Final Review

What a semester, well I read a lot a children's books, which is actually something that I kind of missed out on as a child. When I was growing up I was so concerned with reading "the classics" of literature that I neglected all the wonderful books aimed at kids. Lately, reading children's books have become a guilty pleasure that I can simply call "professional research" as I wait for lectures to begin. I feel like I learned a lot from this class just from reading children's books, there are just so many more options that I am now aware of for lesson plans and literature groups, plus it has reignited my love for reading! In these last four months of this semester, it has occurred to me that while reading is important, that this class could stand alone in teaching prospective teachers about reading. Block A is very informational and all, but I feel that it has placed too much importance on measuring child ability level rather than finding quality literature in which to model to students how to read and find solid jumping off points for in depth text based units. I am not trying to dump on block A, I am simply stating that I am glad that this class is used to fill in the crucial points that it has missed. Perhaps the best part was the prompt to review all this children's literature, and begin forming opinions and insight to how I can use these books in my own classroom, it's all very exciting.

The Sea is Calling Me

The Sea is Calling Me, written by Lee Bennett Hopkins and illustrated by Walter Gaffney-Kessell, is a poetry picture book for kids. This is a book full of the most calming poems I've seen in a while. The images are boring enough, a lot like the style of the Two voices; all ink lines, and no color. The text is almost like a Haiku, but without the three line and syllable rules. This book is very good at finding a voice that describes the sea, nature, and the world's rhythm. I'm not sure what else I could say about these poems, I mean they are good and everything, and are good examples of voice in poetry, but they do seem a little bit boring. I mean, they are pretty, but I do not live by the ocean, and have had only one occasion in my life to see it, so it makes these poems a bit unrelatable, they are ideas and voices that I can only imagine from a faint memory. It could be a cool jumping off point, have kids write poems in that style, but about settings or memories that they are more closely linked to. I suppose one should never overlook the traditional stylings of poetry, I just would want my students exposed to a larger variety of poetry to give them more options.

The Tamarindo Puppy

The Tamarindo Puppy, is a compilation of poems by Charlotte Pomerantz and illustrated by Byron Barton. This book is so cool! Not only does it have poems for kids in it, but along side each poem is it's equivalent written in Spanish! The poems are a lot like Love That Dog, in that when read altogether they tell a story about a puppy. The images that accompany these poems are a lot like the A Year on My Street, very cartoonish and colorful. I like the use of the Spanish version side by side next to the English version of the text, it seems very useful for English Language Learners in particular. When I was working with Kindergartners, I remember trying to explain the concept of rhyming words to a boy from Russia, who was still learning English; I found that the best way to explain this concept was to use words from the Russian language to help him understand. Experiences like this remind me that there are words that cannot be roughly translated to another langage and still keep the meaning intact. Poetry is notorius for phrasing words that are difficult to translate into other languages, so having the two languages side by side helps not only in language learning, but also the meaning.

Joyful Noise: Poems for Two Voices

Joyful Noise: Poems for Two Voices, is a poetry book written by Paul Fleischman and illustrated by Eric Beddows. We have all heard about the miraculous Paul Fleischman from our opening obsessed Block A classes, but I was unaware that he was a poet until recently. The poems in this book are simple, nature focused poems, particularly about insects that are only in our company during the summer. I really liked how the poems are set up, with two distinct voices that go back and forth in each stanza, so that the poems operate perfectly for any kind of reader's theater. The pictures in this book are simple line and ink drawn images of various insects, but the way the text is arranged brings me back to my thoughts of images as poetry. The text is almost like two serpents that go back and forth, fighting for the reader's attention. The inclusion of two voices rather than a sole reader brings new life and meaning in these poems that celebrate the summer night music of these most unappreciated life forms. I think that if the book's poems were not arranged in this unusual format, that it would not be nearly as interesting, but it does, and is a successful example for kids to see yet another way how poetry could look.

Soul Looks Back in Wonder

Soul Looks Back in Wonder is a poetry book illustrated by Tom Feelings, with a compilation of some of the most inspirational black poets of the 20th and 21st century, including Langston Hughes and Maya Angelou. I really liked this book, both for the poetry and for the amazing art work. While reading this book to my reading study child. When my young student looked at the art work, she commented that she believed that maybe art was a form of poetry. I thought this to be a beautiful notion, what a great thing to say to someone in the art department. Art as poetry, when we originally defined poetry, we decided that poetry was simply an author using the words to create images in the readers' head to get their message across to the reader. Thinking about this I wonder, why not? Is art not simply poetry put into the visual realm of being? and do not some poets shape the words to create a literal image or picture of what their poem is about? I originally brought poetry into my reading workshop in order to shift our focus into writing, but I am beginning to think of writing, and even reading as a more ambiguous concept that humans are naturally inclined to participate in. While my reading child was not fully familiar with the likes of Langston Hughes or Maya Angelou, or even the fight for human equality in which their works or so pron to represent, she was able to see the images and find meaning in them as windows into the human self. So why are schools cutting art departments?

A Year on My Street

A Year on My Street is a poetry book written by Mary Quattlebaum and illustrated by Cat Bowman Smith. Okay, so I actually read this book with my reading practicum child in 2nd grade, and she really loved it. The poems are simple, fun, and very relatable for children, especially those living or who have lived in urban areas. There is a particular poem in their that my reading child liked about a girl going out in her new red boots. With this poem, I was able to get my child to think about the new coat she had just gotten and what made it so special to her, and from that a new poem began to emerge about what she loved about her new coat. The book follows the events of an urban neighborhood from spring until winter. The pictures are bright and interesting for the reader to look at, and relate well to the poems written. I'm not sure what else there is to say about this particular book, it's a picture book, it's a poetry book, it's meant just for kids! Use it, your kids will love it, and they will see how poetry can look, not just rhyming words together.

Love that Dog

Love That Dog, by Sharon Creech, is a novel written in poetry. This is the hurtle every literature teacher must go through at some point in their career, convincing boys that poetry is cool and okay to like. The poetry that composes this story is more of a prose or journal entry rather than the conventional notion of what poetry is. I did think that it was a little mellow dramatic about how the boy, Jack, obsessed over the blue car that killed his dog, Sky. It must have been a really recent incident for a young boy to obsess like that, else it seem too dramatic. Other than some skeptical drama, I thought the build up to the blue car was brilliant. I liked the William Blake poem that was included in the student's poetry study, but the rest seemed rather like the traditional Elementary School required poetry reading. I'm secretly glad that Walter Dean Meyer came to see Jack's class, I mean, I know it's a bit unrealistic, but it's a guilty pleasure when the main character does get what they want. I think that I'm going to show this book to my classroom kids to show them another way poetry can develop, and also so they can feel the wonderful rhythm of the way the sentences flow.

