I believe the general rule for college classes is that you get what you put into them. That might even be true for everything else in life, but I don't think I have the time to try to prove it :) But I found that to be especially true for this class. I could see a few of my classmates coming to class unprepared, and they didn't really get much out of our discussions. But after doing the readings and thinking critically about the books, I found that our class discussions were quickly taking on lives of their own, taking us down paths that none of us expected. And that was the most exciting part of all: watching our discussions begin with a common starting point (the books we had just read) and take off in all sorts of different directions. I've been avoiding reading other reflections because I didn't want them to alter my own thoughts, but our class discussions were definitely my favorite part of the class. They really opened up my imagination to worlds of possibilities that I never considered when reading on my own.
If nothing else, participating in this class has reinforced the idea that reading is social. We get so much more out of a book when we discuss it and share our ideas with other people - that's why children love read-aloud time, that's why book groups still exist, and that's why we take Children's Literature classes and discuss our thoughts and feelings as a group. And that's why as educators we must do our best to embrace the "social-ness" of reading within our future classrooms. No matter what age your students are, they will be capable of reading and having enlightened conversations about what they've read. They might need support and guidance, but to remove reading from a social context does an injustice to everyone involved.
Overall, I found this class to be really beneficial, and it really opened my eyes to the plethora of ways that literature can be used in the classroom. It also got me thinking about how we judge literature. What makes "good" children's literature is as much up to the children as it is to us. As teachers we must be able to help students locate literature that is exciting, thought-provoking, and developmentally appropriate. It is not our job to impose our own values onto our students. We can show them examples of what we think is "quality" literature, and hope that they'll agree. But if little Billy still wants to read Goosebumps in his free time, then he'd probably best off if his teacher could find some way to support or acknowledge that.
Even though I struggled a bit to keep up this blog, I think that blogging has been a helpful tool for our class to use. Blogging is a great way to get our thoughts "out there" for the rest of the world to see - that includes classmates as well as random Korean strangers :) It would also be a great resource for any teacher to use, whether to make book recommendations to students, to connect with other teachers via the internet, or to keep an up-to-date newsletter informing parents of classroom happenings. That's the great thing about the internet: it's easy to use, the information is free, and it connects us to a potentially infinite audience.
I really enjoyed this class, and I have taken a lot of great ideas from it. Hopefully with the information I have acquired this semester, I can help instill in my students a life-long love of reading. I guess we'll just have to wait and see...
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
Butterfly Count
By Sneed B. Collard III
Illustrated by Paul Kratter
When Amy's great-great-grandmother farmed the prairie, the regal fritillary was her favorite butterfly. But now, many years and many lost acres of habitat later, the regal fritillary is rarely seen at all. Amy and her mother are going on a 4th of July butterfly count on the family's old land, and Amy is downright determined to find the regal fritillary once again.
While I found this book during my search for books on "endangered animals," this book seems to strike a chord for conservation instead. The two go hand-in-hand, of course, but I think this book is especially great to use here in Iowa because it is very relevant to our own land. Did you know that 99% of Iowa's native prairie was destroyed and plowed to make room for all of our farms? And the regal fritillaries, once a common sight among the tall prairie grasses, are in danger of going extinct. Additionally, the 4th of July butterfly count is an actual national event, which makes this book seem even more realistic. While the story itself is fiction, I really appreciated the realistic details included.
Overall... this probably isn't the most entertaining or the funniest book that kids will ever read, and to be honest some will even probably find it boring. But personally, I really value its realism and the message it tries to send. It would work perfectly within a broader discussion of either endangered species or nature conservation.
Illustrated by Paul Kratter
When Amy's great-great-grandmother farmed the prairie, the regal fritillary was her favorite butterfly. But now, many years and many lost acres of habitat later, the regal fritillary is rarely seen at all. Amy and her mother are going on a 4th of July butterfly count on the family's old land, and Amy is downright determined to find the regal fritillary once again.
While I found this book during my search for books on "endangered animals," this book seems to strike a chord for conservation instead. The two go hand-in-hand, of course, but I think this book is especially great to use here in Iowa because it is very relevant to our own land. Did you know that 99% of Iowa's native prairie was destroyed and plowed to make room for all of our farms? And the regal fritillaries, once a common sight among the tall prairie grasses, are in danger of going extinct. Additionally, the 4th of July butterfly count is an actual national event, which makes this book seem even more realistic. While the story itself is fiction, I really appreciated the realistic details included.
Overall... this probably isn't the most entertaining or the funniest book that kids will ever read, and to be honest some will even probably find it boring. But personally, I really value its realism and the message it tries to send. It would work perfectly within a broader discussion of either endangered species or nature conservation.
Monday, May 10, 2010
Diary of a Worm
By Doreen Cronin
Illustrated by Harry Bliss
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to be a worm? I thought it would probably be pretty boring, but Doreen Cronin proved me wrong. This hilarious picture book gives us the inside scoop on what it’s like to be a worm. The unique diary format, creative illustrations, and great sense of humor will delight all readers. Take June 15th’s entry, for example: "My older sister thinks she's so pretty. I told her that no matter how much time she spends looking in the mirror, her face will always look just like her rear end. Spider thought that was really funny. Mom did not."
This book is a great way to bring a new perspective to a commonly overlooked subject. It has a lot of great things going for it, and I think most young children would find it to be very entertaining and interesting. Similar to Yours Truly, Goldilocks, this book would be another way to talk about unique formatting for books or how the point of view of a story can definitely change the entire book. And even if you're not looking to teach a lesson, this book is absolutely hilarious. I think it's a great read!
Illustrated by Harry Bliss
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to be a worm? I thought it would probably be pretty boring, but Doreen Cronin proved me wrong. This hilarious picture book gives us the inside scoop on what it’s like to be a worm. The unique diary format, creative illustrations, and great sense of humor will delight all readers. Take June 15th’s entry, for example: "My older sister thinks she's so pretty. I told her that no matter how much time she spends looking in the mirror, her face will always look just like her rear end. Spider thought that was really funny. Mom did not."
This book is a great way to bring a new perspective to a commonly overlooked subject. It has a lot of great things going for it, and I think most young children would find it to be very entertaining and interesting. Similar to Yours Truly, Goldilocks, this book would be another way to talk about unique formatting for books or how the point of view of a story can definitely change the entire book. And even if you're not looking to teach a lesson, this book is absolutely hilarious. I think it's a great read!
Swan Song: Poems of Extinction
By J. Patrick Lewis
Woodcuts by Christopher Wormell
I think the foreword to this book sums everything up pretty well:
More than ninety-nine percent of all species that have ever lived are now extinct. The most enduring and compelling image of large-scale death is that of the dinosaurs, colossal reptiles who vanished from Earth sixty-five million years ago.
At the other extreme, the last falling feather of the Passenger Pigeon, which once numbered in the billions, had all the impact of a single snowflake fluttering down a canyon. The last Barbary Lion, far form being celebrated, amused a North African king as a carpet. The howling echo of Miss Waldron's Red Colobus monkey will soon be a memory to no one at all.
This book is about the recently departed. In Earth's geat forests and fields, they buzzed and chirped and bellowed through little incidents of sorry from roughly 1627 to 2000. Whether beautiful or homely, giant or dwarf, each species was its own drama in many disappearing acts, even if it was very far off the Broadway of the dinosaurs.
On Earth, six animal species die every hour, many of the most recent due to climate change, habitat destruction, or human greed or carelessness or indifference. Here are a few small epitaphs in verse to mark their passing.
There a lot of really great things that I like about this book. First, that all of these extinct animals are presented in poetry (in "a few small eitaphs," as the foreword says) makes their passing much more emotional and easy to relate to. Of course it is interesting to read nonfiction books about extinct animals as well - but many nonfiction books simply present the facts and hardly seem to mourn the loss of such interesting and unique animals. I believe that presenting this information in poetry makes it easier for children (and adults!) to recognize the importance of preserving our planet's wildlife.
Second, the illustrations in this book are all black and white woodcuts - somehow simultaneously portraying each of the animals intricately and simply at the same time. These woodcuts seem to capture the true essence of these animals, without any cartoonish qualities. Of course, many of these animals were never photographed, so I think that using woodcuts is an effective way of illustrating them.
The third thing I really enjoy is the wealth of information that this book offers. The animals are listed in order of extinction, starting with the Aurochs in 1627 and ending with Miss Waldron's Red Colobus monkey in 2000. At the top of each page is the animal's Latin name, the date of its extinction, and where it used to live. At the bottom of each page is a continuing time line telling us important events that were happening at the time - the bubonic plague in 1681, the publishing of Frankenstein in 1818, the invention of Coca-Cola in 1899, the beginning of WWI in 1914, the Great Depression in 1933, etc. I really like the inclusion of this time line because it gives us the context in which these animals disappeared. The back of the book includes "Endnotes" which give us more factual information about each of the animals, since some of the poems don't cover all the details.
This book would definitely be best suited for upper elementary readers, since a lot of the information is too specific for younger readers to fully understand. But overall I think this book would be a great resource for the classroom, because it is very interesting and it presents a serious topic in a very unique way. I definitely recommend this book!
Woodcuts by Christopher Wormell
I think the foreword to this book sums everything up pretty well:
More than ninety-nine percent of all species that have ever lived are now extinct. The most enduring and compelling image of large-scale death is that of the dinosaurs, colossal reptiles who vanished from Earth sixty-five million years ago.
At the other extreme, the last falling feather of the Passenger Pigeon, which once numbered in the billions, had all the impact of a single snowflake fluttering down a canyon. The last Barbary Lion, far form being celebrated, amused a North African king as a carpet. The howling echo of Miss Waldron's Red Colobus monkey will soon be a memory to no one at all.
This book is about the recently departed. In Earth's geat forests and fields, they buzzed and chirped and bellowed through little incidents of sorry from roughly 1627 to 2000. Whether beautiful or homely, giant or dwarf, each species was its own drama in many disappearing acts, even if it was very far off the Broadway of the dinosaurs.
On Earth, six animal species die every hour, many of the most recent due to climate change, habitat destruction, or human greed or carelessness or indifference. Here are a few small epitaphs in verse to mark their passing.
There a lot of really great things that I like about this book. First, that all of these extinct animals are presented in poetry (in "a few small eitaphs," as the foreword says) makes their passing much more emotional and easy to relate to. Of course it is interesting to read nonfiction books about extinct animals as well - but many nonfiction books simply present the facts and hardly seem to mourn the loss of such interesting and unique animals. I believe that presenting this information in poetry makes it easier for children (and adults!) to recognize the importance of preserving our planet's wildlife.
Second, the illustrations in this book are all black and white woodcuts - somehow simultaneously portraying each of the animals intricately and simply at the same time. These woodcuts seem to capture the true essence of these animals, without any cartoonish qualities. Of course, many of these animals were never photographed, so I think that using woodcuts is an effective way of illustrating them.
The third thing I really enjoy is the wealth of information that this book offers. The animals are listed in order of extinction, starting with the Aurochs in 1627 and ending with Miss Waldron's Red Colobus monkey in 2000. At the top of each page is the animal's Latin name, the date of its extinction, and where it used to live. At the bottom of each page is a continuing time line telling us important events that were happening at the time - the bubonic plague in 1681, the publishing of Frankenstein in 1818, the invention of Coca-Cola in 1899, the beginning of WWI in 1914, the Great Depression in 1933, etc. I really like the inclusion of this time line because it gives us the context in which these animals disappeared. The back of the book includes "Endnotes" which give us more factual information about each of the animals, since some of the poems don't cover all the details.
This book would definitely be best suited for upper elementary readers, since a lot of the information is too specific for younger readers to fully understand. But overall I think this book would be a great resource for the classroom, because it is very interesting and it presents a serious topic in a very unique way. I definitely recommend this book!
The Dirt on Dirt
By Paulette Bourgeois and Kathy Vanderlinden
Illustrated by Martha Newbigging
This book is a fantastic resource when it comes to random facts about dirt. Bourgeois and Vanderlinden describe the dirt under your toenails, dirt biking, how to “make the world’s greatest dirt,” how rocks become dirt, tracking animals in the dirt, quicksand, buried treasures and archaeology, worms, mud baths, and just about everything else that is remotely related to dirt. As you can imagine, this book really captures the multifaceted world of dirt, and all the ways it relates to our lives. All of these fascinating facts are accompanied by hands-on projects, such as making "the world's greatest dirt" by composting in a milk carton and how to make a delicious "mud cake."
The wide variety of facts in this book is accompanied by vivid color photography, cartoon drawings, and diagrams. Together, the text and illustration create an exciting and interesting exploration into the world of dirt. This is a great resource for dirt-lovers or others who just like to learn random facts. More exciting than most nonfiction books on dirt, and more varied than books such as A Handful of Dirt, this book will offer young readers all the random facts and experiments that they could ever need.
Illustrated by Martha Newbigging
This book is a fantastic resource when it comes to random facts about dirt. Bourgeois and Vanderlinden describe the dirt under your toenails, dirt biking, how to “make the world’s greatest dirt,” how rocks become dirt, tracking animals in the dirt, quicksand, buried treasures and archaeology, worms, mud baths, and just about everything else that is remotely related to dirt. As you can imagine, this book really captures the multifaceted world of dirt, and all the ways it relates to our lives. All of these fascinating facts are accompanied by hands-on projects, such as making "the world's greatest dirt" by composting in a milk carton and how to make a delicious "mud cake."
The wide variety of facts in this book is accompanied by vivid color photography, cartoon drawings, and diagrams. Together, the text and illustration create an exciting and interesting exploration into the world of dirt. This is a great resource for dirt-lovers or others who just like to learn random facts. More exciting than most nonfiction books on dirt, and more varied than books such as A Handful of Dirt, this book will offer young readers all the random facts and experiments that they could ever need.
A Handful of Dirt
By Raymond Bial
This was probably my favorite "dirt" book I read while I was compiling my text set. It is nonfiction but it describes things much more poetically than most nonfiction books for children. Beautiful and descriptive language makes it easy to see how dirt relates to our lives in an essential way. Even if you find most nonfiction books about dirt to be dull or boring, this book will definitely open your eyes to the rich, life-giving side of soil. Bial, an award-winning photo essayist, also offers a wide variety of vivid photographs, which help readers connect to the text even further.
Overall, I don't think I can say enough good things about Bial's work. It presents a lot of information in an interesting, enjoyable way.
