Polar Express

MONDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2015

Polar Express 

By: Chris Van Allsburg - 6-8th grade

Rating- 

Chris Van Allsburg. Polar Express. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. (Illustrated by: Chris Van Allsburg), 1986 , Pages: 32, Reading Level: K-2, Lexile: 520 L, Ages: 5-8, Genre: Adventure, Classics, and Folktales

The book begins on the night of Christmas Eve. A young boy lays in bed, but suddenly he hears Santa's sleigh. The book is about this young boy as he goes on an adventure where he boards a very magical train that takes him on the ride of his life. He is on his way to the North Pole to realize that maybe just what he needs is to believe. He goes on this journey when he looks out his window and hears the whistle of the conductor and the engine's roar. At that moment he is invited on the train to experience an extraordinary adventure with many other children who are dressed in their pajamas just like him. This adventure to the North Pole is where he realizes the magic of believing, but does he end up believing again? I would use this book to expand my student's imagination. I would give them their own storyboard and they would have to write their own ending and pictures. 

Rating System

Rating	Description of rating
3 6-8	Excellent book!  Run out right now and buy it!!! This book has strong vocabulary for the proper age of the student. Has a lot of illustrations and students can make a connection within the book. This book has a beginning, middle, and end. And teachers can easily incorporate this book within their classroom.
2 3-5	Good book.  You want to read this one. This book has normal vocabulary that the student will already know at their age. Has a little bit of illustrations and students will make a connection within the book sometimes. This book has a beginning, middle, and end. And teachers can maybe incorporate this book within their classroom.
1 K-2	This book is okay, you might like this one. This book doesn't have strong vocabulary for the student's proper age. Has no illustrations and students aren't able to make a strong connection within the book. This book is missing either a beginning, middle, or end. And teachers can't incorporate a strong lesson from the book.