Babushka's Doll

Babushka's Doll, written and illustrated by Patricia Polacco. So I love this story, because of how mischievous each of the characters behave. This is a story about a little girl, of course, and her Babushka. Sound familiar? So the premise is that the little girl is a little bit of a brat, nagging and whining at her Grandmother to do various tasks for her amusement. Where things get interesting is when the little girl notices a doll belonging the Babushka. When the little girl decides to play with the doll while Babushka leaves for the market, the little girl discovers why Babushka only played with the doll once before retiring the doll to its' shelf in the kitchen. This story is a bit different in that it is more in the style of an old Slavic folk tale. This is a great book to tell a class of rowdy kids, it's funny and magical; very high energy. If nothing else it's a book that when you read it to kids, they'll have a great time acting out what they would do with a magic doll, and be able to make great text to self connections. I hope that my giant dose of Patricia Polacco works has given you a good insight on Polacco as a writer; she is very strong in her notions on tradition and relationships, especially family. I'm still unsure about the illustrations, but as I have said before to each his own, my anti-Norman Rockwell style is a personal taste that I have developed over the years. Polacco is a great writer and illustrator, and if you like the sounds of the books I have told you about, I would encourage you to go ahead and share these books with your classroom kids, they'll really enjoy them.

Thunder Cake

Thunder Cake, written and illustrated by Patricia Polacco. Okay, do you remember the movie Poltergeist? Well that is kind of what I think of with this book, you know the scene where the boy is afraid of the storm, so the father tells him to count the seconds in between the lightning and the thunder? Well this book has that same notion of storm tracking, but with time that is much better spent, making a cake! During the storm Babushka takes her Granddaughter around her farm to gather all the ingredients to make a homemade thunder cake. I like this notion, because kids can see where their food comes from, something kids miss out on knowing more and more as urban sprawl begins to take over our lives. I remember in forth grade we read this story during our science unit on storms. We used the counting in between lighting and thunder hypothesis, and explored the mathematical formula that was used to actually track the eye of the storm. In traditional Polacco style, Thunder Cake is told from the perspective of a girl of about ten or so, who is having the experience with her Grandmother. There is of course the ever present goat who watches over the Polacco characters, and a reason for the character to become stronger and overcome her fears of thunder.

The Keeping Quilt

The Keeping Quilt, written and illustrated by Patricia Polacco, is a story about heritage. This story is pretty cool, the first immigrants of Patricia's family come to America and create a quilt out of the leftover fabrics worn by lost family members still in the old country. The quilt is passed down through several generations, including Polacco's own children. This is a good book for discussing family heritage and traditions, providing a wonderful opportunity for text to self connections for the kids. What's really interesting about this book is that it's a prefect example of Polacco's work, taking influences from family, tradition, and of course, goats! I find that the more I read Polacco's books, the less I have to say, it just all sounds the same. I suppose what I could talk about is the illustrations, as they are very evident of her artistic influences from Norman Rockwell. Personally, I am very afraid of Rockwell's style, it just sticks me as a bit unnerving. It's not necessarily the rough pencils sketches that are allowed to remain on the finished piece, but more of the texture of how the skin is portrayed, it reminds me of a ghost or maybe a zombie. I know that things can't all be visually perfect, but maybe that's all in the eye of the beholder, to each his own!

The Lemonade Club

The Lemonade Club, written and illustrated by Patricia Polacco, is a story based from true life, specifically Polacco's daughter, Traci, when her best friend, Marilyn, gets Leukemia. The teacher of the two girls has a basket on her desk full of lemons, so that when kids have a bad say, she tells them that lemons may be sour, but then you can make lemonade. So when Marilyn finds out she had cancer, her classmates all group together to make lemonade out of the seemingly impossible situation. Obviously this would be a good book to talk to kids about cancer and illness of loved ones, but I worry that the ending was too perfect. I know it is a true story and all, but after losing my father last year to cancer, it seems too perfect an ending for a diagnoses that ends hundreds of others lives every year. I think that any kid who has ever gone through this disease before will know that things don't always go that perfectly and smoothly, that some times it's scary, and all to often, it ends in tragedy. I remember a kid from my elementary school who had cancer in Kindergarten, he preferred to leave that detail of his life out of conversation. I don't blame him, that's a huge obstacle for a small child to try and overcome, especially during his first year of formal education. I think I would use this books to talk to kids about issues of illness and death of loved ones, but I would want to be very clear that things don't always go as smoothly in real life as they did in the book, and then have a real and honest conversation about death and dying. It's a difficult topic in general to talk about with kids, but I think if it's one that needs to be talked about, then it should be talked about and the adults should be ready for any questions they might have, kids will surprise you if you give them the chance.

My Rotten Redheaded Older Brother

My Rotten Redheaded Older Brother, written and illustrated by Patricia Polacco, is a cute story about sibling rivalry. In the story a little girl seemingly the persona of the author, tries to find something that she can do better than her rotten redheaded older brother. In the end it is her brother who helps her after a merry-go-round accident, ending in the typical heart warming ahh moment. I remember reading this story as a kid, I think I liked it because it was silly, and I had experience with sibling rivalry with my younger sister. It is kind of fun to talk to kids about the kinds of relationships that kids have with one another, but I am unsure that it would be a great book for anything other than a 'just for fun' book, I would still include this book in an author study, if nothing, but to show the fun and wacky side of Polacco's writing style, goats and all.

Year of Impossible Goodbyes

Year of Impossible Goodbyes, written by Sook Nyul Choi, is the same war that dictates the story events of, So Far From the Bamboo Grove, however, instead of the story being told from the point of view of a Japanese family,Choi speaks from a voice often left out in the history books, the Korean nation which was under the Imperial Japanese rule. It was so interesting after reading So Far From the Bamboo Grove to hear the story from the Korean point of view. The best part about this book was that it did not stop with the Japanese surrendering to America, but went on to talk about how the Russian Marxist parties essentially claimed North Korea as their territory. If I were teaching this book I would want to point out what the Russian people were experiencing during this time, so they get a better understanding of how extremist such as the Reds were only a small number of people, and that the Russian people were actually starving and trying to escape out of Russia. I believe that by showing kids a broader view they will see a consistency tied to war and conflict as being initiated by a minority, and is not representative of the nation as a whole. There is so much to discuss about the multi-sidedness of war, there simply is not enough time or words to describe the impacts. What I can discuss immediately are some of the comparisons I made with this book and Watkin's. Near the end of Choi's book she describes escaping across the 38th parallel; I just remember Watkin's account of how her and her sister and mother crossed the same rail road track to freedom, and how later her brother had to swim the river to get across. What's really interesting is how the rails are described as being so far apart; it's uncanny how similar both authors felt about that railroad track. It's funny how in Watkin's book, from the Japanese perspective, the Koreans were so joyful and almost riotous, but that must have been further south, because Choi paints a picture of scared caution followed immediately by the invasion of communism. I think after reading both books I would want my students to read both and see the differences and similarities of the two "sides", and also to show again that the purposed "bad guy" of the war isn't an entire nation, but merely a few extremists, that these kinds of wars destroy the people and families on both ends, maybe then they could do better than the past and try to see things from other point of views.

