Clara and the Bookwagon, Level 3

I Can Read: Level 3

by Nancy Smiler Levinson

Papa will not allow Clara to learn to read—he says "Farm people like us do not have time to read." But when the traveling bookwagon, with persuasive Miss Mary at the reins, arrives at their farm, Papa realizes he must change his mind. Based on the true story of America’s first ‘bookmobile.’ "The free library in a nearby Maryland village is off-limits to the curious child, but Clara's chance encounter with librarian Mary Titcomb and the first horse-drawn 'moving library' changes her father's response. A glimpse of childhood without schools, libraries, literacy and books is presented in easy-to-read historical fiction." ( Cooperative Children's Book Center)
Clara and the Bookwagon  is a Level Three I Can Read book. Level 3 includes many fun subjects kids love to read about on their own. Themes include friendship, adventure, historical fiction, and science. Level 3 books are written for early independent readers. They include some challenging words and more complex themes and stories.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Picture Books, Childrens, American History, School, Historical, 2nd Grade

64 pages, Paperback

First published January 30, 1988

About the author

Nancy Smiler Levinson was born in 1938 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. A graduate of the University of Minnesota, she worked as a reporter, researcher, editor, and Head Start teacher before taking time to raise her two children. It was while reading to her kids when they were toddlers that Levinson first became interested in writing for young people, and in 1981 she published her first novel for young readers, World of Her Own. The first of many critically acclaimed biographies came in 1981, and since then Levinson has written a variety of well-received fiction and nonfiction for beginning readers as well as middle grade and young adult audiences.

Levinson has also contributed articles and stories to such publications as Seventeen magazine, Highlights for Children, Library Journal, and the Los Angeles Times. She has been a tutor for disabled children. She lives in California, where she enjoys reading and attending theater and symphonies.

Reviews

[Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Going through older books

[Andrea · Rating 2 out of 5]

I saw this in my library's bookstore and it sounded like such a cute story. The cover is adorable and I expected a cute tale about a girl who loved to read getting to read to her heart's content with the traveling library. I've never encountered a traveling library and I couldn't wait to hear about it.
Instead, what I got was a hard, unyielding dad who never saw the importance of reading and never gave up with demanding that she do chores. His character ruined the story for me and brought up flashbacks to my own childhood and that kind of hard, controlling father figure is just the type of person I don't like. 

I liked learning about the way of life. There weren't schools for farm children. She had to help feed the chickens, cook, take care of her siblings and plant corn in the spring. It was cute that she likes making up her own stories about animals and farm girls like her. 

I emphasized that sometimes she got tired of doing farm work. She wanted to learn everything she could, about the moon and stars and how corn grew. She asked her mom how bread rose and her mom was too buys to tell her, then when Clara opened the oven to look, her mom told her to shut it. She sat down in the chair and daydreamed and when her dad opened the door, tired from his day's work, and asked if she was dreaming again, I had a bad flashback. Men getting mad when they see you sitting down, mad because everyone isn't working as hard as they are. I don't like that, people all work and no play, acting like daydreaming is a bad thing. He told her there's no time for dreaming on a farm and if everyone doesn't help out they won't have food on the table. Ugh. He sucked.

Papa had to go to town and Clara asked if she could go, and promised to help. That made me mad that she had to promise to help in order to go. What's wrong with a kid taking a leisurely drive? 
I wasn't crazy about the names. Mr. Holzer from the store. That isn't a kid-friendly name. Something simple should be used in a starter book like this. Also, Mary Titcomb. Not a good name at all. Kids would have a field day with that one. 

I liked that his store was a book station, so he had library books there that people could check out for free. Clara got excited to read and her dad ruined it, said books are for rich people and farm people don't have time to read. I felt so bad for her, because she started crying and didn't even care about her peppermint stick that she had been excited about. The image of her with a tear running down her cheek, with her face turned away was so sad! Poor thing! 

She helped her dad weed and her mom asked if she wanted to pick blueberries and it irritated me that she had to look at her dad to see if she could go. Only when he said she'd been weeding a long time and gave his permission could she go. 

It was sweet that once Miss Mary learned Clara's dad thought books were a waste of time for farm people, she set out to change his mind. 

It was weird how he was so mad when he saw the wagon, said they had no dead here and Mary said it isn't a hearse wagon to pick up the dead. That's really morbid and heavy for a kid's book. 
It bothered me so much that she had to promise to read only when her work was done and her dad said he knows she's good at keeping a promise. I guess it's a good thing she is, otherwise she couldn't be allowed to read. 

