Sarah's Book Blog: 2012

Thursday, November 15, 2012

Where'd the Village go?

The Village That Vanished
Written by Ann Grifalconi
Illustrated by Kadir Nelson
Published by Puffin Books

I chose this book mostly because it looked on the outside cover to obviously be about Africa. For a while now I have been wanting to visit the continent of Africa, so anything that looks African is interesting to me. The title looked really interesting as well. I immediately wanted to know why the whole village vanished. Also, Kadir Nelson is the illustrator of this book, and he has done so many of the other books that I have read. I love his drawings. They are sure to always be beautiful and simple, and that’s the way I like things. This book was a huge disappointment to me. I was really interested and thought that there would be more depth/background to the story. Unfortunately, my hopes were let down. This story is focused around the prayer life of a young African girl. She wishes to one day be able to eloquently and properly pray just as her mother could. There were slave traders that were coming into the villages and burning them all down. This particular village decided that it was best to try and flee the slave traders. They did so until they got caught up at the edge of the river. The young girl prayed right there that God would show her the way, and that He would ease their burdens about crossing this river. So she immediately began praying the beautiful prayer and the way across the river was revealed. Huge stones were there to lead this village across the river and into the safety that awaited them. The author did a great job of blending African traditions and customs along with an easy to read and incredibly motivational story.
The illustrator is famous for her drawings that normally follow oil painting. The images contain unimaginable tiny details. There is a unique design on everything. Every illustration consumes seventy-five percent of the pages, and the text is written in a type face below of above the picture. Behind the text is negative space. The text placement would have to be considered the most formal. The cover of this book is another on of the interestingly hard paperbacks. This must be the new way to create paperbacks, in order that they may last longer. This cover has a wrap-around illustration effect. The title page has a very nice illustration that does a wonderful job setting up the curiosity of the reader.

This book could be used in the classroom in a Read Aloud lesson to share some of the African culture with the students. The teacher could complete a compare and contrast chart between Africa and America. This would be a great way to teach about how cultures are different and unique, but that humans are humans. This could also be turned into a writing assignment. The students could write about any traditions that may be passed down in their family. They could share these different traditions, and notice how even within their own culture there are differences. The teacher could share why different is always a good thing. The student’s could also write about one thing they wish to start as a tradition in their family.

World Explorer

The Adventures of Marco Polo
Written by Roger Smalley
Illustrated by Brian Bascle
Published by Capstone Press
Copyright 2005
28 pages
Historical Fiction

I am pretty sure that there will never be a time in my life that the words “Marco” and “Polo” can be said without immediately thinking of the other. I’ve always wondered what it was that started the game Marco Polo. We played it so much when I was a kid, and I never knew who Marco Polo was. I was immediately drawn to this book solely because of its title. I saw the picture on the front and thought that it was finally time that I read about the life and times of Marco Polo. Wow! This was a great book. From start to finish the author kept me interested. I am guessing the story itself would keep most people intrigued, but he had a way of creating a sense of flow and importance to the text. From the farthest corners of the earth to the kings castle itself, there were many places that many people had never been before. Since Marco, was a fairly influential man, the king sent him to a certain area of his kingdom. Marco saw tigers, rhinos, and all sorts of other dangerous animals. He returned home and started telling stories of their monstrous size and devilish looks. This is a wonderful story about an Italian traveling to China.
I enjoyed the last comic style book so much that I just had to have another one. This series from Graphic Library is a very good one. The expressions on the faces are very apparent. This book is also a hard paper back. It is very durable. Text format in this book is of course, very informal. The text bubbles cover the pages. The text is all written in the same style and color, but the placement is random. The images are vibrant full, taking up the page top to bottom.
This book could be used in a geography lesson. The students could discuss Beijing, China and where it is found on a map. The students could draw the country and learn other interesting facts about it. The teacher could also create a research for the students to find out more about China independently. The teacher could create a guided handout to elaborate on some of the things mentioned within the book, such as animals that live there. This book could also be used in a history lesson about Early Explorers. The teacher could relate this to those who explored America, and became part of the reason we live here today.

Wednesday, November 14, 2012

This House, That Hosue

You Lived Here: Houses of the World Written & Illustrated by Giles Laroche
Published by: Houghton Mifflin HarcourtCopyright 2011
30 pages
Multi-Cultural

Who wouldn’t love a book about houses? This book’s title alone gave me an instant spark of interest. I loved the Italian style seaside drawing on the cover of the book as well. I like seeing different things from around the world and it’s really neat to see how other people live, and how their homes differ from ours here in America. While this book was interesting, it was very simple and straightforward. From the beginning to the end with every flip of the page, the writer presents a great illustration and then describes the type of house that it is. He always says,” If you lived here,” as the introduction to the rest of the paragraph. The authors writing style is very simple as well. The easy to read descriptions of the houses are very detailed and informative. The book does become a little bit boring towards the end. Actually, on the last two pages, I looked at the pictures longer than I actually read about the houses. While this book was very readable and immediately intriguing, it didn’t exactly live up to the expectations that I had initially had for it.

