Final Reflection...

I am in awe of how fast time has gone by in this class!!! I have learned so many valuable skills and tools to take to my future classroom. One main thing that resonates with me is the mere significance of having books with varying topics available to students. I always knew books were an important literary tool, but now I can see how they can be used to address topics such as war, as with our paired texts, or possibly invite significant discussion and viewpoints as with The Giver. I am so glad that there is a class that focuses primarily on reading children's literature. If we are to be prepared as teachers, we will need to know what is out there and available to students. I think it is a valuable thing to be aware of what kids are reading to be able to stay as current and relevant as possible with them. I have developed a new appreciation for children's literature and believe that I have acquired skills to analyze children's books as well. Anything from observing the dust jacket of a book to analyzing the quality of a well-written book -these are just a few of the many useful skills I will take away from this class. I have thoroughly enjoyed this class and will intentionally implement these strategies in my future classroom.

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.

Glogster

http://ashleyatiowa.glogster.com/ashleysglog/

Not Afraid of Dogs by Susanna Pitzer

Not Afraid of Dogs by Susanna Pitzer
The first thing I noticed about this book was the ironic cover. The title says 'Not Afraid of Dogs,' but it shows a little boy trying to climb a lampost where there is a group of dogs waiting to cross the street. Daniel, the main character, claims he is a very brave boy. He says he is not afraid of spiders, snakes, or thunderstorms...but when it comes to dogs, he says he's not afraid of them...he just doesn't like them. Throughout the story is shows Daniel avoiding dogs whenever he saw them. What I really like about this story is the ending. It shows Daniel really facing his apprehension about dogs when he takes care of a scared dog during a thunderstorm. I think kids will enjoy the story and be able to make accurate predictions about what might happen. By bringing up this book, I can see a lot of conversations about animals and fear happening in the classroom.

Click, Clack, Moo Cows That Type by Doreen Cronin

Click, Clack, Moo Cows That Type by Doreen Cronin

This is another enjoyable and humorous book by the same author of Giggle, Giggle, Quack. This story is about cows who type notes of requests to their farmer. The cows request electric blankets and "go on strike" (not producing milk) and the farmer types a letter back (clearly the cows can read, too!) demanding milk and that this is outrageous that cows are asking for blankets. Basically the duck from the farm is supposed to be a mediator and give the typewriter back to the farmer, but instead takes it to the other ducks and they start typing up requests. I love the little twists of humor in this book and could even add to discussions about animals and their different habitats and environments. I would definitely love this book in my classroom or home!

Giggle, Giggle, Quack by Doreen Cronin

Giggle, Giggle, Quack by Doreen Cronin
This book is a humorous story about farm animals who are left in the care of the farmer's brother, who of course does not know the first thing about the mischievious nature of the animals. The farmer left notes for the brother about what to do for the animals while he is away on travel. What the brother doesn't know is the animal switched the notes for things they wanted-like pizza, bubblebaths and other outrageous requests. I enjoyed the witty humor of the story and the predictable lines such as Giggle, Giggle, Quack. The illustrations enhance the story greatly and it is fun to be able to see how the animals are tricking the brother.

So Far From the Bamboo Grove by Yoko Kawashima Watkins

So Far From the Bamboo Grove by Yoko Kawahima Watkins
I can not believe how much I learned by reading this book. It was not only a consuming book, but it truly gave some perspective of a war that really happened and true events that a real person has experienced. I never really remembered much in history class about WWII, so reading this book was like learning about it all over again (and less about memorizing dates and facts). Even simple things such as remembering where Japan and Korea are related geographically came to be such an easier thing because I was reading it in context and it made sense from the perspective of the author. I was so moved by the events of the story and definitely connected with the story in an emotional way. At the same time I immediately detached myself in a way from the characters because I did not want to believe that something so evil could take place, or that actual human beings were capable of possessing that much resiliency. Personally I have never experienced tragedy like this, and just reading about the driven determination of the mother and older sister to find shelter and food and simple necesseties for them and Little One was just overwhelming. It's true that we never really know what we are made of until strong adversity comes into our lives. This is a book that contains such a powerful and necessary topic to discuss, but I know I would be so hesitant to discuss it in my class because of the horrors of war and the obvious sensitivity of other topics that the book touches upon.

