Ep. 74: Top 5 Underrated Read Alouds for Grades 3-6
Make sure to listen to the episode for my top five underrated read alouds for grades 3-6. I read an excerpt from each title.
Transcript:
Melissa Milner 0:09
Welcome to The Teacher As... podcast. I'm your host Melissa Milner, a teacher who is painfully curious and very easily inspired. This podcast is ever changing and I hope with each season, you find episodes that speak to you in your work as an educator. This is the fourth season of The Teacher As... and it's exciting to see the growth in how many educators are listening. Episodes are released every other week. If you enjoy The Teacher As... please rate it on Apple podcasts and leave a review. It helps the podcast reach more educators. Thanks for listening.
Melissa Milner 0:42
Before I get started, I want to apologize for my voice. I am recovering from what I think is a cold and yes, I tested negative. Tis the season for lists. Best movies of the year, worst movies of the year. After hearing so many movie and TV podcasts and best lists, I decided to do one of my own but for read alouds. About two weeks ago I started writing content about read alouds and I have pages and pages. So there are more episodes about read alouds to come on The Teacher As... I'm just not sure when they'll be. Topics such as best nonfiction read alouds for upper elementary, simple tips for teachers who are not confident acting during read alouds, how to mine read alouds as mentor text for literary elements and authors craft, etc., and read alouds I will never read in my classroom. This episode is where I rank my top five most underrated upper elementary read alouds. Before I jump into my list, spoiler alert, that I will talk about plot points, maybe even endings of books. I ranked these five books in the order that I love them. There are many reasons why I love these books. My first ranking criteria was books that don't show up in online best read aloud lists, but that I and my classes have loved then I cut the list down some more by only including books I felt should be scoring higher on Goodreads. Two other points were how fun they are to read as far as voices and moments of anticipation and surprises, as well as what they offer for teaching about how stories go and how authors craft their stories. So let's start the countdown.
Melissa Milner 2:40
Number five: Shoeshine Girl. It's by Clyde Robert Bulla. It's a realistic fiction book and it was first published in 1975. It's 96 pages long, and it's Good Reads rating is 3.8. This is what it says on the back of the book: The last thing Sarah Ida wants to do is spend the summer with her Aunt Claudia. But when her parents sent her away because of problems at home, that is exactly what she has to do. With no allowance and no fun to be had, Sarah Ida decides to look for a job, but who will hire a 10 year old? Al, the shoeshine man will. Sarah loves her job, even if it means getting knee deep in shoe polish every day. Then something terrible happens and it looks like the shoeshine stand will have to close forever. If Sarah Ida wants to keep it open, she'll have to learn a few lessons about growing up along the way.
Melissa Milner 3:36
So, Shoeshine Girl is a short book mostly meant for third grade readers, but has some great features for teaching about how stories go. The main character Sarah Ida, changes drastically from the beginning of the book to the end. It's a great story for charting character changes. I used it when I taught third grade, and I also use it with my fourth graders. It was terrific for modeling plot structure, especially rising action, before students started writing their narrative stories. The language and author style are simplistic, but there's also a good amount of figurative language, such as "her face was like winter", and "you want to keep me under your thumb." Shoeshine Girl would be higher on my list if it was written with a more sophisticated voice and was not so simplistic. The simplicity and brevity however, is why it's a valuable read aloud for modeling plot structure and changes in a character from the beginning of the book to the end. Another thing I like about this simple book is that there are still moments that keep the class guessing and gasping. There's another book by Clyde Robert Bulla that's even shorter. It's called The Chalkbox Kid. I also read this to my students every year. Even a very short chapter book, Bulla is able to create moments that make the class wonder and predict, there's still surprises. Shoeshine Girl is a memorable book. A fourth grader I had last year stopped me in the hall this year and asked, "Did you read Shoeshine Girl yet?" You gotta love that. Right now I'm going to read a short section of the book. It's the beginning of the book and every time I read it, the students gasped, at a certain part, and I'll stop reading to say which part? Let me give you a little background. Right before this scene that I'm going to read, Sarah Ida expected to get paid to do chores, and her aunt said that Sarah Ida's mom told her that she couldn't give her money due to an issue that happened with Sarah Ida back home. Sarah Ida gets very mad, and among other things says I want money in my pocket. Rossi shows up. She's a neighbor that the aunt asked to come over to meet Sarah Ida. Listen for the exciting gasp moment that proves your students are inferring.