The Wall

The Wall, written by Eve Bunting and illustrated by Richard Himler, is a story about a father and son who go to Washington D.C. to visit the Vietnam Veterans' memorial. The father and son are looking for the son's Grandfather's name, but trying to find the name among the hundreds of names lined up on the wall proves to be an overwhelming task. The Vietnam War is a definite challenge to talk about with children, especially considering how none of the Americans at home understood the deception and mind tricks that the American Soldiers based their decisions on. I know that I have always said that the best way to talk to kids about war is to be direct, but after talking so heavily about World War II, it seems that the results of Vietnam is more important, but that may be because that is what the government wishes the country to focus on, because of America's defeat. It might be interesting to see the kids opinions on Vietnam after look at World War II; will they see this war as unnecessary? will they create any connections to the war in Iraq? the topic of war is very dense, and deserves as much class discussion as the class deems as necessary. It's part of our humanity, and we need to learn our children to learn what's at stake with this kind of fighting.

The Butterfly

The Butterfly, written and illustrated by Patricia Polacco, is yet another book that looks at the hardships that people underwent during World War II, this time, instead of an Asian voice, it is in the French and European perspective. We learned in Rose Blanche, how the concentration camps weren't publicly known to the European people, but as we learn in The Butterfly, some families living under the Nazi regime, would hide people whom the Nazi's viewed as a threat to the Aryan race. This story is told through the view of a little French girl named Monique, who late one night discovers that her mother has been sheltering a little girl named Sevrine and her family, plus many others from being taken away by the Nazi army. This book relates really well to Rose Blanch, because obviously it discusses the same side of the issues being dealt with during World War II, but also because of how it's ominous and subtly hints tell much more about what exactly people were afraid of during a period of severe mistrust. This book also fits into my Patricia Polacco study, which is interesting, because she usually depicts a Ukrainian family, and here she tells a story of war through the French perspective, perhaps due to France's deeper involvement into World War II, Ukraine had their own issues being under Russian rule, much like the Korean-Japanese relationship at the time. But that's beyond what kids really need to know in order to grasp the point of this story.

Rose Blanche

Rose Blanche, written and illustrated by Roberto Innocenti, is a story about a little girl living in World War II Germany, who discovers one of the secrete concentration camps and the people trapped in it. This book was very interesting both in text and image. For one thing the text changes from first person narrative to a an anonymous 3rd person narrative. Some possible theories that I have talked about with others who have read the book is the possible emotional withdrawal of Rose Blanche, after she witnesses the brutality of the Nazi army towards a little boy. There does not seem to be a real good reason as far as I could find to explain this sudden change in narration, but it is interesting. The most captivating part of this story is the images. The images are done from real photographs that were taken during Hitlers' reign over Germany; finding the photographs of these images could really bring this story to life for kids, to just know that these people actually lived. The other part of the images to which I am personally drawn to is how the colors change from a rather gray and dreary antiqued tone to splotches of bight and vibrant color in very specific places. Most notably, Rose Blanche leaves a deep purple flower on a ruined barbed wire fence, as a mark of remembrance after the trapped people in the camp had all mysteriously vanished. The last page of the book is were the concentration camp had once stood, but is now a bright and vibrant field of red poppies. While there is nothing graphic in the images or text which alludes to the goings on of the Holocaust in this story, I think that it's lack of explicitness creates an ominous tone which kids will really understand. I would read this story in a small group to kids, because I think there will be a lot of questions, and they should all be heard while kids try and make sense of one of history's greatest atrocities, this story is a tough one, but the subject is tough at any age, but the message in which it pleads is one that should never be chickened out on teaching to kids.

Shin's Tricycle

Shin's Tricycle, written by Tatsuharu Kodama and illustrated by Noriyuki Ando, is a true story about a Japanese family caught in the nightmare of the bombing of Nagasaki and Hiroshima. In the story Shin wants nothing more than a tricycle, a real rarity, considering all of the metal was being put towards the war efforts. When Shin does get his tricycle, the atomic bombs that destroyed Hiroshima and Nagasaki were soon dropped over Shin's family, killing Shin and his best friend, Kimi. This is a story about a father's heartbreak, and is yet another tribute to the innocent people whom war kills, despite their lack of involvement. What is really hard about this book, is when the parents' decided to move the bodies to a proper burial ground, uncovering the Shin's prized tricycle. War books are very hard for adults to read and discuss with children, but it's an important part of understanding the part of humanity that suffers when humans fight at this large scale. It's part of their growth into knowledgeable and thoughtful citizens who can think about and consider the consequences.

Faithful Elephants

Faithful Elephants, written by Yuko Tsuchiya, translated by Tomoko Tsuchiya Dykes, and illustrated by Ted Lewin, is a story about the affects of World War II on animals. I think that talking to kids about how war effects the citizens of countries at war is one view of war for kids to try and understand, but when animals are deliberately left to die in a war in which they have no part in, I think that is what will really touch kids. It is just absolutely heart breaking as the war goes on, how the zoo keepers are unable to keep feeding the animals. Eventually the elephants are so starved they die, in the position of a famous trick that they were taught in order to receive food. Even as an adult there are so many questions and discussions on the ethics of war that I long to have with another person, and this book is a great jumping off point for those kinds of discussions. This is a really difficult book to read with kids, but the most important lesson that I would try to get my kids to understand is that there are multiple perspectives in times of war, sometimes war hurts those who have nothing to do with the war, maybe get into ethics if the class stayed respectful of one anothers' view points.

So Far From the Bamboo Grove

So Far From the Bamboo Grove, written by Yoko Kawashima Watkins, is about a Japanese family escaping North Korea, during the time of the Japanese surrender of World War II. Okay, so this was the saddest book ever, and I am not sure if I would have been able to handle it as a child or even how I felt reading it now as an adult. I believe that with testimonies and stories like these, it's best for kids to simply hear the truth from someone who lived it first hand. Kids are just as capable as adults when dealing with topics such as civilian casualties; the fact is there is not any age where one is mentally prepared for stories likes the ones remembered by Watkins. I felt a real connection to the character Ko; I am an the eldest sister too, and there have been times where I have felt the pressures of taking care of my little sister, but I could never imagine the kinds of pressure Ko was under, not even when my father died, and my mom was emotionally spent. I think that it would be a really powerful thing for kids to hear the kinds of things that Yoko and Ko did to stay alive and stay in school, I can imagine lots of conversation coming from this book. I just remember that after I would finish a chapter, how deeply I would think about the kinds of resources and technologies were at my fingertips. I think I would do this story with my class as a read aloud, stopping periodically to have a group discussion and or journaling. This is defiantly something to explore and discuss as a large group, this topic and the multiple perspectives are just too big for one person to comprehend.

