Book-A-Day June 30

Wishtree by Katherine Applegate (animal fantasy, grades 2-5)

What would be your one wish to ask the wishtree?  For generations, Red, the oak tree, has seen so many of his neighbors tie wishes to his branches each year hoping that they will come true.  But, being a tree, all he can really do is just watch the wishes come and go with his animal friends, right? When Samar and her family move in to the tiny blue house in the neighborhood, some of their neighbors are not very accepting.  Even though this has always been a neighborhood of immigrants, something about this family from a strange land scares some of the residents and someone carves the word "leave" into Red's trunk to send a message.  Red soon learns that his days might be numbered, but he desperately wants to grant Samar's wish (to find a friend) and he enlists the help of his clever animal friends for the task.  Will their plans work?  Wishtree is a beautifully written book by Katherine Applegate (author of The One and Only Ivan, Crenshaw, and Home of the Brave) with a strong message about kindness and acceptance.  Wishtree is my favorite book so far this summer and I hope that all students will have the opportunity to read/hear this simple, yet powerful, book.

The Boy Who Invented TV: The Story of Philo Farnsworth (picture book biography, grades 3-6)

What do you like to watch on TV?  How has the television helped the world?  Young Philo is captivated by some of the early inventions such as the telephone and the phonograph.  He loves to tinker with machines and dream of inventions to help the world.  After learning that some people are trying to find a way to send pictures (similar to sound and the radio), Philo gets to work.  He encounters several set-backs but finally succeeds! Unfortunately his invention story doesn't end completely happy but the message of perseverance is strong.  This picture book biography would work well as a read aloud for older elementary/middle school students and ties in nicely with STEM topics.

Moldylocks and the Three Beards by Noah J. Jones (early chapter book, grades 1-3)

Princess Pink is not a princess and she hates the color pink!  One night when hunger strikes, she opens the fridge to find an opening to another land...the Land of Fake-Believe.  There she meets Moldylocks and the Three Beards. Princess Pink escapes the Three Beards, but what about her new friend Moldylocks?  This short chapter book is filled with colorful pictures and shorter text on each page making it perfect for students just beginning to read chapter books (part of the Branches series).  Moldylocks and the Three Beards is on the 2018 Monarch Award list. 

Book-A-Day June 27

The Playbook: 52 Rules to Aim, Shoot, and Score in This Game Called Life by Kwame Alexander (nonfiction, grades 4-8)

The Playbook is a book full of short, motivational stories and quotes that correspond to the 52 rules in life that Kwame Alexander presents.  The book has a basketball theme and is divided into quarters (and halftime and overtime) featuring different traits: grit, motivation, passion, focus, teamwork, and tenacity.  Some of the rules include: #3 The size of your heart matters more than the size of your opponent and #16 You may not be a starter but always be a star in your mind ready to shine at any time.  This book is very quick to read as it has many pictures and large text.  Fans of Kwame Alexander's The Crossover and Booked, as well as sports fans, will love this book.  It has such a powerful message and would be great to read aloud as a whole, or in pieces.  Here is a motivational music video from the book by the author:

School of the Dead by Avi (horror, grades 4-6)

Tony has one really, REALLY strange uncle!  After he moves in and Tony gets to know him better, he realizes that his uncle isn't so bad.  He figures that all of his uncle's talk about death and ghosts is just for fun.  But then his uncle dies and Tony and his family move to a new town and enroll Tony in the school that his uncle used to attend.  Suddenly, Tony starts to see his uncle, and possibly another ghost, around the school.  Other strange things begin to happen at the school as well and Tony begins to wonder if his uncle really meant what he said about taking Tony with him to death.  Could his uncle really do something so creepy?  School of the Dead is a different type of story for Avi (although The Seer of Shadows is creepy at times) and is not my favorite from him.  However, students looking for creepy ghost stories will love it!

Hidden Figures: Young Readers' Edition by Margot Lee Shetterly (nonfiction, grades 6-9)

This is the true story of four African American women who dared to dream and did what few other women before them did (of any color).  During World War II and during the space race, Dorothy Vaughn, Mary Jackson, Katherine Johnson, and Christine Darden worked for the United States as mathematicians and engineers to help further our country's flight and space program.  These four women endured gender and racial inequality in their pursuit of their dreams and they truly made a difference with their work.  This book is similar to the movie but provides more information about the women, especially before they began working for the United States.  The young readers' edition has many photographs.  Students who enjoy biographies, learning about history, or learning about the civil rights movement would enjoy this book. 