As I mentioned before, the illustrations are the best part of this book. The illustrator draws and paints all of his pictures. He makes a collage of all the pictures by cutting and pasting them together. Every house in every picture contained distinct detail. I am certain that Laroche spent much time studying these actual houses in order to paint them so elegantly. Along with plain green end paper, Laroche uses two strips of paper with information about the book. These papers look as if you or I cut them out and pasted them there. This is a common technique that authors are now using. It is an effective way to let the reader know some short piece of important information that will give them a desire to read farther.

A teacher could use this book in any classroom. This book is very informational. Under each paragraph or story that tells about the house is an interesting set of information. The teacher could use the information in numerous ways. The students could choose their favorite house, and use the underlying information to write about it. In lower grade levels, the teacher could let each student choose their favorite house, and let them illustrate it themselves. Older elementary grade levels could do the same and then fill in the same fun information that the book has about the house they created.

Dia de los Ninos!

Book Fiesta!
Written by Pat Mora
Illustrated by Rafael Lopez
Published by HarperCollins

I chose this book because of the split language (bilingual) writing style that is used as a theme throughout the whole story. The title was also really cute, and so were the children on the front cover. I was looking for a multi-cultural book, and this one seemed like it would be the best option for my personal tastes. This book was very simple and easy to read. The entire book is basically about places where we can read together, which indirectly promotes unity among the two cultures. The author stretched the imaginations of the intended young readers by saying that we can read on the backs of elephants, we can read to lizards, and we can even read in submarines. This is great, especially for some of the youngest of readers that may not even know what Spanish is yet. The author and illustrator did a great job on teaming up and making the pictures go well with the content. For English speaking students to be able to relate the picture to something else while reading the Spanish version is very important.

The illustrations in this book are outstanding. They are by far my favorite among the children’s books I have read. The paintings seem to be done in water color. Each color appears to have a texture due to the way they were painted. The images fill up every single page. The end paper is glued to the boards inside the front and back, and even they are full of life and vibrant colors. They join with the flyleaf to create a wonderful imaginative beginning and ending for the book. The title page, frontis piece, and copyright page have their own images to communicate the nature of the story over a double page spread.

This book would be an awesome book for every classroom. The book celebrates children and reading. A teacher could create a “Book Fiesta” day for the children. The children could each bring their favorite book. They could share their book with the class, and each present a book talk. The teacher could make the whole day a celebration for the children, and bring food and music to go along with the party. This would be a great way to encourage reading. Since this book is written in English and Spanish, the teacher could allow two students to read this book aloud to the class. One student could read in English and the other in Spanish. This would be a great time to teach a little about the Spanish language afterwards. This book promotes a sense of friendship and unity among the two children in the book. The teacher could talk about the two different cultures, and the students could create a Venn-diagram about their similarities and differences.

Life Under the Sea

Ocean, it’s my Home!

Written by Angela Royston

Published by Crabtree Publishing Company

24 pages

Non-Fiction

I chose this book simply because it was about the habitants of the ocean. Last spring I visited the Atlanta Aquarium. I was amazed at the amount of creatures that live under the water. I was stunned by their distinctive bodies and life styles. This book is divided into sections that explain a specific concept. Most of the concepts are the different homes under the water. After explaining the home environment, it explains different sea creatures that live in that part of the ocean. It even tells about some of the birds that live around the ocean. I love that it includes a glossary and index in the back of the book for reference.

The images in this book are all digital photography. The images are realistic showing actual details and characteristics of the animals. The photographs were taken from numerous different photographers; therefore, no illustrator is designated for this book. The text placement within this book is very informal. It is placed to fit around images. A lot of the text is written in colorful callouts to draw emphasis to specific information. Each page has a similar background at the top that fades into a different image at the bottom based on the page information.

The teacher could definitely benefit from having this book in a classroom library. The teacher could use this book for a read aloud during a time where the students are studying the ocean life. The teacher could use this in a science lesson as a reference for students to use in a research activity on certain animals from the book. The teacher could turn this into a writing lesson as well. The students could write facts they learned from the story on a graphic organizer about each animal. The teacher could allow the students to pick their favorite creature from the book and let them research more information about its lifestyle. The students could even present this information to a classroom, or even do this as a group project. This book would need to be used primarily in the higher elementary grade levels.

Where the Water Comes and Goes

All the Water in the World

Written by George Ella Lyon

Illustrated by Katherine Tillotson

Published by Richard Jackson

38 pages

Non-Fiction

I chose this book because I was interested to see what exactly it had to say about water. The world is a something that will always catch my attention. I am extremely interested in the world and all of its existence. This book is a more complicated read about the different places water goes. It is really neat to see the unique writing style the author chose to use. It seems to follow a poetic type of style. The book is a informational in a way to let everyone know where the water goes so that we may know how to keep it clean. The book ends encouraging everyone around the world to keep the Earth green.

