It’s Monday – here are some books you might like

I’ve been sharing Humphrey books with classes for about 10 year.  Five years ago, this up-coming 8th grade, really liked Humphrey.  We read School Days According to Humphrey and Secrets According to Humphrey.  We had several different Humphrey book clubs run by 8th graders at the time – past 3E Humphrey fans.  That year Kaylee really hoped there would be an Og series.  She wrote to Betty Birney sharing her suggestion and her ideas.

Fast forward to the week school got out and what do you think I found, Life According to Og the Frog.  I couldn’t believe it and I could wait to read it.  It’s a lot of fun.  At the start of the book Og has just joined Room 26 .  Originally he was captured and brought into Miss Loomis’ classroom, but the bullfrog already there didn’t like it.  He was a real bullying made so much noise the class couldn’t learn.  Now in Room26, is trying to figure out how he belongs.  He remembers the lessons he learned in the swamp.  He watches and listens to all that happens in the classroom.  Being in a classroom is overwhelming at first – and the little furry guy on the table next to him is confusing.  Whenever Humphrey talks all Og hears is “SQUEAK, SQUEAK, SQUEAK.”  Over time with the help of Mr. Brisbane, Aldo and some of his classmates, Og discovers the importance of being a classroom pet.  He discovers the music and poetry of the classroom. Og finds ways to enjoy his classroom home and to appreciate the new opportunities there.

Home Again is the fourth and final book in the Heartwood Hotel quartet.  It’s summer and the hotel is full.  There is a wedding to celebrate and new families to welcome.  There is also a drought and a heatwave.  Lightening sparks a forest fire that threatens Fernwood Forest where the great oak hotel sits.  Mr. Heartwood sends everyone away to safety while staying behind.  He hopes to save his beloved home.  Mona realizes what Mr. Heartwood has done and rushes back to convince him to move to safety as well.  Will she return in time?  Will she still have a home, now that she has finally found one?  Friends…family…home…

Two summers ago a learned about Joseph Cornell and his Dream Boxes in a picture book by Jeanette Winters.  This summer I read more about him in Candace Fleming & Gerard Dubois’ The Amazing Collection of Joey Cornell.  It begins:  Joey Cornell collected – everything…anything… that sparked his imagination or delighted his eye.  “If I like it, I keep it,” Joey always said.  At first he stowed his collection in his bedroom.  But it grew… and grew… and grew, until…”  Joseph collected things his whole life and put them together in unusual ways to create images full of whimsy and story.  He created his museum displays just for children and it sounds like the children loved the dreams of Joseph Cornell.  What do you collect?  How would you arrange them in a box to show your dreams?  I’m saving the things I find this vacation.  I’m going to try to arrange them in a dream box sharing my memories of this summer.  Want to join me?