The Thing Lou Couldn't Do by Ashley Spires (picture book, grades PK-2)

Lou loves to explore and go on adventures!  Sometimes she is a deep-sea diver and sometimes she and her friends are race car drivers.  However, when her friends decide to be pirates and use the tree as their ship, Lou is frightened of heights and doesn't want to climb.  After much encouragement, she decides to give it a try but is (gasp!) unsuccessful.  "She knew it.  She can't climb...not YET anyway".  "She'll be back. Maybe even tomorrow."  The ending of this book teaches kids that they might not always succeed, but they should keep trying.  Similar to The Most Magnificent Thing by also by Ashley Spires, this is a great read aloud book and perfect for inspiring a growth mindset.  I received a free copy of this book from the ALA annual conference (along with many other books) and I can't wait to share it with my students!

Book-a-Day June 23: Conference Week!

This week I was so lucky to be able to attend the Scholastic Reading Conference and ReadingCon (sponsored by Follett and NIU)!  Both days were filled with authors, librarians, teachers, and amazing conversations about books.  I heard Kwame Alexander (twice), Kate DiCamillo, Gene Luen Yang, Eric Rohmann, Candace Fleming, Aaron Reynolds, Tim Green, Jim Benton, and Jennifer Holm speak about different ways that books can be used to support curriculum and different ways that we can motivate students to read.  I heard Mr. Schu talk about the power of giving students the freedom to choose what they read.  He also discussed other strategies for promoting reading in our schools.  All of the books in this book talk post today were acquired from the two conferences (either as give-aways or as purchases).  Enjoy!

Secret Coders (book 1) by Gene Luen Yang and Mike Homes (science fiction, graphic novel, grades 3-5)

What if you found out that the owls flying around your school were actually robots trying to spy on you? Hopper has just moved to a new school and things are not going well so far for her.  The kids laugh at her and on her first day, she gets pudding spilled on her head!  One day, Hopper and another boy, Eni, discover that the number 9 is painted all over the outside of the building, but why?  When they learn that the owls flying around are actually robots, Eni begins to teach Hopper how to use binary numbers and how to code in order to control the robots.  However, the evil janitor does not want the kids poking around and he tries to foil their plan.  Will the kids figure out what is going on at this strange school?  This is the first book in the series. In his keynote speech, the author talked about how he wants students to learn how to code from these books and the books actually do teach some basic coding skills. What a fun way to introduce coding!

Pink is for Blobfish by Jess Keating (nonfiction, grades 1-5)

What animals are pink?  Sure, the flamingo is pink, but what else?  This book gives fascinating information about 17 different animals around the world that are pink including the hairy squat lobster, the antilles pinktoe tarantula, the pink sea star, and of course, the blobfish.  In addition to providing interesting information about each animal, the author also gives information about their predators and their threats.  Students will love the close-up photographs and some of the more disgusting facts.  This book has great vocabulary and would be an engaging read aloud for those talking about animals and/or endangered species.

We are Growing! by Laurie Keller (easy reader, grades K-2)

Mo Willems might be finished writing books about Elephant and Piggie but Elephant and Piggie have not completely retired!  This new series of books "Elephant & Piggie Like Reading" features books that are inspired by the funny duo.  In fact, Elephant and Piggie appear at the beginning and end of this book to introduce and wrap-up the story!  In We are Growing, each blade of grass is excited to be growing into unique blades with special characteristics (being the tallest, curliest, silliest, etc).  However, one blade can't figure out what makes him unique...until the very end.  Similar to the Elephant and Piggie series, the text in this book comes from speech bubbles and is large, simple, and funny.  This book is perfect for early readers!

Sea Monkey & Bob by Aaron Reynolds and Debbie Ridpath Ohi (picture book, grades K-2)

Sea Monkey is afraid that he will sink to the bottom of the ocean because he knows that heavy things sink.  He's afraid because the ocean floor is dark and scary.  Bob (the puffer fish) is worried that he will float when puffed up because he knows that light things float.  The surface of the water is scary because it is near the air (a scary thing for all fish!!).  The two come up with the perfect plan to hold hands and stick together to protect each other.  This charming book about friendship and caring for one another would be perfect for read alouds at any time.  The book would also be a great read aloud to tie into a science unit about sink/float.  In fact, the author discussed how he actually researched the items mentioned in the book to determine which ones actually do sink and float.  Students could conduct their own experiments to see what sinks and floats.