Melissa Milner 5:59
Rossi showed Sarah Ida her room. "My daddy made this shelf for my library. These are all my books. Anytime you want to borrow some..." "I don't read much," said Sarah Ida. She was looking at something else. She was looking at a blue and white pig on the dresser. And this is where my students gasp. "What's this?" she asked. "That's my bank," said Rossi. "Is there anything in it?" "About $5?" Sarah Ida picked up the pig. It was heavy. She turned it from side to side. She could feel the coins move. "I need $4," she said,"Will you lend it to me?" " I'm saving for a present for my daddy," said Rossi. "It's just a loan. I'll pay you back." Rossi looked unhappy. "I'm not supposed to lend money." "You said I could borrow your books. What's the difference?" "I just don't think I better." "Alright, forget it." Sarah Ida went to the door. "No wait. You can have it." Rossi was feeling in the top drawer of the dresser. She took out a tiny key on a string. "But don't tell anyone" "Well, don't you tell either," said Sarah Ida. There was a lock on the underside of the pig. Rossi unlocked it. The coins fell out on the dresser. They were mostly quarters and dimes. Sarah Ida counted out $4. "Are you sure you want to do this?" "Yes," said Rossi. "Well, then goodbye," said Sarah Ida. And by the way, my kids react to that too. "Don't you want me to walk back with you?" asked Rossi. "Yeah, you don't need to." Sarah Ida left her. She walked out of the house and up the street. The coins jingled in her pocket. She was whistling when she got back to Aunt Claudia. The kids get so upset that she just gets the money and then just leaves like clearly not being a friend. And then they also... I can't move on to the next chapter because they all want to talk about how she's totally gonna get caught. And the aunt is gonna find out. They completely love this book.
Melissa Milner 8:01
Number four, Sammy Keyes and the Hotel Thief by Wendelin Van Draanen. It's 163 pages. It's a mystery and on Good Reads its rating is 3.98 which is too low in my opinion. Sammy is a really fun narrator and most of the chapters end on cliffhangers that the kids cry out when I put my book mark in to stop the read aloud. It's also great because there is a series of Sammy Keyes books for the kids to read if they liked this one. So let me read what's on the back of the book. Gram's told me my binoculars were going to get me into trouble. I just didn't believe her. Sammy Keyes isn't looking for danger when she trains her binoculars on the Heavenly Hotel across the street. So when she spies a man with gloves, pawing through a purse, and he sees her, there's only one thing to do, wave and then maybe tell the police. But when she does spill her story, Officer Borsch looks at her like she's some snot nose little kid. Sammy is not about to put up with this. She's a snot nose, seventh grader now, and she knows what she saw. And somehow, she's going to prove it.
Melissa Milner 9:17
So you can hear the humor in the author's style. Like I mentioned, this is told in first person by Sammy herself. And there's a school story subplot that the students get very invested in as well. This is a great book to chart suspects and clues with the class as you read. You can introduce lots of mystery literary elements like a red herring. Before I read the excerpt, I'll give you a little background. Sammy lives with her Grams in senior living apartments. I will not give away why. Mrs. Graybill, also mentioned by Grammy as Daisy is a busy body and officially, Sammy is not supposed to be living there. Sammy refers to Lady Lana in this excerpt that is her mother who is sort of an absentee mom. As it said in the blurb, she was looking through her binoculars and sees the thief in the hotel across the street.
