The View From Saturday ~E.L. Konigsburg
(Newbury Award Winner)
ISBN:0-590-12899-X
Themes: environmental, friendship, family, growing up
Grade /Reading Level: Grades 5/6
Interest Level: Grades 5-7
Summary: Mrs. Olinski, a teacher at Epiphany, brings together and nurtures an eclectic mix of students within her school. This novel is interestingly told from the perspectives of several main characters. Each student relates the story of how they know the others and surprisingly each has a very different story to relate! Several students in the sixth grade are invited to participate in an Academic Bowl and as it turn out they may possibly just upset and defeat the seventh grade team. As the book unfolds we see into the lives of each of these students and learn more about how their lives intersect. Mrs. Olinski, a paraplegic, deals with a variety of challenges in her role as a teacher, mentor and friend. The book unfolds to deal with issues and concerns dealing with the sea turtle, making it relevant to animal and environmental audiences. This book provided excellent discussion in my grade six class on choices, friendship and animal rights. It is an excellent book and one I will certainly use again.
This book is available at our Near North Resource Center for teachers to borrow.
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