Koala Lou

Koala Lou

by Mem Fox, Pamela Lofts (illus)

 Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 1994

Summary:  After his siblings are born, Koala Lou is feeling neglected by his mother.  He tries to gain her attention and affections by winning the Olympic Climbing contest.

Lesson:  After reading this story, which the children loved, we discussed Koala Lou's actions and motives.  Sibling rivalry for a parent's attention.  Pride from doing your best instead of winning.  The students made connections to real life and to movies/texts they had experienced.

Level:   K-2nd

OFF THE SHELF -- The Hunger Games

The Hunger Games 

by Suzanne Collins

Scholastic, 2008

The Hunger Games is the first book of the dystopian trilogy, The Hunger Games, followed by Catching Fire and Mockingjay. The series combines the political statement of 1984 with the dangerous societal games of The Running Man, using teenagers as main characters.  While the YA target audience is middle and high school, I did suggest this first book to a few 5th graders already reading middle school books.  Before long, most of the 5th and 4th grade faculty had read the trilogy.  

Level:  6th - adult