The Misfits

Novel
Title: The Misfits
Author: James Howe
Age Level: 10-14
Rating: 5 out of 5

Summary
This book was about a group of 7th graders, or The Gang of Five, who are Bobby, Addie, Joe, and Skeezie.  The story is told from the perspective of Bobby Goodspeed and tells of the experience that these 7th graders have.  They each have grown up being called many names and decide to try and put an end to name calling by starting a No Name Party for their student government.

Opinion
This has been one of my favorite novels that I have read so far.  I remember, briefly, reading this novel growing up but reading it a second time made me love it even more. Howe does a wonderful job at discussing an issue that is so relevant to middle school and junior high school children.  The way he presents the text is one where readers can really put themselves in the shoes of the characters and relate what the characters are going through to events and experiences in their lives.  This book also tackles some tough topics to teach such as sexuality and racism.  I think that Howe does so in a way that will not make children uncomfortable when they read this novel.  This novel really made me think back to grade school and how so many people, even myself at times, were called names for no reason.  This book is a great eye-opener for children to see the affects of name calling and the ways in which you can stand up and stop an issue if you really believe in it.  The No Name Calling Week is something that I think would be really beneficial to implement in schools today.  Making children aware of the affects of name calling is very important.  Name calling needs to be stopped in all schools and Howe provides a plan that works for the story of the book and I think it can be used in real life as well.

I hope to teach first or second graders so I would not use this particular book with that age group, however, if I were to work with upper elementary students, this book would definitly be read in my class.  I think that there are so many important issues discussed that children should read about.  I would use this book in a way to spark discussion on ways children have been called names before and the need for sticking up for whats right.

http://www.tolerance.org/magazine/number-29-spring-2006/totally-james

Henry's Freedom Box

Multicultural Picture Book
Title: Henry's Freedom Box
Author: Kadir Nelson
Age Level: 4+
Rating: 5 out of 5

Summary
This book tells the story of Henry Brown, a slave in the South.  Henry gets separated from his family and put to work in a warehouse dealing with tobacco leaves.  Henry meets a woman, Nancy, and marries her and has children but he is devastated again when his wife and kids are sold at the slave markey because their master has lost a great deal of money.  He realizes what he needs to do is mail himself to the North to his friends in Philadelphia, where he can finally have a birthday and be free.

Opinion
I found this book to be very powerful and something that many children can learn from.  This book was definitly a window book for me and I thought it was a very uplifting story about how important freedom really is and how devasted people were when they didn't have it as slaves.  This book dealt with a behavioral level of culture because it was about slavery in the South and the treatment that African Americans were given just because they were a different skin color.  This is something that I think is very important for children to learn about because it was something that was very common in the past and shaped how lots of people believed they should act, and in some cases, how they still think they should act today.  The illustrations in the book were beautifully done and the expressions on the characters faces were very descriptive and made you feel the emotions that the character was feeling.  I think that this book was done from a socially conscious perspective because the story portrayed the social problems that African Americans faced in the past by not having any freedom and their yearn for justice.

This would be a book that I would keep in my classroom library and use when units about this topic came up.  I think this book will pose lots of questions for students and form the starting point for a rich discussion on this issue that was dealt with.

http://www2.scholastic.com/browse/collateral.jsp?id=32442

St. Patrick's Day

Multicultural Picture Book
Title: St. Patrick's Day
Author: Anne Rockwell
Age Level: 3-6

Summary
This story told the tale of students in Mrs. Madoff's learning about St. Patrick's Day.  The story covers many Irish tales and traditions and who St. Patrick really was and his adventures he had.

Opinion
This particular book was a mirror book for me because I am Irish and am very familiar with many of the Irish traditions and tales.  My grandparents are from Ireland so growing up I would always hear stories about life back in Ireland and how beautiful it is. I thought that this book was a culturally conscious book because it portrayed many traditions that Irish people find important and relevent to their own background and ancestry.  This book showed girls Irish dancing and I was easily able to relate to this because I was an Irish dancer for five years while growing up.  Some people may not have even heard of Irish dancing or what the significance of Irish dancing is.  I think that this book is a great book for children because it talks about the roots behind St. Patricks Day and what all is involved in this holiday.  In my opinion, it is fun learning about holidays that you may not understand completely or relate to and I think that children will find this interesting as well.  This book deals with the concrete level of culture as well as the symbolic because topics such as music and clothing are talked about as well as the customs and beliefs that are behind the holiday.

This is a great multicultural book to have in the classroom so that kids are able to learn about different holidays and traditions that they may not be familiar with.  I would definitly bring this book out around the time of St. Patricks Day because I think children will enjoy hearing the tales and traditions behind the holiday.

Hello World: Greetings in 42 Languages Around the Globe!

Multicultural Picture Book
Title: Hellow World: Greetings in 42 Languages Around the Globe!
Author: Manya Stojic
Age Level: 3+
Rating: 4 out of 5

Summary
This book goes through 42 different languages that you will find around the globe and expresses how you greet people in each of those languages.

Opinion
I thought that this book was a great example of a multicultural book that deals with a melting pot.  This book combined a bunch of different languages together in one book to show that we all use greetings even though they may not all sound the same.  There is also a picture of a child from the particular country that corresponds with the language being represented.  I really enjoyed this book because it brough so many different cultures together and gives children the chance to learn something new about a different cultures language that they may not have known before.  This book was definitly a window book for me because there were some languages represented in there that I have not even heard of so I was able to learn something new from this book as well.  The level of culture that this book would fall under would be behavioral because it does deal with different languages around the world and how they use their language to greet people.

I would use this book in my classroom on a unit on different cultures.  I think that this is a great introductory book on how diverse our world really is and how many different languages we have out there.  I think that children will find this book to be really engaging as they try to repeat the greeting in the different languages that they are reading about.

http://www.allbookstores.com/Manya-Stojic/author
http://biography.jrank.org/pages/1103/Stojic-Manya-1967.html

My Woodson Experience

Novel
Title: The House You Pass on the Way
Author: Jacqueline Woodson

Reading the novel, The House You Pass on the Way, was definitly a new kind of reading experience for me.  I don't usually pick up books that deal with such heavy topics such as race or sexual identity so this book was definitly a window book for me.  It was interesting to read about a young girl who struggles with the problem of finding her sexual identity and also dealing with the fact that she is mulitracial. I think that finding your identity and understanding who you are and where you come from is something that a lot of middle aged school kids can relate to.

I found that there were some similarities in her writing of this book and other novels.  It is apparent that she likes to tackle the topic of race and family in some her novels because these were relatable issues found in both the book, The House You Pass on the Way, as well as the book, Hush, which I discovered during our classroom discussion about these books.  I think that these are really big and important issues she talks about that are relevant to many peoples lives and can be relatable by many, but these are also issues that are highly controversial.  I know that when I am a teacher, topics like sexual identity will be difficult to cover in the classroom primarily because there are so many differing opinions about it.  I would use these books if topics like this did come up because I do think Woodson addresses them in an appropriate way.

