Author: Jonah Winter
Illustrator: Ana Juan
Award Won:ALA Notable Book, Américas Award Honor Book
Date of Publication: 2002
Age recommendation: ages 5 to 8
Group represented: Frida Kahlo and her family
Frida is a picture book about the life of Frida Kahlo, a famous Mexican artist. The picture book uses more pictures than words on each page to tell her story. The pictures are bright and very imaginative;they really add a lot to the story. The pictures make children interested in Frida and her life and because she was an artist it is important to have artistic pictures in a book about her.
The book mainly recaps how Frida got involved in being an artist and where she learned her skills. Her father was an artist and photographer and taught Frida to be the same. She developed her love of painting when she was feeling down. Two major life changing events happened to her. When she was 7, she got Polio and was in bed for several months, she did a lot of art work then. When she was 18, she got in a terrible bus accident and was in the hospital for a while and did a lot of work while she had to be in bed. She came to depend on art work as a friend when she was not able to do anything else. After the accident she could never walk normally again, she always needed a cane. She went on to creative many pieces of art in her life.
The most obvious use of the book would be to talk about the artist Frida Kahlo and study some of her work. She is an artist of another culture, not originally from the United States, so children could also take some time and learn of her culture. Photos of her work could be shown to the class and perhaps some art work could be done by the students.
Another use of the book would be to talk about people with disabilities overcoming odds and following their dreams.
The book could also be used to talked about how art work and music can be a therapy for some. It is helpful to express yourself creatively.
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Do Ducks Live in the Desert? Non-Fiction picture book
Author: Michael Dahl
Illustrator: Anne Haberstroh
Award Won: Distinguished Achievement Award from the Association of Educational Publishers
Date of Publication:2004
Age recommendation: ages 5 to 8
Group represented: Animal life
This book starts out asking questions about where certain types of animals live such as ducks, oxen, periwinkles, meadowlarks, sloths, water striders, octopuses, moles, markhors, and camels. The authors asks if each of these animals lives in the desert. Then the author will go on to say that they do not live in the desert and where that particular animal lives. The book also explains some characteristics about the animals habitat and what the animal likes to eat. The last animal is the camel. It is then explained that the camel does in fact live in the desert. The very last page is a summary page of all the animals in the book and their habitats.
The illustrations in this book are very colorful and help to draw the eye of the reader to the details of the animals natural habitat. The pictures are drawn to look like they go with the font used for the wording so everything fits together. I think looking at the pictures makes learning the facts more interesting for the students.
I think this would be a nice book to use in a classroom on animal habitats because the animals talked about in this book are not typically discussed or learned about. Some of the animals I didn't know anything about as an adult. Students could pick another uncommon animal not mentioned in this book and research some facts about it and draw a picture of what it looks like.
Illustrator: Anne Haberstroh
Award Won: Distinguished Achievement Award from the Association of Educational Publishers
Date of Publication:2004
Age recommendation: ages 5 to 8
Group represented: Animal life
This book starts out asking questions about where certain types of animals live such as ducks, oxen, periwinkles, meadowlarks, sloths, water striders, octopuses, moles, markhors, and camels. The authors asks if each of these animals lives in the desert. Then the author will go on to say that they do not live in the desert and where that particular animal lives. The book also explains some characteristics about the animals habitat and what the animal likes to eat. The last animal is the camel. It is then explained that the camel does in fact live in the desert. The very last page is a summary page of all the animals in the book and their habitats.
The illustrations in this book are very colorful and help to draw the eye of the reader to the details of the animals natural habitat. The pictures are drawn to look like they go with the font used for the wording so everything fits together. I think looking at the pictures makes learning the facts more interesting for the students.
I think this would be a nice book to use in a classroom on animal habitats because the animals talked about in this book are not typically discussed or learned about. Some of the animals I didn't know anything about as an adult. Students could pick another uncommon animal not mentioned in this book and research some facts about it and draw a picture of what it looks like.
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Roll of Thunder Hear my Cry
Author: Mildred Taylor
Date of Publication: 1976
Award Won: Newbery Award
Age recommendation: 11+
Group represented: African Americans and citizens of Mississippi in the 1930's
A story about an African American family, the Logan's, living in Mississippi struggling to be equal. The family is very proud and owns their own farm, they don't have to work on a plantation like many other African American families. The Logan children, there are four, have to attend a school that is not as good as the school the white children get to attend and that makes them angry. In this story the Logan children are constantly learning the realities of racism and how to deal with it in their lives. The Logans face many challenges, but also try and stand-up for what they believe in. There were lynchings happening in their community at the time. When the Logan's find out the Wallace's were responsible for burning a man alive, the Logans,, and many other families, decide to boycott the Wallace store even after being threatened. The children also find a way to break down the bus that the white children use to get to school after the driver of the bus repeatedly found humor in splashing the children on their way home. Mama, the Logan children's mother, is even fired from her teaching job for doing what she thought was right in her school. Even after a friend of the Wallace's, Mr. Granger, made it so the bank demanded full payment of the mortgage the Logan's had on their land, they still rose above. I think the best part of the story was at the end when papa Logan set fire to his own land, and it is later realized that this act ended up bring the community together, black and white to put out the fire.
I think this could be a good book to use in a classroom when talking about the great depression and how it affected different people in different ways. Students could learn about african american rights and caucasion rights at the time. The book could also be used to teach students that it is important to stand-up for what you believe in. It tells the story of one couragous familie's journey. Also, it could be used to talk about the civil rights movement.
Date of Publication: 1976
Award Won: Newbery Award
Age recommendation: 11+
Group represented: African Americans and citizens of Mississippi in the 1930's
A story about an African American family, the Logan's, living in Mississippi struggling to be equal. The family is very proud and owns their own farm, they don't have to work on a plantation like many other African American families. The Logan children, there are four, have to attend a school that is not as good as the school the white children get to attend and that makes them angry. In this story the Logan children are constantly learning the realities of racism and how to deal with it in their lives. The Logans face many challenges, but also try and stand-up for what they believe in. There were lynchings happening in their community at the time. When the Logan's find out the Wallace's were responsible for burning a man alive, the Logans,, and many other families, decide to boycott the Wallace store even after being threatened. The children also find a way to break down the bus that the white children use to get to school after the driver of the bus repeatedly found humor in splashing the children on their way home. Mama, the Logan children's mother, is even fired from her teaching job for doing what she thought was right in her school. Even after a friend of the Wallace's, Mr. Granger, made it so the bank demanded full payment of the mortgage the Logan's had on their land, they still rose above. I think the best part of the story was at the end when papa Logan set fire to his own land, and it is later realized that this act ended up bring the community together, black and white to put out the fire.
I think this could be a good book to use in a classroom when talking about the great depression and how it affected different people in different ways. Students could learn about african american rights and caucasion rights at the time. The book could also be used to teach students that it is important to stand-up for what you believe in. It tells the story of one couragous familie's journey. Also, it could be used to talk about the civil rights movement.
The Great Gilly Hopkins
Author: Katherine Paterson
Date of Publication:1978
Age recommendation:ages 11-14
Group represented: orphans and foster families in Maryland
Award Won:Newbery Award
The Great Gilly Hopkins is a story about an 11 year old orphan girl in Maryland. You meet Gilly in this story when she is going to one of her many foster homes. This time she is going to be living with a single women who already has a foster son. At first Gilly is sure that this foster family will not work out, just as the others haven't. She begins to act up at home and at school. Gilly dreams of one day when her biological birth mother will come and take her away to live with her. She believes that when that day comes everything will change and her life will be good. Gilly dreams up a plan to buy a one way bus ticket to California where her mother lives. She writes her mother a letter that lets her know that she wants to come and live with her. Gilly's plan backfires, but when he mother gets her letter she wants custody of her given to her grandmother. Gilly begins to like her foster home, and things seem to be going well for once, when she learns that she has to move again and live with her grandmother. It is certainly not what Gilly expected, but she soon learns that things in life rarely are.
This book could be used in a unit on family life, talking about foster parents and birth parents. Students could discuss problems children in foster care face.
Date of Publication:1978
Age recommendation:ages 11-14
Group represented: orphans and foster families in Maryland
Award Won:Newbery Award
The Great Gilly Hopkins is a story about an 11 year old orphan girl in Maryland. You meet Gilly in this story when she is going to one of her many foster homes. This time she is going to be living with a single women who already has a foster son. At first Gilly is sure that this foster family will not work out, just as the others haven't. She begins to act up at home and at school. Gilly dreams of one day when her biological birth mother will come and take her away to live with her. She believes that when that day comes everything will change and her life will be good. Gilly dreams up a plan to buy a one way bus ticket to California where her mother lives. She writes her mother a letter that lets her know that she wants to come and live with her. Gilly's plan backfires, but when he mother gets her letter she wants custody of her given to her grandmother. Gilly begins to like her foster home, and things seem to be going well for once, when she learns that she has to move again and live with her grandmother. It is certainly not what Gilly expected, but she soon learns that things in life rarely are.
This book could be used in a unit on family life, talking about foster parents and birth parents. Students could discuss problems children in foster care face.
