Pax

https://www.harpercollins.com/9780062377012/pax

Pax is the book that was selected for The Global Read Aloud for grades 4 and 5.  I just finished it Friday (just in time, #GRA16 starts on Monday!).  I love that this story highlights the connections and relationships between people (Peter, his father, his grandfather, Vola, even the baseball player and bus driver) and animals (Pax, Gray, Bristle, and Runt) and their interactions with each other.  The story felt like it could take place in any number of settings and a country was never defined and either at a time in the past or even in the future.  Though references to trench warfare made me think past, but who knows what our future will bring.  The impact of war on the environment and its inhabitants other than humans and our collective conscience in the actions taken during war and how we forgive ourselves for what has been done (both by Peter; his father; and Vola) is very deep.  Pax offers opportunities for group discussion and self reflection alike and I can't wait to hear how it is received by our 4th and 5th grade students and their teachers.

http://sarapennypacker.com/
http://jonklassen.tumblr.com/

https://www.amazon.com/Pax-Sara-Pennypacker/dp/0062377019

The Global Read Aloud

https://theglobalreadaloud.com/

Last year, we had hoped to do The Global Read Aloud at my school but couldn't seem to get our hands on the actual books.  We are a big school, so getting the books in the hands of the teachers is no small budget line item.  This year, I applied for a grant (which was denied), then begged, borrowed, and plead, and eventually, we got the books!  Hoping to plan even better for next year, but as we work to get them in our teacher's hands on time (or really close to it) I'm also working on finishing up the books.  I finished Pax today!  I'd already read The BFG and I'm working my way through each of Lauren Castillo's books too.  I can't wait to have discussions with students (and teachers) about these books as they progress through them.  Follow along via the twitter hashtag #GRA2016

https://theglobalreadaloud.com/info-for-2015/gra-contenders/2016-contenders/