Book-A-Day June 20

  

The Soul of an Octopus: A Surprising Exploration into the Wonder of Consciousness by Sy Montgomery (nonfiction, grades 7 & up)

This book surprised me in so many ways!  The book looks and reads like a 250 page fiction chapter book.  There are a few pages in the center with color photos but otherwise it is just text.  As an assigned book for my summer course, at first I dreaded reading it figuring it would be lots of dry facts about an animal that I knew little about.  I was so wrong!  The author became fascinated with octopuses (yes that is the correct plural form-not octopi like many think) and this book is as much about her experiences, her journeys, her joys, her heartbreaks, and her friends as it is facts about octopuses.  The author has a light, easy-to-read style and she brings so much heart into her book.  Along the way, I learned lots of information about octopuses including how surprisingly smart and inquisitive they are.  After reading the book, I want to visit the aquarium to have a closer look at this unique animal!  While a few middle school students might appreciate the book, it seems to be more geared towards the YA and adult populations.  Sy Montgomery also wrote The Octopus Scientist which is a nonfiction picture book about octopuses and how scientists study them in the wild.  Both books pair together very nicely!

Sam the Man & the Rutabaga Plan by Frances O'Roark Dowell (fiction, grades K-3)

What in the world is a rutabaga? That’s exactly what Sam wants to know!  For a science project, each student in Sam’s second grade class is given a different vegetable to take care of and study and Sam is left with a rutabaga.  Sam doesn’t even like vegetables!  Sam draws a face on his rutabaga and learns that they grow in the dirt.  Soon, he’s grown attached to his new “friend” and wants to find the best dirt he can, even if the best dirt involves worm poop.  Read this funny book to find out how Sam’s family and his neighbors (and their chickens) help him in his quest to save his rutabaga. This early chapter book has likable characters as positive role models and has themes of working together and perseverance. It is the second book in a series (although reading the first book is not necessary) and would make a great read aloud, especially during a science unit about plants and growing or a healthy eating unit.

Malala: Activist for Girls' Education by Raphaele Frier, Illustrated by Aurelia Fronty (biography, grades 2-5)

This beautiful picture book biography tells the fascinating story of Malala's life and how she has fought for the right to education for girls.  The book explains what life is like in Pakistan, who the Taliban are, and the problems that girls face in Pakistan.  At a very early age, and with the support of her parents, Malala started speaking up for the rights of girls.  Even after she was shot by the Taliban, she continued to speak out and soon earned the Nobel Peace Prize.  Many of Malala's actual quotes are in the book and the author references other peaceful civil rights activists including Nelson Mandela and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr..  The many illustrations are bright, colorful, and set the tone for the book.  Although some of the concepts in the book are more mature (Taliban, shooting, etc), the author explains them in a way that isn't frightening and the overall tone of the book is hopeful.  The strong message of equal rights and standing up for what is right is highly emphasized making this a great read aloud for upper elementary school (and even middle school) students.

Book Snaps!

What a fun way to make learning and thinking visible!!  Recently, #BookSnaps have been showing up on my Twitter feed.  Curious, I looked into it more and found out that BookSnaps are a relatively new way of using technology in order to highlight quotes and important parts of books.  All you need is a smartphone or iPad with the SnapChat App.  You can find more specific directions, and a how-to video, here: http://daveburgess.com/booksnaps/.  Once the BookSnap is created it can be saved as a photo (or a video if there are more than one) and shared with the world.  This is a great tool for students to use to share their thinking and learning with others.  It uses technology that they are familiar with and most of all, it's FUN!!

Book-A-Day June 16

Goodbye Stranger by Rebecca Stead (realistic fiction, grades 6-8)

Boys, cat-ear headbands, and human rights??  How do these three very different things come together? Bridge, Emily, and Tab are best friends and long ago they made a pact: no fighting.  Now they are in seventh grade and they are finding themselves growing apart but are not sure what to do about it.  Em has suddenly grown curves and has the attention of lots of boys, but especially one boy in particular.  Tab joined the Human Rights Club and is especially concerned with how girls are treated.  Bridge, with her cat ears, is just trying to make sense of it all, including her new friend Sherm.  When Em does something she regrets with Patrick, will Tab and Bridge be there to help her through the mess? Goodbye Stranger has some mature themes and may not be for everyone but the alternating point of views and quality writing make this an excellent choice for many middle school students. Goodbye Stranger is on the 2018 Rebecca Caudill Award list.

