Sarah Ellis (1)Reseñas

Christmas

A little old, but still a great resource for upper elementary and middle school teachers. Each chapter is a mini lesson (or series of lessons, depending on how you want to use it) complete with a story or summary of a famous children's author's childhood, and ends with sections with writing prompts and other books about the same topics as the first book mentioned.

This book was fully unique. We have a queen and her feet do not live in shoes. Honestly, I don’t blame her. Her feet may want to play in the mud, run in the sand, or wear completely inappropriate shoes but the queen still has a job to do. After gathering as many people in the land that know anything about feet as possible, they’ve come up with a plan. What I really like about this book is the story is simple, but fun, but the illustrations. The illustrations remind me of some of the jazz sessions of Sesame Street. Things like the number song when they count to 12. That type of atlas illustration. Sometimes that type of illustration can feel old but in this book it the illustration feels unique and perfect for the story.

The book Salmon Forest by David Suzuki and Sarah Ellis is an informational text about the salmon life cycle. The main character, Kate, learns about the dependency of the forest ecosystem through observing salmon returning to the river to spawn.
I like this book because it would be relatable to many of the students in the area in which I teach because I’m sure many of them have been out in the woods and have probably even been salmon fishing.
I would use this book to teach about the forest ecosystem and salmon life cycle but would also tie it into a unit on Oregon’s natural resources because one of those natural resources is salmon.

A boy named Peter moved away from his good friend, Ben. Ben was really broken up about it and decided to become Caveboy Ben. He didn't come out until one night when his family invited him out. While he was out of his cave, a moving truck pulled up and out came a scooter that was about the size for a new friend of his. I like this because losing a friend because they moved is something that happens to kids in real life. It is something they can relate to and help them understand it's okay. To use this in the classroom, I would use it with making predictions. The end of the story is a cliffhanger and a perfect way to have students make a prediction about what they think will happen next! They could do this quickly or also write out their story.½

When I first saw this books, I thought it was a picture book, but it is somewhat like a chapter book without actual numbered chapters. A great book for early readers who want a bit more to their stories. The illustrations are not on every page, but there are enough to interest even the younger listener. Liam is in kindergarten when he finds out that his mom is going to have a baby. He waits and waits until it is time and she is born. He is home with Nana-Downstairs waiting for the big event. I love that she is not the typical grandmother depicted in children's books. She is feisty, fun, does yoga and has her own workshop where she builds stuff. When Liam realizes that Sophie is not going to grow up fast enough for him, he gets frustrated and angry. His family helps him to deal with it and to love Sophie just the way she is. I read this book with my four year old grandson and he liked it. He was able to relate to when his mother had his baby sister. This is a great story for children waiting for a younger sibling or if they have just had one. A perfect choice for a family library. The publisher generously provided me with a copy of this book via Netgalley.

I enjoyed this book for a few reasons. When Ben's friend Peter moves away, he decides that he will move to, under the kitchen table and be a caveman. The first reason I enjoyed this book was that of the character Ben, he is imaginative and creative and shows the readers they can be too. He creates a whole new world under the kitchen table. The second reason I like this book was that of the illustration. Each illustration enhances the story and honestly depicts what the author is trying to portray to the young readers. The third and final reason I liked this book was that of the message of the story. When a friend moves away, it can be scary to a young child, but when a child uses their imagination, there are no obstacles they can't defeat.

The books illustrations are perfect for children so appealing my child want to read it over and over

Feeling left out and uncertain about his positive strengths Ben's siblings create a report card that shows off his skills. Personality: Begin to recognize their own values and to choose from among values.

Ben is not yet in a school where he gets letter grades based on his work. His siblings however make a grade report for their baby brother and give him A+'s for being the best little brother. This is appropriate for children ages 3-5.

I thought this book was very cute and enjoyable for younger brother and sister to be able to fill as important as a older sibling age group 3- up

In this story, Ben has a sister in grade five and a brother in grade three. Ben can't swim, he can't use chopsticks, and he can't even see out of the car window. Because ben is little and can’t accomplish these things, he really wants to bring home a report card so that he can show his family that he can be good at things like his older siblings. Well his older siblings remember what it was like to be little, and Ben's brother and sister present Ben with his very own report card, grading him on all the activities that little brothers do best! Ben is so happy because of this and gains better self-esteem. This books promotes feelings of self-worth and self-esteem, and recognizing their own values in personality development. The illustrations for this book are very realistically drawn and fit in well with the text of the story which is perfect for children ages 3-5.
This book was found in the Pierce College Library

This books is about a little boy who wants to feel accomplished like his older siblings. He family sets task that he can achieve and the grades how well he done. He was able to gain a good sense of self-worth.

Bens older siblings get their grades from school but because Ben is in preschool he does not get grades and fells left out, They give him grades and home and he receives A+ for feeding the cat and making people laugh. good for ages 3-5. could be read to a class
Plot

I thought this book was awesome! I liked how it showed his mother giving him the "report card" for his chores around his home. I think this would make a child see that what he is doing is actaully appreciated and helping out!
Ages: 3-6
Plot

Great handbook on developing writing skills. Written with children in mind but anyone could benefit from the ideas and tools in this book. You could design writing activities or programs for home, classrooms, or libraries with this book as a guide.

