the Count and Link dual package, which also came with the gameboard, a three-spiked device named Spike, a lot of numbers that fit on spike, and magnetic patterned tiles for building. All of the materials are very well-made, and the app is very easy to download and follow (my three-year-old, for instance, figured it out immediately).
One thing I love about this system as opposed to other similar systems is that it adapts to the child’s age level. Each of my children have a profile with their grade level noted, and the app saves their progress.
I also like how well-made the product is. The magnets are strong, and the system feels very sturdy. My three-year-old has dropped several of the activity kits a few times, and they are still doing well.
Below, I share more details about each of the systems, all of which I recommend highly. As a family who is home for the summer (we’ve canceled all summer camps), this is what we’ve needed. The kids used to beg me for television, which we only use as a real treat, but now they beg me to play Plugo. This is much, much more exciting than their workbooks, and they love to engage in the varied games that each of the system offers.
Plugo Letters
An alphabet kit that goes beyond word-building. Develop grammar concepts like verbs, vowels, synonyms & more. Learn to spell & use new words through story-based games.
5 story-based games in the app
250+ challenges and puzzles
Age-adaptive challenges, PreK to Grade 5
Skills: language development, comprehension, storytelling
I love how my kids use this system and are reading and developing their language without even knowing it. I can hear them whispering the words as they sound them out. I see them trying out different vowels and experimenting with words.
Here, my 6-year-old spells out words along his pathway.
I thought my 3-year-old would be too young for the game, but sure enough, he played for almost an hour (when I cut him off).
The games are fun, and it goes all the way up to fifth grade. This is going to be a learning system that grows with our kids, and I am glad that they are learning letters and words through story. Rather than a video game, the app is more of a narrative that kids follow and stop at selected points to interact with the story using the letter tiles. If they get tired of a story, there are other games within the app to play!
Plugo Count
Traditional math made fun with an innovative hands-on approach. Plugo Count reinvents math with engaging stories that help kids understand and fall in love with numbers.
5 story-based games in the app
250+ challenges and puzzles
Age-adaptive challenges, PreK to Grade 5
Skills: math (+ – x /), problem-solving, logical reasoning
I love, love, love how this system adapts to the age level of the child, too. My 6-year-old loved playing the games and using operators like addition and subtraction. The repetition of the addition phrases is helping strengthen his memory of common equations. He goes through the story and learns math through authentic examples. I am looking forward to him being able to try out the multiplication and division operators in the future.
When my 3-year-old asked to play Count, I hesitated because I didn’t think he’d be able to play it. Imagine my relief when he started playing and the game asked him to count items in the story and complete the missing number (3, 4, 5, ___). I think about all of the worksheets within workbooks that ask kids to do these same skills, but with Count, he is able to count images that go along with a story. This feels more authentic and exciting!
Plugo Link
Classic building blocks meet modern digital play with Plugo Link! Build and balance the magnetic blocks in real world to solve exciting engineering puzzles on the screen.
My kids are Lego lovers. They could sit at the table for hours with a new Lego kit. So it comes as no surprise that they are obsessed with Link. In the image above, you see my 3-year-old linking up gears to complete an animal. In another game in the app, for instance, He is figuring out how to build pipes to prevent water from flowing out. Older kids can play a game like a word search to connect letters to make words with the patterned tiles. The kids absolutely love Link and enjoy all of the different building games.
Among Letters, Count, and Link, do I have a favorite? No. All three feel very educational and offer something different that is valuable for a child. It would be like asking me if I wanted my kids to attend math, reading, or engineering class. We’ve had a lot of fun with all three of the systems, and we recommend them all. For parents who are looking for more learning options and for parents who are looking to engage kids with hands-on learning, Plugo offers a fun and exciting option that kids will love.
From a teacher perspective, these systems would be really great options for learning stations and fast finishers. I would be really, really excited to see them in my kids’ classrooms because they offer a kinesthetic approach to learning.
**Thank you to PlayShifu for providing Letters and Count for Review!**
It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?
Sharing Picture Books, Early Readers, Middle Grade Books, and Young Adult Books for All Ages!
It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? is a weekly blog hop co-hosted by Unleashing Readers and Teach Mentor Texts which focuses on sharing books marketed for children and young adults. It offers opportunities to share and recommend books with each other.