The Authors Website
http://www.jacquelinewoodson.com/

Utterly Otterly Day

Picture Book
Title: Utterly Otterly Day
Author: Mary Casanova
Illustrator: Ard Hoyt
Age Level: 3-6
Rating: 3 out of 5

Summary
This book follows a young otter through his very busy and adventurous day.  He thinks that he is old enough to do things on his own in a carefree, unabashed manner but he gets himself into some sticky situations such as almost getting eaten by a cougar.  He soon realizes that its always nice to have people who care about you around to help in case you need it.

Opinion
I was drawn in to read this book because otters are my favorite animal and I thought it would be a really cute book, which it was.  The language used within the text was a lot of rhyming and descriptive words which made the reader able to really connect with the story and feel like they were really on the adventure with the otter.  A lot of the descriptive words were a little advanced for the age level that the book was specified for, in my opinion.  I think that some young readers will have a really hard time reading some of the words in this book and it might become frustrating for them.  I did think the book was a very cute story though and I think that children will enjoy reading it because it is something that they will be able to engage in while they read.  I also thought that the message that was sent from reading this story was one that children will appreciate when they read it.  The story portrays the message that even when you think you are all grown up and don't need any help from anyone, including your family, it is still okay to ask for help from them because they will always be there for you.  This book will be comforting for children because it deals with these family topics that they may be dealing with themselves, such as growing up and wanting to be independent.

I would use this book in my classroom during a unit on family or even during a time when we were learing about the importance of descriptive words in writing.  I would start off by doing a mini-lesson on using descriptive detail in writing.  Then I would read this book to my class followed by having them write a story using as many descriptive words as they could to help bring a lot of character and depth to the stories they are writing.  I would then ask some students to share what they wrote to the class.

http://www.marycasanova.com/pages/books/bk_utterly.html

Papa, please get the moon for me

Picture Book
Title: Papa, please get the moon for me
Author/Illustrator: Eric Carle
Age Level: 5-8
Rating: 4 out of 5

Summary
This book is a story about the love a father has for his daughter, Monica.  Monica wants to play with the moon but she cannot reach it.  Her father then gets a very long ladder and climbs up to the moon, but the moon is too big for him to take. So he waits for the moon to get smaller and smaller and takes it back to his daughter for her to play with.

Opinion
I think that this is just another wonderfully written and illustrated picture book by Eric Carle.  His work is always done so well and I still love reading his books today, as well as my child study student.  The illustrations in this book are very vibrant and unique.  The background of each page is done in a blue/green color that looks as if he just swiped his paintbush across the page which makes for a really appealing look.  I also loved how the book had some pages where you could open the page even further to see illustrations and parts of the story that were supposed to be expressed much more dramatically than the others.  I read this with the student I work with and she absolutley loved this book.  She was so excited every time she came to a page where she had to open it up and see what was inside.  I also think that the story is relatable to children because it has to do with the relationship that a son or daughter has with their parent and how their parent will try and do whatever makes them happy.

I would definitly keep this book in my classroom library along with all my other Eric Carle books because I think that children really enjoy reading them.  This book is very appealing and may give children the creative mind to try and create an Eric Carle book just like this with the pop-up pages and everything.  This may be a fun activity for students and a way for them to really experience creating their own work as an author.


http://www.brighthub.com/education/k-12/articles/66985.aspx

Junie B., First Grader: Toothless Wonder

Novel
Title: Junie B., First Grader: Toothless Wonder
Author: Barbara Park
Age Level: middle grades
Rating: 5 out of 5

Summary
This book within the Junie B. Jones series is about Junie B. losing her first tooth.  She is the first person to lose a tooth in her first grade class and she is excited yet scared because she is told that she may end up looking like Uncle Lou, who is toothless.  When she finally  loses her tooth she realizes that she doesn't look weird but that she looks fascinating and can't wait to show off her new smile.  She is still struggling with the fact that she doesn't think the tooth fairy is a real fairy but is actually a witch.  She faces her fears and places her tooth under her pillow and in the morning is able to realize that the tooth fairy is real and the fairies main purpose is to recycle baby teeth.

Opinion
Junie B. Jones books were some of my favorite novels while growing up.  I was always fascinated by the problems Junie B. faced and they ways she came to solutions or answers.  This was one of my favorite novels in the series because I think that this story is one that is very relatable for young children.  All children go through the stage of life where they lose their teeth and this book provides a fun and silly story about what that first tooth-losing experience is like.  Some kids may be scared of losing their teeth and this book may be of comfort to them.  This book also tackles the topic of recycling and introduces the purpose of recycling to young readers.  I think that children will be able to read this book and have a discussion about the messages that they think are trying to be portrayed.  I also think that the writing style of the author is very unique and gives the character a fun and edgy personality.

Since I loved this series so much growing up I would definitly have this book available, as well as the series, in my classroom library.  I think that kids will enjoy reading this book and relating to the real life sceneros that Junie. B goes through.  I would advise children to read this book because I think that they will find it to be a great book!

http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/p/barbara-park/

The Giver

Title: The Giver
Author: Lois Lowry
Age Level: 5th grade and up
Rating: 4 out of 5

I remember reading The Giver in high school but never really got into the book.  When we were assigned to read this in class this year, not much came to mind about the book.  I guess you can say that my first time reading this didn't make that much of an impact in my literary life.  Now that I have read this book again, I am able to see the depth and uniqueness that this book has to offer.  What I liked about this book that I never really took into account when I read it previously was how different the lifestyle Jonas and his neighbors where living.  When reading this book now, I found myself trying to put myself into the shoes of the people living in that "utopian" society and seeing what a life like that would really be like.  I couldn't imagine living in a society that valued "sameness" and definitly wouldn't like it.  I think that this book really makes the reader think and challenges the views that the reader has about societal beliefs and values.  I also liked how the book was left open for interpretation.  Having the ending not be specifically layed out encourages group discussions about what may or may not have happened and I think that these types of discussions are essential to have in order to develop a greater understanding of the novel.  I think that this book would be a great book to read in school because the literature is so rich and allows for great discussion and interpretation by the reader.  In my opinion, students will enjoy reading about a world that is different from their own and conversing about their opinions and interpretations of the novel.

I Can Do It Myself

Picture Book
Title: I Can Do It Myself
Author: Emily Perl Kingsly
Illustrator: Richard Brown
Age Level: 2-5
Rating: 2 out of 5

Summary
This book is about all the things that children can do independently.  This is a Sesame Street book and has all the different muppet characters in it.  Some of the things that they do are make the bed, put away toys, pour their juice, comb their hair, water their plants, write their name, etc.