Melissa Milner 10:17
So I'd started looking at the hotel windows and was checking out the fourth floor, when I noticed this guy moving around one of the rooms kind of fast. He disappeared for a little while, but when he came back by the window, I could see him digging through a purse like a dog after a gopher. And not only was he pawing through a purse, he was wearing gloves, black gloves. What I should have done was put those binoculars down and call 911. What I did instead was trying to get the focus tight on my right eye. When I got the binoculars adjusted so that I could practically see him breathing in and out, I got the strangest feeling that I'd seen this guy before. Either that, or I knew his brother or something. And I'm trying to get a better look at his face through all his bushy brown hair and beard, when he stuffs a wad of money from the purse into his jacket pocket, and then looks up... right at me. For a second there. I don't think he believed his eyes. He kind of leaned into the window and stared and I stared right back through the binoculars. Then I did something really, really stupid. I waved. He didn't wave back. He just took a good hard look at me, and then ducked out of view. I sat there for a minute not knowing what to do. I wanted to run and tell Grams. But I knew all that would do was get me in trouble. See, she doesn't know I look at the hotel. She thinks I just watch people on the street. Besides, I'd have to tell her about how he saw me. And that would make her worry. I was worried. And if I was worried you can just picture how Grams would be. I thought about dialing 911, but the only phone in the apartment is in the kitchen, and since Grams was in there making dinner, I couldn't exactly go dialing emergency without her knowing about it. Then I thought about running down to the police station. It's only about four blocks from the apartment and I could have been there in no time. Trouble was...Mrs. Graybill. So I'm sitting there, trying to figure out what to do when Grams calls, "Samantha, it's time to feed that cat of yours." I jumped right up and said, "Coming," and the whole time I'm fixing Dorito's dinner, I'm watching Grams out of the corner of my eye. Well, she's measuring out some rice watching me out of the corner of her eye. Pretty soon she stops measuring. "What have you been up to young lady?" "Up to? Me?" She puts down the measuring cup and takes off her glasses. "Yes, Samantha, you." I check out my high tops for a minute, kind of studying the place where the rubber is peeling away at the toe. "Nothing." "Ha!" That's all she says, "ha." But what that means is I'm busted and I better start doing some pretty fast talking. Either that or come right out and tell the truth. I step on the peeling rubber with my other foot, trying to break it off, but it just snaps back. When I look up at Grams, her hands have made it up to her hips. So I know it's time to come out with the truth. At least part of it. "I was using the binoculars, sorry." She left out a sigh, "Oh," and turns back to the rice. So there I am waiting for her to ask me what I saw. Thinking that maybe I'll tell her because I'm feeling kind of shaky about the whole thing. But she doesn't ask. She just sprinkles out some more rice and says, "Well, I suppose it can't be helped with Daisy being such a busy body." Remember Daisy has Mrs. Graybill. And I'm standing there, not real sure I like getting off the hook so easy, when she turns to me and says, "You know what the problem is, the problem is that I haven't taught you how to knit." I couldn't believe my ears. "To knit?" And we'll stop there. So you can hear she's kind of a fun narrator.
Melissa Milner 14:23
Number three, By the Great Horn Spoon. This book is written by Sid Fleischman. It is historical fiction, and it was first published in 1963. It's 224 pages long and the good read score is 4.10. Here's the blurb: When Jack's aunt is forced to sell her beloved mansion, but is still unable to raise enough money to pay her debts, the 12 year old goes to California in search of gold to help her. Joined by his trusty butler, Praiseworthy, Jack finds adventure and trouble at every turn. Will Jack strike gold in San Francisco or come home empty handed?
Melissa Milner 15:00
Not only is this book underrated, I would bet most teachers have never even heard of it. This is a very funny book with a cool structure. The throughline is whether Jack and Praiseworthy can strike it rich to save the aunt's house back east. But in addition, each chapter has a beginning, middle and end plot structure. So there are new funny issues each chapter that get solved by the end of the chapter. Students start noticing that every little detail is important and comes back in the story. I do have a voice hint for this read aloud. I don't really know why. I use a C3PO type of voice for Praiseworthy. It also sounds like Sheldon from Big Bang Theory actually. And it works perfectly. And and I'll be mentioning that there's a movie of By the Great Horn Spoon and Roddy McDowell plays the Praiseworthy character. And that's sort of kind of what I was going for is the C3PO British kind of type voice. That sort of sounds a lot like Sheldon from Big Bang Theory. If it is good quality, watching the movie adaptation of a read aloud you just finished can be fun and educational. It provides a chance to compare and contrast, analyzing what they kept, and what they cut from the book as well as what they changed entirely. However, the movie version can be problematic if it's not done well, or if it's older and had some negative depictions and stereotypes. So there was a movie in 1967 Walt Disney Pictures adapted By the Great Horn Spoon into a movie called The Adventures of Bullwhip Griffin. Brian Russell starred as Jack and Roddy McDowell played Eric Griffin. That's the new name for the Praiseworthy character. It is streaming on Disney Plus right now. I want to share the content warning that came on when I started to play it. Quote: "This program includes negative depictions and or mistreatment of people and cultures. These stereotypes were wrong then and are wrong now. Rather than remove this content, we want to acknowledge its harmful impact, learn from it, and spark conversation to create a more inclusive future together." There's more, but it's mostly about Disney wanting to create themes that reflect diversity from around the globe, etc. I advise watching it before showing it to your class. I have not watched the whole movie, and I've never chosen to show it to my classes. It just doesn't seem to be a high quality movie, so I never wanted to watch it with them. I'm now going to share an excerpt from one of the many clever chapters.
