An A From Miss Keller - Hardcover

Polacco, Patricia

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0399166912 ISBN 13: 9780399166914

Publisher: G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers, 2015

Synopsis

How did Patricia Polacco become a writer?
 
A perfect companion to the classic Thank You, Mr. Falker, The Art of Miss Chew, and Mr. Wayne’s Masterpiece, this book celebrates a teacher who inspired a young Patricia Polacco to become the writer and storyteller she is today.
 
Trisha is nervous about being chosen for Miss Keller’s writing class. “Killer Keller” demands that her students dazzle her with their writing, and rumor has it that she has never given an A. The rumors turn out to be all too true—there’s just no pleasing Miss Keller. Then an unexpected loss leaves Trisha heartbroken. Thoughts of teachers and grades forgotten, she pours out her soul in a personal narrative. And when Miss Keller reads it, she tells Trisha, “You’ve given your words wings.”

About this title

About the Author

Patricia Polacco (www.patriciapolacco.com) is the beloved New York Times bestselling author and illustrator of over fifty picture books. She visits as many as two hundred classrooms in a single year, not only speaking but listening to the hundreds of children that she meets. Grateful for what teachers have done for her, she is also a popular keynote speaker celebrating teachers everywhere. She lives in Union City, Michigan, where she enjoys speaking to the myriad children who come to visit her and the famous meteor, the object of one of Patricia’s best-known stories.

From School Library Journal

Gr 1–4—Trisha is nervous about taking Miss Keller's advanced writing class. True to the rumors, this teacher is tough, taking pains to critique Trisha's lack of emotional connection in her writing. Trisha visits with her neighbor Pop for encouragement, and he shares stories about his beloved wife and sons, who also took Killer Keller's writing class. After learning of Pop's death by sudden heart attack, Trisha writes down her feelings without worrying about her grade, and Miss Keller tells Trisha she has "given [her] words wings," finally earning an "A." The text maintains a conversational tone throughout ("Guess what?" and "She actually hugged me!") to tell this personal story of loss and growth. Polacco's colorful illustrations are engaging, with pencil lines used in the characters' facial expressions to evoke a range of emotion, from Miss Keller's birdlike scrutiny to Trisha's anxiety and heartbreaking grief. The middle school setting may make this text-heavy picture book better suited for independent reading or for sharing with older children. Add Miss Keller to Polacco's collection of inspirational teachers, including Mr. Falker, Mr. Lincoln, and Miss Chew. VERDICT A recommended general purchase, especially where longer picture books are needed.—Hannah Farmer, Seguin Public Library, TX

About this edition

• Publisher: G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers
• Publication date: 2015
• ISBN 10: 0399166912
• ISBN 13: 9780399166914
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 40
• Illustrator: Polacco Patricia