Opinion
This book would be very appealing to children because it deals with the Sesame Street characters that most kids are familiar with and comfortable and excited to read about.  I do think that the writing in this book is very simplistic and boring.  It is very repetitive and each line begins with I can...  This book would be for younger ages but I think that children may get bored while reading this book.  The cartoon illustrations within in the book are very nicely done and represent the Sesame Street characters very well. This book would not offer these young readers a chance to use any literary elements while they read and would not be able to practice these skills.

This book would be a good read for children who are working to be independent and trying to start to do things on their own.  Reading this book may give children the confidence boost they need to feel like they are able to do things by themselves.  I would keep this book in my classroom library for pre-schoolers but I do not think I would use it any sort of lesson.

http://www.journeyofhearts.org/kirstimd/kingsley.htm

Arthur's Teacher Trouble

Picture Book
Title: Arthur's Teacher Trouble
Author: Marc Brown
Age Level: 5+
Rating: 4 out of 5

Summary
This book is about the first week of school that Arthur experiences in the third grade.  He gets stuck with Mr. Ratburn, who is a very tough teacher and gives the class homework the very first day of school.  He then assigns a spelling test that the students must take and the two students who get 100% will be in the all-school spellathon.  Arthur studies very hard for this while all his other friends are out playing because they dont have homework.  They take the test and Arthur and The Brain are the two who get 100%.  They compete in the spelling bee and Arthur ends up winning the spelling bee.

Opinion

I used to love reading Arthur and D.W. books growing up as well as watching their show on the CW.  I was always very excited to see the next adventure that they would find themselves in.  I came across this book when I was at home looking through my old books I used to read as a child.  I thought that the cartoon illustrations were done extremely well and with a lot of detail which made this book very esthetically appealing.  The story line in this book was a little difficult for you readers to read; I read this with my child study student and she had some troubles, however, this would be a great book for those students who are in second grade or higher.  I think that this book is something that students can relate to and will find interesting and fun to read.  Some students get frustrated in school because they get more homework than expected or they get stuck with the teacher that they did not want.  This book tells the story of how this situation may not be as bad as one might think.  With hard work and motivation, which is just what Mr. Ratburn gave the students, you can succeed and do things you may not have thought you could.

I would have this book in my classroom library as a future teacher because I think that children will find this book very appealing to read.  Arthur is a character that many children are familiar with and having these types of books in my classroom will motivate students to pick up a book and get engaged in reading.

http://kids.aol.com/KOL/2/KOLJrStories/FlashHolder/arthurs-teacher-trouble
http://www.kidsreads.com/authors/au-brown-marc.asp

My Five Senses

Picture Book
Title: My Five Senses
Author: Aliki
Age Level: 3+
Rating: 3 out of 5

Summary
This book explains the five senses that we have to the reader, taste, touch, hear, smell, see.  It also gives examples of how we use our five senses, such as when we eat an ice cream cone we use our sense of taste.  It goes through different situations when you would use more than one sense at a time such as playing with a puppy, you use your sense of seeing, hearing, smelling, and touching.

Opinion
I think that this book is sort of unappealing and boring in a sense.  The illustrations are bright and large but the dialouge is very simple.  This book does not have that much depth to it and would not be quality literature in my opinion.  This type of book would not provide children a chance to use literary elements to find deeper meaning within the text and gain as much information and knowledge as possible.  The lesson that this story has to offer is of importance, though.  Children need to learn about their five senses and I think this is an introductory book that would help students become aware of the different senses we have and how we use them in our daily life.

Using this book as an attention getter to this topic would be my only use for this book.  I would read this book to my kindergarten students and then have them describe what each sense is and how we use them.  I could also have them make a chart with each sense as a box header and then have them write in examples of how they would use each sense. This activity will open their eyes to the many, many different ways we use our senses and how they are a part of our everyday lives.

http://www.teachervision.fen.com/body-parts/curriculum-planning/6209.html

The River

Picture Book
Title: The River
Author: Gallimard Jeunesse and Laura Bour
Illustrator: Laura Bour
Age Level: 3+
Rating: 4 out of 5

Summary
This book is about plant and animal life near the river.  It describes many different animals and insects that you can find near or in a river and it tells the lifecycles of some bugs and amphibians that you may find.

Opinion
This was also a book that I liked to read while growing up.  I loved learning about different plants and animals and this was always a fun book that I liked to read.  The representational art really makes you feel like you are down by the river experiencing all of the great wildlife that it holds.  Throughout this book there are also many transparent sheets that are painted with pictures that cover up something on the next page.  This is a great added affect to the book that makes reading it more exciting in my opinion because you can see how one page works with the next page.  The illustrations are also very detailed and done in vibrant colors which make the wildlife in and around the river stand out dramatically.

This book has so much rich information about plants, animals, and insects that it would definitly be used in my classroom as a future teacher.  I would use this book when we are talking about either different ecosystems or different landscapes or if we are learning about birds, amphibians, or insects.  This book would be a fun attention getter and opener activity to get students excited to learn about this type of science.  I would gather the children on the rug and read the book, followed by a discussion of what things were familiar to them or what they have seen before.  It also might be fun to bring the children to a river by the school and see how many things from the book we are able to find and then we can use that knowledge to state information we know about them.

http://www.paperbackswap.com/River-First-Discovery-Books/book/0590471287/

If You Give A Mouse A Cookie

Picture Book
Title: If You Give A  Mouse A Cookie
Author: Laura Joffe Numeroff
Illustrator: Felicia Bond
Age Level: 3-7
Rating: 4 out of 5

Summary
This book is about the dominoes effect that happens when you let a mouse into your house.  When you give him a cookie he will ask for some milk, and if you give him milk he will want to look in the mirror to make sure he doesn't have a milk mustache, and the story goes on and on in this manner.

Opinion
When I think back to my childhood and the reading that I enjoyed to do, reading, If You Give A  Mouse A Cookie, is one of the books that I remember most vividly.  I would  read this book over and over again because I was so intrigued by all the things that the mouse wanted to do.  I think the cartoon like illustrations are extremely playful and inviting for the reader.  The layout of the story is also done in a way that keeps the reader on his/her toes and hightens the anticipation that they have to find out what comes next. It also helps that the title and front cover have cookies on them, we all know that children love cookies so this makes the book even more appealing for them to read.  I think that students can also use their five senses while reading this book which is an activity and lesson that is extremely important.

I would definitly keep this book in my class library because I think that all students will enjoy reading it.  I do not think I would use this book in a particular lesson but having it available to students would be my main focus.

http://www.atozteacherstuff.com/Themes/If_You_Give_a_____Books/index.shtml

The Higher Power of Lucky

Novel
Title: The Higher Power of Lucky
Author: Susan Patron
Illustrator: Matt Phelan
Age Level: 9-11
Rating: 5 out of 5

Summary
This book captures the journey of Lucky, a ten-year-old girl living in Hard Pan California.  She has experienced many hardships in her life, her dad leaving her, her mother dying, and she becomes very concerned and sure that her guardian, Brigitte, is planning to leave her and go back home to France.

