Ms. Evans' Fourth Grade Class

Ms. Evans' 25 fourth graders at Patrick Henry eMints Downtown Academy receive a new book every other month from the Left Bank Books River City Readers program. As Ms. Evans says, "All children deserve an educational opportunity to become 'Super Scholars.' A classroom should be a fun, safe and nurturing environment where students will become excited about learning. [...] A teacher has the power to create smart, eager and happy learners."

Her students have become much more invested in reading since receiving books from the River City Readers program. She says, "[These] books have made readers out of students who wouldn't ordinarily pick up a book on their own. One parent told me, 'She was laying in the bed reading!' That was a great moment for both of us! The books you choose for us are of interest to 5th graders, and that is what I was trying to achieve. I am trying to create readers!” 

Ms. Evans' students have also had the opportunity to meet a number of authors through River City Readers. This year we brought Alan Kurzweil, author of Potato Chip Science: 29 Incredible Experiments to Patrick Henry for her students to meet. In the first year of the River City Readers program, Ms. Evans' students had the opportunity to meet both Pulitzer Prize winning author Jane Smiley, and bestelling author Anthony Horowitz.

Check out the books below to see what Ms. Evans' students have been reading lately!

The Trouble with Chickens: A J.J. Tully Mystery (Hardcover)

By Doreen Cronin, Kevin Cornell

$14.99

ISBN-13: 9780061215322
Availability: Usually Ships in 1-5 days
Published: Balzer + Bray, 3/2011

Other Editions of this Title

March Pick! Picture book phenomenon Cronin delivers her first novel for young readers -- an illustrated novel with all her signature wit and humor! J.J. Tully is a former search-and rescue dog who is trying to enjoy his retirement after years of performing daring missions saving lives. But his retirement turns out not to be so peaceful. Driven by the promise of a cheeseburger, J.J. begins to track down clues. Is Vince the Funnel hiding something? Are there dark forces at work--or is J.J. not smelling the evidence that's right in front of him?

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Zora and Me (Hardcover)

By Victoria Bond, T. R. Simon

$16.99

ISBN-13: 9780763643003
Availability: Usually Ships in 1-5 days
Published: Candlewick, 10/2010

Other Editions of this Title

January's Pick and a Coretta Scott King Award Winner! Racial duplicity threatens an idyllic African-American community in the turn-of-the-century South in a dazzling debut inspired by the early life of Zora Neale Hurston. Includes a short biography of Hurston and an annotated bibliography of her works.

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Sideways Stories from Wayside School (Hardcover)

By Louis Sachar, Adam Mccauley

$15.99

ISBN-13: 9780688160869
Availability: Usually Ships in 1-5 days
Published: HarperCollins, 5/1998

Other Editions of this Title

November's Pick! This classic of children's literature features humorous episodes from the classroom on the thirtieth floor of Wayside School, which was accidentally built sideways with one classroom on each story.

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Potato Chip Science: 29 Incredible Experiments (Paperback)

By Allen Kurzweil, A. Kurzweil

$17.95

ISBN-13: 9780761148258
Availability: Usually Ships in 1-5 days
Published: Workman Publishing, 9/2010

The first River City Readers' pick of the year, this wildly imaginative book & kit introduces more than 30 experiments using potato chips, potatoes, chip bags, tubes, and lids. In addition, more than a dozen items used in the "snacktivities" are packaged in the bag. Ms. Evans' students also got to meet Allen Kurzweil when we brought him to Patrick Henry!

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