There were some elements that stood out, that were out of place. After church Reverend Strong--and I don't think he needed a name because he wasn't a central character--showed her his bible. Why would he show her of all people, a little kid who can't even read, his family bible? It was just weird. 

When Clara first saw the wagon, she said it was filled with books. The wagon was closed and showed not one single book, so she couldn't know that it had books in it just by looking. Only on the next page when all the doors were open could the books be seen. Miss Mary said indeed 3 times, that was overkill. It felt like every time I turned around she was saying indeed. 
It ended with Mary saying she would teach Clara to read, and she would learn fast. She was going to teach her to sound letters out. I think there's a lot more to it than that, but Clara was happy she had stories to read. 

It's really cool that this is based on the country's first traveling library in Maryland. Mary Titcomb was head of the library and wanted books to reach those who lived in the country. She established book deposit stations in general stores, churches and homes. She designed a wagon in 1905 to carry the books. The janitor was the driver. It ran for 5 years and then was destroyed when a train hit it, and I was so glad to hear the driver and horses made it out alive. The second one in 1912 had a motor. A cool bit of history on a subject I hadn't known about. I really like the idea of a traveling library.

[Nagla · Rating 5 out of 5]

My children and I really enjoyed this book. I read it to both of my children in the car while we ate chocolate ice cream sundaes. We discussed it and enjoyed our time together. It really drove home what a luxury reading and books used to be and probably still is in developing countries. I also really liked the factual information about the first librarian and the first traveling libraries.

[Pamela Powell · Rating 5 out of 5]

This picture book is based on the first traveling bookwagon in the country- at Hagerstown, Maryland. Mary Lemist Titcomb, head librarian, wants to make books available to those who cannot make it to the library in town. Clara is a young girl who lives on a farm. Clara's father thinks that farm people don't have time to read but Clara's persistence and Ms. Titcomb's visit helps change his mind.

[Christine · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love books so I rated it five stars

[Judy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice introduction to life in America (Maryland) over 100 years ago. I can easily picture the kids integrating a Bookwagon (a moving library) into their play after they read this story.

[Ayamesalami · Rating 5 out of 5]

5/5 STARS
This book is a nice short book about books. It is simple to read for little ones and even though it's level 3 (for 2nd-4th graders), I think it can be a bit lower- maybe 1st-3rd grade? (though it may depend for different children, obviously)
The father reminded me of mine- as he was hard working (even though this is a short book you can definitely see it in Clara's father)
The art is very nice and simple. Nothing creepy or un-proportionate about the characters, it's nice and simple. It also gives you that 'back in the day' look with the color pallet, which I love.
Overall, this book is lovely. I can't hate on it since it's such a short an simple book, but I can't give actual criticism since this was a children's book.

[Linda Spear · Rating 4 out of 5]

Since I have worked on 2 different library's bookmobiles during my career, this I-Can-Read book is of special significance to me. I've become very interested in these historical fiction books for early readers. What a great introduction to our country's history, and most of them include an author's note about the actual period or events in US history. I also purchased The Josefina Story Quilt and Dust For Dinner. If there any any early readers among family or friends, I would urge you to look into these excellent stories.

[Rose Rosetree · Rating 5 out of 5]

This gently historical tale is based on the true story of America’s first bookmobile.

According to Papa, "Farm people like us do not have time to read." So he forbids his daughter, Clara, from learning how to read.

In his defense, at this time in America, there were no public schools. (Evidently folks were cheerfully illiterate.)

What changes this proud man's mind? Can you guess?

FIVE STARS for this fine easy reader. Indirectly it may help today's kids feel grateful there are such things as schools and easy reader books.

[Jacklyn (ReadingBliss) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I preread this for my kids. I am surprised to see it’s current lower rating at 3.99 because I thought it was a good little read. It is suitable, in my opinion, for all children and as a family read. I thought it had some great little punches of examples to paint a picture of time long past. It is based off a true story and has an extra little note in the back of the continued history of The Bookwagon as it evolved through tragedy and the making of Ford’s car. I look forward to sharing this one, as well as, “An I Can Read Greg’s Microscope” with my children.

[Christina · Rating 5 out of 5]

This turned into an excellent read aloud. Both 8 and 4 year old listened patiently through several small chapters. It’s a fictional tale that has a connection to rural East coast farm life in the past. You see through it the work and lives of children for whom literacy wasn’t a given and chores were expected. People who traveled by wagon and old time general stores. I’m surprised at how well it held their attention. Highly recommended.