Maya's Blanket by Monica Brown and David Diaz (picture book, grades PK-2)

Maya loves her blanket that her abuelita made!  It seems almost magical!  However, when her blanket gets frayed, Maya and her grandmother make it into a special dress for Maya to wear.  After spilling red punch on her dress, Maya and her grandmother make it into a beautiful skirt.  The blanket gets made into smaller and smaller items until there is no blanket left.  What will Maya do then?  This book is inspired by a Yiddish folk song about an overcoat that is made into smaller and smaller items.  The story is told in both English and Spanish.  The English version contains the Spanish words for each item that the blanket is made in to (with a pronunciation glossary at the back).  Maya's Blanket would make a great multi-cultural read aloud.  Also, it would be a great read aloud to inspire young students to write their own stories (Maya ends up writing the adventures of her blanket into a book) and to just be creative!  Maya's Blanket is on the 2018 Monarch Award list.

Presenting Buffalo Bill: The Man Who Invented the Wild West by Candace Fleming (biography, grades 5 & up)

What do you really know about Buffalo Bill and the Wild West?  William F. Cody really did grow up in the West where he faced many adventures and hardships.  He was an army scout, an excellent hunter, and he lead many tours into the "Wild West".  Buffalo Bill, has he came to be known, was also an expert storyteller and performer.  In fact, he was such a good storyteller that it is often difficult to determine which parts of his life actually happened versus which parts he embellished.  Candace Fleming calls out the facts and possible embellishments while telling the exciting life of Buffalo Bill.  The book contains many actual photographs and an extensive list of source notes.  Presenting Buffalo Bill would be a great read for anyone interested in finding out more about this legendary person!

Book-A-Day June 13, 2017

I Am Princess X by Cherie Priest (mystery, grades 6-8)

What if someone who you thought had died was really alive and sending you messages? May and Libby used to spend hours together writing stories for the epic comic superhero that they created: Princess X.  Libby was great at drawing the characters while May enjoyed writing the story.  They were inseparable until the car accident when Libby and her mom plunged off of a bridge into water and drowned...at least that’s the story that May’s parents told her.  Several years later, while walking around town, May begins to see pictures of Princess X everywhere and starts to wonder if her friend is still alive somewhere.  After exploring more, May is convinced that Libby is not only alive but in danger.  And now, May and her computer-guru friend Trick are in danger too.  Will they be able to solve the hidden clues and find Libby in time?  Parts of their Princess X comic is interspersed throughout the book. This book has a very unique story. Although the clues almost come together too "nicely", young readers will enjoy the mystery, the technology involved, and the action. I Am Princess X is on the 2018 Rebecca Caudill Award list.

The Terrible Two by Matt Barnett & Jory John (humor, grades 3-6)

Are you a prankster? Miles used to be known as the top prankster at his old school for all of the crazy pranks he used to pull.  So, when his family moves to a new town, he’s ready to establish himself again at the top of the prankster world.  He soon realizes that he might have some really tough competition when someone puts the principal’s car on the top of the steps leading into the building on the first day of school!  Miles and the other prankster declare a prankster war to see who is the best.  Read this hilarious book to find out who will win! With illustrations on almost every page, fans of the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series and reluctant readers will enjoy this funny series. The Terrible Two is on the 2018 Bluestem Award list.

March Book One & Book Two by John Lewis (autobiography, graphic novel format, grades 6 & up)

In 2009, while getting ready for President Obama's inauguration, two youngsters and their mother enter Congressman John Lewis' Washington D.C. office and he begins to tell them his story.  In Book One, we learn that Mr. Lewis was a little different from other kids.  He enjoyed dressing nicely and he would do just about anything to not miss school.  However, living in the deep south wasn't easy for Mr. Lewis and his family in the 1950's, and he soon decides that he wants to be a part of the peaceful movement to help end segregation.  Much of the rest of Book One is about the sit-ins that Mr. Lewis and others were involved in to help end segregation at department store lunch counters.  Book Two picks up where Book One left off.  In Book Two, we follow Mr. Lewis as he and others participate in freedom rides to help end segregation on buses.  In this second book, Mr. Lewis encounters much more violence and many jail terms.  These graphic novels give an important first-hand glimpse of what the civil rights movement was like for those who participated in it.  The black-and-white illustrations set the tone and add much to the story.  The graphic novel format make these books easily accessible to middle and high school readers and the books would be great for literature circles about the topic of the civil rights movement.  I'm really looking forward to reading the final book in the trilogy soon!