Opinion
While reading this book, I never realized how much discussion could be drawn from the context within its covers.  I always love discussing books and I was surprised at how well the literary elements played a vital role in reading and understanding the story and journey that lucky takes.  Point of view becomes an important part of this story and allows us to see what is going on in the third person.  We were able to see the story through Lucky's perception and this gave us little insight into the minds of the other characters in the story.  Consequently, we became very caught up in Lucky's struggles and emotions and experienced anticipation and wonder with Lucky, searching for the answer to the question of Brigitte leaving.  Theme is also another literary element that is very evident in this story.  Patron is able to convey the theme in her book that family can be with you without actually being there.  Her mother is dead and her father chose to not raise her but she has other people in her life that are just as faithfull and important to her.  I also thought that this book was rich with metaphors and symbols that provide depth to the text and allow for students to construct deeper meaning and challenge themselves a bit.

This book is one that I think would be very beneficial for students to read because it provides literature that is filled with a lot of meaning and can make students really think.  Great classroom discussion can branch from the topics encountered in this book and that is something that is important if students are going to develop an understanding of the literary elements.

Mommy Laid An Egg

Title: Mommy Laid An Egg

Picture Book: Controversial
Author: Babette Cole
Age Level: 4-8
Rating: 2 out of 5

Summary
This book is about answering the question, where do babies come from?  The childrens parents give them crazy explanations but the children get a pencil and paper and draw out the actual answer to their question.

Opinion
I think that this book is a painless effort at trying to convey the details of conception and childbirth in a humorous manner and not-so-serious way to children but nontheless, I think that this book is too detailed for children the age this book is designed for.  The cartoon-illustrations provide a humorous edge to the serious talk with examples of babies coming out of tubes and greenhouses but I think they show things that are not appropriate for children.  Some of these things include different positions children can be concieved and could have been left out all together because this is something that is unnecessary for children to know.  The author was probably trying to add humor and try and make it less embarrassing but I think that it is more uncomfortable to read then anything.  Julie Wollman-Bonilla explains in her article that a text may be rejected as "inappropriate for children because it might frighten or corrupt them by introducing them to things they don’t or shouldn’t know about"(289).  In this case, I think that this is very true when reading through this book. 

Even though children need to learn about childbirth and conception, I do not think that this book represented this information in an appropriate way and would cause a lot of controversy if read within a classroom environment.  Most parents want to talk about this topic with their children first and reading this book to children in the classroom would cause a lot of problems, in my opinion. 

William's Doll

Picture Book: Controversial
Title: William's Doll
Author: Charlotte Zolotow
Illustrator: William Pene Du Bois
Age Level: 4+
Rating: 4 out of 5

Summary
William's Doll is about a boy, William, who wants a doll even though dolls are toys that are typically considered for only girls.  William's father is uncomfortable with the fact that William keeps asking for a doll so he gives him a basketball instead.  His brother makes fun of him for wanting a doll.  His grandmother is the one who finally fulfills William's wish and gets him a doll and explains to his father that he will use the doll to practice being a good father.

Opinion
This book is one that I would not consider a problem for children to read but I can see how some people may think that this book would not be appropriate for children of certain ages.  This book deals with topics of gender roles and stereotypes and challenges these roles that we have set up in our society by showing a boy who wants to play with toys that we see only girls should play with.  I think that this book is a predictable controversial book but it is also more of an unpredictable controversial book because many people might not share the stereotypical beliefs of only girls taking part in girl activities and boys taking part in only boy activities.  I do not think that this book should be considered a problem book in the classroom because I think that children should read literature that challenges the social norms that society has built up.  According to the article by Julie Wollman-Bonilla, one reason teachers conclude that a certain book is inappropriate, is because "it fails to represent dominant social values or myths"(289).  This book does challenge social values but I think that discussing these in the classroom is something that should be done.  Children need to see that their gender does not disclude them from taking part or doing things that may seem unnatural in their society. 


I would definitly use this book in my classroom to show that opportunities and activities do not and should not be stereotyped to one gender.  If children are able to see this, they may feel more comfortable taking part in things that they may have felt ashamed to do prior to discussion about this issue. 

Rumpelstiltskin

Picture Book: Fairytale
Title: Rumpelstiltskin
Author/Illustrator: Paul Zelinsky
Age Level: 4+
Rating: 4 out of 5

Summary
A poor miller tells the king that his beautiful daughter knows the art of spinning straw into gold so the king orders the millers daughter into the castle right away to make gold or else she was to die.  The girl did not know how to spin straw into gold until a little man comes in who will spin the straw into gold in return of the girls necklace. The king became greedier so asked for the girl to spin more straw into gold and the girl gave the man her ring, and then promised that if the king made her his wife that their first child would be the little mans.  When the queen gave birth, the little man appeared and wanted to child but finally agreed that if the queen knew his name after three days, she could keep the child.  When he came back, she guessed and guessed his name until one night she sent a servant who overheard the little man say his name. The next day the queen says that the mans name is Rumpelstiltskin and she gets to keep her baby.

Opinion
This is one book that I do not remember reading as a child but the story is one that allowed me to daze off into a fantasy world while I was reading.  I thought that the story was beautifully illustrated with the representational style and was very detailed which allowed you to take yourself back into the time of kings and queens in the castle.  It was a more sophisticated version of the book and I think that it plays nicely with the kind of time period that the book is trying to represent.  I think that the story of Rumpelstiltskin provides a lot of topics to be discussed with children.  There is the topic of greed, which is shown by the king, and also by Rumpelstiltskin himself.  Also, lying to get what you want is something that can be seen within the story by the girl who has no real magic power of turing straw into gold but whose father lies and says she can because he wants her to marry the king.  These are important things that children need to see and understand so that they can make good decisions and I think that this book helps them see this.

I think that this book could be used quite well in a discussion or introduction of literary elements.  While reading this book, I think that children will be able to apply elements like time, place, character, mood, etc. to build on their thoughts about the book and enhance their understanding of the greater story and meaning this book portrays.

The Three Little Pigs

Picture Book: Fairytale
Title: The Three Little Pigs
Author/Illustrator: James Marshall
Age Level: 3+
Rating: 5 out of 5

Summary
Retold and based on the classic, The Three Little Pigs, this story is about three pigs who are sent out to live in the world by themselves.  The first pig buys straw and builds a house out of it, the second pig buys sticks to make a house, and the third pig buys brick, however, along comes the big, bad wolf who knocks down the first two houses but the last little pig's house is too sturdy for the wolf to knock down and the third little pig is too clever for the wolf, too.

Opinion
While growing up, The Three Little Pigs, was one of my favorite books to read.  I remember checking this book out on various trips to the library but this version of the book is certainly different from the one I remember.  I thought that the author did a great job on retelling the story but adding a slight twist.  The language in this story was slightly more sophisticated than the original, for example, the third pig states, "Capital idea, my good fellow!", however, it does not detract from the original and classic story line but rather gives it an exciting new feel.  I also thought that the author did a great job on the cartoon illustrations.  They are bright and vibrant and catch the readers eye as they turn each page.

