The Woman in the Window

The Woman in the Window by A. J. Finn is a pretty engrossing mystery story with a dreadful ending. The main character is an agoraphobic woman who becomes obsessed with her new neighbors across the street. There are some great plot twists and turns, but why must these types of books always end in a bloody heap with an action packed, over blown sequence of events that detract from the psychological aspects of the story and turn the conclusion into a trite Hollywood cliche?

The Cay

I’ve always wanted to read The Cay by Theodore Taylor, and yesterday I found it in a pile in my bedroom while I was disinfecting my house from the sick I’ve had for two weeks! I read half the book last night before bed and finished the second half this morning. It’s a classic survival story with some historical elements about the West Indies during World War II. I was happy that the cat did not have to die!! The story’s theme centers on the friendship and respect that grow between eleven year old Phillip, an American living on the Dutch island of Curaçao, and the old black-skinned Timothy, a deckhand from Charlotte Amalie, when they are stranded on a desert island together after a shipwreck.

The 860 Lexile level can be attributed to the geographical and historical terminology related to the time period of 1942, as well as the distinctive West Indian dialect infused in dialogue between Timothy and the boy.

I’m glad I finally read this novel as it fits nicely with a couple of our reading units in fifth grade. It incorporates the message of accepting and appreciating cultural diversity and also touches upon the power of nature when a tropical storm wreaks havoc on the cay.

Siege

Siege:How General Washington Kicked the British out of Boston and Launched a Revolution by Roxane Orgill is an unusual book about the British occupation of Boston at the beginning of the Revolutionary War. It’s written in verse from the perspectives of several different key players including George and Martha Washington and William Lee, Washington’s slave and personal assistant.

I enjoyed reading Siege while waiting around during my February vacation jury duty commitment. It’s a quick read because of the distinct, poetic structure. There are some challenging vocabulary words with opportunities for students to use context clues to decifer them. For instance on page 77 it says: “Found an abundance/Of ordnance at Fort Ti/Brass coehorns, iron mortars/Field pieces in all sizes....” Students can deduce that ordnance means military supplies including weapons, ammunition, combat vehicles, and maintenance equipment. Similarly, coehorns must be some type of bullet.

More context clues practice is provided on page 82, which describes Martha Washington’s arrival. “Departed mid-November; She did not travel alone/But with an entourage: Her son, his wife, five slaves/In white coats with red collars. Along the way she was feted/By light-horse brigades and honor guards/As if she were ‘a very great somebody’/(She wrote to a friend)/Which pleased her no end.”

Building on students’ background knowledge, lines such as, “Guns in surprisingly good condition/Except for their carriages/Wood rotting since the last war,” reference the French and Indian War. Page 24 reflects Washington’s perspective “When he surveys this ragtag lot/Fourteen thousand farmers/Fishermen, sailors/Coopers, chandlers/Shopkeepers, smiths...” Compare that to the Introduction’s description, “Seven thousand regulars/Camped out on the Common...” and the question posed on page 32, “Serve the crown/Or exchange a red coat for homespun/And be a deserter — Which will it be?”

More interesting tidbits: Boston to Ticonderoga was “About three week’s journey...” page 64. “General Howe hadn’t eaten fresh meat in three weeks, gazed through the spyglass at the cows grazing at Lechmere’s Point.” page 68. “HMS Nancy/of the king’s Navy/supply ship/bound for Boston — captured!” page 75.

The poem ends in the spring of 1776 with General Washington surveying, “The room he had occupied/For nine months....In a day, or two at most/He would quit Cambridge/Travel with Martha and Billy/Depart with aides and generals/For New York.” page 190.

Escaping The Giant Wave

Escaping The Giant Wave by Peg Kehret is the reading group selection all my fifth graders were begging to read. Unfortunately I only had so many copies thus only a lucky few received a coveted spot in that group. Truthfully, I thought the book was lame. Sure it has some exciting parts and even a little bit of character introspection, sibling rivalry, and interactions with a bully, but there is nothing spectacular about the language to make it worthy of guided reading time. Next year, I much prefer having all students read A Long Walk to Water, which stylistically and thematically offers much more for us to sink our teeth into!