Jeremiah Learns To Read [Hardcover]

Jo Ellen Bogart (Author), L. Fernandez R. Jacobson (Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 5 and up

Elderly Jeremiah decides that it's finally time to learn to read.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 1-3-Three short stories about exuberant, irrepressible George. Every school has children and situations similar to those described here, so readers will relate to each episode. In the first, a classroom rabbit escapes from its cage and runs wild until George comes to the rescue. The second chapter is about making bread on project day. The third describes the difficulty he has about deciding how to spend his limited funds at the school fair. When he tries to figure the angles for winning the raffle for two box seats at a baseball game and doesn't succeed, he looks on the bright side, hoping to do better next year. George's character traits are unusually well developed in spite of the spare vocabulary. His positive spirit and good sportsmanship shine through even when things don't go his way. Young readers will be drawn into the familiar activities and will be encouraged to follow George's example in their own group activities. Simple, colorful cartoons add to the humor. The stories will satisfy the desire of early readers to reach the "chapter book" status. A good choice for independent reading or as a read-aloud.
Betty Teague, Blythe Academy of Languages, Greenville, SC
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Jeremiah, a vital, elderly farmer, is featured in this idealized book about illiteracy. Jeremiah knows how to build a split-rail fence and make buttermilk pancakes, but he doesn't know how to read. A teacher in a one-room schoolhouse and her students help him, and in gratitude Jeremiah teaches the children "how to chirp like a chickadee and honk like a goose." In some ways, the strengths of the book are also its weaknesses. The lyrical text is beautifully written, but its economy sometimes leads to confusion. For instance, it's initially unclear why Jeremiah's wife and brother don't teach him how to read (they are also illiterate). The spacious, realistically rendered oil paintings emphasize the heroism of the protagonist. But the choice of an earlier era for the setting incorrectly suggests that illiteracy is a problem of the past (the publisher's note, however, does state that this is not the case). Most important, perhaps, neither the art nor the text shows the struggle involved in learning to read. Despite its shortcomings, this upbeat presentation has myriad uses for ESL and adult-literacy classes as well as elementary-grade discussion groups. Julie Corsaro

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 5 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Scholastic (September 1, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0531301907
• ISBN-13: 978-0531301906
• Product Dimensions: 10.1 x 8.1 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,304,668 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Jo Ellen was born in Houston, Texas and spent her formative years in various cities of that state. At the University of Texas in Austin, she received degrees in elementary education and psychology. She moved to Guelph, Ontario in 1975 and worked as a supply teacher for several years, enjoying especially her experiences in school libraries. Jo Ellen has two grown children, a son and a daughter.

A real animal lover, Jo Ellen has had many interesting pets over the years, including Peruvian parrotlets, a coatimundi,and an Argentine tortoise. Current pets include Wendell the Border Collie, a huge koi, goldfish, and a ton of very colorful guppies.

Jo Ellen also loves reading, gardening, swimming, web surfing, and playing with two wonderful grandchildren. She has really enjoyed opportunities to visit and speak to children in many parts of Canada and likes to hear from her readers.

Jo Ellen loves the interplay of art and words in picture books and has written many. She likes to write about nature, numbers, art, and science. She loves fireflies, the northern lights and shooting stars, enjoying the research and learning involved. Her love of art led her to write biographies of two of Canada's best-loved female artists, Emily Carr and Maud Lewis.

A pair of books about four furry friends, THE BIG TREE GANG and OUT AND ABOUT WITH THE BIG TREE GANG, the latter of which was co-written with Jo Ellen's daughter, Jill Bogart, was aimed at early elementary readers. Jo Ellen's 2009 picture book from Tundra Books, entitled BIG AND SMALL, ROOM FOR ALL, was nominated for the Lane Anderson Award for science writing for young readers, a great honor for the book of beautiful illustrations and very few words.

After years of writing song lyrics, Jo Ellen met singer-songwriter/guitarist Eddie Douglas and formed a songwriting team that added six of her songs to Eddie's Juno nominated CD, GONNA KEEP DANCING. A new album soon to be released, SLEEPY SKY LULLABY, will feature more of Jo Ellen's lyrics and some songs co-written with Eddie.

Jo Ellen is very happy to have had her book GIFTS, illustrated in plasticene by Barbara Reid,chosen as the TD Grade One Giveaway book for 2011. It will be given free to each grade one student in Canada next fall.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Touches Your Heart, April 7, 2000

By 

Kelly Villalobos (Modesto, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Jeremiah Learns To Read (Hardcover)

This is an excellent book to use to inspire the reader in all of us. Jeremiah's story teaches us that it is never too late to learn how to read. I first heard this book read to me at a teacher conference. It left many of us in tears. I then bought the book and read it to my second graders, some of whom are struggling at reading. They too were equally moved.

I highly recommend this book for use in the classroom or plain and simple reading enjoyment.