This book has a very informal text placement. The text is printed in different colors and shapes of all sizes. Some text is bold and some has a falling effect. A lot of the text is placed in order to go along with the illustration. The illustrations are done in a collages format. For example, a page full of grass and trees displays all different shades and patterns of green fit together to make an image. Some of the images flow into a completely different image. The title page is over a two page spread with an elaborate illustration that does an amazing job communicating the nature of the story.

This book could be used in a classroom during a Science lesson. The teacher could extend on this book and teach a lesson about the water cycle. The teacher could also create a handout with examples of the different ways water is used in this story. For each example, the students could write a personal example of how they treat the water they use. The teacher could also use this in a literacy lesson about poetry. The teacher could explain that all poetry does not rhyme and share different examples. The teacher could even move into allowing students to write their own poem. This book was difficult for me to read and understand. I would suggest using it in the higher elementary grade levels.

She Speaks Truth

Ida B Wells: Let the Truth Be Told
Written by Walter Dean Myers
Illustrated by Bonnie Christensen
Published by Amistad and Collins

Honestly, I chose this book because it was about Ida B. Wells, and I learned about her when I was in elementary school. This woman led an intriguing and important life that displayed perseverance and integrity. I knew that this book would not be a letdown because the author Walter Dean Myers is a very successful and well noted author that always seems to surpass expectations with his writings. This book was basically a quick summary of Mrs. Wells life. The story takes you from her humble beginnings in Holly Springs, Mississippi, to her run for senate in Illinois. The author did an outstanding job of incorporating the details that were most important. There are so many things that you can write about Mrs. Wells, but Myers selection of topics and life events was great. I do wish that the end would have been slightly more detailed though. All-in-all this was a great book that would be a great read for many kids today. The life of Mrs. Wells was too important to forget, and this book does a great job of portraying her importance in a simple yet holistic way.

The watercolor paintings illustrated in this book are quite interesting. Chistensen uses a lot of extra black scratch marks in the images so that they are perceived as older. The illustrations portray a very distinctive style. The illustrations are arranged differently on every page. Some of the images take up the entire two pages, and the text overlaps the picture. Other pages contain an enormous amount of negative space with more than on picture fit together in a collage style. A lot of the pages have very tiny images below or above the text. Most of the pages are simply just one full picture opposing the text written on a blank background on the other page. I just love the images of this book. I would say the text placement is most formal. The book includes a couple of actual quotes form Ida which are all in a different color. One last thing that I admired me was the first letter of the first sentence of every page is in a different color.

In the back of this book is the timeline of Ida B. Well’s life. This book could be used during a history lesson. The teacher could use it during a lesson on the Civil War or about the Amendments of the Constitution. The teacher could create their own timeline of events they remembered from her life. The teacher could also make this into a writing lesson about what it would have been like to live in the time period that Ida lived. The students could also write about ways that they cold stand up for something they believe in. They could write about what if they would have been brave enough to be like Ida.

The Great American Educator

Booker T. Washington: The Great American Educator
Written by Eric Braun
Illustrated by Cynthia Martin
Published by Capstone Press

Booker T. Washington is one of the most famous African-Americans to ever live. He is arguably one of the most influential to live in Alabama too. When I saw the cover of this book, I knew that it would be based around the life of a man that helped shaped our state. I chose this book because I enjoy learning about the history of Alabama; and Booker T. Washington played a very large role in completely changing this state and its culture. This book is written in a comic book style format. It could potentially represent a very short graphic novel. It is actually a very informative and interesting short story. The book takes you from Booker’s life as a young boy still enslaved to a grown man that is at the front of the race riots in the early 1900’s. Washington was the founder of the Tuskegee Institute, a school of very humble beginnings that has turned into a large academic university. Being a historical fiction, there is a sub-plot to the story that really more or less is unimportant. The most important things are the facts about Washington. He was extremely influential in both the white and black communities. His leadership and desire for equal educational opportunities led to an extremely improved quality of life for black people in the state of Alabama.

Since this book is set up in a comic book format, all of the pictures follow the comic book style also. The pictures are extremely detailed with a magnificent use of colors. There is more than one image on about every page. In most of the images the people have a shiny affect to their head or face. This book is very good quality paper back book. The text placement within this would have to be very informal. The text is written in text bubbles all over the images. It is almost difficult to follow what order they should be read. I think the comic book style is a great thing to tie into a historical fiction book. It definitely grabs the readers’ interest from the start.

This would be another great book to use for a read aloud during a history lesson. It would be most efficient in a lesson about Alabama’s history. The students create a cause and effect graphic organizer. In this booker the presidents William McKinley and Theodore Roosevelt were mentioned. The teacher could use this to do a lesson on these presidents, and their involvement with Booker T. Washington. The teacher could make a writing assignment for the students to write about their dreams. They could include life goals, and how they plan to reach these goals.

