Last summer, I broke two toes. This made walking difficult, so I wore an ugly velcro shoe and hobbled around on crutches for a week or so.
How did I break my toes, you ask? Well, as much as I’d like to say I was doing something noble — like rushing to push a small child out of the way of an oncoming car – I wasn’t.
I wasn’t even doing something exciting — like learning to dance the rhumba.
Instead, I was folding laundry. When I stood up to put it away, I cut a corner too close and slammed my toes into the wooden leg of our sofa.
Believe me, when I had to tell this tale to everyone who saw me on crutches I wished I had a long and crazy story to share instead.
Mo Willems’ latest early reader I Broke My Trunk (Hyperion, 2011) tells the long and crazy story about how Gerald broke his trunk. And while rhinos, hippos and pianos are involved, there’s no laundry in sight.
Let’s hear more from today’s guest reviewer:
Our reviewer: Brett
Age: 5
Things I like: Basketball, drawing, swimming and baseball.
This book was about: A long, crazy story.
The best part was when: Gerald was sweating.
I laughed when: I saw Hippo’s sister.
I was worried when: Piggie fell.
I was surprised when: Gerald could hold a piano.
This book taught me: It taught me about breaking noses.
Three words that best describe this book are: “Crazy.” “Funny.” “Whoop.”
My favorite line or phrase in this book is: “There is more to my story …”
Other kids reading this book should watch for: Two hippos and a rhinoceros.
You should read this book because: You might want to know how he breaks his nose.
Thanks, Brett!
You can see what over reviewers though about this book on these blogs:
Young Readers
Sweet on Books
Or, if you’d like to learn more about Mo Willems, you can visit his website or read his blog. There’s also a nifty video interview with Mo over on Reading Rockets.
Pomegranates are an interesting fruit. They’ve been around forever, but I’ve always wondered who decided to try eating them first.
After all, they’re not the most accessible food. They have a tough, leathery skin that’s deep pink or red. And inside, there’s spongy, bitter tissue, sweet, juicy pulp and seeds.
You can eat the pomegranate seeds or drink the juice. And some people make eating pomegranates easier by creating things like these chocolate-covered pomegranate seeds.
Pomegranates also have a place in literature. The number of pomegranate seeds Persephone ate determined how many months she had to stay in the underworld each year. And Chaucer, Shakespeare and Homer have all extolled the virtues of the pomegranate.
More recently, author and storyteller Peninnah Schram incorporated the pomegranate into The Magic Pomegranate: A Jewish Folktale (Lerner, 2008). The story tells of three brothers who each discover a magical object that they use to save an ill princess.
But who gave the greatest gift?
Let’s ask today’s reviewer, Sonia.
Our reviewer: Sonia
Age: 8
Things I like to do: Color. Read books. Eat bologna. Visit Webkinz.com.
This book was about: Three brothers who said they were going to meet in 10 years. The oldest brother saw a magician and acrobats. He bought a magic crystal ball. The middle brother met a carpet seller and bought a flying carpet. The youngest brother went to a place known for many trees and found a magic pomegranate tree. A pomegranate fell into his hand. It was perfect and round, and he knew it was magic.
The brothers shared what they found with each other. The crystal ball showed a sick princess in a faraway land. They rode the magic carpet to get there. And the youngest brother gave seeds from his magic pomegranate to the princess, and she felt all better.
Then, the king said one of the brothers could marry the princess. All the brothers thought they should marry the princess. But, eventually, they and the princess decided the youngest brother should marry her because he gave away part of what he had to the princess.
The best part was when: The princess married the youngest brother.
I laughed when: The flying carpet wiggled.
I was worried when: I thought they might not get there in time to save the princess.
I was surprised when: They made it after all.
This book taught me: You should believe in magic. And share with others.
Four words that best describe this book are: “Princess.” “Magic.” “Pomegranate.” “Youngest.”
My favorite line or phrase in this book is: “Has your magic object changed in any way since you came into this kingdom?” That’s what the princess asked the brothers.
Other kids reading this book should watch for: The magic pomegranate.
You should read this book because: It’s a fun story.
Thanks, Sonia!
To learn more about Peninnah Schram, read this biography. Or this one from Stern College for Women where she is a professor of speech and drama. For more books and recordings by Peninnah Schram, view this list.
To learn more about illustrator Melanie Hall, visit her website, or read this biography.
Last summer, I broke two toes. This made walking difficult, so I wore an ugly velcro shoe and hobbled around on crutches for a week or so.