I would use this book in my classroom as one that introduces topics on character.  I think that this story line shows the importance of being nice and not being sneeky to get what you want.  Children can see from this book that only negative things happen when you continually act badly towards others and that if you treat others nicely you will be treated the same way.

Annie and the Wild Animals

Picture Book
Title: Annie and the Wild Animals
Author/Illustrator: Jan Brett
Age Level: 4-8
Rating: 3 out of 5

Summary
This book follows the story of Annie, who's cat, Taffy, has run away and Annie misses her very much.  She decides to put corn cakes at the edge of the forest to try and find a new animal that she could make her pet.  A moose, a wildcat, and a bear came but these animals were all too big and wild for her to have as pets and when she thought she was never going to get a new pet, Taffy comes home and shows Annie that she only left because she was having kittens.

Opinion
I thought that the illustrations in this book were very interesting and ones that I have never seen before.  Each page is bordered in a very unique and expressive way that subtly foreshadow what is going to happen next in the plot.  I did not pick up on the significance of these borders until I read this book a second time but it is something that I think is very creative and adds depth to the story.  I also think that the illustrations really added to the rustic feel that the story was trying to show with dull but variety of color and the portrayal of life living in a small cottage in the wilderness. The story line is something that I think children will appreciate because it deals with the relationship between a child and their pet and the hardship one goes through when a pet runs away or is lost.  The bright side of the story where Taffy comes home shows children that if they do have a pet that is missing that they should never lose hope and that there may be other animals that can be great pets as well.  This book also gives children a good description of different animals one can find in the forest as well as the idea that "wild" animals should not be kept as pets but live better in their natural environment.

I think that this book would be a good book to keep in the classroom library when I am a future teacher because it is a story that I think children will love to read and when I read this to my child study student she seemed to take a lot of interest to the character in the story and her determination to find a new pet.  Discussing with students the different environments that animals live in and if certain animals should be kept as pets is something that I would consider with this book, however, I do not think I would use this book in any classroom activity, but it still is a fun book to have on hand for students!

Clever Chameleon

Picture Book
Title: Clever Chameleon
Author/Illustrator: Ali Lodge
Age Level: 3-7
Rating: 5 out of 5

Summary


This book takes you on a trip through the jungle, led by a game of hide and seek by an elephant, and helps you see all the different ways that animals hide and blend into their natural surroundings. We come to learn that the chameleon has the best camouflage of them all.


Opinion


I loved this book!  This book was one that really drew my attention because of the clever rhyming and that it talked about different animals in the jungle because I used to love reading about animals in their habitats and still do.  I thought that the illustrations really made this book pop.  The colors were so vibrant and the animals seemed to jump off the page.  The drawing was also taken to the edge of the page so I think that added to the affect of the jungle being so large.  Ali Lodge's illustrations were acrylic-based but she used a variety of media, from watercolor pencils to computer-generated paint effects and I think that they all worked together really well and made the book very aesthetically appealing.  I also think that the book was very cleverly put together.  The chameleon, who is last to be found on the hide-and-seek hunt, is secretly placed on every page, using a particular camouflage that blends in with the rest of the scenery and it is the readers job to find him on each page.  This allows for an engaging activity with the readers and brings the book to life.

This book would definitly be one that I would use in my classroom because it provides a lesson on the different ways animals blend and hide in their surroundings as well as shows some characteristics of certain animals.  It is also a very engaging book and one that can be used with younger kids extremely well.  I think that this books gives children the chance to use their five senses while reading and would be a great follow up activity for children to do.  I also think that some fun art projects could come out of this book such as making stuffed paper animals that are in the jungle and have the students represent the different characteristics of the animals in their drawing.

Princess Penelope

Picture Book
Title: Princess Penelope
Author: Todd Mack
Illustrator: Julia Gran
Age Level: 4-8
Rating: 4 out of 5

Summary


This book is about the lifestyle of a little girl named Penelope.  Penelope thinks that she is a princess and explains all the activities that she does in a day as a princess. Some of these things include wearing a crown, having servants cook and clean for her, eating fancy food, and riding on a chariot.

Opinion


I think that this book was used in a way to help children use their imagination while reading.  Many children like to pretend that they live in fairytale worlds and live the life of a princess or king so a book like this would be really relatable to some childrens interests.  Although the book allows children to use their imagination and creativity while reading, I wonder if texts like this will give some children the wrong idea about what a "desired" lifestyle should look like.  This book could paint a picture in the childs head that living the life of a princess is the best way to live and that is something that is unrealistic.  Aside from this, I do like the cartoon illustrations in this book and think that they are very vibrant, animated, and eye-catching.  They also take up most of the pages so the reader's eye is drawn in to analyze the pictures before reading the text and readers can then use prediction based off the pictures to tell what is going to happen next.  One problem I did find with the text in this book was that is is in cursive. Many children at young ages have trouble reading cursive so I do not think that it is used wisely here.  It does add to the "fancy" affect the book is trying to portray but when I read this to my child study student, who is 7, she had to stop after the first page because she was not able to read it.

I do not think that I would use this book within my classroom as a future teacher because I do not think that a meaningful message is being portrayed.  Although the book is a very appealing to read and allows the children to step out into a fantasy world, I do not see and educational purpose this book could be used for.

Focus Question

 How does knowing about literary elements impact understanding a story?

When I think back to elementary school and the projects and activities that went along with reading a particular book the only thing that comes to mind are worksheets or book jackets where we were told to fill out the basics: characters, plot, setting, and mood.  Although these are essential literary elements, we were never encouraged to use them in a way that made the reading as meaningful as possible to us.  We were only obligated to scratch the surface of these elements but never truely think about them and their impact in the reading.  While reading, the reader should always be thinking about each literary element, character, point of view, time, place, plot, mood, symbol, and theme, however, just thinking about these on the surface is not enough.  In order for readers to dive deep into the story being read, thinking, discussing, and connecting these elements needs to be done.  In my opinion, discussion is key.  This allows students to hear differing points of view on the story and relate them to their own ideas and through this process deeper meaning is drawn from the text and ultimately a stronger understanding of the authors message is achieved.

The Very Hungry Caterpillar

Picture Book
Title: The Very Hungry Caterpillar
Author: Eric Carle
Age Level: 3+
Rating: 5 out of 5

Summary
This book follows a caterpillar around for a week and we are able to see the different foods that the caterpillar eats such as apples, pears, plums, strawberries, oranges, and a lot of junk food.  The caterpillar grows from a little caterpillar to a big fat caterpillar and takes a break to make a cocoon where he can rest for two weeks.  When he decides to come out, we find that he has turned into a beautiful, colorful butterfly!