Melissa Milner 17:46
The captain held up a hand to stop the voices. "This cut purse has already struck, gentleman. He lifted the savings of Mr. Praiseworthy and his young partner. You've seen them working off their passage at the coal bunkers. The thief may strike again. And any one of you may be his next victim. He may be standing at your elbow. I'll now turn the meeting over to the aforementioned persons who have a plan to capture the scoundrel." Praiseworthy, tall and calm, stepped forward. "Thank you, Captain Swain," he said. "Our plan is very simple gentlemen. Master Jack, the sow if you please." At that signal, Jack led the big black hog to the center of the saloon and tied her to a post. The men began to exchange baffled glances. What had a large sow to do with catching a thief. But if there was a thief among them, they wanted them caught. Their own purses weren't safe with a light fingered fellow aboard. "A pig is a smart animal," Praiseworthy explained. "None smarter," yelled out Mountain Jim. "Take this old sow," Praiseworthy went on. "She's very wise. We've discovered that she can tell a dishonest man by the mere feel of him. She squeals gentleman, you can't even tell a simple lie in her presence. She'll squeal every time. A most remarkable hog I must say." Jack looked about at the many faces shining under the flickering whale oil lamps. There were the horse doctor and the Mexico fighters and the judge with his sword cane. Not even Mountain Jim with his fur cap was above suspicion. Jack fed the black sow a limp carrot to keep her quiet. But he began to feel anxious. What if praiseworthy, was wrong and the thief wasn't aboard the lady woman at all? "I assure you," Praiseworthy was saying, "that if the cutpurse so much as touches this hog she will squeal. If you will line up gentleman we'll get on with it. After the lamps are blown out and the saloon is dark, come up to the sow one by one. Touch her with your right index finger. When she squeals we'll have our thief." "I'm for it," one of the ex-soldiers said. "Me too." "A good plan," said the judge. "Suits me," agreed the horse doctor turning on his pegleg. "Some of you boys get the lamps. Let's see how smart this hog is. If you're an honest man, you got nothing to fear." A moment later, the saloon was in pitch darkness, and Jack held himself very still feeding carrots to the animal, so she wouldn't squeal. One by one the gold seekers approached and ran a finger along the sow's back. A minute passed...two...not a sound from the hog. The passengers scuffed across the decks in their boots, touched the hog and retired. The men were silent, listening for the squeal that would trap the guilty man. 10 minutes past and still they came. Even Praiseworthy felt a bit tense now. When finally the whale oil lamps were relit, the black sow hadn't uttered a sound. She stood in the center of the saloon, wondering what all the fuss was about. Captain Swain stepped forward scratching his beard as he looked about at his passengers, and then turned to Praiseworthy, "Looks like you made a mistake. That cutpurse isn't aboard this ship. By grabs I'm sorry about you and the lad there, but it looks like you'll be shoveling coal all the way around the Horn to California. "One moment," said Praiseworthy, as unconcerned as you, please. "It's true, the sow didn't squeal, but the guilty party stands in this room, sir. Gentleman, Master Jack and I took the liberty of powdering this black sow with coal dust. If each of you will now examine your right index finger where you touched her hide, you will find a smudge." Every man in the saloon instantly turned up his hand and there indeed was the smudge of black dust. Praiseworthy didn't waste a moment. "But one of you, fearing that the sound squeal would give you away ,one of you approached but didn't touch a finger to her back. Look around your gentleman. If there is a man among you without coal dust on his finger, he has exposed himself as the thief." Almost at once there was an outcry from one corner of the saloon. "We got 'em!" And we'll stop there.
