Final Reflection

I can't believe this semester is almost over (I guess I should since it is already Thanksgiving)! I have enjoyed being immersed by so many children's books. I don't always have time to sit down and read quality literature for young kids and this class gave me that chance. I also had a chance to evaluate illustrations and their connections to text--I never realized that most authors and illustrators don't work in tandem. I guess I thought they worked together bringing their stories to life. There were lots of interesting books at the library that I couldn't possibly hope to have discovered a fraction of the great picture books out there.

Having focus weeks on certain genres and types of picture books was a good chance to read outside my normal selections. I don't often read poetry anymore, so being reconnected with Shel Silverstein and other poets was fun. I was also able to revisit several of my childhood favorite authors and their newer books--James Howe and Roald Dahl in particular.

Having the blog was a great idea because being an educator is often secluded, so being able to share great books made me feel more connected to other educators. Seeing selections from other students in the class also helped expose me to new books to read! One of my favorite things about this blog was when an author thanked me for writing a nice review for her book--it was a real reminder that people actually read what you write on these things.

Hip Hop Speaks to Children: A Celebration of Poetry with a Beat edited by Nikki Giowanni

This poetry collection has a huge list of famous influential authors. Starting with Hip Hop's stars, poems by Common, Young MC, Tupac, Mos Def, Kanye West, Queen Latifah, and Lauren Hill were included. Many of these are artists our young students are familiar with--songs and poetry share so much in common.

I have long thought that using modern hip hop lyrics would be a great way to reach reluctant readers. As I am not an avid hip hop listener, I appreciate the editing Nikki Giovanni did in creating such a eclectic mix. Paired with a CD, several of the poems are read aloud by their authors, giving students another way to experience the genre.

Once readers have been lured in by the hip hop artists' work, real poetic talent can be explored by reading Maya Angelou, Langston Hughes, W.E.B. DuBois, and Martin Luther King, Jr. Some of these poems can be hard to read as they deal with difficult subjects ranging from race relations to MLK's I Have A Dream Speech.

I was pleasantly surprised how many different styles and text difficulty were included. The poems range from very short to quite long and complex. Illustrations are included with each selection and add to the book's meaning and beauty. Colorful illustrations paired with rich text, make this a very enjoyable read. This would be a great book for using as a read-aloud or paired reading. Reading the poems aloud would be fun for the kids and the natural beats of the lines would be expressed.

I have to admit I laughed out-loud when I came across Rapper's Delight by the Sugarhill Gang. Such a silly song as this would be hilarious to listen to in an elementary classroom, read by young poets.

Dirt On My Shirt by Jeff Foxworthy

I know, I know Jeff Foxworthy as a poet? I am not a redneck, but have always thought his good natured jabs were well intended and funny. I saw that he had written a book of poetry and was pleasantly surprised to find it pretty good.

I enjoyed the quick, sharp stanzas about various humerous topics close to his own childhood experiences. The watercolor pictures went along with the text wonderfully and helped increase meaning. The words used were simple, but the rhyming made them enjoyable. The light tone of these poems would be appealing to many readers, but probably best for beginning readers as the vocabulary isn't very intense.

I think my favorite poem was entitled Snakes Alive! It talks about a boy seeing a snake out in the backyard and sending his dad out to look. Dad didn't find it and the boy concluded that he hadn't looked that hard (I wouldn't either). The watercolor illustration on that page was a fun addition.

Love That Dog by Sharon Creech

I have heard the name Sharon Creech many times, but had never read an entire book by her. This was definitely a quick read--I think it took maybe 15 minutes. I think the concept is neat because it has a very stream-of-consciousness quality to it.

In my mind as I was reading, I could hear the voice a little boy who didn't want to write poetry. The various entries echo sentiments of a lot of the reactions young writers have to creating poetry. I like that this book shows how different poetry can be from what we might be familiar with. Not all poetry has to rhyme and that can be hard to get across to kids.

This book chronicles how poetry is conceived by this young boy Jack. He seems to be an ordinary boy who is asking why and talking about the love he had for his dog Sky. As he became more comfortable about his words actually being real poetry, he was able to express more and make the writing more detailed.

I think it would be great to have a favorite author come to the classroom, maybe a local poet would be more likely to be available. For kids to see the poet and interact would be a great, authentic experience they would likely remember. I can remember the writer/singer Doug Wood coming to our Earth Day celebration at school when I was in elementary school--only I was sick that day and couldn't meet him. I was heartbroken because we had sang so many of his songs and I had been so excited! Even after all of these years, I still remember the Minnesota Mosquito author visiting my school.

The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein

I have loved this poetry book for years! The story is heartwarming and really makes one think. I grew up reading lots of Shel Silverstein poetry books as his quirky style and illustrations were hilarious. The short, easy to read aloud poems made me laugh and like poetry. Unfortunately, I have forgotten about these books along the years and didn't remember how great they can be. I recently reread The Giving Tree and was quickly reminded of how poetry can touch your heart.

The story is about a boy and his tree. Much like we are with our parents, the boy asks for lots of things that the tree dutifully provides until there is nothing left. The relationship between the boy and tree is often one-sided as the boy only seems to remember his tree friend when he needed something.

I think this poem is a comment on our sometimes overzealous need to obtain more things instead of cultivating our personal relationships. As an educator, we are often lax in introducing children to poetry because of fears that it will be shunned by boys and hard to understand for all. Silverstein finds a way around this problem and gives a story complete with wit and introspection in poetry format.