Book-A-Day June 9, 2017

Ashes by Laurie Halse Anderson (historical fiction, grades 5-8)

Ashes, the final book in the Seeds of America trilogy, is about family, war, slavery, friendship, hardship, and finding out what is really important in life.  In this third book, Isabel continues her mission to find her little sister, Ruth, and take her safely to freedom.   Curzon, her friend since book one, is by Isabel’s side for most of their journey.  The year is 1781 and the Revolutionary War is ravaging the country.  However, our country is not the only thing fighting for freedom and the slaves and former slaves must decide which side to take in the war.  Ashes if full of action and provides a wonderful conclusion to the series.  There were two quotes in the book that really stayed with me:

““Don’t forget to be gentle,” she warned. “Don’t let the hardness of the world steal the softness of your heart. The greatest strength of all is daring to love.””  page 39

“”Rain’s going to fall, can’t change that.  The trick of it is to find the good in the rain, the aspect of positivity.  Rains come and rains go, but the sun is always waiting to shine, waiting on the far side of the clouds.””  page 205

If you haven’t read the first two books in the series, Chains and Forge, I highly recommend them!

The Right Word: Roget and His Thesaurus by Jen Bryant and Melissa Sweet (biography, grades 2 and up)

This narrative biography tells the story of Peter Mark Roget (pronounced roh-zhay) and how he invented the thesaurus.  While the topic of how the first thesaurus was created might not seem too interesting, this book is packed with fascinating information about Roget's life.  Through the book, we learn about the hardships that Roget faced such as the loss of his father and how shy he was.  Many students will relate to Roget's love of making lists.  Melissa Sweet's collage and mixed-media illustrations are packed with additional information about Roget, his love of lists, and the time period.  One quote from the book that I loved: "But books, Peter discovered, were also good friends.  There were always plenty of them around, and he never had to leave them behind." This book won the Caldecott Honor and the Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Medal.  The Right Word would be a great book to read to kick off a biography unit (it includes timelines and additional reference material) or to begin talking about word choice and Thesaurus use.

Parrots Over Puerto Rico by Susan L. Roth, Cindy Trumbore, and Susan L. Roth (narrative nonfiction, grades 2-5)

This narrative nonfiction book tells two interesting stories.  The first is about the Puerto Rican parrots, how they almost went extinct, and the efforts of scientists and environmentalists to save them.  The second story is about the history of Puerto Rico and how that history has effected the parrots.  The paper and fabric collage pictures are vibrant and absolutely beautiful!  At the end of the book there is a more detailed description of the efforts to save the parrots along with many colorful photographs.  This is a book that I would not normally have picked up and read but it was a required book for my course this summer (Informational Books and Resources for Youth) and I'm so glad!  Parrots Over Puerto Rico would be a great book to read when talking about environmental issues, animal extinction, and the effects that humans have on animals.  It would also be perfect for an art teacher to show prior to teaching the collage technique.

Humphrey's Playful Puppy Problem by Betty G. Birney (animal fantasy, grades K-2)

Imagine if your pet could help you solve your problems? Humphrey is a classroom hamster.  But, he’s not your ordinary hamster...Humphrey is smart!  In fact, Humphrey is so smart that he often helps out the students and teacher with their problems.  In this book, it’s Richie’s turn to take Humphrey home for the weekend and he has big plans for Humphrey.  The science project homework is due and Richie plans to use Humphrey for his experiment.  Humphrey is happy to help, but a little worried about what Richie plans to do to him.  When they get to Richie’s house, Humphrey has bigger worries...Poppy, Richie’s puppy!  Will Humphrey be able to help Richie with his science project while keeping away from Poppy? This book (part of the series: Humphrey's Tiny Tales) is told through Humphrey's perspective and would be a great tool to use to teach point-of-view or voice. This would make a fantastic read aloud for grades K-2 and is an easy chapter book for students who are ready to read them. Students could then move into the author's original Humphrey series (grades 2-5). Humphrey's Playful Puppy Problem is on the 2018 Monarch Award list.

