The Junkyard Wars -- Jenna French

Jenna French

Children’s Literature Review: Theme 3

Title: The Junkyard Wonders

Author: Patricia Polacco

Age of Reader: 3^rd Grade

·      I chose this book because I’m going to have children in every class of mine who struggle with different areas. To some, the struggle might be barely noticeable while it is obvious about others. This book teaches children to accept and appreciate all children and wherever they are at on the learning spectrum. It promotes valuing the differences in each other.

·      Trisha is glad to be at a new school because at her old school everyone knew that she was in “special classes” and how she had just learned to read. Trisha gets placed in Mrs. Peterson’s class, which is unbeknownst to her to be the “junkyard class”. Trisha is first very upset at this news because this was also a “special” class. On the first day of school the teacher makes all of the students write down the definition of genius and tells them that this is exactly what they are. Mrs. Peterson makes the class fun and the children learn to not only accept, but to appreciate the differences in one another. Trisha grows to love her teacher and all of her new classmates. She realizes they are learning just like every other class in the school is learning and there’s no other class she’d rather be in.

All Have Asperger Syndrome -- Casey Dunlap

Casey Dunlap

HDFS 3024

Children’s Lit Review #3

“All Cats Have Asperger Syndrome” by Kathy Hoopmann

            All Cats Have Asperger Syndrome is a children’s book by Kathy Hoopmann. This book is about how cats are very similar to children and adults with Asperger Syndrome. By describing the similarities, it is easier for children to understand what Asperger Syndrome is because most children know what cats are like and they can use their knowledge to understand and relate to those with Asperger Syndrome. I would read this book in any of my classrooms from Pre-K to 3^rd grade because it is a good book that puts Asperger Syndrome in an easily understood and relatable way that a child of any age can respond to.  I would use this book to help all the children understand about Asperger Syndrome is there was a children with Asperger Syndrome in my class or if one of my students had a sibling or family member or friend with Asperger Syndrome and needed help understanding. I would read it to the class as a whole then read it to and discuss it with any individual that needed more help understanding.

All Dogs Have ADHD -- Paige Duke

Paige Duke

9/13/13

Book: All Dogs have ADHD

Author: Kathy Hoopmann

Grade Level- 1-5

Summary: All Dogs have ADHD is a humorous and insightful look into Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder. It parallels certain dog mannerisms to behaviors of people with ADHD, in a light-hearted endearing sort of way. This book celebrates being different.

To be honest, I chose this book because it has great ratings on Amazon. I think it would be great to read with a child that has been diagnosed with ADHD. If the child wanted to, we could then read it to the class and help them understand ADHD a little better. It’s a fun book and I think the kids would really enjoy it. 

Ian's Walk -- Brittany Dennis

Children’s Literature Review #3: Children with Special Needs

Your name: Brittany Dennis

Title: Ian’s Walk

Author: Laurie Lears

Age of reader: 5 – 9 years

Why you chose this book: This book is about a girl that has a little brother that is living with autism. She tells the reader how she deals with her brother’s unique needs and gives the reader an interesting view of the disorder.

Plot summary: The book begins with a little girl going on a walk to the park with her friend. Her brother, Ian, wanted to come on the walk with her and she reluctantly let him go. On their way to the park, the little girl watches Ian and how he is interested in weird things that she is not interested in. She worries that people will stare at her and Ian. While at the park the little girl looses track of Ian. She tries to think of where she would be if she thought like Ian. She remembers that her brother really likes the big brass bell and she found him there. On the way back she decides to let Ian stop and watch weird things. They watch the fan at a store and to stop and listen for something that she cannot here. When they arrive home she tells Ian that they had a good walk and Ian smiles at her.

Junkyard Wonders --- Lindsey Davis

Lit Review

Theme: Children With Special Needs

Book: Junkyard Wonders
by Patricia Polacco

Summary: This book is about a girl who lived in Michigan with her dad and grandma.  She has always gone to school in California and lived with her mom.  She is in a special education class and the one friend she had in Michigan won’t talk to her at school because she’s in the junkyard class.  These students get made fun of and begin to believe they are junk.  Their teacher, Mrs. Peterson, teaches them that a junkyard is filled with amazing, unique things that have potential, just like them.  They all go to a junkyard to pick out things and make something new.  One group decides to rebuild an airplane model.  The class decides to launch this airplane at the school science fair to show everyone what they have made.  This project and Mrs. Peterson made these students believe in themselves, and taught the whole school what the junkyard class really is.

Use: This could be used to explain what it means when friends have disabilities.  They are still people with talents and feelings, just like anyone else.

Appropriate Ages: This book would be good for 1^st grade and up.  I think it is too long for Kindergarten.