The Story Goes On by Aileen Fisher

This is a beautiful and charming poetry picture book. The text was easy and fun to read. The story takes a reader through the life cyle--starting with a seed on the title page. The seed continues to leaf-bug-frog-snake-hawk-farmer-fox-crowes-sextons-and back to the soil. There is an interesting progression through this life cycle that is beautifully portrayed by the text rhymes and illustrations. The text would be easy for beginning poetry readers to read and understand. The sing-song quality would lend itself well to choral reading.

I loved the illustrations--by Mique Moriuchi, who is from Japan and lives in England. I think these living experiences molded well to create an illustrating style that is pleasing to the eye and multi-layored. There is a child-like quality to the illustrations and a lot to look at. I noticed that images were painted on newspaper and then cut out into a collage format. The colors were fresh and alive (green was the major color used). Almost every page had green as a main color except the one page totally void of green--the hunter shooting the hawk. I liked the format of text dancing around the page, often helping create the illustrations through positioning and colors (as rain drops and rays of sun).

I think kids would like reading about this content area subject in a poem format more than a simple textbook paragraph. This style of presenting the information is pleasing and informative. I would definitely use this book for a unit on life cycles--it can reach a variety of learners through the poetry, illustrations, and simple storyline.

So Far From the Bamboo Grove by Yoko Kawashima Watkins

"I competed with life and death when young. And I won." Yoko Kawashima Watkins

As a reader, it is often hard to find contrasting books about such controversial and shocking topics. I was pleasantly surprised to find that this author didn't attempt to make one race appear better than the other in the telling of her early life story.

There were so many instances where this book paralleled with Year of Impossible Goodbyes. The Kawashima family struggled like Sookan's to find food, a safe place to live, and a way to escape to the 38th Parallel. Even though their situations were completely different--the high ranking Japanese family found themselves eating out of trash cans, stealing uniforms from dead Korean soldiers, and struggling to find freedom past the 38th Parallel.

I was surprised early on in the book the way Yoko was so impulsive and unafraid to last out at those doing wrong to her--from biting a Japanese policeman attempting to steal their remaining possessions, to standing up to the horrible girls in her classroom by befriending the janitor and getting straight As on her reportcard. There is a strong sense of survival in this small girl that seems to grow as the book goes on.

I can understand her crying and fussing during their travel on the railroad and beyond because she had been badly injured (she had to stay at a hospital for awhile to recover). She was young and scared and I thought it was harsh of her mother and sister to chastise her.

"Why can't you be strong and good like your honorable sister?"

Yoko yelled, "I'm not her! She'd cry too if she'd got hit."

Ko responded, "You have done nothing but whine and fuss. This journey would be easier if you had got killed."

Whoa. That is over the line and Ko knew it--she spent the rest of her time attempting to right this wrong. How does one do that? Such a statement is so strong and hurtful it can only be undone by ceaseless acts of love. Ko was a hard worker for the two and attempted to carry the burden of providing for her family.

Even though Yoko's family was of the "Superior" race, they struggled to survive and felt no special treatment--often the opposite due to the father's role in the Japanese regime. I liked this book the best of the two and felt a connection with the characters' love for family and incessant need to be reconnected. I can't imagine going through half of what these young girls did and hope to never have to. This is a truly remarkable account of a confusing and often forgotten part of history.

Year of Impossible Goodbyes by Sook Nyul Choi

This is a very moving account of a young girl's struggle to survive during the Japanese (and later Russian) Occupation of North Korea. The main character was so mature for her age--her life depended on it. If I think back to when I was ten, I remember spending a majority of my time playing outside, reading, playing with friends and family, or watching TV. All of these activities were completely removed from the narrator's childhood (no TV anyway). If actions didn't support the Imperial Emperor's quest to defeat the White Devils, there was no use for it.

I find it hard to connect any personal experiences with that time period because in history classes we seldomly beyond WW2 in the European theatre. Being unfamiliar with the specifics about the Korean occupation and role in the war left me pretty open to learning. I can't imagine being so poorly treated and then tricked into buying rice half filled with sand as a reward for my hard work. Being an American, I sometimes forget how lucky we are in this country for our everyday freedoms--the family in this novel were stripped of all of these daily choices as a way of creating dependance and fear for the Japanese.

Even though life was hard and they were without a father or brothers, Sookan's family was very strong and determined. This family showed their strength in many small ways--from avoiding Japanese school, reading Korean, keeping the silver hair clip, and filing the glass to make jagged edges smooth. In such scary times, I don't know that I would have been able to do something against the Japanese for fear of retaliation--they seemed to know how to hit the Koreans in just the "right" place for maximum pain.

I was astonished at how patient they were--constant reminders from Aunt Tiger that "the war will be over soon. The Japanese aren't doing well" seemed to be enough to keep them going. Even after their sock girls were taken to the front lines to be spirit girls, Grandfather died, food was almost impossible to find, and their home had been ransacked by the Russians, Sookan's family remained solid in their faith for better times and eachother.

"How inviting that barbed-wire fence seemed!" I can't imagine being that excited to see something so jagged and menacing. Sookan and her brother had come so far and a new start was just past their last test of endurance--the fence could either stop them for the coming Russians or lead them to a land of new beginnings. This is a powerful mental picture and important observation from such a young, mature little girl.

Brewster the Rooster by Devin Scillian

Well, I guess I must have been on a farmyard animal kick this week at the library, because here is yet another tale about life on a farm.

The main character is a hilariously sight-impaired rooster. When hearing about a rooster that crows at the wrong time, for some reason I am reminded of one of my favorite movies: Babe. In this movie, there is a duck who is trying to be indispensible around the farm by crowing in the morning before the rooster. A huge hullabaloo insues and the mechanical rooster is victorious over the silly pig and duck.