Scorpions
Author: Walter Myers
Award Won: Newbery Award
Date of publication:1988
Age recommendation: 12-15
Group represented: African American, New York
This is a book about a young boy named Jamal, he is living in Harlem New York with his mom and sister. His dad is not around much and his older brother Randy is in jail for shooting a store clerk during a stick-up with other gang members. His brother was part of a gang named the Scorpions and Randy sent word that Jamal was to take his place as the leader of the Scorpins gang dealing drugs. Jamal and his friend Tito are being pressured to join the gang, they don't want to, but know that if they do they can raise money for Randy's appeal trial. Randy has told his friends Mack that he needs $2000 for his appeal and his mother does not have that kind of money. She works different jobs to try and support her children After deciding to join the Scorpions, Jamal and Tito get a gun from Mack, which they think will help keep bullies away. The gun ends up getting them into a lot of trouble and one boy Angel ends up dying. Tito ends up having to leave the country and go to Puerto Rico to avoid his trial. Jamal and Tito learn how valuable they are to each other.
This book could be used in a classroom to discuss neighborhood gang violence.Students could also talk about how when one family member goes to jail it is hard on the whole family.
Award Won: Newbery Award
Date of publication:1988
Age recommendation: 12-15
Group represented: African American, New York
This is a book about a young boy named Jamal, he is living in Harlem New York with his mom and sister. His dad is not around much and his older brother Randy is in jail for shooting a store clerk during a stick-up with other gang members. His brother was part of a gang named the Scorpions and Randy sent word that Jamal was to take his place as the leader of the Scorpins gang dealing drugs. Jamal and his friend Tito are being pressured to join the gang, they don't want to, but know that if they do they can raise money for Randy's appeal trial. Randy has told his friends Mack that he needs $2000 for his appeal and his mother does not have that kind of money. She works different jobs to try and support her children After deciding to join the Scorpions, Jamal and Tito get a gun from Mack, which they think will help keep bullies away. The gun ends up getting them into a lot of trouble and one boy Angel ends up dying. Tito ends up having to leave the country and go to Puerto Rico to avoid his trial. Jamal and Tito learn how valuable they are to each other.
This book could be used in a classroom to discuss neighborhood gang violence.Students could also talk about how when one family member goes to jail it is hard on the whole family.
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Wanda's Roses
Title: Wanda's Roses
Author: Pat Brisson
Illustrator: Maryann Cocca-Leffler
Date of Publication: 1994
Award Won: Christopher Award and the Paterson Prize for Books for Young People
Age recommendation: 4 to 8
Group represented: a community of neighbors
This book is about a young girl named Wanda, who discovers what she thinks to be a rosebush in an empty, trash filled, lot in her neighborhood. Wanda clears away the trash from the lot to give the plant room to grow and so it will get enough sunlight. She waters the plant to get it to bloom with beautiful roses, despite her many neighbors who don't believe in her rose bush. Wanda realizes that her rose bush may not bloom flowers so she decides to give her rose bush flowers that she has made. She invites all her neighbors to view her "blooming" rose bush. All the neighbors end up bring other rose bushes and they plant them in the emptly lot. Due to Wanda's belief in her rose bush she has helped transform an empty, trash-filled lot, into a garden.
This book could be used in a classroom to talk to children about service projects and cleaning up the enviornment. The book is also a good reminder that you should believe in yourself and your dreams. The book could also be used in part with a science lesson on plants and that plants, need, water, sun, and air to live and grow.
Author: Pat Brisson
Illustrator: Maryann Cocca-Leffler
Date of Publication: 1994
Award Won: Christopher Award and the Paterson Prize for Books for Young People
Age recommendation: 4 to 8
Group represented: a community of neighbors
This book is about a young girl named Wanda, who discovers what she thinks to be a rosebush in an empty, trash filled, lot in her neighborhood. Wanda clears away the trash from the lot to give the plant room to grow and so it will get enough sunlight. She waters the plant to get it to bloom with beautiful roses, despite her many neighbors who don't believe in her rose bush. Wanda realizes that her rose bush may not bloom flowers so she decides to give her rose bush flowers that she has made. She invites all her neighbors to view her "blooming" rose bush. All the neighbors end up bring other rose bushes and they plant them in the emptly lot. Due to Wanda's belief in her rose bush she has helped transform an empty, trash-filled lot, into a garden.
This book could be used in a classroom to talk to children about service projects and cleaning up the enviornment. The book is also a good reminder that you should believe in yourself and your dreams. The book could also be used in part with a science lesson on plants and that plants, need, water, sun, and air to live and grow.
Fox in a Trap
Title:Fox in a Trap
Author: Jane Resh Thomas
Date of Publication:1987
Award Won: Kerlan Award, MN Book award
Group represented: Caucasian farm family
Age recommendation:Ages 8-12
This is a book about a farm family, the main characters are a mother, father, their son Daniel and his father's brother Peter. Peter is an adventurous writer of hunting and fishing. He sets trap lines in the places he travels to catch certain animals for their fur. Daniel looks up to his Uncle Peter, he longs to get off his families farm someday and have the exciting life that his uncle peter has. Daniel has been begging his uncle to teach him how to set traps too. Finally just before winter his uncle teaches him how to trap. When the bait they use in the fox traps turn out to be kittens, Daniel has a hard time setting the traps himself. Daniel feels that his heart just might not be into trapping; He feels for the animals too much. He begins to learn that maybe his Uncle's life isn't exactly what Daniel wants and that's okay. He can determine his own new destiny.
This book could be used with other children to spark a debate about hunting and fishing and the moral dilemmas. Students could research and argue whether or not to hunt or fish. The book could also be used in a lesson about farms and all the chores and happenings of a farm. The students could learn all the things that go into getting their food from the farm to the grocery stores. It could be like a unit on local food if from a farming state.
Author: Jane Resh Thomas
Date of Publication:1987
Award Won: Kerlan Award, MN Book award
Group represented: Caucasian farm family
Age recommendation:Ages 8-12
This is a book about a farm family, the main characters are a mother, father, their son Daniel and his father's brother Peter. Peter is an adventurous writer of hunting and fishing. He sets trap lines in the places he travels to catch certain animals for their fur. Daniel looks up to his Uncle Peter, he longs to get off his families farm someday and have the exciting life that his uncle peter has. Daniel has been begging his uncle to teach him how to set traps too. Finally just before winter his uncle teaches him how to trap. When the bait they use in the fox traps turn out to be kittens, Daniel has a hard time setting the traps himself. Daniel feels that his heart just might not be into trapping; He feels for the animals too much. He begins to learn that maybe his Uncle's life isn't exactly what Daniel wants and that's okay. He can determine his own new destiny.
This book could be used with other children to spark a debate about hunting and fishing and the moral dilemmas. Students could research and argue whether or not to hunt or fish. The book could also be used in a lesson about farms and all the chores and happenings of a farm. The students could learn all the things that go into getting their food from the farm to the grocery stores. It could be like a unit on local food if from a farming state.
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Kira Kira
Title: Kira Kira
ISBN:06898563930
Author:Cynthia Kadohata
Date of publication: 2004
Award won: Newbery Award
Award Age recommendation: ages 9 and up
Group represented: Japanese Americans, citizens of Georgia
Kira Kira is a heartwarming tale about a Japanese family that is trying to survive in America. The family starts out owning an Asian grocery store in Iowa, but when there are not enough customers to support their business they have to close their doors. The two girls in the story are Katie and Lynn and they soon get a younger brother Sam. The story is told through Katie's perspective with diary entries from her sister Lynn's diary. After Katie's parents close their store they have to move to Georgia where they are closer to family and get jobs working in the chicken hatcheries. Katie's parents are working more and more overtime to achieve their dream of owning their own home. Lynn and Katie are best friends and all the siblings look after each other while their parents are away. Lynn becomes sicker and sicker throughout the story and eventually the reader learns that Lynn has lymphoma. The family is finally able to save enough money for a down payment on a home, but shortly after that Lynn dies. After Lynn's death the family takes a vacation to try and cheer themselves up, they go to California because Lynn loved the ocean. As Katie visits the ocean without Lynn she can feel her presence all around her as she looks at the sea and it is kira, kira (glittering). Kira, Kira was a Japanese word the Lynn taught Katie, and Lynn looked at everything and saw it kira, kira.
This would be a good book to use when doing a unit on immigration. It could also be used when talking about families who are dealing with medical conditions. The book also illustrates different roles people play in their families. The roles people play in their families often differ by culture so this could be a good story when studying the practices of different cultures and how the traditions have changed over time.
ISBN:06898563930
Author:Cynthia Kadohata
Date of publication: 2004
Award won: Newbery Award
Award Age recommendation: ages 9 and up
Group represented: Japanese Americans, citizens of Georgia
Kira Kira is a heartwarming tale about a Japanese family that is trying to survive in America. The family starts out owning an Asian grocery store in Iowa, but when there are not enough customers to support their business they have to close their doors. The two girls in the story are Katie and Lynn and they soon get a younger brother Sam. The story is told through Katie's perspective with diary entries from her sister Lynn's diary. After Katie's parents close their store they have to move to Georgia where they are closer to family and get jobs working in the chicken hatcheries. Katie's parents are working more and more overtime to achieve their dream of owning their own home. Lynn and Katie are best friends and all the siblings look after each other while their parents are away. Lynn becomes sicker and sicker throughout the story and eventually the reader learns that Lynn has lymphoma. The family is finally able to save enough money for a down payment on a home, but shortly after that Lynn dies. After Lynn's death the family takes a vacation to try and cheer themselves up, they go to California because Lynn loved the ocean. As Katie visits the ocean without Lynn she can feel her presence all around her as she looks at the sea and it is kira, kira (glittering). Kira, Kira was a Japanese word the Lynn taught Katie, and Lynn looked at everything and saw it kira, kira.
