Spring Rolls & Living with the Nenets Lvl 25-26

In Spring Rolls and Snowballs, Lan navigates the challenges of settling into a new life in the United States after moving from Vietnam. At first, she feels like she doesn't belong-but a blossoming friendship with Jasmine helps her see things differently. This realistic narrative explores character development, point of view, and cultural contrast, using humour and irony to deepen the reader's understanding of belonging and identity. Paired with the non-fiction text Living with the Nenets, the book offers a unique cultural insight into the lives of the Nenets people, nomadic reindeer herders from Siberia. Written as a journal, the text includes fact files, maps, and specialised vocabulary that enrich the reader's comprehension of indigenous cultures and environments. Together, these titles encourage students to explore diverse ways of life and compare personal experiences across the globe.

Educational Benefits:

• Develops comprehension through narrative and non-fiction text types.
• Builds vocabulary around cultural practices and environments.
• Encourages comparative thinking and empathy.
• Strengthens inferential reading and point-of-view analysis.

Classroom Ideas:

• Create a diary entry from Lan's or a Nenets child's perspective.
• Use a Venn diagram to compare both cultures.
• Identify and define specialised words like œnomadic and œethnographer.
• Discuss humour and irony and how they affect tone.

Safety & Information:

• Ages: 8-10
• Book size: 200mm x 180mm
• No small parts; suitable for classroom use