Bellows, Melina Gerosa. NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC KIDS. Washington D.C.: National Geographic Society.
NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC KIDS is a periodical geared in creating a sense of wonder in children ages 6 - 14. With sections titled “Weird but true” and “Astonishing Stories From the Files of Guinness World Records”, kids will be compelled to look further into the facts that are given to locate more information on the topics. Every article pulls the reader into the story and most contain real life photographs that will capture the reader’s attention. The issues also come with ideas for family projects, an “Art Zone” section where reader’s original drawings are showcased, various games and puzzles. The web site is advertised within the publication with ideas on things to do on the site, such as playing interactive games, fining more craft ideas, and watching videos pertaining to articles featured in the publication. Information can be easily located for subscribing to the magazine and with very minimal advertisements found within, this is truly geared to the child reader.
Monday, April 28, 2008
The Boy on Fairfield Street: How Ted Geisel Grew Up to Become Dr. Seuss
Krull, Kathleen. 2004. THE BOY ON FAIRFIELD STREET: HOW TED GEISEL GREW UP TO BECOME DR. SEUSS. Ill. by Steve Johnson and Lou Fancher. New York: Random House.
Krull does an exceptional job of taking the reader from early childhood to adulthood with one of reader’s favorite author and illustrator’s, Dr. Seuss. The reader immediately feels connected with Ted as a young boy as he is portrayed as one that did not always “fit in” with everyone else. The soft, pastel colored paintings that accent the text give the reader a view into Ted’s world and they make a stunning contrast to the bright and comical illustrations from Dr. Seuss’ that are interjected through out the text. At the end of the story, Krull includes a section titled “On Beyond Fairfield Street” which gives a synopsis of Geisel’s life after he left home to become the writer that is so famous today. She also includes a list of all of the works written and illustrated by Dr. Seuss in the order of publication, with publication dates included. She includes a list of additional resources for further reading. Krull also includes a list that details Dr. Seuss’s illustrations that were taken from his various works to include in this book. Krull does a wonderful job of portraying Seuss in a way that not only brings him to life for the reader but keeps his works and determination alive to the reader.
Krull does an exceptional job of taking the reader from early childhood to adulthood with one of reader’s favorite author and illustrator’s, Dr. Seuss. The reader immediately feels connected with Ted as a young boy as he is portrayed as one that did not always “fit in” with everyone else. The soft, pastel colored paintings that accent the text give the reader a view into Ted’s world and they make a stunning contrast to the bright and comical illustrations from Dr. Seuss’ that are interjected through out the text. At the end of the story, Krull includes a section titled “On Beyond Fairfield Street” which gives a synopsis of Geisel’s life after he left home to become the writer that is so famous today. She also includes a list of all of the works written and illustrated by Dr. Seuss in the order of publication, with publication dates included. She includes a list of additional resources for further reading. Krull also includes a list that details Dr. Seuss’s illustrations that were taken from his various works to include in this book. Krull does a wonderful job of portraying Seuss in a way that not only brings him to life for the reader but keeps his works and determination alive to the reader.
Actual Size
Jenkins, Steve. 2004. ACTUAL SIZE. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company.
Jenkins creates a compelling book that looks at the actual size of different animals or animal parts that will cause readers to not only anxiously turn pages to find out what size will appear next, but it will also cause them to look for further information on the animals found in the book. Not only is the actual size of items such as a giant squid eye or the saltwater crocodile’s mouth shown, but interesting factual tidbits are included with the illustrations. The illustrations created from torn paper add an fascinating depiction of each animal. The book lacks traditional non-fiction access features such as a table of contents or an index that assist the reader in locating information more easily. There are extensive notes included at the end of the book on each of the animals that is featured in the text, however there are no sources cited for the information given.
Jenkins creates a compelling book that looks at the actual size of different animals or animal parts that will cause readers to not only anxiously turn pages to find out what size will appear next, but it will also cause them to look for further information on the animals found in the book. Not only is the actual size of items such as a giant squid eye or the saltwater crocodile’s mouth shown, but interesting factual tidbits are included with the illustrations. The illustrations created from torn paper add an fascinating depiction of each animal. The book lacks traditional non-fiction access features such as a table of contents or an index that assist the reader in locating information more easily. There are extensive notes included at the end of the book on each of the animals that is featured in the text, however there are no sources cited for the information given.
Monday, April 14, 2008
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
Rowling, J.K. 1997. HARRY POTTER AND THE SORCERER’S STONE. New York: Scholastic.
Rowling creates a thrilling high fantasy adventure where one can hope to believe in the world of magic, where good triumphs evil. The famous Harry Potter, after dying death at the hands of “you know who”, arrives at Hogwarts to be trained in the art of being a wizard. With learning to fit in with the other students at the school and mastering the art of magic, Harry is also challenged to find and protect the secret that is being guarded by Fluffy, the three-headed dog. Readers will be engaged in the story from start to finish and be sad to see the year at Hogwarts come to a close, however there are many more years of adventure awaiting them in the sequels to this engaging tale. There is a character for everyone to identify with in this cast, from the brainy girl desperate for friends or the youngest brother trying to find his own place in the community to the hero that is transported from a life of misery to a chance for happiness in a magical land.
Rowling creates a thrilling high fantasy adventure where one can hope to believe in the world of magic, where good triumphs evil. The famous Harry Potter, after dying death at the hands of “you know who”, arrives at Hogwarts to be trained in the art of being a wizard. With learning to fit in with the other students at the school and mastering the art of magic, Harry is also challenged to find and protect the secret that is being guarded by Fluffy, the three-headed dog. Readers will be engaged in the story from start to finish and be sad to see the year at Hogwarts come to a close, however there are many more years of adventure awaiting them in the sequels to this engaging tale. There is a character for everyone to identify with in this cast, from the brainy girl desperate for friends or the youngest brother trying to find his own place in the community to the hero that is transported from a life of misery to a chance for happiness in a magical land.
Bone: Out From Boneville
Smith, Jeff. 1992. BONE: OUT FORM BONEVILLE. Columbus, Ohio: Cartoon Books.
In the action-packed graphic novel BONE: OUT FROM BONEVILLE, Fone Bone and Smiley Bone help their “shady” cousin escape from Boneville, only to get lost and then separated in an unknown desert. The three cousins experience many mishaps and encounter various enchanting and strange creatures as they try to reunite and return to Boneville. The simple sketch illustrations are rich in details that capture the emotions of the characters and easily holding the reader’s attention as the story unfolds. Humor and suspense are created by both the illustrations and the dialog between the Bone cousins and the various forest creatures that they encounter, such as when Fone Bone is going to do the “manly job” and chop the firewood, only to do chin-ups on the large, heavy ax. With references to remembering to pack reading material such as Moby Dick and comic books before running out of town, Fone Bone exemplifies the idea that not only is reading important, but all forms of literature are acceptable reading materials. Many panels contain no text, however the reader can clearly tell the meaning of the illustrations and how the story advances from one panel to the next.