[Cathy Sheetz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Clara, a girl in Maryland in the early 1900s, doesn't go to school because father believes farmers don't need to go to school. However, Miss Mary comes along with a bookwagon and convinces them to change their mind. Based on the true story of the first bookwagon.

Great for beginning readers. Classroom library for 1st through 4th grade.

[Aisley Faust · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is about a girl who wants more than anything to read but her father says she can't have a book because there is too much to do around the family farm. The dad is able to have a change of heart though and clara gets a book and learns how to read!

[Shofam · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked the kitty in many of the pictures. I liked it when her Papa let her have a book. If I were Clara I would have wanted to read too. A traveling library is a pretty cool idea. I would like to get a book from one.

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Still relevant under today's administration that is defunding libraries and banning books. Which is probably one reason the tiny library in Hawkins, WI, is holding on to their copy. Education and stories are important for all if we desire a more free country with wiser citizens.

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

AR 2.2

[Little Seesaw · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is based on a true story. It is a very good little reader. What a blessing Book Wagons were to children and even adults in rural areas. I love that the lady helped the little girl to read.

[Stephanie Duerr · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fun little read about books and people who want to read them

[Awjtf · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lovely book!

[Sydney Beth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good Level 3 Reader.

[Breanna Lechase · Rating 4 out of 5]

1. Awards the book has received (if any): No awards
2. Appropriate grade level(s): 1st – 3rd
3. Original 3-line summary: This book is based on the true story of a Maryland librarian who started the first bookmobile in 1905 so that people in rural areas could learn to read and enjoy books in addition to the rich. The main character, Clara, is a young girl who wants nothing more than to learn to read, but her father rejects the idea and says that reading is a waste of time that is reserved for the rich. However, one day a kind librarian brings a wagon full of books and convinces Clara’s father to finally let her learn to read.
4. Original 3-line review: This book shares a very humble and informative story that is important for young children to be exposed to. I especially like that it frames books and reading as something that should be cherished as such things were not always available to everyone. Clara’s story is very real, and shares an experience that many children in her predicament could have likely shared.
5. 2-3 possible in-class uses: This book could be used as part of lessons that are meant to highlight reading as something that is special and exciting. It could also be used in connection to social studies lessons on life in the early 1900s. Additionally, this book could be used during literacy lessons on character, setting, plot, and/or conflict identification.

[Maren Swallow · Rating 2 out of 5]

BEGINNING READER: This book was good. I picked it because my sister's name is clara and she happens to love books. It is a cute story about a girl who really wants to learn how to read, but her father will not let her because she is a farm girl. This book is great for an early reader because it is a great story line, while still simple in reading.

[J.]

AR Quiz No. 7309 EN Fiction
Accelerated Reader Quiz Information IL: LG - BL: 2.2 - AR Pts: 0.5

[Melki · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sweet story about Clara, a young girl who wants to learn to read, even though her father insists "Farm people like us do not have time to read." Luckily, she meets Mary Lemist Titcomb, the head of the Hagerstown, Maryland Public Library. In 1905, Mary designed a horse-drawn wagon to take books to those unable to travel to the city. This early "bookmobile" was driven by the library's janitor, who routinely covered 500 square miles of back-road territory.

This is an interesting true story for bookworms at reading level 3 in grades 2 - 4.

[Ellie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice historical fiction for K-2nd grade.

I have to say, that these lines absolutely cracked me up:

"Bump, bump, bump. They rode right up to the garden patch. Papa looked angry. "You have made a mistake," he shouted. "We have no dead here."

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is delightful, from the sweet story to the absolutely charming illustrations. There is even a hefty dose of humor in it, for those who know where to look for it. My second grade son used this book as a study in comparing and contrasting -- it worked quite well.

[Diana · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first chapter book I ever read and I really need to buy it again!

[Analee · Rating 4 out of 5]

cute beginning reader book.

[Yuzuki · Rating 5 out of 5]

クララは、がっこうへ、いかずに、いえの手伝いを、している。　
クララは、本が大好きだった。でもお金がないから、かってもらえなかった。
私も本が大好き。これからも、いっぱい本を、よんでいきたいな。

[Ruth · Rating 3 out of 5]

Simple story about bringing books to people who lived on farms.