Reflection

Final Class Reflection

From taking this course, I have realized just how beneficial children's literature can be to the elementary classroom. One important concept in the elementary reading classroom is to allow choice in reading selection. I now feel better prepared to suggest the multitude of choices that are currently available for children from graphic novels, informational picture books, poetry to children's novels. During my practicum this semester, my students had time to visit the school library on a day that the librarian was sick. I was excited because I felt prepared to be able to suggest books based upon talking about their interests. From being introduced to the dozens of texts in this class, I feel better prepared to integrate these into science, math, social studies and more. One of the favorite parts of this course has been the investigation into banned books. I enjoyed reading these controversial children's books and looking at both sides of the argument. I also was glad we were able to read Year of Impossible Goodbyes and So Far From the Bamboo Grove to understand how the same story can have two completely different sides. I am excited to bring these novels into my future classroom to give my students a first hand look two sides of the same story. Overall I thoroughly enjoyed this class this semester and look forward to using everything I have gained in this class to better suit the learning of my future students.

The Story Goes On

The Story Goes On

by Aileen Fisher
illustrated by Mique Moriuchi

Between the Moriuchi's wonderful illustrations and Fisher's beautifully written story, this children's picture book is excellent. The story is written as a poem and describes the cycle of life starting with a little seed. It continues on as the sprouted seed is devoured by a bug and works it's way up the food chain. Ultimately this book has a happy ending as the seed works all the way through the cycle and is deposited back into the ground to be made into a new beautiful flower all over again. The words of this book are creative as many of the sentences rhyme with the next. The words are thoughtfully placed on the page which keeps the young readers searching for the fun story. The illustrations appear as a collage with the bright and colorful objects. They ultimately add so much to the story and are sure to keep the readers engaged. I enjoyed reading this simple story and I know that young children will too.

Intended Age 4-7

Bugs: Poems about Creeping Things

Bugs: Poems about Creeping Things

by David L. Harrison

illustrated by Rob Shepperson

Harrison does a great job of writing forty fun poems about bugs and collecting them into this fun compact children's book. There is also a large variety of poetry in this book as well with the styles of poems including some unique two person poems. The humor and playfulness shows in the poems like one of my favorite poems in this collection:

spider

In spider talk,
"I'm glad ta meeture!"

means

"I plans ta

catch and

eature

for a tasty

little treature!"

Don't go near
the nasty

creature!

Many of Harrison's poems carry these fun rhyming words that will entertain students throughout the book. The illustrations included are simple, black and white, and modern. I think the often times in collections of poems the illustrators do not include very much details because they are not necessarily needed. In most of these poems the great descriptions tell the readers so much already that the pictures are just used to add some extra fun. Overall I think boys and girls will enjoy reading all about bugs in this exciting collection of poetry.

Intended Age 4-8

A Pizza the Size of the Sun

A Pizza the Size of the Sun

by Jack Prelutsky

illustrations by James Stevenson

A Pizza the Size of the Sun is a magnificent collection of poetry written for all ages of children. The best part about this wonderful collection by Jack Prelutsky is the amount of variety that are found in the book. The poems take on all different formats, lengths, and layouts including one poem called "I Was Walking in a Circle" which has the poem written in a unique way around a circle. He also includes a multitude of different topics and ideas for the poems from opossums, to sailing, to moopies. Readers will defiantly enjoy reading this book because the wide variety of poems always keeps the reader's interests. This book would be a great tool to have in the classroom too when students get stuck on something to write they can easily be intrigued by some of the poems included to begin writing about a similar topic, or similar type of poem. This book got the name from the fun poem at the beginning of the book about making a giant pizza. My favorite poem of this whole book comes as the last one included in the collection which is titled "If." The whole poem poses unique questions about random thoughts or plays on words. The illustrations included in this book are simple, yet add more detail to each poem. Without the illustrations I think some of the young readers would get lost in this book because they may be intimidated by the length of the book. Overall this is a wonderful collection of poetry and a must have in the classroom.

Intended Age 5+

My Feet Are Laughing

My Feet Are Laughing

by Lissette Norman
illustrated by Frank Morrison

This fun children's book of poetry tells about a girl living in Harlem named Sadie. The collect is a collection of sixteen unique poems that tell the story of Sadie celebrating her family and the city around her. Some of the poems describe a specific person in Sadie's live with others tell about special events, memories, and places. One unique thing that Lissette Norman did with her book is start the book of with a simple introductory poem about Sadie, and end with the same exact poem. I think readers will enjoy hearing this story because each poem is different from the next so the readers are always surprised. The illustrations in the book are very contemporary and playful. Each poem has a picture to go alone with it which helps set the mood and feeling of the poem. Norman and Morrison did a great job with this book of poetry that young readers are sure to enjoy.

Intended Age 4-8

Love That Dog

Love That Dog

by Sharon Creech

Love That Dog is a very fun and unique children's novel because it is written from the perspective of a young student named Jack who is writing poetry for a class. While the whole book is written poems it is actually a novel as the reader begins to grow with Jack as he grows with the help of his teacher, dog, and poetry. I enjoyed the beginning because it started out with:

"September 13

I don't want to

because boys

don't write poetry"

Creech includes this interesting start to her novel which grabs the reader's attention. The novel continues on from the perspective of young Jack as he tries to figure out what poetry exactly is. He questions whether it is categorized by the format or wording or even the vagueness. As a future teacher I found this whole book very interesting because we see the side of what one student is thinking. While a teacher may assign students to simply write a poem, this novel reminds us that students may have many other things on their mind about poetry in general. I also liked the format of this book because it follows Jack throughout the whole year as he continues to grow and enjoy poetry as he finds his inspiration in Mr. Walter Dean Myers. This lapse in time is unusual for novel because it takes place over a long period of time, but the book still reads very quickly. While reading the book I was very curious about what poem Jack wrote that was inspired by Mr. Walter Dean Myers so I was very surprised and excited when it was included as the last line of the novel. I was also glad that the in the back of the novel Creech included some of the poems that were discussed throughout the book because it was nice to see what exactly Jack was reading. I am torn about whether I wish Creech should have said from the front that the poems were there in the back so the readers could refer to them as they came up in the book. On one hand this would tell the readers more about why Jack was writing poems or was confused, but it may also give the readers too much. I have never really enjoyed reading poetry or books of poetry in my life, but then again I have never seen them complied into a novel like this wonderful book was. Overall I really loved reading this book and I would think many others of all ages would too.

