The BFG Review Part 1

The witching hour. Even the title of the first chapter set a scene and distinctive feeling in my mind. I've never read The BFG before, and although I've seen commercials for the feature film, I never really knew what the story was about. During the witching hour, Sophie is captured by no ordinary giant and swiftly taken to his cave where she quickly learns about the world of giants, repulsive snozzcumbers, and why "upgoing bubbles is a catasterous disastrophe." The story is full of life and constant movement which I found very enjoyable. There hasn't been a boring part yet! And if there has been, it was quickly forgotten due to a funny antic in the story. Although I didn't love it at first, my favorite part of the book so far might just be the way the BFG talks. 

“A whizzpopper!" cried the BFG, beaming at her. "Us giants is making whizzpoppers all the time! Whizzpopping is a sign of happiness. It is music in our ears! You surely is not telling me that a little whizzpopping if forbidden among human beans?” The language throughout this book is truly silly and such a fun way to play with language. When the BFG first started talking to Sophie I was honestly almost put off in a way because it was hard to get around the words and sentence structure. I found myself needing to pay close attention to what he was saying and reading every word exactly as it's written. Sometimes before even finishing reading a whole word, my mind immediately fills in what the word will be. But you can't do that in this book! You might think you're reading one word, but it ends up being completely different four letters in. But once I let go of my inhibitions the babbling of the BFG was hilarious and I love reading the way he talks. He even began to take on a particular voice in my head. Whizzpoppers, squiff-squiddled, whoppsy-whiffling, and frobscottle are all delightful words that any child would love. They create an image, a sound, smells, and even awful tastes. 

The snozzecumber is one of my favorite descriptions in the story especially thinking of how kids can often be with vegetables. "'It's filthing!' he splutered, speaking with his mouth full and spraying large pieces of snozzcumber like bullets in Sophie's direction...'It's sickable! It's rotsome! It's maggotwise!...to me it is tasting of clockcoaches and slimewanglers!'" The words and sentence structure make the story fun and entertaining for the reader, however I do think that it could be difficult for a younger reader to get through the text. But it would work wonderfully as a read-aloud! 


Throughout Sophie's adventure I came across hilarious sayings and scenarios that I simply loved. In the beginning, the BFG was explaining to Sophie what people from certain countries tasted like. In Denmark, the people taste very much like dogs, as do the people of Labrador. Obviously Danish people would taste like Great Danes and the people of Labrador would taste like Labradors. Of course! "'Wrong! cried the Giant, slapping his thigh. 'Danes from Denmark is tasting doggy because they is tasting of labradors.'" And the people of Labrador taste like Danes. Of course! What were Sophie and I thinking?! 

I also found it rather funny how the BFG would ask Sophie "right or left?" at the end of a question just like we would say, "We're having snozzcumbers for dinner, right?" It's such a small detail but I know that kids and adults will get a kick out of it just like I did. The book is full of similar details which are so small but work together to create quite a fun story. 

I would love to create an entire interdisciplinary unit around this book...from English to math, science, art, and beyond, there are so many fun and unique ideas that you could use in the classroom. There are a plethora of interesting creative writing ideas: what might happen in 'the witching hour', create some aditional similes to describe the BFG, think of words to describe snozzcumbers, etc. I think math and science would be fun by using the BFG to discuss measurements and proportions, sound waves, where dreams come from, etc. This book is full of endless possibilities which I think is a great resource for teachers! Dream the Impossible: Creative Literacy Activities

How to Steal a Dog Part 2

I love the colorful characters that enter during the second half of the story. Georgina and Toby meet Willy's owner, Carmella. Carmella's not the wealthy and sophisticated owner that Georgina thought she would be but she is depicted as being a loving and distraught dog owner. The duo also meet Mookie, a wise man with some gold teeth and two missing fingers from a tousle with a tractor engine. These two characters help shape Georgina's feelings and decisions and I love watching Georgina think about her decisions and the consequences they have on different people.