This was probably my favorite "dirt" book I read while I was compiling my text set. It is nonfiction but it describes things much more poetically than most nonfiction books for children. Beautiful and descriptive language makes it easy to see how dirt relates to our lives in an essential way. Even if you find most nonfiction books about dirt to be dull or boring, this book will definitely open your eyes to the rich, life-giving side of soil. Bial, an award-winning photo essayist, also offers a wide variety of vivid photographs, which help readers connect to the text even further.
Overall, I don't think I can say enough good things about Bial's work. It presents a lot of information in an interesting, enjoyable way.
Yours Truly, Goldilocks
By Alma Flor Ada
Illustrated by Leslie Tryon
This book is comprised of a series of letters between Goldilocks, Little Red Riding Hood, Little Red Riding Hood's grandmother, the Three Little Pigs, Peter Rabbit, and two Big Bad Wolves. Though the entire story is told through these letters, it is very easy to understand the plot development. The three little pigs, after finally building their brick house, are planning to have a house warming party with all of their friends. Their excitement grows but somehow the wolves (Wolfy Lupus and Fer O'Cious) catch wind of this plan, and decide to make a plan of their own. Since this is a fairy tale, you can probably guess who wins, but I'll let you read the book to find out how it all unfolds.
I really enjoyed reading this book for a few reasons. First of all, combining well-known fairy tales always interests me because it offers new twists on the stories that everyone already knows. Using characters from common fairy tales gives us shared background knowledge that doesn't need to be explained in the book, yet the book itself stretches our imaginations and opens our minds to a whole new world of "what ifs." Additionally, I really enjoyed the letter format of this story. Using this book and its prequel (Dear Peter Rabbit) could very easily turn into a discussion about different points of view and how they affect stories. Or, if you want to take a different route, these books could be used to teach a lesson on how to write a letter in the correct form. No matter what direction you want to take with this book, it is always a lot of fun to read and enjoy.
Illustrated by Leslie Tryon
This book is comprised of a series of letters between Goldilocks, Little Red Riding Hood, Little Red Riding Hood's grandmother, the Three Little Pigs, Peter Rabbit, and two Big Bad Wolves. Though the entire story is told through these letters, it is very easy to understand the plot development. The three little pigs, after finally building their brick house, are planning to have a house warming party with all of their friends. Their excitement grows but somehow the wolves (Wolfy Lupus and Fer O'Cious) catch wind of this plan, and decide to make a plan of their own. Since this is a fairy tale, you can probably guess who wins, but I'll let you read the book to find out how it all unfolds.
I really enjoyed reading this book for a few reasons. First of all, combining well-known fairy tales always interests me because it offers new twists on the stories that everyone already knows. Using characters from common fairy tales gives us shared background knowledge that doesn't need to be explained in the book, yet the book itself stretches our imaginations and opens our minds to a whole new world of "what ifs." Additionally, I really enjoyed the letter format of this story. Using this book and its prequel (Dear Peter Rabbit) could very easily turn into a discussion about different points of view and how they affect stories. Or, if you want to take a different route, these books could be used to teach a lesson on how to write a letter in the correct form. No matter what direction you want to take with this book, it is always a lot of fun to read and enjoy.
There was an Old Lady who Swallowed a Fly
By Simms Taback
Everyone knows the poem about the old lady who swallowed a fly, then a spider, then a bird... but never before have we been given such an interesting and humorous view of the situation! Using die-cut holes, we are able to see exactly what is going on inside this crazy old lady's stomach. And Taback's combination of bold painting, crayon, and collage create a very unique perspective of a well-known story. Attentiveness to detail and humorous asides are what make this book a pleasure to read. And since the story itself has been put into books countless times, it's impressive to see how unique Taback was able to make this story - so impressive, in fact, that it won a Caldecott Honor award.
I think the best part of this book is its sense of humor. The humorous illustrations and the clever asides of the animals mean that readers will want to take their time looking through all the pages. And the story ends with a very strong moral: "Never swallow a horse." It's pretty hard to argue with a message like that!
Everyone knows the poem about the old lady who swallowed a fly, then a spider, then a bird... but never before have we been given such an interesting and humorous view of the situation! Using die-cut holes, we are able to see exactly what is going on inside this crazy old lady's stomach. And Taback's combination of bold painting, crayon, and collage create a very unique perspective of a well-known story. Attentiveness to detail and humorous asides are what make this book a pleasure to read. And since the story itself has been put into books countless times, it's impressive to see how unique Taback was able to make this story - so impressive, in fact, that it won a Caldecott Honor award.
I think the best part of this book is its sense of humor. The humorous illustrations and the clever asides of the animals mean that readers will want to take their time looking through all the pages. And the story ends with a very strong moral: "Never swallow a horse." It's pretty hard to argue with a message like that!
Mirette on the High Wire
By Emily Arnold McCully
Like Hurry, although this book is fiction, it feels very realistic and historically accurate. Mirette on the High Wire takes place one hundred years ago in Paris, and the details that McCully includes in her story make the readers feel like they are actually there. McCully's attention to detail in both the text and the illustrations make the story oddly captivating - we can visualize the characters, hear the French accents of Mirette and Bellini, and even easily imagine a stereotypical French accordion playing in the background while the narrator tells this story. It's no surprise that this book won the 1993 Caldecott Medal.
The story itself teaches us to dream big and to face our fears - and that the only way to get really great at something is through practice, practice, practice! Once Mirette decides to learn how to walk on the tight rope, she never gives up. And although the Great Bellini develops his own fears, he learns that he must not give up his dream either. The story itself is unique and interesting, but the messages it sends to children are fairly universal. I think a wide variety of readers would find this book very enjoyable!
Like Hurry, although this book is fiction, it feels very realistic and historically accurate. Mirette on the High Wire takes place one hundred years ago in Paris, and the details that McCully includes in her story make the readers feel like they are actually there. McCully's attention to detail in both the text and the illustrations make the story oddly captivating - we can visualize the characters, hear the French accents of Mirette and Bellini, and even easily imagine a stereotypical French accordion playing in the background while the narrator tells this story. It's no surprise that this book won the 1993 Caldecott Medal.
The story itself teaches us to dream big and to face our fears - and that the only way to get really great at something is through practice, practice, practice! Once Mirette decides to learn how to walk on the tight rope, she never gives up. And although the Great Bellini develops his own fears, he learns that he must not give up his dream either. The story itself is unique and interesting, but the messages it sends to children are fairly universal. I think a wide variety of readers would find this book very enjoyable!
Hurry!
Illustrated and Adapted by Emily Arnold McCully
Adapted from Farewell to the Farivox by Harry Hartwick
This book is a great way to introduce the idea of extinction and endangered species to young animals. Though the story is fiction, it reads like a piece of historical nonfiction, listing names, the date, and specific details that successfully place the story in small-town Iowa in 1916. 10-year-old Tom Elson is walking to the library but stops to watch the town blacksmith work... it is at the blacksmith's shop where he meets a strange man with a crate in his wagon. Inside the crate is a strange animal, the farivox. The book reads, "it's face was wide and flat, like a monkey's face, but it had a long body like a weasel's, with a bush tail like that of a fox. Tom could barely see the animal's small feet, which were clawed like a lion's. Its ears were tufted up and sharp like those of a lynx, and it had a hooked beak like an owl's." And most interesting of all: the farivox can speak! Tom asks the man about the animal, and whether it is for sale. The strange man offers to sell it for $10.00, no less. Tom tells the man he'll be right back - and much to his surprise, the farivox says "Hurry!" The rest of his book is full of excitement and wondering - will he manage to buy the farivox?
This book has a lot of great attributes. The realistic story, accompanied by McCully's wonderful watercolor illustrations, would make this book captivating for a wide variety of readers. There is also a sense of excitement as Tom hurries to gather all of his money so he can buy the farivox. The one thing that I had trouble dealing with is that, although it reads like a fable or a nonfiction story, as far as I've been able to tell it is 100% fiction. An introduction or a post-script telling readers that the farivox is completely made up would be helpful - though it does very nicely relate to the idea of extinction and endangered species (the intro talks of passenger pigeons and the end of the book speaks of other animals that have disappeared).
Adapted from Farewell to the Farivox by Harry Hartwick
This book is a great way to introduce the idea of extinction and endangered species to young animals. Though the story is fiction, it reads like a piece of historical nonfiction, listing names, the date, and specific details that successfully place the story in small-town Iowa in 1916. 10-year-old Tom Elson is walking to the library but stops to watch the town blacksmith work... it is at the blacksmith's shop where he meets a strange man with a crate in his wagon. Inside the crate is a strange animal, the farivox. The book reads, "it's face was wide and flat, like a monkey's face, but it had a long body like a weasel's, with a bush tail like that of a fox. Tom could barely see the animal's small feet, which were clawed like a lion's. Its ears were tufted up and sharp like those of a lynx, and it had a hooked beak like an owl's." And most interesting of all: the farivox can speak! Tom asks the man about the animal, and whether it is for sale. The strange man offers to sell it for $10.00, no less. Tom tells the man he'll be right back - and much to his surprise, the farivox says "Hurry!" The rest of his book is full of excitement and wondering - will he manage to buy the farivox?
This book has a lot of great attributes. The realistic story, accompanied by McCully's wonderful watercolor illustrations, would make this book captivating for a wide variety of readers. There is also a sense of excitement as Tom hurries to gather all of his money so he can buy the farivox. The one thing that I had trouble dealing with is that, although it reads like a fable or a nonfiction story, as far as I've been able to tell it is 100% fiction. An introduction or a post-script telling readers that the farivox is completely made up would be helpful - though it does very nicely relate to the idea of extinction and endangered species (the intro talks of passenger pigeons and the end of the book speaks of other animals that have disappeared).
Sunday, May 9, 2010
Love That Dog
By Sharon Creech
I can think of a plethora of ways to use this in the classroom - modeling the use of a writer's notebook, encouraging written response during the reading workshop, modeling our work off of the writing of others, showing students that poetry can be about whatever inspires us most.
We don't know much about Jack. We don't know what he looks like. We don't know who his friends are. We don't know what he likes to do in his free time. We just know what he has written - and through that, we learn more about him than we could ever possibly imagine. I loved seeing Jack's thought process peek out in his writing, and I loved seeing how his thoughts and feelings evolved over time. I especially loved seeing his transformation from a boy who doesn't want to write poetry into a boy who has found his voice and believes in himself as a thoughtful and powerful writer.
As educators I think this is a dream that we have for all of our students, regardless of what they look like, who their friends are, and what they like to do in their free time. And that is what makes this book so universal: there are enough details in this book to make it realistic, but the themes are broad enough that every single reader can put themselves in Jack's shoes. As I started reading this book I wished I had more details about Jack, but it turned out that none of them mattered. Even if we don't know everything about him, we can relate to him through his writing.
I think this is an important message to take away as readers, as writers, and as educators. Even if we leave out some of the details, when we write we are putting ourselves onto the paper. Sometimes it's scary and hard, sometimes we don't want to do it, and sometimes we write things so personal that we thought they would stay inside us forever. The same is true of our students. I think introducing them to and "turning them on" to poetry opens up a whole new world of self-expression and reflection that none of them ever imagined. And reading this book is a great way to help us achieve that goal.
I can think of a plethora of ways to use this in the classroom - modeling the use of a writer's notebook, encouraging written response during the reading workshop, modeling our work off of the writing of others, showing students that poetry can be about whatever inspires us most.
We don't know much about Jack. We don't know what he looks like. We don't know who his friends are. We don't know what he likes to do in his free time. We just know what he has written - and through that, we learn more about him than we could ever possibly imagine. I loved seeing Jack's thought process peek out in his writing, and I loved seeing how his thoughts and feelings evolved over time. I especially loved seeing his transformation from a boy who doesn't want to write poetry into a boy who has found his voice and believes in himself as a thoughtful and powerful writer.
As educators I think this is a dream that we have for all of our students, regardless of what they look like, who their friends are, and what they like to do in their free time. And that is what makes this book so universal: there are enough details in this book to make it realistic, but the themes are broad enough that every single reader can put themselves in Jack's shoes. As I started reading this book I wished I had more details about Jack, but it turned out that none of them mattered. Even if we don't know everything about him, we can relate to him through his writing.
I think this is an important message to take away as readers, as writers, and as educators. Even if we leave out some of the details, when we write we are putting ourselves onto the paper. Sometimes it's scary and hard, sometimes we don't want to do it, and sometimes we write things so personal that we thought they would stay inside us forever. The same is true of our students. I think introducing them to and "turning them on" to poetry opens up a whole new world of self-expression and reflection that none of them ever imagined. And reading this book is a great way to help us achieve that goal.
Holly's Secret
By Nancy Garden
When 11-year-old Holly moves from Manhattan to Massachusetts, she and her lifelong friend Kelsey devise a new plan for her new life. After all, new beginnings offer us a chance to change the things we don't like about ourselves, right? Holly decides to call herself Yvette (after her glamorous and girly aunt) and lies to her new friends about a central fact of her life: that she has two moms. As could be expected, assuming this new identity proves to be harder than Holly ever expected. And readers are left wondering: how long can she keep it up before her secret comes out?
Of course, eventually Holly's plan backfires, and she learns a lesson about being who you truly are, without shame or fear. While I appreciated the theme and message of this book (while there are several picture books regarding homosexuality is has been difficult for me to find any novels, particularly from the perspective of a child with gay parents), the entire story felt a bit contrived. Since the book is written in the third person, as a reader I felt like I was never really able to get inside Holly's head. What was she feeling? And it seemed as if Holly was never really able to stand up for herself until she had absolutely no other options. I understand that Garden was trying to reflect upon the fact that dealing with such issues is often difficult for children, but it would have been beneficial to see a much stronger heroine in this story. Additionally, Garden leaves out a lot of details (such as saying they ate "all Holly's favorite dishes" for her birthday, instead of actually giving us any details). I get the feeling that this was an attempt to make Holly seem more universal to a wide audience, but in reality it made the story seem less real. As a reader it was very hard to relate to any of the characters or situations in this book.
Overall I think this book was okay - nothing spectacular. I have to give Garden credit for tackling a difficult subject that many authors avoid - but at the same time, I am left wishing for a story that would be more realistic.
When 11-year-old Holly moves from Manhattan to Massachusetts, she and her lifelong friend Kelsey devise a new plan for her new life. After all, new beginnings offer us a chance to change the things we don't like about ourselves, right? Holly decides to call herself Yvette (after her glamorous and girly aunt) and lies to her new friends about a central fact of her life: that she has two moms. As could be expected, assuming this new identity proves to be harder than Holly ever expected. And readers are left wondering: how long can she keep it up before her secret comes out?
