Varnette Honeywood (1950–2010)

Letting your imagination get the best of you, is perhaps one of the main themes of this story. Bill is a young boy who cant seem to sleep alone in his room, because of the lights on his walls and the noise coming from his closet. His parents dont seem very sympathetic when Bill wakes them up several times during the night to tell them about what he has seen and heard. Bill decides to visit grandma's room, (a great commentary on keeping family together!), and after several attempts at helping show more Bill fall asleep, she decides to use a magic, protective spell on Bill's room. show less

This is a great little book with a big lesson. A new kid comes to school and doesn't quite know how to make friends so he comes up with a game where the person who says the meanest thing wins. Little Bill's father teaches Little Bill that there is no point in saying mean things to one another. You should instead defuse the situation.

I was really surprised to see that this is an Oprah's Book Club pick, but after reading it and getting the message I now see how invaluable it is.

A great quick, easy read that helps children learn that there are different approaches to resolving conflict. This book involves a new student coming to school and he wants children to participate in his "new game." The game consists of students saying mean things to one another, and the meanest comment wins. The other students originally take part in the game but when Little Bill is preparing for the game at home, his parents help him come up with an alternative solution.
I think this would show more be a great book to read out loud to a class that may be having problems getting along with one another, a problem that is completely realistic. Little Bill's solution and the new friendship all of the students undergo is an experience that any teacher would enjoy in his or her classroom. show less

Little Bill is bored in the house and everyone else has something special that they are doing. When little Bills great-grandmother, Alice the Great, comes over to visit little Bill soon finds out that he is a great storyteller. This was pretty good book and I think it caters well to Beginning readers. I would use it to teacher my students about finding their own talent.