Intended Age 8-12

Miss Bindergarten Gets Ready for Kindergarten

Miss Bindergarten Gets Ready for Kindergarten

by Joseph Slate

illustrated by Ashley Wolff

This children's book is one in a series about a kindergarten teacher named Miss Bindergarten. This book goes through telling the story about the first day of school in phrases that are alphabetical order. This fun and humorous text is written with playful rhymes all the way throughout. I think that young readers will really enjoy this text because the first day of school is either something they probably remember, something they are nervous about or even something they are looking forward too. This series of children's books is great because they follow other important moments that young kids would be able to relate to. The illustrations in this books are colorful and fun with large easy to read text. Overall this is a fun book that kids are sure to enjoy.

Intended Age 3-6

Year of Impossible Goodbyes

Year of Impossible Goodbyes

by Sook Nyul Choi

This children's novel tells the heartbreaking story of ten-year-old Sookan as she lives in North Korea as it is occupied by the Japanese. When her father and three older brothers leave their hometown, Sookan and a couple of family members are left behind and forced to run a sock factory for the war effort. This story is so heartrending as Sookan and her family are forced to drop all of their history and customs. With the war's end the Russian Communists move into the devastated area and does not make life any easier for the remaining family. Sookan, her mother, and younger brother try to escape to safety past the 38th parallel. This breathtaking story gives readers a true feeling of what it was like for a young girl living in North Korea during World War II. Choi's writing is so descriptive that it makes the words come alive off of the page. I would defiantly plan to read this book after reading So Far from the Bamboo Grove by Yoko Kawashima Watkins. By pairing the two books, readers can see how much stories can change based upon the point of view from which they are told. Both of these books tell the story of the Korean conflict in World War II that I have not heard before with two very different perspectives. Reading children's novels like these can teach children so much more than a textbook, dates, and articles could because they allow students to really think about the situation. Overall, I enjoyed both of these books so much because they carry so much emotion within the rich descriptions.

Intended Age 9-12

A Writing Kind of Day: Poems for Young Poets

A Writing Kind of Day: Poems for Young Poets

by Ralph Fletcher

A Writing Kind of Day is a children's book of poetry that contains over twenty-five wonderful poems. The writing and word choice is set for young poets because it is simpler and more straight forward. This book collects great examples of styles of poetry that is sure to help students see that poetry can be rather simple or very intriguing and developed. Flectcher also does an excellent job showing students that just about any topic can be made into a poem as he has poems on his grandmother, a Venus flytrap, slavery, and even writer's block. I would keep this book in class but also take it out for myself because it has many useful examples that would be perfect for some mini lessons during readers and writers workshop. This children's book also includes unique and fun pictures as the backgrounds or additional side images that allows these fun poems to come alive. Although the pictures are great, I believe that the pictures would have been better if they were in color. All in all, this is a wonderful book of children's poems that is sure to be seen in my classroom.

Intended Age 8-12

So Far From the Bamboo Grove

So Far From the Bamboo Grove

by Yoko Kawashima Watkins

This amazing children's novel tells the heartbreaking story of an eleven-year-old Japanese girl living in Korea. Yoko finds out that she has been taking her peaceful and secure life for granted when all of a sudden it changes during the frightful times at the end of World War II. All Yoko has left is her older sister Ko and her mother as they flee away from their home in the bamboo grove and away from the vengeance-seeking Korean Communists. Yoko's true story of her fight for her life is filled with unimaginable violence and death. Yoko writes this novel with strong descriptions that it can easily draw many readers into tears. While these stories are heartbreaking and horrible they are the truth about what happened during the war and should be told to show the truths of war. Yoko tells the story about loosing so much honor by having her and her sister's heads shaved so the two could pretend to live the life of a man to escape from some of the fears of getting raped. She also tells the unbelievable account of the death of a newborn baby while riding in a train's cargo car. The death and disease on the train made the doctor toss the deceased newborn off of the moving train into the railroad ditch as if the newborn was a mere football. The story continues on past the violence and death to ultimately tell a story family, love, and life. While these topics are extremely hard to read, the classroom can be a very supporting place to open a discussion about the thoughts and feelings of reading this amazing novel. I defiantly plan on bringing this wonderful children's novel into my classroom, but I will be cautious about the grade and maturity level of the readers.

Intended Age 9-12

Go, Dog. Go!

Go, Dog. Go!

by P.D. Eastman

Go, Dog. Go! was one of my very favorite books when I was a young child. After reading this book again I do not completely understand what exactly I saw in the book. The story of this children's book is nonsense about dogs up in trees and dogs wearing hats. If you could say this book has a plot you would also say it is very interrupted because it switches between many smaller stories going through it. The illustrations in this book are extremely simple and slightly whimsical. This goes to show that children enjoys books for reasons other than the plot, wording, or pictures. It could be the way that a parent reads the book, or who the child is reading the book with that makes it so special. I plan to share this book with my students and children, but I am cautious because the grammar used does not present a great example for the children reading it so I will include other stories that are better examples of grammar and plot.

Intended Age 4-8

The Moon Dragon

The Moon Dragon
by Moira Miller
illustrated by Ian Deuchar

The Moon Dragon tells the Chinese folktale about a boastful young man named Ling Po. Ling Po always claims hat he can do better than everyone else. When it came time for the annual kite flying festival, Ling Po made no kite but still as able to scoff at the others. Ultimately he boasted that he could make the best kite that could even fly to the moon. This folklore continues on to teach the excellent lesson about how boasting can get people into trouble. The bold illustrations help tell the story by showing the actions with beautiful pictures. Before reading this story I have never heard of this folktale and I really enjoyed it with it's powerful message. I believe that children will enjoy this children's book just as much as I did.