Of course, eventually Holly's plan backfires, and she learns a lesson about being who you truly are, without shame or fear. While I appreciated the theme and message of this book (while there are several picture books regarding homosexuality is has been difficult for me to find any novels, particularly from the perspective of a child with gay parents), the entire story felt a bit contrived. Since the book is written in the third person, as a reader I felt like I was never really able to get inside Holly's head. What was she feeling? And it seemed as if Holly was never really able to stand up for herself until she had absolutely no other options. I understand that Garden was trying to reflect upon the fact that dealing with such issues is often difficult for children, but it would have been beneficial to see a much stronger heroine in this story. Additionally, Garden leaves out a lot of details (such as saying they ate "all Holly's favorite dishes" for her birthday, instead of actually giving us any details). I get the feeling that this was an attempt to make Holly seem more universal to a wide audience, but in reality it made the story seem less real. As a reader it was very hard to relate to any of the characters or situations in this book.
Overall I think this book was okay - nothing spectacular. I have to give Garden credit for tackling a difficult subject that many authors avoid - but at the same time, I am left wishing for a story that would be more realistic.
Carnival of the Animals: Poems inspired by Saint-Saens' Music
Poems by James Berry, Kit Wright, Cicely Herbert, Judith Chernaik, Adrian Mitchell, Gavin Ewart, X.J. Kennedy, Gerard Benson, Gillian Clarke, Valerie Bloom, Wendy Cope, Edwin Morgan, and Charles Causley
Edited by Judith Chernaik
Illustrated by Satoshi Kitamura
More than 100 years ago, French composer Cimille Saint-Saens wrote a light-hearted "zoological fantasy" as a surprise gift for a friend. But he just wrote it for fun and thought the Carnival of the Animals was too frivolous to be taken seriously, and so it was never performed during his lifetime. However, in this day and age, the piece is a favorite of music lovers and animal lovers alike. Each movement paints a musical picture of different animals - lions, elephants, a graceful swan. And in this book, 13 writers came together to create a book of poetry inspired by these songs. Complete with a CD featuring each poem followed by the musical passage that inspired it, this book allows us to create our mental paintings not just through music, but also through words and illustrations.
I really enjoyed reading this book. Just as each movement in the Carnival of the Animals is drastically different from the rest, each of these poems portrays a unique sense of style. Each writer clearly has his or her own personal style of writing. And although the entire book was illustrated by Kitamura, each poem (and musical movement) has a very unique illustration which is just as captivating as the poems and the music.
I have read a lot of mixed reviews about this book, but honestly I think it is great. It is always refreshing to me to see unique ways that people manage to pull together music, art, and the written word. This book could easily be read for fun by very young readers, but it also opens a whole world of possibilities for discussing the connections between all of these varying forms of art.
Edited by Judith Chernaik
Illustrated by Satoshi Kitamura
More than 100 years ago, French composer Cimille Saint-Saens wrote a light-hearted "zoological fantasy" as a surprise gift for a friend. But he just wrote it for fun and thought the Carnival of the Animals was too frivolous to be taken seriously, and so it was never performed during his lifetime. However, in this day and age, the piece is a favorite of music lovers and animal lovers alike. Each movement paints a musical picture of different animals - lions, elephants, a graceful swan. And in this book, 13 writers came together to create a book of poetry inspired by these songs. Complete with a CD featuring each poem followed by the musical passage that inspired it, this book allows us to create our mental paintings not just through music, but also through words and illustrations.
I really enjoyed reading this book. Just as each movement in the Carnival of the Animals is drastically different from the rest, each of these poems portrays a unique sense of style. Each writer clearly has his or her own personal style of writing. And although the entire book was illustrated by Kitamura, each poem (and musical movement) has a very unique illustration which is just as captivating as the poems and the music.
I have read a lot of mixed reviews about this book, but honestly I think it is great. It is always refreshing to me to see unique ways that people manage to pull together music, art, and the written word. This book could easily be read for fun by very young readers, but it also opens a whole world of possibilities for discussing the connections between all of these varying forms of art.
The Graveyard Book
By Neil Gaiman
Illustrated by Dave Mckean
"It takes a whole village to raise a child," or so the old proverb goes. But when it comes to Nobody Owens, instead of a village, it takes a graveyard. When Nobody (who goes by Bod for short) was the sole survivor of an attack on his family at the tender age of 18 months, the residents of the local graveyard took it upon themselves to raise him. Bod grows up in a strange world of limbo - still living, he learns the habits, knowledge, and magic of the graveyard. And his life is anything but ordinary - he meets ghouls and witches, and his personal mentor is a vampire. Readers watch as he tries to make friends and fit in at school (which of course is difficult, considering the differences that exist between Bod and "normal" children). Eventually, he confronts "the man named Jack" who murdered his entire family when he was a baby, and after that we see his attempt at living in the "real world."
I also really like the illustrations of this book. Mckean's wonderful hand-drawn artwork is at the beginning of every chapter. And though this book definitely involves a lot of reading, I think the illustrations add a lot to readers' interpretations and mental images regarding the story.
This Newberry Medal-winning book opens our eyes and our imaginations to what it might be like to be raised by the dead. Not only that, but through the entirety of Bod's adventures, we learn just how wonderful it is to actually be alive. Though this book has "mature" themes, I think it is a wonderful book for upper elementary aged readers.
There is another great aspect of this story. Though the book itself forms the entirety of Bod's story, each chapter can be read alone as an independent story. Gaiman, who wrote the book this way on purpose, ended up going on tour, reading entire chapters at a time to his audience. He followed each chapter by an extended Q&A session. And, not only that, but he posted all of these readings online for everyone to see. Not only can we buy and read the book, but through this use of technology we can see and hear the author read the entire book to us. What a great idea for a class read-aloud!
Illustrated by Dave Mckean
"It takes a whole village to raise a child," or so the old proverb goes. But when it comes to Nobody Owens, instead of a village, it takes a graveyard. When Nobody (who goes by Bod for short) was the sole survivor of an attack on his family at the tender age of 18 months, the residents of the local graveyard took it upon themselves to raise him. Bod grows up in a strange world of limbo - still living, he learns the habits, knowledge, and magic of the graveyard. And his life is anything but ordinary - he meets ghouls and witches, and his personal mentor is a vampire. Readers watch as he tries to make friends and fit in at school (which of course is difficult, considering the differences that exist between Bod and "normal" children). Eventually, he confronts "the man named Jack" who murdered his entire family when he was a baby, and after that we see his attempt at living in the "real world."
I also really like the illustrations of this book. Mckean's wonderful hand-drawn artwork is at the beginning of every chapter. And though this book definitely involves a lot of reading, I think the illustrations add a lot to readers' interpretations and mental images regarding the story.
This Newberry Medal-winning book opens our eyes and our imaginations to what it might be like to be raised by the dead. Not only that, but through the entirety of Bod's adventures, we learn just how wonderful it is to actually be alive. Though this book has "mature" themes, I think it is a wonderful book for upper elementary aged readers.
There is another great aspect of this story. Though the book itself forms the entirety of Bod's story, each chapter can be read alone as an independent story. Gaiman, who wrote the book this way on purpose, ended up going on tour, reading entire chapters at a time to his audience. He followed each chapter by an extended Q&A session. And, not only that, but he posted all of these readings online for everyone to see. Not only can we buy and read the book, but through this use of technology we can see and hear the author read the entire book to us. What a great idea for a class read-aloud!
Neil Gaiman's Advice for Young Writers
This doesn't have anything to do with a book I've read, but since Neil Gaiman seems to be a recurring writer in this blog, I thought it might be a nice addition to the resources on him that I've already gathered here.
Instructions
By Neil Gaiman
Illustrated by Charles Vess
Instructions is a new book by Neil Gaiman. Originally just a poem, this story gives the wandering traveler instructions (hence the title) about how to survive a fairy tale. According to his blog, it became a picture book at the request of a friend. I really enjoyed this book because it captures a lot of universal themes that appear repeatedly in other "fairy tales." Also, putting this poem in the form of instructions places the reader directly into the story - the instructions are being given to you, as you read it. The instructions are specific enough to create strong mental images, but vague enough that we are left to imagine most of the finer details of this particular fairy tale: Where am I going? Why am I going there? Will I succeed in my quest? Receiving these instructions invokes the feeling that I am only at the very beginning of my journey, with an infinite number of possibilities that lie ahead.
Much like many other of his books, Instructions is not "just" a children's book - it is a book for readers of all ages, and offers themes and beautiful artwork that are just as appealing to adults as to children. But don't just take my word for it - the "book trailer" is available free on youtube, courtesy of Harper Kids.
Illustrated by Charles Vess
Instructions is a new book by Neil Gaiman. Originally just a poem, this story gives the wandering traveler instructions (hence the title) about how to survive a fairy tale. According to his blog, it became a picture book at the request of a friend. I really enjoyed this book because it captures a lot of universal themes that appear repeatedly in other "fairy tales." Also, putting this poem in the form of instructions places the reader directly into the story - the instructions are being given to you, as you read it. The instructions are specific enough to create strong mental images, but vague enough that we are left to imagine most of the finer details of this particular fairy tale: Where am I going? Why am I going there? Will I succeed in my quest? Receiving these instructions invokes the feeling that I am only at the very beginning of my journey, with an infinite number of possibilities that lie ahead.
Much like many other of his books, Instructions is not "just" a children's book - it is a book for readers of all ages, and offers themes and beautiful artwork that are just as appealing to adults as to children. But don't just take my word for it - the "book trailer" is available free on youtube, courtesy of Harper Kids.
You Read to Me, I’ll Read to You
By Mary Ann Hoberman
Illustrated by Michael Emberley
You Read to Me, I’ll Read to You would be a wonderful poetry book to use with younger readers. The theme of the book is getting together to read. The short poems are designed to be read aloud by two voices. The text is color-coded and in two columns, so it is easy to distinguish the two reader’s voices, along with the text that is to be read together. The poems are simple, yet full of energy. The poetry in this book contains repetition and rhyme, which is great for beginning readers. Most importantly, these fun poems allow children to see that poetry doesn’t always have to be serious and that reading can be fun. The fact that these poems are for two voices encourages children to read aloud with their parent/teacher/friend, which helps build fluency and comprehension. I believe this would be a great book to introduce to children who do not enjoy reading or who are disinterested by poetry.
Illustrated by Michael Emberley
You Read to Me, I’ll Read to You would be a wonderful poetry book to use with younger readers. The theme of the book is getting together to read. The short poems are designed to be read aloud by two voices. The text is color-coded and in two columns, so it is easy to distinguish the two reader’s voices, along with the text that is to be read together. The poems are simple, yet full of energy. The poetry in this book contains repetition and rhyme, which is great for beginning readers. Most importantly, these fun poems allow children to see that poetry doesn’t always have to be serious and that reading can be fun. The fact that these poems are for two voices encourages children to read aloud with their parent/teacher/friend, which helps build fluency and comprehension. I believe this would be a great book to introduce to children who do not enjoy reading or who are disinterested by poetry.
The Wonder Book
By Amy Krouse Rosenthal
Illustrated by Paul Schmid
This is a wonderful new poetry book! This book contains a variety of poems that focus on word choice, rhyming, palindromes, etc. Most of these poems are very “silly,” which I think really appeals to young readers (there is even one poem which teaches us how to say “fart” in several different languages!). Like some of the other poetry books I’ve blogged about, this book would be a great one to help students see that poetry can be about anything and everything. The most important aspect about this book is its creativity – Amy Krouse Rosenthal does a great job varying the format and mood of her poems, and brings her readers a new surprise with every turn of the page. These poems also exemplify ways to incorporate everyday wonderings into writing – thus the name The Wonder Book – which I think is a really helpful writing strategy for young students to use in their own writing.
Illustrated by Paul Schmid
This is a wonderful new poetry book! This book contains a variety of poems that focus on word choice, rhyming, palindromes, etc. Most of these poems are very “silly,” which I think really appeals to young readers (there is even one poem which teaches us how to say “fart” in several different languages!). Like some of the other poetry books I’ve blogged about, this book would be a great one to help students see that poetry can be about anything and everything. The most important aspect about this book is its creativity – Amy Krouse Rosenthal does a great job varying the format and mood of her poems, and brings her readers a new surprise with every turn of the page. These poems also exemplify ways to incorporate everyday wonderings into writing – thus the name The Wonder Book – which I think is a really helpful writing strategy for young students to use in their own writing.
The Lorax
By Dr. Seuss
I’m including this as a poetry book because, well, Dr. Seuss is probably the most-loved children’s poet I can think of. What I think is interesting about this is that most children don’t actually think of Dr. Seuss as a “poet” – his books are a genre all their own (much like Disney movies), and generally he is just seen as a kid-friendly, whimsical, rhyming storyteller.
My child study buddy for Block A LOVES Dr. Seuss. And he LOVES rhyming. But whenever we talk about poetry, his eyes glaze over and he becomes completely disinterested. Why does this happen? Because for him, learning about poetry has never been made “fun” or “interesting”… it’s all about boring poems that don’t relate to his life. He has trouble even realizing that Dr. Seuss and other rhyming books he loves count as poetry as well. Personally, I think it’s a shame that this has happened, and as an educator I hope to try to prevent it from happening with my own students.
Back to the story. I really love this book because of the message it sends. We read it to the kids at wildlife camp ever summer because it sends a strong message about conservation, and about standing up for what is right. It also shows what can happen when people become too greedy. While many of Dr. Seuss’s books are wonderful stories in their own right, many of them also lack a “moral” as strong as this one. And even if you don’t believe that Dr. Seuss wrote “real” poetry, you can’t deny the values The Lorax conveys to children.
I’m including this as a poetry book because, well, Dr. Seuss is probably the most-loved children’s poet I can think of. What I think is interesting about this is that most children don’t actually think of Dr. Seuss as a “poet” – his books are a genre all their own (much like Disney movies), and generally he is just seen as a kid-friendly, whimsical, rhyming storyteller.
My child study buddy for Block A LOVES Dr. Seuss. And he LOVES rhyming. But whenever we talk about poetry, his eyes glaze over and he becomes completely disinterested. Why does this happen? Because for him, learning about poetry has never been made “fun” or “interesting”… it’s all about boring poems that don’t relate to his life. He has trouble even realizing that Dr. Seuss and other rhyming books he loves count as poetry as well. Personally, I think it’s a shame that this has happened, and as an educator I hope to try to prevent it from happening with my own students.