This would be a good book to use when doing a unit on immigration. It could also be used when talking about families who are dealing with medical conditions. The book also illustrates different roles people play in their families. The roles people play in their families often differ by culture so this could be a good story when studying the practices of different cultures and how the traditions have changed over time.
Mama and Papa Have a Store-Multicultural Picture Book
Title: Mama and Papa Have a Store
ISBN:0-8037-2044-0
Author and Illustrator: Amelia Lau Carling
Date of publication: 1998
Award won: Americas Award and Pura Belpre Honor Book Award
Age recommendation: ages 4-8
Group represented: A Chinese family, Guatemalan Citizens
This story takes place in Guatemala City, where a Chinese family owes a store that sells things such as buttons, ribbons, thread, cloth, lanterns and perfume. The parents of the young girl in the story had to flee Nine Rivers, in China, because of a terrible war more than 15 years ago. The book talks about the families typical day running a store in Guatemala City and what it is like to be Chinese in Guatemala. The children of the book play games on the rooftop terrace and around the city. The family tries to follow Chinese traditions, but also speaks Spanish and has Spanish names that the citizens know them by. The family closes for lunch like the people do in Guatemala, and eat food cooked in a Chinese wok that can be eaten in flour tortillas. The story is written in English, but incorporates Spanish vocab words and the names of the characters are Spanish names.
The pictures really add a lot to this book. The pages are filled with colorful images that remind me of Spanish culture and going to Mexico. On some two page layouts in the book one whole side will show a picture of what is happening in the paragraph on the opposite page so it is very easy to imagine what the author is telling you about in her writing. Some pages also contain Chinese characters on them as to tie both cultures together much like the family in the story has to do.
This would be a nice book to help students be introduced to some Spanish vocab words. It would also be interesting to use when learning about communities and that many different types of citizens make-up a community no matter where in the world you live.
The family in this story seemed to have adapted to the Guatemalan culture, but the family still hung on to some of their own traditions. Students could discuss how it might be hard for people of other cultures to move to places that are very different from where they originally came from to gain a better understanding of how immigrants sometimes have a hard time adjusting.
ISBN:0-8037-2044-0
Author and Illustrator: Amelia Lau Carling
Date of publication: 1998
Award won: Americas Award and Pura Belpre Honor Book Award
Age recommendation: ages 4-8
Group represented: A Chinese family, Guatemalan Citizens
This story takes place in Guatemala City, where a Chinese family owes a store that sells things such as buttons, ribbons, thread, cloth, lanterns and perfume. The parents of the young girl in the story had to flee Nine Rivers, in China, because of a terrible war more than 15 years ago. The book talks about the families typical day running a store in Guatemala City and what it is like to be Chinese in Guatemala. The children of the book play games on the rooftop terrace and around the city. The family tries to follow Chinese traditions, but also speaks Spanish and has Spanish names that the citizens know them by. The family closes for lunch like the people do in Guatemala, and eat food cooked in a Chinese wok that can be eaten in flour tortillas. The story is written in English, but incorporates Spanish vocab words and the names of the characters are Spanish names.
The pictures really add a lot to this book. The pages are filled with colorful images that remind me of Spanish culture and going to Mexico. On some two page layouts in the book one whole side will show a picture of what is happening in the paragraph on the opposite page so it is very easy to imagine what the author is telling you about in her writing. Some pages also contain Chinese characters on them as to tie both cultures together much like the family in the story has to do.
This would be a nice book to help students be introduced to some Spanish vocab words. It would also be interesting to use when learning about communities and that many different types of citizens make-up a community no matter where in the world you live.
The family in this story seemed to have adapted to the Guatemalan culture, but the family still hung on to some of their own traditions. Students could discuss how it might be hard for people of other cultures to move to places that are very different from where they originally came from to gain a better understanding of how immigrants sometimes have a hard time adjusting.
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Tales from Grimm revised
Title: Tales from Grimm
ISBN:0-8166-4936-7
Translated and Illustrated by: Wanda Gag
Date of publication:1936
Award won: Caldecott Honor and Newbery Honor winner
Age recommendation: 9-12
Group represented: A variety of characters from many places. People and Animal's represented
Summary revised:
Tales from Grimm is a collection of fairy tales that has been translated and made into a book by Wanda Gag. The Grimm fairy tales are 209 fairy tales that were collected by the Grimm brothers and this book is a selection of those. All the fairy tales are German in origin and contain lessons within them and/or happy endings. The stories are fantasy and contain fun tales about children, adults or even animals. One of the more famous stories is Hansel and Gretel which is about a brother and sister who are sent away into the woods by their stepmother to be captured by a witch with a house made out of candy. Hansel and Gretel out smart the old witch and are eventually reunited with their father and their stepmother has gone away. All the characters live happily ever after together. I found that most of the stories I read in Tales from Grimm had the main characters, who were the underdog, living happily ever after. Other examples of this was when a musician group of animals sets out to start a new life together because their former owners don't want them any longer. The animal musicians stumble upon an old house along the way, scare away the thiefs living inside, and are able to live out the rest of their lives together happily. Another story is about on orphan girl who lives alone after her grandmother dies. She has a spindle, needle, and shuttle that magically turn her and her shabby cottage into something that is desired by a prince. The area prince marries her and they live together happily.
These stories could be used in a classroom when studying old fairy tales. The students could be assigned to have to make-up their own fairy tales and the class could make their own book of fairy tales to put in the school library. These fairy tales don't really teach a lesson as some due, this book could be used when teaching a lesson on different types of stories and what stories are or could be used for. A lot of these stories illustrate people that are poor at the beginning, but good things happen to them and they live happily in the end. Students could be assigned to make a book of short fairy tales. Students could act out some of the Grimm tales in class.
ISBN:0-8166-4936-7
Translated and Illustrated by: Wanda Gag
Date of publication:1936
Award won: Caldecott Honor and Newbery Honor winner
Age recommendation: 9-12
Group represented: A variety of characters from many places. People and Animal's represented
Summary revised:
Tales from Grimm is a collection of fairy tales that has been translated and made into a book by Wanda Gag. The Grimm fairy tales are 209 fairy tales that were collected by the Grimm brothers and this book is a selection of those. All the fairy tales are German in origin and contain lessons within them and/or happy endings. The stories are fantasy and contain fun tales about children, adults or even animals. One of the more famous stories is Hansel and Gretel which is about a brother and sister who are sent away into the woods by their stepmother to be captured by a witch with a house made out of candy. Hansel and Gretel out smart the old witch and are eventually reunited with their father and their stepmother has gone away. All the characters live happily ever after together. I found that most of the stories I read in Tales from Grimm had the main characters, who were the underdog, living happily ever after. Other examples of this was when a musician group of animals sets out to start a new life together because their former owners don't want them any longer. The animal musicians stumble upon an old house along the way, scare away the thiefs living inside, and are able to live out the rest of their lives together happily. Another story is about on orphan girl who lives alone after her grandmother dies. She has a spindle, needle, and shuttle that magically turn her and her shabby cottage into something that is desired by a prince. The area prince marries her and they live together happily.
These stories could be used in a classroom when studying old fairy tales. The students could be assigned to have to make-up their own fairy tales and the class could make their own book of fairy tales to put in the school library. These fairy tales don't really teach a lesson as some due, this book could be used when teaching a lesson on different types of stories and what stories are or could be used for. A lot of these stories illustrate people that are poor at the beginning, but good things happen to them and they live happily in the end. Students could be assigned to make a book of short fairy tales. Students could act out some of the Grimm tales in class.
Number the Stars
Title: Number the Stars
ISBN:0440413281
Date of Publication:1989
Author: Lowis Lowry
Award Won: Newbery Award
Age recommendation: Ages 9 and up
Group Represented: families, Jewish and Christian, living in Denmark during Nazi occupation
Number the Stars takes place in Denmark during World War II when the Nazi soldiers occupied the country. The main characters are the Rosens, a Jewish family, and the Johansens, a Christian family. Two girls, Ellen Rosen and Annemarie Johansen , are best friends and live in the same apartment building. The Rosens soon learn that the Nazi soldiers have started closing Jewish run businesses and taking Jewish families away. The Rosens are trying to escape to Sweden before the Germans can send them to a concentration camp. The Johansen's are going to help the Rosens. Mrs. Johansen's brother is a fisherman who lives in the country. They go to his house and he agrees to take them on his boat. The Rosen's, along with some other Jewish families, sail across the Baltic Sea to Sweden where they can be free. The journey is dangerous, but they make it. Before they sail it is discovered that Mr. Rosen dropped a handkerchief, with a special scent on it that keeps Nazi guard dogs away, in the woods during the night journey to the boat. Annemarie has to take the handkerchief secretly to her uncle before he can leave. She makes it safely even after being stopped by soldiers, because of her bravery the Rosens make it across.
This book would be a really good book to use when teaching about the Holocaust, or World War II. It could also be used when studying time periods to learn about all the different events that happened in history in the 1940's in different parts of the world. It could be used in a lesson on bravery.
