A kid’s version of Fast Food Nation, this book includes the ‘dark side’ of fast food. Not limited to the exploitation of child consumers, beef production, health risks, taste factories and the history of the hamburger. Many good stories about the people behind the people behind the counter (e.g. Ray Kroc) and the authors do a nice job of tying what they are talking about to a real live kid example as well as including interesting photos. Great if you need a kid-friendly excerpt for a food or health lesson or want to expose kids to non-fiction they will be interested in. One drawback to this book: by the time kids are independently interested in this stuff wouldn’t they rather read Fast Food Nation?

Three stars from Frog Kisser

Love, Ruby Lavender is a great book because Ruby Lavender is such an entertaining character. She is best friends with her grandmother, keeps chickens as pets, and lives in the small town of Halleluia, Mississippi. When her grandmother leaves for Hawaii to visit Ruby’s uncle, Ruby is left with nothing to do all summer; at least, that’s what Ruby thinks. Instead Ruby’s summer is filled with unexpected events, an amateur anthropologist, and an unfortunate incident involving a lot of blue paint. I recommend this book to anyone who likes quirky characters and good entertainment.

Frog Kisser gives this book five stars.

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Objective: The lesson ideas below use Roald Dahl’s storytelling to interest students in writing and imagining stories of their own.

Activity 1: Pretend you are Sophie. Write a letter to the Queen telling her why she should not be afraid to meet The BFG. Use examples from the story.

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