Back to the story. I really love this book because of the message it sends. We read it to the kids at wildlife camp ever summer because it sends a strong message about conservation, and about standing up for what is right. It also shows what can happen when people become too greedy. While many of Dr. Seuss’s books are wonderful stories in their own right, many of them also lack a “moral” as strong as this one. And even if you don’t believe that Dr. Seuss wrote “real” poetry, you can’t deny the values The Lorax conveys to children.
Queen of the Scene
By Queen Latifah
Illustrated by Frank Morrison
I really liked this story because it has a very strong “girl power” and “be yourself” sort of message. It’s all about a girl who is “the queen of the scene,” best at every sport or game you can think of. But there’s much more to it than that. A poetry book written by the “Grammy Award-winning First Lady of Hip-Hop” (as proclaimed inside the front cover) can easily bring about a powerful discussion on the relationship between poetry and music. The book even includes a CD recording of Queen Latifah rapping this story. I think that introducing rap/hip-hop into the poetry discussion can be a very powerful source of inspiration for many students. As educators we need to find ways to make learning “exciting,” and that means exploring different means for presenting information. Students who think poetry is boring or old-fashioned might just get hooked by the idea of connecting their poetry to music.
Illustrated by Frank Morrison
I really liked this story because it has a very strong “girl power” and “be yourself” sort of message. It’s all about a girl who is “the queen of the scene,” best at every sport or game you can think of. But there’s much more to it than that. A poetry book written by the “Grammy Award-winning First Lady of Hip-Hop” (as proclaimed inside the front cover) can easily bring about a powerful discussion on the relationship between poetry and music. The book even includes a CD recording of Queen Latifah rapping this story. I think that introducing rap/hip-hop into the poetry discussion can be a very powerful source of inspiration for many students. As educators we need to find ways to make learning “exciting,” and that means exploring different means for presenting information. Students who think poetry is boring or old-fashioned might just get hooked by the idea of connecting their poetry to music.
A Writing Kind of Day: Poems for Young Poets
By Ralph Fletcher
I really like this poetry book because it’s directed toward young writers, and I feel like it could provide a lot of inspiration to elementary students. It makes direct references to the writer’s notebook and to the process of writing poetry, so I think these poems would be a good way to reinforce what your students are doing in the classroom. The poems would also help students to realize that they can write about whatever they want – inspiration comes from many different places. There are poems about grandma, little brothers, a weather forecast, and other topics that kids might be surprised to find in poetry. I believe that the fact that poetry can be about anything is a really empowering and inspiring realization. “Squished Squirrel Poem” is a perfect example:
I wanted to write about
a squished squirrel
I saw on the road
near my house last week.
You can’t write a poem
about a squished squirrel,
my teacher said to me.
I mean, you just can’t do it.
Pick a sunrise or an eagle
or a dolphin, he suggested.
Pick something noble
to lift the human spirit.
I tried. I really did. But I kept
coming back to that squirrel.
Did his wife send him out
to fetch some food or something?
There was blood and guts
but here’s what really got me:
he had pretty dark eyes
and they glistened still.
You can’t write a poem
about a squished squirrel,
my teacher insisted,
but I don’t think that’s true.
I really like this poetry book because it’s directed toward young writers, and I feel like it could provide a lot of inspiration to elementary students. It makes direct references to the writer’s notebook and to the process of writing poetry, so I think these poems would be a good way to reinforce what your students are doing in the classroom. The poems would also help students to realize that they can write about whatever they want – inspiration comes from many different places. There are poems about grandma, little brothers, a weather forecast, and other topics that kids might be surprised to find in poetry. I believe that the fact that poetry can be about anything is a really empowering and inspiring realization. “Squished Squirrel Poem” is a perfect example:
I wanted to write about
a squished squirrel
I saw on the road
near my house last week.
You can’t write a poem
about a squished squirrel,
my teacher said to me.
I mean, you just can’t do it.
Pick a sunrise or an eagle
or a dolphin, he suggested.
Pick something noble
to lift the human spirit.
I tried. I really did. But I kept
coming back to that squirrel.
Did his wife send him out
to fetch some food or something?
There was blood and guts
but here’s what really got me:
he had pretty dark eyes
and they glistened still.
You can’t write a poem
about a squished squirrel,
my teacher insisted,
but I don’t think that’s true.
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
So Far From the Bamboo Grove
By Yoko Kawashima Watkins
I thought this book was very interesting and moving, and to be honest I was surprised that I had not read it before. It really brought my attention to a historical event that I have never really thought about before.
I've read a lot of criticism online about this book - and yes, Yoko has a very one-sided viewpoint of the entire situation. I've even read some comments such as "how dare she wrote such a pity war story." I'm not going to argue with the fact that a story which was written from an 11-year-old Japanese girl's point of view is probably going to be biased. Isn't that the point? Yoko isn't trying to offer the entire history of Korea - she's telling her story. The history of Korea is a long and complicated one, and this book simply offers a look at how this history affected one person at one particular point in time.
It is up to us as educators to make sure that our students have the critical thinking skills to realize that this story cannot be used to generalize entire nations. But it is also up to us as human beings to approach this story with compassion and empathy for an author who was willing to put herself out on the line by telling us her personal story. I can only imagine that it was not easy for Kawashima to put such a big part of herself out into the world for everyone to see and judge.
It is easy to jump to conclusions in this book about how our students need to be shown more than one viewpoint when it comes to history. Pairing this book with The Year of Impossible Goodbyes seems logical to us because we are distanced enough from this situation to see the biases of either side. But what about the other lessons we teach students in our classrooms? I would even go so far to say that we need to think about this issue with everything we teach in regards to history. For so long, "history" has just been what is written in the books, given to us from one particular viewpoint. With stories that we can distance ourselves from, such as this one, it is easy to balance out the viewpoints.
But what about the issues that hit close to home for us? Are there educators out there who are willing to concede that even historical books such as The Diary of Anne Frank are biased? Perhaps reading a story from the viewpoint of a Nazi child would show us more about what life was like during World War II. If that seems too extreme, perhaps sharing a tale from a British boy's viewpoint during the American Revolution would seem more acceptable. I've come to see that we need to look at both sides to every story.
*Even typing this I am fearful that people will jump to conclusions about me trying to justify the Holocaust or something ridiculous. I'm not, and and maybe that is my point. The Holocaust was an atrocity in history that will hopefully never be repeated. But demonizing a child for having their own point of view and for loving the family they were born into doesn't make any sense to me. That is why I am so discomforted by critics who say that Yoko's character is biased, even though Yoko never says it is anything more than an 11-year-old girl telling us about her own life.
I thought this book was very interesting and moving, and to be honest I was surprised that I had not read it before. It really brought my attention to a historical event that I have never really thought about before.
I've read a lot of criticism online about this book - and yes, Yoko has a very one-sided viewpoint of the entire situation. I've even read some comments such as "how dare she wrote such a pity war story." I'm not going to argue with the fact that a story which was written from an 11-year-old Japanese girl's point of view is probably going to be biased. Isn't that the point? Yoko isn't trying to offer the entire history of Korea - she's telling her story. The history of Korea is a long and complicated one, and this book simply offers a look at how this history affected one person at one particular point in time.
It is up to us as educators to make sure that our students have the critical thinking skills to realize that this story cannot be used to generalize entire nations. But it is also up to us as human beings to approach this story with compassion and empathy for an author who was willing to put herself out on the line by telling us her personal story. I can only imagine that it was not easy for Kawashima to put such a big part of herself out into the world for everyone to see and judge.
It is easy to jump to conclusions in this book about how our students need to be shown more than one viewpoint when it comes to history. Pairing this book with The Year of Impossible Goodbyes seems logical to us because we are distanced enough from this situation to see the biases of either side. But what about the other lessons we teach students in our classrooms? I would even go so far to say that we need to think about this issue with everything we teach in regards to history. For so long, "history" has just been what is written in the books, given to us from one particular viewpoint. With stories that we can distance ourselves from, such as this one, it is easy to balance out the viewpoints.
But what about the issues that hit close to home for us? Are there educators out there who are willing to concede that even historical books such as The Diary of Anne Frank are biased? Perhaps reading a story from the viewpoint of a Nazi child would show us more about what life was like during World War II. If that seems too extreme, perhaps sharing a tale from a British boy's viewpoint during the American Revolution would seem more acceptable. I've come to see that we need to look at both sides to every story.
*Even typing this I am fearful that people will jump to conclusions about me trying to justify the Holocaust or something ridiculous. I'm not, and and maybe that is my point. The Holocaust was an atrocity in history that will hopefully never be repeated. But demonizing a child for having their own point of view and for loving the family they were born into doesn't make any sense to me. That is why I am so discomforted by critics who say that Yoko's character is biased, even though Yoko never says it is anything more than an 11-year-old girl telling us about her own life.
Monday, March 29, 2010
Mid-Semester Reflection
I have really been learning a lot about children's literature from this class, but more importantly I have continued to learn about myself as a reader and an educatory. I have been thinking a lot about how I plan on making the important decision of what books I want to use in my classroom. I want to expose my students to not only a wide variety of genres, but also a wide variety of media in which reading appears. It is very important to teach children that reading and writing have real-life purposes, and to do that we need to expose them to the infinitely large selection of literature out there.
I have come to realize just how important "controversial" literature can be in the classroom. Though it is often up to debate whether a particular book is controversial or not (controversy is in the eye of the beholder, perhaps?), but I have become ever more aware that it is essential to expose our students to a wide variety of literature that portrays many different cultures and lifestyles. This may push some parents or students (or even myself) out of their comfort zones on occasion, but it is absolutely necessary to expose children to as much of the world as we can. This is more true today than it has ever been before, and I'm sure it become ever more important as our society continues to become more diverse and more aware of other cultures in the world.
Lastly, I have learned that there are many things that happen in the classroom that we can't foresee until they happen, but we can prepare ourselves in order to best serve our students. Just as important as the literature we put in the classroom is the attitude we bring with ourselves into the classroom. The language we use, the responses we make to student comments or questions, and the literature and stories we are willing to share with our students all show our children what we view as "normal" and acceptable, so it is important to be able to create a safe and nurturing environment for all of the students we teach. This requires being very self-aware so we can be sure to avoid making any students feel singled out or out of the "norm."
I have come to realize just how important "controversial" literature can be in the classroom. Though it is often up to debate whether a particular book is controversial or not (controversy is in the eye of the beholder, perhaps?), but I have become ever more aware that it is essential to expose our students to a wide variety of literature that portrays many different cultures and lifestyles. This may push some parents or students (or even myself) out of their comfort zones on occasion, but it is absolutely necessary to expose children to as much of the world as we can. This is more true today than it has ever been before, and I'm sure it become ever more important as our society continues to become more diverse and more aware of other cultures in the world.
Lastly, I have learned that there are many things that happen in the classroom that we can't foresee until they happen, but we can prepare ourselves in order to best serve our students. Just as important as the literature we put in the classroom is the attitude we bring with ourselves into the classroom. The language we use, the responses we make to student comments or questions, and the literature and stories we are willing to share with our students all show our children what we view as "normal" and acceptable, so it is important to be able to create a safe and nurturing environment for all of the students we teach. This requires being very self-aware so we can be sure to avoid making any students feel singled out or out of the "norm."
Sunday, March 28, 2010
My Friend Rabbit
By Eric Rohmann
This wonderful picture book is all about a small mouse and his friend Rabbit, who brings trouble with him no matter what he does or where he goes. Luckily (or maybe unluckily!) for everyone involved, Rabbit is a wonderfully creative problem-solver, and he is confident (read: impulsive) enough to carry out his ideas even when they aren't the smartest. And, of course, he always means well.
This book won the 2003 Caldecott Medal, and I can see why. It is simple and humorous, making it relatable for emerging readers and adults alike. The minimal text truly allows us to focus on Rohmann's illustrations, which are hand-colored relief prints with bold black lines. Even though the language is sparse we can get a really great sense of what Mouse and Rabbit are like, and the wonderful illustrations allow us to enjoy the true humor of this story.
This wonderful picture book is all about a small mouse and his friend Rabbit, who brings trouble with him no matter what he does or where he goes. Luckily (or maybe unluckily!) for everyone involved, Rabbit is a wonderfully creative problem-solver, and he is confident (read: impulsive) enough to carry out his ideas even when they aren't the smartest. And, of course, he always means well.
This book won the 2003 Caldecott Medal, and I can see why. It is simple and humorous, making it relatable for emerging readers and adults alike. The minimal text truly allows us to focus on Rohmann's illustrations, which are hand-colored relief prints with bold black lines. Even though the language is sparse we can get a really great sense of what Mouse and Rabbit are like, and the wonderful illustrations allow us to enjoy the true humor of this story.
The Misfits
By James Howe
I will admit that it took me a while to get into this style of reading, but after things got going I really enjoyed reading this book. Additionally, I think the style is very suitable for young readers and is likely to entice students to keep reading. It felt a bit contrived to me at first but to be honest I can see a 12-year-old writing this way, especially with the "minutes" of the Gang of Five's meetings and Bobby's own thoughts about the people in his life.
Our discussion in class really got me thinking. It is funny how some people picked up on some sort of "gay agenda" while others (including the author) simply regard this book's message as anti-bullying and pro-respect. While I was reading this book I never even really thought about it as a "pro-gay" book: Joe is just another character in the book, and not even a main character at that! I guess that is why it bothered me when I realized what a big fuss some people have made out of this book. There is clearly more here beyond the message that "being gay is okay," and besides, what's wrong with a message like that in the first place?
The fact that grown adults protest this book and say that being gay isn't okay is exactly why a book like this needs to exist. When grown adults are still being bullies to specific groups of people, the kids that we teach desperately need to be told that it's okay to be who you are. The message that adults send through these protests is that it's okay to be overweight like Bobby or super-nerdy and outspoken like Addy, but that it's not okay to be gay like Joe. It's like saying "It's okay to be who you are, as long as you're not ____." The not-so-hidden meaning behind this says that "You need to be how we want you to be." And setting hypocritical standards like that sends very confusing and upsetting messages to kids.
The controversy behind this book is very real, and is something that is still important in our schools today. Iowa had an anti-bullying law passed in 2007. This law prevents children from bullying or discrimination based on "real or perceived age, color, creed, national origin, race, religion, marital status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, physical attributes, physical or mental ability or disability, ancestry, political party preference, political belief, socioeconomic status, or familial status" (Iowa Department of Education). But as recently as February of this year select state legislators have been pushing to remove sexual orientation and gender identity from the list, claiming that including them "pushes" homosexuality onto children. And what I would like to know is how that sort of behavior in grown men can be justified as anything but "bullying" itself.
