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Prairie School (I Can Read Book 4) Review

Award winning author AVI lives in Denver (a fact I didn't realize until reading this little book). In Prairie School, AVI tells a story that takes place as the Colorado Prairie is being settled around 1880. Noah Bidson, a 9 year old, enjoys helping his parents with daily chores around their new home. One day, Noah's mother announces that her sister, Aunt Dora, will be coming to school Noah.

Mother and son are both surprised to discover Aunt Dora uses a wheelchair. "Soon after you went West, a buggy I was driving turned over. I lost the use of my legs."

Over the course of several months, Aunt Dora shows Noah not only what she is still able to do, but also the many things they both can learn about the prairie through books.

"All day Noah wheeled her around. All day Aunt Dora asked questions about what she saw. Noah told her what he knew. Each time, Dora looked into her book and told him more."

As nighttime came they would learn about stars. Toward the end of Aunt Dora's stay, Noah said,

"I found a new constellation."
"What is it?"
"It's called The Wheelchair. And you're sitting in it. See, it's those stars there."

The illustrations are beautifully simple and realistic - a perfect match to the story of Prairie School.

Prairie School (I Can Read Book 4) Overview

It is the 1880s. Noah Bidson works hard on the family farm on the Colorado prairie. One day his mother tells him that his aunt Dora is coming to give him some schooling. Noah is angry. What use is reading on the prairie?

Aunt Dora arrives, and all the Bidsons are surprised to find that she is confined to a wheelchair. But Aunt Dora doesn't let it stop her. When Noah refuses to learn inside the sod farmhouse, Aunt Dora finds a unique way to show him that there's a whole new world waiting for him.

Avi's compelling story is brought to life by Bill Farnsworth's luminous paintings.

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Customer Reviews

We connected to this one - M. Heiss - USA
This is one that our first grader has read a dozen times, maybe more. He loves it. He's an independent fish, and I think he loves the idea of life on the prairie. He mentions little ideas from this book in regular day-to-day conversations. This might be his favorite book, even though he has outgrown the reading level.

Great illustrations, great story, great ideas... I hope your little reader likes it as much as we do!

From this series of books (but at Level 3), we also liked:
+ Wagon Wheels by Barbara Brenner
+ The Golly Sisters Go West by Betsy Byars
+ The Big Balloon Race by Eleanor Coerr
+ Buffalo Bill and the Pony Express by Eleanor Coerr (outstanding illustrations in this one)
+ Dolphin by Robert A. Morris
+ Seasons: A Book of Poems by Charlotte Zolotow

Great book - d - CA United States
There is something very appealing about this book, and my son loved reading this book quite a few times, before it was time to return to the library. He is not quite fond of reading, but he really liked this book. We ended-up buying a copy of this book for ourselves.

I recommend this book for early elementary school kids.

My reluctant reader loved this one! - Cheryl - West TX, USA
My son read this in 2nd grade, and he was beginning to struggle with reading. The story is about a young boy who is "tricked" into learning by his aunt, a teacher. My son loved that the boy in the story was learning and didn't even know it. We both enjoyed this book.

*** Product Information and Prices Stored: Sep 07, 2010 12:17:06

Children's Books

Tuesday, September 7, 2010