Back to this story. Although the rhymes were quite long and sometimes hard to say in a pleasing rhythmic way, it was entertaining. I liked the ingenious twist at the end that solves this curious puzzle of a rooster crowing at all times of the day. As I was reading, I wondered why the examples given were selected, but all was made clear at the end.

I think it can be confusing to read rhythmic writing, but the illustrations were very helpful in figuring out what was happening. I liked the style of art used--maybe colored pencils? The idea of a rooster wearing bifocals is funny and kids would probably be into it. This is definitely meant for a more experienced reader as there is a lot of text on each page (especially for the style).

Barn Dance! by Pat Hutchins

I have always enjoyed being around farm animals and now I know why--they like to dance! Sometimes that's all there is to do--dance the night away.

The barn in this story is alive with the rhythms of a dancing horse, sheep, and pig. These adults dance until they can dance no more and "go to sleep in the hay where their little ones lay."

Of course there are a lot of fun rhyming coupled with expressive illustrations. Looking carefully, you can see that the little ones aren't as tired as they may seem--perhaps it is their turn to dance in the moonlight? The illustrations have an oldtime charm to them reminisant of art I've seen in books my parents had when they were young. There is a sweet illustration that shows the adult animals snuggled in the hay while the kids sneak out to dance--very sneaky!

This fun story would be great to read aloud with kids--it is fun and goofy. The idea that farm animals are dancing all night long would be amusing to many kids--they could maybe even write a sequel about the little ones and their nighttime adventures.

Thesaurus Rex by Laya Steinberg

I have said it before and I will say it again--a story conveys so much more meaning to kids than an article in a textbook! I love how this book goes about explaining synonyms (syn means same) with such a entertaining flair.

The character Thesaurus Rex is lovable and endearing for audiences young and old. The use of rhyming adds to the charm of the text. A descriptive illustration for each part also helps young readers understand some unfamiliar vocabulary.

Following Rex through his day is not only entertaining, but educational. I could see this book being a great resource for writing. The words work wonderfully with the illustrations and jump about the page--giving more action to the words. The illustrations were made by watercolor, pen and ink and crayon on thick watercolor paper by Debbie Harter.

Porcupining: A Prickly Love Story by Lisa Wheeler

I had seen this book around for awhile, but never stopped to pick up a copy to read. I was drawn to it by its illustrations--Cushion is adorable!

This is fun story about a lonely porcupine searching for a wife. I guess I never thought about porcupines as being lonely and unloved due to their quills. Out in the wild, they are ideal, but in a petting zoo--quills are not going to make people want to pet you.

This poor porcupine Cushion has a good singing voice and goes in search for his match. The little jingles he sings to potential mates were clever. I especially liked his one for wooing the pink sow--"I've been so lonesome all my life, and though you're pink and fat, I'm porcupining for a wife, so I won't mention that." I can't imagine why Cushion strikes out with the ladies...

Finding Barb (quill pun) at the end was cute as he now has found his love. I think kids would like reading this story because of the clever jingles and bright illustrations.

Max and Mo Go Apple Picking by Patricia Lakin

This would be a nice short book for a beginning reader. I liked the simple pictures and color schemes.

Max and Mo are cute little hamsters that live in a classroom. They are pretty clever as they make signs and use apples to make art. I liked that they called their human owners "the big ones." It totally makes sense because a hamster is so small and kids hands certainly are big in comparison.

I think beginning readers would enjoy the use of large text and illustrations to further understanding. The author also gives the reader instructions at the end on how to make applesauce and apple print art.

Year of Impossible Goodbyes Anticipation Guide

Look at this picture and think of the feelings that it evokes. Compare the concept of our American childhoods to that of a child in a war-torn country.

A map of the area the book takes place in. Think for 30 seconds what you know about the country of Korea. Can you find important places on a map? Think about what life was like during the Japanese occupation of Korea during 1910-1945. What kinds of things were happening?

http://http//www.lifeinkorea.com/information/history2.cfm#1910

This conflict was (and is) a very controversial topic. What is your opinion of Japanese rule in Korea? Think about if you were a Korean child living during this war--how would it effect you?

Professor Emeritus Han Seung-Jo (한승조) of Korea University wrote, "The colonial rule of Korea by Japan was actually a stroke of good fortune, and instead of hating them for it, they should be thanked. There is no reason to rebuke, denounce or make criminals of the pro-Japanese activities of 35 years of cooperation without opposition." He also said in a later interview, "At the time, if Japan hadn't taken over Chosun, Russia would have, and if that had happened the Korean people would have been scattered under Joseph Stalin's racial dispersion policy." Furthermore, he states, "I see the colonial rule by Japan as having been not a bad thing, but instead an opportunity for the strengthening of the Korean people's awareness."[79] (Wikipedia)

Nubs: The True Story of a Mutt, a Marine & a Miracle by Brian Dennis, Mary Nethery, Kirby Larson

This book was a heartbreaker. I was on break from work, in the Barnes and Noble reading children books when I came across this one. I love dogs and the cover was so adorable that I was drawn to it. When I saw that it was about a Marine and Iraqi dog, I sat down for a truly heartwarming story.

This story got me choked up inside because it was so real. Living in Iowa, thousands of miles away from war, I don't always get the gravity of the situation in Iraq. I mean, I read the paper and watch the news, but it is so foreign to me that it just doesn't seem quite possible. I know it is a horrific war, with innocent people killed everyday and this story of an American Marine and an abused dog made me really connect more personally.

We teach tolerance and respect. We teach children to reach out to those in need, but what if you had been abused? Would you be able to reach out or respect anyone again? This brave dog saw the good in the Marine squad stationed at his fort and went out of his comfort zone to pursue what he wanted most: companionship and love. The bond between this dog and man was amazing and made me almost want to cry. Nubs at one point walks over 70 miles in the desert with nothing to find the soldier--amazing. I think this book with its real photographs of the conflict area would be a good way to show some of the audacities of war to young children. By building an understanding of what war really is, we can hopefully keep the next generation from having to actively participate in any future conflicts. Love and companionship are vital to everyone and this book illustrated it beautifully.

