Becky Birtha

I loved the Grandmama in this story, and her pride and strength really made this story whole. Grandmama's Pride is about two girls who visit their grandmother in the south, where segregation was still in existence. The girls did not understand why they could not sit at the front of the bus, or why they had to use separate water fountains and restrooms. Instead of the Grandmama being down or getting worked up about her grandchildren's questions, she had prideful replies. For example, when the show more girl asked about drinking from the "whites only" water fountain, the Grandmama would say her iced tea at home was better. When the girl asked why they could not sit down on the waiting area seats, the Grandmama said "you don't know who's been sittin there." I loved that, and I think it teaches children the lesson of being confident and strong in difficult or tough situations. show less

grades 2-6

This book is incredible powerful for a children's book. It describes what African-Americans went through in a way that makes it easy to understand for children. I love how strong grandma is portrayed in the book. She directs the girls attention somewhere else when the girls start to notice segregation. Grandma would tell them that they wouldn't want to go to that bathroom or drink from that water fountain anyway because they are dirty. It is inspiring to see how the family in this book takes show more something so negative and discouraging and handles it easily and with grace. They are great examples of powerful and smart women who know their worth. show less

At first, I wasn't sure why this book was tagged as a math book. This book is about a young boy, Marshall, who hates eating beans, but that is all his family can afford. When he and his younger brother walk by a nearby store, he sees a sign that says "How many beans are in this jar? Win this brand new sewing machine!" The family joins together to solve the puzzle. At first, they try to use a similar size jar, but that strategy doesn't quite work out. The next day, the teacher says, "Use what show more you already know to solve the problem." That gives Marshall an idea, and he gathers what he knows about measurement to solve the problem.

I think this book is an important read because it addresses how math connects to everyday life. Students are always going to ask, "why do I need to know this?" Students need help bridging math concepts to its real-world application, and I think that this book shows how what the student was learning in school actually applied to his life. I will definitely use this book when teaching about volume during a measuring unit. show less