In the action-packed graphic novel BONE: OUT FROM BONEVILLE, Fone Bone and Smiley Bone help their “shady” cousin escape from Boneville, only to get lost and then separated in an unknown desert. The three cousins experience many mishaps and encounter various enchanting and strange creatures as they try to reunite and return to Boneville. The simple sketch illustrations are rich in details that capture the emotions of the characters and easily holding the reader’s attention as the story unfolds. Humor and suspense are created by both the illustrations and the dialog between the Bone cousins and the various forest creatures that they encounter, such as when Fone Bone is going to do the “manly job” and chop the firewood, only to do chin-ups on the large, heavy ax. With references to remembering to pack reading material such as Moby Dick and comic books before running out of town, Fone Bone exemplifies the idea that not only is reading important, but all forms of literature are acceptable reading materials. Many panels contain no text, however the reader can clearly tell the meaning of the illustrations and how the story advances from one panel to the next.
Artemis Fowl
Colfer, Eoin. 2001. ARTIMIS FOWL. New York: Talk Miramax Books.
In the captivating futuristic fantasy series, ARTEMIS FOWL, Artemis is a twelve year old criminal mastermind that captures an officer from the fairy LEPrecon division in an attempt to gain gold as a ransom. Having procured a fairy rule book, Artemis is ready to thwart all of the Recon team’s attempts to free Officer Short. Will the fairy team be able to right the wrong done by Artemis and will Artemis end up with the gold? Even though Artemis is the “bad” guy in the story, Colfer creates such a compelling character that the reader can not help to feel for him as he plots to save his mother and his servant friends from death. With rich details and dialog, the reader feels part of the storyline and setting from the beginning of the story until the end. Even as the story ends, the reader is anxiously waiting for the next story to be found and unfold.
In the captivating futuristic fantasy series, ARTEMIS FOWL, Artemis is a twelve year old criminal mastermind that captures an officer from the fairy LEPrecon division in an attempt to gain gold as a ransom. Having procured a fairy rule book, Artemis is ready to thwart all of the Recon team’s attempts to free Officer Short. Will the fairy team be able to right the wrong done by Artemis and will Artemis end up with the gold? Even though Artemis is the “bad” guy in the story, Colfer creates such a compelling character that the reader can not help to feel for him as he plots to save his mother and his servant friends from death. With rich details and dialog, the reader feels part of the storyline and setting from the beginning of the story until the end. Even as the story ends, the reader is anxiously waiting for the next story to be found and unfold.
Pendragon
MacHale, 2003. D.J. PENDRAGON: THE NEVER WAR. New York: Aladdin Paperbacks.
Bobby Pendragon and Vo Spader, two travelers, set out on a quest to First Earth, in the year 1937. Among the gangsters in New York, Pendragon and Spader will search to uncover Saint Dane’s plot to push First Earth’s turning point in the wrong direction and destroy life as it is known in the process of taking over their world. Appealing to the sense of adventure and the need to see good trump evil, readers will enjoy this futuristic high fantasy that subtly teaches historical information on New York Gangsters, the Hindenburg, and the beginning of World War II. MacHale creates believable dialog that allows readers to identify with fifteen year old Pendragon as he ventures out to save not only First Earth, but also the future of Second and Third Earth as well. With the book ending with “To Be Continued”, readers will be ready to set out and find the sequel to this exciting adventure.
Bobby Pendragon and Vo Spader, two travelers, set out on a quest to First Earth, in the year 1937. Among the gangsters in New York, Pendragon and Spader will search to uncover Saint Dane’s plot to push First Earth’s turning point in the wrong direction and destroy life as it is known in the process of taking over their world. Appealing to the sense of adventure and the need to see good trump evil, readers will enjoy this futuristic high fantasy that subtly teaches historical information on New York Gangsters, the Hindenburg, and the beginning of World War II. MacHale creates believable dialog that allows readers to identify with fifteen year old Pendragon as he ventures out to save not only First Earth, but also the future of Second and Third Earth as well. With the book ending with “To Be Continued”, readers will be ready to set out and find the sequel to this exciting adventure.
Friday, April 4, 2008
Weedflower
Kadohata, Cynthia. 2006. WEEDFLOWER. New York: Atheneum Books for Young Readers.
Kadohata takes the reader though an emotional journey as Sumiko, a young Japanese-
American girl living in California, is forced to go to an internment camp after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. Sumiko, once thriving by producing beauty on her family’s flower farm, must face life in a dreary desert camp where there is little to brighten her world. After befriending an older gentleman next door, they set out to create a garden outside their barracks that might bring relief to the heat and dust storms that plague the area. After meeting a Frank, a Mohave Indian friend, Sumiko is faced with the knowledge that the Indians do not want the Japanese around either. Will she be able to leave the safety she finds in the internment camp and face the world of mistrust and anger that awaits her? Kadohata writes in a powerful way that brings the emotions of the times to light in a way that the reader can not help but to feel for the unjust treatment of the Japanese-Americans during this time. The reader is drawn into the setting and can almost feel the searing heat of the desert, along with Sumiko. End notes are included with information on the 442nd Regimental Comabat Team, composed mostly of Japanese American’s during World War II, and its accomplishments.
Kadohata takes the reader though an emotional journey as Sumiko, a young Japanese-
American girl living in California, is forced to go to an internment camp after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. Sumiko, once thriving by producing beauty on her family’s flower farm, must face life in a dreary desert camp where there is little to brighten her world. After befriending an older gentleman next door, they set out to create a garden outside their barracks that might bring relief to the heat and dust storms that plague the area. After meeting a Frank, a Mohave Indian friend, Sumiko is faced with the knowledge that the Indians do not want the Japanese around either. Will she be able to leave the safety she finds in the internment camp and face the world of mistrust and anger that awaits her? Kadohata writes in a powerful way that brings the emotions of the times to light in a way that the reader can not help but to feel for the unjust treatment of the Japanese-Americans during this time. The reader is drawn into the setting and can almost feel the searing heat of the desert, along with Sumiko. End notes are included with information on the 442nd Regimental Comabat Team, composed mostly of Japanese American’s during World War II, and its accomplishments.
The Midwife's Apprentice
Cushman, Karen. 1995. THE MIDWIVE’S APPRENTICE. New York: Clarion Books.
In THE MIDWIVE’S APPRENTICE, Cushman tells of a time when a young girl sleeping in dung can be taken and shaped into a valued member of the society, a midwife. The Midwife is training the apprentice, whom she named Dung Beetle, yet she is very harsh in the way that she treats her during the process. Dung Beetle sees that she is worth a proper name and commences to rename herself Alyce. Lacking in confidence after two birthing mishaps, Alyce runs away. Will she have the courage to return to the training that will allow her to perform a service for her community that tugs at her heart? Cushman does not sugar-coat the realities of the time as she depicts the harsh conditions of the Middle Ages. The dialog is fresh and engaging, as readers are excited to find out what happens to the young apprentice through her many mishaps. Cushman includes historical notes on the times that give the reader insight into historical background of midwifery.