Alpha Oops! The Day Z Went First by Alethea Kontis

This book had a unique concept of how the alphabet could be rearranged to allow letters at the end to be closer to the beginning. I thought the idea was clever, but didn't really enjoy this book's execution. As we talked in class during our genre presentations, learning the alphabet from conventional abc books isn't always helpful. In school, letters are often selected in a seemingly random way, without concern for order. The problem could be with a secret of mine: I like to alphabetize. Yep, I like it when student papers are in abc order, signs, books, whatever. I am very orderly and organized, so letting the letters go all over the place seemed wrong.

The illustrations were digital and interesting to look at. The use of bright colors and bold designs are certainly attractive to the reader. I did think certain parts of the book were funny--one was for the letter V. "V is for ohhh--V is for violence!" was uttered by a letter as other letters struggled to be next in line.

When Randolph Turned Rotten by Charise Mericle Harper

We all have fleeting moments of jealousy and can imagine what we would like to do to those causing these feelings. This book walks through the lives of two bffs who discover what it feels like when one of them is excluded. Randolph (a beaver) and Ivy (a Canadian Goose) love hanging out and sharing everything. This all comes crashing to a skreetch when Ivy is invited on an all-girls sleepover birthday party that Randolph is of course not invited to attend. Being a beaver, I'm sure lots of trees and sticks were chewed on during this frustrating time for Randolph.

I think kids would be able to relate to this story because we have all pined for something only to have a friend receive it instead--sometimes not so graciously. The thing I liked about this story, is that Randolph does something about it, but not in a malicious way. He wanted to ruin Ivy's party, but didn't really do anything that would harm her (except maybe her arms from carrying the extras in her bag). The feeling of jealousy quickly turns into guilt and then remorse. Even though we may be really jealous of someone, if they are truly a friend, being friends should be more important than that job, husband, new house, etc. that they have instead of you.

I really liked the pictures and how the book was put together. The pictures were made from acrylic paint on illustration board (the colors and details are great). One of my favorite illustrations was when Ivy and her cousins (also Canadian Geese) play duck-duck-goose with a couple ducks, crab, and sea gull. Adding to visual interest, the format was different on each page, matching text with pictures in various ways. There were really almost two stories going on at the same time--the narration and dialogue bubbles.

Creepy-Crawly Birthday by James Howe

As I learned doing my Author Study on James Howe, he has written a lot of books! I was excited to find several more examples of his books about the characters in Bunnicula. Delighted to have found one of the Harold and Chester chapter books, I settled in for a good read. I was not disappointed.

The same crazy paranoia of Chester is alive and well, along with the easy-going nature of Harold that keeps the characters a bit grounded. Again acting as the writer, Harold tells about a special birthday for one of the Monroe boys that was disrupted by the crazy antics of their adored pets (Harold, Chester, and Howie--Bunnicula doesn't contribute to the frenzy).

This is a simple beginning picture book with lots of illustrations to supplement the text. The Monroe family is trying to have a normal birthday party, but the pets are too preoccupied with the "surprise" and wondering if another pet is on its way into their family.

Reading the story, I kept guessing what the surprise was and was unhappy about turning the page and seeing a huge snake head slithering out of the boxes. I'm not a reptile fan and it was a big snake head! The chaos these loose animals created was similar to last week's episode of Desperate Housewives where all the children went running and screaming (that was due to a monkey that had attacked a clown) and in the book due to the animals bum-rushing the kids. This was a cute story with a sweet ending and happy times again for the Monroe family.

Splish Splash by Joan Bransfield GrahamI

I was immediately drawn to this book (which is a collection of poems about water's many forms) by the cover. The illustrations were made from Adobe Illustrator 5.0 and reproduced in full color. Something about these pictures made me want to read more.

Along with the short poems about the various forms of water, there were illustrations that were integrated in meaningful ways. The one I really liked was called Crocodile Tears and the text made the shape of a crocodile in a pond. I thought it was clever and a fun surprise.

I think kids would really like to read along with this collection of poems. The illustrations work well together with the subject, thus creating a more cohesive product. This could be a great trade book to use when studying water in science (connecting seldomly read poems with content areas). Using this as a read aloud or choral reading would be fun with younger students. I think this would be fun to use as a way to introduce students to publishing poetry in unique ways.

Circle Dogs by Kevin Henkes

I was a big fan of Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse back when I was student teaching (my kiddos signed a copy of it for me as a going away gift), so I was excited to see a different style of book from Kevin Henkes. I think he is a great author who usually creates characters that give us insights into our own behaviors while also being entertaining.

This story used creative text placement to show movement and action. The format is different for almost every page. The illustrations in this story are very geometrically aware (I'm not sure that is a word). What I mean is that there are lots of purposeful circles, triangles, squares, and half circles used in the illustrations. Since the main characters are circle dogs, they inhabit a home that caters to all sorts of shapes from the recctangular doors, circular baby mouth as it cries, and square pieces of toast. The end papers also keep with the shape theme as the information is written in a circular format.

I think this would be a fun book for kids to read when they are learning about their shapes because there are lots of fun examples scattered throughout. The colors are bright and fun to find. The story is very simple and unfortunately not too exciting. There is a good smattering of rhythmic writing and word repetition that could make it fun to read aloud. I think it is really the illustrations, made from Gouache paints, that make the book special.