The original IMWAYR, with an adult literature focus, was started by Sheila at Book Journeys and is now hosted by Kathryn at The Book Date.
We encourage you to write your own post sharing what you’re reading, link up below, leave a comment, and support other IMWAYR bloggers by visiting and commenting on at least three of the other linked blogs.
To start, I read Django Paris and H. Samy Alim’s co-edited Culturally Sustaining Pedagogies: Teaching and Learning for Justice in a Changing World. This book is amazing. I found it to be so inspiring and had to limit the number of times I cite it in the book I am writing!
My kids love the Ana and Andrew series, so it’s no surprise that they loved Dancing at Carnival and Summer and Savannah by Christine Platt. This one is available as a read-along on hoopla, and after we read them, the kids asked to read them again.
I never managed to read Duck! Rabbit! by Amy Krouse Rosenthal and Tom Lichtenheld, so I am glad that I was able to find a library copy of it in e-book form. This book is quite charming, and it was fun for my kids to experience an illusion like this for the first time. They call it an illusion, right?
In Spork by Kyo Maclear, a spork doesn’t feel like he fits in, but he learns that he is juuuust right. This is a really cute story, and it offers great opportunities for conversations with kids like fitting in and individuality.
Ricki
I am reading a lot of books concurrently right now! One that I’ll mention is Zetta Elliot’s Dragons in a Bag. It’s really great, and the kids LOVE it.
Tuesday: PlayShifu’s Plugo Letters, Count, and Link
Thursday: The Baby-Sitters Club
Saturday: Sofia’s Kids’ Corner: Ban This Book by Alan Gratz
Sunday: Student Voices: Favorite Book Quotes by Duda V. and Angelina D., 8th grade
Link up below and go check out what everyone else is reading. Please support other bloggers by viewing and commenting on at least 3 other blogs. If you tweet about your Monday post, tag the tweet with #IMWAYR!
Seven Books (in no particular order) that Will Put a Smile on Your Face by Cooper B., 7th Grade
The War That Saved My Life by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley This is a feels the good book is about a girl and her brother who runs away from her abusive mother to a new town who soon she will love.
Trevor Noah: Born A Crime by Trevor Noah This is a memoir about a comedian who retells his life in South Africa. The book is hilarious and witty about Trevor’s not so smart things that he did as a boy.
The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho This is a feels good book about a farmer who goes to Egypt to find his true passion that does not involve his sheep.
Where The Sidewalk Ends by Shel Silverstein A funny poem book about all things and everything.
Ethan Marcus Stands Up by Michele Weber Hurwitz This is about Ethan Marcus who stands up for what he believes in. This will make your day with Marcus’s humor and devotion to what he believes in.
Ungifted by Gordan Korman This is a book about Donovan Curtis who is reckless and is accidentally put in a gifted school and he tries to make new friends who are all way smarter than him. This book is funny, surprising, and great.
Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain This is a hilarious classic book about kids getting into and out of trouble.
Sofia is an 8-year-old brilliant reader who aspires to be a book reviewer. On select Saturdays, Sofia will share her favorite books with kids! She is one of the most well-read elementary schoolers that we know, so she is highly qualified for this role!
Wonder Author: R. J. Palacio Published: February 14th 2012 by Alfred A. Knopf
Hi!
It’s Sofia Martinez again. Today I will review Wonder by R.J. Palacio. It is recommended for ages 8-12. Wonder is a long chapter book. Chapters are sections of a book. This book also has a thing that most books don’t have: parts. Parts have several chapters in them and in this case each part is written from a different perspective.
Wonder is a funny but also sad book. It is about a kid named August that looks different and because he looks different people aren’t always kind to him. His nickname is Auggie. Auggie had many surgeries so his mom had to homeschool him. Now that everybody his age was moving to middle school, his mom thought that Auggie should go, too.
Like all new kids, Auggie faces difficulties. Auggie still makes friends though. One of them is Summer. When she realizes how her friends are being mean to him, she goes over to his table during lunch to give him company and they end up becoming friends.
I really like Wonder because of its different points of view. You usually don’t get to see the same situation described by different characters and know how they experienced it. I also like Wonder because you don’t know what’s going to happen next. You just can’t put the book down until it is finished.
