Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Thoughts on Faith, Hope and Ivy June


This isn't really a review of Faith, Hope and Ivy June....I am not quite done yet with this book, but as I am reading I am struck by a few things.

First of all, the fact that Phyllis Reynolds Naylor has written 136 books. Really?! How can she write that many and I can't even write one? I also love her Alice series and the Shiloh books, so the work she is turning out is good, too.

Second of all, I really like Faith, Hope and Ivy June....I can see this as a read aloud because there are lots of teachable moments about accepting people as they are, about realizing how much you have in common with others even though you might have some very obvious differences as well.

And, the last thing, is throughout this book Ivy June repeats the advice her Pappaw gave her, "only want what you've got." How wise her Pappaw is. Ivy June doesn't have a lot by the world's standards, but she has what she needs, and is happy. When Catherine's snooty grandmother wants to take Ivy clothes shopping Ivy declines, knowing that she is happy with what she has.

I'll be book talking this one next week to my fifth graders and finishing it up later today myself.

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