ISBN:0440413281
Date of Publication:1989
Author: Lowis Lowry
Award Won: Newbery Award
Age recommendation: Ages 9 and up
Group Represented: families, Jewish and Christian, living in Denmark during Nazi occupation
Number the Stars takes place in Denmark during World War II when the Nazi soldiers occupied the country. The main characters are the Rosens, a Jewish family, and the Johansens, a Christian family. Two girls, Ellen Rosen and Annemarie Johansen , are best friends and live in the same apartment building. The Rosens soon learn that the Nazi soldiers have started closing Jewish run businesses and taking Jewish families away. The Rosens are trying to escape to Sweden before the Germans can send them to a concentration camp. The Johansen's are going to help the Rosens. Mrs. Johansen's brother is a fisherman who lives in the country. They go to his house and he agrees to take them on his boat. The Rosen's, along with some other Jewish families, sail across the Baltic Sea to Sweden where they can be free. The journey is dangerous, but they make it. Before they sail it is discovered that Mr. Rosen dropped a handkerchief, with a special scent on it that keeps Nazi guard dogs away, in the woods during the night journey to the boat. Annemarie has to take the handkerchief secretly to her uncle before he can leave. She makes it safely even after being stopped by soldiers, because of her bravery the Rosens make it across.
This book would be a really good book to use when teaching about the Holocaust, or World War II. It could also be used when studying time periods to learn about all the different events that happened in history in the 1940's in different parts of the world. It could be used in a lesson on bravery.
Bud, Not Buddy
Title: Bud, Not Buddy
ISBN:0385323069
Author: Christopher Paul Curtis
Award Won: Newbery Award
Age recommendation: ages 9 and up
Group Represented: African Americans, orphan children
Date of Publication:1999
Summary:
Bud, Not Buddy takes place in Flint Michigan, and Grand Rapids Michigan, during the great depression. Bud became on orphan when his mother fell ill and died when he was six years old. He lives in a home for boys, but is soon sent to a foster home where things don't go so well. After being locked in a shed for a night at his foster home, Bud escapes. He is determined to find his long lost father which he knows little about. He has some old rocks with writing on them and some old posters of Herman E. Calloway, a famous fiddle player, that he feels are links to his past. He sets out to find this Herman who he believes is his father. Bud makes it to Grand Rapids to where Herman lives by walking and hitch hiking. Bud soon discovers that Herman is not his father, but his grandfather after he finds Herman has many rocks just like the ones his mother used to keep with dates and cities written on them. Bud's arrival is the first time Herman has heard of his daughter's death. Herman and his band let Bud live with them, they take care of him, and he soon becomes a musician. Something that he discovers is in his blood.
This would be an interesting book to have students read during a social studies lesson on the Great Depression. It could also be used to teach about segregation as some references are made about separate, but equal situations in the book. For example, Herman's band always needs one white person in it to schedule all the shows and so Herman's club can be under his name.During the time period the book is written in African Americans were not allowed to own property.
ISBN:0385323069
Author: Christopher Paul Curtis
Award Won: Newbery Award
Age recommendation: ages 9 and up
Group Represented: African Americans, orphan children
Date of Publication:1999
Summary:
Bud, Not Buddy takes place in Flint Michigan, and Grand Rapids Michigan, during the great depression. Bud became on orphan when his mother fell ill and died when he was six years old. He lives in a home for boys, but is soon sent to a foster home where things don't go so well. After being locked in a shed for a night at his foster home, Bud escapes. He is determined to find his long lost father which he knows little about. He has some old rocks with writing on them and some old posters of Herman E. Calloway, a famous fiddle player, that he feels are links to his past. He sets out to find this Herman who he believes is his father. Bud makes it to Grand Rapids to where Herman lives by walking and hitch hiking. Bud soon discovers that Herman is not his father, but his grandfather after he finds Herman has many rocks just like the ones his mother used to keep with dates and cities written on them. Bud's arrival is the first time Herman has heard of his daughter's death. Herman and his band let Bud live with them, they take care of him, and he soon becomes a musician. Something that he discovers is in his blood.
This would be an interesting book to have students read during a social studies lesson on the Great Depression. It could also be used to teach about segregation as some references are made about separate, but equal situations in the book. For example, Herman's band always needs one white person in it to schedule all the shows and so Herman's club can be under his name.During the time period the book is written in African Americans were not allowed to own property.
Saturday, February 6, 2010
The City of Ember
Title: The City of Ember
ISBN:0375822747
Author: Jeanne DuPrau
Award Won: American Library Association Notable Book
Age recommendation: ages 9 and up
Group Represented: Citizens of Ember, race is not mentioned
The story is about two main characters Lina and Doon, who live in the city of Ember. The two characters are given work assignments at the age of 12 after they finish what the city says is their education. Lina is given the assignment to work in Pipeworks and fix the cities water pipes and leaks and Doon is given the job assignment of messenger. Doon trades with Lina because he wants to know more about the river that helps to pump water into the city and gives the town electricity. Doon wants to help the city come up with a solution to their shortage of light bulbs and their weakening water system. The city also experiences many black outs and their electric system is slowly failing. Their pipes are old and the generator is breaking as well. The city does not have a sky and sun and only gets light from the many street lights in the city that only stay on for a period of time each day. The citizens do not have knowledge of flashlights or candles and cannot explore areas outside of Ember because of this reason. One day when Lina's grandmother is sorting through her closet she finds her baby sister Poppy with an old box and a strange piece of paper that she has begun to tear up. Lina takes what is left of the paper and tries to piece it together. She soon discovers that the piece of paper are important instructions for the way out of Ember. Lina and Doon follow the instructions and find a room full of boats, candles, and matches in the pipeworks. The instructions tell them to take the boat down the river to a new place for them to live. After they learn that the mayor is hording supplies Lina and Doon decide to follow the directions and find the new land to help save the people of Ember. Lina and Doon take the boats down the river and through a strange tunnel and discover a new place with a sun and a sky. They realize that Ember is a city underground and that is why they only had light from street lamps. They drop a message out into the darkness to the people of Ember that they have found a new place to save the citizens of Ember.
This could be used in a science fiction unit for kids. It could also be used in a unit on saving the environment. The students could read the book and understand how important the environment is and how they should appreciate all that the plant has to offer.
ISBN:0375822747
Author: Jeanne DuPrau
Award Won: American Library Association Notable Book
Age recommendation: ages 9 and up
Group Represented: Citizens of Ember, race is not mentioned
The story is about two main characters Lina and Doon, who live in the city of Ember. The two characters are given work assignments at the age of 12 after they finish what the city says is their education. Lina is given the assignment to work in Pipeworks and fix the cities water pipes and leaks and Doon is given the job assignment of messenger. Doon trades with Lina because he wants to know more about the river that helps to pump water into the city and gives the town electricity. Doon wants to help the city come up with a solution to their shortage of light bulbs and their weakening water system. The city also experiences many black outs and their electric system is slowly failing. Their pipes are old and the generator is breaking as well. The city does not have a sky and sun and only gets light from the many street lights in the city that only stay on for a period of time each day. The citizens do not have knowledge of flashlights or candles and cannot explore areas outside of Ember because of this reason. One day when Lina's grandmother is sorting through her closet she finds her baby sister Poppy with an old box and a strange piece of paper that she has begun to tear up. Lina takes what is left of the paper and tries to piece it together. She soon discovers that the piece of paper are important instructions for the way out of Ember. Lina and Doon follow the instructions and find a room full of boats, candles, and matches in the pipeworks. The instructions tell them to take the boat down the river to a new place for them to live. After they learn that the mayor is hording supplies Lina and Doon decide to follow the directions and find the new land to help save the people of Ember. Lina and Doon take the boats down the river and through a strange tunnel and discover a new place with a sun and a sky. They realize that Ember is a city underground and that is why they only had light from street lamps. They drop a message out into the darkness to the people of Ember that they have found a new place to save the citizens of Ember.
This could be used in a science fiction unit for kids. It could also be used in a unit on saving the environment. The students could read the book and understand how important the environment is and how they should appreciate all that the plant has to offer.
Charlotte's Web
Title: Charlotte's Web
ISBN:0064410935
Author:E.B. White
Award Won: Newbery Honor Book and Laura Ingalls Wilder Medal
Age group recommendation: Ages 5 and up
Group represented: 2 Farm families and their animals, families are Caucasian
Summary:
This is the story of Wilbur a pig that is being raised on Zuckerman's farm. Wilbur was the runt of a liter of pigs that were born to Fern's father . She convinced her dad not to kill Wilbur and that she would take care of him. When Wilbur was old enough he was sent to live on the Zuckerman's farm, Fern's aunt and uncle, because her father did not want to feed him. On the farm Wilbur is lonely and befriends the spider who has woven her web above his pen. Her name is Charlotte and she is very nice to Wilbur and very smart. Wilbur discovers that Mr. Zuckerman is fattening him up so they can kill him around Christmas time. Wilbur is so depressed by this news that Charlotte decides that she is going to save him. She thinks long and hard and comes up with an idea and asks Templeton, the farm rat, to go the the dump and bring back wrappers and labels from old food. She uses the words that she learns from the labels to write messages about Wilbur in her web to persuade Mr. Zuckerman not to kill Wilbur. All the people are so surprised and amazed by this, that Wilbur gets entered in the state fair because he is so famous and wins. The Zuckermans are so proud of their pig Wilbur that he gets to live out his long life on the farm. Charlotte dies at the fair, which makes Wilbur sad, but Wilbur takes her eggs back to the farm with him and 3 of her children stay on the farm to be with Wilbur.
This book could be used in a lesson on fiction books, on books about farm life or how a farm runs. It could also be used in a unit on alliteration, stories that make animals into characters with human characteristics because all of the animals in the book that talk and have human qualities.