In THE MIDWIVE’S APPRENTICE, Cushman tells of a time when a young girl sleeping in dung can be taken and shaped into a valued member of the society, a midwife. The Midwife is training the apprentice, whom she named Dung Beetle, yet she is very harsh in the way that she treats her during the process. Dung Beetle sees that she is worth a proper name and commences to rename herself Alyce. Lacking in confidence after two birthing mishaps, Alyce runs away. Will she have the courage to return to the training that will allow her to perform a service for her community that tugs at her heart? Cushman does not sugar-coat the realities of the time as she depicts the harsh conditions of the Middle Ages. The dialog is fresh and engaging, as readers are excited to find out what happens to the young apprentice through her many mishaps. Cushman includes historical notes on the times that give the reader insight into historical background of midwifery.
Island of the Blue Dolphins
O’Dell, Scott. 1960. ISLAND OF THE BLUE DOLPHINS. New York: Yearling.
O’Dell creates a remarkably engaging story of doing what is necessary to survive on a deserted island. Refusing to leave her brother alone on the island, Karana jumps from the ship taking her people to a new land. After the death of her brother, Karana is left alone on the island to learn to find water, create a shelter, find food, and defend herself from wild dogs. Karana spends many years alone, with only a self-tamed dog for a friend, before being rescued by people of the “others.” O’Dell includes notes at the end of the story that give the historical background on the Island of the Blue Dolphins, the Indians from this island, and Robison Crusoe (The Lost Woman of San Nicolas), a girl who lived alone on the island from 1835 to 1853. With engaging text, the reader will be captivated with the story. O’Dell does a remarkable job of describing the setting while still entertaining the reader. This story would be easily paired with other survival stories.
O’Dell creates a remarkably engaging story of doing what is necessary to survive on a deserted island. Refusing to leave her brother alone on the island, Karana jumps from the ship taking her people to a new land. After the death of her brother, Karana is left alone on the island to learn to find water, create a shelter, find food, and defend herself from wild dogs. Karana spends many years alone, with only a self-tamed dog for a friend, before being rescued by people of the “others.” O’Dell includes notes at the end of the story that give the historical background on the Island of the Blue Dolphins, the Indians from this island, and Robison Crusoe (The Lost Woman of San Nicolas), a girl who lived alone on the island from 1835 to 1853. With engaging text, the reader will be captivated with the story. O’Dell does a remarkable job of describing the setting while still entertaining the reader. This story would be easily paired with other survival stories.
Al Capone Does My Shirts
Choldenko, Gennifer. 2004. AL CAPONE DOES MY SHIRTS. New York: G. P. Putnam’s Sons.
AL CAPONE DOES MY SHIRTS is a story of a twelve year old boy, Moose Flanagan, and his family as they move to Alcatraz Island in 1935 so Mr. Flanagan can work in the prison as an electrician and part-time guard. Facing the problems of living on the island prison grounds, going to school off-island, having a sister, Natalie, with “special” needs and problems, and desperately wanting to fit in and have friends, Moose tells the story of his first six months in the form of a diary. Moose will learn to face problems like a sneaky warden’s daughter and caring for an “unusual” sister instead of playing baseball with other kids, while learning about the prisoners housed on the island such as Al Capone. Will Moose’s friends see though Natalie’s problems to the caring person inside and will a convicted criminal be able to help her get into a school that could help her? At the beginning of the story is a photographic map of Alcatraz Island, with locations from the story labeled. Choldenko includes notes at the end of the story that give historical information on Alcatraz Island, the families that lived there, the inmates that were serving time in the facility (Al Capone) and children with autism. Students will be mesmerized as they read this story and be compelled to search for more information on the island and the inmates that inhabited it during this time to see if the information in the story is accurate.
AL CAPONE DOES MY SHIRTS is a story of a twelve year old boy, Moose Flanagan, and his family as they move to Alcatraz Island in 1935 so Mr. Flanagan can work in the prison as an electrician and part-time guard. Facing the problems of living on the island prison grounds, going to school off-island, having a sister, Natalie, with “special” needs and problems, and desperately wanting to fit in and have friends, Moose tells the story of his first six months in the form of a diary. Moose will learn to face problems like a sneaky warden’s daughter and caring for an “unusual” sister instead of playing baseball with other kids, while learning about the prisoners housed on the island such as Al Capone. Will Moose’s friends see though Natalie’s problems to the caring person inside and will a convicted criminal be able to help her get into a school that could help her? At the beginning of the story is a photographic map of Alcatraz Island, with locations from the story labeled. Choldenko includes notes at the end of the story that give historical information on Alcatraz Island, the families that lived there, the inmates that were serving time in the facility (Al Capone) and children with autism. Students will be mesmerized as they read this story and be compelled to search for more information on the island and the inmates that inhabited it during this time to see if the information in the story is accurate.
Monday, March 17, 2008
Laughing Out Loud
For students in 2nd to 4th grade, finding a chapter book that contains characters to which they can relate and contain a realistic story within the confines of such a short number of pages might seem like a challenge, but there are three ares to which these readers can turn to experience fresh and engaging true-to-life stories just for them. These stories, though lacking in deep characters and rich settings, create a world where kids can see the humor in the situations that life throws at them.
Sacher creates a compelling character, Marvin Redpost, that has hilarious adventures with frank dialog and real dilemmas that kids face. In “Is He a Girl?” Marvin faces the old-wives tale about kissing your elbow and turning into a girl, every boy’s worst nightmare. How will he face life as a girl and can he ever return to the normal “boy” world that he knows so well? Follow Marvin through this adventure, plus many more as he faces some of the questions that kids come up with.
Lowry creates a real-life boy, Sam, that shows the dilemmas that boys can easily find themselves in. From cutting his hair to flushing the fish down the toilet, life is never dull with a younger brother around! “All About Sam” tells the beginning of Sam’s life story and begins a series that is especially tailored for young boys in need of a character to which they can identify, even if many of the story elements clearly date the book to the 1980’s.
Junie B. Jones is one character that will appeal to all audiences, with her truly laugh-out-loud adventures that beg to be read aloud! With problems like getting into a fight at the school carnival to winning only a fruit cake in the cake walk, Parks shows how kids can and will turn life upside down with real life dialog and scenes between the kids at school and family members at home. Students will relate to the emotions that Junie B. feels as she faces her different adventures.
Lowry, Lois. 1988. ALL ABOUT SAM. New York: Yearling Books.
Parks, Barbara. 1999. JUNIE B. JONES AND THE YUCKY BLUCKY FRUITCAKE. New York: Scholastic.
Sachar, Louis. 1993. MARVIN REDPOST: IS HE A GIRL?. New York: Scholastic.
Sacher creates a compelling character, Marvin Redpost, that has hilarious adventures with frank dialog and real dilemmas that kids face. In “Is He a Girl?” Marvin faces the old-wives tale about kissing your elbow and turning into a girl, every boy’s worst nightmare. How will he face life as a girl and can he ever return to the normal “boy” world that he knows so well? Follow Marvin through this adventure, plus many more as he faces some of the questions that kids come up with.