James Howe--Author Study

I have been a fan of James Howe's since I read Bunnicula in elementary school many years ago. As an adult, there have been times that I have had brief remembrances of the silly series: a crazy cat like Chester always makes me laugh, and bunny sucking vegetables white, you know. I was delighted to hear that he had written so many more books! While doing my research for the Author Study, I was amazed that he had written over 70 books! Looking at Simon & Schuster's website will give more information about these titles: http://authors.simonandschuster.com/James-Howe/20539048/books

Wow--Howe even managed to write in almost all of the children's literature sytles (picture, beginning reader, chapter, and young adult novel). You really could start as a small kiddo reading about Houndsley and Catina and continue on up to Joe and Bobby. Needless to say, I read a lot of great books and became an even bigger fan. One of the things I have always enjoyed about Howe's writing, is his playful use of language. Just thinking about the names of some of his characters: Bunnicula (Bunny + Dracula), Houndsley (a dog), Catina (a cat), etc. shows how creative he can be. His parents and family were supportive early on and writing seemed to come naturally. He credits countless nights up late, with his wife Deborah, watching vampire movies as the beginning of his Bunnicula empire.

A recurring theme of Howe's is his attention to friendship between characters. On the end jacket cover of the first Houndsley and Catina book, he said: "Hounsley and Catina grew out of my love for books like these [about best friends Frog and Toad, etc.] and my belief that friendship is worth far more than prizes or fame." I thought the two were adorable complementary characters. Far from being wild and crazy, these characters offer a soothing alternative.

The Bunnicula books are funny and keep your attention. Chester reminds me of a conspiracy theorist who wants something to be true badly and then goes to all sorts of lengths to prove it. (I think of people trying to prove the existence of UFOs and their homemade videos.) The imagery of a crazed cat running around with a towel tied around his neck like a cape and miming a vampire is hilarious! I think these books would be great for read alouds in classrooms--the silly antics of Chester and Harold would be very appealing to kids. I found a fun hangman game to play after reading at http://www.quia.com/hm/23758.html.

Not all of Howe's characters were as easily accepted as those mentioned above. As we discussed in class, many parents got very upset at the thought of "introducing" their children to homosexuality through the character of Joe in The Misfits. Having an informed opinion means looking at both sides and this article was helpful. After reading all of the good points experts have made in support of the themes, I have a lot of trouble understanding people that would wish to ban this book. http://educationwonk.blogspot.com/2006/01/no-name-calling-week-kudos-and.html

Whether dealing with hard issues or silly vampires, I had a great time reading and reconnecting with a beloved children's author. Being strong in your beliefs of the goodness of people can be shown by the caring relationships being portrayed. Hopefully a new generation of kids will be drawn to this incredibly talented author.

As an educator, we are often asked to reflect on teaching experiences. I took a class similar to this at Wartburg that was for Young Adult Literature. Since I ultimately wanted to teach younger children, I didn't necessarily get a strong sense of good literature for elementary aged kids. Through my research for books to comment on for my blog, I have reconnected with picture books. I like this class in that I feel little pressure about upcoming deadlines--doing the blog seems more cathartic than work. Often we read good children's books and have no one to talk about them with--lets face it, teachers are busy and don't spend all of our time talking about school stuff. Putting the comments in a blog format makes it feel more authentic--lessons we strive for our students in the classroom. As Jen has mentioned, there is a much larger audience now besides just her and we are a part of an educational community.

I have enjoyed being reconnected with good picture books, whether from my childhood or teaching years. I don't know why more people don't read them--they are very entertaining and often have a deeper meaning intended for older readers. Going to the library and looking more closely at illustrations and the text has been fun. I feel like I know more about what makes a picture book good now. I liked learning more about how books and illustrations are created--I now look for hidden gems in every book I read. I guess I always assumed that the author and illustrator worked more together to create a seamless merging of text and picture. As a reader, I have tended to focus on the text and now have rethought that position. As the class continues, I look forward to reading more books for my A/P/I Study--I have read a lot of James Howe's best books--starting with a childhood fav Bunnicula!

The All New Captain Underpants Extra Crunchy Book O' Fun 2 by Dav Pilkey

I didn't know what to expect from this graphic novel series beloved by elementary aged boys all over the country. I read a special edition, so there were lots of extras included: jokes, Mad Libs, mazes, a word find, and how-to-draws. With all of this extra stuff, there wasn't a whole lot of room for an actual story--which I was fine with.

I know that part of the appeal (and controversy) of this super hero is the gross potty talk, fart jokes, and boogers, but there wasn't a whole lot of depth to the character of Captain Underpants (surprise surprise!). Out of the entire story, he only makes an appearance at the end and has to actually be rescued from the Hairy Pottys by Diaper Baby and Diaper Dog.

I did think it was clever how the drawings look like a kid from your class could have drawn them. I also liked the Flip-O-Ramas--unexpected and kind of funny. Part of the controversy over these graphic novels has to do with the incorrect grammar and spelling. I think it is interesting how the story seems to be in revision mode--it doesn't seem ready for publication to me. Parents and others are upset about the books selling so well and being riddled with errors--reinforcing to kids that spelling and grammar are not important because this published author gets away with being incorrect...

I have to agree with parents and other educators here--the spelling, cross out marks, and incorrect grammar got on my nerves. I guess it is the perfectionist in me, because each spelling made me want to get out my green pen and help this student really say what he means--except he has made lots of money with these books and certainly doesn't want me to help "fix" them.

These books are a mainstay in almost any elementary school library. Students (especially boys) love them and can't get enough of them! I'm sure the appeal of a shorter book with lots of pictures and potty talk is very alluring for many young readers. As an educator, I would not use these books for read alouds because there just isn't a whole lot going on for discussions, etc. I don't mind them being in my classroom library (I mean they do get discouraged readers to enjoy reading) but would encourage those that tend to only read them to branch out to other genres and topics. Get used to seeing the round boy with white underpants and a red scarf--I think these books are here to stay.

