Aunt Pitty Patty takes her niece Nelly to the market where they buy a pig.  But, when they get home the pig will not go through the front gate.  Aunt Pitty Patty gives Nelly the job of getting the pig through the front gate.  Nelly goes to a series of animals, inanimate objects, and people trying to get them to help her get the pig through the front gate.  When she finally convinces a cat to help her in exchange for some milk, it sets into motion a series of events that ends with a dog biting the pig to get him to go through the front gate.

This book is good for guided reading because it is repetitive and rhythmic.  It can be used for a lesson on predicting and cause and effect.

The lexile level is AD680L

Lexile Level: AD530L

Chicka Chicka Boom Boom is a story about the alphabet letters climbing a coconut tree. The lower-case letters climb up the tree, but the tree bends and the letters fall down. Then the capital letters relatives help the lower-case letters back up into the tree. Each of the lower-case letters get hurt falling down the tree and the book describes each letter’s injury. Then, at night, letter “A” dares the other letters to catch him while he climbs the coconut tree

I would use this book to help with learning the alphabet. This book is a fun way that is catchy and rhythmic that helps with learning the alphabet. 

If you haven't read this book yet it will probably be the funnest book you will ever read!! I won't ruin this story for you, but the rhyming and poem like structure of the book is unreal! I thoroughly enjoyed reading this as an adult and I can't imagine how a classroom full of children will react! I would use this book to teach about attitude and how quick a negative attitude can spread to others! I could also use this book for teaching rhythmic pattern and rhyming words when it comes to poetry and songs! I would use this book any where from Kindergarten to 3rd grade!

Across the Rift is a story of a family spread out across Europe and Africa during WWII. Written in Rhythmic Prose, this novel was a different glimpse into the War. Primarily set in Austria, with side stories in Africa and England, this story does not immerse you into the lives of the characters. Instead, the style of writing almost makes it seem as if you are viewing them through a thick pane of murky glass. At some points, the glass is almost thin enough to see the emotions of the characters, but it's always there separating you from their inner thoughts and motivations.

It's interesting to read a book that makes you feel that you are viewing it from the outside, and much better than history as written by the winners. Austria, a country blamed for supporting Hitler, is instead shown as it truly was... a country without a choice. Pretending to support Germany and yet supporting the resistance, the characters and the book are both caught in that void between truths where you don't always know if the common people are "good" or "bad". As you read the book, you may find that your preconceived emotions and beliefs change. Or perhaps this is the world as you see it. Since every reader will experience this novel in a different way, it's best to discover it for yourself.

NOTE: If you enjoyed my review, I would appreciate if you could mark it as being helpful on Amazon as well.  I have included the link to the Amazon review in the Source section at the bottom of this review. Across the Rift can also be purchased from Amazon for $7.99 or Kindle Unlimited subscribers can read this for free - either option is available at http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00JUL2S7I/?tag=shasworofboo-20.