Lowry creates a real-life boy, Sam, that shows the dilemmas that boys can easily find themselves in. From cutting his hair to flushing the fish down the toilet, life is never dull with a younger brother around! “All About Sam” tells the beginning of Sam’s life story and begins a series that is especially tailored for young boys in need of a character to which they can identify, even if many of the story elements clearly date the book to the 1980’s.
Junie B. Jones is one character that will appeal to all audiences, with her truly laugh-out-loud adventures that beg to be read aloud! With problems like getting into a fight at the school carnival to winning only a fruit cake in the cake walk, Parks shows how kids can and will turn life upside down with real life dialog and scenes between the kids at school and family members at home. Students will relate to the emotions that Junie B. feels as she faces her different adventures.Lowry, Lois. 1988. ALL ABOUT SAM. New York: Yearling Books.
Parks, Barbara. 1999. JUNIE B. JONES AND THE YUCKY BLUCKY FRUITCAKE. New York: Scholastic.
Sachar, Louis. 1993. MARVIN REDPOST: IS HE A GIRL?. New York: Scholastic.
Sahara Special
Codell, Esme Raji. 2003. Sahara Special. New York: Hyperion Books For Children.Codell creates a compelling story where a girl must face her fears of success and let the world know that not only can she write, but that she is smart. Facing 5th grade for the second time can be daunting, but when Sahara gets an amazingly different teacher, things start to look up. Will Sahara have what it takes to shine in this class? Written in a way that which today’s students can relate, the characters in Sahara Special are typical inner city kids facing real life problems. The dialog is believable and the use of “street language” instead of properly constructed sentences enhances the mood of the story. Sahara speaks to the children that are indeed struggling in school and offers a ray of hope for not only a chance to feel smart, but for finding a person that believes in the student that they can become. A must read for not only a struggling student, but for teachers, as it shows the power of a teacher that stands up for and believes in her students.
So B. It
Weeks, Sarah. 2004. SO B. IT. New York: Laura Geringer Books. ISBN 9780064410471Told as reminiscent story of her first thirteen years of life, SO B. IT is a tale of family, friendship, devotion, and growing up as Heidi and a beloved neighbor struggle to raise Heidi’s mentally disabled mother, So B. It. With no knowledge of her past, a newly discovered set of pictures from a Christmas party in her mother’s past, and her mother’s spoken word “soof”, Heidi is compelled to search for the answers to all of her questions about her history. After traveling across the country, will Heidi find the answers for which she is looking and will the answers be worth what she misses back at home? Weeks creates believable characters that the reader will connect with easily and want to know “what happens next?” even after the story ends. The problems facing Heidi become so real that the reader will be moved to tears as the “mystery” is unfolded.
Flush
Hiaasen, Carl. 2005. FLUSH. New York: Alfred A. Knopf.In the novel, FLUSH, Noah and his sister Abbey are determined to prove that the local gambling boat is causing the beach contamination and their father is not crazy. With the help of an unlikely friend and thirty-four bottles of food coloring, will they be able to prove that the “flushing” on the boat is indeed going out to sea? With dialog that speaks the “real language of kids”, students will become involved in the story-line and desire to see how the dilemma unfolds, not noticing the stereotypical characters that Hiaasen uses to portray the “bad” guys. With Noah having more freedom than most kids really have, students, especially boys, will find the excitement and adventure in the mission Noah embarks on to prove that the gambling boat is dumping their waste into the ocean and contaminating the beaches. Even though the story is wrapped up very neatly, with a “happily ever after” tone, students will feel that justice has been served when the “bad” guy loses in the end.
Becoming Naomi Leon
Ryan, Pam Munoz. 2004. BECOMING NAOMI LEON. New York: Scholastic.BECOMING NAOMI LEON tells of Naomi Leon Outlaw’s struggle to create an identity while caring for her younger brother, Owen, and coping with the reappearance of a mother that abandoned her and Owen seven years prior. Trying to keep Naomi and Owen from being returned to their mother, Gram takes the kids to find their long-lost father in Mexico through a journey of hope, love, and truth. This story will captivate the readers as Ryan does an excellent job of realistically and compassionately confronting issues that many children face today: abandonment by a parent, need for social status at school, and remaining loyal to your family, while showing how kids will pull inside or turn to other activities such list making or soap carving to face the problems life throws at them. With fresh and “real” dialog between the students at school and the family members, students will connect to Naomi as she struggles to “fit in” with the other kids at school and try to please a mother that really does not care about her and Owen. The “happily ever after” ending may lack in realism, but the reader will approve of the ending as a sign of hope in a difficult situation.
Wednesday, March 5, 2008
Exploding Gravy: Poems to Make You Laugh
Kennedy, X.J. 2002. EXPLODING GRAVY: POEMS TO MAKE YOU LAUGH. Ill. by Joy Allen. New York: Little, Brown, and Company.
With EXPLODING GRAVY containing over eighty poems divided into eight categories such as “Peculiar Characters”, “Far-Out Families”, and “Witches, Ghosts, Dragons & Monsters”, there is something inside this collection for everyone. Kennedy’s humor is rich and right on target for students in grades 3-6 and will cause them to laugh out loud as they clamor to share the poems with anyone that will listen. With many of the stanzas having a common end rhyme and a rhythm of the words that flows easily in a read aloud, this would make a great start to any school day. Allen’s simple black and white sketches add emphasis to the poems without taking away from the words being read or spoken. The sketches are also full of humor, which couples nicely with the intent of the collection.
With EXPLODING GRAVY containing over eighty poems divided into eight categories such as “Peculiar Characters”, “Far-Out Families”, and “Witches, Ghosts, Dragons & Monsters”, there is something inside this collection for everyone. Kennedy’s humor is rich and right on target for students in grades 3-6 and will cause them to laugh out loud as they clamor to share the poems with anyone that will listen. With many of the stanzas having a common end rhyme and a rhythm of the words that flows easily in a read aloud, this would make a great start to any school day. Allen’s simple black and white sketches add emphasis to the poems without taking away from the words being read or spoken. The sketches are also full of humor, which couples nicely with the intent of the collection.
Neighborhood Mother Goose
Crews, Nina. 2004. THE NEIGHBORHOOD MOTHER GOOSE. Greenwillow Books.THE NEIGHBORHOOD MOTHER GOOSE contains a collection of forty-one traditional “Mother Goose” rhymes. An alphabetical index to the rhyme’s titles is located at the front of the book to assist the reader in locating specific rhymes more easily. Crews uses colored photographs to illustrate the various rhymes, which will help the younger children to understand words and phrases with which they might not be familiar. An example of this can be found in the rhymes: “Ride a Cockhorse” contains a photograph of a boy and a woman riding on horses in a merry-go-round, a term and item that many would recognize before the terms cockhorse and “A was An apple pie” shows each of the action terms listed from A to Z (ex. longed for, took it, or upset it) performed by various children using a pie as a prop. Crews does a great job of incorporating people from many different ethnicities and cultures to appeal to a larger, more diverse audience, causing a feeling of pride as their culture is represented in the book. Children will be mesmerized by the pictures and the flow of the rhymes begs to be chanted or sung aloud. However, by using photographs of actual people, the illustrations will quickly become dated as fashion and times change.