One of my favorite lines came from Mookie on page 134. "Sometimes the more you stir it, the worse it stinks." Not only was the line funny, it was also a profound sentence for Georgina to hear. I think this is a great book for students who are also at that age where they are trying to decide whether something is right or wrong. I was momentarily worried that the book would end with Georgina simply returning Willy and never telling the whole truth. I was pleasantly surprised when the book ended with Georgina confessing everything, getting to spend more time with Willy, and ending up in a real house with her family!

In my opinion, readers would be able to connect with Georgina and feel the turmoil that she was going to. They could all, most likely, relate to the feelings of dread or worry or regret. The story could teach them a lesson on how freeing and important it is to tell the truth. Along with the lessons I mentioned in the first review, this book obviously would do well with a lesson on teaching students the benefits of telling not just the truth but the whole truth. There are also plenty of other children's books that are great for teaching about honesty, and students would love to read them. Teaching Honesty with Great Children's Books

All in all I think How to Steal a Dog is a funny, charming, and emotional book that is wonderful for students. It's easy to relate to, you feel for the character, and Georgina makes me laugh every time with her lists to herself!

How To Steal A Dog Part 1

The first half of this book surprised me because of all of the dark problems that it covers.From homelessness to theft, it brings up topics that are not often the main focus of a children’s book and definitely not issues that feel so real. My heart was already sad halfway through the first page. Georgina says, “I guess I’m pretty good at pretending.” Her father walks out on the family and Georgina, her mother, and brother are forced to move out of their apartment and sleep in their car. I love how honest the book is and how you can feel Georgina’s emotions. Her embarrassment shines through the first few chapters and it’s fully apparent when Luanne finds out about Georgina’s family living in a car: “If there was ever a time when I wished the earth would open up and swallow me whole, it was when I turned around and saw Luanne looking at me and that car and all.” The book revolves around Georgina’s entertaining antics geared towards stealing a dog, receiving a reward after returning it, and helping her mom get enough money for an apartment or house. 

Throughout the first eleven chapters, my mind was focused on thinking about what if I had a student who was homeless? If they came to school with constantly dirty clothes and had poor hygiene? If I knew that their parents were struggling to get by and didn’t even have a home? What would I do for them? What could I do? I felt almost frustrated that Georgina’s teacher, Mr. White, never seemed to do anything to help her. On page 50, Mr. White related how disappointed he was in her and asked why she had a bad attitude lately. In my opinion, that is not the way to get to a child who is struggling and you can tell that something is wrong. You need to give them love and show them that you care, not scare them and make them not feel trusting enough to talk to you about it. But on the other side, later in the story, Georgina says how much she likes Mr. White because he doesn’t bring any unnecessary attention to her situation and struggles.

The book is full of visual descriptives that help bring the story to life. On page 4, “When I saw Luanne’s eyes narrow and her lips squeeze together, I knew her nosiness was about to irritate me.” You can see Luanne’s face and definitely feel Georgina’s emotions. On page 74, Willy the dog prances, yips, and jumps around. I also enjoyed how the story revolves around the homeless family, but homelessness has not ever been the sole backdrop. At least not yet. In my opinion, I think that the topic of homelessness is a tricky but great one for students. Many students have no concept of what being homeless means or how it affects people that are the same age as them. There are plenty of activities and lesson ideas out there. I found a few but here's a link to a site for ideas for students in K-2. Homeslessness Facts and Lesson Ideas for K-2 

So far I'm enjoying this book and am finding it heartwarming, funny, and thought provoking. I have a feeling that the second half will be just as good as the first!

Diary of a Wimpy Kid Review Part 2

I enjoyed finishing this book, however I definitely laughed more during the first half of it. My opinion on how Greg treats his “best friend” didn't change but I think that it's an honest portrayal of many kids at that age. I loved when Greg and Rowley joined the Safety Patrol because their reasonings were typical for their age: they got to miss twenty minutes of class, got bully protection, AND got free hot chocolate. I'd do it too for free hot chocolate!