Melissa Milner 22:17
Number two: Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH by Robert C. O'Brien. It's a fantasy, science fiction story, first published in 1971. It's 240 pages long. The text is really small, so it's it's a long read. I feel sometimes it's avoided as a read aloud because of its length. The good read score is 4.16. Here's what it says on the back: Mrs. Frisby, a widowed mouse with four small children, must move her family to their summer quarters immediately or face almost certain death. But her youngest son, Timothy, lies ill with pneumonia and must not be moved. Fortunately, she encounters the Rats of NIMH, an extraordinary breed of highly intelligent creatures who come up with a brilliant solution to her dilemma.
Melissa Milner 23:06
This book is absolutely amazing. I there's not even anything I can say you just if you haven't read it yet, as a teacher, you definitely need to read it. But it is an amazing read aloud. The kids are on the edge of their seat, trying to understand what is going on. Why do these rats have such sophisticated things? How do they know all that they know? It's it's really great. There was a movie animated feature by Don Bluth called The Secret of NIMH in 1982. It's streaming on Amazon Prime right now. Don Bluth, you may know from an American Tale and Land Before Time, but he did Secret of NIMH first. And my students really enjoyed this version. They enjoyed debating the choices that were made by the filmmakers in the adaptation of this book. There were rich opportunities for compare and contrast discussions. Fun fact, my students watched it last year and wanted to know why they even changed Mrs. Frisby's last name to Mrs. Brisby. I googled it. And surprisingly, it was a copyright issue with Frisbee the toy even though it's spelled differently, I figured it wasn't an issue in the book, because you could see that it was spelled differently. But when it's spoken in the movie, you don't know that. And this is why they changed the title as well, because the book is called Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH, and they called the movie Secret of NIMH. So I'm going to read a little section. And what I'm going to do because it's again, there's a lot on a page. And so I'm going to read a little part, and then I'm going to skip to another part so that I'm not reading all that the author is very detailed writer. And for this little excerpt that I want to share with you. You don't really need all of that detail. So here we go.
Melissa Milner 24:54
Mrs. Frisby, Justin, and Mr. Ages walked together up the long corridor to the rosebush. "Remember when you come up through the hole in the kitchen floor," Mr. Ages said, "you will be under a cabinet. It's low, but there's room to move. Go a few steps forward, and you'll be able to see out into the room. Mrs. FitzGibbon will be there getting dinner for her family. They eat at about six. When she's got their dinner ready, she'll feed Dragon. He won't be in the kitchen, but he'll be waiting just outside the kitchen door on the porch. She doesn't let him in while she's cooking, because he makes such a pest of himself, rubbing against her ankles and getting between her feet. If you look to your right, you'll see his bowl, it's blue and it has the word kitty, written over and over again around the side. She'll pick it up, fill it with cat food, and put it down again in the same place. Then, watch closely. She'll walk over the door to let him in. And that's your chance. Her back will be toward you. She's got to walk about 20 feet. It's a big kitchen. The bowl will be about two feet away from you. Be sure the paper packet is open, then dash out, jump the powder into the food and dash back. You don't want to be in sight when Dragon comes in. I can tell you that from experience." "Is that how you got hurt?" "I got there a few seconds late. I decided there was still time. I was wrong."
Melissa Milner 26:32