ISBN:0064410935
Author:E.B. White
Award Won: Newbery Honor Book and Laura Ingalls Wilder Medal
Age group recommendation: Ages 5 and up
Group represented: 2 Farm families and their animals, families are Caucasian
Summary:
This is the story of Wilbur a pig that is being raised on Zuckerman's farm. Wilbur was the runt of a liter of pigs that were born to Fern's father . She convinced her dad not to kill Wilbur and that she would take care of him. When Wilbur was old enough he was sent to live on the Zuckerman's farm, Fern's aunt and uncle, because her father did not want to feed him. On the farm Wilbur is lonely and befriends the spider who has woven her web above his pen. Her name is Charlotte and she is very nice to Wilbur and very smart. Wilbur discovers that Mr. Zuckerman is fattening him up so they can kill him around Christmas time. Wilbur is so depressed by this news that Charlotte decides that she is going to save him. She thinks long and hard and comes up with an idea and asks Templeton, the farm rat, to go the the dump and bring back wrappers and labels from old food. She uses the words that she learns from the labels to write messages about Wilbur in her web to persuade Mr. Zuckerman not to kill Wilbur. All the people are so surprised and amazed by this, that Wilbur gets entered in the state fair because he is so famous and wins. The Zuckermans are so proud of their pig Wilbur that he gets to live out his long life on the farm. Charlotte dies at the fair, which makes Wilbur sad, but Wilbur takes her eggs back to the farm with him and 3 of her children stay on the farm to be with Wilbur.
This book could be used in a lesson on fiction books, on books about farm life or how a farm runs. It could also be used in a unit on alliteration, stories that make animals into characters with human characteristics because all of the animals in the book that talk and have human qualities.
The Giver
Title: The Giver
ISBN: 9780395645666
Author: Lois Lowry
Award Won: Newbery Medal
Age recommendation: Ages 9-12
Group represented: a group of citizens living in a society set in the future. About a 12 year old boy and his family unit
Summary:
This book is about a society that is set in the future. The people of the society have been made all the same and they do not get to make any choices for themselves. Their clothing, family unit, and food is all decided for them. Everything is decided for them by the elders and committee members. All the citizens have set things that happen to them depending on how old they are in a given year. The main character is Johnas and he is turning 12, which is the year that your adult job in the community is given to you. He receives the assignment of receiver of memory and does a years worth of training with the giver of memory. He takes lots of memories in, some painful and some that make him very happy. He learns of colors and that people once had choices and everyone was not the same. He learns of families and love and is determined to change things and make the citizens aware of what they are missing out on. He devises a plan with the Giver that he will leave the city and travel far beyond to "Elsewhere". An unknown place that he is sure exists beyond the communities. When he leaves the citizens will have to endure the memories that he once held and will know of color and emotion. He takes with him some food and baby Gabriel. Gabriel is a baby that was born a year ago, but is behind on his development in the community, and is scheduled to be put to death or "released" from the community the following day. Johnas can't bear the thought of Gabriel being "released". Johnas and Gabriel set off on their journey hiding from search crews and almost starving to death until they reach the bottom of a hill. At the bottom their is a house full of family and friends to greet them and take them into a place where they can have feelings and see color. This is just one interpretation of the ending. The author makes it unclear as to what really happens when they reach the bottom of the hill on their sled but hints at them finding a new family.
This would be an interesting book to use in a social studies lesson about how communities function, how the governments of communities work to serve the citizens, and how citizens interact with each other and help the city run. The students could develop their own communities with their own set of rules and write a report about all the daily happenings and assignements that would be needed to make the city function.
The students could also write their own ending to the book because the ending is vague.
ISBN: 9780395645666
Author: Lois Lowry
Award Won: Newbery Medal
Age recommendation: Ages 9-12
Group represented: a group of citizens living in a society set in the future. About a 12 year old boy and his family unit
Summary:
This book is about a society that is set in the future. The people of the society have been made all the same and they do not get to make any choices for themselves. Their clothing, family unit, and food is all decided for them. Everything is decided for them by the elders and committee members. All the citizens have set things that happen to them depending on how old they are in a given year. The main character is Johnas and he is turning 12, which is the year that your adult job in the community is given to you. He receives the assignment of receiver of memory and does a years worth of training with the giver of memory. He takes lots of memories in, some painful and some that make him very happy. He learns of colors and that people once had choices and everyone was not the same. He learns of families and love and is determined to change things and make the citizens aware of what they are missing out on. He devises a plan with the Giver that he will leave the city and travel far beyond to "Elsewhere". An unknown place that he is sure exists beyond the communities. When he leaves the citizens will have to endure the memories that he once held and will know of color and emotion. He takes with him some food and baby Gabriel. Gabriel is a baby that was born a year ago, but is behind on his development in the community, and is scheduled to be put to death or "released" from the community the following day. Johnas can't bear the thought of Gabriel being "released". Johnas and Gabriel set off on their journey hiding from search crews and almost starving to death until they reach the bottom of a hill. At the bottom their is a house full of family and friends to greet them and take them into a place where they can have feelings and see color. This is just one interpretation of the ending. The author makes it unclear as to what really happens when they reach the bottom of the hill on their sled but hints at them finding a new family.
This would be an interesting book to use in a social studies lesson about how communities function, how the governments of communities work to serve the citizens, and how citizens interact with each other and help the city run. The students could develop their own communities with their own set of rules and write a report about all the daily happenings and assignements that would be needed to make the city function.
The students could also write their own ending to the book because the ending is vague.
The Snowy Day
Title: The Snowy Day
ISBN: 0140501827
Author: Ezra Jack Keats
Award Won: The Caledecott Medal
Age Group:Ages 2 and up
Group represented: an african american family and other children in the neighorhood
Summary:
This story is about a young boy named Peter. He wakes up one day to a snow filled world that he sees from his bedroom window. A lot of snow had fallen while he was sleeping during the night. Peter is so excited that after his breakfast he gets dressed in his snowsuit and goes outside to explore. He has a good time making patterns in the snow with his foot prints and a stick. He comes across other children having a snowball fight, but knows he is too young to join. He climbs up big piles of snow and slids down them and he even makes a giant snowball that he thinks he can keep for later. He brings the snowball inside with him, only to realize that the snowball has melted away. After a night of dreams filled with warm sunshine he calls to his friend to go out and play once again in the snow. New snow had fallen again while is was fast a sleep.
An obvious use of this book could be to use it during a weather unit and talk about all the things that happen outside when snow begins to fall. Teachers could also use this book to talk about different types of families because it appears that Peter lives in an apartment building with just his mother and has no siblings that are talked about in the book.
The book could also be used during a health unit to talk about different types of outdoor activites that can be done during all seasons to keep people active and healthy.
ISBN: 0140501827
Author: Ezra Jack Keats
Award Won: The Caledecott Medal
Age Group:Ages 2 and up
Group represented: an african american family and other children in the neighorhood
Summary:
This story is about a young boy named Peter. He wakes up one day to a snow filled world that he sees from his bedroom window. A lot of snow had fallen while he was sleeping during the night. Peter is so excited that after his breakfast he gets dressed in his snowsuit and goes outside to explore. He has a good time making patterns in the snow with his foot prints and a stick. He comes across other children having a snowball fight, but knows he is too young to join. He climbs up big piles of snow and slids down them and he even makes a giant snowball that he thinks he can keep for later. He brings the snowball inside with him, only to realize that the snowball has melted away. After a night of dreams filled with warm sunshine he calls to his friend to go out and play once again in the snow. New snow had fallen again while is was fast a sleep.
An obvious use of this book could be to use it during a weather unit and talk about all the things that happen outside when snow begins to fall. Teachers could also use this book to talk about different types of families because it appears that Peter lives in an apartment building with just his mother and has no siblings that are talked about in the book.
The book could also be used during a health unit to talk about different types of outdoor activites that can be done during all seasons to keep people active and healthy.
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Title: The Wall
ISBN:0-395-51588-2
Author: Eve Bunting, Illustrator: Ronald Himler
Date of publication:1990
Award won: Eve Bunting is a Caldecott Medal winner
Age recommendation:6-9
Group represented: Soliders in the Vietnam War, their families, the men and women of the United States
The Wall by Bunting tells of a young boy and his father who take a trip to visit The Vietnam Veterans Memorial. This wall honors the soliders of the armed forces who lost their lives in battle. The memorial is located in Washington DC. There are more than 58,000 names on this wall according to Bunting's book. The father in the book brings his son to the wall to search for his father's name, his son's grandpa, who died in the war. It takes them along time to find his name and when they do it is a sad time for them. The boy and his father wish their dad and grandpa could be with them today. Many other people come to visit the wall while they are standing there, all for different reasons. When the father and son leave, the father leaves a picture of his son so his dad can see his grandson.
This would be a good book to teach students about the history of wars in the United States. It could also be used to teach students about Washington DC and how many historical momuments there are to visit and how much history there is to see. It could be used to teach about the sad things that sometimes happen during wars. Also, that not all kids have grandparents, every family is unique.
ISBN:0-395-51588-2
Author: Eve Bunting, Illustrator: Ronald Himler
Date of publication:1990
Award won: Eve Bunting is a Caldecott Medal winner
Age recommendation:6-9
Group represented: Soliders in the Vietnam War, their families, the men and women of the United States
The Wall by Bunting tells of a young boy and his father who take a trip to visit The Vietnam Veterans Memorial. This wall honors the soliders of the armed forces who lost their lives in battle. The memorial is located in Washington DC. There are more than 58,000 names on this wall according to Bunting's book. The father in the book brings his son to the wall to search for his father's name, his son's grandpa, who died in the war. It takes them along time to find his name and when they do it is a sad time for them. The boy and his father wish their dad and grandpa could be with them today. Many other people come to visit the wall while they are standing there, all for different reasons. When the father and son leave, the father leaves a picture of his son so his dad can see his grandson.