Intended Age 4-8

Cinderella Skeleton

Cinderella Skeleton

by Robert C. San Socuci

illustrated by David Catrow

This unique children's book tells the common story of Cinderella and her evil step-sisters, but with a twist. Cinderella Skeleton takes place in Boneyard Acres with the most beautiful ghoul in the world with her dankish hair and yellowing nails. The story continues on as Cinderella Skeleton not only loses her shoe but her whole foot bone snapped off with it too. I enjoy reading fun and wacky takes on one of the more original takes on this story and I think young boys and girls will enjoy this as well. The illustrations in the book add so much to the story because they show the wildest and creepy images. The colors that were chosen for this book are dark, drab, and dreary which also supports the whole theme of this book. Overall, I enjoyed reading this inventive take on Cinderella.

Intended Age 5+

The Barefoot Book of Princesses

The Barefoot Book of Princesses

retold by Caitlin Matthews

illustrated by Olwyn Whelan

The Barefoot Book of Princesses is an amazing children's book. It tells the story of seven different princess stories from around the world including the Danish The Princess and the Pea, the Chinese Beggar Princess, and the German Sleeping Beauty. A book like this could bring in diversity into children's literature because children could compare and contrast these unique princess stories and the culture which they came from. By reading these different princess tales children will learn just how complex and different a princess can be. The illustrations in this book are bright, imaginative, and colorful as they bring life to the stories. I defiantly plan to bring this unique and fun book into my elementary classroom.

Intended Age 4-10

The Little Old Lady Who Was Not Afraid of Anything

The Little Old Lady Who Was Not Afraid of Anything

by Linda Williams

illustrated by Megan Lloyd

This would be a great children's book to read around Halloween time because it tells the fun story a a little old lady who was not afraid of anything... or so she thought. One windy night while walking through the woods, she hears a CLOMP CLOMP of feet. The story continues on as she has the scare of the night. Ultimately comes the happy and creative ending that keeps this book from becoming too scary for young readers. This story would be a fun one to read aloud to build suspense and to really give the sound effects or it would be also great to act out or create activities around. This story also carries the underlying message of bravery and the truth about controlling your own feelings as much as you can. The illustrations on this book are decent, but they appear slightly outdated. Overall I think this book would be a great one to bring out into the classroom around Halloween time.

Intended Age 5-7

The Gingerbread Man

The Gingerbread Man

retold by Jim Aylesworth

illustrated by Barbara McClintock

This fun children's book tells to famous story of the freshly baked gingerbread man as he runs out of the oven and away from the hungry people he meets. All works out well for the gingerbread man as he runs as fast as he can past the man and lady who baked him, the butcher, a cow, and a pig, until he runs towards a smart and tricky fox. This is a great story and made even better by the wonderful pictures. The illustrations are fun and realistic for the most part, but I am confused as to why the author and illustrator decided to make the cow, pig, and fox look like real people. The way that Aylesworth retells this story would make it a great one to act out for a play because the dialogue is rather simple and the descriptions are already set for a play. All in all, I enjoyed this great children's book and I would suggest this version of the gingerbread man to others.

Intended Age 2-6

Glogster

The Napping House

The Napping House

by Audrey Wood

illustrated by Don Wood

This was one of my favorite books that my parents read to me when I was younger. After finding and reading this book again I can understand why it was one of my favorites. The illustrations in this children's picture book are so wonderful because they are playfully realistic with rich color. The text and story of this book are rather simple, but work to convey a playful story about a granny, a boy, and the rest as they take a nap on a rainy day. All is disturbed when a flea bites the sleeping cat and wakes up the whole bunch. All in all this children's book remains a great one and I will defiantly bring this into my elementary classroom.

Intended Age 4-8

Oh Say, I Can't See

Oh Say, I Can't See

by Jon Scieszka

illustrated by Adam McCauley

Oh Say, I Can't See is a children's novel from The Time Warp Trio series. The Time Warp Trio is a series of books written by Scieszka about a group of three children that get sent to a different day in time by a magic book. Having not read a book from this series before, this one was confusing and hard to get into. The first chapter was supposed to just grab your attention, with the second chapter explaining how the trio got into the situation. After that I was still confused about the main plot of the book time machine. I would suggest starting with the first book in the series to be less confused and ultimately stay engaged from the beginning. Scieszka's writing style was great because it really allowed the reader to feel like they were actually in 1776 with George Washington before he crosses the river for Trenton. He writes this book as if one the of the kids from the trio is telling the story to the reader so it is very informal and fun to read. I do not know very much background on the Revolutionary War but I was still able to understand some of it. Overall I would recommend this book for students with and interest in the particular subject. Some of the children's novels in this series goes into the future, while many go into the past or about a specific person. I hope that Scieszka did a lot of research for this book because it is like a historical fiction, but it does not have any references. As for the illustrations I was disappointed because all of the other illustrators that Scieszka has paired up with have been outstanding but McCauley's did not further the story any more. All in all, I like the idea of this series because children can learn about a specific period in time by feeling like they were actually there by reading these novels. I think it is a great talent that Scieszka has that he is able to write for so many different ages. He even has some just beginning to read books that carry his humor throughout them all the way up to the children's novels. All in all, I cannot wait to bring Jon Scieszka into my classroom to allow my students the chance to see this wonderful author.

Intended Age 7 +

The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs!

The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs!

by Jon Scieszka

and

Lane Smith

This is just yet another one of Scieszka and Smiths wonderful twists of the great fairy tale The Three Little Pigs. This one is different than some of their other books in that it is completely written from Alexander T. Wolf who was just innocently walking over to the neighbors to borrow a cup of sugar for his granny's birthday cake. The story continues on to tell his whole side of the funny story that we thought we all knew and loved. This hilarious take on the tale will have children thinking about the different perspectives that a story can be told from. This book was a childhood favorite of mine and still continues to be a favorite. Smith continues his unique and realistic illustrations of a fictional tale that he has become famous for. After reading a handful of Scieszka's books I have really come to enjoy him as an author. I really like how each dedication page, biography and publishing page are so funny and different on each book I have read. I will defiantly continue to read his books and look forward to the new ones he continues to write.

