Amelia and Eleanor Go For A Ride by Pam Munoz Ryan-Author Study

Amelia and Eleanor Go For A Ride by Pam Munoz Ryan
I feel that this book has a unique sparkle to it. This book is based on a true story that includes Amelia Earhart visiting Eleanor Roosevelt at the White House for an elegant dinner. These two women were good friends and enjoyed visiting each other immensely. After Amelia mesmerized everyone at the dinner table with her flying experiences; Eleanor begged for more stories from the cockpit. Amelia gets the idea to fly to Baltimore and back to show Eleanor just what she experienced while in the plane. They leave their dinner and escape to the local airport and take a quick flight. Eleanor was elated to see the city lights twinkling in the moonlight from the sky. And just as they were returning to the White House from their night flight, Eleanor had the idea to show Amelia a significant aspect of her life-driving a car. It obviously doesn't seem like a big deal to us nowadays, but in 1933 it was considered unsafe and questionable for women to drive. So, needless to say the two women were on another travel adventure. They were back in time for dessert, though! I really enjoyed this book and would definitely recommend it to others. I liked how the author compared the two women and how she painted a picture of a fun friendship between the two. It is so neat to read a (mostly) true story about two very important women in history! Also a bonus in the back is a real photograph of Amelia and Eleanor in the airplane during their night flight

Falling Down the Page-Edited by Georgia Heard-Poetry

Falling Down the Page: A Book of List Poems Edited by Georgia Heard
I think this is a great book of poems presented in a unique way. The reader doesn't hold the book in the traditional way. It has to be held like a pad of paper and appears to look like the words are going/falling down the page. There are a few that are read like in the traditional manner of a book. But I think the mere fact that the reader has to hold the book in a different way can give the reader an enjoyable new sense of reading. Most of the poems are about school or school related events and they are all written in different ways. Some rhyme, some are very short, and many poems are written in what Georgia Heard calls "list poems." List poems are simple lists of words with a twist at the beginning or end to more complicated and detailed descriptive lists. The emphasis on lists comes from everyday life experience. Many people make lists, even kids do! Lists of what they want to do on summer vacation, lists of friends, list of favorite movies, etc. These poems are set up in a list format that is familiar to many people. I think this is a great book to have and to show students unique ways to craft a piece of writing!

A Box of Friends by Pam Munoz Ryan-Author Study

A Box of Friends by Pam Munoz Ryan
I found myself being drawn to this story as I read it. For some reason I could see myself in the main character in the story. This book is about a girl who moves to a new house by the beach with her parents and grandma. The girl feels nothing that surrounds her-the beach, the seagulls, her room, etc.- is familiar and is alos very sad that she does not have any friends here yet. Her grandma talks about keeping a box of friends to go to when she needs cheering up or wants to remember certain things. The grandma shows the girl everything that she keeps in her box that reminds her of her friends and good memories. The girl latches on to that idea of making a box of friends and realizes that she has a lot of memoralbilia she could actually add to it. In the end, the little girl ends up getting invited to a birthday party of a girl down the street. She was very worried about not knowing anyone or no one talking to her, but she also noticed that the invitation said she could bring a friend. Of course, she chose her grandma to accompany her to the party! I thoroughly enjoyed this book because the the box of friends sounds like something I have done before. I may not have moved to a new place where I didn't know anyone, but I definitely created a memory box before and loved opening them up and remembering great times with friends. It could be notes, a picture, a craft, or a toy. I loved how it was unique to me and my friends and how something so little could evoke so many smiles. I definitely would love to have this book!!

The Llama Who Had No Pajama by Mary Ann Hoberman-Poetry

The Llama Who Had No Pajama by Mary Ann Hoberman
This is a fun book to just page through if the reader is not in the mood to read a whole book. The reader can just read a couple poems if he or she wants to. There are poems for just about any topic. Poems for seasons, animals, insects, siblings, birthdays, and things in between. The majority of these poems rhyme, which makes it fun to read them out loud to another person. Some of these poems are funny and some are more lyrical. I did find one poem slightly interesting. It was titled Anthropoids and it is about these animals in the zoo and how they're related to people and how we share the same features. I am not trying to be nit-picky or be difficult, but I could see some people definitely not agreeing with this poem. But overall, I think the book is great and is a fun read.