This would be a good book to teach students about the history of wars in the United States. It could also be used to teach students about Washington DC and how many historical momuments there are to visit and how much history there is to see. It could be used to teach about the sad things that sometimes happen during wars. Also, that not all kids have grandparents, every family is unique.
Sylvester and the Magic Pebble (picture book)
Title: Sylvester and the Magic Pebble
ISBN:0-671-66154-x
Author and Illustrator: William Steig
Date of publication:1969
Award won: Caldecott Medal
Age recommendation: ages 4 and up
Group represented: a family of donkies with 0ther animal characters
This story is about a family of Donkies. The son, Sylvester loved to collect rocks. One day he was out in the woods and he came upon a shiney red pebble unlike any pebble he had ever seen before. He soon discovered by chance the pebble was magical and he could wish for whatever he wanted and it would happen as long as he was holding the pebble. He was on his way back home when he soon ran into a wolf and he was afraid he would be eaten. In a state of panic he wished that he was a rock so he could escape from being eaten. As soon as Sylvester became a rock he realized that he would not be able to wish himself back to a donkey. Someone would have to stumble upon the shiny red pebble and wish that Sylvester was back as a donkey. Days went by and Sylvester sank deeper into depression as the chances of someone finding him grew slimer. His parents were very sad as they looked all over for him. One day his family was having a picnic in the woods and they sat down next to Sylvester the rock. As they were eating their lunch, Sylvester's dad found the shiny red pebble and set it down on Sylvester the rock. Sylvester the rock knew his parents were next to him and longed to be back to his normal self. He wished to himself that he would turn back into a donkey and be with his family again. All of a sudden his wish was granted and he turned back into a donkey and reunited with his family. The family locked the shiney red pebble away for later use because with Sylvester home they had all they wanted at that moment.
ISBN:0-671-66154-x
Author and Illustrator: William Steig
Date of publication:1969
Award won: Caldecott Medal
Age recommendation: ages 4 and up
Group represented: a family of donkies with 0ther animal characters
This story is about a family of Donkies. The son, Sylvester loved to collect rocks. One day he was out in the woods and he came upon a shiney red pebble unlike any pebble he had ever seen before. He soon discovered by chance the pebble was magical and he could wish for whatever he wanted and it would happen as long as he was holding the pebble. He was on his way back home when he soon ran into a wolf and he was afraid he would be eaten. In a state of panic he wished that he was a rock so he could escape from being eaten. As soon as Sylvester became a rock he realized that he would not be able to wish himself back to a donkey. Someone would have to stumble upon the shiny red pebble and wish that Sylvester was back as a donkey. Days went by and Sylvester sank deeper into depression as the chances of someone finding him grew slimer. His parents were very sad as they looked all over for him. One day his family was having a picnic in the woods and they sat down next to Sylvester the rock. As they were eating their lunch, Sylvester's dad found the shiny red pebble and set it down on Sylvester the rock. Sylvester the rock knew his parents were next to him and longed to be back to his normal self. He wished to himself that he would turn back into a donkey and be with his family again. All of a sudden his wish was granted and he turned back into a donkey and reunited with his family. The family locked the shiney red pebble away for later use because with Sylvester home they had all they wanted at that moment.
This book could be used in a classroom if students were talking about family members who have had to go away for a while and how that makes people feel.
It could also be used with students to talk about the different things that people collect. Students could be asked to share collections that they have or be asked to start a collection of things on their own. Maybe it could go along with a unit on rocks and students could be asked to collect different rocks and identify things about them.
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Tales from Grimm
Title: Tales from Grimm
ISBN:0-8166-4936-7
Translated and Illustrated by: Wanda Gag
Date of publication:1936
Award won: Caldecott Honor and Newbery Honor winner
Age recommendation: 9-12
Group represented: A variety of characters from many places. People and Animal's represented
I read five stories out of Tales from Grimm.
Hansel and Gretel:
Hansel and Gretel tells about a family of four living in a hut in the woods. The family consisted of a Dad, who was a woodchooper, a step mother, and 2 children, Hansel and Gretel. Times were hard for the family and the woodchopper was having a hard time earning enough money to feed his family. When their food supply got very low the stepmother convinced the father, although he did not want his children to go, that they should take the children out into the woods and leave them there to live on their own. The mother and father could not afford to feed them any longer. Hansel the older son overheard his father and step-mother's conversation and decided to think of a plan so he and his sister could find their way back to the house. When everyone was asleep Hansel snuck outside and filled his pockets with pebbles. The next day as Hansel was walking he made a trail of pebbles. When Hansel and Gretel were left in the woods by themselves that day, tricked by their parents, they were able to follow the pebble path back home. When the children arrived home their father was able to earn enough money for a while to keep them. When the food supply got low again the step mother convinced the father that they had to try and get rid of the kids again. Hansel also over heard this conversation, but when he went to sneak out this time to get more pebbles, the door was locked and he could not get out. This time as the family went into the foods, Hansel decided to leave a trail of bread crumbs behind because that was all he had. When Hansel and Gretel went to try and follow the path back, they realized that their trail had been eaten by the birds. The two children were lost and wondered around in the forest until they came to a house made out of candy. The children began eating the house and then an old lady appeared who turned out to be a witch. The children trusted the old lady to care for them, but shortly after they arrived in her home they realized she was out to eat Hansel. She locked him in a goose coop outside and made Gretel cook lots of food to try and fatten him up. Finally, one day, Gretel got the witch to show her how to look in the oven to see it the food was done. While the witch was demonstrating this Gretel pushed the witch into the over and killed her. Then some bird friends they had made appeared and gave the children jewels for the bread crumbs they had left before that the birds had eaten. The little white bird that had helped them home before lead the children back to their house. Upon arriving home the children found their father alone and gave him all their new jewels and the family never had to worry about food or money again. The step mother had left the father because he was so sad that his children were gone.
Cat and Mouse Keep House:
This story is about a cat and a mouse that end up living together. The cat met the mouse and did not feel like eating him on one particular day. The cat and mouse set-up a house together in a dark corner of a barn that was padded with straw. The cat and mouse decided that they were going to be able to find a lot of food while it was warm out, but they wanted to plan ahead for winter. They got a can of lard and decided to hide it in a church under the alter so they would not eat it until winter. The cat got hungry, however, and lied to the mouse and told him he had to go to christenings of new family members that were being born into his family. Each time the cat would go to the church, he would eat part of the can of lard. The mouse never found out about what the cat was doing. One day when it got cold outside the mouse wanted to go the the church and eat some of the lard. The cat and mouse went to the church only to find the empty can in the place they had hidden it. The mouse put all things together and realized that the cat had been sneaking off and eating the lard. The mouse said oh I get it now, the names of the new baby kittens, Top-off, Half-gone and All-gone, just as the mouse was about to say the last name the cat got angry and at the mouse "All-gone."
Spindle, Shuttle and Needle:
This story is about a orphan girl who lived with her godmother at the edge of a village in a small cottage. They are poor and do not have much. The godmother became older and then died leaving the girl the little cottage and a spindle, shuttle and needle. The girl lived alone in the cottage and went about her daily work to keep food on her table. One day there was word that a prince was looking for a bride. He did not care for rich girls and his father would not let him marry a poor girl so he decided to look for someone that was both poor and rich. When the prince came to town to greet the richest girl in the village he was displeased with her because she was not poor and rich. He then asked to meet the poorest girl in the village and we brought to the orphan's cottage. The girl was so taken back by the prince that she could hardly look at him out her window. She was so happy after seeing that prince that she begins to sing to her spindle, needle, and shuttle. The spindle sets off magically to catch the prince and bring him back to her cottage, the shuttle goes out the door and begins to make a red carpet for the prince outside the cottage door, and the needle begins to make curtains and table clothes and fine things to spruce up the cottage. The prince is lead back to the cottage and sees the red carpet and all the fine things around the cottage and realizes that this is the girl he has been looking to marry. She is poor, but is still rich.
Doctor Know it All:
This story tells of a poor peasant named fish, he sets out in the village to sell the wood he has chopped down and comes upon a Doctor's Office. He asks the doctor what he needs to do in order to become a doctor himself because he sees that the doctor has fine things and good food to eat. The doctor tells the peasant that he needs to sell his things and use the money to buy a book of ABC's , jars of medicines and herbs, fine clothes, and a sign that says "Doctor know it all." The peasant sells his cart and ox and does all the things that the doctor tells him to do. Time goes by and a rich lord hears of this "doctor know it all" and asks him to help find his money that was stolen from him because he is supposed to know everything. The peasant accepts and is invited to the lord's house for dinner. When the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd courses come out from the kitchen during dinner the peasant, named Fish, leans over and comments to his wife, that "this is the first one" meaning the first course, but the servant who is also the thief thinks that the peasant is on to him and must know that he has committed these crimes. This goes on for all three courses until the servants think that the Peasant knows his secret and they tell him that if he keeps the secret that they will tell him where the money is hidden. The peasant ends up proving to the lord that he knows where the money is and also what is hidden in the final course dish without looking just by pure luck and not really because he knows anything at all. Word spreads about what great work the peasant "Doctor know it all" has done for the lord and the lord and his wife lived happily and had plenty of wealth and good things to eat.