Intended Age 7+

Squids Will Be Squids

Squids Will Be Squids

by Jon Scieszka

and

Lane Smith

Squids Will Be Squids is another wonderful children's picture books that uses hilarious sarcasm with famous fables. This particular picture book specializes in the fables of Aesop. Here is how Scieszka says to make fable: take gossips, change the people to animals, and add a moral. That in a nutshell is exactly what is done in this very funny book. The book starts out sarcastically with a "serious historical foreword" as a hint of the type of humor that is to follow. Each short story has a funny, random, helpful, true, or almost crude moral include on each page. The illustrations are again done by Lane Smith that makes the completely irrational stories come to life in the bold, yet vibrant illustrations. This book is very funny for adults, but I would keep the youngsters away from this one because they may not quite get some of the borderline crude comments. A great read overall!

Intended Age 4-8

Science Verse

Science Verse

by Jon Scieszka

and

Lane Smith

This children's literature is a picture book with an interesting take on science. While in class a boy is zapped with the curse of Science Verse. From that moment on in science the boy begins hearing everything as a science poem. Each subject uses a famous poem or song to tell a sarcastic view as a student may see it. For example Edgar Allen Poe's poem "The Raven" is turned into "Dino-Sore" to tell about what it feels like to learn about dinosaurs in a rather boring science classroom. The illustrations in this picture book are so bold and especially creative. This version of the book includes a CD with the book read by Scieszka and Smith which adds a a whole new level because it shows readers how the authors intended the book to be read. Some of the topics included may be more appropriate for the older grades. Over all I really enjoyed the amount of creativity that went into this book and I think children will enjoy how it is rather outside of the box.

Intended Age 9-11

Reflection

_______________________Reflection________________________

Reading and Responding to Children's Literature has been a great class so far. I am very pleased two things in particular. First of all, I cannot believe how many wonderful books the class is introducing me to. I already have a lot of great titles and authors that I plan to bring into my own future classroom. I believe that it is extremely important for students to see that the teacher has a connection to the book that is being read aloud in class. Not only does this allow for the teacher to be more prepared to use the children's literature in class, but it shows students that the teacher enjoys the book and reads books too. The two novels that we have read so far in this class The Misfits and The Giver are such wonderful reads that I wish I had been introduced when I was in elementary school. The second thing I have really enjoyed from this class is the glog that we are beginning. So far the things that we have done in class are very practical that I can and will carry into my classroom such as this glog. I was excited to learn that we were going to be making a handout as a tool to interest students into a particular book, but I was even more excited that we would be trying a way that would actually stand out for the tech savvy kids today. This is a tool that seems wonderful because it does incorporate multiple forms a media to draw students attention. All in all this class is going wonderfully. Even if I did not have the practical content to take away, our classroom discussions have taught me another powerful idea: do not be afraid of one parent. Coming into this class I continue to shy away from lessons or content that may offend someone, but this class has defiantly taught me otherwise. Chances are something I will teach may offend someone at sometime, but that should not scare me away from teaching all the children wonderful books or lessons that they can truly benefit from such as The Misfits, The Lorax, or And Tango Makes Three.

The Frog Prince Continued

The Frog Prince Continued

by Jon Scieszka

paintings by Steve Johnson

So I thought that I knew the story of the Frog Prince where the princess kissed the frog and he turned into a handsome prince and so they lived happily ever after; but this children's book suggests that I am wrong. This hilarious story continues the fable of the Frog Prince by telling the story of what happened after the Prince and Princess lived together. Both get on each other's nerves and so the story goes on to tell how the Frog Prince tries to find a witch that will turn him back into a frog so he really can live happily ever after. The witches he runs into are the witches from other common fairly tales such as Cinderella, Hansel and Gretel, and Sleeping Beauty. Children will enjoy reading this different take on many common fables, but with most of Scieszka's children's books, children will enjoy them more if they are familiar with the original fairy tales first. Steve Johnson's illustrations are wonderful because they are so dark and dramatic they really make the images pop out. Even the biographies in the back flap of the book are sarcastic and funny to continue the theme developed throughout the great book.

Intended Age 3-5

The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales

The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales

by Jon Scieszka

and

Lane Smith

This children's picture book takes a spin at common fairy tales such as Chicken Little, The Little Red Hen, and Jack and the Bean Stock; but adds a very sarcastic spin. Rather than simply writing another version of The Tortoise and the Hare, Jon Scieszka and Lane Smith turn it into The Tortoise and the Hair and tell the story of the slow turtle trying to race a rabbit growing out his hair. These silly twists on fables end up being hilarious and are sure to draw children's attention. I loved the bold and dramatic illustrations done throughout the whole book. One of my favorite illustrations comes in with the story of the Little Red Hen. On one side of the book is a completely blank page with the other side showing the hen complaining "I planted the wheat. I watered the wheat. I harvested the wheat. Now do I get to tell my story?" She continues on to suggest that the illustrator is just as lazy as the dog, cat, and mouse as known from the true story of The Little Red Hen. The hen even makes another appearance at the end as she is intertwined with the other fairly tales from the story. Children would benefit the most from this book if they have already read the more common versions of these popular fables because they would understand more of the puns. The layout of this book is very honest and sarcastic too with the title page reading Title Page, and the dedication page upside with a blurb saying "I know. I know. The page is upside down. I meant to do that. Who ever looks at the dedication stuff anyhow?" All in all, I loved this book and I think that many children will get a laugh out of it too.