You Read to Me, I'll Read to You by Mary Ann Hoberman-Poetry

Read to Me, I'll Read to You by Mary Ann Hoberman

I really enjoyed reading this book! I think it would have been more fun if I was reading it with a child though. This is a book about reading and it works really well when you read it with a partner. It is written in such a way that one person reads one line, and then the other reader takes his turn reading the “response” part. It can totally be read independently, but I think kids would love the “back and forth” aspect of the book. It has a lot of rhyming words and the illustrations are very fun to look at. There are cats reading books about mice, raccoons reading a newspaper, and big scary dogs sitting with cats and reading book. I also like how each part of the poem/story is printed in different colors. One person could say they are reading the purple part and the other reader could say they are reading the red part and when they come to the blue parts, they can read them at the same time. I think this would be a great book to have and encourages reading together as a social experience!!

The Bug in Teacher's Coffee and other School Poems by Kalli Dakos

The Bug in Teacher's Coffee and other school poems by Kalli Dakos
This is a short and fun introduction book to poetry. The poems in this book all relate to something with school and would probably be humorous to kids as well. There are poems where the point of view is taken from a pencil, goldfish, or ants. The poems are short so a student can read a couple at a time or the whole book in one sitting. The book also includes some of the poems that are shaped what they are talking about (like the apple poem we talked about in class). All in all a fun book!

The Super Hungry Dinosaur by Martin Waddell

The Super Hungry Dinosaur by Martin Waddell
This is a cute story about how The Super Hungry Dinosaur is on the hunt for something to eat. He stumbles upon this boy named Hal and exclaims he's going to eat him and his family. Hal stands up to him and refuses to let The Super Hungry Dinosaur scare him. The Super Hungry Dinosaur says he will then have to eat his dog, Billy. Hal ends up tying the dinosaur up with the hose and asks The Super Hungry Dinosaur gives up yet. In the end The Super Hungry Dinosaur helps Hal clean up the mess he made, but still says he's hungry. Hal's family ends up making the dinosaur some food and The Super Hungry Dinosaur becomes The Super Full Dinosaur. I think kids might see this as somewhat of a "hero" story, the way Hal saves his family and dog, and I think kids will probably just like the fact that a dinosaur is living among humans in the story. An enjoyable read!

Plantzilla by Jerdine Nolen

Plantzilla by Jerdine Nolen
I am not sure exactly what my opinion is on this book. This story is basically an exchange of handwritten or typed letters between and student, his parents and his teacher. This young boy wants to bring home to class plant for the summer and his teacher thinks that is a great idea. He says, "When you give a living thing love, you just never know where it will lead.." But to me, I thought the young boy in the story was developing an unhealthy relationship with the plant. The boy cared for it so much that he didn't even want to go outside and play because that would mean being away from the plant. The letters he writes to his teacher just praise how great Plantzilla is and how much of a difference that it makes in his life. It's possible the author could definitely be using some humor in the story (along with the illustrations) to portray the events. Also, students probably would not analyze the relationship between the plant and the boy as much as adults would, but i still found it a little strange. I do applaud the illustrations, they are pretty funny!

Mr. Putter and Tabby Spill the Beans by Cynthia Rylant

Mr. Putter and Tabby Spill the Beans
I would say this is a mini- chapter book that would give students good chances to predict certain events that occur throughout the book. It seems like Mr. Putter and Tabby are a series of books with different topics. This particular story is about how Mr. Putter's neighbor, Mrs. Teaberry, talks him into taking a cooking class about 100 different ways to cook beans. They both own pets and brought them with them to the class. The instructor gets to about the 14th way to cook beans, and their pets start to get restless. Needless to say one of the animals tips over a table and the beans go flying. I thought this was a fun story and can see a lot of students getting a kick out of the humorous parts, such as beans flying everywhere and a table getting tipped.