This is an issue that really hits close to the bone for me. Statistics show that the majority of homosexual children and teens face harassment and bullying at school, and even with anti-bullying laws things have not improved as much as they should have. It is only through exposing our students to such outstanding literature and having open and honest discussions that we can show our students that they really are in a safe place where they can learn, grow, and develop into wonderful the human beings that they truly are.
I will admit that it took me a while to get into this style of reading, but after things got going I really enjoyed reading this book. Additionally, I think the style is very suitable for young readers and is likely to entice students to keep reading. It felt a bit contrived to me at first but to be honest I can see a 12-year-old writing this way, especially with the "minutes" of the Gang of Five's meetings and Bobby's own thoughts about the people in his life.
Our discussion in class really got me thinking. It is funny how some people picked up on some sort of "gay agenda" while others (including the author) simply regard this book's message as anti-bullying and pro-respect. While I was reading this book I never even really thought about it as a "pro-gay" book: Joe is just another character in the book, and not even a main character at that! I guess that is why it bothered me when I realized what a big fuss some people have made out of this book. There is clearly more here beyond the message that "being gay is okay," and besides, what's wrong with a message like that in the first place?
The fact that grown adults protest this book and say that being gay isn't okay is exactly why a book like this needs to exist. When grown adults are still being bullies to specific groups of people, the kids that we teach desperately need to be told that it's okay to be who you are. The message that adults send through these protests is that it's okay to be overweight like Bobby or super-nerdy and outspoken like Addy, but that it's not okay to be gay like Joe. It's like saying "It's okay to be who you are, as long as you're not ____." The not-so-hidden meaning behind this says that "You need to be how we want you to be." And setting hypocritical standards like that sends very confusing and upsetting messages to kids.
The controversy behind this book is very real, and is something that is still important in our schools today. Iowa had an anti-bullying law passed in 2007. This law prevents children from bullying or discrimination based on "real or perceived age, color, creed, national origin, race, religion, marital status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, physical attributes, physical or mental ability or disability, ancestry, political party preference, political belief, socioeconomic status, or familial status" (Iowa Department of Education). But as recently as February of this year select state legislators have been pushing to remove sexual orientation and gender identity from the list, claiming that including them "pushes" homosexuality onto children. And what I would like to know is how that sort of behavior in grown men can be justified as anything but "bullying" itself.
This is an issue that really hits close to the bone for me. Statistics show that the majority of homosexual children and teens face harassment and bullying at school, and even with anti-bullying laws things have not improved as much as they should have. It is only through exposing our students to such outstanding literature and having open and honest discussions that we can show our students that they really are in a safe place where they can learn, grow, and develop into wonderful the human beings that they truly are.
A Quote
Books have the same enemies as people: fire, humidity, animals, weather, and their own content.
-Paul Valery
-Paul Valery
Neil Gaiman Glog
Here is my Neil Gaiman Glog. I tried to capture his darker side (which, honestly, is the only side he has). The music is from the motion picture Coraline. Let me know what you think!
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Anansi the Spider: a tale from the Ashanti
By Gerald McDermott
This book is a great way to introduce mythology into the classroom. Almost every child knows at least a little about Greek gods or traditional Native American folklore, but it is rarer to come by students who know more about the mythology and folklore of other cultures (that is, of course, unless they come from those cultures). This is the tale of Anansi the Spider, a folk-hero to the Ashanti people of Ghana, West Africa. You'll have to read the book to find out all of the details, but it is a folk tale of how the moon came to be in the night sky. It uses fairly basic language that would be easy for younger readers to understand, but one of the things I really like about it is that the prologue uses very rich and discriptive language to explain a bit about the Anani and the Ashanti people. For younger readers, this would have to be read to them, but I really believe that it is important for early readers to be exposed to more complex language, since it helps with vocabulary and meaning construction. And more importantly than that, it explains the Ashanti culture in such a beautiful form that could not be properly conveyed if it were simplified into "easy" reading.
I also really like the illustrations to this book, because I think they visually express a lot about the culture beyond just learning about the Ashanti and reading the folktale. Their bold and "tribalistic" images tell us a lot about traditional art forms in that culture. Overall this book offers a very nice package of information about the Ashanti culture: the folk story, background information about the culture, and visual representations of their art. I think this would be a really great book to use in a larger unit about folklore and how it is carried on and conveyed in cultures around the world.
This book is a great way to introduce mythology into the classroom. Almost every child knows at least a little about Greek gods or traditional Native American folklore, but it is rarer to come by students who know more about the mythology and folklore of other cultures (that is, of course, unless they come from those cultures). This is the tale of Anansi the Spider, a folk-hero to the Ashanti people of Ghana, West Africa. You'll have to read the book to find out all of the details, but it is a folk tale of how the moon came to be in the night sky. It uses fairly basic language that would be easy for younger readers to understand, but one of the things I really like about it is that the prologue uses very rich and discriptive language to explain a bit about the Anani and the Ashanti people. For younger readers, this would have to be read to them, but I really believe that it is important for early readers to be exposed to more complex language, since it helps with vocabulary and meaning construction. And more importantly than that, it explains the Ashanti culture in such a beautiful form that could not be properly conveyed if it were simplified into "easy" reading.
I also really like the illustrations to this book, because I think they visually express a lot about the culture beyond just learning about the Ashanti and reading the folktale. Their bold and "tribalistic" images tell us a lot about traditional art forms in that culture. Overall this book offers a very nice package of information about the Ashanti culture: the folk story, background information about the culture, and visual representations of their art. I think this would be a really great book to use in a larger unit about folklore and how it is carried on and conveyed in cultures around the world.
Smoky Night
By Eve Bunting
Illustrated by David Diaz
I suppose I never truly realized what a prolific writer Eve Bunting is. I bought Smoky Night in near-new condition from a small-town library book sale for a quarter, and I have to say that it was definitely worth the money. As the 1995 Caldecott Medal winner, this seems like the type of book I should have read as a child, but I don't have any recollections of it.
Anyway, that's all a bit besides the point. Smoky Night begins with a small boy, Daniel, looking out his apartment window to the riots that are occuring below. He doesn't really understand what riots are and why they happen, and his mother does her best to explain the situation. Mostly he just watches in silence as the people below break windows and steal from shops.
Across the street, people drag cartons of food from Kim's Market. Daniel knows Mrs. Kim, but not very well. He and his mother have never gone into her shop because his mom says it's "better if we buy from our own people." She also has a fat, mean cat that always fights with Daniel's cat. He seems disinterested as the rioters tow her things away.
Later that night there is a fire in their apartment building. Daniel is scared, but he and his mother (along with everyone else) get out safely. But where is his cat? He doesn't find out until later, when a fireman brings in both Daniel's and Mrs. Kim's cat. "They were so scared they were holding paws," the fireman claims.
And that's when Daniel realizes. "They probably didn't know each other before," he says. "Now they do." The rest of the room is very quiet, and doesn't say a word to Daniel's comment. Then, his mom introduces herself to Mrs. Kim and says that she and her cat should come over to share a dish of milk sometime.
I think this is a really great book, for a number of reasons. First of all, like other books by Eve Bunting that I've read, this story is very unique and offers children a perspective that many other books don't. It's not very often that you can find a quality children's picture book that talks openly and honestly about riots and racial discrimination. But Smoky Night covers both of these topics. And not only that, but it shows that prejudices can be overcome - Daniel's mom never talked to Mrs. Kim or went into her shop until this life-changing event brought them together and forced them to open their hearts.
Another really amazing aspect of this book is the illustrations. Diaz's acrylic paintings use bold lines and rich colors to convey the happenings of the book. They are simple yet very vibrant, and do a great job of conveying the mood of the story. Additionally, in this special edition print, the text and the illustrations are framed by unique photographed collages that include items that highlight the story (for example, on the page about the looters in Mrs. Kim's shop, the text and painting are both surrounded by a variety of spilled cereals covering a chalk-covered and cracked sidewalk). The entire format of the book helps to bring the story to life.
I really, really enjoyed reading this book, and I think many other readers would too!
Illustrated by David Diaz
I suppose I never truly realized what a prolific writer Eve Bunting is. I bought Smoky Night in near-new condition from a small-town library book sale for a quarter, and I have to say that it was definitely worth the money. As the 1995 Caldecott Medal winner, this seems like the type of book I should have read as a child, but I don't have any recollections of it.
Anyway, that's all a bit besides the point. Smoky Night begins with a small boy, Daniel, looking out his apartment window to the riots that are occuring below. He doesn't really understand what riots are and why they happen, and his mother does her best to explain the situation. Mostly he just watches in silence as the people below break windows and steal from shops.
Across the street, people drag cartons of food from Kim's Market. Daniel knows Mrs. Kim, but not very well. He and his mother have never gone into her shop because his mom says it's "better if we buy from our own people." She also has a fat, mean cat that always fights with Daniel's cat. He seems disinterested as the rioters tow her things away.
Later that night there is a fire in their apartment building. Daniel is scared, but he and his mother (along with everyone else) get out safely. But where is his cat? He doesn't find out until later, when a fireman brings in both Daniel's and Mrs. Kim's cat. "They were so scared they were holding paws," the fireman claims.
And that's when Daniel realizes. "They probably didn't know each other before," he says. "Now they do." The rest of the room is very quiet, and doesn't say a word to Daniel's comment. Then, his mom introduces herself to Mrs. Kim and says that she and her cat should come over to share a dish of milk sometime.
I think this is a really great book, for a number of reasons. First of all, like other books by Eve Bunting that I've read, this story is very unique and offers children a perspective that many other books don't. It's not very often that you can find a quality children's picture book that talks openly and honestly about riots and racial discrimination. But Smoky Night covers both of these topics. And not only that, but it shows that prejudices can be overcome - Daniel's mom never talked to Mrs. Kim or went into her shop until this life-changing event brought them together and forced them to open their hearts.
Another really amazing aspect of this book is the illustrations. Diaz's acrylic paintings use bold lines and rich colors to convey the happenings of the book. They are simple yet very vibrant, and do a great job of conveying the mood of the story. Additionally, in this special edition print, the text and the illustrations are framed by unique photographed collages that include items that highlight the story (for example, on the page about the looters in Mrs. Kim's shop, the text and painting are both surrounded by a variety of spilled cereals covering a chalk-covered and cracked sidewalk). The entire format of the book helps to bring the story to life.
I really, really enjoyed reading this book, and I think many other readers would too!
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Where Are You Going, Manyoni?
By Catherine Stock
This book tells the story of a young girl's walk to a rural school in Zimbabwe. Along her way she passes a bushpig, a giant baobab tree, woodland kingfishers, the kloof (ravine), the krantz (cliff) above the dam, and many other things. Where Mayoni is going remains a mystery until the end of the book, when we find out that she was hurrying to get to school early, so she will have time to play with her friends before classes start.
This book is really great for a variety of reasons. First of all, it gives us a view of life from a viewpoint that is very different from the ones that we or those in our class might have. Stock's rich vocabulary and detailed watercolor illustrations easily show us that Manyoni's journey to school is far different from a bus ride through suburbia.
The second thing I love about this book was that it doesn't try to dumb down the language to make it "easy" for young readers to read. Even adult readers may not have any idea what a kloof is, but the text and the illustrations give us an opportunity to build our inference skills and make sense of the new vocabulary (in fact, this book was used for an inferring mini lesson in my class). Most of the book makes perfect sense, even if you don't know the exact definitions of all the words. But if you are struggling or just dying to know what on earth a "krantz" is, Stock offers a glossary in the back with definitions of all of the words, and another page has descriptions and illustrations of all the animals mentioned in the book.
In addition to being educational, this book is just a fun story to read. Every illustration gives us a chance to "find Manyoni," in a much more artistic version of "Where's Waldo." So even if your children aren't interested in all of the facts, it has something to offer all sorts of different readers.
This book tells the story of a young girl's walk to a rural school in Zimbabwe. Along her way she passes a bushpig, a giant baobab tree, woodland kingfishers, the kloof (ravine), the krantz (cliff) above the dam, and many other things. Where Mayoni is going remains a mystery until the end of the book, when we find out that she was hurrying to get to school early, so she will have time to play with her friends before classes start.
This book is really great for a variety of reasons. First of all, it gives us a view of life from a viewpoint that is very different from the ones that we or those in our class might have. Stock's rich vocabulary and detailed watercolor illustrations easily show us that Manyoni's journey to school is far different from a bus ride through suburbia.
The second thing I love about this book was that it doesn't try to dumb down the language to make it "easy" for young readers to read. Even adult readers may not have any idea what a kloof is, but the text and the illustrations give us an opportunity to build our inference skills and make sense of the new vocabulary (in fact, this book was used for an inferring mini lesson in my class). Most of the book makes perfect sense, even if you don't know the exact definitions of all the words. But if you are struggling or just dying to know what on earth a "krantz" is, Stock offers a glossary in the back with definitions of all of the words, and another page has descriptions and illustrations of all the animals mentioned in the book.
In addition to being educational, this book is just a fun story to read. Every illustration gives us a chance to "find Manyoni," in a much more artistic version of "Where's Waldo." So even if your children aren't interested in all of the facts, it has something to offer all sorts of different readers.
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Some Helpful Hints
Hey all - since I have officially established myself as the class computer nerd, here's the post I promised about blogging tips. If I left anything out, if my directions are confusing, or if you have any other questions... please let me know, I am certainly happy to help you out!
How To Edit Your Blog Layout
If you haven't already noticed, there's a Layout button on your Blogger dashboard and at the top of the page while you're posting things... once you click that, four other buttons show up under it (Page Elements, Fonts and Colors, Edit HTML, Pick New Template). You want to start out by picking your template, and then you can edit the details. If you click on Fonts and Colors you can, as you might guess, change all of the fonts and colors on your blog. A lot of templates don't let you change the background color(s) though, so make sure you have one that you like. The best way to figure things out is to just play around with it and see what fits your style. Once you have it the way you want, DON'T FORGET TO CLICK THE SAVE BUTTON!
If all you were interested in was how to put a sweet picture on your blog heading, I'll tell you how to do that too :) First, you need to have a sweet picture. Then you need to go to the Page Elements section (under the Layout tab, just like the previous stuff). This is where you can edit how things are arranged on your page or add "gadgets" like Miranda's lovely fish pond. There are a lot of different gadgets and things so you might want to look into that if you're interested. But to add a picture to your heading, click the Edit button for your header (it will have whatever title your blog has). There, you can edit your blog title, blog description, and add a photo. Under Placement you want to make sure to click "behind title and description," otherwise it will cover up your blog title. Upload the photo you want (I think it will prompt you to select what size you want, too)... One thing I will say about that is that once you upload your photo, you might want to go back to Fonts and Colors and change your title color and font to make sure you are able to read it.