Author, Poet, Illustrator update

Okay, so for my Author, Poet, Illustrator assignment, I thought it would be fun to go back to an old childhood favorite, Patricia Polacco. I remember that I have always liked Polacco's stories, because I felt a connection to my own Russian heritage, (even though she's Ukrainian) but I never realized how many goats were actually included in the stories. Okay, so goats are common pets in Russia, but it seems odd when considering that the majority of Polacco's stories take place in Michigan and are often times based off her own childhood memories. I guess my favorite story is Babushka Baba Yaga, because it shows a completely new dimension of a fearsome childhood fear, to think that Baba Yaga has the ability to show kindness and motherly love. There seems to be a repeating theme that involves the value of tradition and respect for the roots of ones' heritage. Friendship is also a very prevelant theme in Polacco's stories.
I am finding tons of resources on Polacco, with tons of video interviews, I would recommend these three sites in particular:
http://comminforutgers.edu/professional-development/childlit/Feminist/polacco.html - this cite goes into things such as theme and comes from the perspective of a professional teacherhttp://www.patriciapolacco.com/ -this cite is a link to Polacco's Facebok page. This cite discusses Polacco's latest projects, News updates and biographical information. http://www.readingrockets.org/books/interviews/polacco this is an interesting cite to glance over, it has all the biography info, but not as good as Polacco's facebook cite. The reason I included this cite is because it has video interviews with Polacco about her books as she talks about theme and characters. http://www.readwritethink.org/lessons/lesson_view.asp?id=996 This is the cite every novice teacher looks for, the lesson plan page. This cite has some really cool lesson plan ideas for incorporating Patricia Polacco books into the classroom, best of all, you can get your own ideas for author/Illustrator studies for a variety of different authors, illustrators, or poets.

Check out Patricia Polacco; she's pretty traditional in her art, but I think that kids will still enjoy her books, and they provide great opportunities to talk to kids about tough topics.

Experience at Midterms

Midterms is a time for pulling hair, all nighters, and generally feeling huge amounts of stress. I must say that I am certainly feeling the pressure myself, but this is one of my three classes that I haven't wanted to throw my text book at my husband in a fit of anxiety. While studio art and orchestra have helped channel my angst, I find that Children's literature has aided my academic work, beyond simply unwinding. This class has guided me in finding great books to share with my case study child for block A; I don't know if I would have picked up the books that she has enjoyed the most without the research that I have done for this class. I also have noticed that it has been a wonderful opportunity to indulge in the privilege of reading for pleasure; I am a sucker for children's novels. I feel so lucky that this class has such a relaxing and carefree environment when all around me is the swirling stress of Praxis II, student teaching applications, and reading profiles, I really look forward to Wednesday nights. I love the technique of blogging responses to books rather than typing up a dry two page paper, it's really reassuring to be able to see how my peers are interpreting literature, and to see what they are reading. This class really is great, even my husband has begun to surprise me with children's books from class, so that I may include them in my future class library, which my nieces and nephew love to explore. I'm having a good time so far.

The Rabbits' Wedding

The Rabbit's Wedding, written and illustrated by Garth Williams, is a beautiful children's book whose theme touches lightly on interracial marriage. As silly as it seems, some people view this as controversial, because a white rabbit and a black rabbit get married. For children, I hope this story is just a story about two rabbits who love each other and get married. We are all different, but that does not mean we can't love each other because we're different. It would be nice if we could read stories like this to our kids, and simply integrate it into their schemas of how the world looks, that families and couples are different everywhere you look. I think that it would be pretty hard for a parent to have a complaint about this book honored, at least in Iowa City, because isn't the goal of a well rounded education to show kids new possibilities? I think that as teachers sometimes it's important to choose books like this, but to not necessarily exploit the book for messages; just make it a book to be read and shared to kids, let it become part of their schema. The message can sink in over time.

In the Night Kitchen

In the Night Kitchen, written and illustrated by Maurice Sendak, is not a book that is controversial in its' message like the other books I have discussed, but rather, it is the illustrations that hold concern with parents and teachers. In the story a boy is transported into the night kitchen in the company of some cake making bakers. The story while, already a little strange at this point, gets even weirder as the boy is depicted completely nude, displaying a pair of testicles and a penis, as he swims in cake batter and milk. This is one of the only controversial books that I must say is a bit too much. I did a bit of further research on this book, and I found a couple of google sources that explained Sendak depicted him nude, so that the cake batter would not get on the boy's pajamas. I really do not buy this explanation, there are so many perspective and graphic tactics that Sendak could have done to avoid putting full on frontal child nudity into a children's picture book. To be perfectly frank, the book was just plain weird, and a little pointless.

Oliver Button is a Sissy

Oliver Button is a Sissy, written and illustrated by Tomie dePaola, is a story about gender identity and being different. This book might upset some parents, because it does portray a boy who likes to tap dance and be artistic, but the message of this book is just something that kids will have to learn, that everyone is different. A lot like the character Joe from James Howe's The Misfits, Oliver Button is a male role model that shows how the male gender identity can be interpreted in different ways. I love how brave and strong the character Oliver is, it models how even though he doesn't like to do "boy things", he still has the strength and stamina to be himself, a lesson all kids can benefit from hearing.

The Lorax

The Lorax, written and illustrated by Dr. Seuss. This is a classic children's book that conveys the message of sustainable development and conservation. The reason that this book has been labeled as controversial, was that parents in California thought that the book was too anti-industry. I think that to say this book is too anti-industry is taking the message to an extreme. This book is about conservation, yes, but also talks about responsibility; the Truffula tuft trees are shown to make great things, and are a great resource, but it's over using that we need to be careful about. I think this is a very important story to tell kids, because ultimately kids are the ones who are going to be responsible for the Earth in the future, and if we can get them thinking more about sustainability, then maybe they will be able to solve some of today's most pressing issues on energy, pollution, and hunger.

And Tango Makes Three

And Tango Makes Three, by Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell, is a beautiful story that took place in the New York Zoo, in which two male penguins were given an egg to hatch and raise as their own, and that penguin chick that was born was named Tango. In the story the reader follows Tango's family as they show him everything about being a penguin. I really like this book, because this book shows how love is perfectly natural, extending kids views on the world and alternative life styles. I think that it is silly that parents might find this book controversial, I mean it is a true story, this story of love and family actually happened in the New York City Zoo. I think that if the reader really looks at this book, they will see that it is about family, and how family is always there for each other and loves each other.