And then I'm going to skip page 184. Justin whispered, "This is as far as I can go. There's not room for me to get through. I'll wait here. Come back as soon as you're finished. Here's the powder." He handed her the paper packet. "Remember to tear it open before you go out to Dragon's bowl. Hurry now I can hear Mrs. Fitzgibbon moving around. She's getting the dinner. Be careful and good luck." Mrs. Frisby first pushed the packet up through the hole. Then as quietly as she could. Grasping both sides, she pulled herself up into the kitchen. It was light there, but Mr. Ages had not been joking when he said the ceiling was low. There was less than an inch between the floor and the bottom of the cabinet, so that she could not walk properly but had to flatten herself out and crawl. She did, a few steps, and discovered that she was trembling, stay calm, she told herself, don't get panicky or you'll do something foolish and spoil everything. Thus admonished, she crept forward again until she was near the edge of the cabinet. She stopped. From there, she could see out into the kitchen fairly well. Straight across from her stood a big white gas stove and in front of it, putting the lid on a pot, was Mrs. Fitzgibbon. Because the edge of the cabinet was so low, Mrs. Frisby could not see her head but only up to her shoulders. "There," Mrs. Fitzgibbon said as if to herself, "The stew is done. The bread is in the oven. The table is set." Where was the cat bowl? Mrs. Frisby looked to her right. As Mr. Ages had said. There it was blue with words inscribed on the side. Yet something was wrong. It was not two feet from the cabinet, but more like four or five. In the corner where it should have been rows for round wooden legs. She realized that she was looking at the bottom of a kitchen stool. No matter she thought. The extra distance is just a couple of feet. Mr. Ages had not mentioned the stool but perhaps they moved it around. She crawled to her right as close to the bowl as she could get without showing herself and tore open the package. Just as she did this, Mrs. Fitzgibbon walked over from the stove. Her hand appeared, picked up the bowl, and Mrs. Frisby heard it thump on the counter over her head. A cutting sound a can opener, the scrape of a spoon and the bowl was back on the floor. The strong fishy smell of cat food. Mrs. Fitzgibbon walked away. Now! Mrs. Frisby moves swiftly out into the room cross the open floor holding the powder, her eyes intent only on the bowl. She was no longer trembling. She poured in the powder, which instantly dissolved in the moist cat food. Still clutching the paper, she turned and sped toward the cabinet. With a bang, the lights went dim. The ceiling, which had somehow become curved, was filled with little round moons. Mrs. Frisby kept running in her face struck a cold hard wall of metal. And sometimes I stop here and I say, Let's infer what has just happened. And they usually get it. A voice shouted, "Mother, don't let Dragon in yet. I've caught a mouse. Billy, the young Fitzgibbon son, had been sitting on the kitchen stool, his feet up on the rung, eating berries from a colander. The colander, upside down, was now over Mrs. Frisby. And that's the end of the chapter. So good.
Melissa Milner 30:03
And here we are at number one. The book is Thief of Always by Clive Barker. It's a horror/ fantasy book first published in 1992. It's 225 pages long, but the writing is bigger than the Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH book. The Good Reads rating is 4.21. So this is what the blurb says: Master storyteller and best selling novelist Clive Barker creates an enchanting tale for both children and adults to cherish and retell. The Thief of Always tells the haunting story of Harvey, a bright 10 year old who is suffering from the winter doldrums, and of a creature who takes him to a place where every day is filled with fun, and Christmas comes every night. So this book I only read when I was teaching fifth grade, it's a little too dark for third and fourth grade. Sixth grade it would be great for. It's a wonderful book for author's craft, teaching foreshadowing and what suspense is. There are themes like appreciating what you have, you know, gratitude and messages like if it seems too good to be true, it is, which I think is an important message for kids for critical thinking.
Melissa Milner 31:13
This book reads like a movie. I recommend reading this after reading aloud Tuck Everlasting which is one of my favorites, but is not an underrated book. Many people read Tuck Everlasting because it's fantastic. So it's not on this list, but I recommend reading Thief of Always after Tuck Everlasting because it has a lot of similar themes. And there's some good compare contrast work and analyzing that can be done. I have a voice hint for the character of Rictus. I don't know why, but I kept picturing Jim Carrey and I tried to get in that kind of crazy voice kind of thing. But yeah, it really kind of reads like Jim Carrey. So I'm gonna go ahead and read a section and then we're gonna go on to honorable mention. I have one book that really stood out as an honorable mention that I couldn't fit on the list.