How To Find Your Comments
Personally, I prefer to get email notifications when somebody comments on my blog, because the email sends a direct link to that post so I can just go straight there and reply if I want. To set up email notifications, click on the Settings tab on the top (or on your dashboard)... and when you do that you get like 9 buttons underneath, I don't really want to explain them all but you can play around with stuff if you want. Click on the Comments button, and then if you scroll all the way to the very bottom of that page, you'll see a "Comment Email Notification" box... type in your email and then click the Save Settings button on the bottom.
I'm not exactly sure what Jen was talking about with being able to see all of your comments on one page, but there is another way to quickly find your comments... if you click on Posting on the top and then Edit Posts underneath that, it gives you a list of all of the posts you have on your blog. To the left of the date the post was published, there will be a link that says "__ comments" if your post has any comments. You can just click on that to see them.
I think that's all for now. Like I said, let me know if you have any other questions, maybe I can put together a nice little FAQ page for us all :)
-Mary
How To Edit Your Blog Layout
If you haven't already noticed, there's a Layout button on your Blogger dashboard and at the top of the page while you're posting things... once you click that, four other buttons show up under it (Page Elements, Fonts and Colors, Edit HTML, Pick New Template). You want to start out by picking your template, and then you can edit the details. If you click on Fonts and Colors you can, as you might guess, change all of the fonts and colors on your blog. A lot of templates don't let you change the background color(s) though, so make sure you have one that you like. The best way to figure things out is to just play around with it and see what fits your style. Once you have it the way you want, DON'T FORGET TO CLICK THE SAVE BUTTON!
If all you were interested in was how to put a sweet picture on your blog heading, I'll tell you how to do that too :) First, you need to have a sweet picture. Then you need to go to the Page Elements section (under the Layout tab, just like the previous stuff). This is where you can edit how things are arranged on your page or add "gadgets" like Miranda's lovely fish pond. There are a lot of different gadgets and things so you might want to look into that if you're interested. But to add a picture to your heading, click the Edit button for your header (it will have whatever title your blog has). There, you can edit your blog title, blog description, and add a photo. Under Placement you want to make sure to click "behind title and description," otherwise it will cover up your blog title. Upload the photo you want (I think it will prompt you to select what size you want, too)... One thing I will say about that is that once you upload your photo, you might want to go back to Fonts and Colors and change your title color and font to make sure you are able to read it.
How To Find Your Comments
Personally, I prefer to get email notifications when somebody comments on my blog, because the email sends a direct link to that post so I can just go straight there and reply if I want. To set up email notifications, click on the Settings tab on the top (or on your dashboard)... and when you do that you get like 9 buttons underneath, I don't really want to explain them all but you can play around with stuff if you want. Click on the Comments button, and then if you scroll all the way to the very bottom of that page, you'll see a "Comment Email Notification" box... type in your email and then click the Save Settings button on the bottom.
I'm not exactly sure what Jen was talking about with being able to see all of your comments on one page, but there is another way to quickly find your comments... if you click on Posting on the top and then Edit Posts underneath that, it gives you a list of all of the posts you have on your blog. To the left of the date the post was published, there will be a link that says "__ comments" if your post has any comments. You can just click on that to see them.
I think that's all for now. Like I said, let me know if you have any other questions, maybe I can put together a nice little FAQ page for us all :)
-Mary
Fly Away Home
By Eve Bunting
Illustrated by Ronald Himler
Fly Away Home is a touching story of a young boy, Andrew, and his father, who are homeless and living in an airport terminal. It's all about not being noticed, they say repeatedly. They stay out of trouble. Sleep sitting up. Move from terminal to terminal so they're never in the same spot two nights in a row. Clean themselves up in the bathrooms in the morning, when it's busy. Life isn't easy being homeless, but they get by. The father is a janitor that works on the weekends. Sometimes Andrew helps passengers carry luggage for small change, too. They're saving their money and hoping to move out someday.
This book shows a lot of the struggles of the Andrew. He feels like he is going to be stuck in that airport forever. But he remembers a bird that got caught in the terminal once. It never once gave up trying to escape, and eventually it made it through the automatic doors. He told it to "fly away home," and though he didn't hear it outside, he knew that it was singing when it escaped. He knows that someday he'll escape, too.
This book is very interesting because it offers a unique and genuine perspective that you don't usually see from picture books.
Illustrated by Ronald Himler
Fly Away Home is a touching story of a young boy, Andrew, and his father, who are homeless and living in an airport terminal. It's all about not being noticed, they say repeatedly. They stay out of trouble. Sleep sitting up. Move from terminal to terminal so they're never in the same spot two nights in a row. Clean themselves up in the bathrooms in the morning, when it's busy. Life isn't easy being homeless, but they get by. The father is a janitor that works on the weekends. Sometimes Andrew helps passengers carry luggage for small change, too. They're saving their money and hoping to move out someday.
This book shows a lot of the struggles of the Andrew. He feels like he is going to be stuck in that airport forever. But he remembers a bird that got caught in the terminal once. It never once gave up trying to escape, and eventually it made it through the automatic doors. He told it to "fly away home," and though he didn't hear it outside, he knew that it was singing when it escaped. He knows that someday he'll escape, too.
This book is very interesting because it offers a unique and genuine perspective that you don't usually see from picture books.
The Un-Wedding
By Babette Cole
Demetrius and Paula Ogglebutt have perfect lives, except for one little detail: their parents can't stand each other. Their mother and father can't agree about anything! "Mum disliked Dad's crazy aunts in the west wing. Mum hated Dad's musical friends. Dad could not bear Mum's cooking, nor her insect-eating plants that chewed up his bees! Mum would not tolerate Dad keeping fish in the bath, nor his cows living in the house." I think you get the picture. It turns out that the longer Mr. and Mrs. Ogglebutt lived together, the more they disliked each other. And because they constantly have ugly thoughts about each other, they themselves become uglier and uglier. Soon, the parents are playing all sorts of nasty tricks on one another. Demetrius and Paula don't know what to do! So they post a sign at school to see if anyone else had problem parents. Many, many children show up, and they agree that it wasn't their fault that their parents didn't get along. But what could they do about it?
Soon, Paula has a brilliant idea. The two of them go to work planning an un-wedding. They send out un-wedding invitations and order an un-wedding cake. The parents have their un-wedding and go their separate ways on their un-honeymoons. They build two seperate houses, and they learn that they can live happily ever after - apart.
This book is controversial because of it's un-wedding (read: divorce) theme, which is somewhat understandable. But when you live in a society where the divorce rate reaches 50%, it becomes pretty clear that it is probably something that a lot of kids would like to talk about in the classroom. And I think this book does a really good job of showing the "good side" of divorce. Not that divorce is ever part of the "plan" or the ideal outcome of a marriage, but clearly in this case the mother and father were very unhappy living together. They became much happier once they had their own houses and could live the way they wanted. And I think that another important message to send to kids is that it's not their fault. Paula and Demetrius and all of the children in the meeting agree that it had nothing to do with them.
Divorce happens, whether we like to admit it or not. But acting like the problem isn't there isn't going to make it go away. In my opinion, it is much wiser to bring the issue into the open for everyone to discuss. As educators we must teach our students about all aspects of life - not just spelling and mathematics and geography. It's more than likely that you will have several children with divorced parents in your classroom every year, and it will probably make them feel much more comfortable and accepted if they know that you're willing to talk about it, instead of ignoring the issue.
Demetrius and Paula Ogglebutt have perfect lives, except for one little detail: their parents can't stand each other. Their mother and father can't agree about anything! "Mum disliked Dad's crazy aunts in the west wing. Mum hated Dad's musical friends. Dad could not bear Mum's cooking, nor her insect-eating plants that chewed up his bees! Mum would not tolerate Dad keeping fish in the bath, nor his cows living in the house." I think you get the picture. It turns out that the longer Mr. and Mrs. Ogglebutt lived together, the more they disliked each other. And because they constantly have ugly thoughts about each other, they themselves become uglier and uglier. Soon, the parents are playing all sorts of nasty tricks on one another. Demetrius and Paula don't know what to do! So they post a sign at school to see if anyone else had problem parents. Many, many children show up, and they agree that it wasn't their fault that their parents didn't get along. But what could they do about it?
Soon, Paula has a brilliant idea. The two of them go to work planning an un-wedding. They send out un-wedding invitations and order an un-wedding cake. The parents have their un-wedding and go their separate ways on their un-honeymoons. They build two seperate houses, and they learn that they can live happily ever after - apart.
This book is controversial because of it's un-wedding (read: divorce) theme, which is somewhat understandable. But when you live in a society where the divorce rate reaches 50%, it becomes pretty clear that it is probably something that a lot of kids would like to talk about in the classroom. And I think this book does a really good job of showing the "good side" of divorce. Not that divorce is ever part of the "plan" or the ideal outcome of a marriage, but clearly in this case the mother and father were very unhappy living together. They became much happier once they had their own houses and could live the way they wanted. And I think that another important message to send to kids is that it's not their fault. Paula and Demetrius and all of the children in the meeting agree that it had nothing to do with them.
Divorce happens, whether we like to admit it or not. But acting like the problem isn't there isn't going to make it go away. In my opinion, it is much wiser to bring the issue into the open for everyone to discuss. As educators we must teach our students about all aspects of life - not just spelling and mathematics and geography. It's more than likely that you will have several children with divorced parents in your classroom every year, and it will probably make them feel much more comfortable and accepted if they know that you're willing to talk about it, instead of ignoring the issue.
Hair in Funny Places: A Book About Puberty
By Babette Cole
In this book, a young girl asks her teddy bear, Ted, "when will I grow up to be a grown up?" Ted explains, "That depends on Mr. and Mrs. Hormone. They are in charge of growing up." He goes on to explain hormones and how they change the human body. His descriptions are accompanied by humerous, if somewhat risque, descriptions and illustrations. In fact, the illustrations in this book include nude drawings of both a male and a female, so reading this book with your children is not for the light-of-heart.
I found this book to be humorous and educational (it is classified as non-fiction), but I have trouble imagining myself reading it to a classroom full of giggling and blushing students. And even though this book is rated "ages 7 and up," I especially can't imagine reading it to a classroom full of giggling and blushing first or second graders. On one hand, it's kind of a shame that things like that are taboo in our society. On the other hand, I can see how parents might get upset about illustrations of a naked pubescent boy and girl. Maybe I'm just old-fashioned or conservative about that sort of thing, but if you're reading this book with young children, I would recommend it happens in the home and not in the classroom. That way, parents can tell their children all the facts and include or avoid as many illustrations as they want.
In this book, a young girl asks her teddy bear, Ted, "when will I grow up to be a grown up?" Ted explains, "That depends on Mr. and Mrs. Hormone. They are in charge of growing up." He goes on to explain hormones and how they change the human body. His descriptions are accompanied by humerous, if somewhat risque, descriptions and illustrations. In fact, the illustrations in this book include nude drawings of both a male and a female, so reading this book with your children is not for the light-of-heart.
I found this book to be humorous and educational (it is classified as non-fiction), but I have trouble imagining myself reading it to a classroom full of giggling and blushing students. And even though this book is rated "ages 7 and up," I especially can't imagine reading it to a classroom full of giggling and blushing first or second graders. On one hand, it's kind of a shame that things like that are taboo in our society. On the other hand, I can see how parents might get upset about illustrations of a naked pubescent boy and girl. Maybe I'm just old-fashioned or conservative about that sort of thing, but if you're reading this book with young children, I would recommend it happens in the home and not in the classroom. That way, parents can tell their children all the facts and include or avoid as many illustrations as they want.
Be Boy Buzz
By bell hooks
Illustrated by Chris Raschka
As the back cover states: Celebrate boybood, spread the buzz. Be Boy Buzz is a short and sweet book all about the joys of being a boy. As you read, you quickly feel the groove of the beat, and you can't help but smile as you read the cheerful lyrics. The illustrations are somewhat childlike, with painted faces and crayon drawings, further capturing the feeling of a young boy singing about how he loves to be himself.
The controversy of this book lies in its language: bell hook's use of ebonics has been found "improper" to some. For example, the book says: "I be boy running. I be boy jumping [...] I be boy laughing, crying, telling my story, talking way too loud."
From the viewpoint of an educator I can see the potential problems in reading this book. After all, we spend so many hours trying to teach the children in our classrooms to use proper grammar in writing and speaking. But to exclude this book from the classroom would be to ignore a part of American culture that is very real, and runs the risk of even being considered borderline racism. Ebonics may not use the "proper" grammar that we all learn in school, but I can assure you that reading one book with ebonics is not going to make your students forget all of the grammer rules they've been taught. Furthermore, using a book like Be Boy Buzz in the class can help foster and environment where all students feel welcome, and that is vital for every classroom. Aside from just being a cheerful and proud story, this book has many merits that give it the right to be in elementary school classrooms.
Illustrated by Chris Raschka
As the back cover states: Celebrate boybood, spread the buzz. Be Boy Buzz is a short and sweet book all about the joys of being a boy. As you read, you quickly feel the groove of the beat, and you can't help but smile as you read the cheerful lyrics. The illustrations are somewhat childlike, with painted faces and crayon drawings, further capturing the feeling of a young boy singing about how he loves to be himself.
The controversy of this book lies in its language: bell hook's use of ebonics has been found "improper" to some. For example, the book says: "I be boy running. I be boy jumping [...] I be boy laughing, crying, telling my story, talking way too loud."
From the viewpoint of an educator I can see the potential problems in reading this book. After all, we spend so many hours trying to teach the children in our classrooms to use proper grammar in writing and speaking. But to exclude this book from the classroom would be to ignore a part of American culture that is very real, and runs the risk of even being considered borderline racism. Ebonics may not use the "proper" grammar that we all learn in school, but I can assure you that reading one book with ebonics is not going to make your students forget all of the grammer rules they've been taught. Furthermore, using a book like Be Boy Buzz in the class can help foster and environment where all students feel welcome, and that is vital for every classroom. Aside from just being a cheerful and proud story, this book has many merits that give it the right to be in elementary school classrooms.