Rapper and a Chilren's Book Author

Just the Two of Us
Written by Will Smith
Illustrated by Kadir Nelson
Published by Scholastic Press

This was an easy book for me to choose. Who wouldn’t want to read a book by Will Smith? He is a well-known musician and actor, so I figured that his entertainment success would bleed over into this book. This book also had an intriguing cover that led me to believe it was going to be centered on a father and son that had their own little family. The picture of the dad holding his son up was too warming to pass up. As far as the story itself is concerned, this short book is one of my most cherished favorites of all. Smith turns out to be an incredible writer. The story is written with in a poetic style with elegant rhymes and a simple flow (what else would you expect from a former musician). The plot follows the affections and simple lessons from a father for his son. From the moment the young child is born, the father is constantly doing everything he can to be the best father that he can be. His undying affection and love for the little boy is evident from the time he brings him home to the time he’s old enough to be on his own. The title did give away part of the story, as we later find out that the man was divorced from his wife. However, it doesn’t stop him from encouraging his son to aim for the stars, to have courage, and to be a great man.

This is one of the first books that I chose with a book jacket. The book jacket protects the book, and informs the reader. The images in this book were very detailed and elaborate. They covered each page top to bottom. It looks as if the illustrator painted the pages with acrylic paint. The text with in the book is very informal. It is in all different shapes, colors, and sizes. The words are all typed on top of the pictures. Even though the text is all written on top of the pictures, they are all mostly opposite the focus of the illustration. This may a slight but of very formal text mixed in.

This book could be used in a classroom in a Literacy Lesson. The book follows a poetry format. The students could write their own poem about their life. They could include their hobbies, family, and many other things about their everyday life. The teacher could talk about the life of Will Smith and his career in music. The teacher could talk about how songs are really just poems that are sung, and then the students could write their own song. The teacher could extend a read aloud into a math lesson. She could take an inventory about each student’s favorite hobby. The teacher could put the results on the board, and then require the students to make a graph of the hobbies.

Is my Tooth Under Your Table?

George Washington’s Teeth

Written by Deborah Chandra & Madeleine Comora

Illustrated by Brock Cole

Published by Farrar Straus Giroux

34 Pages

Historical Fiction

I chose this book about George Washington, because it is about our very first president. Since it is around election time, this book easily caught my attention. I flipped through the book to see the random text and picture placement. I have not yet blogged about a book like this, therefore I was sold. This book is about George Washington having problems with his teeth. All of his teeth became rotten and fell out over a period of time. He was distraught about losing all of his teeth. He was afraid that everyone would make fun of him. He believed he looked like a grandmother. After losing every last one of his teeth, he makes the decision to find all of his teeth to make a mold for dentures. Surprisingly, he finds them all just in time to make it to the ball. This book was very comical and interesting.

The text placement in this book is informal. The text is arranged to fit above, below, between, and around the pictures. The illustrations are intriguing. The outer edges are not defined by a line of any sort. The pictures mostly fade away at the edges. The illustrations are surrounded by a large amount of negative space in order to make the pictures pop out more. In the beginning of the book, the colors used in the pictures are all dark and dreary. Towards the very end when George regains a set of teeth the pictures are colorful. The colors exemplify more of a pastel style. The images might possibly be done in crayon or something similar.

This book could be used in a classroom in an enormous amount of ways. First it would be great to use in a history lesson about Presidents and the Revolutionary War. In the back of the book is a timeline of events of George Washington’s life. This would be a great way to discuss the true historical facts of his life. This book could also be used for a literacy lesson. There is a rhyming theme throughout the whole book. The teacher could do a lesson on rhyming words in a lower grade level classroom. Also in this book, George counts down as he loses his teeth. The teacher could use this for a math lesson. It would be more appropriate for lower grade levels, but the teacher could focus on counting down or subtraction.

Thursday, October 25, 2012

A Book About Numbers and Animals in Spanish and English

Eight Animales on the Town
Written by Susan Middleton Elya
Illustrated by Lee Chapman

Published by Penguin Putnams Books for Young Children
Copyright 2000
31 Pages

Fantasy

I chose this book because it has a funny front cover. Anytime you see a horse holding maracas and a cow holding a tambourine there is bound to be an interesting story that goes with that illustration. The book did not disappoint me at all. As the title indicates, the book is intended to help familiarize children with simple and everyday Spanish words and phrases. I feel as though the author did a great job of accomplishing that goal with this easy to read and clearly written story. By using animals as illustrations, the author takes us on a journey through the local market. Each of the animals is numbered (by a Spanish number) and they are each going to the market to buy something particular. While there is no apex in action, or really much of a storyline, there is also no eventful ending. The animals just get together and all go for a car ride home.

The illustrations in this lovely book were created through oil painting on canvas. I think the illustrations are just about as great as the text is. The colors are extremely vibrant and distinct. I love how deep each color is. Each page contains a border around the page. This does not seem to take away from the picture for me. The text placement is very informal. The book has a dual-image cover with a small photo on the back. The proportion of the animals to the buildings and several other pictures do a great job giving the reader a perspective from their point of view.

The teacher could use this book in a Spanish lesson on counting. The teacher could read this book and then go back through and allow the students to pick out all of the Spanish words. Once they finished, the students could try to discover the meanings of each word. The teacher could use this book in a Language Arts lesson on rhyming. The students could actively engage in calling out the rhymes after the teacher stops on each page and point at them to do so. The teacher could use this book in a mostly Spanish speaking classroom to teach them more English. The humor and language variations within this book will delight the students.

