Comprehensive Curriculum of Basic Skills: Grade 3 Book

Well, this review is going to be about a bit more than this book because I just finished my Patricia Polacco project. I found and read my 1st Polacco book on 11/4/09 and finished with this one, my 51st, on 1/14/10; it's not her most recently published book; that one is January's Sparrow. I've now read all 51 of the books thus far published by this author/illustrator.

First this book: I'm glad I ended on a high note. This is an excellent book about an elementary school principal who takes the time to help a troubled child. It addresses racism, bullying and teasing, and it's also great for bird lovers.

As is typical, I really enjoyed the illustrations. Here, Polacco does many of birds and I particularly enjoyed them, and I always enjoy her people. Their facial expressions and body language are always so well done.

As is often the case, Polacco bases some of this story on real people/real life, not so much in this story, at least as far as the reader is told.

And, oh yes, I did cry while reading this book, as frequently happens when I read Patricia Polacco books.

I couldn't decide between 4 and 5 stars for this book, but I opted for 5, and I might be reevaluating my ratings of the other 50 books. I realize that as I read book after book, I started comparing Patricia Polacco to Patricia Polacco, and that isn't fair because I really think her work is superb. At the moment I've rated her 51 books so that my average rating of her books is 3.98. That is just wrong! I appreciate her much more than that. (Below are this author's 51 published books and my ratings as of today. I've also reviewed them all.)

I fervently hope that Polacco writes/illustrates many more books. I'd love to see a couple new ones in 2010. While waiting for them won't be quite as difficult as waiting for The Hunger Games Book Three, This World We Live In, The Spellmans Strike Again, and a few others, I will be waiting impatiently, and frequently checking for to be published and newly published books!

Patricia Polacco books published as of 1/14/10:
in alphabetical order within each of my star ratings:

5 star (17)

Aunt Chip and the Great Triple Creek Dam Affair
Betty Doll
The Butterfly
Chicken Sunday
Emma Kate
I Can Hear the Sun
In Enzo's Splendid Gardens
In Our Mothers' House
January's Sparrow
The Keeping Quilt
The Lemonade Club
Mr. Lincoln's Way
Mrs. Mack
An Orange for Frankie
Thank You Mr. Falker
Tikvah Means Hope
The Trees of the Dancing Goats

4 star (17)

The Bee Tree
Christmas Tapestry
Firetalking
For the Love of Autumn
G is for Goat
The Graves Family
The Graves Family Goes Camping
John Philip Duck
Just Plain Fancy
Mrs. Katz and Tush
Oh Look!
Pink and Say
Rechenka's Eggs
Someone for Mr. Sussman
Something About Hensley's
Thunder Cake
Uncle Vova's Tree

3 star (16)

Appelmando's Dreams
Babushka Baba Yaga
Babushka's Doll
Babushka's Mother Goose
Boat Ride with Lillian Two Blossom
Casey at the Bat
Ginger and Petunia
Luba and the Wren
Meteor!
Mommies Say Shhh!
My Ol' Man
My Rotten Redheaded Older Brother
Rotten Richie and the Ultimate Dare
Some Birthday!
Welcome Comfort
When Lightning Comes in a Jar

2 star (1)

Picnic at Mudsock Meadow

Patricia Polacco's web site is excellent: and is worth checking out, especially while eagerly awaiting new books.