William's Doll
By Charlotte Zolotow
Illustrated by William Pene du Bois
You can tell from the title what this book is all about: little boy William wants a toy doll. He wants a doll so he can cradle it, take care of it, dress it, take it to the park, and tuck it in at night, just as if he were its father. But his older tells him not to be a creep, and the boy next door repeatedly calls him a sissy. His father, unhapy that William wants a doll, buys him a basketball and an electric train. William becomes very good at basketball, and builds an elaborate train set, but that never stops him from wanting a doll. He doesn't get one until his grandmother comes to visit. When he tells her he wants a doll, she simply says "wonderful." He tells her that his brother says he's a creep and his neighbor tells him he's a sissy, but she says, simply, "nonsense." So she takes him to the store and buys a doll. His father protests immediately. "He's a boy! He has a basketball and an electric train and a workbench to build things with. Why does he need a doll?"
William's grandmother's answer sums it all up: "He needs it to hug and to cradle and to take to the park, so that when he's a father like you, he'll know how to take care of his baby and feed him and love him and bring him the things he wants, like a doll, so that he can practice being a father.
I suppose I can see the controversy in a book that is about a boy wanting a toy doll. But in all seriousness, can you really argue with his grandmother's case? Unless you are of the persuasion to believe that young children should not imagine themselves as parents, it seems pretty clear that young William has a pretty good argument for having a doll. So what if he's a boy? It's a well-known fact that children love to role-play, and if a young boy wants to pretend that he's a loving father, then I think he should be able to do so.
Controversy aside, I think this is a very sweet book about a very sweet boy. William's Doll shows children and adults alike that it's okay if you don't fit the stereotypes. And above all, it teaches us that being loving and caring is an important trait for everyone to have. Having a doll doesn't make William any less of a boy. He is still good at basketball and he still plays with his train set. He is just expressing another side of himself, one that makes him more complete as a person. In my opinion this is a very good book!
Illustrated by William Pene du Bois
You can tell from the title what this book is all about: little boy William wants a toy doll. He wants a doll so he can cradle it, take care of it, dress it, take it to the park, and tuck it in at night, just as if he were its father. But his older tells him not to be a creep, and the boy next door repeatedly calls him a sissy. His father, unhapy that William wants a doll, buys him a basketball and an electric train. William becomes very good at basketball, and builds an elaborate train set, but that never stops him from wanting a doll. He doesn't get one until his grandmother comes to visit. When he tells her he wants a doll, she simply says "wonderful." He tells her that his brother says he's a creep and his neighbor tells him he's a sissy, but she says, simply, "nonsense." So she takes him to the store and buys a doll. His father protests immediately. "He's a boy! He has a basketball and an electric train and a workbench to build things with. Why does he need a doll?"
William's grandmother's answer sums it all up: "He needs it to hug and to cradle and to take to the park, so that when he's a father like you, he'll know how to take care of his baby and feed him and love him and bring him the things he wants, like a doll, so that he can practice being a father.
I suppose I can see the controversy in a book that is about a boy wanting a toy doll. But in all seriousness, can you really argue with his grandmother's case? Unless you are of the persuasion to believe that young children should not imagine themselves as parents, it seems pretty clear that young William has a pretty good argument for having a doll. So what if he's a boy? It's a well-known fact that children love to role-play, and if a young boy wants to pretend that he's a loving father, then I think he should be able to do so.
Controversy aside, I think this is a very sweet book about a very sweet boy. William's Doll shows children and adults alike that it's okay if you don't fit the stereotypes. And above all, it teaches us that being loving and caring is an important trait for everyone to have. Having a doll doesn't make William any less of a boy. He is still good at basketball and he still plays with his train set. He is just expressing another side of himself, one that makes him more complete as a person. In my opinion this is a very good book!
The Mixed Up Chameleon
By Eric Carle
This book is a very simple story about a chameleon who lives a very boring, simple life... until one day, he goes to a zoo and sees all the other animals. He begins to wish he were like the other animals. "I wish I were smart like a fox. I wish I were handsome like a flamingo." His wishes come true but he keeps wishing for more! Eventually he becomes so mixed up that when he tries to catch a fly, he is unable to do so. He wishes to be his normal self again... and his wish comes true! And the chameleon learns a good lesson in being happy with yourself the way you are.
I used this book in Block A for a mini lesson on mental images. The book is pretty simple, so it's appropriate for even the earliest of readers. The chameleon's wishes are vague enough that if you let the children listen and come up with their own mental images (which they could draw if you want!), you'll find that everyone comes up with something a little bit different (how exactly does one become "handsome like a flamingo," anyway?). It's a great example of how personal schema affects the way people interpret what they read.
If you're not looking to make a big reading lesson out of this book, that's okay too. As always, Carle has wonderful, creative, and colorful illustrations that are sure to thrill readers of all ages. And, as I mentioned, the book is suitable for very young readers. This story is sure to spark creative thinking and it even offers a moral about positive self-image.
This book is a very simple story about a chameleon who lives a very boring, simple life... until one day, he goes to a zoo and sees all the other animals. He begins to wish he were like the other animals. "I wish I were smart like a fox. I wish I were handsome like a flamingo." His wishes come true but he keeps wishing for more! Eventually he becomes so mixed up that when he tries to catch a fly, he is unable to do so. He wishes to be his normal self again... and his wish comes true! And the chameleon learns a good lesson in being happy with yourself the way you are.
I used this book in Block A for a mini lesson on mental images. The book is pretty simple, so it's appropriate for even the earliest of readers. The chameleon's wishes are vague enough that if you let the children listen and come up with their own mental images (which they could draw if you want!), you'll find that everyone comes up with something a little bit different (how exactly does one become "handsome like a flamingo," anyway?). It's a great example of how personal schema affects the way people interpret what they read.
If you're not looking to make a big reading lesson out of this book, that's okay too. As always, Carle has wonderful, creative, and colorful illustrations that are sure to thrill readers of all ages. And, as I mentioned, the book is suitable for very young readers. This story is sure to spark creative thinking and it even offers a moral about positive self-image.
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
The Giver
By Lois Lowry
I'm going to assume that everyone in this class has read this book (because we were all supposed to), so instead of summarizing I'm just going to post what I think.
I'm not really sure what I think of The Giver. Now, don't get me wrong, I thought it was a wonderful book, and I definitely had trouble putting it down. It offers a look into an alternate, yet plausible, world - kind of a children's version of 1984, in a way. The plot was interesting and the characters were realistic and very relatable. Lois Lowry's language is so perfect that we can feel exactly what it would be like to be Jonas. When he struggles with the idea of his world, we struggle too. And in that sense, I think the story is very well-written.
The only thing I think I am unsure about is the ending. I have read that Lowry left it open-ended on purpose, and I can understand that. I'm still not really sure whether I think that Jonas has finally reached his happy Elsewhere, or if he is dying in the snow, entering a dreamlike state.
The one thing that doesn't really sit well with me was Jonas and the Giver's final plan. I feel like Jonas was cheated in some way - why was it his responsibility to leave, and not the Giver's? I know that the Giver mentioned that he was too old and weak to make the trip, and would have died during the journey. Jonas could have died too, but either way those memories and feelings would have come back to the people. And Jonas has so much more life to live, it really isn't fair that he is forced to risk his life. The Giver could have left instead - and even if he had died, to me it wouldn't have mattered as much, because he is already very old and has lived a full life. Jonas seems like such a thoughtful human being that I have trouble believing that the Giver would have been able to help the community cope with the memories any better than Jonas could have. And the Giver already had his chance to help the community, and failed.
A big part of this book is that so many questions are left unanswered. And I'm sure Lowry did this on purpose. We are all meant to be questioning why things are the way they are in Jonas' world, and what things would be like if the community were different.
Because of all of these questions, The Giver is sure to inspire deep and thoughtful discussions in and out the classroom. I feel that this book would be better utilized in a classroom if it were used as a group reading or a class read-aloud book, instead of just being read individually by one or two students. It would be a great book for a student to read on his or her own, but there are so many things to discuss that it would be much more helpful to read it together and have discussions about what the students are thinking and feeling. This would be a great book to use with older students.
I'm going to assume that everyone in this class has read this book (because we were all supposed to), so instead of summarizing I'm just going to post what I think.
I'm not really sure what I think of The Giver. Now, don't get me wrong, I thought it was a wonderful book, and I definitely had trouble putting it down. It offers a look into an alternate, yet plausible, world - kind of a children's version of 1984, in a way. The plot was interesting and the characters were realistic and very relatable. Lois Lowry's language is so perfect that we can feel exactly what it would be like to be Jonas. When he struggles with the idea of his world, we struggle too. And in that sense, I think the story is very well-written.
The only thing I think I am unsure about is the ending. I have read that Lowry left it open-ended on purpose, and I can understand that. I'm still not really sure whether I think that Jonas has finally reached his happy Elsewhere, or if he is dying in the snow, entering a dreamlike state.
The one thing that doesn't really sit well with me was Jonas and the Giver's final plan. I feel like Jonas was cheated in some way - why was it his responsibility to leave, and not the Giver's? I know that the Giver mentioned that he was too old and weak to make the trip, and would have died during the journey. Jonas could have died too, but either way those memories and feelings would have come back to the people. And Jonas has so much more life to live, it really isn't fair that he is forced to risk his life. The Giver could have left instead - and even if he had died, to me it wouldn't have mattered as much, because he is already very old and has lived a full life. Jonas seems like such a thoughtful human being that I have trouble believing that the Giver would have been able to help the community cope with the memories any better than Jonas could have. And the Giver already had his chance to help the community, and failed.
A big part of this book is that so many questions are left unanswered. And I'm sure Lowry did this on purpose. We are all meant to be questioning why things are the way they are in Jonas' world, and what things would be like if the community were different.
Because of all of these questions, The Giver is sure to inspire deep and thoughtful discussions in and out the classroom. I feel that this book would be better utilized in a classroom if it were used as a group reading or a class read-aloud book, instead of just being read individually by one or two students. It would be a great book for a student to read on his or her own, but there are so many things to discuss that it would be much more helpful to read it together and have discussions about what the students are thinking and feeling. This would be a great book to use with older students.
King Bidgood's in the Bathtub
By Audrey Wood
Illustrated by Don Wood
King Bidgood's in the bathtub... and he won't get out! This humorous story (suitable for all ages and also available in the "big book" format) tells the tale of a stubborn king who will not leave his bathtub. Of course nobody can make him get out... so instead, the Knight, the Queen, the Duke, and the entire King's Court ends up playing, lunching, fishing, and dancing in the tub. It turns out to be quite a sight! The Court gives up and cries for help. It turns out that the young Page is the only one with a solution - but you'll have to read the book to learn what it is!
This story is original and humorous, and is sure to illicit many giggles and comments of surprise from younger readers. And although it is silly, it does offer the lesson that there is always a solution to your problems, even though it may not be the first (or second, or third) plan you come up with. Additionally wonderful are Don Wood's oil paintings that accompany the story. The illustrations are delightfully detailed and illustrate the true absurdity of situations like fishing in the bathtub.
This book is a Caldecott Honor Book, and for good reason. King Bidgood's in the Bathtub is sure to be a delightful story for readers of all ages.
Illustrated by Don Wood
King Bidgood's in the bathtub... and he won't get out! This humorous story (suitable for all ages and also available in the "big book" format) tells the tale of a stubborn king who will not leave his bathtub. Of course nobody can make him get out... so instead, the Knight, the Queen, the Duke, and the entire King's Court ends up playing, lunching, fishing, and dancing in the tub. It turns out to be quite a sight! The Court gives up and cries for help. It turns out that the young Page is the only one with a solution - but you'll have to read the book to learn what it is!
This story is original and humorous, and is sure to illicit many giggles and comments of surprise from younger readers. And although it is silly, it does offer the lesson that there is always a solution to your problems, even though it may not be the first (or second, or third) plan you come up with. Additionally wonderful are Don Wood's oil paintings that accompany the story. The illustrations are delightfully detailed and illustrate the true absurdity of situations like fishing in the bathtub.
This book is a Caldecott Honor Book, and for good reason. King Bidgood's in the Bathtub is sure to be a delightful story for readers of all ages.
Survival at 40 Below
By Debbie S. Miller
Illustrated by Jon Van Zyle
This new picture book explains the land of the Arctic National Park and Preserve in Alaska, and shows us what life is like for each of the animals as the seasons change and the temperatures drop. It tells how different species prepare themselves for the eight months of snow that occur in the frozen tundra. Among other animals, the book describes caribou, various birds, fish, frogs, grizzly bears, arctic foxes, and snowshoe hares. This book gives very interesting facts that most people wouldn't know (like, for example, that the blackfish has an esophagus that can work like a lung, and that during the winter months this fish finds holes in the ice and breathes through its mouth).
Though this book is very specific in its scope, its unusual facts would be sure to attract the attention of children. Reading this book would be a fun and interesting way to learn about wildlife that somehow manages to survive in an extreme climate. In addition, the painted illustrations are very realistic and help to transport the reader from the comfort of their home or classroom to the chilly arctic tundra. Definitely give it a look!
Illustrated by Jon Van Zyle
This new picture book explains the land of the Arctic National Park and Preserve in Alaska, and shows us what life is like for each of the animals as the seasons change and the temperatures drop. It tells how different species prepare themselves for the eight months of snow that occur in the frozen tundra. Among other animals, the book describes caribou, various birds, fish, frogs, grizzly bears, arctic foxes, and snowshoe hares. This book gives very interesting facts that most people wouldn't know (like, for example, that the blackfish has an esophagus that can work like a lung, and that during the winter months this fish finds holes in the ice and breathes through its mouth).
Though this book is very specific in its scope, its unusual facts would be sure to attract the attention of children. Reading this book would be a fun and interesting way to learn about wildlife that somehow manages to survive in an extreme climate. In addition, the painted illustrations are very realistic and help to transport the reader from the comfort of their home or classroom to the chilly arctic tundra. Definitely give it a look!
If America Were a Village: A Book about the People of the United States
By David J. Smith
Illustrated by Shelagh Armstrong
This wonderful nonfiction children's book explains what America would be like if it were a village of 100 people. Each page is headed with a question, such as Who are we? Where do we come from? What religions do we practice? How old are we? How healthy are we? Then, each page breaks down the demographics. For example, the page Where do we come from? states the following:
"America is a country of immigrants. Almost every person in the United States can trace ancestors back to other parts of the world. If the America today were a village of 100: 15 would be of German ancestry, 11 would be of Irish ancestry, 9 African, 9 English, 7 Mexican, 6 Italian, 3 Polish, 3 French, 3 Native American, 2 Scottish, 2 Dutch, 2 Norwegian, 1 Scotch-Irish, and 1 Swedish. The rest have other backgrounds. This is quite a change from when the first U.S. census was taken in 1790. If American had been a village of 100 in 1790, 53 would have come from England, 19 from Africa (most of them slaves), 11 from Scotland and Ireland, and 7 from Germany. The rest had various backgrounds, including French, Swedish, and Native."