Love that Dog by Sharon Creech

Love that Dog by Sharon Creech
I really enjoyed this book! I could really sense the conversation between the student and the teacher, even though the reader is only seeing the written responses of the boy. I also liked it because it seemed like an honest and authentic experience that could happen in a kid's life. Even though I thought the part about Sky getting hit by a car was terribly sad (and reminded me about my past pets), I thought a lot of kids could either relate or imagine how that event could have a certain impact on their life. I loved how the boy was supposed to write poetry, but when the book is read out loud it sounds like more of a journal (at least it does to me). Just from reading this book, I know I would want to be a teacher who is similar to Mrs. Stretchberry because she really encourages him in his work; but doesn't push too hard when it comes to certain issues. I also started reading this with a group of kids I work with after school, and they loved it! They even read some of the poems that were in the back out loud and we had some small discussions after it. I definitely would have this book in my classroom.

More Pocket Poems by Bobbi Katz

More Pocket Poems- selected by Bobbi Katz -Poetry
This book contains many poems about many different topics, specifically the seasons. The poems are very short, but tell a fun story along with the illustrations. The poems are written in a more "traditional" type, with rhyming words and such. I think this could be a great introduction to poetry for younger students or could be used as a read a loud. Also in the the back there is a note from the author and she endorses "Poem in your Pocket Day." She has received feedback from teachers from the earlier book called, "Pocket Poems." The teachers really felt that these books were great for introducing poetry through "A Poem in your Pocket Day." I did a little research about that event a found a cool website from the NYC government and how they are celebrating poetry all throughout the month of April and encourage everyone to carry a poem in their pocket and pull it out and read it whenever possible. I thought this was such a cool idea to incorporate into a community or a classroom. I think so many things can be learned from poetry and it can be a valuable tool and outlet for many students. The website is: http://www.nyc.gov/html/poem/html/home/home.shtml

A Haitian Story of Hope-Selavi by Youme

A Haitian Story of Hope by Youme
This book is on a considerably different level as a children's book. I believe it has a social justice theme to it as well. The story concentrates on a boy (who names himself Selavi-meaning "that's life") who is homeless on the streets of Haiti. He eventually stumbles upon another street kid who offers him a family of some sorts. He is part of group of street kids who stick together and bring home food or money or whatever they can so they can all share with each other. This book is on a different level than other children's books because of the stark reality a children's book like this has, especially in light of the recent earthquake that happened there. I have to admit, sometimes my first thought that comes to mind when i read "socially charged" children's literature, I know the author is trying to illustrate a point and at first it seems very biased. But I think it's what you do with what you're reading is the most important thing. I don't think the author is "sugarcoating" what life is like in Haiti at all. I think many of us don't want to believe life can be that hard or that difficult, especially for children. These kids are having their families taken away, shelters burned to the ground and basically kicked to the curb. I think books like these are important tools to spur discussions about what is happening in the world and can bring a new perspective to others.

One Hundred is a Family by Pam Munoz Ryan-Author Study

One Hundred is a Family by Pam Munoz Ryan
This book is much more than a counting and rhyming story. It really resembles a true community of people who are a part of each other's lives and how our actions have effects on each other as well. Although it is a counting and rhyming book, the numbers really represent what some consider a "family." Whether it's a young couple having their first child, ten people cheering on their baseball players, or 40 people working hard to harvest their crops. I think it really shows how interconnected we all are in the world. The book begins with one young boy who is moving to a new home and the book ends with that same one boy who is helped by the circle of community that is surrounded by him. After the book gets to the number 10, it starts counting by 10's, which is a nice feature. =) All in all I really liked the theme of this book and it is a great expression of community.

Lines that Wiggle by Candace Whitman

Lines that Wiggle by Candace Whitman
This book has numerous elements that made it enjoyable. It is primarily a rhyming book about how lines are found everywhere we look. Another aspect that makes it neat is one word on every page is written in cursive and covered with a tactile element-like a glitter glue substance. I found myself wanting to trace the glitter glue around the page, so I can imagine young students wanting to do the same. The illustrations are extremely colorful and visually stimulating so I think that is another major plus for this book. I think it is a little young for the age group I'm aiming to teach, but it still can be a great book to keep on hand!