The Misfits by James Howe

I grew up reading a lot and one of my favorite authors was James Howe. I'm sure I read Bunnicula and the other dog/cat/bunny vampire books several times each. The writing was very creative and made me laugh--hallmarks of a good book in my opinion.

I was surprised to hear years later that Howe actually wrote several young adult novels that didn't deal with animals as main characters. I recognized the same quick wit and humor in The Misfits as his previous works. One of the things I especially like about this book is how normal it seems--there aren't crazy events occurring every other second for sensationalist purposes. There are lots of "real" moments in each chapter that transport me back to junior high and high school years (and also bored moments working at a department store).

The name of the store Bobby works at, Awkworth and Ames, constantly comes out Akward and Aimless in my head as I am reading. The store is boring and Bobby is counting the hours until his shift is over. As a department store worker, I felt the same way at times and co-workers often had dual personalities according to their popularity with associates and attitudes towards the place. If someone like Skeezie, decked out in a leather coat, dirty, and greasy-headed came into that store, I can see managers all over the place making sure he didn't slip something into his coat pockets. After all, first impressions are everything, right?

The characters in this story are compelling because each of them is someone I know or am. We all feel like we are insecure adolescents at times and these kids are dealing with some tough issues: homosexuality, being overweight, being a smart girl, losing a parent, and not having a lot of money. All in all, these kids have all the reasons in the world to be bitter and destructive for the way they have been treated--their list of names they had been called was extensive! I tried to think of names I had been called as a youngster, but couldn't really think of anything specific. I guess we all get called some of the "all-purpose" ones growing up, much like the characters.

I thought it was especially interesting how Addie was so convinced that DuShawn, an African American student, has been oppressed--"Being a minority, you have certainly seen your share of injustice." The thing she is latching onto is the small town sentiments sometimes shared about non-whites. DuShawn quickly makes a great point that although his differences are on the outside for everyone to see, he is not the only minority. The platform of the Liberty Party was to speak on the behalf of the minority students of Paintbrush Falls Middle School and JoDan correctly points out that "there are all kinds of minorities."

My heart sank when Joe said, "What I want more than anything is to hold hands with someone I like." What an honest, thoughtful response for such a young man to make. I think we are all searching for connections with others, romantic or not. Being gay in a dominantly heterosexual culture as we are, would make it really hard for Joe to feel comfortable telling others about his feelings. When the word gay sometimes is used to mean stupid, weird, and dumb, who would want to describe themselves as gay?

Once the Gang of Five understands what they really want to do to help their school, they feel a sense of pride and empowerment. Having rules just to have rules doesn't help our students who don't feel a part of the "regular" population. The creativity of these kids is amazing and made me feel excited for them. It was hard for me to stop at Chapter 14 because they were just starting to figure things out.

Obviously the word gay, faggot, and homo tend to make people nervous. To me, they are just words and by making them "bad words," we give them power. By allowing others to use the word gay in a negative way, we are condoning and agreeing in a way, to the negative connotation. I know several homosexual people and would not be happy if they weren't a part of my life. Having a different sexual orientation does not make them a pervert or possible child-molester, etc. I think we should let people be who they are and stop trying to be "perfect" (what does that look like anyway?).

This is a very honest book that I think many students struggling with similar issues would really enjoy. I think it would depend on the school--principals can be great allies when starting a controversial topic in the classroom. I would hope this book would be allowed because of the great message it conveys. With a quick mini-lesson about being accepting of differing views, etc. this would be a great book for read alouds or literacy groups.

The Lorax by Dr. Seuss

This is one of my favorite books from my childhood. I have been recycling and trying to help our environment since elementary school--I remember spending hours separating white and colored paper for recycling. There are so many great things about this story that makes it relevant to our eco-issues.

When first viewing this book, normal Dr. Seuss characteristics are evident--bright colors, crazy looking creatures, and a sing-song tone to the text. I like that this strives to make us think about what we are doing when we are "improving" life. For so long we have taken our earth for granted and our lives are being affected now in more tangible ways--extreme pollution, smog, and global warming. I was impressed that the box I read was printed on recycled paper, part of The Lorax Project.

The main controversy around this book is centered on the portrayal of the logging industry as wasteful, heartless, and money grubbing. The famous character of the Once-ler is only a pair of green arms and hands--we never see his face. When asked about his methods, the Once-ler replies, "I biggered my money, which everyone needs." This is sometimes how we feel when talking about industries making millions each year--they seem like a faceless entity with no concern for its actions.

A logging community in California had major concerns that the book showed its industry in a false and negative light. Interestingly enough, they countered with another book--The Truax. I understand having a problem with this book once it interferes with your ability to make a living, but it is obviously an extreme example of what could happen. If the logging industry felt creating a wasteland in the book was their fault, it could have served as a wake-up call--which I suspect Dr. Seuss intended. If one must cut down trees in one area, having a social conscious would mean to do something to help the earth in another way--replanting, more rigorous rules for waste and production, etc.

Dr. Seuss leaves the reader with no real solution, just as is there seems to be no good ecological and practical solution to our planet's plight. With so much at stake, it can seem hard to know where to start. I believe that using this book with young elementary age students can help raise an awareness without being "preachy." It is all well and good to tell students how important it is to recycle, reduce, and reuse, but until they really believe it, they won't make it a part of their everyday lives.