Do You Love Me?

Piglet and Papa
Written by Margaret Wild
Illustrated by Stephen Michael King

Published by Abrams Books for Young Readers
Copyright 2007

32 Pages

Wow this was such a cute story. The title of the book was very interesting, and it matched up so well with the cover that I could not pass it up. Plus, it is a Margaret Wild book, so I knew that it would be great for sure. The story is focused on this young pig that has a great relationship with her dad. One day though, she makes him very angry and she decides to leave the pig sty. After leaving she runs into all of the other barnyard animals. When she sees them she asks them how much they like her and if they love her. They all say that they love something about her (floppy ears, cute snout, etc.) and they tell her that they love her as well. However, they tell her that there is someone who loves her even more so than they do, but they never reveal to her who that person is. Towards the end of the story she wanders back into the pig sty, and to her surprise there is her dad to welcome her. He gives her a huge hug and it is there that she realizes he is the one that loves her more than everyone else.

The illustrations within this book have thin, jagged lines. They contain a lout of blues and greens which promote a tranquil mood. The cover of the book is a dual image of two completely separate pictures. The text placement is a mix of formal and informal. I have found it very common for there to be a mixture of many. The illustrations are brilliant paintings which clearly deliver the message of the text.

The teacher could use this book in a preschool lesson about animals. The teacher could elaborate details about each animal. In higher elementary classes, the students could research an animal from the story and learn about its habitat and ways of life. The students could fill out information about each animal in a graphic organizer. The students could do a writing assignment about a time they have dealt with a misunderstanding, and they believed a lie because of it.

If Only I Could Get to the Ocean

Can’t Catch Me
Written and Illustrated by John and Ann Hassett
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company
Copyright 2006
32 Pages

Fantasy

This book didn’t immediately grab my attention. To be honest I almost didn’t get it at first. I actually put it back the first time I had picked it up, but I decided to give it a shot anyway. This book actually disappointed me in several different ways. Although the authors had great intentions when writing this book, they failed to make the end message resound the way it should have. If I was a child, I probably wouldn’t have remembered the moral of the story or even understood it to begin with. Basically the story is about a boy chasing after an ice cube that his mother wanted for some lemonade. She told the young boy to keep the freezer door shut, but of course he didn’t listen. The ice escaped and went on a mad dash for the ocean, where he wanted to,” Grow as big as an iceberg and bump into boats when they’re not looking.” He succeeded on making it to the ocean, but while in the ocean he was gulped up by a whale, a tragedy that could have been avoided if the young boy had just listened to his mother in the first place.

The illustration in this book on the title page is surrounded by negative space, singling out the picture. The rest of the illustrations throughout the book are not the same. The book is full of single paged illustrations with very formal text placement. This book has a dual image cover. The picture on the front is different of the one on the back. The colors on the pages really portray the mood of the story. The images are rather organic in their shape. The lines of the pictures are horizontal, which implies a calm mood for most of the story. The lines slowly move into diagonal as the mood sways.

The teacher could use this book in a classroom to relate to responsibility and obedience. The teacher could implement class jobs, and show the students the importance of those. The teacher could do a writing assignment on consequences for actions. The students could write about the discipline plan they abide by in the classroom and at home. The teacher could instruct the students to include why it is important to follow the rules that are set. The teacher could also use this in a Language Art assignment on fact and opinion. The students could write five facts about the book, and then they could list their opinion of the book.

The Life of a Cockroach

Martina the Beautiful Coackroach
Retold by Carmen Agra Deedy
Illustrated by Michael Austin

Published by Peachtree Publishers
Copyright 2007
33 Pages

Traditional Literature: A Cuban Folktale

How can you not be curious about this book after reading the title? I chose this book out of pure interest as to how a cockroach could be beautiful. Seeing as I am terrified of cockroaches, I was extremely skeptical of the author’s decision to write about a pretty little cockroach. I also chose the book because it is labeled as a Cuban folktale. I love Spanish culture, and I thought that this book might incorporate some Spanish principles into it, and to my delight it did. The story is about a 21 year old girl cockroach named Martina Josefina Catalina Cucaracha. Martina (for short) was getting ready to find herself a suitable mate. This would be an easy task for Martina because she was the most beautiful cockroach in all of the land. Her grandmother knew that Martina would have no problem finding a mate so she wanted to make sure that Martina got the best of the best to be her husband. Martina’s grandmother gave her some advice for when she met all of the men that would come in search of a wife. She said to pour coffee on their feet to get a reaction out of them, and that this reaction would indicate how they would respond when things got tough during their marriage. Martina took her grandmothers advice and put it to practical use. The rooster, the pig, and the lizard all failed the test so Martina became quite discouraged. Then to her surprise, her grandmother turned her attention to a cute mouse outside their home. He wound up being the right mate for Martina, and he passed the coffee test with flying colors.

