Brown Round Bread Sandwich

About the Book

Brown Round Bread Sandwich is an interactive children's story about Ishmael, who moves to a new state with his mother and away from the rest of his family. His mom's dream is to open her own international trading store because she is fond of various cultures. She has traveled around the world and brought her experiences home to their kitchen. When she packs a wheat pita bread sandwich for his lunch, he becomes the target of a class bully.

Even though he hates his new life, he learns to appreciate the sacrifices his mom makes for him. By making new friends, working for his mom, and preparing for basketball tryouts, Ishmael learns that he must have a part in making things better.

Because this book is written by an educator, lots of teachable moments have been included. It addresses issues such as family relationships, the extended family, bullying, female entrepreneurship, gender stereotypes, cultural diversity, determination and self-confidence. Though it is never mentioned as such, it is a look into the life of a boy being raised in a singleparent family. Brown Round Bread Sandwich is not just a children's novel, it also has a "workbook" component for added benefits. A detailed list of suggested words to define for vocabulary building precedes the first chapter. For the convenience of parents and teachers trying to develop stronger reading and writing skills in their children, each chapter is followed by at least two or three questions. This will allow them to make inferences and build comprehension. Additionally, a "Figure It Out" page for word scrambles provides the readers with a fun challenge. For the more advanced readers and writers, there is a page for writing sentences using selected vocabulary. And finally, there is a preview of Ishmael's next story, which gives the readers a hint of what is to come.

About the Author

Sherry Babette is a native New Yorker currently residing in Virginia with her eight-year old son. She has taught middle school in Harlem, NY for four years and Hampton, VA for three years. She loves to share her experiences with her students to help them cope with their ever changing lives as adolescents.