The Leaving Morning by Angela Johnson

Book Genre: Realistic Fiction

Publishing Info.: Orchard Books, 32 pages

Awards or Honors Received: N/A

Summary: This story is about a mom, dad, brother, and sister who are moving. The children talk about how they have helped pack their things and told everyone in their neighborhood good-bye. When the moving day finally arrives, the family gets up early and watches as movers take their things. Before leaving their apartment, the children leave lip prints on the window. They also leave lip prints on a window in the deli. The story implies that this is their way of saying good-bye.

Personal Rating and Reason for Rating: ***Good. This story gives children a glimpse into what it would be like to move. The reader can feel the sadness that these children have, but at the same time, excitement that they are going somewhere new. The illustrations in this book are not the best, although they do get a little better as the story goes on.

Reading Level: 3.5

Interest Level: K-2

Possible Uses of the Text in Integrated Units of Study (Reading and Writing Across the Curriculum): This book would be a great story to read if a student in your class were moving, or if you had just received a new student in your class. It could give children who have never experienced moving some background knowledge about what it is like. Writing could be integrated by students writing about a time they moved, or if they could move anywhere in the world, where they would like to go. Social studies could be tied in with this reading by looking at maps to find cool places to live, and technology could also be incorporated by students researching and finding out facts about a new place to live.

Potential Problems or Difficulties: I do not see any problems or difficuties with this book.