Cleversticks

Cleversticks is about a boy named Ling Sung that struggles to fit in with his classroom peers. This book is excellent for students having trouble fitting in or adjusting, or come from a different cultural background. We see Ling Sung use what he knows and makes best use of it by turning his paint brushes around and eating his cookie as if they were chopsticks. The class and teacher are amazed, making Ling Sung feel as if he is apart of the classroom dynamic and culture. Every race and culture is included in this book, and can be related to everyone; not just minority students. The illustrations show children of all sizes, shapes, ability, and colors.

A cute story about a boy learning that everyone has different talents. I felt sad that the boy felt he wasn't good at anything and wonder if the teachers could have given praise to the other children in a way that wouldn't spark feelings of inadequacy.

This could be used to teach children about accepting that sometimes other people will be better at something than you, but that everyone has talents and strengths.

This is a great book for kids who feel like they are not good at anything compared to those around them. In the story, the child starts to get discouraged until one day he does something that no one else can do. Children will learn that they have their own special talent so they should not feel bad when others can do things better than they can.

Ages 3-6
Pierce College Library

This book is about a little boy named Ling Sung who cannot do things the other kids can such as; tying shoes, buttoning sweaters, writting his name, or tying his apron. It makes him upset so he decides he does not want to go to school. The next day in class he finds two paint brushes, and uses them as chopsticks. This is something no one else can do so he feels specail. I have had days were I felt like Ling Sung. Everyone has got it together, and I do not. It makes me frustrated to see everyone get praised, and not me, even though I make every effort. Then I have those days were I got it down, and everyone is focused on what I can do. It is selfish, but it give me the confidence I was looking for. After reading this book I would hold a show more talent show in class so everyone could be praised for thier specail talents. We would also talk about chopsticks, and chiense culture. Then we would use chop sticks, and make a craft to represent the chiense culture. show less

This book is for young children 4-5 years of age. This book is about a young boy named ling Sung who doesn't like to go to school because everybody is getting recognized and clapped for the special unique things they can do. Ling sung is having a hard time finding what he is good at and accepting him self. until he realized that he can do something no one else can, use chopsticks. This book can help young children with their self concept and self esteem, and implement and representing culture and diversity in the classroom.


Source: Milgard Library

I really enjoyed this book because of the illustrations and the writing of the text and the characters. The writing of the text was very interesting because it was very engaging and clear. For example, the text said everyone wanted to be shown how to do it. It wasn’t easy. “Show us again, Ling Sung, they shouted. When the teacher got excited about what Ling Sung could do, he got excited because no one else could do it and this made him very happy. This made me want to learn because I felt like I was in a classroom full of children who were all excited. The text made it so it felt like you were in the story with them and could feel the excitement in the classroom. The text was also short enough that students could understand what was show more happening in the story. For example, on one page it said Ling Sung helped the teachers too. They were dropping cookie all over the place. The illustrations perfectly fit the text because for the text mentioned above, the picture on the page had the teacher trying to pick up the cookie and there’s children all over trying, and cookies falling all over the place. There’s cookies on the floor and in midair. The character in this story are very believable because they are used in a setting that is normal for students to know which Is school. The students are in school learning and the story shows things that others can do but some cant. It is a very relatable story for students who go to school. The message of this story is that each person is unique in their own way and can do some things that others can`t. We should share our uniqueness with others and help teach them. Also, it gives the message of don’t give up just because others can do it and you can`t. Allow others to help teach you and you can learn from others. show less

I believe this book would be acceptable for all elementary grades, as it touches on different concepts that apply to different age levels. The skills that are presented in the book are directed towards younger children, as in kindergarten and first grade age level, but the feelings presented are directed at all age levels. All kids, at some point, feel as if they can't do anything that other children can do, so this book is perfect for highlighting children's skills and talents throughout elementary school. It could be used to make student's feel better about what they aren't able to do yet in all grades, and could also be used as an interactive book in higher grade levels. Students can show each other and the teacher what skills out of show more the book they have and what skills they believe they have in general. 3rd-5th graders can also read this independently and write about a time when they felt as if they couldn't do something others could do. show less