Intended Age 5+

The Misfits

The Misfits

by James Howe

The Misfits is an amazing novel about a perfectly random group of four students: an overweight tie salesman, an early activist, a young homosexual, and a sloppy hooligan. These four twelve year kids form "the misfits" because they believe they do not fit in with the others in the small town of Paintbrush Falls. Beginning with Addie the activist's refusal to say the Pledge of Allegiance, the group (Addie) decides to form a new political party at school to run for student council. The group frequently bonds together at the Candy Kitchen to discuss the happenings of seventh including popularity, love, politics, and the meaning of misfits. This wonderful novel continues as each member of the group begins to discover who they truly are.

This book is told from the perspective of Bobby as he divulges his true feelings to the reader. Using one of the main characters as a narrator is an interesting way of writing a book that I have not seen very often and can bring a lot to children's literature. Between this type of narration and the combination of James Howe's hilarious and unique writing style this book is sure to have the readers laughing out loud. This book carries a great message as the No-Name parties slogan suggests: Sticks and stones may break our bones, but words will break our spirit. The group pushes to end all name calling. I believe that so many readers would be able to relate to this because they have either probably been called a name, name called, or at least seen it happen. After reading this book it allows people to think about how even the subtle name calling can cause so much pain to people.

This book has caused some controversy because one of the main characters is gay and this novel tells his story about some of the difficulties he goes through as he crushes on his classmate Colin. I believe this book should be embraced in schools because Howe treats Joe's sexuality just as he does with the other main characters. Joe is not pushed out into his own book like homosexuality is often dealt with in children's picture books. This book deals with a lot of other topics including politics, gender, bulling, and race which could make for wonderful discussion during a classroom discussion. I thoroughly enjoyed this fresh, fun, and enlightening book written with a personality by James Howe. I definitely intend on bringing The Misfits into my future elementary classroom.

Intended Age 9-12

Sylvester and the Magic Pebble

Sylvester and the Magic Pebble

by William Steig

This is a tale of Sylvester the donkey as he comes upon a magic pebble. In a moment of fright, Sylvester asks the magic pebble to turn him into a rock. Sylvester is then unable to turn himself back into his old self and remains a stone. The rest of the story goes about how the community tries to find where Sylvester went. In the course of this, his family goes to the police for help. This part of the story has placed this book under fire because Steig portrays the policemen as pigs. This ultimately caused this Caldecott Medal winning book to be banned in parts of the United States. This seems outrageous that this good book would be banned for such a minuscule and unimportant detail. All of these characters are portrayed as animals and the police were chosen as pigs. No text within this story suggests that meaning was put into the animal character choice. All in all, I enjoyed reading this cheerful book and intend on having it be part of my future elementary classroom.

Intended Age 4-8

The Five Chinese Brothers

The Five Chinese Brothers

by Claire Huchet Bishop

and

Kurt Wiese

This children's picture book is the retelling of a Chinese folktale about five Chinese brothers that look exactly the same but each brother has his own superhuman power. The First Chinese Brother could swallow the sea and in doing so he was accused of drowning a boy and was condemned to have his head cut off. The Second Chinese Brother comes back in his place because he has an iron neck so the judge is unable to cut his neck off. The story goes on as the judge tries to drown him, burn him, and smother him all while the identical Chinese brothers switch places so none of them die. The Five Chinese Brothers has been placed on many controversial book lists because some people believe this book is racist due to the fact that the five Chinese brothers all look identical. There is also criticism because the illustrations draw the Chinese men's skin with a yellow hue and with slit and slanted eyes. The drawings in this book can be seen as stereotypical, but I find them to take on the common cartoon-like look that is often seen in folktales and fairy tales. This story is about five identical Chinese brothers, but what is to say that they are not quintuplets that are identical. Why must we look for the bad and assume it is because of their race that they look identical. I believe it would be more important to bring this into the classroom to see another culture's folktale, rather than ban this book because some think it may be stereotypical. If all books were nit picked this much we probably would only have one type of book that fit a mold so tight that hid so many things picture books can teach us. If books are edited so much we may not have many folktales because they are too harsh, violent, or racist in some way. I think books such as this one are fine in the classrooms if they are prefaced with the right conversations.

Intended Age 4-8

The Rabbits' Wedding

The Rabbits' Wedding

by Garth Williams

Garth Williams wrote and illustrated this book in 1958 which caused an uproar. The Rabbits' Wedding is a story about a black rabbit who loves a little white rabbit. The black rabbit has the wish that the two could get married and be together forever and always. The two little rabbits make their dream come true so they make the wedding happen. And as the last line of the book says: 'And the little black rabbit never looked sad again.' This book was removed from general circulation in Alabama's state library system because of its perceived theme of interracial love. I do not see how this book should not be in schools today. It carries the message that it is okay to love someone that may look a little different than you. The more texts in the classroom that bring a message of acceptance, the more opportunities children have to learn how to be accepting of others no matter what they look like.

Intended Age 3-7

The Lorax

The Lorax

by Dr. Seuss

The Lorax is the story about a environmental loving Lorax and the greedy once-ler as he figures out that he can cut down the beautiful Truffula Trees and use them to make Thneeds. After this the Once-ler realizes just how much money he can make he continues to make more and more Thneeds all while depleting more natural resources all because 'business is business! And business must grow.' The Lorax 'speaks for the trees, for the trees have no tounges' in an unsuccessful attempt to stop the greedy Once-ler. In the end, the last Truffula Tree is chopped down so everyone leaves the horribly polluted town. Dr. Seuss leaves the readers with the message to protect and care for the planet before it is too late. This is Dr. Seuss' most controversial book and was banned in parts of the United States for its political content. Specifically, it was banned in some schools and libraries in regions with timber economies for its anti-forest industry content on grounds that this book "criminalizes the forestry industry." I was extremely surprised to see that this book made so many controversial book lists because I thought this book carried such a wonderful message. While this book does take a strong stance against big business, it carries a stronger message for the protection of our environment. Rather than this book being banned from schools, it should definitely be promoted and used in the classroom to teach young readers about the responsibility of protecting the environment! Dr. Seuss does a wonderful job of using his charteristic rhyming story with the magical and bright illustrations that follow along to engage readers of all ages.