This is a book about salmon that follows the narrative of a girl named Kate, who follows her fish-biologist father to the river where he works; a place he calls the Salmon forest. Together, they watch the salmon return to spawn, see a bear scoop salmon up to eat, and meet a Native boy and his family fishing nearby. This book teaches about the salmon, the environment and community around it, and how dependent things are upon salmon. I would use this book at the beginning of a lesson as an anticipatory set to stimulate schema through the narrative.

A child's experience riding on a bus.
Ages: 3-5
Source: Pierce College Library

A mysterious stranger prompts a girl to consider what are the most important things life and figure out the true meaning of family and friendship. Thoughtful and provocative.

Sarah Ellis' Outside In is her seventeenth novel for young readers, and readers who discover her through this unusual work will undoubtedly be keen to investigate her backlist.

The cover captures the hint of mystery which lurks beneath the story, for Lynn encounters Blossom and immediately questions present themselves.

"Either this extremely ordinary-looking person in a school uniform was a nutbar, or the world had become like one of those fantasy trilogies that Shakti liked to read and which were Lynn’s least favourite books. Maybe this person was a glurb and she had an amulet that had to be restored to the true Druid princess or some such, and wouldn’t it just be Lynn’s luck if it turns out by some horrible cosmic joke that the world was really like that. She would have to go and lie down in the tundra somewhere and just give up."

There are some humourous touches like that, too, as Lynn tries to make sense of what she is seeing. And, along the way, some social commentary. How does one define real in a world which is dominated by the virtual?

"Did Blossom and her family really exist? Lynn experienced a wave of doubt as she glanced around before running her key across the metal screen at the edge of the reservoir. No Phone. No email. No street address. Did Blossom even have a last name? For Pete’s sake, it would be easier to confirm that Celia’s guinea pigs, stars of their own YouTube movies, existed."

Blossom doesn't leave a trail behind her which is easy for Lynn to spot and contemporary readers will face the same challenges following her breadcrumbs. Is she a fantastic creature of sorts? Or does she just live her life in a way which seems fantastic to onlookers living in a mainstream existence complete with pets on YouTube?

"We reorder things. We collect recycling and take it back to where it is useful. We pull up weeds and put them in the compost where they turn into dirt to grow more things. And something we just fancy things up."

These are not fantastic concepts to be sure. But there is some complex thinking behind these everyday save-the-Earth aspects of the story.

"“The game’s not worth the candle.”
“What does that mean?”
“It’s from card games from long ago. The chances of winning are not worth the cost of burning a candle to light the game.”

And along the way, a number of valuable issues are raised. Out of context, these quotes could suggest that the book is preachy, but that's not the case.

“But there are so many things in the world already. Did you know that there is a billion square feet of self-storage in America? That’s a billion square feet of stuff that nobody is using. There are already enough things without making new ones. We can just use what we’ve got. Fix it and use it. All this racing around earning and shopping and saving. It’s all just dancing for doughnuts.”

There is perhaps an overly-wholesome feel to some of the story's language ('nutbar' and 'for Pete's sake' hearken to the 1950s kids' books I grew up reading) but the talk of candles and games is embedded solidly in story.

As an introduction to this critically acclaimed author's works, it is an impressive ambassador.

This review originally appeared on BuriedInPrint.

Teenaged Lynn meets "Underlander" Blossom, who lives a secret life off the grid with her scavenging, cobbled-together "family": ex-physicist Fossick, autistic Larch, and fascinating, beautiful Tron. Lynn is fascinated by Blossom's secret, alternative lifestyle, which threatens to be exposed, and possibly destroyed, by Lynn's participation in an "Underlander" event which is filmed. An interesting idea, capably written about, yet somehow underwhelming.

Surely a better cover could have been designed. I don't understand the choice of this one at all!

Outside In by Sarah Ellis is about Lynn's struggle to find normalcy in her life. Lynn keeps her life busy with choir practice, school, and shopping. But home is the worst, her mother, Lynn, can't keep it together. The house needs repairs, her choir trip has to be canceled because of paperwork she's forgotten to mail, and Lynn feels like the adult in the relationship (and she always has).

When Lynn is stuck in Vancouver while her choir goes to the United States to compete, she is introduced to a side of the city she didn't know existed. Lynn meets a girl on the bus who is living off the grid. The girl lives with her family as "underlanders" instead of like the "citizens."

Outside In to me is the Canadian Neverwhere. It's not as firmly planted in the fantasy realm as Gaiman's novel, but there is an emotional kinship. Both are about homelessness and how those who aren't homeless see those who are as less than human. To others, they are even invisible. Both these books cast a light on homelessness — in London and Vancouver (and Burnaby) — and bring the humanity back into the equation.

Even though been enjoys playing at his friends house when it comes to spending the night he is scared. His sisters help him come up with ways the conquer his fears which lead to him sleeping over with no problems.

This is a story of a boy named Ben who love to play with his friends but have a fear on sleeping over at his house.

Ages: 4-6 years old
Source: Pierce College Library

On Saturday, Claire rides the bus and sits right up front so she can help the driver. Claire announces the stops on the rout.
Finally, her mom joins Claire and the driver who is her dad, and went to home.
Ages: 3-5
Source: Pierce College Libraray