The illustrations in this book are said to be done in acrylic on Strathmore Series 500 illustration board. I was amazed that these photos were acrylic. From my own judgment, I was sure that they must have been done in digital media. The illustrations take up double pages with a mix of most formal and very informal. The pictures are very detailed. In one of the pictures you can notice the tiny hairs on the leg of a man. The end paper is glued in secure with a beautiful picture following on the frontis and title page as well.

The teacher could use this book in a classroom to talk about the importance of elders, and the reasons we should listen to them. The students could write about something that they may have learned from a grandparent or other elder in their life. The teacher could also use this book in a vocabulary lesson. The teacher could use this book to teach the students a small amount of Spanish. In a class that contains a lot of Spanish speaking students, the teacher could use this book to encourage the students who normally only hear English in the classroom.

The Bird who Sang Away Death

Hans Christian Anderson: The Nightingale

Written and Illustrated by Jerry Pinkney

Published by Phyllis Fogelman Books

34 pages

Traditional Literature: Fairy Tale

I chose this book because of the author. Jerry Pinkney is an award winning author and illustrator, so I assumed any book of his must be good. The tale is originally told in the China origin. Pinkney retells this story in Morocco, Northwest Africa. This talk is about a famous tiny bird who sings the most beautiful songs. In the story, the king received a mechanical bird that was supposed to be as great at Nightingale. The king becomes sick and only the true Nightingale is able to help him. He sings away death, and the king is forever thankful.

The illustrations in this book are done through graphite, gouache, and watercolor on paper. Combining these different types of paintings is called mixed media. The illustrations are amazing. They do a magnificent job at displaying the details and beauty of this African culture. The text placement is formal with borders around the pictures and text pages. The colors in these illustrations are vibrant and exuberating.

The teacher could use this book in a classroom in a Language Arts lesson on compare and contrast. The students could compare the culture in this book to their own culture. The teacher could also use this book in a Geography lesson. The teacher could talk about China and Morocco, and she could show the students the locations on a map. Then the students could practice their map skills and find more countries on a map. The teacher could also use this book in a writing assignment. The students could write about the bird, Nightingale. They could do a character sketch, and describe the personality traits of this bird.

Happily Ever After With a Bull

The Black Bull of Norroway

Retold by Charlotte Huck

Illustrated by Anita Lobel

Published by HarperCollins

34 pages

Traditional Literature: A Scottish Fairy Tale

This book is a fairy tale about a young girl who only wants a husband who will love her and be kind to her. She receives this husband who is a bull under a spell. The spell from the witch who wishes for this duke to marry her daughter causes a great deal of stress for this young boy and girl. After years of work and heart ache, she is finally able to marry her prince charming and live happily ever after. I chose this book honestly because it was the only one I could find about a fairy tale at the time. From the pictures, I decided it was not going to be a book I would enjoy. I was wrong. I loved this book.
This entire book has an old fashioned style. The text looks as if it written on off white colored paper, which insinuates that it is older. The illustrations were created through water color paint and a black pen. Each page has a gutter, which is a blank space in the crease of the pages. This prevents any of the illustration being lost in the crack of the book. I found it interesting that the front of the book appears to be in the panel style, but the rest of the book is not in this format. The frontis piece and title page both greatly establish the tone of the book.

The teacher could use this book in a geography lesson in the classroom. The students could talk about what a country is, and what country we live in. The teacher could show the students where Norroway is on a map. The teacher could use this in a Language Arts lesson as well. The students could practice sequence of events with the three castles, and the three gifts that Peggy Ann received. The teacher could use this in a creative writing lesson. The students could write about what they would do if they were in Peggy Ann’s place when she was lost, and had to work for seven years just for a pair of shoes.

Imigination in Nature

Silver Seeds

Written by Paul Paolilli & Dan Brewer

Illustrated by Steve Johnson & Lou Fancher

Published by Penguin Group

30 pages

Poetry

I chose this book because I was interested to see what the title meant. The book cover is two children staring into the sky. I was very curious about the children. I was not surprised to find out this book was full of poems all about nature. The poems were all written in the acrostic format. The author wrote these poems from the perspective of the children. They use a lot of imagination within each poem. For example, the children see the stars as silver seeds in the sky, and they see the falling leaves as small brown parachutes. It is interesting how each comparison is relatable to children, and the way their brains really work.

The illustrations are all paintings by two different artists. The paintings are very beautiful. The paintings are so large that they are double paged illustrations with the text overlapping on top. The book has a really nice wrap around cover with a painting that aligns perfectly with the title of the book, because the children are staring at what they call silver seeds in the sky. All of the poems are written in a proper clean cut format, but all of the titles of the poems have colorful, different fonts placed randomly on the two pages. It is interesting to notice how the colors drastically change with the seasons, and how that goes along with the mood of the poems.

A teacher could use this book in a poetry lesson in lower elementary grades. The teacher could read aloud the poems, and require the students to write their own acrostic poem. The teacher could also let the students pick one specific poem from the book, and re-write the poem in the way they relate to nature. For example, if the student chose rain then they could write their own acrostic poem about rain with what they compare the rain with. The teacher could also use this book in a science lesson to discuss seasons and weather.