Intended Age 4-8

Daddy's Roommate

Daddy's Roommate

by Michael Willhoite

Daddy's Roommate is a wonderful picture book about a young boy life after his parent's divorce. The story is told from the boy's perspective as he watches his father get into a relationship with another man. This is a great story to have in the classroom because it teaches students diversity and to look for the good in differences. Some children will also be able to relate to this story if they are going through a similar situation with homosexual parents. This book teaches that some situations may be confusing or different than others, but that is perfectly acceptable. Schools today need to show acceptance to students with all different types of backgrounds. As a future teacher I place myself in the shoes of children so see how they may feel in particular situations. I think about if I was part of a family with homosexual parents and I came to a classroom that only had books about families with one mother and one father. That would make me feel horrible, different, and not included. The more books with the more backgrounds that do not fit the mold that children's literature had been known to traditionally follow allows children to feel accepted and part of the classroom community. The pictures are bright, cheery and colorful but slightly outdated considering this book was published about twenty years ago. This picture book has been part of a controversy because of some of the illustrations are depicting the two men before they share a kiss as well as the two men getting ready to sleep in bed. In my opinion, this is perfectly acceptable. There are so many children's books that are deemed normal and acceptable that show the same images but with a male and a female. Overall, Micheal Willhoite had written and illustrated a very a heartwarming and wonderful story that is a must have in all schools.

Intended Age 2-5

The Giver

The Giver

by Lois Lowry

This amazing and enlightening children's novel tells the unique story of a young boy, Jonas, and his journey and troubles in an extremely unique community. The Giver presents thought-provoking ideas as Jonas is given his lifetime assignment at the Ceremony of Twelve as the receiver of memories. The story continues through Jonas thoughts and ideas as he meets with his only true companion, The Giver. Lowry does an amazing job using setting up the different scene with vivid descriptions of the unique community that allows the reader to place themselves in the shoes of one of the members. This story is sure to place new ideas in readers mind as they think about the issues Jonas must courageously work through. This text would work better with a more mature audience because it begins to place some mature and confusing ideas into the readers mind such as the topics of war, death, and romantic thoughts and dreams. Students would relate to this novel as it creates very problematic decision making that children are sure to relate to on some level at some point in their lives. It is wonderful that Lowry uses such vivid imagery in her novel enough so that it would be a great time to incorporate descriptive and vivid imagery into a paired writing task with the reading of this book. The ending of this novel is rather surprising, abrupt, and unique. After thinking about how Lowry leaves the readers, I enjoyed it because it was rather open ended and allows the reader some interpretation and some points to ponder. All in all, I loved this The Giver and think that the ideas provoked are ones that are not often discussed in the classroom; therefore, this novel would be beneficial to investigate as a class.

Intended Age 12+

Hattie and the Fox

Hattie and the Fox

by Mem Fox

illustrated by Patricia Mullins

This excellent picture book tells the story of Hattie, the big black hen, as she discovers a fox in the bushes. She tries to alert the other barnyard animals but they remain to be less than concerned. Mullins used a collage technique using tissue paper and conte crayon to complete the wonderful illustrations used in this book. They add to the telling of the book because they show so much of what the text is helping to describe. The endpaper even gives a clue as to what is about to take place in the story which can be used as a prediction page for young readers to begin thinking about what will come in a story. The type of writing employed by Fox is an excellent choice for young readers because it has many repetitive phrases that the readers will pick up on by the end of the book. This beginning book also has great examples of how dialogue works between multiple characters and word work well for the students to use as a basis for a class play or puppet show. My favorite part of this story comes at the end with a comical twist that is sure to have readers of all ages surprised and laughing.

Intended Age 3-5

Chicka Chicka Boom Boom

Chicka Chicka Boom Boom

by Bill Martin, Jr.

and John Archambault

illustrated by Lois Ehlert

This famous children's picture book is one of the liveliest counting books for young readers available today. Chicka Chicka Boom Boom follows the story of all of the letters of the alphabet as they crawl up the top of a coconut tree. 'But when all of the letters of the alphabet race up the tree... Oh no! Chicka chicka BOOM! BOOM!' as they all come crashing down! Martin and Archambault use repetition by going through every letter of the alphabet one just once, but twice through in hopes of teaching children their ABCs. The colors used in this book are very fun, bold, and bright and are sure to attract the eyes of young readers. Another fun addition to this picture book is the endpages that are colorful representation of the lower and upper case letters of the alphabet in order. Readers not only read the letters but they are then able to search the page to see the letters dispersed around the coconut tree. Yet another great feature of this book is to include speech throughout the text to introduce children to how speech looks and is used in books with quotation marks. All in all, Chicka Chicka Boom Boom is a one of a kind picture book to promote the learning of the alphabet for young readers!

Intended Age 4-8

Clarabelle: Making Milk and So Much More

Clarabelle: Making Milk and So Much More
by Cris Peterson
photographs by David R. Lundquist

Clarabelle: Making Milk and So Much More, is a new nonfiction picture book about a Holstein named Clarabelle who lives on a farm as she has her own baby calf. Children will be excited to find out that this informative book explains how cows like Clarabelle help produce not only dairy products, but also electricity, fertilizer, and bedding. The pages are illustrated with bright full-color photographs with large print text for reader of different ages to see and read. Many of children's picture books do not include actual photographs, so this is a unique and realistic look into a particular topic. This information book even includes a glossary is at the end to define some of the specific words in the text that may be new for many readers. Children from all around the world will be fascinated with reading about this seemingly ordinary animal and its very unique and surprising by-products.

Intended Age 5-8

Rushmore

Rushmore

by Lynn Curlee

Curlee describes with wonderful detail how the world’s largest stone sculpture was conceived, designed, and created by the dedicated artist Gutzon Borglum. It particularly emphasizes Rushmore’s patriotic aspects and why each of the presidents was chosen for immortality. The bold and realistic pictures add a touch art that readers of all ages are sure to enjoy and also includes multiple two-page layout illustrations. One interesting feature that is included in this book is a timeline for Mount Rushmore. This is a feature that is not used in very many children's picture books but is very helpful for information and nonfiction books. Time lines are helpful as an outline for students to see a snapshot of the topic in order. In the classroom teachers could ask students to write a timeline for Mount Rushmore as practice and check it using the already created timeline in the back. All in all, this is a great book to dive into the history of one of United States historical monuments.