The Misfits

The Misfits, by James Howe. Oh my goodness! I know that we only had to read about half of this book at a time, but it was so good! I ended up finishing it in about five days. I thought it was really interesting that Howe chose to write the story from the perspective of the "fat kid" of the four misfits, as it seems to be a marginalized perspective when writing about kids who don't fit in. I thought that it was really cleaver how the author inspired the gang of five to come up with the no-names party for their school election. This is an issue that kids still face in school today, and this is a really clever way to get kids to start thinking about what they call other and what they themselves get called. It really made me think when Bobby made his speech, and finally came out about his mother and why he ate those sandwiches during the third grade. I felt a real connection to Bobby's situation as I have lost my father just last year. I myself made six stockpots of my father's home made chicken noodle soup for my wedding as a kind of way to heal, so I have a strong connection to this character. The characters of this story have the potential of being that connection for kids who may be going through similar situations. I think that it is absolutely abhorring that there are parents who think that this book is inappropriate for kids, if anything it should be a required reading in sixth grade, if not for connection sake, but to prepare kids for middle school, show them that there are people out there different than themselves, and that they need to be understanding and caring individuals to their classmates in order to create a positive school experience for everyone. Kids also need to know that it's okay to be brave, as Bobby tells his classmates at the end of the novel.

My Friend Rabbit

My Friend Rabbit, written and illustrated Eric Rohmann. This is a story with minimal text, but the story is rich with visual dialog as Rabbit tries to get his friend mouses' airplane out of a tree, with the help of the other animals in the forest. I was told by a very trusted librarian from my elementary school days, "Don't be afraid to go for the simple books, they can be great spark books." This is a silly story that kids love to add their own words to, and the thick thins make the illustrations makes these pictures just pop into your mind. Rabbit did get that plane, however Mouse and Rabbit ended up in the tree with the plane, but don't worry, Rabbit has an idea! So I guess the question I would ask my students concerning this book would be, how would you get the plane down? How can we think differently? Thinking outside the box is what I would want my students to gain from this story.

When the Root Children Wake Up

When the Root Children Wake Up, retold by Audrey Wood and illustrated by Ned Bittinger. Oh my goodness! I love the illustrations in this book! I tried to find out more on Ned Bittenger, but all I could find was that he has made his career as a portrait artist, but the illustrations speak for themselves. This story is about a personification about the four seasons and how the root children behave as Aunt spring comes and goes, just to be followed by cousin summer, and then Uncle Fall. What a great way to talk about different literary devices with young children. I read this story to my reading case study child, and she absolutley loved this book, she made wonderful predictions and pointed out great things in the illustrations like the hidden wildlife.

My Mei Mei

My Mei Mei, by Ed Young. This is a great story for kids that talks about the excitement that comes when a family decides to bring a new child to be part of their family. In the book, little Antonia desperately wants a baby sister, or a Mei Mei. But when the family goes over to China to adopt a baby girl, the situation is not quite how Antonia pictured it. The illustrations in this book are really amazing; the artist uses wallpaper to clothe the figures. This is such a sweet story, eventually Antonia settles into her new role as a big sister, and the two sisters grow close. I tried this story as a reading miscue analysis for my reading case study student, and it proved to be a great success.

The Fool of the World and the Flying Ship

The Fool of the World and the Flying Ship, retold by Arthur Ransome and illustrated by Uri Shulevitz. This is an old Russian folk tale, that portrays the message, "God loves a fool". This book is a bit more challenging than some of the other ones that I have discussed on my blog, but it gives kids a wonderful opportunity to learn new terms from other cultures; terms like czar and moujik would be introduced to kids young. The illustrations are Caldecott award winning and are amazing. The pictures are done in ink and water color; perfect relation to the text. I know this story does not exactly have a theme that parents try to teach their kids, but it is a nice message none the less. I think that sometimes kids get so overworked that they need to have a sense that sometimes everything works out in the long run. The second message, that anything is possible, is also a great touch to spark kids' imaginations and maybe boost their enthusiasms. Overall, a very fun legend to tell kids.

The Polar Express

The Polar Express, written and illustrated by Chris Van Allsburg. What can I say? I have never been a huge fan of The Polar Express, the idea is cutsie enough, but I never got past the fact that a train that was supposed to go around the world to pick up children to meet Santa,, that is was filled entirely with white children, usually blonds. I do not think that I would share this book to children, I mean the main idea is about preserving childhood innocence, and that might be a cool and all as a "just for fun" story, but I think there are better stories that don't focus on Aryan supremacy, but still convey the same message. It could be a story to read to kids, but I personally would not think that I would be comfortable reading it in a public school district. The policy on stories about Santa probably vary from district to district, but still I do not think I would be comfortable, just based on all of my training in the University so far on teaching in the public school setting. Now to the positives of the book; the illustrations are wonderfully clean and vivid, very fancifully, but still an idealized version of children who are privileged enough to enjoy a Christmas.

The Giver

The Giver, by Lois Lowry, so I read this book back in the sixth grade, but I genuinely enjoyed rereading the story as an adult. I though that Lowry was able to express in a really smart way how one should be grateful for one's pleasures and misfortunes that life gives us. Lowry does make quite the point when the Giver shows Jonas the difference between superficial pain and real, honest pain. The contrast of no pleasure without pain to compare it to is simply beautiful. The theme of the novel is so complex, but is one that kids can understand so easily. My favorite part is when Jonas is contemplating the idea of love; it seems so insane to think about not being able to feel love, for friends, for parents, or even your children, but Lowry proves to us that love is a privileged emotion for those who are willing to sacrifice comfort and security. It is so painful for the reader to watch how the community can so easily destroy children like Gabriel, just because he is more like an infant from our world. The end of novel is one of the most difficult parts of the story that I think kids will need to grasp in order to comprehend the story. As a kid, I remembered members of my reading group getting mad at me when I indicated that I thought Jonas and Gabe had died at the end of the story; I thought maybe I had misunderstood, and that rereading the book would give me a chance to maybe catch something that perhaps I had missed, but sadly, I see the same outcome as before. Perhaps it is the reader who creates the outcome merely based on how they believe the outcome of a world of sameness will result.

Downward, downward, faster and faster. Suddenly he was aware with certainty and
joy that below, ahead, they were waiting for him; and that they were
waiting,
too, for the baby. For the first time, he heard something that he
knew to
be music. He heard people singing. Behind him, across vast distances
of space and time, from the place he had left, he thought he heard music
too. But perhaps it was only an echo.

(Lowry, 179-180). I believe that the echos were the final memories leaving Jonas, and that the memory of singing to be memories long gone in the after life waiting to embrace Gabe and Jonas as memories themselves, or perhaps they are a mark of the Giver dying as he did keep those as his favorite memories to himself, but I guess it is up to the reader to intemperate.