Midterm Reflection Statement

This class has been a refreshing "escape" from the typical education classes that are required. It is so fun to read children's books and to reflect on them. Not only is it fun to relive a little bit of childhood..it's necessary to read children's books because we are going to have to be knowledgeable about them for our classroom in the near future! It is overwhelming to think about how many literary resources are out there for the classroom, though. I also am confident in the fact that as technology changes, we have to change with it in order to stay relevant in education and with our students. I like that we have blogs incorporated into our assignments and how unexpectedly we get to discover what glogs are and learn how to use them and how they can be an alternative way to presenting information. I'm excited (and a little nervous) to use them in my future classroom! I also have been enjoying our class discussions about the books and the topics they deal with, even if there is no obvious conclusion. This class is teaching me how to analyze children's books with a critical, yet open minded view.

The Fourth Wise Man (based on the story by Henry Van Dyke) retold by Susan Summers

The Fourth Wise Man-based on the story by Henry Van Dyke
retold by Susan Summers and illustrated by Jackie Morris

I chose this as a controversial book because of it not only its religious theme, but also the idea of there being a fourth wise man instead of only three. This was the first time I have heard of this account of there being another wiseman, but regardless of religious belief I think this is a great story. The 'other wiseman', Artaban, was supposed to meet up with the other 3 men to take gifts to the one they believed was the King of Kings. But when he was on his way to meet them he gets stopped by different events where he had to help people. The other men continue on without him. In the traditional account of the 3 wise man, the men encounter Jesus as a baby and offer their precious gifts. But with Artaban, he continues to seek where Jesus would be and doesn't discover him until he is about to be crucified. What I really enjoy about this story is when Artaban is stopped along the way in his journey, he helps people regardless of their race, family, or economic status. I thought it was a great story about humility as well. I thought the illustrations were very culturally relevant to that time period and I also like the way the pages and text were set up. The pictures and illustrations took up most of the room and the text is set off to the side of the page so more can be visualized about the story.

Good Morning China by Hu Yong Yi

Good Morning China by Hu Yong Yi
This book was an enjoyably simple book to read. Each page had about one sentence on it, but it was the illustrations that truly showed a glimpse of life in a community in China. There were definitely similarities that kids could relate well such as 'riding bikes', or 'playing cards,' and there are other activities that are unique to the Chinese community. Activities such as 'pushing hands', 'doing tai chi', or 'sitting by a lotus pond.' I think it's a great starter discussion for other cultures and what's similar or unique to them. It's very possible that as future teachers we will have students from China and if they're willing and know much about what is talked about in the book, the students could elaborate on these activities. There's also an awesome pop-out page at the end of the book that shows all the activites that the people are doing. I would definitely love to have this book in my classroom!

Cinderella Skeleton by Robert D. San Souci

Cinderella Skeleton by Robert D. San Souci and illustrated by David Catrow

This book is a twisted and somewhat morbid retelling of the Cinderella fairytale. I thought this book was funny and had a humorous take on the traditional tale. It’s basically the same idea of Cinderella but it’s just with skeletons and takes place in a graveyard. Instead of Cinderella Skeleton cleaning all the time, her stepmother had her spread dust everywhere, put cobwebs up in the corners, and fed the bats that lived with them. I also thought the illustrations really made the book come alive with the reader. The pictures show how frail and somewhat decrepit the skeletons were with their sunken in eyes, bony fingers, and other skeleton like features. Instead of losing a glass slipper at the end of the night, Cinderella Skeleton snaps off her foot and hobbles away. The prince (Charnel) goes from skeleton to skeleton to see if it fits on any of the ladies (they all snap off their foot to test the fit). It ends with Cinderella Skeleton and the Prince lived happily ever after and her step-sisters dissolved into dust. I think kids would really enjoy this (somewhat creepy) book because of the unique twist on the traditional story, vibrant illustrations, and the witty rhyming that the author uses throughout the book.

