Book Title: Thank You, Mr. Falker
Author(s): Patricia Polacco
Illustrator/Photographer/Artist: Patricia Polacco
Publisher: Philomel Books
Copyright Date: 1998
Genre: Contemporary realistic fiction
Brief Annotation: Trisha is a little girl who is teased all throughout grade school for being ‘dumb’ in school since she could not read. The letters just looked like squiggles to Trisha--she never understood what she was missing that everybody else understood. Her days of hiding under the staircase during recess to avoid teasing ended when a new teacher, Mr. Falker, arrived at her school and took a special interest in Trisha. After a year of one-on-one tutoring from her patient teacher, Mr. Falker, Trisha is a successful reader. She now writes children’s books.
Your Rating (1-5) and why: (3.5) Patricia Polacco writes this autobiographical picture book in a way that may be a little difficult to read to children who are at the beginning-to-read age. The story is long and would necessitate some talking points mid-read, but has a good message and was enjoyable for me.
Readers who will like this book: Readers who will enjoy this book are students who are just learning to read and may be struggling. I think they would identify with young Trisha and it would open a door for the teacher to reassure students that everybody struggles, but a teacher’s job is to believe in them and that they, too, can be readers one day.
Teaching Strategy from Tompkins or Yopp & Yopp (you'll link a strategy to at least 10 of your 40 books) : Quickwrite (Tompkins, p. 91): Since the plot of the book (and the message from the author) is one of Thank You to an important person in her life, I would have the students do a 5-10 minute quick write as if they were writing a thank you note to someone who has influenced their life. They could range from a deep and emotional note to a parent to a simple note to the bus driver just to say thanks for their help every morning at the bus stop. The point would be to get students looking at who we are grateful in our lives and how we can express that gratitude.
Teaching Strategy from Tompkins or Yopp & Yopp (you'll link a strategy to at least 10 of your 40 books) : Quickwrite (Tompkins, p. 91): Since the plot of the book (and the message from the author) is one of Thank You to an important person in her life, I would have the students do a 5-10 minute quick write as if they were writing a thank you note to someone who has influenced their life. They could range from a deep and emotional note to a parent to a simple note to the bus driver just to say thanks for their help every morning at the bus stop. The point would be to get students looking at who we are grateful in our lives and how we can express that gratitude.
Question to ask about this book before a read aloud: Who are the characters on the front of the book? What do you notice about the girl? Is she reading like you? Does she look like she’s having a good time or a bad time? Why, do you think?
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