Book Reviews With Teddy: Issue #1

Book Reviews With Teddy 

There is no perspective more honest and unbiased than a child's perspective. There is no opinion more open and genuine than a child's opinion. There is no book review more helpful than the book review from a child.

I love reading book reviews, and I certainly seek out the perspective of those that I trust when I am choosing books for our lessons, or even just for our enjoyment. However, nothing strikes me and endears me to a book quite like hearing a child express his enthusiasm for it. A child's perspective has not yet been jaded by life outside of books, and therefore, his love for books is as love for books should be.

There is just something so precious about knowing how a child feels about a book, and about the people within it, and I treasure the grand conversations that come from discussing our books with Teddy (age 8). So, I thought I would invite you to pull up a chair at the table of these conversations, and hear what Teddy thinks of a few of last term's books.

Enjoy! 

Book: My Side of the Mountain 
Author: Jean Craighead George 
Lesson: Literature

What is this book about? 
It is about a boy that ran away from his home and went to the forest and found a baby falcon. He made his own house and his own life there.

What did you enjoy most about this book?
I enjoyed Frightful, the falcon, because of the way that she talks and her relationship with Sam. By the end of this book, she is a very important part of his life and it makes you want to read the next book to hear more about her.

Is there anything you did not enjoy about this book? 
I just don't like that it isn't actually a true story. It is realistic, but I wish it really did happen.

What would you do differently than a character in this book?
Sam learned a hard lesson about "stealing" wildlife, and I would think more carefully about that before doing it. 

What did this book teach you or how did it change you?
It made me think even more about animals and gave me even more compassion and ideas about animals and learning about them.

Do you think you will always remember this book, and why?
I will remember it because I really love it and because Sam is like my friend now.

Would you recommend this book to others, and why?
Yes!! Very much so. It is a very good book. It is an enjoyable story, but there are also so many lessons to be learned from it.


Book: Carry On Mr. Bowditch 
Author: Jean Lee Latham 
Lesson: Literature

What is this book about?
A boy is very poor, and ends up being "indentured" where he had to stay and work with no freedom, instead of becoming a sailor like he wants to. He does end up becoming a sailor, though, and he is a very good one.

What did you enjoy most about this book?
I enjoyed that he actually did get to become a sailor after working hard for so long.

Is there anything that you did not enjoy about this book?
There were some sad parts that were difficult to read and not know if things were going to work out.

What would you do differently than a character in this book?
I wouldn't do anything different. Nat wasn't given much of a choice in his life, but he had good integrity and made good choices.

What did this book teach you or how did it change you?
It taught me not to give up on your dreams.

Do you think that you will always remember this book, and why?
I am unsure if I will always remember it. It was very good, but it didn't surprise me or shock me, and I pretty much was sure that Nat would eventually get to become a sailor.

Would you recommend this book to others, and why?
I would recommend it to most people. It would be good as a first literature book for people that don't read literature.People who read a lot of literature, like me, will probably think that it is a bit simple.


Book: An Owl in the House
Author: Bernd Heinrich
Lesson: Nature Lore 

What is this book about?
It is about a man that finds a baby owl in the woods and tries to find its nest and finds no one there. He takes the owl home and raises it, and studies it. This is his nature journal of raising Bubo the owl.

What did you enjoy most about this book?
I enjoyed hearing about the life of Bubo.

Is there anything that you did not enjoy about this book?
No! How can you not enjoy someone's nature journal. I love hearing every detail.

What did this book teach you, or how did it change you? 
It reminded me to be brave and help animals, or people, when they need it.

Do you think that you will always remember this book, and why?
Yes, because I will think about his nature notes. But, it was a pretty short book, so I may not always remember to think about it.

Would you recommend this book to others, and why?
Yes! We should always read nature journals of others, and it might inspire someone to do more nature study or to nature journal more.


Book: Facing the Lion
Author: Joseph Lemasolai Lekuton
Lesson: Cultural Studies 

What is this book about?
It is about the life of a boy in Africa.

What did you enjoy most about this book?
I love that it is a true story, from his perspective, about his life. I like hearing about people's lives.

Is there anything that you did not enjoy about this book?
No. I always enjoy hearing about people's lives. But, it was pretty gross to hear about him putting blood in cow's milk to drink!

Is there anything that you would have done differently than a person in this book?
I wouldn't have wandered off and got punished by an elder!

What did this book teach you, or how did it change you?
It inspired me to be better, in every way. He is a great person that learns from his trouble, works hard, and has a simple but joyful life.

Do you think that you will always remember this book, and why?
Yes, I will always remember this book, because it is about a person and now I know him.

Would you recommend this book to others, and why?
Yes! It is a wonderful story of a great man who led a hard but great life.


There you have it! I hope that inspired you to put at least one of these books in your shopping cart. How could it possibly not! ;)

May All Your Days Be Spent....Delightfully Feasting <3 
Crystin