Tiny and Hercules by Amy Schwartz

Tiny and Hercules by Amy Schwartz

The first thing I noticed on the cover of this book was the arrows that pointed from the names to the characters. Tiny is the name of the elephant and Hercules is the name of the mouse. I liked the subtle irony that the author presents with these characters. This book is divided up into mini “chapters” that Hercules and Tiny deal with. Some of the different situations are learning how to ice-skate for a birthday party, taking an art class, making a lemonade stand, and knitting a sweater for each other. I was actually surprised at the amount of text that is actually in this book, so I think this book would make a good read aloud for younger kids and for kids that are a little older (about 7-8 years old) it would be a fine independent book. I thought it was a sweet book that demonstrated loyalty and friendship and the fun (and sometimes trouble) that these friends had.

Rainy Day! by Patricia Lakin

This is an enjoyable book about friends enjoying a rainy day together. I liked this book because the characters names rhyme (Sam, Pam, Will, and Jill) and young kids can definitely follow characters in a book when they rhyme, and it follows Sam, Pam, Will, and Jill through their rainy day adventures. They end up at a mini-golf park where they meet a dog who wants to play baseball-all while it’s still raining! When they finally decide to get out of the rain, they go to the library where they cozy up with some good books and dry off. I liked this book because it reminded me of my childhood when I would play out in the rain, and how much more fun it seemed because of the rain. This author also wrote about these same characters in Snow Day! and Beach Day!

I never knew your name by Sherry Garland

I Never Knew Your Name by Sherry Garland
I chose this book for another one of my controversial books to read. It is a fairly simple read but it has a heavy message. It deals with a nameless narrator who notices another young boy who is always alone. At the end of the story it reveals that the young boy who is always alone committs suicide. I feel like this book can lead discussions in many different ways. It can bring up topics such as being a friend and reaching out to people, feeling and being alone, what suicide means etc. I was surprised when the age level of interest was 5-8. This topic seemed a little abstract maybe for children that age? But, at the same time it seems like there are more and more younger kids coming close or actually committing suicide in the news. I think this book would be a useful tool to bring up if the situation arises. I'm not sure if I would keep this book as a "free read" or not in my classroom library.

Cowboy Camp by Tammi Sauer

Cowboy Camp by Tammi Sauer
I thought this was a sweet story of the underdog coming out on top! It starts off with this boy going to cowboy camp, but quickly learned he does not fit the classic "cowboy mold." He is allergic to horses, hates the cowboy food, and can't lasso because he gets rope burn. Just as he is starting to feel like he was not meant to be a real cowboy, he has to outsmart a local outlaw cowboy to protect the rest of the cowboy camp and his leader. In the end, he is congratulated on his bravery and he feels like an 'honest to goodness' cowboy. I liked this simple story because I enjoy the unexpectedness of it. It starts off with having to overcome many odds, but after a chance to really prove what a person is made of can change the outlook on oneself. I also liked it because the author uses fun words such as 'buckaroo', 'y'all', and 'rustlin rattlesnakes'. =)

Hush Harbor by Freddi Williams Evans

Hush Harbor by Freddi Williams Evans
I thought this book could also fall under a controversial category. I think it would fall under that category because of the religious and even historical elements to this story. Hush Harbor is about a story of slaves who escape to worship God and pray in secret. They obviously had to be secretive about it because if they were found singing and praying they would be beaten or sold by their slaveowner. It definitely deals with some stressful situations, especially for the young boy who has to be on the lookout for people who are trying to catch the slaves breaking their rules. It also deals with obvious prejudice too-if the slaves wanted to attend church, it had to be at a white church and adhere to the "white way" of attending church. That meant no singing or praying loudly like they would in at Hush Harbor. I really liked the book because it portrays a slice of history that is difficult but necessary to read. I like to think I would include this in my classroom to introduce some tough issues to students in a tangible and literary focus.