Night of the Veggie Monster by George McClements

Night of the Veggie Monster by George McClements
This is a short but sweet book about a boy who overexaggerates in his reaction to eating peas (or any vegetable for that matter). It also has the view from the parents of the boy. They have somewhat of a sarcastic tone which is humorous. They comment on his "performance" of turning into the veggie monster and applauding especially "the toe curling" effect peas have on him. The author also uses real pictures of food as compared to the sketch -looking drawings of the people and tables. I think this book would be a good one to introduce to young kids about vegetables and turn the whole process into a somewhat humorous one.

Mice and Beans by Pam Munoz Ryan-Author Study

I absolutely loved this book! I felt like the story did a good job drawing the reader in and the illustrations were very colorful!! This story is about Rosa, a grandmother, who is planning her granddaughter’s birthday party. She goes to great lengths to make sure all the details are set. The book gives a day to day run-down of the things she has to get done and prepare for the party. She has to cook a meal for many people, get a piñata ready and get all the decorations ready. But throughout the story she feels like there’s someone else helping her or things are moved from their place where she originally put them. Rosa disregards it because she is so busy cooking and planning! She has a saying, “When there’s room in the heart, there’s room in the house…except for a mouse.” Also throughout the story she keeps setting mouse traps to keep the potential mice away from her house and food. After the big fiesta, Rosa realizes the mice that inhabited her place were actually helping her all along. She embraces the fact that they are living among her and she even changed her little saying. “When there’s room in the heart, there’s room in the house…even for a mouse. I also really liked how the author incorporated some Spanish phrases into the story to really enhance the Spanish feeling of the book. The description of a big noisy family gathering sounds so inviting after reading this story! (Also, on the back cover there is a recipe for the rice and beans that is a part of the meal that Rosa cooks in the story..added bonus!)

Mud is Cake by Pam Munoz Ryan-Author study

I really enjoyed this picture book by Pam Munoz Ryan. I loved the stories and mental images she created with children’s novels such as Esperanza Rising and Becoming Naomi Leon; but reading a picture book written by her is great because the reader can actually see the fun and imaginative pictures the author is trying to connect the reader with. I liked how she really tapped into a child’s imagination by pretending things are not really what they are. Lines such as, “Mud is cake if you pretend and don’t really take a bite. And juice is tea with a fairy queen if you act it out just right.” It really shows the depths and endless boundaries of what kids can imagine. One thing I noticed about the way she wrote the book is she omitted the word “a” when describing what a thing can be. For example she writes, “Can is phone when someone hopes to hear the latest news. And couch is store when you display a variety of shoes.” I think the way she writes it adds certain uniqueness to the story as well

Riding Freedom by Pam Munoz Ryan

Riding Freedom by Pam Munoz Ryan-Author Study
This book was based on the true story of Charlotte Darkey Parkhurst, became known as a top-notch horse rider, a preferred stagecoach driver, and the first woman to vote in the state of California and possibly the United States. This fictional novel spans some of the highlights of Charlotte, "Charley,"(and Ryan includes some of her own imaginative ideas in the story) and her love and passion for riding horses, and her unending determination she has inside her. Charlotte was given to an orphanage when her parents died in a horse accident and she was the only one to survive out of it. Her only interest in the orphanage became the horses and she soon beat all the boys in the orphanage in the horse races. She felt so stifled at the orphanage, she decided to run away. She did not exactly have a plan; but she knew she needed out of there. Charlotte covered her tracks well for the most part and when she reached her first destination, she knew she was chasing freedom! She dressed like a man for most of her life because no passengers would want or trust a woman driving their stagecoach to their destinations. The ending of the story (whether it is a true event or part of what Ryan added) is heartwarming and includes the visit to her ranch in California by her only orphanage friend Charlotte had. I really enjoyed this book because it really held my interest in the events of what was happening. It even touches upon politics because of her being a woman disguised as a man, who also votes (who they later find out she's a woman). I loved the fierce determination Charlotte possessed to change her world and fight for what she believed. I would have liked to have more substance to the ending. I would have liked to hear more what her life was like; but I know the author tried to keep the book to an appropriate length for the intended age of her readers. Overall a great read and I would love to have it in my classroom!