Opinion
The Very Hungry Caterpillar is just another memorable book from my childhood by Eric Carle.  This book is on my top 10 list of books I loved while growing up.  Again, in this book, Carle uses collage art in an outstanding way that gives such uniqueness and appeal to his work.  Although his illustrations are quite simple, the colors are so vibrant, your eye immediately is drawn towards them and you brought into the world of the caterpillar.  Another unique element in his book is the flaps where the fruit he eats is shown.  The flaps start with one apple, then two, pears, three, plums, four strawberries, and five oranges.  Having these flaps allows for the reader to become actively engaged in the story which I think is very important and is something that, in my opinion, holds the readers attention.  I think that Eric Carle is one of the best authors of children's books because he incorporates important lessons into his stories that readers pick up on and are able to practice while reading.  In this book, he introduces sets of objects up to ten, the fruit he ate, as well as the names of the days of the week.  Along with these, he is able to tell the amazing and interesting story of the transformation of a caterpillar into a butterfly.  All of these lessons are incorporated very harmoniously into a truely memorable book.

This book would definitly be a part of my curriculum because I think that it encorporates so many essential lessons for young readers and is one that children will really enjoy reading.  I asked my child study student what her favorite books were and The Very Hungry Caterpillar was first out of her mouth.  A fun activity to do with this book would be having a real caterpillar in class and watching it turn into a butterfly  over time.

Froggy Goes to Camp

Picture Book
Title: Froggy Goes to Camp
Author: Jonathon London
Illustrator: Frank Remkiewicz
Age Level: 3+
Rating: 4 out of 5

Summary
In this book, it is the beginning of summer and Froggy is very excited and anxious to go to Camp Run-A-Muck for the first time.  He forgets to pack his bathing suit and sleeping bag so the trip to camp takes longer than expected but upon his arrival he is greeted by his friendly counselors and bunkmates.  Throughout Froggy's time at camp he finds himself in food fights, overturning kayaks on the lake, and messing with his principal.

Opinion
I chose this book because my child study student's favorite animals are frogs and this author has a series of books about Froggy and his adventures so I thought I'd give them a shot.  I thought that the illustrations in the book were very inviting with the use of cartoon art as the design style.  I think that using this art style in picture books is very captivating for young readers and create excitement while viewing the text.  I also liked how the author used catchy phrases throughout the story such as, "At sunrise, a bugle blasted--da-da ta-DOT ta-daaa!", and "Froggy hopped out of bed, got dressed--zap! zip! zoop! zup! zut! zut! zut!--".  Even while I read this I found myself chanting these lines in my head the way a young reader would say them while reading this book.  I think having dialogue like this, where the action happening or the sound happening is written in sort of a musical way, really draws the reader in and can allow for more interaction with the book if reading in a classroom setting.

I thought that this book was very well written and aesthetically inviting but I would only use this book in younger grades because I do not think there are many meaningful activities you could do along with it.  The books content is one that most children can relate to and they can draw upon personal experiences that were fun, exciting, and memorable while at summer camp.  My goal with this book would be to have students relate to the experiences they have had and maybe write short stories based off of them.

Flotsam

Picture Book
Title: Flotsam
Author: David Wiesner
Age Level: 4+
Rating: 4 out of 5

Summary
This picture book is about a boy who finds a washed up Melville underwater camera while he is playing at the beach.  He takes the camera to the photo shop to get the film developed and is amazed at the pictures he finds of robotic fish, octopuses reading books, little aliens riding fish and, most interesting, other children holding pictures of previous children who have found the camera washed up on shore.  Following the tradition, the boy takes a picture holding the other pictures and throws the camera back into the ocean for the next person to come across the treasure.

Opinion
The reason I was so drawn into this book was because it was like no other book I have read.  It is a no-word picture book that is filled with creative and compelling illustrations that tell a story all on their own.  The style of the illustrations in this book are based on impressionism and the unique layout of the illustrations help the reader connect meaning to what is trying to be conveyed through the pictures.  There is no consistency with how the illustrations are shown in this book and I think that that aspect makes this book so visually pleasing.  Some pages are completely covered from end to end with the illustration while others have borders and the most unique pages look like a collection of photographs collaged together.  I think all of these design styles in this book work very well together.  It was a fun experience looking through this book because I, as the reader, was forced to translate each illustration into text and ulitmately determine what I interpret is happening within the story.

I would use this book in my future classroom because I think that it allows students to really be creative and think for themselves while reading.  The book shows how experiences can be passed on from one person to another and I think that children will find this book really appealing and will be able to think of how they can share their experiences in their own lives.  I would have students bring in pictures or souvenirs from a time that was special to them and have them show them to the class.  This will be a great way for them to get to know each other as well as work off the content within this book.

 

A House for Hermit Crab

Picture Book
Title: A House for Hermit Crab
Author: Eric Carle
Age Level: 4+
Rating: 5 out of 5

Summary
A House for Hermit Crab is a wonderfully written story with beautiful illustrations about a hermit crab who is encountering change in his life.  He is growing to big for his shell so he needs to find a new one.  When he finds a new shell he also picks up a few new friends on his year long adventure through the bottom of the ocean.

Opinion
I remember growing up reading a lot of Eric Carle books and as I am reading them now I still find them to be very enjoyable books that send great messages to the reader.  I thought that the book, A House for Hermit Crab, was very well written and had eye-catching illustrations that are appealing to any reader.  The illustrations were done in a collage style with vibrant colors and unique design that I think is a trademark for many of Eric Carle's books. I also liked how the dialogue was somewhat repetitive in the sense that the crab's course of action for each month was relatively similar to the last, just different sea creatures being found.  I think that when children start reading, repetitiveness in the text is helpful for them. This is not to say that I like books that are  completely repetitive from page to page but the way Eric Carle does it works well in this picture book.

I would definitly use this book in my class because the message being portrayed is one that any child could relate to.  The message being read is that change is not frightening and that it is a part of growing up.  This book could be useful to help students who are adjusting to a new situation or are struggling with the change that comes along with getting older.  An activity I could do with this book would be a writing activity where I have each student write about a time where they had to deal with change in their lives and how they felt during this situation, for example, transition from grade to grade, house to house, or school to school.  I would use this book in a unit about animals also because there is great information about different sea animals and life under the ocean within this book that children could learn from.

The Little Island

Picture Book
Title: The Little Island
Author: Margaret Wise Brown
Illustrator: Leonard Weisgard
Age Level: 5-8
Rating: 3 out of 5

Summary
The Little Island is about life on a secluded island.  The book describes the activity that happens on the island and the changes that come with different seasons and night and day.  A little kitten comes to the island and is very intrigued by the fact that the island considers itself part of the rest of the land that makes up the world.

