Cinnamon Girl: Letters Found Inside of a Cereal Box

 

Author: Juan Felipe Herrera

Publisher: Joanna Cooler Books

Publish Date: August 9, 2005

 

Summary: Written in free verse, this story describes how young Yolanda deals with the tragedy of September 11. She keeps poems and letters she finds in and around Ground Zero in a cereal box.  She collects dust around New York City with the intent of returning it to Ground Zero, hoping to silence the ghosts and bring her uncle back to life. 

Award: Americas Award Book

Source: www.arbookfind.com

AR Book Points: 2

Age Range:  13 and up

Life Connections

• Understanding Hispanic (Puerto Rican) culture
• Understanding events in history
• How to deal with tragedy and death

Aani and the Tree Huggers by Jeannine Atkins

Author: Jeannine Atkins

Illustrator: Venantius J. Pinto

Publisher: Lee & Low Books

Publish Date: April 1, 2000

Summary: Aani bravely participates in the Chipko Andolan, or "Hug the Tree Movement" in her home town in India.  She and the other women in town wrap their arms around the trees in order to keep developers from cutting them down.  This is based on a true story from the 1970s in India.

Source:  www.arbookfind.com

AR Reading points: .05

Grade Level: K-3

Awards: Children's Book Award, Smithsonian's Notable Book

Life Connections:

• Standing up for something without a voice
• The importance in nature
• History