Gooney Bird and the Room Mother

Gooney Bird and the Room Mother
Book Review III

Author: Lois Lowry
Illustrator: Middy Thomas
Genre: Ficiton
Subgenre: Realistic
Primary Characters: Gooney Bird Greene, Mrs. Pidgeon, and Barry Tuckerman
Secondary Characters: Felicia Ann, Keiko, and Malcolm
Publishing: Houghton Mifflin Company Books 2005
Awards: N/A

Theme: A gifted child needs to be challenged and encouraged.

Summary: Mrs. Pidgeon's second grade class needs a room mother desperately. She offers the leading role in their Thanksgiving pageant to the student who can find a room mother for the class. Gooney Bird, who loves being smack dab in the middle of everything quickly begins her search. She locates a room mother, but tells her class that she wishes  to stay incognito. Since she found the classroom a room mother, Mrs. Pidgeon gives Gooney the lead role. In the end,  the room mother turns out to be Mrs. Pidgeon's very own mother.

Uses with Students:  In a classroom, this chapter book could be used to introduce students to a plethora of new vocabulary words. Also, it could be used as a silent reading or read aloud book in any lower grade level classroom. There are illustrations dispersed throughout which will keep the attention of younger beginning readers.

Matilda

Matilda
Book Review III

Author: Roald Dahl
Illustrator: Quentin Blake
Genre: Fiction
Subgenre: Fantasy
Primary Characters: Matilda, Ms. Honey, and Ms. Trunchbull
Secondary Characters: Mr. and Mrs. Wormwood
Publishing: Puffin Books 1988
Awards: Federation of Children's Book Groups Award (UK 1988)

Theme: Despite the lack of affection and attention at home, children should have some safe place where they feel loved.

Summary: Matilda is a very talented and bright child. She is extremely gifted and has somewhat of magical mind powers. She taught herself how to read at a very early age of three. Her parents pay her very little attention which is devastating for a child. Once she is old enough to go to school, her parents do not hesitate to send her off. At school, she meets her teacher Ms. Honey. Ms. Honey is the nicest person Matilda has ever met and their relationship blossoms quickly. Unfortunately, Matilda also meets Ms. Trunchbull who is a very cruel and ruthless woman and who also happens to be the principal at Matilda's school. She makes both Matilda and Ms. Honey's life miserable. Matilda, being the gifted child she was, decided to take matters into her own hands and ran Ms. Trunchbull out of town. In the end, Ms. Honey adopted Matilda with the consent of her parents. They both live happily ever after.

Uses with students: In a classroom, this book would make an excellent silent reading book. After reading the book, students could write a journal entry about what they would do if they had magic powers like Matilda.