Tuesday, March 4, 2008
Pio Peep! Traditional Spanish Nursery Rhymes
Ada, Alma Flor and F. Isabel Campoy, adapted by Alice Schertle. 2003. PIO PEEP! TRADITIONAL SPANISH NURSERY RHYMES. Ill. by Vivi Escriva. Harper Collins.PIO PEEP! Starts by giving brief background information on Spanish oral folklore and how the selections for this anthology were made. The introduction, found in both Spanish and English, explains to parents the benefits of reading poetry and why the English recreations might have slight variations from the original Spanish poems. With poems written in the original Spanish language and accompanied by the English recreations, this poetry collection would benefit the beginning English Language Learner that has an interest in poems. Bright, simplistic illustrations capture the attention of even the youngest children as the poems are read aloud. With the poems coming from the Spanish heritage, Escriva does an excellent job of illustrating the characters so that they accurately and respectfully represent the Hispanic culture, allowing a sense of pride to develop for the Hispanic readers and listeners as the poems are shared with various cultural groups. The poems have a sing-song rhythm that lends itself well to reading aloud with young children.
Here's A Little Poem: A Very First Book of Poetry
Yolen, Jane and Andrew Fusek Peters. 2007. HERE’S A LITTLE POEM: A VERY FIRST BOOK OF POETRY. Ill. by Polly Dunbar. Massachusetts: Candlewick Press.The sixty-poems in the collection HERE’S A LITTLE POEM center around topics that are familiar to pre-school and primary grade children and are divided into the four categories: Me, Myself and I, Who Lives in My House?, I Go Outside, and Time for Bed. Yolen and Peters find many remarkable poems that cross the cultural divide and show that all children feel the same emotions and have many life experiences in common, such as: having a birthday party, playing at the beach, eating food they do not like, and looking at the stars. With bright and simplistic illustrations that depict the fun and joy in childhood, children will laugh out-loud with the pictures and the text as they listen to the poems. The poems have a rhythmic flow to the lines that beg to be chanted as they are read aloud. With end rhymes generally falling in the second and fourth lines of each stanza, children will enjoy guessing and calling out the ending word for each fourth line in poems such as The NO-NO Bird saying, “I’m the no-no bird, that’s right, that’s me. I live up in the Tantrum Tree.”
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
MIGHTIER THAN THE SWORD: WORLD FOLKTALES FOR STRONG BOYS
Yolen, Jane. 2003. MIGHTIER THAN THE SWORD: WORLD FOLKTALES FOR STRONG BOYS. Ill. by Raul Colon. New York: Silver Whistle. ISBN 0152163193In MIGHTIER THAN THE SWORD: WORLD FOLKTALES FOR STRONG BOYS Yolen retells folktales from all over the world that portray boys using their brain rather than their brawn to get ahead in life. Yolen begins the book with a letter to her sons and grandsons explaining why using the brain to solve problems is a better solution than fighting. She then provides fourteen examples of boys and young men using the power of their mind to be courageous and strong in situations such as outsmarting a troll who wants to eat them, facing pain and fear to return a mother’s treasure, or giving up a reward to save another’s life. At the end of the book, Yolen provides notes on the historical origins of each folktale and how she often combined or adapted the tales from several versions found. Yolen also gives information on characters and themes that are found in various other folktales from around the world. Following the notes, she lists a bibliography of sources that were used to research the various folktales that she retells in this collection. Colon provides simplistic black and white pencil sketches that compliment and add emphasis to a section of each tale.
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
The Little Red Hen
Pinkney, Jerry. 2006. THE LITTLE RED HEN. New York: Penguin Group. ISBN 0803729359In this retelling of the cumulative beast folktale, THE LITTLE RED HEN, Pinkney tells the story of the little red hen finding wheat seeds and wanting to plant them. As each task needs to be done leading up to having bread to eat, the little red hen solicits help from her neighbors, with a special plea to the animal that she feels is most suited for the task at hand. The little red hen comes to only to hear the same phrase of “Not I” from each neighbor. When the bread is complete, however, everyone is quick to volunteer to help with the eating. Having done all of the work herself, the little red hen only shares the bread with her chicks. This classic tale is one that children will enjoy hearing again and again. They will be able to quickly choral read the phrases “Not I” as each animal declines helping the little red hen and even the youngest students will be able to follow along as the animals names are color coded in the text based on their color in the picture, such as the “round pink pig”. The children will be delighted to see that the unhelpful animal neighbors get just what they deserve in the end and will joyfully call out the line, “Oh no you won’t” when they offer to eat the little red hen’s bread. The pencil, ink, and watercolor illustrations are full of many details that will capture the attention of the reader and provide a great opportunity for a picture walk before beginning to read the story. Pairing this tale with other versions of the “Little Red Hen” will provide a wonderful opportunity to discuss the similarities and differences in the stories.
Dona Flor
Mora, Pat. 2005. DONA FLOR: A TALL TALE ABOUT A GIANT WOMAN WITH A GREAT BIG HEART. New York: Alfred A Knopf. ISBN 0375923373In the traditional tall tale, DONA FLOR: A TALL TALE ABOUT A GIANT WOMAN WITH A BIG HEART, Mora retells the story of a woman that lives her life helping, feeding, and protecting the people of her village. This woman giant is ready to put her life on the line and face the village’s fears to ensure their peace and safety. Readers will be delighted to see what she finds behind the large threat to the village. Dona Flor exhibits the loving and gentle qualities of Mother Earth and her desire to protect her children. This tale, taking place in the American Southwest, will attract the Spanish speaking English language learners as it contains Spanish words and phrases sprinkled throughout the text. Colon creates captivating illustrations through a variety of media, including watercolors, etchings and pencils. The warm colors create soft pictures that portray the gentleness of Dona Flor. Making an excellent read-aloud, students will enjoy hearing a tale of a woman heroine.
Beautiful Blackbird
Bryan, Ashley. 2003. BEAUTIFUL BLACKBIRD. New York: Anthem Books for Young Readers. ISBN 0689847319In the picture storybook BEAUTIFUL BLACKBIRD, Bryan retells the fable of a time when Blackbird was the only bird in Africa to have black feathers. When all of the birds gathered, everyone agreed that Blackbird was the most beautiful bird of all and the other birds all wanted to have black marks on their bodies to be as beautiful as Blackbird. Blackbird agreed to create a magic brew to blacken parts of the other bird’s feathers, but Blackbird told them that it was on the inside that matters most. This traditional tale focuses on discovering inner beauty. Bryan’s simplistic paper cut-out illustrations provide a bright and visually appealing representation of the story without distracting from the message the story conveys. Children will delight in trying to create the steps to go along with the “Show Claws Slide” dance described in the story.
