A Wrinkle in Time By: Madeleine L'Engle

This is another book that I read as a child and then shared with my daughter. The story received a Newberry Medal in 1963. It is an all time classic fantasy. The theme of good versus evil is played out in a world where time and space are manipulated. The main characters are children who take on the epic battle and are triumphant in the end. This book as well as the other 3 in the series account for much of my passion surrounding the fantasy genre. If you have never read this magnificent piece I highly suggest that you do. In fact now is the perfect time because they are just releasing a new edition with extras that make it even more memorable. There is new cover art and an introduction written by the author.

The Secret Garden By: Frances Hodgson Burnett

I am so glad I finally read this book. Actually this is another one that I listened to. It was a wonderful book to hear because of the English accents and dialects that would have been lost if I was reading silently. This is a classic that I missed somewhere along the way. I was also under the mistaken impression that this was a fantasy and that the garden somehow had magical powers that healed the boy and his cousin. That is not the way the story goes. It is however, a tale of healing. The kids in this story have been given all the material things in this world but nothing in the way of love and attention. What Mary and Collin find in the garden and in Miselthwait Manor may not be magic but, it does heal them in both mind and body. There is a new technology that I also would like to tell you about. At least it is fairly new. It is called a Play Away. I checked it out of the library and it is really cool. The entire book is in a self contained digital player. All you need is a set of headphones. The library even included an extra battery in case you needed it. This devise is small enough to fit in your pocket or you can wear it around your neck (lanyard included). Here's the best part. I was so impressed that I decided to look them up to see how expensive they are. They cost about the same as any other audio book.

If I Were In Charge of the World and Other Worries By: Judith Viorst

This has long been my favorite collection of poetry to share with my students. The poems are funny and right on the mark for my 4th and 5th grade students. The poems have a common theme; the everyday worries, thoughts and daydreams of elementary aged kids. The subjects range from friends and bullies to homework and parents. The best thing about them is that if you look past the hilarious lines, just under the surface there are some really important messages for kids. Namely that they are not the only ones who are feeling the things that they are feeling. This is the title poem from the book. Enjoy.

If I Were in Charge of the World

If I were in charge of the world

I'd cancel oatmeal

Monday mornings,

Allergy shots, and also

Sara Steinberg.

If I were in charge of the world

There'd be brighter night lights,

Healthier hamsters, and

Basketball baskets forty-eight inches lower.

If I were in charge of the world

You wouldn't have lonely,

You wouldn't have clean.

You wouldn't have bedtimes,

or "Don't punch your sister."

You wouldn't even have sisters.

If I were in charge of the world

A chocolate sundae with whipped cream and nuts

would be a vegetable

All 007 movies would be rated G

And a person who sometimes forgot to brush and

Sometimes forgot to flush

Could still be in charge of the world.

By: Judith Viorst

Jumanji By: Chris Van Allsburg

This is one of the first picture books I ever purchased. I now own several Chris Van Allsburg books. He is an amazing illustrator. Jumanji is a grand example of his talent. There are two things that I most love about his work. First of all I love his attention to details, from the medium all the way down to choice of paper is made deliberately. I also love his ability with perspective. The angle from which he creates a scene is almost as important as the scene itself. I bought this book to share with my 4th and 5th graders 11 years ago. It was right after we had encountered an excerpt from the book in the basil we were using at the time. I have hated Basil's ever since and have rarely used them. I have always been fortunate to be in situations where I was not forced to use a preselected text. I have spent literally thousands of dollars on books for my class room since then. And it was well worth the investment.

The Hello, Goodbye Window By: Norton Juster Illustrated by: Chris Raschka

This is a Caldecott Medal winning book published in 2005. The illustrations are by Chris Raschka and they are in his typical style, bright colors, lots of motion. It is the story of a little girl and what she likes best about her grandparents' house. This book is full of light and love and happiness. It is a wonderful book for grandparents and parents alike to share with the small children in their lives.

Ramona the Brave By: Beverly Cleary

I was given this book as a Christmas gift by my fifth grade teacher, Mr. Allison. I still have my copy, signed by my teacher (I actually have several books that were given to me by teachers). I have read this story numerous times as well as the others in the Ramona series. I have read them myself as a child, with my students and with my daughter. Ramona is to the children of the seventies what Junie B. Jones and Judy Moody are to the children of today. And even though they have been with us for awhile these stories are not dated. The experiences and emotions Ramona shares with us in the book stand the test of time. Her character makes you love her. Whether she is pulling out every last tissue from the box, squeezing an entire tube of toothpaste into the sink or making kitty faces in her Q we cherish every chapter. Ramona is here to stay.

Mole Music By: David McPhail

After I saw the presentation on this book in class I added it to my collection. They were even nice enough to let me have a copy of the wonderful music they used along with the story. I plan to use the story as part of a staff development in the fall. I won't even attempt to analyze the book here.That has already been done. What I would like to share is what made me LOVE this book. If you haven't noticed by now, I tend to wax philosophic. In almost everything I read, I find myself looking for the deeper meaning, the moral to the story. The moral to this story is an important one. You can make a difference, no matter how small or insignificant you believe yourself to be. This is a great message for teachers to hear as well as kids. Teachers pour their heart and soul into their students and their classrooms. Yet, seldom does a teacher know for sure whether or not he/she has made a difference in the life of a child. As educators we have to have faith that the love,patience, effort and skill we bring into our classrooms does matter even if we never see it directly. Just like the mole in his tunnel underground. Even though he didn't know it was happening, he was changing the world. I have to share my own sappy story. Last summer I contacted my first grade teacher to let her know that she had made a difference in my life. It was one of the best things I ever did. We talked for a long time and I believe she was glad that I called. She was the teacher for me that turned on my love of school and learning and I had always remembered her. In fact, when I entered the School of Ed.'s Masters program 11 years ago I wrote my application essay about her. The question was "Why do you want to teach?" or something like that. My answer was so that I could touch the lives of children the way my first grade teacher had touched mine. I hope that I shed a little light into her mole tunnel. Just remember we make a difference everyday whether we get to see it or not.