The Misfits by James Howe

The Misfits by James Howe
I went into this book not really knowing anything about it and it was sort of enjoyable to not have any expectations about the characters or plots of the story. I do remember as I was reading this book that I was slightly stunned at first with the strong and straightforward language used by the characters in the story. (Although, I think it probably represents a lot of today's youth and their thoughts and how they speak) Even though I thought this book was well written, I would like to see how teachers use this piece of literature in their classroom. Do they use this book to bring attention to the issue of bullying or homosexuality or is it just a simple piece of literature in their classroom. As a teacher I think I would be more apprehensive approaching this book in the classroom than the students would be. Sometimes students can just take certain issues in a stride and not make too big of a deal about them, but i definitely also think there are times when there should be intentional discussions related to sensitive issues such as these. The dialogue way of writing was not my favorite part of the book, but it really gave the reader an impression of the characters. (I thought it was funny when Skeezie talked about the waiters-hellomynameis... and I also wonder how relatable a 12 year old working in a clothing store is...) I was truly rooting for the No-Name party towards the end of the book. I just loved how they banded together and were truly committed to their cause and believed in it wholeheartedly.

Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak

Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak
I chose this book for one of my controversial books to analyze. I'm not sure what I expected to read when I picked this book up, but I didn't initially see anything that struck me as controversial. I think if a kid is to read this he/she isn't going to all of a sudden have a huge temper tantrum or immediately cause "mischief." (at least that is what I heard was controversial about this book.) As an adult I probably pick up different aspects of the story than a child would. As adults, I think we also tend to look for the "big picture" in the books. Overall this book has a main character who is creating mischief and sent to bed without supper and then goes to faraway places in his imagination. Maybe overall I could see how some people might be skeptical about this book because of the defiance and temper of the child; but as a whole I think most kids would enjoy the wild imagination of the child and the "happy ending" of the boy coming home to a supper that is still hot.

Sugar Cane A Caribbean Rapunzel by Patricia Storace

Sugar Cane A Caribbean Rapunzel by Patricia Storace

I have never read the "original" Rapunzel, but I really enjoyed this Caribbean version. I felt like I got swept away in the story when the author writes about the essential story elements for a fairytale. The author writes about the classic good vs. evil and the hero characters. One thing I thought was interesting about this story is that Sugar Cane is taught all these different academic subjects and fine arts through "spirit teachers" that were brought back from the dead by her "keeper." Normally in fairytales the princess is just held captive and not allowed to do anything, but in this version she still is not allowed to leave the premises but she was well educated by her teachers. It also had a classic happily ever after ending which definitely had a Caribbean feel to it.

Tupelo Rides the Rails by Melissa Sweet

Tupelo Rides the Rails by Melissa Sweet
This book included a lot of visual in the forms of colorful illustrations and the occasional fold out pages that have text and pictures on it. Even though the illustrations and pictures were very attractive, I thought the story was kind of melancholy. It's basically about a dog who longs for someone to own him. He stumbled upon a group of dogs who were wishing on the star Sirius (which is the 'big dog' star according to them). They were all burying their bones and "offering" them to Sirius in order to have their wishes granted. All the dogs basically get their wishes granted but Tupelo is left to ride the trains by himself to a different town. The story does redeem itself at the end when a local hobo adopts Tupelo. The hobo and Tupelo seem to actually have some things in common, like neither one has a permanent place to call home and need that one person-or dog to go through life with. The book has an obvious star reference so the author includes some fun star facts related to dogs to enhance the story. I feel like this story could cause students to really empathize with Tupelo and how he feels.