Becoming Naomi Leon by Pam Munoz Ryan

Becoming Naomi Leon by Pam Munoz Ryan
I chose this book because it is written by the author I chose to study for this course. I really enjoyed this book, but I thought it did lack somewhat of a climax for the story. This book is basically about a young girl and her brother who are raised by their great-grandmother. I can see a lot of young girls relating to this story because of the life changes Naomi, the main character, goes through and how she develops. The story chronicles Naomi's life and her endless need to write lists down. Whether they be about her favorite words or more sentimental things such as family. Probably the most "turbulent" times in the book are when Naomi's mom comes back into her life (after leaving them with her grandma) and wants to claim the kids back. It is definitely rewarding to see that the great-grandma wins in the end because that is what is best for Naomi and her brother; but at the same time it is hard to see (probably because this happens in real life as well) families split up because of poor life choices. Also another highlight of this story was when the whole family (Great-grandma, Naomi and her brother Owen) and their neighbors take a holiday vacation to Oaxaca, Mexico. Naomi ends up meeting her father whom she hasn't seen since she was a very young child. The experiences and visualizations the author can create in the reader's mind are very vivid and caused me to want to go there and see what Naomi was experiencing too!

Year of Impossible Goodbyes by Sook Nyul Choi

Year of Impossible Goodbyes by Sook Nyul Choi
This book is the other half of our paired text sets to compare and contrast different perspectives of the same event. Specifically, we are to discuss how war and tragedy is felt from a child's point of view. I was not a good student of history when i was in elementary school. But when I read this book (and the other paired text) I felt like I could understand a bit better about the war and a little bit of what families were going through. This story is about a Korean family living in Korea while the Japanese were in occupation. All throughout the book I did not want to believe that families were going through this. I could not understand living under the scrutiny of such a government. One part that was heartbreaking to read was before the Grandfather died, he asked Sookan to rub his feet with lemon oil. She never saw her grandfather's feet and when she looked at them, she realized that he didn't have any toenails. She connected that with the stories she remembers hearing about the Japanese cruelty. I think another challenging thing when reading the paired texts is that we are always looking for a "good guy" and "bad guy." But when someone reads these stories, the concepts of heroes and villans gets complicated. In this story the Japanese are "in charge" and ruling over the Koreans in their home country. In So Far From the Bamboo Grove, the Koreans were prejudiced against the Japanese who were in Korea. It is clear how war can complicate someone's schema of how things should play out in life. I've obviously learned that reading a book is so much more than just taking in a story; it can bring a rich perspective of a true human experience.

When Marian Sang by Pam Munoz Ryan

When Marian Sang by Pam Munoz Ryan
I chose this book because it is more of a "picture book" by the author I chose to concentrate on. This book definitely stands apart from so many children's books I have read so far. The first thing I noticed when I opened up the book was the brown and gold color hues the author and illustrator choose to use. From the title, the reader can possibly gather that this book is going to be about a singer. Appropriately one of the first pages is a picture of an empty stage, with a few people in the audience. The next page is juxtaposed somewhat. The outer sections of the pages show people in a balcony, as if watching a show; and in the middle-on the stage- is a picture of a little girl in the window of a brick building with a soft glow on her-as if to give the message to the reader that she is singing. This story basically chronicles Marian Anderson's life from childhood until achieving her dreams as a professional singer. Not only are the illustrations spectacular, this story also could open up many discussions regarding prejudice (even though Marian is a phenomenal singer, she experiences much prejudice for the color of her skin when performing). This story has a happy ending for Marian as she sings on stage for the Metropolitan Opera. I haven't even heard of Marian Anderson, but I feel that I have had a good introduction to her because of this book. The last few pages of the book (appropriately called "encore"), gave some background from the author and illustrator regarding Marian's life and their passion for telling her story.

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