Intended Age 8-12

One Giant Leap

One Giant Leap

by Mary Ann Fraser

Starting with Neil Armstrong's famous statement evoked in the title, One Giant Leap is an extremely informative book about the first trip to the moon. One unique aspects Fraser includes is to use all different sources to gather information for this nonfiction information book. She uses colorful paintings, meticulous diagrams, and the actual transcript of the Apollo 11moon mission. The endpaper is made up of blueprint-like diagrams of important aspects of the first space trip to the moon to place the reader in the position of a NASA scientist. Another unique concept incorporated into this book is the use of a countdown clock to show the ground elapsed time from the launch. This is a different way of showing time passing in children's literature and it works very effective. One Giant Leap also has a glossary to define some of the specific terms used throughout the book. Students will enjoy using this book to learn about this interesting topic.

Intended Age 8-12

We are the Ship

We are the Ship: The story of Negro League Baseball

by Kadir Nelson

"The great pitcher Walter Johnson once said 'There is a catcher that any big league club would like to buy for $200,000. His name is Gibson... he can do everything. He hits the ball a mile. And he catches so easy he might as well be in a rocking chair... Too bad this Gibson is a colored fellow." This wonderful nonfiction dives deep into the story of the Negro League Baseball when there were separate leagues for white and black baseball players. This picture book follows baseball from the 1920s through its decline after Jackie Robinson crossed over to the majors in 1947. The way that Nelson uses his rich oil paintings really places the reader back into the 20th century. The paintings are done with such great detail that they convey the true emotions of the images. We are the Ship: The story of Negro League Baseball even includes a foreword by the baseball great Hank Aaron. Baseball lovers of many ages will love to hear this unforgettable story as it is done in a unique, powerful, and wonderful way.

Intended Age 8+

The International Cookbook for Kids

The International Cookbook for Kids

by Matthew Locricchio

This fun children's cookbook compiles sixty classic recipes from Italy, France, China, and Mexico. Each recipe includes a cultural history of the dish being made as well as step by step directions that are simple enough for young children to follow. One interesting idea that Loricchio includes is a special safety section in consideration of the young chefs for working with dangerous kitchen tools. I like the idea that Locricchio incorporates fresh and nutritious ingredients for healthy eating. This is one way to get kids thinking and eating healthy by making the choice among other nutritious options. Every recipe has a bright picture that makes the dish look mouth-wateringly good. The back of this cookbook also includes cooking terms and definitions which can be helpful because of the wide variety of diverse ingredients being used in the recipes. The end also has essential ingredients for the kitchen to make cooking a homemade meal even easier for families if they have the specified ingredients on hand before cooking. There is also currently a second book in this international cookbook series available for children. Overall this wonderful cookbook is a great idea to introduce the family to diversity.

Intended Age 12+

Tokyo Mew Mew A La Mode

Tokyo Mew Mew a La Mode

by Mia Ikumi

This graphic novel tells the story of fantasy tale about a young girl named Berry. Berry is only twelve years old but when she is taken into a mansion she is magically transformed into a super-powered Mew Mew. This novel goes through the life of Berry as a Mew Mew as she takes on her new task of saving the world from Aliens. The plot of this graphic novel borders on fantasy and science fiction but also brings human feelings into the mix. The organization of this and other Mangas is rather different than what is most often seen in the libraries in the United States because it begins where we typically think is the back of the book as the text and the pictures works the way towards the front. I thought the cover was an interesting color choice because it was very bright pink and feminine that I thought it would only appeal to girls, but after reading the novel I understand this book is marketed to girls for a reason. Tokyo Mew Mew A La Mode carries a strong message of girl power because the main character is such a strong prominent female. The graphics found in this novel have a lot of of action and words going on at once that it can be overwhelming for a first-time Manga reader. The illustrations are done in an anime style of drawing that bring a lot to the story. If anime or graphic novels are a reader's preference then I believe they will thoroughly enjoy Tokyo Mew Mew A La Mode.

Intended Age 9-12

'M' is for Mirror

M is for Mirror

by Duncan Birmingham

‘M’ is for Mirror is a very unique book where the reader must find the hidden pictures. Within each picture of this book there is another hidden picture. The reader finds the hidden picture by using the written clues and placing the mirror in just the right place. This book helps young readers begin to learn their abc’s as each page contains a letter and a word beginning with the letter. Children will love learning to read when they have fun activities such as this one to do with the reading. The illustrations in this book are fun, creative, and imaginative with many goofy pictures. All in all this is a very fun book that readers are sure to enjoy

Intended Age 4-8

Jamberry

Jamberry

by Bruce Degen

This rhyming picture book brings the reader a story about a little boy who meets a big lovable bear as he is walking through the forest. The two go on a delicious berry-picking adventure in the magical world of Berryland. Jamberry carries a style of reading which repeats the word berry frequently to help the young reader recognize and read the familiar word and ultimately the book. The rhyming style is fun and helpful for the readers. Both the text and the pictures are so imaginative that will take the readers into the whole new world.

Intended Age 4-8

Dear Annie

Dear Annie

by Judith Caseley

Dear Annie is a wonderful story about the letters written between Annie and her grandfather. Judith Caseley tells this story in a interesting way as it goes from the letter the grandfather wrote the day Annie was born, to Annie dictating words to her mom as she writes the letter to Grandfather, all the way through watching Annie write her own letters. This story shows how valuable relationships can be even if it is not a face to face talking. The format for this picture book is also unique because it is mostly the text from the actual letters. Readers will enjoy reading the letter format and will learn how letters are written with the salutation and closing. The illustrations are rather simple and appear dated based upon the overall style as well as some of the color choices. Overall this book carries a joyful story in a uniquely written format that readers will enjoy.

