It could definitely be a read aloud with students rather than a novel that is studied as a class.įor more Hidden Gem book ideas, CLICK HERE. I think this may be better suited to 6th graders due to the tiny print in the book and more sophisticated vocabulary, but a loyal dog’s search for his home is usually a winner with all readers.Anything that promotes teamwork and persistance is a great option. This book has a slower pace and is a little longer, but I love the way the book focuses on a group of school kids who get their community involved in investigating a question about why storks no longer settle in the town.
The Wheel on the School by Meindert DeJong I like the fact that I would be able to hunt down the real story with students after finishing the book. Children in a Norwegian town smuggle gold away from the Nazis during WWII. Not that I am against crying in front of my students, but I try to avoid “ugly crying.” My daughter read it and barely made it through due to the dog situation (tissue alert– nobody dies, but…), so that may bump it off the list. One of the hot books this year in teacher circles is Fish in a Tree by Lynda Mullaly Hunt I thought Rain Reign was better. There are many books available right now that feature characters with a learning difference of some kind.Other books that I would consider to be a hidden gem and are possibilities for next year are: Since I witness so many students asking for help before even attempting to start something new or unfamiliar, a character like Sarah is a great role model. Sarah independently overcomes obstacles, and while she has supportive parents, Sarah is the one who takes action. Through her creativity and problem solving skills, she starts a bread business out of the house and solves many of her family’s problems. The story takes place during the Great Depression and centers on Sarah Puckett, a girl who won a blue ribbon at the 4-H fair for her homemade bread. I have yet to have a student who has read this book prior to entering my class, but I always have students who come back and tell me it was the best book they read in the fourth grade. The one book that will definitely stay is The Bread Winner by Arvella Whitmore (not to be confused by The Breadwinner by Deborah Ellis).
This week, I have been assessing my bookshelf and determining what will stay and what will go next year. I do reteach favorite books from year to year, but I always rotate one or two out of the line up. My goal every year is to find high interest books that no student in the class has read– yet. Even though the end of the school year is nowhere in sight, I am already considering books to teach my students next year.
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