One of my favorite things about this book was all of the lesson plan opportunities. A teacher could develop a lesson around bullying, manners, video games, student elections, etc. Three that I immediately thought of while finishing the book were lessons on being grateful, on doing the right thing, and a creative writing lesson. On page 120, Greg starts writing about his Christmas and how disappointed he was with the gifts he received. At one point, his mom gets mad at him for not hiding his expression towards a gift well. I think it would be interesting to see if students ever felt that way about a gift, what they learned from that experience, and what they think is truly important. Should they hide their true feelings if they don’t like a gift? What is the more important part of gift giving: the gift or the thought?

In one of the most important journal entries, in my opinion, Greg writes about a situation in which Rowley took the blame for something that Greg did. He struggles with whether or not to tell the truth about the whole situation. You could ask the students whether or not Greg did the right thing and if he did it at the appropriate time. What might have happened if he told the truth right away? Do they think that Rowley’s actions were justified after Greg told him the truth? How would you feel if your friend didn't stand up for you?

I'd also be interested in a creative writing lesson where students had to describe what Greg or Rowley would be like in the future. What kind of job would he have? How would he be as a father? I think the answers could be hilarious!

Overall I think that this is a really entertaining book and will keep kids laughing and wanting to read more. The book is full of growing pains, middle school struggles, sibling fights, and perfect illustrations. I think that supplementing the reading with lessons or discussion questions is important and a great way to maximize the book's potential.

Diary of a Wimpy Kid Review Part 1

I can see why the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series is so popular! The book is hilarious, honest, engaging, and full of valuable lessons for young adults. Did anyone actually enjoy middle school? I don't think I have met a single person who did not share the same sentiment regarding middle school: it was awful. They were awkward, hit their growth spurt (or didn’t), their friends changed, kids were mean, they were uncoordinated, etc. This book is stuffed full of stories that the reader can relate to in one way or another. 

I absolutely love how this book is written especially for the audience it is intended for. Books written in first person feel more relatable, in my opinion, which I think is an important quality in finding books for reluctant readers. Getting kids interested in reading can be difficult, but I think even the most reluctant of readers would enjoy these books immensely. The anecdotes are hilarious and the cartoons bring the stories to life, add in more laughs, and get the reader eager to flip the page. One of my personal favorite cartoons was when Greg was describing how his dad gets angry vs. his mom. The description was funny enough but the cartoon made it even funnier! I immediately related my own experiences to many of Greg's stories while reading and relived some funny and painfully awkward times. While I am enjoying the book, there are some things that I do not love about it and make me question how age appropriate it is for younger kids. Bad character traits, bullying, unfriendliness, humiliation, etc. are all seen here and there throughout the book. That being said, the book is written in the eyes of a middle school student and I do think that many kids of that age can relate to Greg's day to day life. I also think that there are plenty of activities that parents or teachers can create based on the book that will help children realize what is right vs. wrong, develop their thinking and discussion skills, and let them use their creativity.

One activity that I think would be really fun with the younger grades would be a Halloween activity. On page 62, Greg discusses how he never gets a store bought costume and how he can never think of an amazing costume idea. You could have your students either individually or in pairs design a costume for Greg using random craft materials. Or you could even have them design their own haunted house map! It could be tied into a geography unit even and students would have to include a title, direction, a scale, a legend, etc. There are also plenty of situations that Greg trudges through that I think would be important to bring up and discuss with students. On page 17, Greg talks about avoiding his “best friend” Rowley and how he thinks their friendship is questionable. Are Greg’s reasons for not wanting to be friends with Rowley anymore fair or right? Is it right to avoid a friend because you’re embarrassed of them? What would you do in Greg’s situation? Should you care what others think? On page 93, Greg talks about how he was going to cheat on his state capitals quiz but Patty Farrell mentioned the poster to the teacher and Greg subsequently failed the quiz. Would you have spoken up and told the teacher? Why is cheating harmful to your education? There are an abundance of discussion questions that you could base off of the reading to help your students grow as individuals. 

Knowing how popular this series is, how funny the first half of the book was, and how funny the movie looks, I don't think the second half of the book will disappoint!