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

Copyright 2002

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

Copyright 2001

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

Copyright 2001

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

Copyright 2006

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

Copyright 2009

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

Copyright 2012

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.