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Teacher Favorites

Some teachers at JFK chose some of their favorite books and have shared why they are favorites.  Find your teacher (or past teachers) to see if you have read their choices. If not, read one and let your teacher know what you thought of the book!  Enjoy!

 
image of I hate english

Mrs. Kubel
I Hate English by Ellen Levine: I like this book because it gives the reader the opportunity to think about what it feels like to move to a new country when you don't speak the language. I love reading this book with my TESL students.  They can relate to the main character, Mei Mei, who has just immigrated from Hong Kong and must now speak English, rather than in her native language, Chinese.  At first, Mei Mei is upset that everything in school happens in English, and she doesn't want to speak this strange new language.  Then she meets a nice teacher who helps her to understand that learning to speak in English can be fun!
 
image of the book thief

Miss Cottone
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak:  One of my favorite books is The Book Thief. The narrator is Death, telling the story of a girl who is deprived of education and books, yet she learns how to read and develop such a strong passion for reading, that she starts stealing books.  the message of the book lingers long after one has read it.  Words have such power, and whoever unlocks that power is blessed forever.

 

image of from the mixed up files

Miss Mendel
From the Mixed-Up FIles of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E. L. Konigsburg:  One of my favorite places to go as a child was the Metropolitan Museum of Art.  In fact, I dreamed of living there in the rooms filled with beautiful furniture, colorful paintings, and monumental sculptures.  When I met Claudia and Jamie, the heroes of the book, I felt like they were living my dream!  They were the luckiest brother and sister team I had ever heard of, being able to stay in the museum after dark and explore every part of that priceless collection.  This is my favorite book of all time because it sparked my imagination and made me wish I could become part of the story.

 

image of frog and toad together

Miss Dillon
Frog and Toad Together by Arnold Lobel:  Growing up, my mother read to me every night before bed.  I loved listening to stories and would always ask her to read just one more and one more and one more.  She said it reminded her of "Cookies" from Frog and Toad Together.  If you read this story, you'll understand why it became my favorite children's book.
 
image of my mama had a dancing heart

Mrs. Profeta
My Mama Had a Dancing Heart by Libba Moore Gray:  This is my favorite book because it has beautiful, memorable language.  It reminds me of dancing with my mom when I was a child.