Jim O'Connor (1)

I have never been to the Grand Canyon, and now I feel like I have just from reading this. Students can research this location, they can be given a writing prompt and journal what they imagine their vacation would be like, or even write a complete fictional piece with aliens abducting and people flying across. The extensions of this book are endless.

Following on the Hurricane Katrina book, my son and I read this history of the World Trade Center in New York City. The book is a full history of the Twin Towers dating back to it's conception by David Rockefeller in the 1960s and deals with controversies such as the removal of Radio Row by eminent domain. There's a lot of detail about the design and construction of the buildings, and fun stories such as Philipe Petit's walk on the wire. The book also dedicates a chapter to the first bombing show more of the World Trade Center in 1993. The September 11 attacks are of course a major subject of the book, and again done in a clear manner appropriate to the age of the reader. There is also a chapter on the memorial, museum, and new One World Trade Center building. On the 15th anniversary of the September 11th attacks, this was a good way to remember the events of that day with someone to young to remember it himself. show less

The Twin Towers were so much more than * just * 9/11, and this book makes a nice attempt to paint a full picture for those who weren´t yet with us then.

On chapter 9, so often remarked on by other reviewers, I applaud the author.
It is made clear that the terrorists were Al Qaeda, and although people belonging to this group claim to be Muslim, their convictions have little to do with the actual religion.
Religion and politics are a difficult to explain to kids, (even lots of grown-ups have show more their troubles understanding), it is, in my opinion, not possible to explain the impact of 9/11 on the world without at least touching on the subject. show less

Summary: This book talks about Bob Dylan's early life, including that this is where is penchant for lying began, and how he got into music. It then follows him through high school and college where he played folk music and became known for his protest songs. It goes on to describe his various relationships, his move to rock and roll, his faith, and his children. This book was extra interesting because it had small sections describing the Civil Right's movement, women's lib, Bob Dylan's show more aliases and information about famous musicians that had an influence on Dylan's style.

Personal Reaction: I have loved Bob Dylan since I was a kid and this book didn't disappoint. I love that it compiles some issues that may be difficult to discuss with children and puts it in a way that makes it easy for kid's to understand. It was interesting to read about Bob Dylan's life in a way that is written for children.

Classroom Extensions: 1. This would be an awesome book to incorporate into a music class when discussing influential musicians.

2. This book could also be used during career week. The book describes a passionate young Bob Dylan following his dreams and I think that sends a good message. show less