Thursday, February 7, 2008
Laura Vaccaro Seeger
Laura Vaccaro Seeger has an energetic and unique style of writing and illustrating her children’s picture books. Seeger, using simplistic text and illustrations, creates concept books for primary age children that clearly explain ideas such as feeling and colors, with examples such as:
In WALTER WAS WORRIED, Seeger clearly depicts children feeling such emotions as puzzlement, shock and delight as the weather changes outside from fog to lightning to snow. The reader will be amazed to discover that the letters spelling each featured emotion word are incorporated into the child’s facial features and expressions in the brightly colored, yet simplistic illustrations. This book will be one that children will enjoy exploring on their own after the read aloud is complete.
Seeger, Laura Vaccaro. 2004. LEMONS ARE NOT RED. Connecticut: Roaring Book Press. ISBN 1596430087
Seeger, Laura Vaccaro. 2005. WALTER WAS WORRIED. Connecticut: Roaring Book Press. ISBN 1596430680
Seeger, Laura Vaccaro. 2007. FIRST THE EGG. Connecticut: Roaring Book Press. ISBN 9781596432727
In WALTER WAS WORRIED, Seeger clearly depicts children feeling such emotions as puzzlement, shock and delight as the weather changes outside from fog to lightning to snow. The reader will be amazed to discover that the letters spelling each featured emotion word are incorporated into the child’s facial features and expressions in the brightly colored, yet simplistic illustrations. This book will be one that children will enjoy exploring on their own after the read aloud is complete. 
In LEMONS ARE NOT RED, Seeger examines the concept of identifying a correct item color with text and illustrations such as, “Carrots are not purple…Carrots are orange…Eggplants are purple.” The reader first sees the purple carrot and this provides and excellent opportunity to brainstorm items that could be purple and make predictions as to the color of a carrot. When the page is turned, the carrot cut-out “magically” flips to the correct color while providing and example of a purple item. This same test and illustration pattern repeats throughout the book and captivate the students.
In FIRST THE EGG, Seeger illustrates how different items progress, such as a seed to a flower and a tadpole to a frog. Seeger uses a simplistic cut-out illustration technique that magically transforms the item from such things as a caterpillar to a cocoon to a butterfly. The bright colors will keep the student’s focus as they make predictions as to what will come from the named item. With a unique twist, the book starts with the egg coming first to produce a chicken and ends with the chicken coming first to produce the egg. This would be a good way to introduce life cycles.
Seeger, Laura Vaccaro. 2004. LEMONS ARE NOT RED. Connecticut: Roaring Book Press. ISBN 1596430087
Seeger, Laura Vaccaro. 2005. WALTER WAS WORRIED. Connecticut: Roaring Book Press. ISBN 1596430680
Seeger, Laura Vaccaro. 2007. FIRST THE EGG. Connecticut: Roaring Book Press. ISBN 9781596432727
Pssst!
Rex, Adam. 2007. PSSST! New York: Harcourt. ISBN 9780152058173
Adam Rex writes and illustrates picture storybooks that will captivate the students and cause them to laugh out loud, while begging the reader to share the stories again and again. In PSSST!, Rex tells a story of a girl visiting a zoo and she is stopped by various animals and asked to bring back items such as tires, trashcans, and paint. After taking the money that the animals provide for the items, the main character returns to each animal to deliver the requested items. Students will be thrilled to see what the animals create with the items in the end. This energetic story provides a great opportunity to show how voice is used effectively in writing, as each animal has their own distinct style of talking. The brown pencil sketches creating the backgrounds makes the brightly painted characters pop out on the page, bringing the student’s focus to the characters and their expressions. Children will enjoy the “comic book format” as many pages have six panels of scenes taking place in the story.
Adam Rex writes and illustrates picture storybooks that will captivate the students and cause them to laugh out loud, while begging the reader to share the stories again and again. In PSSST!, Rex tells a story of a girl visiting a zoo and she is stopped by various animals and asked to bring back items such as tires, trashcans, and paint. After taking the money that the animals provide for the items, the main character returns to each animal to deliver the requested items. Students will be thrilled to see what the animals create with the items in the end. This energetic story provides a great opportunity to show how voice is used effectively in writing, as each animal has their own distinct style of talking. The brown pencil sketches creating the backgrounds makes the brightly painted characters pop out on the page, bringing the student’s focus to the characters and their expressions. Children will enjoy the “comic book format” as many pages have six panels of scenes taking place in the story.
New Pet
Yaccarino, Dan. 2001. NEW PET. New York: Hyperion Books for Children. ISBN 078680579XFrom the “Blast Off Boy and Blorp” series, NEW PET shows how one’s idea of a perfect pet might not be the same as someone else’s. Blast Off Boy and Blorp are exchange students are in need of companionship from a pet. Even while part of the story takes place in another universe, children can relate to the ideas of living in an unfamiliar place and having something you wanted turn out differently than expected. Will the pets that they are living with end up being “man’s best friend”? Yaccarino creates a delightfully humorous easy reader that kids will enjoy. Yaccarino does not create very deep characters, but with the simplistic plot, children will have no problem following the story from beginning to end. The bright cartoon illustrations with exaggerated expressions add meaning to the text and children will laugh out-loud as they study the pictures and read the story.
Wordless Picture Books
Wordless picture books create a story that is different for every reader and can vary greatly with every retelling. With illustrations to guide the story and depict the characters, setting, plot, and action, the reader will use their imagination to create the words and dialog that become the pieces of the story. Several illustrators create this type of story and they are an excellent source to use with all students, especially English Language Learners. This type of story allows the student to expand their oral language development as they make connections between vocabulary learned and images in the books. Two good examples of these stories to use include, but are not limited to:
Peter Sis, in SHIPS AHOY, shows a boy playing on the couch in his living room and how his imagination transforms the couch into a ship, submarine, or even a raft surrounded by a sleeping water monster (AKA the vacuum). These simple pencil sketches created mainly in blue and black allow the reader to bring their own colors for the scenes into their imaginations as they create the story that is taking place, creating an entrancing book.
Barbara Lehman creates a fast-paced adventure story in RAINSTORM, where a boy discovers a secret passage that takes him to a tropical island where the sun is shining and there are friends with which he can play. After returning home, he travels again towards the island children and brings them back to his world to play in his room. Children will be enchanted as they travel through the tunnel with the main character and experience the thrill of a new discovery. The bright and simplistic watercolor and ink illustrations bring life and power to the story, captivating the storyteller.
Lehman, Barbara. 2007. RAINSTORM. Boston: Houghton Mifflin. ISBN 9780618756391
Sis, Peter. 1999. SHIPS AHOY. New York: Greenwillow Books. ISBN 068816644X
Peter Sis, in SHIPS AHOY, shows a boy playing on the couch in his living room and how his imagination transforms the couch into a ship, submarine, or even a raft surrounded by a sleeping water monster (AKA the vacuum). These simple pencil sketches created mainly in blue and black allow the reader to bring their own colors for the scenes into their imaginations as they create the story that is taking place, creating an entrancing book.