Smoky Night

Smoky Night, written by Eve Bunting and written by David Diaz, is a very interesting design layout that deals with one of human behaviors most controversial events. The story is about a young boy who watches (what I presume) the L.A. riots from his apartment window with his mom and cat. In the story Daniel sees the rioters stealing from a woman's store with whom neither him or his mother particularly like; even the cats feud with one another. But when the rioters set Daniels' apartment building on fire, fear and disaster bring everyone together as neighbors and friends. This story is a bit scary, but it reflects events in real life; I like this, because if children are taught about these kinds of events and what happened, then maybe they can do better than those before them. The art work in this story is amazing! Thick lines of bold acrylic paint overlap a collage of materials that help further reflect the events of the story and the chaos in the streets of the story. I would recommend this story to anyone trying to find a way to introduce human equality and controversial topics to their students.

In My Momma's Kitchen

In My Momma's Kitchen, written by Jerdine Nolen and illustrated by Colin Bootman. This is a story that I have shared with my reading case study student. The student was drawn to this story when she saw that the story was told though the view of a small black girl about the students' age, creating a portal through which she placed her own self image. The reason I had chosen this book for my case study student was because it had a portrayal of modern black families that was positive and fun, plus the little girl on the cover does look like my case study student. The book is about different mini stories that had happened in the family kitchen; some of the stories are funny, some are exciting, and some are just the small fond moments we have with our families. The pictures in this book are amazing, extremly life like illustrations. This book also allows an opening for a conversation about memories and family traditions.

Where the Wild Things Are

Where the Wild Things Are, written and illustrated by Maurice Sendak, is one of the best examples of classic children's literature. This was one of my favorite books as a child, and still today, as I reminisce through the pages I find that I still love this book. With the upcoming live action movie of this version coming up, I thought that I would take the time and enjoy the original illustrations that inspired the movie some twenty years later. The monsters are so original in their visual representation, and the story seems to be one that kids enjoy imagining as their fantasy life. What would kids do if they were the ruling Kings and Queens of the wild things? What kind of rulers would they be? These are just a few lead in questions that could probe students to write their own personal wild things story. There are so many lesson possibilities for this book, it's a very exciting nugget in children's literature.

Two Moral Tales: Just a Pig at Heart & Sly Fox's Folly

Two Moral Tales, written and illustrated by Mercer Mayer, is an interesting storybook. Not only is this book wordless, but there are two stories within the one book. The stories are quite literally back to back, and upside down relative to one another. The stories themselves are valuable in moral , but overly simple and dated. The first story is about a sly fox who sells a couple of ladies some live fashion accessories that fly away, the end is that the fox is punished and karma is served. The second story is a literal interpretation of the saying "you can put lipstick on a pig, but it will still be a pig". Literally two pigs get dressed up and fancy for a romp in the mud. Like I said, good morals, but very literal in illustration and with no further use of imagination beyond construction. Good for the illustrations.

Frog Goes to Dinner

Frog Goes to Dinner, written and illustrated by Mercer Mayer. I remember enjoying this story as an elementary student, not because the the story was well written, but because there was a silence provided by the author which allowed me to make up my own story. Frog Goes to Dinner is a "silent" picture book; in it the reader is left only the images to help decipher the actual plot of the story. Growing up this story seemed very humorous and thrilling, but looking at it today it seems a little stale and cliche. Kid's may still enjoy this book, but overall, it is not the most memorable wordless story, but it is out there and fun at the right age.

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button: A Graphic Novel

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button: A Graphic Novel, written by F. Scott Fitzgerald and adapted by Nunzio DeFilippis and Christina Weir, illustrated by Kevin Cornell, is best known today through the major Hollywood Brad Pitt film version. This comic is an interesting exploration in the what if of human life, and how the concept of age dictates our place and expectations in society. The pretense of this story is brilliant, I mean, haven't we all wondered about what happens before birth? This story seems to attempt to answer this conundrum. The illustrations are appropriate to the text, as well as humorous and intense.
I thought that it was kind of ironic, if not satirical, how as Benjamin aged, not only did his physical appearance become more childlike, but so did his attitude and behavior. The ironic part is in how wise and intelligent he was at birth, like saying that we are the most intelligent at birth, and that time and age robs us of that brilliance and insight.
The most chilling part of this story is how the Benjamin's end is represented; at first he just forgets different things, more and more, becoming smaller and smaller, until finally he simply forgets everything and simply exists to be. I would recommend this book to anyone who has wondered about exsistance before and after life.

Juma and the Magic Jinn

Juma and the Magic Jinn, written by Joy Anderson and illustrated by Charles Mikolaycak, is revival of a classic legend about jinns, traditionally called genies, and the complex issues of putting ultimate choice into human hands. The story is written around a young boy named Juma, who is sick of sums and script in school and instead fantasises about writing poetry and creating art. This is an interesting story for a few reasons, first is the cultural setting on the Lamu Island, near the coast of Kenya. This is a primarily Muslim culture in which the author has visited before and studied the cultures as inspired to write the story. This already pleases me a great deal, especially after the over simplified Nanta's Lion, Anderson includes the traditional phrases used in the culture, and does not dumb anything down in the text. The moral of the story is the best part, to be happy in the world you live in is a wonderful lesson for kids to learn, plus the use of a common folk loreof other cultures is great for social science relevancies!

Poor Carl

Poor Carl is a picture book written and illustrated by Nancy Carlson. Poor Carl is a cutesy story about being a big brother, comparing the pros and cons of being a baby and a big brother. This is one of the first stories were I have not been too crazy about the illustrations, it's not that they are not good, they just seemed to lack a greater depth of meaning for me. This story is all about the text, coming up to the realization that Carl is lucky to have a big brother like Victor. While this book may be a nice tool for a parent to help rev up a child for a new baby, I really did not get all that into it. There just didn't seem to be that spark that said 'I need to read this to every child I meet', not like Stellaluna or Harold and the Purple Crayon, but it was a good enough book for its intended purpose.

A Lot of Otters

Barbara Helen Berger's A Lot of Otters, has tapped into a magical image...ready? it's a lot of otters! Finally a book that has it all. The story line is simple, mother moon can't find her moon child, and so she cries tears into the sea. Without the pictures in this book, there would be no story, and some wile otters catch the moon tears, following and protecting the moon child, eventually leading mother moon to be reunited with her beloved moonlet. Sweet and simple, playful and sad; this story offers a childlike insight to the power of unfathomable love. I think that this would be a really cool way to show kids how personification is used in literature, maybe challenge them by asking kids what the moon child represents. Are the otters representing the worlds' happiness, showing mother moon where her love lies? These are fairly challenging questions for elementary school kids, but I think that fourth grade and up might be able to have a really cool discussion in small groups about the meaning behind the mystical characters in this book. It's always better when you add a LOT of otters.

Nanta's Lion

Suse MacDonald's Nanta's Lion, is a search and find picture book. I like the set up of the illustrations and how each page help build up in the background to create the missing lion, which ironically, Nanta never found, making the story purely a visual affect. There were a couple of things that I didn't like in the book, it seemed like some of the word choices used were a bit demeaning or stereotypical;

Nanta went inside her hut. She found a gourd filled with milk to take with
her.