Opinion
I chose to read this picture book because it won the Caldecott Medal and I was searching for a book about the ocean for my child study student.  I thought that this book had very appealing illustrations which look to be done with watercolors or paint. The illustrations are very bold and draw your eye in which allows you to really paint a mental image of what is going on in the book.  The book is set up with the text on the left page and the images on the right page which allows for consistency in reading which is something that I think is important for early readers.  On some of the pages with text, there are also black and white pictures in the bottom corner which add a unique element to the illustrations.  I did think that some of the dialogue in this book was a bit confusing.  I didn't like how the author worded some of her sentences because they were really choppy and didnt flow which made understanding what was happening more difficult and this may be a problem for younger students.

Although this is a Caldecott winning book I do not think I would use it in my classroom as a future teacher.  I did not find this reading to be very meaningful and I don't think that I could draw future discussion from the content in this book.  I read this book with my child study student and she found it a bit difficult to understand.  When I asked her to summarize what she thought the book was about she was not able to do this accurately.

Author: Karen Hesse

Karen Hesse is an award-winning author of many childrens literature and young adult books.  She was born in 1952 and grew up in the town of Baltimore, Maryland.  While growing up she realized that she had a way with words and enjoyed writing very much.  It was said that she would hide in her closet after school and write poetry in a notebook for hours.  She got her inspiration and support from her fifth grade teacher, Mrs. Datnoff, who instilled the belief that she could and would become a professional writer some day.  In 1969 she attented Townson State College in hopes of being a theater major but just two semesters later she transfered to the University of Maryland.  There she recieved her B.A. in English along with two minors in Psychology and Anthropology.   She has dabbled in many different job areas including being a book reviewer, waitress, typsetter, advertising secretary, proofreader, agricultural laborer, substitue teacher, and mental-health-care-provider.  During her work in all these jobs she claims she never lost focus from writing poetry, stories, and books.
She later went on to write and publish 18 books which have been translated into several different languages such as Chinese and Spanish.  She also recieved awards and honors including the International Reading Association Children's Book of the Year, National Jewish Book Award, Sydney Taylor Award, and Best Books for Young Adults and Notable Books selections.
I have never heard of Karen Hesse until I started researching for this project and I was amazed at some of the work she has accomplished.  I think that her story is inspirational in that she never gave up her dream of being a writer and looked to those who gave her support and hope and ultimately reached her utmost goal in life.  I was very impressed with her writing skills and story line in many of her books.  She uses her excellent writing abilities to convey messages that challenge the readers.  She has stated that her books are absolutly suitable for young readers because they provide substance and a chance for the reader to relate outside ideas and concepts to what is being read.  Something that I picked up on as I read some of her work.

I particulary liked the book Lavender becuase it tackled a topic that many young children may be facing; the fear of change.  Codie has a very strong relationship with her aunt Alix but her aunt is now pregnant and Codie fears that aunt Alix will no longer have time for her.  I thought that this was a great book that can show kids that change is sometimes wonderful which, I know from experience, is something that many children have problems with.  The storyline also encounters the importance of family and this was something that I was able to easily relate to and something that children will be able to relate to also.
A lot of Karen Hesse's books would be very beneficial to use in the classroom for children in 4th-6th grade.  Her books tackle concepts that deal with the dust bowl, being human, the importance of family, and other historical issues.  Any of her books could be the center of a unit and much discussion could be held from the content of them.

Information from:
http://www.edupaperback.org/showauth.cfm?authid=56
http://www2.scholastic.com/browse/contributor.jsp?id=3214

Abel's Island

Novel
Title: Abel's Island
Author: William Steig
Age Level: 8+
Rating: 4 out of 5

Summary
Abel's Island is a story about a mouse, Abel, who lives in Mossville with his wife, Amanda.  They live a very easy and taken for granted life that is soon turned upside down.  One stormy August day, Abel and Amanda set off on a picnic but are faced with a huge storm and are forced to find shelter in a cave.  While Amanda is peering out from the cave her scarf gets blown away and, by nature, Abel leaps out to grab it.  He is carried down the river in the flood to an unihabited island.  He is stuck on this island for a full year and is forced to acquire survival skills to stay alive and try to find a way off the island.  During his journey on the island he discovers a new way of life and finds new talents and skills in himself that he did not know he had.  When he ultimately finds his way off the island he has a new perspective on life and finds pleasure in new things.

Opinion
Abel's Island was one of my favorite novels growing up.  I remember reading it in my 4th grade class and really enjoying the activities that we did along with it.  This is a book that stands out most in my mind when I think back to my favorites during elementary school.  This book won the Newbery Honor award and I think it really deserved it.  The writing in this book is very descriptive and also is a bit challenging which allows students a chance to use their literacy skills in finding meaning to words and sentences.  I think  that having pictures in black and white on a selection of pages in the book really helps the reader paint a picture of what is actually going on and gives them more insight into the struggles and journeys that abel encounters.  The book also portrays the message of never taking anything for granted and the importance of survival skills.  Also, throughout abel's journey he finds new talents and skills that make him very happy and excited and I think that this shows kids that if they step outside of their element they can find things out about themselves that they never knew.

I think that this would be a great novel to use in a classroom with 4th or 5th grade students.  Some of the language in this novel is difficult so those in upper elementary would be more likely to understand it better.  An activity that I would do with this book would be having the children put on a puppet show that represents one of the scenes in the book where Abel uses a survival skill or finds a new talent in himself.  I think that this would be a fun activity for the students and allow them to be creative and connect with the material in a way that is different from what normally is done in the classroom.

I am TOO Absolutely Small for School

Picture Book
Title: I am TOO Absolutely Small for School
Author/Illustrator: Lauren Child
Age Level: 4-7
Rating: 3.5 out of 5

Summary
I am TOO Absolutely Small for School is a book about Lola and Charlie who are siblings.  Lola, the younger sister, is very skeptical about attending school.  She does not know why she needs to be able to count past ten, write letters, and read words.  It is up to Charlie to convince Lola that school is fun and a worthwhile place for learning all the things she will need to know in the future.

Opinion
I think that the message of this story is one that would be very beneficial to teach kindergarteners or those that are just entering school.  Many kids have a hard time getting adjusted to the new lifestyle of having to go to school, me being one of those kids, and this book may relieve some of those fears about being in an atmosphere they are not familiar with.  Reading this book on the first day of kindergarten or first grade would help those who are not feeling comfortable in the classroom see why school is so important and how it can be a lot of fun, too.  Although the book had a good message for young learners, I did not like how the book was set up.  The illustrations were eye-catching and related to the images found in the television show about Charlie and Lola that children may be able to relate to, but the text was portrayed in a very confusing style that I think would be difficult for children to read and understand.  On many of the pages the text was swirled around the images or went from the top of the page, swirling down to the bottom of the page, jumping from place to place and it was even confusing for me to find where I was supposed to read next so I cannot imagine the difficulty a beginner reader would have with this book.

I did like the message that this book sent and I do think that this book would be useful in the classroom on the first day of school for kindergarteners or first graders.  I would read this book and provide a discussion about all the fun things that the students will be doing during school, in hope that they will find school less scary and more exciting.