The Musicians of Bremen:
This story is about a donkey, who meets a dog, and then a cat, and then a rooster, all on his way to Bremen to become a musician. All of the animals were getting older and were no longer needed or wanted by their owners anymore. They all decided that they were going to move to Bremen and become musicians to earn their way and live out the rest of their lives. While traveling to Bremen they got very tired and hungry and wanted to stop and eat. They came upon this house and inside were a bunch of robbers eating a feast. The animals decided that if they are came into the house at one time making lots of noise it would scare the robbers out of the house and they could eat the food. There plan worked and the robbers were so scared they ran out of the house and into the woods because they thought demons were haunting the house. All the animals made themselves comfortable for the night and fell asleep. One robber was sent back into the house to see if it was clear to enter and got so startled by the animals sleeping in various places around the house that he thought for sure the whole place was haunted. The robbers never returned to the house again and all the animals lived happily ever after until the end of their lives.
These stories could be used in a classroom when studying old fairy tales. The students could be assigned to have to make-up their own fairy tales and the class could make their own book of fairy tales to put in the school library. These fairy tales don't really teach a lesson as some due, this book could be used when teaching a lesson on different types of stories and what stories are or could be used for. A lot of these stories illustrate people that are poor at the beginning, but good things happen to them and they live happily in the end. Students could be assigned to make a book of short fairy tales. Students could act out some of the Grimm tales in class.
ISBN:0-8166-4936-7
Translated and Illustrated by: Wanda Gag
Date of publication:1936
Award won: Caldecott Honor and Newbery Honor winner
Age recommendation: 9-12
Group represented: A variety of characters from many places. People and Animal's represented
I read five stories out of Tales from Grimm.
Hansel and Gretel:
Hansel and Gretel tells about a family of four living in a hut in the woods. The family consisted of a Dad, who was a woodchooper, a step mother, and 2 children, Hansel and Gretel. Times were hard for the family and the woodchopper was having a hard time earning enough money to feed his family. When their food supply got very low the stepmother convinced the father, although he did not want his children to go, that they should take the children out into the woods and leave them there to live on their own. The mother and father could not afford to feed them any longer. Hansel the older son overheard his father and step-mother's conversation and decided to think of a plan so he and his sister could find their way back to the house. When everyone was asleep Hansel snuck outside and filled his pockets with pebbles. The next day as Hansel was walking he made a trail of pebbles. When Hansel and Gretel were left in the woods by themselves that day, tricked by their parents, they were able to follow the pebble path back home. When the children arrived home their father was able to earn enough money for a while to keep them. When the food supply got low again the step mother convinced the father that they had to try and get rid of the kids again. Hansel also over heard this conversation, but when he went to sneak out this time to get more pebbles, the door was locked and he could not get out. This time as the family went into the foods, Hansel decided to leave a trail of bread crumbs behind because that was all he had. When Hansel and Gretel went to try and follow the path back, they realized that their trail had been eaten by the birds. The two children were lost and wondered around in the forest until they came to a house made out of candy. The children began eating the house and then an old lady appeared who turned out to be a witch. The children trusted the old lady to care for them, but shortly after they arrived in her home they realized she was out to eat Hansel. She locked him in a goose coop outside and made Gretel cook lots of food to try and fatten him up. Finally, one day, Gretel got the witch to show her how to look in the oven to see it the food was done. While the witch was demonstrating this Gretel pushed the witch into the over and killed her. Then some bird friends they had made appeared and gave the children jewels for the bread crumbs they had left before that the birds had eaten. The little white bird that had helped them home before lead the children back to their house. Upon arriving home the children found their father alone and gave him all their new jewels and the family never had to worry about food or money again. The step mother had left the father because he was so sad that his children were gone.
Cat and Mouse Keep House:
This story is about a cat and a mouse that end up living together. The cat met the mouse and did not feel like eating him on one particular day. The cat and mouse set-up a house together in a dark corner of a barn that was padded with straw. The cat and mouse decided that they were going to be able to find a lot of food while it was warm out, but they wanted to plan ahead for winter. They got a can of lard and decided to hide it in a church under the alter so they would not eat it until winter. The cat got hungry, however, and lied to the mouse and told him he had to go to christenings of new family members that were being born into his family. Each time the cat would go to the church, he would eat part of the can of lard. The mouse never found out about what the cat was doing. One day when it got cold outside the mouse wanted to go the the church and eat some of the lard. The cat and mouse went to the church only to find the empty can in the place they had hidden it. The mouse put all things together and realized that the cat had been sneaking off and eating the lard. The mouse said oh I get it now, the names of the new baby kittens, Top-off, Half-gone and All-gone, just as the mouse was about to say the last name the cat got angry and at the mouse "All-gone."
Spindle, Shuttle and Needle:
This story is about a orphan girl who lived with her godmother at the edge of a village in a small cottage. They are poor and do not have much. The godmother became older and then died leaving the girl the little cottage and a spindle, shuttle and needle. The girl lived alone in the cottage and went about her daily work to keep food on her table. One day there was word that a prince was looking for a bride. He did not care for rich girls and his father would not let him marry a poor girl so he decided to look for someone that was both poor and rich. When the prince came to town to greet the richest girl in the village he was displeased with her because she was not poor and rich. He then asked to meet the poorest girl in the village and we brought to the orphan's cottage. The girl was so taken back by the prince that she could hardly look at him out her window. She was so happy after seeing that prince that she begins to sing to her spindle, needle, and shuttle. The spindle sets off magically to catch the prince and bring him back to her cottage, the shuttle goes out the door and begins to make a red carpet for the prince outside the cottage door, and the needle begins to make curtains and table clothes and fine things to spruce up the cottage. The prince is lead back to the cottage and sees the red carpet and all the fine things around the cottage and realizes that this is the girl he has been looking to marry. She is poor, but is still rich.
Doctor Know it All:
This story tells of a poor peasant named fish, he sets out in the village to sell the wood he has chopped down and comes upon a Doctor's Office. He asks the doctor what he needs to do in order to become a doctor himself because he sees that the doctor has fine things and good food to eat. The doctor tells the peasant that he needs to sell his things and use the money to buy a book of ABC's , jars of medicines and herbs, fine clothes, and a sign that says "Doctor know it all." The peasant sells his cart and ox and does all the things that the doctor tells him to do. Time goes by and a rich lord hears of this "doctor know it all" and asks him to help find his money that was stolen from him because he is supposed to know everything. The peasant accepts and is invited to the lord's house for dinner. When the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd courses come out from the kitchen during dinner the peasant, named Fish, leans over and comments to his wife, that "this is the first one" meaning the first course, but the servant who is also the thief thinks that the peasant is on to him and must know that he has committed these crimes. This goes on for all three courses until the servants think that the Peasant knows his secret and they tell him that if he keeps the secret that they will tell him where the money is hidden. The peasant ends up proving to the lord that he knows where the money is and also what is hidden in the final course dish without looking just by pure luck and not really because he knows anything at all. Word spreads about what great work the peasant "Doctor know it all" has done for the lord and the lord and his wife lived happily and had plenty of wealth and good things to eat.
The Musicians of Bremen:
This story is about a donkey, who meets a dog, and then a cat, and then a rooster, all on his way to Bremen to become a musician. All of the animals were getting older and were no longer needed or wanted by their owners anymore. They all decided that they were going to move to Bremen and become musicians to earn their way and live out the rest of their lives. While traveling to Bremen they got very tired and hungry and wanted to stop and eat. They came upon this house and inside were a bunch of robbers eating a feast. The animals decided that if they are came into the house at one time making lots of noise it would scare the robbers out of the house and they could eat the food. There plan worked and the robbers were so scared they ran out of the house and into the woods because they thought demons were haunting the house. All the animals made themselves comfortable for the night and fell asleep. One robber was sent back into the house to see if it was clear to enter and got so startled by the animals sleeping in various places around the house that he thought for sure the whole place was haunted. The robbers never returned to the house again and all the animals lived happily ever after until the end of their lives.
These stories could be used in a classroom when studying old fairy tales. The students could be assigned to have to make-up their own fairy tales and the class could make their own book of fairy tales to put in the school library. These fairy tales don't really teach a lesson as some due, this book could be used when teaching a lesson on different types of stories and what stories are or could be used for. A lot of these stories illustrate people that are poor at the beginning, but good things happen to them and they live happily in the end. Students could be assigned to make a book of short fairy tales. Students could act out some of the Grimm tales in class.
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Title: Red Leaf, Yellow Leaf
ISBN:978-0-06-443178-1
Author and Illustrator: Lois Ehlert
Date of publication:1991
Award won: The Caldecott Medal Honor winner, Reading Rainbow Book
Age recommendation: 4-8
Group represented: could represent all groups, or all people leaving in a climate where the seasons change.
Red Leaf, Yellow Leaf talks about the life of a tree from a child's perspective. This book first talks about how seeds from a Maple tree, that look like helicopters to me, fall to the ground and blow around during the Fall season. The seeds that the squirrels and birds don't eat get implanted into the ground and the child's tree was born in the spring. After the tree spouts came up from the ground nursery workers came and took the child's tree from the forest and brought it to a place to monitor it's growth until it was big enough to sell. The child and his dad go to the nursery in the Fall to pick out a tree for their yard. During the winter months the child hangs up bird feeders on his tree and in the spring the child looks for new growth, leaves and the tree flowers turning into seeds. Lastly the child speaks of how pretty the tree is in the fall when the leaves are red, yellow, and orange. The child in this story loves their tree!