(MacDonald) The fact that Nanta lives in a hut seems ridiculous, one would think that the author would have just gone ahead and used the real name for the dwellings of the Maasai people, which is a inkajiijik. I just don't believe that anyone is doing kids any favors by over simplifying terms, go ahead and use the real word, that's how kids are going to learn. I also thought that it was kind of weird that a lion would go after the villiage's cattle when there is apparently all this abundant prey running around just a few miles from the camp, woudn't a lion rather do that and avoid humans? While the book has some flaws it does have some cool illustrations that celebrate the richness of Maasai culture and treat the eyes and mind to a fun hunt for the lion.

Goodnight Moon

Goodnight Moon, written by Margaret Wise Brown and illustrated by Clement Hurd, is a childhood classic. A beautifully written and illustrated bedtime story, the rhyming lyrics of this story do an amazing job of lulling the reader into a soft world of familiarity. The pictures in this book are very familiar, very whimsical; how silly it would seem anywhere, but a dream for a family of bunnies to own pet kittens with mittens. I know this may seem like kind of a short blog, but what can you say about such an understated childhood favorite? I guess I could share my favorite quote from this story,

Goodnight comb
And goodnight brush
Goodnight nobody
Goodnight
mush
And goodnight to the old lady
whispering "hush"
Goodnight
stars
Goodnight air
Goodnight noises everywhere

(Brown) it' is a lot like a child trying to avoid going to sleep.

The Spiderwick Chronicles: The Field Guide

Tony DiTerlizzi and Holly Black's The Spiderwick Chronicles: The Field Guide, is the first book in The Spiderwick Chronicles. This magical book is readable for all ages, with beautiful illustrations sprinkled throughout the novel. While this book had the kid friendly novelty of magical imps and fairies, it was the tough topics of broken families, poverty, and moving that were the most intriguing aspect of the book, at least for me. This book deals with a runaway father from the child's point of view, it maybe a small part of the novel, but it may be a nice connection for other kids who may be dealing with these kinds of issues so that their voices may not be so marginalized in children's literature. The mystery in this book was especially fun, and takes the reader on a magical adventure, discovering boggarts, brownies, pixies, and fairies. My nephew is especially fond of these stories, a large reason why I chose it, and he is constantly talking to me about pixies, trolls, and gnomes; he even created his own field guide, which is great for his writing skills and imagination. This book is also a quick read with short chapters, which makes it great for kids with shorter attention spans, encouraging them to read and be enthusiastic about reading without getting frustrated about not being able to finish a book that is too long. Overall it is a good book, but as I said before, fairly simple to read which might bore more advanced readers.

Baba Yaga and Vasilisa the Brave

"Baba Yaga and Vasilisa the Brave", told by Marianna Mayer and illustrated by K.Y. Craft, is a classic Russian fairy tale told in a way that is exciting to children cross culturally. As a child, I loved to hear stories about the evil hag, Baba Yaga, who lived in her hut that walked on chicken legs. The story is a lot like Cinderella mixed with an only child, teenage Hansel and Gretel. The story follows a pretty basic plot, widowed step mother sends her step daughter, Vasilisa, to a cannibalistic forest hag to retrieve a light. Embodiments of night and day come with warnings for Vasilisa about approaching the hag. In the end Vasilisa's work ethic and cunning knowledge saves Vasilisa from being eaten by the Baba Yaga. The art work in this picture book is reminiscent of etchings done in the time of the Renaissance age, a wonderful art history lesson potential. There are lots of Vasilisa and Baba Yaga stories, each one showing a different trait of Vasilisa, beauty, bravery, intelligence, each one championed traits in the Russian culture, linking this book to social studies. There doesn't seem to be too many good representations for Russian folk lore, but this is a prime example that kids are guaranteed to love.

Tuesday

"Tuesday", written and illustrated by David Wiesner, is a beautiful picture book about what happens to frogs when the day is over. This book is wordless, so that means the audience must interpret the plot of the story, which when frogs go flying around peoples homes after dark, can lead to all sorts of fantastical ideas about what is happening, especially while sharing the book with kids. I absolutely love this book because of its' beautiful, surreal illustrations, it would be so fascinating to hear kids versions of the kinds of motives the frogs are acting upon. I think that it would really be fun to design an art lesson around this story, liturature has always been a common element that has appeared in art for centuries, it would be a real treat for the kids to share their own "Tuesday" picture and story, maybe prompt them to tell what strange event would happen on, say a Friday, it would generate lots of cool ideas.

Griffin & Sabine: An Extraordinary Correspondance

"Griffin & Sabine: An Extraordinary Correspondence", written and illustrated by Nick Bantock, is an amazing transpondence between Ms. Sabine Strohem and the artist Griffin Moss. Sabine is a follower of Griffin's art, and a strange pen pal alliance is formed. This book is amazing! There are actual letters for kids to take out of envelopes to read, mind blowing post card art work, and the mystery of the relationship between Griffin and Sabine. The most incredible element of this book are its pictures, if the reader cannot manipulate a letter out of an envelope, the they can think upon the meaning of the vivid and surreal elements of the beautiful post cards. This book is rather complex in its story plot, but the images will stir the imaginations of any aged reader; My four year old niece loves to look at the pictures in this book and make up her own story and read her own letters as she sees them, proving that this is not a book that would be lost on young readers. And as always, this brings to my mind a really cool idea for an excuse to make art, kids could make their own post card art and write letters to one another, so you see art really does have a place in about every discipline!

Just Go To Bed

In the picture book entitled, "Just Go to Bed", written and illustrated by Mercer Mayer, is yet another classical 80's children's bedtime story. The same basic formula is followed as "Froggy Goes to Bed", except in this story, the critter boy uses his imagination to pretend that he is someone else, running away, only to be foiled by his insistent father to proceed to the next task of his bed time routine. This story is a lot like "Froggy Goes to Bed" in that the story is decorated with rich, bold illustrations, and it is also a great bedtime story. Again this book could introduce a great exercise in writing and imaginative creating for kids in school, but reading in the middle of the day may seem out of place for kids in first or second grade. I personally remember reading this book when I was a kid, and so did my husband (this is his copy I am reading), and I think what made this book so memorable was the illustrations.

Froggy Goes to Bed

"Froggy Goes to Bed" is a fun bed time story written by Jonathan London and written by Frank Remkiewicz. In this story, a mother frog undergoes a nightly ritual in which all mothers dread; putting one's child to bed. Not willing to go quietly, Froggy finds that he must search for every object needed in order to complete his nightly bedtime routine. I can imagine kids being able to see themselves as acting like Froggy when bed time rolls around. I really like the picture in this book for their vivid coloring and the dispersal of panelling as Froggy looks for his pajamas, toothbrush, sailboat, and "huggy" doll. I am unsure as to how to incorporate this story into the classroom, as it is more appropriate for a bedtime story, but this is only one of the several "Froggy" books out there, so I can imagine children creating their own adventures for Froggy to go on or maybe creating a friend for him. I think that this really could be a good writing opportunity for younger kids.

