Andrea U'Ren

Pugdog is a story about Mike and his dog named Pugdog. Mike believes Pugdog is a boy, but after a visit to the vet learns Pugdog is a girl. Mike then forces Pugdog to act more "ladylike." This upsets Pugdog who is not being allowed to act like herself. In the end Mike learns the most important thing is that Pugdog is happy and acts lie her happy self rolling in the mud and eating knucklebones. Pugdog acknowledges gender stereotypes through the story of a girl dog who enjoys getting dirty show more like a boy. It is pug dog's owner, who in the end realizes, he must not acknowledge this stereotype and let pug dog be and do what makes her happiest. show less

The famous knocker-upper that I just learned about Mary Smith is the funniest and coolest story I have read yet. She wakes up before the sun is up and shoots dried wrinkly peas to sleeping peoples windows, and she continue to through peas until they get out of bed, turn on their light, and say they are up (I need an alarm clock like that). This story shows the unknown story of the past that no one knew they needed to know. When Mary Smith has woken up everyone in town she proudly walks home, show more just to see that her own daughter is still in bed! The story ends in a very funny way of the mother teacher her daughter how to shoot peas, and the last page has a very short history on the amazing and important job of a knocker-up. show less

Mike has brand new puppy and its name is Pugdog. They play rough and Pugdog loves to go to the park to chase animals and dig holes. On a trip to the vet, Mike discovers his puppy is actually a female. He demands for her to act "lady-like", and can no longer play rough. She wears dresses and goes to the dog salon. Pugdog is miserable! Mikes realizes how sad his puppy is, and accepts her for who she is and lets her be herself. I LOVED this book! It is perfect for children who are unsure of show more themselves or children with disabilities. The message I received from it is to be yourself and don't try to be like anyone else. Children with disabilities can find this has inspiring to not be discouraged with their disabilities. I would not use this with a lesson, but I would read it during story time or during the first day of class. show less

Mary Smith is a woman who wakes up hours before dawn to wake everyone in the town with a straw and a pea. She blows into her straw and blows the peas to wake up the people. At first, I thought why would someone be responsible to do this? How does she wake herself up? But when I read the informational text after the book, I learned that people back in the day hired someone to wake them up. In the end of the book, Mary Smith's daughter gets in trouble by accidentally shooting a pea to her show more teacher. I do not think I would read this to my kids because I would not want them to think it is OK to shoot anything from a straw because it is now mostly frowned upon. show less