Poems About Dogs

Once I Ate a Pie

Written by Patricia MacLachlan and Emily MacLachlan Charest

Illustrated by Katy Schneider

Published by HarperCollins Children’s Books

29 Pages

Poetry

I chose this book for several reasons, the first being because it is poetry. I also chose this book, because I am a dog lover. As I flipped through this book, the first thing I noticed was the font in all different styles and sizes. The deal was sealed. Anything that looks fun and spontaneous is perfect for me. This book is full of different poems about dogs. Ever poem is about a different type of dog. It is interesting how the author does not use the correct breed of the dog, but instead they use the dogs’ names for the titles of the poems. The poems are a short and hysterical summary of each dog’s personality. The poems are told from the perspective of the dog.

The illustrations in this book are all painted by an amazing artist. Katy Schneider used actual dogs as models for her paintings in this book. She uses the end paper in the beginning of the book, along with the illustrations on the title and cover page to suggest the topic of the story for the reader. The illustrations are largely and beautifully displayed though the double page format. The text format is very informal. This is my favorite part of the book, because different ideas are emphasized through styles of text. The images do a great job of assisting the reader in visualizing the personality of the dog displayed through the text.

The teacher could use this book in a Language Arts activity. The students could write about a dog or pet that they have, and what their dog might think about everyday. The teacher could also use this book in an Art lesson. The teacher could extend on a lesson about the illustrator and her accomplishments, and then give the students an opportunity to paint. This book could easily be used in an activity about adjectives. Most poems include a good amount of adjectives, but these specific descriptive poems include a lot. The teacher could read-aloud this book to the class. She could stop after each poem to allow the students to pick out the adjectives on the page. This would also be a great way to allow time for student engagement.

If Your Clothes Could Talk, What Would They Say?

Button Up!

Written by Alice Schertle

Illustrated by Petra Mathers

Published by Harcourt Children’s Books

33 Pages

Poetry

I chose this book from the library. When I picked this book up off the shelf, I flipped through the pages to notice they were all different with very interesting titles and images. There is humor in this book, and it is displayed through the images as well as the text. Books with a little bit of humor are always my favorite. This very creative book holds fifteen different poems inside of it. Each poem is different with its own title and story. The poems are all about an animal’s piece of clothing. They are told from the perspective of the clothing item. For example, the very first poem is told by Bertie’s shoelaces, who talk about Bertie never remembering to tie them in a knot; therefore, they are always hanging loose and dragging the ground.

The illustrations within this book are done in watercolor on Arches 300lb. cold-press paper. The text placement is very informal, because every page is has the text displayed in a different form. The font is also displayed though different sizes and colors. Almost all of the illustrations within the book are spread across both sides of an open book, displaying the double page format. The inside of the book in the very front and back is covered with the end paper. Also glued on top of the end paper is informational text that appears to be cut and pasted. I admire this style. The illustrator does a great job at grabbing the reader’s attention with the images from the very first page.

Teachers could use this book in a classroom on a lesson about rhymes. The teacher could read the story out loud to the class stopping periodically to require the students to point out the rhymes in each poem. The teacher could also use this for a creative writing activity. The students could pick their favorite piece of clothing and brainstorm about what it might say if it were able to talk. The students could write in the form of poetry or narrative. In upper grade levels, the students may even be able to incorporate rhyming into their writing. I would highly recommend this book for a poetry lesson.

Haiku or Guyku?

Guyku: A Year of Haiku for Boys

Written by Bob Raczka

Illustrated by Peter H. Reynolds

Published by Houghton Mifflin Books for Children

40 pages

Juvenile Poetry: Haiku

The first thing that attracted my eyes to this book was the title. I thought that it was very creative, and it obviously does a great job at sparking up curiosity in the reader. The second reason I chose this book is because of the unique font and images. As I read through this book, I found myself enjoying the font and images even more. The story is about a boy, hence the title. The author takes you through all of the seasons of the year. In each season, he describes several different activities that he enjoyed as a young boy. Each page is a different haiku poem. Every poem is different, and there is not really any type of sequence other than the seasons. For example, one poem is about a grasshopper, while then next is about riding a bike. The different poems do not make it hard for the reader to stay focused.

As stated before, I really enjoyed the illustrations and font within this book. I found it very interesting that the text is all hand written. The text placement within this book is a mixture of formal and very formal. The images are in mostly black and white with one color. The one color is different corresponding with each season. All of the images are done in watercolor and digital color. There is a lot of negative space on each page which is supposed to highlight or isolate the images. The majority of the book contains single page illustrations, and the text is a pretty good size on the opposite page or above and below the picture. The illustrations are unique and wonderful.

Teachers could use this book in a classroom during a poetry lesson. The teacher could take the students outside to read this book. The class could discuss the creativity of the author, and the details of a haiku poem. Then, the students could write their own haiku using their own creativity about something they really enjoy and never want to forget. The teacher could also use this book in a Science lesson to discuss the seasons of the year. The students could write about the seasons, and what they enjoy most about each one.