Barbara Lehman creates a fast-paced adventure story in RAINSTORM, where a boy discovers a secret passage that takes him to a tropical island where the sun is shining and there are friends with which he can play. After returning home, he travels again towards the island children and brings them back to his world to play in his room. Children will be enchanted as they travel through the tunnel with the main character and experience the thrill of a new discovery. The bright and simplistic watercolor and ink illustrations bring life and power to the story, captivating the storyteller.Lehman, Barbara. 2007. RAINSTORM. Boston: Houghton Mifflin. ISBN 9780618756391
Sis, Peter. 1999. SHIPS AHOY. New York: Greenwillow Books. ISBN 068816644X
I Like Myself!
Beaumont, Karen. 2004. I LIKE MYSELF. Ill. by David Catrow. New York: Harcourt, Inc.. ISBN 0152020136
I LIKE MYSELF is a dynamic picture storybook that exemplifies positive self-esteem, where the main character likes every part of herself, from her hair to her toes and does not care what other people think. She likes the way she acts and thinks and does not want to change anything! Beaumont creates a powerful message to children, girls especially, that they should like ever thing about themselves, no matter how they are made. Catrow’s bright illustrations bring life and humor to this powerful story. The spirit and zaniness of the girl are revealed though her varied facial expressions, body language, and actions that Catrow creates using animated cartoon illustrations. Children will be captivated by both the story and the illustrations and will beg for this story to be told over and over again.
I LIKE MYSELF is a dynamic picture storybook that exemplifies positive self-esteem, where the main character likes every part of herself, from her hair to her toes and does not care what other people think. She likes the way she acts and thinks and does not want to change anything! Beaumont creates a powerful message to children, girls especially, that they should like ever thing about themselves, no matter how they are made. Catrow’s bright illustrations bring life and humor to this powerful story. The spirit and zaniness of the girl are revealed though her varied facial expressions, body language, and actions that Catrow creates using animated cartoon illustrations. Children will be captivated by both the story and the illustrations and will beg for this story to be told over and over again.
I am Too absolustely small for School
Child, Lauren. 2003. I AM TOO ABSOLUTELY SMALL FOR SCHOOL. Massachusets: Candlewick Press. ISBN 0763624039 (9780763624033)Child uses humor to create a believable story to which children can easily relate.
In the picture storybook, I AM TOO ABSOLUTELY SMALL FOR SCHOOL, Lola starts to become nervous about school starting and it’s up to her big brother Charlie to convince her that school is the place to be. Charlie counters all of Lola’s reasons for staying home with convincing arguments for going to school and eventually helps Lola get to school. Readers will laugh out loud as this story unfolds and enjoy seeing how Lola’s first day turns out. Child creates lively mixed media illustrations that are bright and engaging. Child veers from the traditional text placement in the story by having the words be different sizes, loop in circles, and vary in font styles, bringing energy and enthusiasm to every page. Engaging and fun, this is a book to use with students beginning school for the first time.
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Los Gatos Black on Halloween
Montes, Marisa. 2006. LOS GATOS ON HALLOWEEN. Ill. by Yuyi Morales. New York: Henry Holt and Company. ISBN 9780805074291
In the picture storybook, LOS GATOS ON HALLOWEEN, Montes uses mainly English text, with Spanish words and phrases inter-mixed. Most pages start with a Spanish word that the reader will easily be able to decode using the context clues and illustrations available. As each of the spooky Halloween characters start off, the suspense will rise as the reader anticipates their final destination. The reader will be delightfully surprised to find the story twists so that the monsters are terrified of the children. Montes creates a rhythmic chant that with rhyming line pairs that readers will enjoy performing. “Text meanders across the page, fitting itself around the shenanigans of fat witches, natty vampires and elegant corpses (Ellis).”
Winning the 2008 Pura Belpre award for illustrations, Morales uses dark colors and shadowing techniques to exemplify the eerie feelings of Halloween. Brighter colors come into the scene and lighten the mood for the monster ball. Each scene adds emphasis to the storylines being chanted. Readers will delight in this spooky Halloween tale and demand for it to be retold.
Reference:
Ellis, Sarah. 2006. New York Times Book Review. 43:18-19. Accessed on-line January 2008.
In the picture storybook, LOS GATOS ON HALLOWEEN, Montes uses mainly English text, with Spanish words and phrases inter-mixed. Most pages start with a Spanish word that the reader will easily be able to decode using the context clues and illustrations available. As each of the spooky Halloween characters start off, the suspense will rise as the reader anticipates their final destination. The reader will be delightfully surprised to find the story twists so that the monsters are terrified of the children. Montes creates a rhythmic chant that with rhyming line pairs that readers will enjoy performing. “Text meanders across the page, fitting itself around the shenanigans of fat witches, natty vampires and elegant corpses (Ellis).”
Winning the 2008 Pura Belpre award for illustrations, Morales uses dark colors and shadowing techniques to exemplify the eerie feelings of Halloween. Brighter colors come into the scene and lighten the mood for the monster ball. Each scene adds emphasis to the storylines being chanted. Readers will delight in this spooky Halloween tale and demand for it to be retold.
Reference:
Ellis, Sarah. 2006. New York Times Book Review. 43:18-19. Accessed on-line January 2008.
Friday, January 25, 2008
Charlotte's Web
White, E.B. 1952. CHARLOTTE’S WEB. Ill. by Garth Williams. New York: Scholastic. ISBN 059030271X
CHARLOTTE’S WEB is a traditional tale that teaches the lesson that friendship can come from unlikely places. In this story, Wilbur the pig is saved from an untimely death by two different friends, a girl and a spider. Charlotte, the spider, uses her web building skill to incorporate words, like “some pig”, about Wilbur in her web. Creating a stir over the pig, Wilbur becomes famous and taken to the fair. When Charlotte is left behind at the fair, Wilbur promises to look after her egg sac.
William’s simplistic pencil sketches add emphasis to the story, as they are intermingled with the text. The story contains energetic characters that touch the reader and bring sympathy for the situation that Wilbur is in. Reaching out to everyone as a friend, Wilbur inspires his friends to go the extra mile to help save his life. Even with the death of Charlotte at the end of the story, there is a “happily ever after” tone as Charlotte’s eggs hatch from the egg sac. Some of the spiderlings venture off into the world and others stay for Wilbur to look after in the barn.
Pairing the book with movie segments would be a good way to teach concepts such as setting and characterization. This book could also be paired with books about spiders to find the spider facts and fallacies in the story.
CHARLOTTE’S WEB is a traditional tale that teaches the lesson that friendship can come from unlikely places. In this story, Wilbur the pig is saved from an untimely death by two different friends, a girl and a spider. Charlotte, the spider, uses her web building skill to incorporate words, like “some pig”, about Wilbur in her web. Creating a stir over the pig, Wilbur becomes famous and taken to the fair. When Charlotte is left behind at the fair, Wilbur promises to look after her egg sac.
William’s simplistic pencil sketches add emphasis to the story, as they are intermingled with the text. The story contains energetic characters that touch the reader and bring sympathy for the situation that Wilbur is in. Reaching out to everyone as a friend, Wilbur inspires his friends to go the extra mile to help save his life. Even with the death of Charlotte at the end of the story, there is a “happily ever after” tone as Charlotte’s eggs hatch from the egg sac. Some of the spiderlings venture off into the world and others stay for Wilbur to look after in the barn.