Joseph Had a Little Overcoat

Picture Book
Title: Joseph Had a Little Overcoat
Author: Simms Taback
Age Level: 2-7
Rating: 4 out of 5

Summary
Joseph Had a Little Overcoat shows how Joseph turns an old, shabby jacket into something new and when that something gets old and shabby, he turns it into something else.  As you flip the pages, holes are cut out that show what Joseph will make next, until he has nothing left, which he ulitmately makes into a book to show that you can always turn nothing into something special.

Opinion
I thought that this was one of the coolest illustrated books I have read recently.  I remember hearing about this book but do not remember reading it as a child.  The placement of a whole on every other page where the new item will be as you turn to the next page was a creative way to hold childrens anticipation and allow them to see that you can take something and make it into a completely new item just by thinking outside of the box and using your imagination.  This portrays a great message to children that with a creative eye you can turn anything around into something great.  What really caught my eye in this book was that the representational style was present but very minimally.  On each page, for example, there would be objects such as fruit, patterns on the clothes and rugs, pictures on the wall, flowers, and people in the crowd that were real pictures which added an additional element to the illustrations and made them stand out.

I think this book would be an introduction to a fun lesson for younger children on being resourceful and turning something old into something new.  I would probably give kids fabric and ask them to use the fabric to make three different things.  I would not expect them to go in detail with their creations but it would be interesting to see all the ideas that the children come up with.

The Very Busy Spider

Picture Book
Title: The Very Busy Spider
Author: Eric Carle
Ages: 2-6
Rating: 5 out of 5

Summary
The Very Busy Spider by Eric Carle is about a spider who diligently works on creating her web, however, animals  from the nearby farm try to distract her but she refuses to answer and continues to work until it is complete.  When she finishes her web she shows how useful her web is and that it allows her to catch her meals.

Opinion
This book was one of my favorites growing up.  Although I am not a big bug fan, I always loved having my parents, brother, or babysitter read it to me.  The texture that the web has in the book always caught my attention and I was very interested in seeing what a spider web felt like.  As I am reading this book now, I think the author was very smart and provided a lot of great lessons from this book.  The repetition of the line, "The spider didn't answer.  She was very busy spinning her web", alows this book to be successfully used with beginner readers because according to,  Mem Fox: Reading Magic, by Judy Horacek, repetition in reading for beginners is essential and a   useful for them to pick up sounds and words.  I also think that the use of the different farm animals in the pictures and their designated sounds helps the reader learn about these animals in a fun way.  The illustrations were repetitive also and I think it worked in this particular book.  Normally repetitive books seem somewhat boring, especially to us as we read them but I think that the dialogue and pictures in this book worked out well.  On one page there is a large representation of the animal and on the other page is the spider making its web, which grows as the pages turn.

I would definitly use this book in my classroom because I think it is a great beginner book and allows children to learn about different animals, their sounds, and their characteristis.  I would use this book as an introduction to a unit on animals.  I think an appropriate activity for this book would be a matching game where they would match up a particular animal with its sounds.

Click, Clack, Moo Cows That Type

Picture Book
Title: Click, Clack, Moo Cows That Type
Author: Doreen Cronin
Illustrator: Betsy Lewin
Age Level: 3-7
Rating: 3.5 out of 5

Summary
Click, Clack, Moo Cows That Type is a Caldecott Honor book that is about a farmer, Farmer Brown, and his animals.  His cows love to type on a typewriter and find it funny to send Farmer Brown typed messages that they want an electric blanket because they are cold and refuse to give milk until they get it.  The hens then refuse to give their eggs until they get blankets, also.  When they make an agreement to trade the blankets for the typewriters the middle man, duck, sneekily takes the typewriter and the book ends with the ducks typing away, asking Farmer Brown for a diving board for their pond.

Opinion
I thought this book was extremely well illustrated and would draw any readers attention in.  The use of watercolor and bold drawings made the story come to life and all the focus was on the illustrations.  This was a fun book to read because of the humor in the storyline and I think many kids will find it very engaging.  The line that is used throughout the book is "Click, clack, moo" and it was a pretty catchy phrase and one that I found myself repeating.  Although the book was esthetically appealing, the story didnt seem to have any important message being conveyed and I did not find much meaning behind the text.

Although I could not find much underlying meaning within the text I would use this book in my classroom as a teacher because I think it would be a fun and engaging book for the students.  Having the kids recite the repeated lines with me would be a good way to keep them interested and interactive.  I do not see this book fitting in well with any particular unit of study so I think this would be a fun book to read during a reading time or at the beginning of class to get the kids excited and laughing.

One Fine Day

Title: One Fine Day
Author: Nonny Hogrogian
Age level 1st-3rd
Rating: 5 out of 5

Summary
One Fine Day tells the story of a greedy fox who takes a trip to a forest and becomes thirsty so, without thinking, drinks from a pail of milk that an old woman had set down while she was gathering logs.  The old woman cuts off the foxes tail and forces him to go find her more milk if he wants his tail sewn back on.  He then sets out on a journey to find milk but everyone he runs into expects a favor in return for their services so he becomes very frustrated and ultimately learns an important message.

Opinion
I thought this was a very appealing and beautifully illustrated book.  The message of never taking what is not yours is a strong message that is important for children to understand and this storyline and illustration portrays that successfully.  I really liked the use of expressionism in the pictures because while reading your eye was more focused on the illustrations than on the text and it allowed you to become enthralled in the atmosphere of the story.  I also liked how the author made each character request something in return for what the fox was asking for.  This relays the message to the reader that doing one wrong may lead to a lot more problems than expected and that if the fox did not take what was not his in the first place all those problems would have been avoided.  The author began the illustrations before the actual book even started and I thought that was a great way to draw the readers attention and allow the reader to paint a mental picture of what the story was going to look like before they began reading.

I would definitly read this story in my class as a future teacher.  I think the message being sent is critical for children to learn and this book would be a great way to express it.  I would probably read this book to 1st or 2nd graders in the beginning of a unit about behavior or working with others.  My hope would be that this book would stir up a realization of what happens when you take what is not yours and the consequences of that action.

The Berenstain Bears

From what I can remember while growing up my parents always had a hard time getting me to sit down and pick up a book for fun.  I never really got excited about reading until my aunt got me the book, The Berenstain Bears: Trick or Treat.  This is the book that helped me become more interested in reading because it was one book out of a large collection of Berenstain Bears books and, according to my mom, I had to have the whole collection.  This series of books was written by Stan and Jan Berenstain and each book tells a different story about the adventures of the Berenstain bears.  The family is made up of Papa Bear, Mama Bear, Brother Bear, and Sister Bear and it was always fun to find out what adventure, or trouble, they would come across in each book.  Along with being so enthralled with the book series I loved watching the Berenstain Bears TV show.  These books are ones that I like to read to kids I work with and they seem to love them too!