I would definitely have this book in my classroom library and use it for read alouds. I think that second graders on up would get more out of it, as the storyline is more involved than Dr. Seuss favorites like The Cat and the Hat and Hop on Pop. I'm pretty sure I did use this book in my third grade class after a discussion about recycling came up. The kids liked the illustrations and tone of the book. We were able to have a discussion about what was happening to the land in the book and create more internal connections.

Where I taught in North Carolina, people didn't recycle and my students hated using the backsides of their papers. I had one student who was especially adamant about using a clean sheet. To help emphasize my point about waste, we created two "landfills" filled with paper, plastic, cereal, pencils, and leaves. We watered and observed the flower pots for several months and then dug up what was left. There had been a straw in a plastic wrapper that was still as good as new and I shocked the students by opening the plastic and using the straw to drink water.

Obviously this experiment was not totally realistic, but it did raise awareness. I don't think I created a new Eco-Crusader that day, but I did give my students another viewpoint to consider. It starts with one person saying they are going to make a difference--just as the little boy is told when standing in the pile of stones marked "Unless."

"I am the Lorax. I speak for the trees. I speak for the trees for the trees have no tongues."
"Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better."

And Tango Makes Three by Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell

I loved this book! I love that this book is based on the true lives of two incredible penguins living in the Central Park Zoo in New York. Only in New York, right? Wrong! These two penguins--Roy and Silo did what any other animal would do--look for a friend and then spend time together. I think we all possess an innate need for love and companionship. People, animals, and birds pair up together all of the time to help fulfill this need. Just looking at other books I have reviewed for this blog, you can see examples of inter-special relationships (a dog and elephant or tiger cubs and a dog).

I thought the watercolor paintings were very heartwarming and full of detail. I know from my own experiences, that it is hard to tell male and female penguins apart, so I wouldn't have probably even known that this unique pairing had occurred. I like how the authors made a point of talking about how Roy and Silo were such great friends that did everything together--when it came to raising a family, there was only one problem. No egg.

An astute zookeeper noticed the interesting tell-tale signs of preparing a nest for an egg and gave these boys a chance to hatch an abandoned egg. This lesson of animal adoption is a wonderful way of demonstrating nature's determination. Of course, when Tango was hatched--the product of two male penguin parents, a sensation was created. Tango--adorable and a lesson in love all rolled into one fluffy penguin baby girl.

I know that those opposing this book concentrate on what they would call an innappropriate message of homosexuality and the erosion of morals in our society. For me, I am on nature's side. I think that this is an amazing opportunity to share with our youth lessons from the wild kingdom. We can assume and hopefully agree that it is not the media or popular trends that are "forcing" these penguins into homosexuality. On the contrary, they have a natural bond with another creature that happens to be the same sex.

One of my favorite shows, Will and Grace, had an episode talking about two gay male penguins and how they were going to be separated. They spent all of their time together and were nothing but loving. There was media coverage, which sent the main characters to the zoo in support of the couple remaining together. This episode was probably slightly after Tango was born and a commentary of what we believe is right or not in our lives. I was happy that in the show, the couple was allowed to remain together.

I would definitely use this book in almost any age elementary classroom setting. I think children of all ages would be interested in such a unique occurance. I would buy a copy and place it into my classroom library. I think it would be an interesting book for a read aloud helping to reinforce the importance of accepting others for who they are--be it a gay penguin, a boy in ballet, or a girl who plays football. Having an open attitude as a teacher can help lead to a great discussion where students can hear differing viewpoints (in a nonderogatory way, of course). Even though kids might not truly understand what gay means, they still tend to have an opinion--based on peers, parents, and their environment. Our families and society is constantly changing, so we need to keep up by being aware of the topics being discussed in children's literature because they are usually topics kids are talking about themselves. In keeping with inquiry learning, this book would help shape opinions and views about a true occurance in the Big Apple.

In the Night Kitchen by Maurice Sendak

I might be completely unpopular for saying this, but I didn't like this story at all. I have read several of Sendak's works in the past and have been a fan (I mean hello, Where the Wild Things Are is awesome). There isn't a whole lot in this story that made sense to me--the whole basis is to be an explanation on why we have cake every morning? I don't know where this little Mickey lives, but there isn't cake at my house every morning (or sadly, even once a week).

I thought it was interesting how Sendak's Jewish heritage played a role in his portrayals of the Hitleresk bakers baking Mickey in an oven--a subtle reference to the autrocities of the Holocaust. As a casual reader, I never would have made such a serious connection in a "dream" book like this. Reading about the sources of controversy definitely pointed this out to me upon further investigation. Besides this, controversy around the book is partly due to Mickey "falling out" of his clothes and continuing to be naked for everyone to see for the rest of the book.

Having the young child naked the rest of the book, with his manhood on display, could be disturbing to some readers. I personally didn't find this offensive, but a bit odd and surprising. I had looked at a list of controversial books online and was aware before opening it the cloud surrounding the book. Walking into Barnes and Noble, I wouldn't expect frontal nudity from a picture book being prominently displayed with other Maurice Sendak books. The book won the Best Illustrated Children's Book from the New York Times in 1970--an interesting time period to be sure. It also won the Caldecott Award for outstanding illustrations--interesting. I did feel like the book flowed in a trippy, stream of consciousness way--possibly a side affect of the 70's culture.

I wouldn't buy this book to be in my classroom library, but wouldn't mind if it was included. I think that kids are curious about things like this and can see the same kind of thing if they look at a science book about the human body in much more detail. I don't think that kids need to be sheltered from things like this because then we create a sense of dirtiness to something as elemental as the human body. We are body conscious enough, we don't need to teach our very young children that their bodies should be a source of embarrassment. Of course we don't want kids on the playground getting naked to show their stuff, but natural curiousity is always going to be there. I would not be uncomfortable with this book, but probably wouldn't make a big deal about it. I wouldn't use it in book talks, read alouds, or literacy circles for young elementary students, but would be OK as a part of my library collection. There is a wide variety of literature available and some kids might not even care. Sometimes we get offended about issues that are unimportant to the actual people it could affect.