Intended Age 5-8

If You're Happy and You Know It

If You're Happy and You Know It

by James Warhola

This picture book follows jungle animals as they sing the verses of the popular song "If You're Happy and You Know It." Each page contains a movement and phrase which encourages the readers to participate and follow along. The pictures are fun as they change from an ordinary playground to the wild jungle as the song progresses. The illustrations also play with the words as they show a monkey as part of the monkey bars before it turns into a singing monkey. The illustrations also help depict the movement that goes along with the song to help the reader follow the action. Children will have a great time following along by singing, moving, and expressing their happiness throughout this interactive children's book.

Intended Age 4-6

Junie B., First Grader (at last!)

Junie B., First Grader (at last!)

by Barbara Park

illustrated by Denise Brunkus

This chapter books is goes through Junie B. as she starts her school year off as a first-grader. It is part of the Junie B. Jones series of chapter books. Barbara Park does a great job incorporating the previous books, but does not make it imperative for the reader to know past stories by giving a brief summary when new situations arise in the book. For example, Park explains enough past context in this book when Junie B. deals with her kindergarten friend Lucille leaving her past friendship with Junie B. for two other new first graders Camille and Chenille. Junie B., First Grader (at last!) also discusses the surprise of Junie B. finding out that she needs glasses. Readers are able to relate to these common elementary school situations. I enjoyed the illustrations that came after every page or two because they help build the fun image of goofy Junie B. with her messy hair and untied shoes. I am slightly surprised with the cover image because it shows Junie B. with glasses already on. So much of this book is having the reader try to guess what is going wrong by watching Junie B. try to figure out what she needs. I think the cover illustration gives away too much of the surprise and plot of the book. Overall this is a very cleverly written book about a fun story about a girl that many young readers will fall in love with.

Intended Age 7-9

City Animals

City Animals

by Simms Taback

This picture book is a unique giant fold-out book which goes through learning about different animals page by page. When the reader opens up the book they are only able to see a quarter of the giant picture. On the opposing side is one clue describing the hidden picture of an animal. The reader then may open the page upwards to reveal half of the giant picture and yet another clue. I love the idea of this book because it helps young readers begin to simultaneously think about both the words and the meaning. If the reader is unable to read a word, they may think about the context of the hidden animal and make a meaningful guess as to what the word could be. I also enjoy the bold pictures of animals which are drawn with a cartoon-like image. I think young readers would have a great time reading and guessing animals with this wonderful new book.

Intended Age 2-5

Look-Alikes Jr.

Look-Alikes Jr.

by Joan Steiner

Look-Alikes Jr. is a fun and unique picture book. It is full of pages of common scenes which are made of familiar objects including a teddy bear made of peanuts, table made of a tambourine, and even an oven-mitt chair. Each scene includes complementing verses that are written with unique rhymes. While the reading in not very academic and rather low leveled, readers will enjoy the simple rhyming text. Children and adults alike can spend hours searching through the pages to find all of the unique look-alikes on each page. Steiner had the right idea when she scenes which are used were obviously created with a child's imagination in mind. The scences include a bold and colorful school room, a young child's bedroom, and a shuttle out in the vast dark space.

Intended Age 4-8

Where's Your Smile, Crocodile?

Where's Your Smile, Crocodile?

by Claire Freedman
illustrated by Sean Julian

Where's Your Smile, Crocodile? is a fun picture book about Kyle the crocodile as he goes on a journey to find his smile that he has lost. The story goes on to all the other animals in the forest as they perform silly antics in an attempt to cheer him up. In the end Kyle finds Little Lion Cub who is lost and helps him find his way home, in doing so Kyle seems to get his smile back. Young readers will have a great time with this book because as Kyle meets other animals such as Orange Monkey and Elephant they make many animal noises and do silly things. People young and old are able to relate to this because everybody just has a bad day now and then where they are down and this book gives the readers a strategy to use. When someone has a bad day one way of turning it around is help someone else and try to put a smile on their face just like Kyle did. The illustrations in the book are so bold, fun, and lively that is sure to keep the interest of all readers. One interesting idea that could be done in the classroom is to adapt this wonderful book into a play where students act out each part. Students would have a great time playing the Orange Monkey as she makes her angry face and her crazy face in her own attempt to make Kyle cheer up and put a smile back on his face. Over all a great book picture book that I plan to use in my young classroom.

Intended Age 3+

The Rainbow Fish

The Rainbow Fish

by Marcus Pfister

This wonderful picture book sends a bright message to all readers when the most beautiful fish in the whole ocean discovers the real value of friendship. The moral of the story is so simple and real to tell readers that beauty is not happiness, but rather friendship is much more important. The illustrations throughout this picture book are wonderful and rather simple with the highlight being placed on the sparkling silver scares that shimmer on each page. Young readers will be attracted to these neat scales, which makes the message of beauty even more clear. The background colors of the pages are well thought out. Throughout the book the majority of the pages are a blueish green, but the day that Rainbow Fish begins to give out his scales and feel at home among the other fish, the background is a happy pink that makes the fish glow. The illustrations also appears as if they are done in watercolor which adds to the setting of the book in the ocean. The language used in the book is simple and yet it has many good descriptive words to help carry the meaning of each page.

Intended Age 4-8

Dracula Doesn't Drink Lemonande

Dracula Doesn't Drink Lemonade
by Debbie Dadey
and
Marcia Thornton Jones

This children's novel is part of The Adventures of the Bailey School Kids series. I personally grew up ready many of these mystery novels throughout elementary school. Each book in the series follows a similar format where the four main characters suspect someone of being a monster. In this particular book, the third-graders suspect the new counselor of being Count Dracula. While Dadey and Thornton Jones carry the same four characters throughout the series, there is no character development but the readers can continue to know and count on a similar plot line. The titles of these books are goofy, fun, and intriguing. These novels also include drawings of the scene every couple of pages. These drawings could possibly give too much of the story away and hinder the imagination of some readers, while for others it may be a helpful way to depict the monsters in each book.

Intended Age 7-10