Pairing the book with movie segments would be a good way to teach concepts such as setting and characterization. This book could also be paired with books about spiders to find the spider facts and fallacies in the story.
Monday, January 21, 2008
Library Lion
Knudsen, Michelle. 2006. LIBRARY LION. Ill. by Kevin Hawkes. Massachusetts: Candlewick Press. ISBN 0763622621
Who has ever heard of having a lion in your library? Rules, being very important to this library, are greatly enforced by the children’s librarian, Mrs. Merriweather. LIBRARY LION is a delightful tale that demonstrates how help can come from unlikely sources and that there are times when the strict “library rules” need to be broken.
Knudsen creates an engaging story that will be a perfect read aloud to demonstrate how rules are important, but there are times when they must be broken. Simple text and a light-hearted tone create a story to which even the youngest listener will respond and understand. Hawkes uses pencil sketches and acrylics to create pictures that are soft, “rich with expression, movement and detail (Vanca)”, which show that the lion is tender, caring, and not to be feared. Emotions, such as happiness, pride, caring, fear, sadness, and joy are clearly shown in the lion as he listens to the stories, helps out, saves his friends, leaves the library, and then returns to the place he loves best. Children will be captivated by the illustrations and story and eager to find out what is going to happen next.
Other books about libraries that would be good to share with students are:
THE SHELF ELF by Jackie Mims Hopkins ISBN 1932146164 (The library elf is watching to make sure that the boys and girls are following the library rules such as: returning books on time and putting books back where they belong.)
GOLDIE SOCKS AND THE THREE LIBEARIANS by Jackie Mims Hopkins ISBN 9781932146684 (A little girl finds a house of books and discovers books inside waiting to be explored. After choosing books that are “just right” for her, she searches for a place to read. When the libearians return, how will Goldie Socks be greeted?)
TOMAS AND THE LIBRARY LADY by Pat Mora ISBN 0679904018 (Thomas’ family travels to Iowa as migrant workers and Thomas enjoys hearing stories told by his grandfather. Thomas’ grandfather introduces him to the library, where Thomas finds amazing adventures in the pages of the books. This awakens a passion for books in Thomas that he will carry with him always.)
Reference:
Vanca, Lynn K. 2006. School Library Journal. 52 (August, 8): 91. Accessed on- ne January 2008.
Who has ever heard of having a lion in your library? Rules, being very important to this library, are greatly enforced by the children’s librarian, Mrs. Merriweather. LIBRARY LION is a delightful tale that demonstrates how help can come from unlikely sources and that there are times when the strict “library rules” need to be broken.
Knudsen creates an engaging story that will be a perfect read aloud to demonstrate how rules are important, but there are times when they must be broken. Simple text and a light-hearted tone create a story to which even the youngest listener will respond and understand. Hawkes uses pencil sketches and acrylics to create pictures that are soft, “rich with expression, movement and detail (Vanca)”, which show that the lion is tender, caring, and not to be feared. Emotions, such as happiness, pride, caring, fear, sadness, and joy are clearly shown in the lion as he listens to the stories, helps out, saves his friends, leaves the library, and then returns to the place he loves best. Children will be captivated by the illustrations and story and eager to find out what is going to happen next.
Other books about libraries that would be good to share with students are:
THE SHELF ELF by Jackie Mims Hopkins ISBN 1932146164 (The library elf is watching to make sure that the boys and girls are following the library rules such as: returning books on time and putting books back where they belong.)
GOLDIE SOCKS AND THE THREE LIBEARIANS by Jackie Mims Hopkins ISBN 9781932146684 (A little girl finds a house of books and discovers books inside waiting to be explored. After choosing books that are “just right” for her, she searches for a place to read. When the libearians return, how will Goldie Socks be greeted?)
TOMAS AND THE LIBRARY LADY by Pat Mora ISBN 0679904018 (Thomas’ family travels to Iowa as migrant workers and Thomas enjoys hearing stories told by his grandfather. Thomas’ grandfather introduces him to the library, where Thomas finds amazing adventures in the pages of the books. This awakens a passion for books in Thomas that he will carry with him always.)
Reference:
Vanca, Lynn K. 2006. School Library Journal. 52 (August, 8): 91. Accessed on- ne January 2008.
Good Masters! Sweet Ladies! Voices From A Medieval Village
Schlitz, Laura Amy. 2007. GOOD MASTERS! SWEET LADIES! VOICES FROM A MEDIEVAL VILLAGE. Ill. by Robert Byrd. Massachusets: Candlewick Press. ISBN 9780763615789
GOOD MASTERS! SWEET LADIES! VOICES FROM A MEDIEVAL VILLAGE is a book of short monologs and two skits for two actors, where the “spacious layout and generous font size facilitate readalouds (Bush).” Winning the 2008 Newbery medal, this book contains skits that portray the feelings and captures a small segment of the character’s life in the medieval village. Schlitz incorporates tid-bits of historical data and word meanings as side notes for each of the skits. Schlitz also interjects sections of historical background on topics such as crusades, pilgrimages, and falconry. “Her language is forceful, and learning slips in on the sly (Schwartz).” These skits would be an interesting way to teach the relationships that existed in these villages and explain how the class structure of the society worked. Many interesting discussions on the social relationships and social structures can be initiated through these skits.
Byrd’s simplistic illustrations portray a small segment of each skit. The penciled cartoon-like characters bring a fantasy or fairy-tale world quality to the stories. The tone of the illustrations is very melancholy, making the reader feel as if the medieval times being portrayed were not happy ones, which goes against the normal “rose colored” world that is often shown.
References:
Bush, Elizabeth. 2007. Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books. 61 (1): 51-52. Accessed on-line January 2008.
Schwartz, John. 2007. New York Times Book Review. 112 (50): 21. Accessed on-line January 2008.
GOOD MASTERS! SWEET LADIES! VOICES FROM A MEDIEVAL VILLAGE is a book of short monologs and two skits for two actors, where the “spacious layout and generous font size facilitate readalouds (Bush).” Winning the 2008 Newbery medal, this book contains skits that portray the feelings and captures a small segment of the character’s life in the medieval village. Schlitz incorporates tid-bits of historical data and word meanings as side notes for each of the skits. Schlitz also interjects sections of historical background on topics such as crusades, pilgrimages, and falconry. “Her language is forceful, and learning slips in on the sly (Schwartz).” These skits would be an interesting way to teach the relationships that existed in these villages and explain how the class structure of the society worked. Many interesting discussions on the social relationships and social structures can be initiated through these skits.
Byrd’s simplistic illustrations portray a small segment of each skit. The penciled cartoon-like characters bring a fantasy or fairy-tale world quality to the stories. The tone of the illustrations is very melancholy, making the reader feel as if the medieval times being portrayed were not happy ones, which goes against the normal “rose colored” world that is often shown.
References:
Bush, Elizabeth. 2007. Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books. 61 (1): 51-52. Accessed on-line January 2008.
Schwartz, John. 2007. New York Times Book Review. 112 (50): 21. Accessed on-line January 2008.
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