The Coconut Monk by Thich Nhat Hanh

The Coconut Monk by Thich Nhat Hanh

I chose this book as one of my controversial books because of some of the heavy content it addresses. It's basically about a man in Vietnam who choses a more peaceful way of life during a time and place where war and violence are happening at an alarming rate. Some of the heavy content and images include images of war and imprisonment and other disturbing content. I actually really liked this book because it promoted peace and not retaliation and revenge, even when The Coconut Monk gets put in jail for attempting to talk to the president about his peaceful demonstrations. He also promotes peaceful lifestyles by demonstrating how the cat and the mouse get along. I could see how this story could potentially lead to some heavy conversations in the classroom regarding events like war and violence. Even if it doesn't lead to an indepth conversation in the classroom; reading a book like this can show cultural relevancy to the students because situations like these happen in the world.

Beware of the Storybook Wolves by Lauren Child

Beware of the Storybook Wolves by Lauren Child
There are so many enjoyable elements to this book! First, the visuals really stand out in this story. They are colorful and really creative. There are different sized texts on various pages, sometimes they're in cursive, and sometimes they are different sizes. It really adds personality and emotion to the story. I like the different twists about the "big bad wolves" from various fairytales. These two different wolves "come alive" from Herb's, the main character, and he has to cleverly figure out a way to get them back to their home, in the storybook. Although I felt that this story was somewhat sporadic with all the characters in unconventional roles, I thought it was a humorous and fun story to share with kids.

Saying Goodbye to Lulu by Corinne Demas

Saying Goodbye to Lulu by Corinne Demas and illustrated by Ard Hoyt
I admit it. This book did bring tears to my eyes. It definitely reminded me of the many memories I have with the dogs that I grew up with as a kid. Just the title suggests what the story is about. It mainly focuses on how this young girl deals with saying goodbye to her dog, essentially dealing with death. I thought it was well-written and appropriate because a lot of times children's first experience with death is with a pet. The young girl talked about how Lulu started to move really slow, losing her vision, and just sleeping all day. The girl wasn't surprised at the death of Lulu but sad nonetheless. It talked about how it was ok to be sad and cry over Lulu. The mother in the story suggested that they plant something where Lulu was buried to celebrate the memory of her. The story also deals with getting a new pet and how bittersweet it can be. I think books that deal with subjects like this are valuable to open up discussions about life and death with young children; but not in an overwhelming and scary way.

Snow in Jerusalem by Deborah da Costa

Snow in Jerusalem by Deborah da Costa and illustrated by Cornelius Van Wright and Ying-Hwa Hu
I really enjoyed this book mostly for the cultural perspective and symbolic storyline. The story takes place in Jerusalem, which is divided into different sections such as the Muslim, Jewish, Christian, and Armenian section. There are two boys from two different religous backgrounds who are unknowingly taking care of the same cat. One boy decides he is going to follow the cat to see where it goes. He stumbles upon another young boy in a different section of town who is feeding the cat. Neither boy is happy about each other and argue who the cat belongs to. On a more kid-friendly level, this book represents conflict in a place that is known for its' historic battles over religion and territory. I thought it was interesting that the author did use this city to demonstrate conflict; but also placed value on the resolution of the problem. The boys found out that the cat they have been taking care of had kittens and they eventually decided to share them. Each boy took home two kittens and decided to share the mother cat. Also another event that helps lead to the peaceful resolution is the fact that it snows in Jerusalem. The boys embraced that unusual event and named the white cat, Snow (white-the color of peace). I also thought the illustrations were very well done with water colors. I was able to still tell the details of the buildings, people, and other distinct cultural difference. I liked how the author incorporated some authentic Arab and Hebrew words in the story. It can give readers a small amount of new vocabulary from a new language. The author's note in the back of the book was also a significant piece of information that can be valuable to the reader. It gives just a little taste of the background and what life is like for some in this Center of the Universe it is sometimes called!