Book-A-Day June 6

June 3-6, 2017

As mentioned in my previous post, this summer I have challenged myself to read a book each day (on average...see previous post). Part of the challenge is to share what you read with others.  Since I'm often asked for book suggestions, I figured this blog will be a great way to share awesome books! Approximately twice per week, I will share a short book talk about each of the books that I've read.  Feel free to add your email address (to the right) in order to get updates when I post (I promise not to post every day!!).  I'll add curricular connections and read aloud suggestions when appropriate.  Enjoy!

Save Me a Seat by Sarah Weeks (realistic fiction, grades 3-6)

How far would you go to try to stop the school bully? Ravi is new to America and wants desperately to fit in at his new school.  At his old school, Ravi was smart and Mr. Popular.  When Dillon smiles and winks at him, he thinks he might have found a friend.  What Ravi doesn’t know is that Dillon is the school bully and that he’d better watch out.  Joe struggles in school and until now,  has always been the victim of Dillon’s mean pranks.  Joe and Ravi couldn’t be more different in terms of personality and backgrounds.  However, they soon find themselves on an alliance to try to stop Dillon once and for all! This book would make a great read aloud for the beginning of the school year!

A Blind Guide to Stinkville by Beth Vrabel (realistic fiction, grades 4-7)

Imagine what it’s like to barely see things even in front of your own face?  Imagine moving into a new town where you look different from everyone else and must always explain why? Alice and her family have just moved into a new town and things aren’t going so well.  Mom hardly gets out of bed, dad is working all of the time, and her big brother just wants to go off by himself.  That leaves nobody to help Alice, who is mostly blind, to get around town.  Alice has never had to explain her blindness, or her albinism, to anyone before but now that she is the new girl, that all changes.  Alice decides to take matters into her own hands and learn how to get around and do things by herself.   She soon makes a friend and possibly an enemy.  After she meets old Mr. Hamlin, Alice gets an idea for a topic for the town essay contest, but will it be good enough to win?  And after always attending a regular, public school all her life, why are her parents now trying to make her attend a special school for the blind? Great story about disabilities, differences, acceptance, and overcoming challenges!

Orbiting Jupiter by Gary D. Schmidt (realistic fiction, grades 7 and up)

Things are not always as they seem! Joseph has almost killed a teacher, he is a dad, and he is in foster care.  He is only 13 years old.  When he moves in with Jack’s family, most of people in the town think Joseph is bad news.  They tell Jack to keep his distance so he doesn’t get himself in trouble.  However, Jack and his family see a different side of Joseph and they soon learn the sad details of Joseph’s past.  They realize that all Joseph really wants is to see, and love, his baby girl.  Will Joseph find his daughter?  Will his real dad ruin any chances he has?  Can Jack and his parents keep Joseph safe?  Keep the tissues close for this one!! Gary Schmidt (author of The Wednesday Wars and Okay for Now) does not disappoint with this one!

Drowned City: Hurricane Katrina & New Orleans by Don Brown (nonfiction, grades 5-8)

How prepared is our country for a big disaster? Drowned City is a graphic novel that tells what happened during and after Hurricane Katrina.  This book talks about all of the horrible missteps, miscommunication (or lack of communication), and lack of preparation surrounding the aftermath of the hurricane.  There are also highlights of heroic people and the missions to save others.  The author does not sugarcoat what happened.   What have we learned from this disaster?  Are we as a nation more prepared now for disasters? This quick graphic novel will open your eyes to what really happened and make you question how prepared we are now.

The Inquisitor's Tale, or The Three Magical Children and Their Holy Dog by Adam Gidwitz (fantasy, grades 4-8)

I'm cheating a little on this one as I finished it before the school year ended but it's so good!! Calling all fans of action stories featuring farting dragons, bravery,  battles, and miracles! Set in medieval times, three very special children who were until recently strangers, wind up on a dangerous mission together.  Jeanne is a peasant girl who can sometimes see the future.  William, who is almost a giant, has incredible strength.  Jacob is a Jewish boy who has special healing powers.  Oh, and there is also one remarkable dog.  Some people in the village think they are saints while others think they might be fakes. Together, this strange foursome are being chased by someone with evil intentions as they try to stop the king from burning all of the Jewish books in the kingdom.  Their story is told through the voices of many narrators as they gather together at a local inn. This fun, lively tale would make a great read aloud for teachers who aren't afraid of talking about farting dragons or aren't afraid of talking about how the original name for donkeys is something else!