I think this book would be an excellent book to read in an elementary classroom when doing a science unit on things of nature or learning about different parts of trees or plants. The book shows parts of trees labeled and also has a section at the end that talks about roots, buds, bark, and seeds.
This book could also be used when talking about weather in a classroom or the changing of seasons and what happens to things in nature during the different seasons. Elementary students could have an assignment to go out in nature and collect leaves and then look in books to identify all the leaves that they find and make a poster.
Students could also be assigned to make collages out of things found outside.
This book could be used when doing a unit on cleaning up and respecting the environment.The class could go to a local park and identify types of trees, or help clean-up a park, or wrap tree trunks to protect the trees. The class could learn about different birds that live in trees and make bird feeders to put in their favorite trees in their yards. The students could start a Kids for Saving Earth club that does environmentally friendly projects around school and the community.
ISBN:978-0-06-443178-1
Author and Illustrator: Lois Ehlert
Date of publication:1991
Award won: The Caldecott Medal Honor winner, Reading Rainbow Book
Age recommendation: 4-8
Group represented: could represent all groups, or all people leaving in a climate where the seasons change.
Red Leaf, Yellow Leaf talks about the life of a tree from a child's perspective. This book first talks about how seeds from a Maple tree, that look like helicopters to me, fall to the ground and blow around during the Fall season. The seeds that the squirrels and birds don't eat get implanted into the ground and the child's tree was born in the spring. After the tree spouts came up from the ground nursery workers came and took the child's tree from the forest and brought it to a place to monitor it's growth until it was big enough to sell. The child and his dad go to the nursery in the Fall to pick out a tree for their yard. During the winter months the child hangs up bird feeders on his tree and in the spring the child looks for new growth, leaves and the tree flowers turning into seeds. Lastly the child speaks of how pretty the tree is in the fall when the leaves are red, yellow, and orange. The child in this story loves their tree!
I think this book would be an excellent book to read in an elementary classroom when doing a science unit on things of nature or learning about different parts of trees or plants. The book shows parts of trees labeled and also has a section at the end that talks about roots, buds, bark, and seeds.
This book could also be used when talking about weather in a classroom or the changing of seasons and what happens to things in nature during the different seasons. Elementary students could have an assignment to go out in nature and collect leaves and then look in books to identify all the leaves that they find and make a poster.
Students could also be assigned to make collages out of things found outside.
This book could be used when doing a unit on cleaning up and respecting the environment.The class could go to a local park and identify types of trees, or help clean-up a park, or wrap tree trunks to protect the trees. The class could learn about different birds that live in trees and make bird feeders to put in their favorite trees in their yards. The students could start a Kids for Saving Earth club that does environmentally friendly projects around school and the community.
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Lon Po Po, A Red Riding Hood Story From China (A picture book that retells a folk tale)
Title: Lon Po Po, A Red Riding Hood Story From China
ISBN:0-399-21619-7
Translated and Illustrated: Ed Young
Date of publication:1989
Award won: The Caldecott Medal
Age recommendation: 4 to 8
Group represented: Chinese
This book was about three children, Shang, Tao, and Paotze. They lived in the country with their mother in China. On their grandmother's (Po Po) birthday their mother sets out to go and visit the grandmother and leaves the children at home. She tells her three children to be good while she is away. She will not return until the next day so the children should close and lock the door tight at night. A wolf that lives near by discovers that the children's mother has gone away for the night and decides to pay the children a visit. The wolf dresses up like an old woman and pretends to be the children's grandmother. The wolf knocks on the door and the children are surprised to hear that their grandmother is at the door because their mother has just gone to visit her. The children are fooled and let the wolf into their home where he immediately blows out the candles that light their home so the children can not see him. After getting into bed for the night the eldest child realizes that their "grandmother" is in fact a wolf. She convinces the wolf that he needs to eat some Ginko nuts from the tree outside their home. All three children climb to the top of the tree because the wolf tells them that he is now too old to climb. When up in the tree the eldest child tells the others that their grandmother is really the wolf disguised as an old woman. The children devise a plan and tell the wolf to go inside and get a basket so they can pull the wolf up into the tree so he too can enjoy some Ginko nuts. After trying to pull him to the top three times and dropping him three times, on purpose, the children manage to kill the wolf. After they make sure he is dead, and that they are safe, the children climb down, go into the house, and lock the door behind them. The next day their mother returned and they told her all about the wolf that came to visit them.
This book could be read in classrooms to illustrate the importance of not answering your door to strangers and to always make sure you know who you are letting into your house. It could also be read after reading Little Red Riding Hood to illustrate how stories are told in other cultures. The book could be the first in a series of books read in the classroom to talk about story telling in other parts of the world. The class could talk about how stories are developed and how folk tales are past down from generation to generation. The children could pick one of the classic folk tales and make their own version of it like Lon Po Po did with Little Red Riding Hood.
ISBN:0-399-21619-7
Translated and Illustrated: Ed Young
Date of publication:1989
Award won: The Caldecott Medal
Age recommendation: 4 to 8
Group represented: Chinese
This book was about three children, Shang, Tao, and Paotze. They lived in the country with their mother in China. On their grandmother's (Po Po) birthday their mother sets out to go and visit the grandmother and leaves the children at home. She tells her three children to be good while she is away. She will not return until the next day so the children should close and lock the door tight at night. A wolf that lives near by discovers that the children's mother has gone away for the night and decides to pay the children a visit. The wolf dresses up like an old woman and pretends to be the children's grandmother. The wolf knocks on the door and the children are surprised to hear that their grandmother is at the door because their mother has just gone to visit her. The children are fooled and let the wolf into their home where he immediately blows out the candles that light their home so the children can not see him. After getting into bed for the night the eldest child realizes that their "grandmother" is in fact a wolf. She convinces the wolf that he needs to eat some Ginko nuts from the tree outside their home. All three children climb to the top of the tree because the wolf tells them that he is now too old to climb. When up in the tree the eldest child tells the others that their grandmother is really the wolf disguised as an old woman. The children devise a plan and tell the wolf to go inside and get a basket so they can pull the wolf up into the tree so he too can enjoy some Ginko nuts. After trying to pull him to the top three times and dropping him three times, on purpose, the children manage to kill the wolf. After they make sure he is dead, and that they are safe, the children climb down, go into the house, and lock the door behind them. The next day their mother returned and they told her all about the wolf that came to visit them.
This book could be read in classrooms to illustrate the importance of not answering your door to strangers and to always make sure you know who you are letting into your house. It could also be read after reading Little Red Riding Hood to illustrate how stories are told in other cultures. The book could be the first in a series of books read in the classroom to talk about story telling in other parts of the world. The class could talk about how stories are developed and how folk tales are past down from generation to generation. The children could pick one of the classic folk tales and make their own version of it like Lon Po Po did with Little Red Riding Hood.
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
Where The Wild Things Are
Title: Where The Wild Things Are
ISBN:978-0-06-443178-1
Author and Illustrator: Maurice Sendak
Date of publication:1963
Award won: The Caldecott Medal
Age recommendation: Read aloud age 2, read alone age 6
Group represented: Caucasians
Brief Summary:
The book takes place in the bedroom of a young boy named Max. He was sent to bed without supper because he had gotten into mischief as all little boys get into at one time or another. After Max was sent to bed a forest grew in his bedroom. He sailed away to where the wild things are. Max mesmerized the Wild Things with his weapon of staring into their eyes. The Wild Things loved Max and made him their king. Max played with the Wild Things for a long time having fun. Then he told them all to stop being so wild and sent them to be without supper just as his mom had done to him. Max became lonely and missed his loved ones. He told the Wild Things that he was leaving, they were upset, but he sailed away anyways back to his room where he found his warm dinner waiting for him.
This book could facilitate discussions with students about how parents punish their children because they love them. Parents set limits for children to teach them how to behave and for their safety. Children may get upset with their parents because of these rules, but in the end the children know their parents love them. Some children get mad and want to run away from home. It can be lonely and scary when you are away from home and not as fun as you originally thought. Children could tell stories about rules that their parent's make them follow.
ISBN:978-0-06-443178-1
Author and Illustrator: Maurice Sendak
Date of publication:1963
Award won: The Caldecott Medal
Age recommendation: Read aloud age 2, read alone age 6
Group represented: Caucasians
Brief Summary:
The book takes place in the bedroom of a young boy named Max. He was sent to bed without supper because he had gotten into mischief as all little boys get into at one time or another. After Max was sent to bed a forest grew in his bedroom. He sailed away to where the wild things are. Max mesmerized the Wild Things with his weapon of staring into their eyes. The Wild Things loved Max and made him their king. Max played with the Wild Things for a long time having fun. Then he told them all to stop being so wild and sent them to be without supper just as his mom had done to him. Max became lonely and missed his loved ones. He told the Wild Things that he was leaving, they were upset, but he sailed away anyways back to his room where he found his warm dinner waiting for him.
This book could facilitate discussions with students about how parents punish their children because they love them. Parents set limits for children to teach them how to behave and for their safety. Children may get upset with their parents because of these rules, but in the end the children know their parents love them. Some children get mad and want to run away from home. It can be lonely and scary when you are away from home and not as fun as you originally thought. Children could tell stories about rules that their parent's make them follow.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)