“The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind” by William Kamkawmba and Bryan Mealer, Illustrated by Elizabeth Zunon. The book should be for ages 6-8 because the book is very simple and the book said so. The book is about how a boy named Malawi and his family had a farm but because there was no rain they started to starve and become poor. When the boy went to the library he discovered what a wind turbine can do. So he built one out of trash and it could generate light and later he also made one that pulled water from a well nearby. The first connection I can make is a text to text connection to the book called “Adrift”. In the book Adrift, the group had to use all they had to build a fresh water generator. So they all built something. The second connection is a text to media connection with the movie “Hugo”. In the movie Hugo, Hugo had to fix a robot that was left by his father. Once again the book and the movie were similar because they all built or fixed something.  I didn’t like the book because it was too simple and boring. If you can try reading the novel or watch the movie but this book is very boring.

Cell phones are a very popular device that is used around the world. Sometimes students have cell phones. Some teachers see cell phones are useful but other teachers think they cell phones distracting. cell phones can help students judge online information and they can talk to people in other countries. On the other hand, cell phones can make the students look at the phone instead of the teacher. You also don’t know what the students are doing on their phones. One school said that phones take a lot of face to face talking away form students. Question 1, A benefit of phones is that you can use the calculator or camera to film science videos for your refection. A drawback is that the students might be more focused on their phones than the teacher. I think the drawbacks outweigh the benefits because if I was a teacher I would want my students focused on me than their phones. Question 3, A prediction I can make about future phones in daily life and school is that there will be more. It will be very easy to use so everyone will want it and maybe the school will even allow it because of how useful and helpful they are.

After The Fall: How Humpty Dumpty Got Back Up Again By and illustrated by Dan Santat is a book for 8-10-year-olds. The book is very simple yet interesting. The book was about how an egg called Humpty Dumpty loved to climb up walls to look at birds but one day he fell off the wall. From that day on Humpty Dumpty was never the same because he was now scared of heights. He wanted to climb the wall and watch the birds but he was scared that another accident would happen. Later, Humpty Dumpty created an airplane that flew like a bird. Then an accident happened. The airplane landed on the wall! Humpty Dumpty was about to walk away but he thought about all of his hard work and mustered his courage. Lastly, he climbed up the wall where he became a bird and flew away. The message of the book was about overcoming your weaknesses and having courage. The first connection is a text to self. Before I was always scared of heights but then my dad took me on a glass elevator where I mustered my courage to go on it. The last connection is a text to text connection. Another book I have read called warriors was similar to the book because the cat called rusted overcome his fear by joining the clan cats. The last connection is text to media. I like the book because of how funny and interesting it was.

The Noisy Paint Box: The Colors and Sounds of Kandinsky’s Abstract art by Barb Rosenstock and Illustrated by Mary Grapré is a book of historical fiction. The book was about how the boy Kandinsky got a paint box and loved to paint. Once he was at the orchestra he somehow saw colours as music flowing out of the instruments. Later he decides to be an artist in Germany but as he started painting his master told him to paint houses and landscapes. At last Kandinsky got the courage to paint what is now abstract art, he wanted art to feel like music but with no meaning. I thought the main message of the book was to follow your heart and do what you feel even if other people don’t approve it. A connection that I can make to the passage is a text to self. One time I was trying to fix our houses dishwasher and my mom and dad all said that it wasn’t how you fix the dishwasher. In the end, I fixed the dishwasher. Another connection I can make is a text to text connection. The book Adrift was similar to this book because the children that were adrift on the ocean only survived only by following their hearts. I liked the book for it shows how you should do something you like even if other people don’t approve of it. Last but not least the book should be for ages 6 to 9 because the words are very simple and the book has a deep meaning.