The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate DiCamillo

The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate DiCamillo
I thought this was another heartfelt tale by Kate DiCamillo. Like in her previous book I read of hers, the characters seem to come full circle in the story. The story begins with an aloof Edward who's owner loves him dearly during her childhood, to the end where he finally experiences love and loss through his life and his original owner stumbles upon him at an antique store with her very own daughter. I just loved how the author really personified Edward, who was only a china bunny, and had him experience all these drastic situations from lying on the bottom of the ocean, to face down in a dumpster, to finally experiencing love from a 5 year old but then losing her to a sickness she had. The reader definitely could get attached to Edward, especially as he is opening up and changing inside. I read this to an afterschool group I have at an elementary school and they loved it, they particularly loved to count the various owners that Edward had!

BIG KICKS by Bob Kolar

BIG KICKS by Bob Kolar
This story is about a bear who enjoys being by himself and likes jazz music, peanut-butter and banana sandwiches and stamp collecting. He gets asked by the local town soccer team to join them for a game. The other members of the team thought they inevitably win their match because of having a large bear playing on their team. But as it turns out, the large bear is not that good at soccer. I thought this was a good story that shows the readers that just because someone looks like they might be good at something, doesn't mean that he/she actually are. It's a good chance to talk about how important it is not to assume certain things about others and to actually find out what they're really like by asking questions and being interested in them. After the soccer game the other players go over to Biggie Bear's place and found out what he really enjoys about life-jazz music, sandwiches and stamp collecting. I thought the story had a sweet ending when it showed that Biggie Bear still decided to be a special part of the soccer team-the biggest cheering fan in the stands! I also enjoyed the bright and colorful illustrations throughout the book. It was also creative to make the inside cover look like stamps from various scenes from the book.

Houdini the Amazing Caterpillar by Janet Pedersen

Houdini the Amazing Caterpillar by Janet Pedersen
This story is about a caterpillar who lives in a classroom. He is basically a class pet that the students are going to observe because they are learning about the life cycle of a butterfly. He is named Houdini because he does "vanishing acts" often. He can make leaves "disappear" in an instant, he can "grow" right before your eyes, and other neat things a catepillar does. There is a point in the story where another class pet shows up, a spider, and Houdini feels like no one notices him as much. So he decides to perform the best act of his life...turning into a butterfly. I liked the different perspectives the author takes in the story. I enjoyed seeing life from a caterpillar's perspective and the students' perspective. To the students, Houdini was just a caterpillar that they enjoyed studying for class. But it was fun to see how a caterpillar interpreted life from where he lived. I also liked how the caterpillar's life cylce paralelled his desire to be noticed by the class. First he starts out as an egg and then develops into the larva/caterpillar stage, and when he thinks people are getting bored with him, he develops into the pupa/chrysalis stage. Then for his big "amazing show," he turns into this beautiful butterfly! I noticed that the text is written differently when it's from Houdini's perspective than when it's from the viewpoint of the class. I don't think there's anything incredibly indepth from that distinction, just an observation that can help the reader distinguish who's talking. The illustrations were also beautiful! This would fit well with a science unit on life cycles. It even has an author's note for the different stages of a caterpillar and describes them in detail.

The Giver by Lois Lowry

The Giver by Lois Lowry

Wow. I had so many thoughts about this book after I finished it. I honestly didn't know how interested I would be in this book when I first started it. A science-fiction related book is not usually my first choice to read. But as soon as I started it, I was pretty hooked! I think I have more questions than comments on this book! The Giver brings about so many different angles of life to look at. It made me want to know what the author was aiming for when writing this book. I had questions such as, "Is it better to be protected from pain..and joys in life?" What consequence does that have in our lives? If we didn't have pain, we wouldn't know the depth of potential healing. What was the significance of the shielding of memories? Even the joyful ones? What was the goal in developing a utopian like society? Was it to preserve orderliness in society? What was the significance of having one person with all the memories?
I also thought it was interesting that being a birthmother was not a notable career-one for somewhat lazy girls. When reading this book, I thought about how horrible it would be to live in a society where pretty much everything is dictated for you. But then thinking more about it, we do have certain things that could be similar in our society today. Sometimes when people don't fit the "social norm" of something they are closed off from people or treated differently-like in the book the citizens were given a couple chances to make their behavior better and if didn't change, they were released. I did enjoy reading this book even if it did leave me wrestling with a lot of questions about the aim and purpose.

