FALL 2019
5th Grade Book review
Sydney WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE BOOK? Graveyard Shakes
WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE TV SHOW?
Sydney talks about the fifth grade
Heartland
read-aloud book of the year —
WHAT DO YOU LIKE TO DO FOR FUN? Go to Wisconsin with my family and drive four wheelers
“Touching Spirit Bear.”
WHO IS YOUR FAVORITE SINGER OR BAND?
By Sydney
C
Bebe Rehxa
ole Matthews is a
destroy Cole’s totem pole for
because I don’t like bullies,
Cole changes his ways
bully. One day at
payback. When Cole finds
and I like to stand up for the
and becomes kind, and we
school, Cole is bully-
out that Peter has destroyed
people who get bullied like
should follow his example
WHAT DO YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU GROW UP?
ing a boy named Peter. Cole
his totem pole, Cole wants
Peter. Peter is my favorite
and not bully.
Maybe a police officer
pushes him on the ground
to fight Peter, but before he
character because he is brave
and slams his face against
does, he stops to think and
and forgives Cole for what he
the sidewalk, and Peter is
decides to be kind instead of
did, even though it doesn’t
really hurt. A jury decides
fighting back, and he forgives
seem like Cole deserves it.
to send Cole to an island in
Peter for destroying his
Alaska as punishment, but
totem pole. Because Cole has
One part of the book I don’t
when Cole arrives, the island
shown that he’s changed his
like is the people who bring
is lonely and miserable.
life, the jury decides to send
Cole to the island. I don’t like
him home. Once the boys are
these characters because
After unsuccessfully trying
home, Peter sees that Cole
they are mean to Cole. When
to escape the island, Cole
has changed and decides to
they bring him to the island,
starts to build a totem pole as
finally forgive him, and they
they push him onto the boat
an apology to both God and
become friends.
and make him fall. They are
Peter. Cole tries to change
Additional reporting and editing by Macy Voss
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE AFTER SCHOOL SNACK? Anything I can find in the house
mad at Cole because he is a
his behavior, but when
My favorite part of the book
bully, but then they bully him
Peter comes to the island,
is when Cole finally changes
back.
he is still scared of Cole
his ways. He stops bullying
and doesn’t trust him after
people and decides to
This book shows us that
their fight. Peter decides to
have friends. I like this part
we shouldn’t bully because
Fifth grade student, Sydney, discusses her thoughts on “Touching Spirit Bear” with Bethel University student, Macy Voss. | Photo by Thanh Nguyen
it hurts people’s feelings.
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