Why in the Word?: My Special Word Book Two

by Donna Boock, Dwight Smith, Greta M. Schmidt (Illustrator)

When his parents open an animal clinic in Columbus, Ohio, Xander must start 5th grade miles from home. He hopes he’s better at making friends than he is at getting his boomerang to work. With the help of his dog Bennie, his new friend Rachel, and some boomerang practice, Xander begins to feel like the move to Ohio might be okay. That is until he gets his first school assignment— finding a word to describe himself and his goals. Xander blurts out “boomerang”. He worries that he’s fumbled the assignment and wonders if Ohio will ever feel like home.

101 pages, Paperback

Published February 6, 2019

About the author

When Donna was eight years old, she dreamed of becoming an astronaut. Or maybe a news reporter. Or the person who names lipstick and nail polish those fun names like “Mauve-alous Darling.” But now she can’t imagine anything but writing books that allow her to be part of the very special moment when children are ready to take off and read. It’s pure magic! Donna is also the author of the very funny chapter book series Kinzie’s Kinventions and a picture book called Moo-La-La-Ti-Da!

Donna also loves sharing her passion for reading and writing by coming to play, oops- I mean, visit schools both in person & virtually. She also creates free materials like lesson plans, discussion guides, puzzles, and worksheets to support the incredibly special adults who support those incredibly important young readers. Stay in touch at www.DonnaBoock.com and also on her YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCri9... where you can find recorded readings, Kinzie’s “ViewTube” videos, and lots of upcoming fun!

Reviews

[Maureen Straka · Rating 5 out of 5]

When Xander moves to a new state just before beginning 5th grade, he is nervous about starting over and leaving his friends behind. He soon learns that the kindness he puts into the world will come back to him and that new beginnings can be a great experience.

This is a great story for middle school kids with a very positive message. It is well- written and fast paced. Kids will easily relate to Xander and his fears and will share in his triumph as overcomes them.

As a teacher, I love the idea of having my students discover their own special words and having them write about why they are important to them and how they can make a positive impact on the world.