Melissa Milner 32:04
He looked harmless enough. He was no more than six inches taller than Harvey. His frame scrawny his skin distinctly yellowish in color. He was wearing a fancy suit, a pair of spectacles and a lavish smile. "Who are you?" Harvey demanded, wondering how we could get past this interloper to the door. "Don't be nervous," the man replied teasing off one of his suede gloves, taking Harvey's hand and shaking it. "My name's Rictus. You are Harvey Swick, aren't you?" "Yes." "I thought for a moment I got the wrong house." Harvey couldn't take his eyes off of Rictus' grin. It was wide enough to shame a shark with two perfect rows of gleaming teeth. Rictus took off his spectacles, pulled a handkerchief from the pocket of his waterlogged jacket, then started to mop off the raindrops. Either he or the handkerchief gave off an odor that was far from fragrant. The smell in truth was flatulent. "You've got questions, I can see that," Rictus said to Harvey. "Yeah." "Ask away. I've got nothing to hide." "Well, how did you get in for one thing?" "Through the window? Of course." "That's a long way up from the street?" "Not if you're flying." Flying?" "Of course. How else was I going to get around on a vile night like this? It was either that or a rowboat? We short folk gotta watch out when it's raining this hard. One wrong step and you're swimming." He peered at Harvey quizzically, "Do you swim?" "In the summer sometimes?" Harvey replied, wanting to get back to the business of flying. But Rictus took the conversation in another direction entirely. "On nights like this," he said, "Doesn't it seem like they'll never be another summer?" "It sure does," said Harvey. "You know, I heard you sighing a mile off. And I said to myself, there's a kid who needs a vacation." He consulted his watch. "If you've got the time that is." "The time?" "For a trip boy, for a trip. You need an adventure young Swick somewhere out of this world." "How'd you hear me sighing when you were a mile away?" Harvey wanted to know. "Why should you care? I heard you that's all that matters." "Is it magic of some kind?" "Maybe." "Why don't you tell me?" Rictus gave Harvey a beady stare. "I think you're too inquisitive for your own good. That's why," he said, his smile decaying a little. "If you don't want help, that's fine by me." He made a move toward the window. The wind was still gusting against the glass as though eager to come back in and carry its passenger away. "Wait," Harvey said. "For what?" "I'm sorry. I won't ask any more questions?? Rictus halted, his hand on the latch. "No more questions, eh?" "I promise," said Harvey. "I told you, I'm sorry." "So you did. So you did." Rictus peered out of the rain. "I know a place where the days are always sunny," he said, "and the nights are full of wonders." "Could you take me there?" "We said no questions, boy. We agreed." "Oh, yeah. I'm sorry." "Being a forgiving sort, I'll forget you spoke. And I'll tell you this. If you want me to inquire on your behalf, I'll see if they've got room for another guest." "I'd like that." "I'm not guaranteeing anything, Rictus said opening the latch. "I understand." The wind gusted had suddenly and blew the window wide. The light began to swing wildly. "Watch for me," Rictus yelled above the din of rain and wind. Harvey started to ask if he'd be coming back soon, but stopped himself in the nick of time. "No questions, boy," Rictus said, as he spoke the wind seemed to fill up his coat. It rose around him like a black balloon. And he was suddenly swept out over the windowsill. "Questions rot the mind," he hollered as he went, "Keep your mouth shut and we'll see what comes your way." And with that the wind carried him off. The balloon of his coat rising like a black moon against the rainy sky.
Melissa Milner 36:31
So when considering honorable mentions, I did have a few books...two really stood out to me. One of them was I think it's more popular, and it's Good Read score was was a decent score of 4.19, and that's Phantom Tollbooth. I love Phantom Tollbooth. And I do know that there are teachers that do read that book. And it's not an ignored, read aloud. So my honorable mention, which is also a book that I know, that teachers usually read, but I'm so upset with the Good Read score that I have to call it underrated. That is Among the Hidden. Among the Hidden is a fantastic read aloud. And the Good Read score... It's 153 pages, by the way, and it's Good Read score is 3.99. It's by Margaret Peterson Haddix. I left it off the list since it does show up online on some people's lists of favorite read alouds. And I know a lot of teachers read it. So I couldn't put it on the list. However, it's Good Read score is 3.99. It's just not justified. It's a really good book, I read some of the reviews, and one very low one, the person had very high expectations for this author to delve into all the politics of population control in a kid's book... seriously. So the Good Read score should be higher. I love reading this to my students, it is exhilarating to watch the students wonder and then discover what's happening as far as the premise of the book. And then they predict and they're so shocked by the ending. I would not read this to third or fourth graders, however. It does have complex, mature themes, and a main character is killed at a rally in the end. Although it is just talked about, the killing is not depicted in the book. I do love the book for this though. When I read it to my fifth graders years ago, they often shared that it was the first book they encountered where there was not a happy ending. This is powerful to learn about stories. It's perfect for fifth and sixth grade.
Melissa Milner 38:34
There are so many great upper elementary read alouds out there, they get praise all over the internet on top 10 lists. I wanted to give a shout out in this episode to the unsung heroes, the workhorse read alouds, the stories in which you get a lot of bang for your buck. Is that enough figurative language for you guys. Happy reading.
Melissa Milner 38:53
For my blog, transcripts of this episode, and links to any resources mentioned, visit my website at www.theteacheras.com You can reach me on Twitter and Instagram @melissabmilner and I hope you check out The Teacher As... Facebook page for episode updates. Thanks for listening. And that's a wrap.