Once I saw that three copies of Wonder were available at our library, I borrowed them all so I could have a book club with my mom and grandma. We finished at the same time! We also came up with discussion questions. Here are some of them:
Why do you think there are so many parts where Auggie tells the story again from his perspective? How does that help the story?
How do you feel about Via describing her brother Auggie? What do you think about their relationship?
Are there any parts of the story that made you sad?
We also watched the movie after reading the book. The movie is very good. It is a bit different from the book but not much. I was surprised how some of the characters looked, for example Summer.
If you want a book that will change the way you look at things, Wonder is perfect for that. Have fun reading it!
If you enjoy Wonder, you might also enjoy the sequel: Auggie and Me by R.J. Palacio.
**Thank you, Sofia, for your continued brilliance. You inspire us!**
Best Learning’s iPoster My WORLD Interactive Map is a “beautifully illustrated large floor map for kids, great for interactive lessons in school or at home. Explore and discover the world with your fingertips!
The smartest way to learn the world which includes 92 countries, capital cities, flag, population, languages spoken, important landmarks, fun facts with 4 challenging quiz modes.
Learn over 1,000 facts about the world we live in!
Capital & Country – Learn about each country and its capital cities with quiz.
Flag – Learn about each country’s flag with quiz.
Population – Learn about the population of each country.
Language – Learn about the languages spoken in each country.
Landmark – Learn about the important landmark or monument of each country with quiz.
Fun Fact – Learn a fun fact of each country with quiz.
Family Choice, Mom’s Choice Gold Metal & Tillywig Brain Child Award Winner 2018! The most valuable interactive touch activated talking map.
Learning has never been so much easy and fun. Hang on a wall, play on the floor or use as a colorful play mat.
Learn capital cities, countries with their flags, population, languages spoken in each country, important landmarks, fun facts with volume control.
Skills learned include concentration, earth science, memory, problem solving, geography and environment.
Requires 3 AAA batteries (included); intended for Preschoolers and early learners of ages 5 and up.”
Ricki’s Review:We received this map a few weeks ago, and my kids take it out to explore again and again. I love how it isn’t just a simple, straightforward map with just countries. The different settings allow kids to explore more about our world. For instance, my older son seems to gravitate towards learning the country names, capital cities, and landmarks, yet my younger son is fascinated with the flags, and he regularly puts the map on the flag mode.
When we first opened the map, all three boys were interested. They learned to take turns learning about the countries. The baby is only included in this picture because as you see, he prefers to push everything at once.
Here, my oldest son clicks on the flags to learn about the countries they come from.
And here, the kids take turns trying to identify the correct country in a fun quiz.
We plan to move the map to the wall this week, and we are happy that it will be something that the kids can keep referring to. I can’t count the number of times that one of them asks something like, “Where is XXXX country, city, or monument?” The map will offer a fun way to not only identify the location but to also learn more about the countries as they pop up in teachable moments.
Kellee’s Review: This map is endless entertainment and information! For those of us who have inquiry-driven kids, the freedom of the map and plethora of information just lends to their natural curiousity. So often I would get questions about a setting of a book or movie or just a random country that he heard somewhere, and now we can visit the map to find the country and learn all about it.
Trent is a fan of landmarks. He can tell you where the Eiffel Tower, Statue of Liberty, Pyramids of Giza, etc. are, so he immediately gravitates towards learning about them with the map. And he just adores quizzes and will relisten to information and retake quizzes until he knows things by heart and will randomly share information with strangers. He says that this is his favorite part: “I love that the map tells you what the place is and tells you everything about the place.” It is all of the interesting information that keeps him gravitating towards it.
While Ricki loves that it isn’t just a simple map, I understand what she means, but I love that in the end it is still a map. Although there are some graphics, it isn’t overwhelming, and we can still use the map as a map also. I love that something that Trent goes back to over and over is fun and educational!
Teachers’ Tools for Navigation: This map would be a beautiful addition to classroom walls. It offers so much more than a simple, paper map, and it allows kids to learn more about our world. We would recommend using velcro strips to hang this map on classroom walls to allow kids to pull the map off of the wall and bring it to their seats for further investigation.
and
**Thank you to Best Learning for providing maps for review!**
\
