Rachel Parker, Kindergarten Show-Off

Rating:
Summary: Good book
Review: Olivia gets a new neighbor, who's also in her Kindergarten class. When she discovers how smart Rachel is, she isn't so sure she wants to be her friend anymore. But when Olivia's favorite teacher makes up an interesting game, Olivia and Rachel learn why it's not so bad having a friend that challenges you.

The story is good, and the idea is excellent. However, my two daughters (ages 5 & 6) found it a little long. I have to admit, I even found it a bit too long. All in all, it is a good story with a good lesson to teach your child... and one probably best for bedtime, since you may find your child asleep by the end.

Rating:
Summary: Good story, a little too long...
Review: Olivia gets a new neighbor, who's also in her Kindergarten class. When she discovers how smart Rachel is, she isn't so sure she wants to be her friend anymore. But when Olivia's favorite teacher makes up an interesting game, Olivia and Rachel learn why it's not so bad having a friend that challenges you.

The story is good, and the idea is excellent. However, my two daughters (ages 5 & 6) found it a little long. I have to admit, I even found it a bit too long. All in all, it is a good story with a good lesson to teach your child... and one probably best for bedtime, since you may find your child asleep by the end.

Rating:
Summary: class assignment
Review: Olivia is an only child who is in kindergarten. She is the only one in her class who can read an write. Rachel Parker moves in next door. She also knows how to read and write. What happens between these two during class?

This is one of my favorite books. I have always enjoyed it. It shos how simple little things can get in the way of a friendship. They go back and forth trying to be better than each other and end up getting into a fight. I highly recommend this book for any child.

Rating:
Summary: class assignment
Review: Olivia is an only child who is in kindergarten. She is the only one in her class who can read an write. Rachel Parker moves in next door. She also knows how to read and write. What happens between these two during class?

This is one of my favorite books. I have always enjoyed it. It shos how simple little things can get in the way of a friendship. They go back and forth trying to be better than each other and end up getting into a fight. I highly recommend this book for any child.

Rating:
Summary: Good book
Review: Olivia is five years old, and attends kindergarten. She doesn't have any brothers and sisters but has a cat named Rosie who is her best friend. Her teachers name is Mrs. Beejorgenhoosen. One day Olivia sees a moving van next door and is curious to who is moving in. When she sees a family going into the house, she quickly runs outside to introduce herself. She meets Rachel Elizabeth Parker who is also five. She learns that Rachel is going to be in her class. She and Rachel quickly become friends, until Olivia learns that Rachel is a show-off. Rachel and Olivia take turns going over to each others houses and playing. Olivia and Rachel get into an argument because they both think they are better than each other. The next day at school Mrs. Bee tells them they are the teachers and they both have to read to the class. They learn that they are not better than each other, and instead they help each other out. In the end they make up and are glad they are friends. I liked this book because it taught how someone you may think is a show off really has problems doing things too.

Rating:
Summary: Bibliotherapy: Jealously
Review: Rachel Parker, Kindergarten Show-off written by Ann Martin illustrated by Nancy Poydar

Olivia is a five-year-old kindergarten wiz. She loves the fact that she is the first to read in her class, and everyone tells her she is very good at kindergarten. Olivia gets new neighbors next door and the new neighbors have a daughter and she's in kindergarten too! Her name is Rachel and she is in the same class as Olivia. They begin to find out that they can do a lot of the same things and that when the competition and jealously comes into play. They dub each other show-offs and don't want to be each other's friend any more. The teacher helps them see that they can help each other and don't need to be jealous. The two girls become friends once again.

The subject matter in the book is current and up to date. There isn't any outdated material that I find to be present. The only thing that I found to be odd was that the class size in kindergarten was ten!
The reading level of this book is possibly first, but more along the lines of second grade. Some of the vocabulary is a little tough and is definitely not a book for beginning readers. I would have a student read it if they have been reading for a while and are comfortable readers.

The book is pretty long and contains a lot of words on the pages. I would recommend gauging your class to see whether or not they have the capability to sit through the book at that given time because it will take some time to read. I would break it up by stopping and discuss with them or have them talk to a neighbor about what's happening in the book.

The paragraphs are rather lengthy on the pages, however it is very child oriented so it should be interesting to the students. The pictures are plentiful, colorful and do a good job supporting the stories emotion.

The developmental level of this book is preschool through second grade. I don't think that I would read this book to a large group of preschoolers because I think you would probably loose them pretty quick. However, if you were reading it to one or two preschooler you would be able to engage them in the text by asking them specific questions and letting them respond. I think reading this book to a class of kindergarteners through second grader would work fine.

In the story Rachel Parker, Kindergarten Show-Off Olivia is an African American girl and Rachel is Caucasian. However, that's not made an issue in the story. It's just simply there. The issue in the story is jealousy within a friendship.

I would use this book with the whole class because I believe they could all relate in one-way or another. However, it may be appropriate to use with two students or one who is in situation where jealousy is getting in the way of their friendship with another person.

As I mentioned before the downfall of using this book is that it's rather long and you may loose some student's attention. Another one is that Olivia is in kindergarten and it may appear to be to young for first and second graders. However, once they get into the story they will see that the situation happens in all of the grades even though the story takes place in a kindergarten. The values in this book are friendship and belonging.