"The House Without a Christmas Tree"

[ashleymarie81]

Have any of you read this book with your students before? I just got it in the mail today with other books from Scholastic (thanks to the bonus points!) and I noticed it was on our school's A.R. list too. It's only 80 something pages and I'm thinking about reading it aloud to my class over the next couple of days. It's listed as a 4.9 reading level.
Let me know what you think, ASAP!!!!

THANKS!

Ashley

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[SusanTeach]

book

Wow - I never thought about reading that book with my kids before - and I LOVED the movie when I was younger (I think I was a teenager when it came out). I didn't realize it was A.R. or that reading level. If the book is as good as the movie, then I would say go for it! Let us know how it works out!

We just started reading "The Best Christmas Pageant Ever" today - and doing 2 chapters a day so we'll be finished by Friday. The kids love it!

 

[ashleymarie81]

A.r.

Thanks Susan for your comments. I feel better now that someone has heard of this book. This is only my second year to teach so I'm still learning! Yes, while I was cleaning up this afternoon...I thought I'd look it up on our A.R. list and sure enough it was. The author's name is Gail Rock. I teach 4th grade too, so the reading level seems perfect. After reading the first chapter, I learned that the setting takes place during the 1940's.

Keep anything else coming! I plan on starting it tomorrow. If there's anything "questionable" throw me a red flag, please! I do intend on looking over it tonight before bed though...just in case some of you were worried that I'd read a book aloud that wasn't previewed by me first, haha.

 

[mMs]

Gail Rock

I read this book to my class. The only "questionable" part was when the dad gets angry over the Christmas tree. I just read that chapter to my class today, in fact. He said "What the h*ll is this?" and uses the d-word. I just say "heck" and "darn."
Also, I'm glad to hear that other teachers are using this book. My husband said to me the other night that I've got to be the only teacher in the world that still uses this book!!! I bought the movie from amazon, too. They love it

 

[lis3569]

Have fun!

I have not read the book but loved the movie. What a great idea to share the book with your students.

 

[ashleymarie81]

They LOVED it!

I was able to finish the book all in one day yesterday. The children were really into it, since I kept on reading after each chapter was finished. We did have to stop for lunch, but I happened to be at the perfect spot...right before Dad comes in the house and sees the tree. Which by the way, as the other post mentioned, he uses a "bad" word when he reacts to the tree..ha. Just skip over it though, common sense should tell ya that!

It really was an enjoyable story and could be read all in one day!

Merry Christmas!

Ashley

 

[CCrawford]

I use it too

I just got done reading this book to my kids too...you are not the only teacher using this book!

Merry Christmas!

Carrie-|--

 

[Jim]

I am trying to get a copy of this film "The House Without A Christmas Tree" for my wife for Christmas. We were newly married when it first came out on TV. If you like this type of story and reading this type of material with your students, you may enjoy Jessamine West's work , particularly "A Friendly Persuasion". Scholastic actually published the script years ago (in the 1980's) and was a favorite of my students for years before I was switched to Math and Science. I got the DVD from Border's last year. It's fantastic-Gary Cooper, Anthony Perkins, and others whom I can't recall right now. Enjoy, and keep up the good work.

-Jim