Thursday, September 27, 2012

Exploring New Things

Library Mouse: A World to Explore

Written by Daniel Kirk

Published by Scholastic Inc.

30 Pages

I chose this book after flipping through the book and loving the illustration. Sam is a little nerdy mouse who lives in a whole of the library. His favorite things to do are read and write. One day he meets Sarah, who is polar opposite of safe Sam. Sarah is an explorer who loves adventure. Sarah begs Sam to go on adventures with her, but he is far too afraid. Sarah decides to read and write about adventures with Sam instead. After they did some research, they set off on an adventure together. Sam was scared, but he loved it afterwards. The book leaves you guessing, but I think that Sam has a small crush on Sarah.

The illustrations really grab the reader’s eye. The full pages of smooth and colorful images are captivating. The pictures give a wonderful perspective of the view from a mouse’s standpoint. The proportion of the talk bookshelf to the tiny mouse help you to fear as Sam fears exploring the very top.

This book could be tied into a science lesson, where older elementary students could research famous explorers. With the younger elementary age students, the book could also be useful. The students could write about a fear they have, and how fun it could be overcome that fear. It is interesting to see how opposite personalities attract in this story. This could be a great topic to point out and discuss amongst the class.

ED, ER, & ING

Happy Endings: A Story about Suffixes

Written by Robin Pulver

Published by Scholastic Inc.

26 Pages

Juvenile Fiction

Honestly, I chose to read this book out of pure curiosity. The story was not as good as I had hoped it would be. The story seems to be centered around the ends of words and children in classroom learning about them. With the word endings being highlighted a different color I found the entire book rather difficult to read. The story starts off with children that are excited about the school year coming to an end, so their teacher Mr. Wright decides to teach them about suffixes because they will need to know them for their next school year. Well, some of the words decide to jumble themselves up and have their endings come at the beginning, and that made the book very hard to read at certain points. The main purpose of this book was to show how important suffixes are and to encourage the young readers as they tackle their word endings in the future. I think that it served a purpose, it just wasn’t that great of a story book.

The images in this book look like a painting by an elementary student. The images also serve a purpose in assisting the student to be engaged in the book. The simple painting sets them at ease, because initially they can already relate. The different colored parts of words help the student visualize the difference in words and word endings.

This book could clearly be used in a Literacy Lesson to teach about word endings. The students could divide into groups and each be assigned a page of the book. Each group would pick out the suffixes and write them out on paper. Once they wrote out the suffixes, they could change the prefix to make a new word. Depending on their level, the students could even take it a step farther and write their own story with their new made up words. The book has not received any awards.

New Dinosaur in the Class

How Do Dinosaurs Go to School

Written by Jane Yolen and Mark Teague

Published by Scholastic Inc.

31 Pages

Fictional Poetry

This book stuck out to me because it reminded me of one of my favorite movies when I was a child, The Land Before Time. The story is a comparison of what a dinosaur might do at school, and what a dinosaur actually does at school. By starting off with several questions about things a dinosaur may do, the author engages a child’s attention. All of these questions are centered around things that children obviously shouldn’t or don’t do at school. So, by presenting these questions in this way, children can relate to the story and realize some of the things they are and aren’t supposed to do. The last part of the story revolves around statements about what a good dinosaur does do at school. Some of these statements are simple things like raising our hands, helping out, being friends with everyone, etc. This was a great book with a poetic style that really relates to the kids who read it.

The illustrations in this book are humorous. They have distinct lining around every object in each picture. It does a great job showing proportion for the dinosaur to the students and the classroom. The images nicely fill up the pages. I found very interesting and helpful in every picture the actual name of the different types of dinosaurs were minutely written somewhere near their body.

As stated earlier, this book would be exceptional for reestablishing classroom rules. If the class was starting to lose focus and control, then you could use this book to show how ridiculous it looks to others when students are misbehaving. This book could be used for a science lesson on all of the different types of dinosaurs in the book. It could also be used during a poetry lesson, or a lesson taught about rhymes and word endings. This book has not received an award.

Snow Family

Snowmen at Christmas

Written by Caralyn Buehner

Published by Scholastic Inc.

29 Pages

Poetry Picture Book

I chose to read this book because it’s about a snowy Christmas, and that never happens around here. This story quickly became one of my favorites. I had no idea what the plot would be, and I was really surprised to find out that it was nothing like I thought it might be. The story was based around snowmen’s Christmas Eve. The snowmen are like one big family. They leave their homes and get together for their own Christmas party on the town square. It was really cute how they danced together, and they even had their very own snowman Santa Claus. The story ends with the snowmen going back to their homes and bringing smiles to the kids on the snowy Christmas day.

The illustration in this book is beautiful. The pictures are top to bottom of every page throughout the entire book. This is one on of my favorite picture books that I have seen. The images are so fascinating.

This book could be used during a poetry lesson as a read aloud. It could also be a guide for students to use their imagination in writing. An appropriate time to use this book would be near the holidays. Any age elementary would enjoy it. This could also be taken so far as to explaining what snow is and how it is formed in a science lesson. There are no awards currently to this books name.