I thought this was a really interesting book because it breaks down a lot of facts about Americans and puts them into terms that everyone (even children) can understand. And in addition to just listing those simple facts, it offers a lot of other information about our past, our diversity, how America compares to other countries, etc. I think this would be a great book to use in the classroom for a variety of reasons. It offers lessons on history. It offers lessons about different cultures and diversity. And it would also be an excellent way to give a math lesson on percentages. The information on any one of these pages could easily be turned into a pie-chart as a student project.
In addition to the wealth of information in this book, it also wins points for being up-to-date (it was published in 2009) and for having beautiful, colorful paintings on each page. If America Were a Village is really a wonderfully put together piece of work.
Illustrated by Shelagh Armstrong
This wonderful nonfiction children's book explains what America would be like if it were a village of 100 people. Each page is headed with a question, such as Who are we? Where do we come from? What religions do we practice? How old are we? How healthy are we? Then, each page breaks down the demographics. For example, the page Where do we come from? states the following:
"America is a country of immigrants. Almost every person in the United States can trace ancestors back to other parts of the world. If the America today were a village of 100: 15 would be of German ancestry, 11 would be of Irish ancestry, 9 African, 9 English, 7 Mexican, 6 Italian, 3 Polish, 3 French, 3 Native American, 2 Scottish, 2 Dutch, 2 Norwegian, 1 Scotch-Irish, and 1 Swedish. The rest have other backgrounds. This is quite a change from when the first U.S. census was taken in 1790. If American had been a village of 100 in 1790, 53 would have come from England, 19 from Africa (most of them slaves), 11 from Scotland and Ireland, and 7 from Germany. The rest had various backgrounds, including French, Swedish, and Native."
I thought this was a really interesting book because it breaks down a lot of facts about Americans and puts them into terms that everyone (even children) can understand. And in addition to just listing those simple facts, it offers a lot of other information about our past, our diversity, how America compares to other countries, etc. I think this would be a great book to use in the classroom for a variety of reasons. It offers lessons on history. It offers lessons about different cultures and diversity. And it would also be an excellent way to give a math lesson on percentages. The information on any one of these pages could easily be turned into a pie-chart as a student project.
In addition to the wealth of information in this book, it also wins points for being up-to-date (it was published in 2009) and for having beautiful, colorful paintings on each page. If America Were a Village is really a wonderfully put together piece of work.
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Coraline
Graphic Novel Adapted and Illustrated by P. Craig Russell
I read this as an optional novel last week, but since I have been reading a lot of graphic novels for class this week I thought it would be fun to read the GN adaptation of this award-winning children's novel.
... Sorry about this post. Mostly it is just a reminder to myself that I need to write something here!
Rapunzel's Revenge
By Shannon and Dean Hale
Illustrated by Nathan Hale
This would be a great book to use with upper elementary children. I really enjoyed it because it is a graphic novel (which more commonly appeal to a male audience) which offers us a strong and enjoyable heroine. Like The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs, Rapunzel's Revenge offers a fresh viewpoint on an old favorite, and would be yet another great example of how the narrator's viewpoint changes the story.
Alanna: The First Adventure
My 6th grade teacher used this book as read-aloud for our class, and Tamora Pierce quickly became one of my favorite authors throughout junior high and my early high school years. This book is the first in the Song of the Lioness series. Pierce has several other series published, all of which have similar styles and themes.
Alanna of Trebond is a young girl who wishes to become a knight in the mythical land of Tortall. There's just one problem: she's a girl, and there hasn't been a female knight in the realm for over 100 years. She is to be sent to a convent, and her twin brother Alan (who wishes to become a sorcerer) is to become a knight. The two of them have very disinterested parents, so they come up with a scheme to get what they want. Alanna cuts her hair and travels to the king's palace, disguised as a boy named Alan. She becomes a page and excels at her training, but faces many challenges as she tries to keep her gender a secret.
I really love Pierce's books because they all feature mythical realms, magic, and knights... but almost all of them feature a heroine instead of the typical male characters that you would expect to see in such stories. I feel that these novels are a great way for get girls involved in a genre that is generally very male-oriented. A teacher could use this book as a class-wide reading, like mine did, and expose not only girls but also boys to the idea that you don't have to be male to be a knight.
This book is a very interesting and exciting read and will have many readers heading to the library in search of the rest of the series.
Sunday, February 14, 2010
The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs, by A. Wolf
Illustrated by Lane Smith
From the author of The Stinky Cheese Man comes yet another twisted fairy tale. The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs is the Alexander T. Wolf's tale of what really happened. All he wanted was to borrow a cup of sugar from his neighbor, who happened to be a little pig! And it totally wasn't his fault that the pig was dumb enough to build his house out of straw. As he knocked, suddenly the wolf felt a sneeze coming on! "And you know what? That whole darn house fell down. And right in the middle of the pile of straw was the First Little Pig - dead as a doornail. He had been home the whole time. It seemed like a shame to leave a perfectly good ham dinner lying there in the straw. So I ate it up. Think of it as big cheeseburger just lying there."
And so it goes.
Like The Stinky Cheese Man, The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs has very detailed and creative illustrations (they have the same illustrator). Unlike The Stinky Cheese Man, The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs has a more traditional picture book format. But regardless of that, it offers a unique perspective on a popular fairy tale and is sure to delight readers of all ages (and that includes you!). This book would be great for a classroom discussion on how the narrator's viewpoint affects the story, or even about how there is more than one side of the story in every conflict (within literature as well as within the classroom!) This book is funny and it offers a new twist on an old favorite, and is a must-read for everyone.
Looking for Atlantis
When his grandfather comes home from sea for the last time, his 10-year-old grandson (the narrator of this story, who remains unnamed throughout the book) embarks on an adventure of his own. Before he dies, the grandfather tells his grandson, "Atlantis is right here, all around you. You have to learn how to look for it."
The rest of the book tells of the boy's search for Atlantis, and the feelings he has about losing someone he had loved. The words are sparse but get the story across. The boy is constantly searching, but everything feels muddled and distant. Until one day, he finally realizes: "My grandfather had been right. At last I had learned how to look. I had learned that hope and dreams are not just inside your head, and that I could keep Atlantis and Grandfather in my heart forever."
There were a couple of things I really liked about this book. The reason I picked it out was because of its illustrations. They are so intricate and detailed that you could spend hours looking at each one. While the words are sparse throughout the book, the illustrations definitely portray everything that is going on within the boy's head. While he is searching for Atlantis, it really does seem as if it's all around him. For example, on one page he is sitting in his room in the attic, slouched over a desk. All around him are his belongings, and underneath his desk is the chest that his grandfather gave him, with a tiny door which supposedly leads to the real Atlantis. Among his toys, there is a stuffed rabbit wearing a pirate's eye patch. On his bookshelves, hidden among everything else, are books titled A Year in Atlantis, Five Go to Atlantis, Atlantean Family Robinson, etc. Beneath the floorboards are tiny people, a crown from a pirate's treasure, and a miniature ship. And there is much more to look at.
Another thing I really liked about this book was that it dealt with the death of a loved one. While not exactly a common experience for children to have, it is something that many children have to deal with. There are not many books that relate to children in this situation. The feelings that the boy has (feeling like "everything was muddled up like a dream") are realistic and offer a lot for children to relate to. Death is not an easy topic to deal with, especially for small children, and throughout his search for Atlantis, it seems that what the boy is truly searching for is his grandfather. But in the end he finally reaches peace, and realizes that he can keep his grandfather in his heart forever.
Archie and the Pirates
"After a night dreaming of drifting and floating... Archie awakes to find himself on a strange beach." Archie is a monkey who somehow becomes stranded on a deserted island. Quite the resourceful primate, he quickly finds the things he needs to build himself a tree house and gathers enough food to feed himself. He becomes friends with an ibis named Clarice and, unexpectedly, with a tiger named Beatrice (the black and orange stripes on Archie's shirt remind her of her tiger cubs). The three of them play games, cook together, and generally have a great time. Until one day, a ship of ferocious pirates lands on the beach! The horrible pirates capture Beatrice and lock her in a cage. It's up to Archie and Clarice to figure out a plan to save her - and that's exactly what they do.
I read this book because I am working with a young reader who is enthralled by animals and sea stories. And, as he put it, "this book is amazing!" From a teacher's standpoint, Archie and the Pirates is not profound, and it does not offer any deep and meaningful messages. But it is a fun book, and tells an entertaining story of unexpected friendships and teamwork. The plot and illustrations offer a lot to keep younger readers engaged (for example, there is a crab that reappears on many of the pages, and many of the contraptions that Archie builds are drawn in detail). So, if you're looking for a lighthearted story with a good message, this is the book for you.
Jumanji
"Now remember," Mother said, "your father and I are bringing some guests by after the opera, so please keep the house neat." And with that, Judy and Peter are left on their own for the night. The two of them become hopelessly bored, so they go outside to play. At the park they discover a a long, thin box. "JUMANJI," it reads. "A JUNGLE ADVENTURE GAME." Peter thinks that somebody probably left it in the park because it's so boring, but Judy convinces him to bring it home and play. Little do they know, everything that happens on the game board happens in real life, too! When Peter lands on "Lion attacks, move back two spaces," a real-life, full-grown lion appears on top of the piano. And that is just the beginning of their adventures - as it happens, the lion (and everything else that appears afterward) will not disappear until the game has ended! The duo frantically tries to finish the game, while facing monkeys, a monsoon, a rhinoceros stampede, a giant python, and more.
Luckily, Judy finishes the game. And just as if nothing had ever happened, the house magically becomes clean again. When Judy and Peter tell their parents of all their adventures, their guests laugh and all of the adults marvel at the children's vivid imaginations.
So... was the adventure true or not? I think one of the great things about this book is that it is never made clear. It just goes to show that when you truly use your imagination, the lines between fantasy and reality become sp blurred that it's impossible to tell what's real. Judy and Peter really believed that all of those amazing things happened, and that's all that matters, right?
Van Allsburg, author of Caldecott-winning Polar Express, once again succeeds in bringing children to a world that they've never imagined before. His black-and-white illustrations are so realistic that readers can actually picture themselves within the story. Additionally, this story captures a true picture of the power of imagination. The next time your children are bored out of their minds with nothing to do, maybe they can go play their own game of Jumanji.
The Wolves in the Walls
By Neil Gaiman
Illustrated by Dave McKean
The Wolves in the Walls is very typical of Neil Gaiman's style. It is a tale of Lucy, a young girl who is perhaps a bit too imaginative. One day, she begins to hear noises in the walls. She tells her mother that there are wolves in the walls. Her mother tells her that it's just mice, "For you know what they say... If the wolves come out of the walls, then it's all over." "What's all over," asked Lucy?" "It," said her mother. "Everybody knows that." The next day, Lucy tells her father that there are wolves in the walls, but he doesn't believe her either. He tells her it's rats. Still, Lucy is convinced that there are wolves in the walls! Lucy goes to her brother. Unsurprisingly, he thinks the noise in the wall is just some tiny bats.
Until one day... the wolves come out of the walls! The family escapes and spends days camping out in the garden. But determined little Lucy is unhappy with the situation, and hatches a plan to re-claim their house from the wolves. They sneak into the walls of the house, and one day they sneak out and scare all of the wolves away. The frightened wolves flee and are never to be seen again. And everything is back to normal... until one day, Lucy hears noises that sound exactly like elephants in the walls...
This book is strange and, truth be told, quite scary. McKean's wonderful illustrations are dark and dramatic, only adding to the effect of the surreal story. The text changes sizes and varies between white and black, creating stark contrasts with the illustrations of the book. I always love when stories do not fit the standard "form" of picture books, because it makes things much more interesting and exciting. Additionally, the story is very imaginative and sure to thrill most children. This would be a very excellent story to bring up a discussion about confronting your fears. Although Lucy is the smallest in her family, and even though nobody believes her stories... when her fears do come true she is the only one who is brave enough to face the problem.
Mouse Island
Illustrated by Dominic Catalano
Ever since the old lighthouse became automated, Mouse has lived alone on his island. He spends his days napping in the sun, wading in the tide pools and fishing for food. But still, something is missing in his life. If only he could figure out what it is!
One day, Mouse spies a sinking fishing boat! The men aboard the ship all manage to reach the lifeboat, but there is still a strange furry creature floating in the sea. Bravely, Mouse swims out to sea and drags the creature ashore. It isn't until afterward that Mouse realizes the creature he has saved is a cat!
Cat is an honorable cat, and instead of eating Mouse, he decides to be friends. Mouse realizes that what he was missing all along was a companion, and learns that you can find friends in the most unexpected places!
I would say that this book is decent. Eve Bunting is an award winning writer who always never fails to write stories that appeal to young children. The drawings by Catalano also accompany the story very nicely. But to be honest, the tale seems a bit generic, with an undeveloped plot. I would have liked to see more character development or action in this book, but if you are just looking for a fun read and a happy ending, then this book is perfect for you!
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales
This book was an all-time favorite of mine as a kid, just because of its plain silly-ness! This irreverent book retells the classic fairy tales we all know and love, except with an unusual twist. The Ugly Duckling grows up to be just a really ugly duck. The Frog Prince is really just a regular frog who tricks a princess into kissing him. The story of the Tortoise and the Hare is really about a race between a tortoise running and a rabbit growing his hair. And the list goes on. As the inside of the dust cover says, this book has "10 complete stories! 25 lavish paintings! 56 action-packed pages. 75% more than those old 32-page 'Brand-X' books. New! Improved! Funny! Good! Buy! Now!"
In addition to the pure entertainment that children (and adults!) get out of hearing the classics told all wrong, the format of this book is very unique and further lures readers into the stories. Our narrator, Jack, pays no mind to how a book is "supposed" to be. Every page looks different. The font changes sizes. Sometimes the words are upside down or out of order. Characters sneak into other stories (the Giant from the top of the beanstalk eats the Little Red Hen!).
On top of all of that, the illustrations of this book are great! A mix between odd drawings and collages, each page has a very unique look to it (and unique is probably an understatement).
I'll finish up with this: while this book is a must-read for all children, it has absolutely no point or morals. It's just a great laugh, and a great way to get kids to realize that all books are NOT created equally!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