Sergio Saves the Game! by Edel Rodriguez

Sergio Saves the Game! by Edel Rodriguez
I originally chose this book because my child study buddy mentioned that she liked to play soccer. The illustrations are very visually attractive and the text of the story is written in interesting ways with thought bubbles and expression. This story is about a penguin who wants to play soccer but has all the odds stacked against him. He is clumsy and uncoordinated, but in his dreams he is an amazing soccer star and wants to acheive his dreams. This is a classic story about a character who wants to do something that everyone is telling him he can't do and with hard work, and some failed attempts, he eventually acheives his dream. I don't think there's anything wrong with this type of story (the underdog coming out on top) but not everyone achieves their dreams, even with hard work. But on the flipside I think it shows determination and passion for something that many people may have serious doubts about. I thought it was also interesting that this penguin had a Hispanic name and his favorite sport was soccer. (Soccer appears to be a passion for many Latinos)Though, I don't really think there's much of a stereotype because the author is Cuban and he appears to be just incorporating some of his personal life into his stories. I just thought it was an interesting observation. There are also other "Sergio" books that feature this determined penguin!

The Magician's Elephant by Kate DiCamillo

The Magician's Elephant by Kate DiCamillo
I thought this novel for kids really pulled the reader in with the characters and mysterious plot. When the characters were introduced, I wondered how they were all going to come together at the end. They were introduced somewhat separately with their own individual personalities and stories. I loved how everything tied together and made sense at the end. I found myself not wanting to put the book down because I wanted to find out how the elephant was going to lead Peter to his long lost sister! I really thought this book was enchanting with its storyline and would definitely capture the reader's attention with unusual elements such as a elephant appearing out of nowhere. This chapter book would make a good, continuous read aloud for a class and even included some haunting illustrations throughout the book and there is even an individual website for this book that includes discussion guides and activities for the classroom that relate to this book!

ish by Peter H. Reynolds

ish by Peter H. Reynolds
I thoroughly enjoyed this book because of the creativity and simple storyline. It's about a boy who loves to draw and one snide comment from his brother dashes all of his confidence in his art. Ramon, the main character, finally decides he's done making art after many frusturating months. But one thing he didn't notice was his younger sister collected all of his crumpled up drawings and put them up in her room like an art gallery. She describes hi art as being "ish"...vase'ish'...silly'ish'...excited'ish'. I liked the storyline because it shows how someone, like Ramon's sister, can encourage and care for another person by taking an interest in the creative side of someone. She saw something special in the art and knew he was sensitive about his work so she found a way to celebrate it! I also liked how she described his work with "ish." Ramon embraced this "ish" concept and returned to drawing again. He had new found energy for his passion! I think this story would make a good read aloud book and even open up conversations about how to encourage one another in whatever they're doing.

The Swing by Joe Cepeda

The Swing by Joe Cepeda

Like many books, I was drawn to this one because of the cover and the mysteriously short title. I wanted to know what was so special about this swing." The girl on the cover is obviously smiling so I knew something enjoyable was to be found there. I thought this story had a unique plot as well. It's about a girl who starts swinging on a swing that is attached to a tree in her yard, and all of sudden all these things that were lost for so long (a mixing bowl, a toaster, and even their dog!) start tumbling out! I thought it was interesting how the story starts off with almost an embarassing feeling. The main character's family feels a little different than the rest of the neighborhood because they always have to borrow things from other people and it tends to not get returned by them. I thought it would be interesting to think how the reader relates to Josey, the main character, and what she's thinking and feeling about her family and their "reputation."

I also like the magical feeling this story has when Josey swings so high into the tree and she starts finding everything that her and her family lost. I like how she uses her experience for the good of her family and neighborhood. The illustrations and pictures are very vivid and the emotions are clearly showcased in them!