The Giving Tree

The book The Giving Tree is a sad yet happy story. In the beginning of the book a young boy meets a special tree and they instantly become lifelong friends. The boy would eat the tree's apples, climb from it's branches, rest in the tree's shade, and play hide and seek hiding behind the tree's roots. The boy would come back to visit and play with the tree everyday for many years, but one day he didn't come back. Actually he didn't come back for a long time, practically 10 years. When the boy... when the man came back he told the tree," I have a wife now. I have a child now. I need a home of my own now." The tree offered him his trunk and the man accepted all that was left of the tree were branches, apples and a stump. Every few years the young man, the old man, and the senior came back and asked for something until all that was left of the tree was a stump. Finally the boy came back one last time. All he did was sit on the stump and talk to the tree, and with that the boy left the tree one last time.

I think the author, Shel Silverstein, used this book to symbolize the change in a person as they grow up, one minute their playing with you, and the next they are gone forever. Like I said in the beginning of my review, this book is very sad yet happy and heartfelt because of how happy the boy is in the beginning but how sad the tree is in the middle of the book. I wouldn't call the ending sad or happy, to me it's just... peaceful.

I would recommend this book for every age because this book only has things to teach you about. I would say that the theme of The Giving Tree is kindness because the tree was kind to the boy through thick and thin even the boy never once even thought about thanking the tree. That just goes to show that you may not ever get back what you have put out in the world. 

Each Kindness by Jacqueline Woodson

The book Each Kindness is a heartfelt yet sad story. In the beginning a new student named Maya joins Chloe's class and Chloe is not happy about it. The first day Maya is there she turns and smiles at Chloe, but Chloe ignores her. Then at recess Chloe and her friends are sharing secrets when Maya comes up to them and asks them if they wanted to play, but they decline the offer and gossip about Maya's clothes and how ugly she is. Each day Maya smiles at Chloe and asks her to play, and each day Chloe and her friends say no, then whisper about Maya. One day Maya shows up to school wearing a beautiful dress and pretty shoes, but they looked used. That day Maya doesn't smile at anyone or ask to play with anyone. At recess she just takes out a jump rope and all she does is jump... jump... jump. The next day Maya doesn't come to school. She doesn't come the next day either. Or the next day. Then Chloe's teacher announces that Maya won't be coming back. It is then that Chloe realizes all the things she should of said to Maya, but she knows Maya will never come back.

I think that the author of Each Kindness, Jacqueline Woodson, used the characters of Chloe and Maya to portray something that happens everyday in schools across the world; bullying. It's a big problem internationally, but we are working together to make a difference. Usually when we get new students in my class everyone takes them under their wing and shows them the ropes. I don't exactly understand why Chloe didn't do that with Maya, but I know that Chloe is still a good person. I believe that everyone is a good person in the bottom of their heart and that there no such thing as a bully, only bullying.

I would recommend this book for the ages 8 plus because it is more of a mature picture book. I would say that the theme of Each Kindness is Self Control because of how Chloe was acting towards Maya. Chloe and her friends should of had self control by making Maya feel welcome and being nice to her. Chloe and her friends should have followed the golden rule; treat people how you want to be treated.

Here is some additional media information about Each Kindness:

This is a picture of the cover of Each Kindness

This is a picture of Chloe's schools"s principal introducing Maya to her new class. Notice how Maya's clothes look used, old, and tattered.

Here Maya is trying to share her game with Chloe and her friends.

CLICK HERE to watch a video of some second graders discussing Each Kindness.

Nothing Ever Happens on 90th Street

The story Nothing Ever Happens on 90th Street is a wonderful and whimsical book. In the beginning of the story Eva's teacher gives her an assignment to write about what happens around her on 90th street. All Eva can think about though is that nothing ever happens on 90th street. But then people from the street begin to visit Eva and talk to her about writing strategies and how to look at the world through their occupation or job. Then at the end of the book a miracle happens; everything that the people of 90th street taught her happens. Action, excitement, everything! Eva writes down what happens around her and creates a wonderful story which turns into the book Nothing Ever Happens on 90th Street.

I think that the author of this story, Roni Schotter, used a young girls troubles and daily life to entertain an audience and to teach a lessons that can be used in a child's or adults life. Some of those lessons are to listen to other people, believe in yourself, and to never lose hope or give up on anything or anyone. I think that Eva is stubborn yet kind and excepting because she was stubborn about her theory that nothing ever happens on 90th street, but she was excepting and kind to the people who tried to help her out with her writing assignment without being asked to.

I would recommend the book Nothing Ever Happens on 90th Street for the ages 4 - 11 because even thought it is a picture book, this story does teach life lessons... and everyone needs a good picture book from time to time! Also if you like stories about everyday problems that can be solved with a creative solution then this a good book for you. Overall I would say that the theme of this story is that you should never lose hope in your imagination or in the people around you!

Here is some additional pictures about Nothing Ever Happens 90th Street:

This is how Eva was after she got all of her writing advice and the big writeable event happened on 90th street

This is the book cover of Nothing Ever Happens on 90th Street.

In this picture Eva, the main character of Nothing Ever Happens on 90th Street, is reading aloud her story (that she finally wrote) to the people of 90th street and is showing us to never lose hope.

The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore

Mr. Morris Lessmore sitting 

outside his home playing with some of his books.

I absolutely loved the story The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore! In the beginning of the book Morris is in a horrible wind storm and all of his books get messed up. Then Morris wanders and wanders until he finds someone. The girl he finds gives him a book. That book leads him to a building filled with books! Mr. Lessmore assumes full responsibility for the books. He  fixes them, plays with them, and of course reads them! But eventually years start to pass and the books and Morris get older and as Morris Lessmore's life comes to an end he drifts off on some flying books. Morris's books are lonely, but one day a little girl wanders into the building and so the cycle repeats.

The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore is a great tale for all ages and is a wonderful family story. The pictures in the book are very detailed and are fun to look at. I give this story a 10 out of 10 for illustration, but even though I loved the end of the story, the beginning was a little boring and moved too fast to follow in parts. Overall I would think that the theme of this story is to be creative and never lose hope because eventually your passion will come back to you and life will get better!

This short film is based off of the story The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore. It is a silent film and it even won an Academy Award!

I recently watched this clip and I completely see and feel the book in it. I loved how the music changed as his feelings changed like how the color of things changed as he changed in the book. When I watch this clip I feel like I'm part of the story too because of how the creator of the film made that emptiness in Morris. You just want to jump in the movie and make Morris feel better!

Weslandia by Paul Fleischman

Wesley watching Weslandia beginning to grow!

Weslandia by Paul Fleischman is a heartwarming and inspiring tale. It shows us that being unique is one of the best qualities a person can have, perfect is so last season. In my opinion, the theme of Weslandia is to be yourself because the whole story Wesley was being himself and he still made his life better. In other words, never try to change who you are. I think that if everyone in the world was perfect then everyone in the world would be exactly the same, for example: if I only ate cheese and I was perfect then in order to be perfect you would have to eat only cheese, in my perspective. At the begining of the story Wesley had no friends only enemies, but after the summer Weslandia is created "He had no shortage of friends." I give Weslandia a triple thumbs-up. From the plot of the story to the illustrations Weslandia is the perfect story for all ages!