The Cat That Was Left Behind - C. S. Adler

The Cat That Was Left Behind

By C. S. Adler

★★★★☆

Summary

Chad is a foster child who has been transferred so many times he is not expecting to stay with the Sorenics past the summer months.  His mother, April Anne, has promised year after year that she would come for him.  Chad would like nothing more, when he is devastated by a letter telling him that she is getting married and doesn’t want him any more.  Chad feels like the cat he has spent all summer taming that was tossed aside by another family.  He is eventually open to the Sorenics and can finally see their open arms welcoming him to their family, not as a foster child but as an adopted son.

Review

This is a great story about fitting into a family group, and what learning what true family is all about.  Chad must find his place in the world, just as we all must learn to transition from being told what to do all of the time to making our own decisions, and accepting the rewards and consequences for those decisions.  I would recommend this book for 4-8^th graders.

Author Website

http://www.c-s-adler.com/

Technical Stuff

Adler, C.S. The Cat That Was Left Behind. Clarion Books, New York. 1981

ISBN 0-395-31020-2

Courtyard Cat - C.S. Adler

Courtyard Cat

by C.S. Adler
★★★☆☆

Summary

Lindsay is eleven years old and tasked with taking care of Garth, her 3 year old brother, for the summer while her mom works and her dad goes to school.  They had to move to the city to be closer to Garth's doctors, as Garth had previously been in an accident that disfigured his face.  Lindsay is angry that she has to take care of him, that she had to move away from her friends and that she can't leave the courtyard of their apartment building.

Even though life seems impossibly rough, a cat named Sapphire and the task of saving her from the landlady's clutches brightens their otherwise dull summer days. 

Review

At first this was a slow read but as I got into the book, it touched my heart.  I would recommend this book for 4th-7th grade readers.  It has a little mystery and gives the reader lots of personal connection points such as struggles with money, parents working and in school, taking care of siblings and pets, and much more.  

Author Website

http://www.c-s-adler.com/

Technical Stuff (from Amazon)

• Age Range: 8 and up 

• Hardcover: 172 pages

• Publisher: Clarion Books (September 18, 1995)

• Language: English

• ISBN-10: 0395711266

• ISBN-13: 978-0395711262

Spirit Horse - Ned Ackerman

Spirit Horse

by Ned Ackerman

★★★☆☆

Summary

Running Crane is a youth new to the Kainaa Indian tribe and gets picked on a lot by the other boys.  Weasel Rider is especially rude to Running Crane and calls him "Falls Off" when he can't rie any of the horses.  The elder, Wolf Eagle, invite both boys and some warriors along on a raid to capture some horses from the Snake People.  The raid goes awry and Running Crane is separated from the group. He must fend for himself, and while trying to find his way back to the Kainaa, runs into many dangers.  He is able to capture the prised Spirit Horse of the Snake People and break him before he heads back to the Kainaa to share his story.

Review 

This book had a slow beginning and many difficult to follow names such as Beaver-Slaps-Tail-Twice and Hunts-Smoke-Rising.  There is however a very good moral, that hard work and patience always win over empty bragging, and slacking.  I would recommend this book for 4rd-6th graders or anyone interested in Native American culture in the 1770's.    

Technical Stuff (From Amazon)

• Age Range: 10 and up 
• Hardcover: 192 pages
• Publisher: Scholastic; 1 edition (April 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0590396501
• ISBN-13: 978-0590396509

Frindle - Andrew Clements

Frindle

by Andrew Clements
Ill. by Brian Selznick

★★★★☆

Summary

Nick Allen is a very bright 5th grader who likes to step out on his own against the main stream.  His teacher Mrs. Granger tells the class the history of how new words are made and Nick decides that he is going to create a new word of his own.  Frindle.  That was Nick's new word for pen.  Pretty soon kids, then adults all over weren't using the word pen anymore, but the word frindle.  Mrs. Granger tries to put a stop to it, but it was too late, the word had become a sensation.  

Review 

This book is well written, and I would recommend it for 3rd-5th grade students.  Kids will enjoy reading this story of a word invention by a student their own age.  Nick likes attention and can be a bit obstinate, but he is humble in the end.  I think that most kids will be able to connect to this book easily.  While this is a very good story, the characters are not very deep and some students might desire more.  

For Teachers

Andrew Clements' webpage has a lot of good information that could be used in an author study here.  More specifically is the page dedicated to Frindle including answers to some frequently asked questions about the book.  This was a great resource!

If reading this story with a whole class, you should be ready for your own students to start creating their own new words.  :)   This died down in my class after a few weeks, but it was interesting for a while.  

Technical Stuff (From Amazon)

• Reading level: Ages 8 and up
• Paperback: 112 pages
• Publisher: Atheneum Books for Young Readers (February 1, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0689818769
• ISBN-13: 978-0689818769

Riding Freedom - Pam Muñoz Ryan

Riding Freedom 
By: Pam Muñoz Ryan 
Illustrated by: Brian Selznick
★★★★★

Summary

Charlotte Parkhurst became an orphan at the age of two when her parents were killed in a horse and buggy wreck during a storm.  She grew up in an orphanage for boys where she helped in the kitchen and spent as much time as she could out in the stables with the horses.

One Day she knew that she had to leave, or be stuck in the kitchen forever.  She disguises herself as a boy, because of course a girl can't travel alone in the mid 1800's, and narrowly escapes.  In the next few years, she has several close call but ends up as "Charley" spending the rest of her days among horses and stagecoaches making quite a name for herself.  

Review

        

Riding Freedom is a truly lovely book of historical fiction.  In a note from the author, we find out that this story is based on the true life story of Charlotte Darkey Parkhurst, making this an even more charming novel.  I would most defiantly recommend this book to 3rd-6th graders.

Author Website

http://www.pammunozryan.com/

This website has some great resources for teachers including a few reader's theater scripts for her other books, none yet for Riding Freedom.  

Technical Stuff

Ryan, Pam Muñoz. Riding Freedom. Ill. Brian Selznick.  Scholastic Inc. New York. 1998.  

ISBN-13: 978-0-439-08786-4

ISBN-10: 0-439-08796-1