Flying High with The Hallelujah Flight

Bauerschlag's fourth grade students loved Phil Bildner's The Hallelujah Flight. This book tells the story of James Banning and Thomas Allen's historic flight across the USA in 1932. Just flying across North America was a great feat at the time but what made this flight so special was that James and Thomas were the first African Americans to complete a transcontinental flight. We all enjoyed the clever plan that James came up with to pay for the trip during the Great Depression as well as the adventures and misdventures they had along the way. I loved the illustrations John Holyfield did for this book. The pictures of the sky made you really feel like you were flying. This book about "The Flying Hoboes" really is inspirational. If you like books about people who achieve great things through ingenuity and hard work, if you love airplanes, or you are looking for a book about some little known American heroes, The Hallelujah Flight is for you!

Whimsical Fun!

The Duchess of Whimsy, written by Randall de Seve and illustrated by Peter de Seve is a very funny book that our third grade classes have really enjoyed. This book has a lot to offer! It is very cleverly written with great word choice and humor. It also has beautiful illustrations that are full of funny details. However, what I like best is that this book has two important lessons to teach us. In this book, there is a very fancy, fun loving duchess who learns how important it is to get to know a person before deciding wheter or not you like them. There is also a very ordinary, humble earl who learns that the best way to make friends is to be yourself, not to pretend to be something you are not. Read this book from the 2010-2011 Texas Bluebonnet list if you like stories with great lessons, interesting characters or just need a fun book!

Amazing Faces

Amazing Faces is a collection of poetry by Lee Bennett Hopkins and illustrated by Chris Soentpiet. This book is featured on the 2011-12 Texas Bluebonnet list. The illustrations of people in this book are beautiful and I really enjoyed the poems. The poems and illustrations represent people from many cultures and backgrounds. Even though the book reflects the diversity of America, it also shows how much alike we all are and how we experience the same feelings and emotions - all of which are reflected in our faces!
I am always amazed how poets can say so much and make you understand their feelings with so few words. This book is extra special because the ilustrations are also very powerful. Every detail is perfect. What kind of poetry do you like? Think of your favorite poem and then try to think of how you would illustrate it. Do you think the meaning of a poem can be changed if you match it with a different illustation?
Checkout the author interview and links on Teachingbooks.net and let me know what YOU think!