Taggerung

"Taggerung" a continuation of Brian Jacques' epic saga, "Redwall". In this legend, Jacques raises the question of nature vs. nurture. The evil Sawney Rath vermin tribe has long awaited the coming of a great ruler to lead their clan, but when all signs point to an otter babe whoes origins are unknown, chaos soon ensues between the pirating vermin and good willed Redwallers as to Tagg's true nature.
I chose to review this book series, because it was one of my favorite series as a child. Redwall is an intriguing series that transports the reader to another world set in a time that feels like that of the days of King Arthur. This is a longer book for elementary kids to read, so it typically is enjoyed by more avid readers, but the plots could be enjoyed by all levels of readers in upper elementary school. The length of the novel could also be seen as a confidence booster, encouraging kids to tackle more difficult books. This is an adventure full of courage, honor, and legend; but perhaps the most important lesson that this novel teaches kids, is that appearances are not always what they seem. This is a great challenge book for kids, and the beginning of each chapter is crowned with an illustration, inviting the reader to make a prediction of the upcoming events in the chapter.

The Last Dinosaur Egg

The Last Dinosaur Egg, written and illustrated by Andrew Hegeman, is a great picture book that is ready to allow kids to explore their imaginations. When two kids, Jon and Jenny find a baby dinosaur while chasing butterflies, there world is turned upside down. My favorite part bout this story is how the kids find out that their dinosaurs' favorite food is broccoli! It reminds me of when I was a child, and how I would pretend that I was a dinosaur eating "trees" from my dinner plate. Perhaps the most intriguing part of this story is in the pictures themselves and how with the use of crayons, Hegeman has successfully captured illustrations that seem to have been drawn by children! In art it is always an attempt to recapture the essence of a child's artistic perspective, and here it is seen with the utmost integrity. I believe that the drawings help aid the story in it's message that even children are capable of doing amazing things.

Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What do you see?

Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What do you see? Written and illustrated by Bill Martin and Eric Carle, is a staple classic in elementary classrooms. This story with its' creative and wonderful "tearing" illustrations, depict a world of color and introduce a concept of prediction to beginning readers. The repetion of "what do you see?" invites the reader to engage in predicting the next animal and color that will be found on the next page, concluding with a crafty teacher, looking at her students, thus bringing the story out of its' book form and into the physical classroom. This story also creates for a wonder art lesson in which students can create their own animals who can look at one another. This is a book ripe for wonderful childhood memories that can be connected to a positive reading experience.

Bubba and Trixie

Bubba and Trixie, written and illustrated by Lisa Campbell Ernst, is a brilliant picture book about how things change, but that does not mean you have to change who you are as a person. In this story, a very timid caterpillar named Bubba makes friends with a brave little ladybug named Trixie, who helps Bubba to enjoy the world without the constant fear of living in the garden. But Bubba soon learns that his destiny to become a butterfly is just around the corner, and Bubba's new fear is that he will no longer be allowed to be friends with Trixie. Bubba soon learns that change and growing up are not things that he can avoid, but then discovers that just because he is different on the outside does not make him different on the inside. This is a terrific story to tell kids as they grow and change throughout their elementary education experience, it is a beautiful way to teach kids about a relevant and tough topic in a simple and delightfully fun way.

Wake Up Mr. B!

Wake Up Mr. B!, written and illustrated by Penny Dale, is s fun picture book for children about a young girl named Rosie and her imaginary adventures with her dog, Mr. B. While there is minimal text in the story, this book is perfect for beginning readers to engage in simple sentence structure, and follow a fun story, aided by beautiful images and scenes. I love how the pictures are broken up into panels, it is a great way to allow the teacher to have a dialog with the students about the progression of the story as well as take time to relate each scene to the children's lives, in order to make reading a relevant part of their own lives. I believe that this would be a terrific story to start a morning in a classroom, to help rev up young minds to think differently and get ready to use their imaginations.

Stellaluna

I chose this story to review as a way to honor one of my favorite picture books from my childhood. Stellaluna, is a heart warming tale written by Janell Cannon, about how every family is different, and how those differences are special to the individuals in the family. When a baby bat is separated from her mother, she is adopted by a family of birds. As the odd bunch grows, they struggle with the differences and similarities in which birds and bats exist. In the end Stellaluna and her bird siblings learn that their differences are not strong enough to keep them from sharing their familial bond. This story is filled with rich illustrations that capture the reader's imagination and help enhance the story's whimsical feel. I have read this story a number of times to my four year old niece, and each time it seems she is filled with joy and notices more connections to the world around her in relation to the character's situation. I am proud to have this book for my nieces' enjoyment, and am excited to share it with more children in my future classrooms.

The Tale of Despereaux

Bravery, forgiveness, and consequences; these are a few things in which we as parents and teachers like to set out and show our children. In Kate Dicamillo's novel, The Tale of Despereaux, illustrated by Timothy Basil Ering, the reader is treated to a marvelous tale in which an unusual mouse hero is so inspired by tales of knights and chivalry that he sets out on a bold adventure to save the human princess Pea, of whom he so dearly loves. Dicamillo does justice to her characters to not merely portray them as simply good and evil, a concept to frequently assigned to children's literature, but always depicts the good and bad of each character, as well as treating the reader to the events that lead up to each charecter's behaviors and motivations. I would have to say that my favorite attribute to this thrilling novel is how the author takes time to pull the reader aside from the story in order to challenge the reader to consider the plethora of view points, emotions, and goals, in which need to be considered in order to relate to each and every character. The most poignant quote in which to embody the spirit and theme of the story goes,

"I think, reader, that she was feeling the same thing that Despereaux had felt
when he was faced with his father begging him for forgiveness. That is, Pea was
aware suddenly how fragile her heart was, how much darkness was inside it,
fighting always with the light. She did not like the rat. She would never like
the rat, but she knew what she must do to save her own heart."

(Dicamillo, 264) . Forgiveness to save one's own goodness is a point that I believe will strike a note with children and adults alike, helping to instill one of the most important lessons that we as adults strive to teach our own children, forgiveness and empathy. This book is not all morals and lessons, however, The Tale of Despereaux is filled with a Raul Dahl style humor that delights its' readers and sprinkles whimsical illustrations seemingly from another world. Certainly, this is a story in which I as a teacher would read enthusiastically to my own classroom as well as to the kids who dwell in my personal life, for it is filled with adventure, excitement, humor, and all the things that I would want children to learn from having known myself.

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I have never had a blog before, so lets hope I don't mess up my first one