Oliver and Amanda
Amanda Pig, First Grader
Author: Jean Van Leeuwen
Illustrator: Ann Schweninger
Publisher: Scholastic Inc.
Year of Publication: 2007
Genre: Fiction - Chapter Book
Horn Book Review: 3
Summary: This story is about a female pig, Amanda, that is beginning the first grade; she has so many ideas of what is going to happen and what she is going to experience. She finds her way to the office, she finds out that even the biggest big kid is not mean to the first graders, and lastly, she learned how to read. Amanda had learned to read signs, words, and even books; she realized that the first grade was not bad at all.
Summary of Professional Reviews: Reviewers believe that this story is easy to read and will resonate with the children entering first grade. They think that the students will understand what is occurring in the book because it is what they are experiencing and it will be relatable to their lives. The reviewers think that the short sentences will be easy for the students to read and follow and that the illustrations will help keep them interested in the reading.
Review by Sarah Custard: I believe this is a very good book to introduce to a student on the last day of kindergarten or on the first day of first grade. This seems to be a very easy book for the students to read, even if they do not know much vocabulary and it will not be disappointing for the students if they cannot read it because all of the words are easy to sound out as well. I think that this book includes very good pictures that match well with the words, but some of the pages should maybe be a little shorter.
This book would be useful when preparing the students for moving up to the first grade. They would already know what it is like to be in the school and they may know students from other grades, but by reading this book, it might put them at ease because it shows Amanda having fun and enjoying the first grade. This would even be good for the first grade teacher to use on the first day because it might make the students less nervous, but also excited because they can see what could be happening for them during this year of school.
Illustrator: Ann Schweninger
Publisher: Scholastic Inc.
Year of Publication: 2007
Genre: Fiction - Chapter Book
Horn Book Review: 3
Summary: This story is about a female pig, Amanda, that is beginning the first grade; she has so many ideas of what is going to happen and what she is going to experience. She finds her way to the office, she finds out that even the biggest big kid is not mean to the first graders, and lastly, she learned how to read. Amanda had learned to read signs, words, and even books; she realized that the first grade was not bad at all.
Summary of Professional Reviews: Reviewers believe that this story is easy to read and will resonate with the children entering first grade. They think that the students will understand what is occurring in the book because it is what they are experiencing and it will be relatable to their lives. The reviewers think that the short sentences will be easy for the students to read and follow and that the illustrations will help keep them interested in the reading.
Review by Sarah Custard: I believe this is a very good book to introduce to a student on the last day of kindergarten or on the first day of first grade. This seems to be a very easy book for the students to read, even if they do not know much vocabulary and it will not be disappointing for the students if they cannot read it because all of the words are easy to sound out as well. I think that this book includes very good pictures that match well with the words, but some of the pages should maybe be a little shorter.
This book would be useful when preparing the students for moving up to the first grade. They would already know what it is like to be in the school and they may know students from other grades, but by reading this book, it might put them at ease because it shows Amanda having fun and enjoying the first grade. This would even be good for the first grade teacher to use on the first day because it might make the students less nervous, but also excited because they can see what could be happening for them during this year of school.