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4.09 AVERAGE
4.09 AVERAGE
As an Alaskan, I was excited to read a story to my kids that takes place in Alaska! I enjoyed a story about individualized learning, showing my boys that everyone learns differently and that’s ok.
charming story. made me go "aww." liked how miss agnes made up personalized stories with illustrations about each of the kids to encourage the reluctant readers, who then devoured their books and asked for more. i love how miss agnes showed hospitality to the two girls, and offered them tea. this makes me want to teach a multi-age group of kids in a one-room schoolhouse!
hopeful
informative
inspiring
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
3.5/5.
Miss Agnes is that magical teacher that has the patience, knowledge, tolerance, resources and power to give each student the undivided, special attention they need. She is that miracle educator who sees the spark in each student and who is able to feed that spark into a flame. Alongside Miss Agnes' teachings we see a year in the lives of the locals. Their lives are in some ways vastly out of my experience: trapping, sewing, Alaska are all beyond my experience. Learning is encouraged in all ways it can be attained and the reader is shown practical and life improving applications of skills one learns at school. I wish it were longer, which is a good complaint to have. I wish it were more detailed in portraying the local culture. But it's still good, so I shall take what I can get. And keep in mind that it's aimed at young readers.
Miss Agnes is that magical teacher that has the patience, knowledge, tolerance, resources and power to give each student the undivided, special attention they need. She is that miracle educator who sees the spark in each student and who is able to feed that spark into a flame. Alongside Miss Agnes' teachings we see a year in the lives of the locals. Their lives are in some ways vastly out of my experience: trapping, sewing, Alaska are all beyond my experience. Learning is encouraged in all ways it can be attained and the reader is shown practical and life improving applications of skills one learns at school. I wish it were longer, which is a good complaint to have. I wish it were more detailed in portraying the local culture. But it's still good, so I shall take what I can get. And keep in mind that it's aimed at young readers.
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
“Miss Agnes didn’t think school was just for kids. ‘You have to keep learning all your life,’ she said. That was a good thing to think about always learning something new. It wasn’t like you had to hurry up and learn everything right away before the learning time was over, it was like you could kind of relax and take your time and enjoy it.”
“We knew that we didn’t talk the right way, because the other teachers had told us we had terrible English. But Miss Agnes said there were lots of right ways to talk.”
“Before Miss Agnes came, we didn’t know people like us could learn that much and could be a doctor. It was in my head then that I could do something really big.”
“By spring we could all read pretty good and write stories until the names of the places on the whole map... When I touched Africa, I could see that long, flat place where the elephants and zebras were and feel the hot wind on me and smell dry grass. Now I wanted to go everywhere. And before, I never knew there was an everywhere.”
Five things about The Year of Miss Agnes by Kirkpatrick Hill.
1. Miss Agnes knows the people. She’s been in Alaska a long time.
2. Miss Agnes makes learning fun, creative, and useful.
3. Miss Agnes believes everyone can and should learn no matter your age, gender, or even if you’re deaf or mute. Everyone can and should learn.
4. Miss Agnes is loved and loving. She celebrates. She encourages. She draws. She sings. She dances. She reads. She laughs. She inspires. She lifts her eyebrow to control a crowd.
5. This book is triumphant. TRIUMPHANT! I devoured it.
“We knew that we didn’t talk the right way, because the other teachers had told us we had terrible English. But Miss Agnes said there were lots of right ways to talk.”
“Before Miss Agnes came, we didn’t know people like us could learn that much and could be a doctor. It was in my head then that I could do something really big.”
“By spring we could all read pretty good and write stories until the names of the places on the whole map... When I touched Africa, I could see that long, flat place where the elephants and zebras were and feel the hot wind on me and smell dry grass. Now I wanted to go everywhere. And before, I never knew there was an everywhere.”
Five things about The Year of Miss Agnes by Kirkpatrick Hill.
1. Miss Agnes knows the people. She’s been in Alaska a long time.
2. Miss Agnes makes learning fun, creative, and useful.
3. Miss Agnes believes everyone can and should learn no matter your age, gender, or even if you’re deaf or mute. Everyone can and should learn.
4. Miss Agnes is loved and loving. She celebrates. She encourages. She draws. She sings. She dances. She reads. She laughs. She inspires. She lifts her eyebrow to control a crowd.
5. This book is triumphant. TRIUMPHANT! I devoured it.
Better than most stories for this age group. Interesting characters. Not everyone is perfect and happy and wonderful. Not much story development but it can't really be expected for a book of this length for early readers.
I'd probably have given this 4 stars if I read it just for myself. But my 5yo and I read it together, taking turns, and I enjoyed the experience! It's the first time she's ever let me read aloud to her since she learned to read, and the first time she ever read a book with no pictures!
Read it to my kids for school and oh man it made me cry. I'm looking forward to reading it again in a few years when the youngest two are in 1st grade
adventurous
informative
inspiring
slow-paced
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No