Hey L'Il D #1: It's All in the Name

My son is in the 5th grade and he loves Bob Lanier's series. My son is typically not a reader but this year I have added reading 30 minutes per day to his daily schedule. I purchased 3 of the books in Bob Lanier's series (I think that is all that is out) and he enjoys reading them. He reads them fast too. In a book report he recently did, he wrote that he liked the book because the kids were his age, some of them were his same race and the main character liked a lot of things he did and had some of the same problems. I've read this book too and I like it for my son. I am so happy that this series has encouraged him to read. I am looking for more series like this.

This book deals with many problems fourth graders go through, from fitting in with your friends to apologizing to others when you are wrong. Bob Lanier writes a great story about three friends who love to play basketball (four friends if you count Joe's sister Sam). In this book, the boys are trying to think of a nickname for their new friend Gan. I teach first grade and I think this would be a great book for read alouds. The book contains many black and white pictures and interesting topics boys and girls would be interested in. If the students have not experienced things in the story, they one day will and they may re-read this on their own.