"The Kite Fighters"

This story is about two boys who are treated differently from their father and takes place in Seoul, Korea. Young-Sup is supposed to treat Kee-Sup with respect, since he is the elder.  They can both fly kites, but Young-Sup is the one who can fly a kite with a lot of skill and Kee-Sup can design and make kites.  Young-Sup is asked to be the kite-fighter at the New Year Festival.  After Kee-Sup asks his father if Young-Sup can fly the kite, they get an idea to put pieces of glass on the string in order to cut the string of the other kite fighters easily.  It is allowed, but by the time Young-Sup is up to his last competitor, last year's champion, the glass from his strong is all gone.  He is very nervous, but wins the competition.  In this book, Young-Sup and Kee-Sup become good friends and the King does not treat him like one of his subjects.  I would teach the students about characterization, setting, and plot with this book.

"Pigling: A Cinderella Story"

http://prezi.com/ssega7ehsgfw/copy-of-pigling-a-cinderella-story/

Pigling is a graphic novel about a young girl whose name is Pear Blossom.  When she was thirteen, her mother died.  Pear Blossom's father sees a matchmaker who tells him about a wife and her daughter. He marries the widow, who Pigling calls Omoni.  Pear Blossom's step-sister's name is Violet.  Pear Blossom's new family members disrespect her and try to make her life difficult by making her do a lot of chores.  Her step-mother nicknames her Pigling.  Violet is jealous of Pigling because of her beauty.  Pear Blossom's father won't listen to her when she tries to tell him about how her step-mother and Violet are treating her badly. When Pear Blossom is eighteen, she is even more beautiful and her step-mother and step-sister don't let up on the insults and commands.  Some animals help Pear Blossom with her chores, which only makes them angrier.  On her way to the festival, Pear Blossom's sandal falls off and she comes face to face with a nobleman.  She runs to the festival instead of replying to the nobleman when he asks her what her name is.  The nobleman, who is the magistrate, proposes to Pear Blossom.  She gets to move away and marry him.

After reading this book to the students, I would ask them to use another version of Cinderella in the library or classroom and compare and contrast it to Pigling.

"Who was Albert Einstein"?

This biography explains some of Einstein's theories and formulas.  It talks about his childhood and his adult life.  Some of his inventions are described.  World War I happened during Einstein's life and he wanted to help create a homeland for Jewish people.  Albert Einstein was famous in the U.S., but not in Germany.   This was because he was Jewish, an intellectual, and a pacifist.  He traveled around the world with his family and received honorary degrees from several universities around the world  He was declared a spy by Hitler and helped the U.S. develop an atomic bomb.  However, he hated war.  I would have students read this book in groups and record Albert's greatest achievements.  I might have them write a letter to Einstein in which they asked questions to him that he could answer if he were alive.

"Class President"

Julio Sanchez has just entered fifth grade and has a new teacher, Ernesto Flores.  There is going to be an election for class president in his class.  Julio wants to help his friend Lucas win the election against another one of their classmate's Cricket.  She is pretty sure she will win.  However, as it gets closer to the election, Julio's leadership skills are shown and his mom wants him to run for president.  He helps a boy named Arthur after his new glasses are crushed by a soccer ball by suggesting that the class raises money so he can get a new pair.  He helps Lucas's brothers, Marcus and Marius reach the spigot on the water fountain. He even has the courage to talk to the principal when soccer is banned and convinces the principal not to prohibit kids from playing it.  Arthur nominates Julio on the day of the election and he wins.  Cricket will be the vice-president.  I would do a read-aloud with this book and ask the students who they would vote for if they were in Mr. Flore's fifth grade class.  I would also make a list on the board of qualities that students think make a good president

"Way up and Over Everything"

The narrator describes a story that her great-grandmama's mama told her mama and that her mama told her.  Her great-grandmama, Jane was born and raised on the plantation of Ol' Man Deboreaux.  When she was sixteen, he bought five new Africans and taught them how to work in the fields.  There were two men and three women and one of the men touched his chest and whispered to Jane, "Edet."  He was scolded by the overseer for not using his new name.  The two men and three women disappeared and Jane wanted to warn them before Ol' Man Deboreaux and the overseer catch them.  The Africans stepped up on the air and flew. The overseer and Ol' Man Deboreaux couldn't catch them.  Once again, the man who spoke to Jane and said "Edet!"  The story of the Africans was passed on by Jane.  After reading this book, I would have a discussion with the students about what this story represents and have them refer back to examples from the story.