Heather Has Two Mommies by Leslea Newman

This story had a good message that families are all about love. I liked that there was no judgment about what a family "should" be because they all look different. Obviously, growing up in Iowa, my family probably looks different from someone living in a large urban environment. Growing up, my family unit consisted of my mom, dad, twin brother, younger sister, me, and dog. There really weren't too many around this area with different kinds of families that I was aware of.

As my life experiences have shaped who I am now as an adult, I feel that families really can be tailor made to individual needs-- having a loving family is the most important thing, not who all makes it up. I have been very blessed to have a supportive family that I can depend on in any situation. I liked that this book demonstrated how the different children in the classroom interpreted family. No one was judged for not "fitting the mold" or for being different. I have always tried to emphasize how important it is to be accepting of everyone because we are all special. Kids can be very receptive to this when taught young.

I remember an incident where my third graders were telling each other something was "gay." I asked them what they thought that meant and we had a very frank discussion about how words can be given power when we attach negative meanings to them. By giving gay a negative connotation in its usage, they were conveying a belief that being gay is a bad thing. I told them about a good friend of mine that I care about. I asked that if they thought being gay was bad, then was my friend bad? I talked about how we played tennis together, went out to eat, studied, and went to amusement parks--all fun things I do with gay and straight friends. Putting this into a positive context helped us have an interesting exchange of ideas (quite unexpectedly) that day.

I don't think this book is trying to force children to believe in one thing, but is instead helping reinforce the idea that we should keep an open mind. By keeping the illustrations simple and in pencil, the story and words remain the most important part of the page. I read the 10th anniversary printing, which was altered a bit from the original text. The author removed a section that didn't affect the outcome of the story that was causing a stir. I'm not sure what exactly was included, but I know the section was about conception and many deemed it to be too explicit. Having not seen the actual text, I can not speak to whether or not I would deem it acceptable or not (if it was informative and correct, I'd probably be ok with it). I would be happy to include this book in a classroom library and it could definitely be used for talking about accepting others and our differences. Words do have power, so let's give kids information so that they can use them correctly and with respect.

Jam and Jelly by Holly and Nellie by Gloria Whelan

This was an absolutely beautiful book--it looked like something you would see hanging on the walls of an art museum. The paintings are acrylic and so lifelike. Gijsbert van Frankenhuyzen works hard to create warm depictions of the family and their surroundings in these impressionistic paintings.

The family of three has a very humble lifestyle--finding many necessaries in the woods surrounding their small cottage. When the school year starts, money is needed to buy Holly a winter coat but there is none. Mama is adamant about Holly attending school and comes up with a plan to make some money. She says, "Plenty (of money) in the woods free for the taking."

Holly and her mama spend the summer collecting berries together, bathing in the sun. Green is a huge color element in all of the pages, creating a lush forest of foliage and berries. The pictures are so realistic, the reader can almost smell the strawberries and feel the blackberries. Holly and her mama work together to make the berries into jelly and sell them in a road stand. This is a charming story of a young girl and her mother spending time together. There is no amount of money that could take those memories away from them.

School starts and Holly is shown standing in her coat surrounded by snow--the only couple paintings not part of the green forest paradise. Especially in these hard economic times, it is interesting to see how hard work can pay off. I think students would love the pictures and enjoy the story. Not everyone can afford to drop $100 on a new coat at the mall, a fact which many of our students understand all too well.

Usborne 1001 Pirate Things to Spot by Rob Lloyd Jones

I grew up loving to look at books with good illustrations. Where's Waldo? became popular when I was younger and the format has continued to intrigue children of all ages. The style is alive and well--on a recent trip to Paris, I purchased a book that was along the same lines of Waldo--un petit garcon Theo and his little dog Potchi give a tour of Paris' famous monuments. Trying to find them in the illustrations makes these styles of books even more interactive and fun.

This pirate themed book was fun and easy to get into. I liked the pirate activities because they were done in a charming, tongue-in-cheek kind of way. Jack is the cabin boy of the ship and the goal is to find him on each page, along with several other items. I have to admit that I spent about a half and hour looking for various treasure chests, starfish, mops, and parrots.

There were some funny random scenes scattered in the larger pictures. I chuckled at the man made to walk the plank (holding his nose as he jumped) and a swordfish fighting a pirate with a sword. Of course there isn't much "reading" involved in looking at these books, but some of the items were ones most kids wouldn't normally come across--increasing vocabulary! I think kids would love this book and could use it as a springboard to look into more pirate-related materials.

The Giver by Lois Lowry

This book, although a short novel, is very thought provoking. I hadn't read it for probably ten years and didn't really remember much about it. When talking to my sister about it, she said that it had been the first book that she ever read that made her really think (she read a lot when she was younger).

Starting into it, I was reminded of another book--Ayn Rand's The Fountainhead. Sameness is an interesting concept. These two books give the reader a glimpse into what life would be like if everyone was the same. I sometimes imagine things being much simpler if all of my major decisions were made for me. As I struggle to find focus right now, having an almighty power giving me my Assignment sounds pretty good. Sometimes it seems like there are just too many variables--cutting some of them out might make life easier. I like rules and structure, so having a culture based upon being good sounds lovely (at first glance).

Everything we teach our students about being an individual and an important part of the learning community are totally ignored in this book. There really is little respect for life, besides keeping the Community alive. As a twin myself (although fraternal), I was uneasy with the thought of one twin being selected over the other because it would be awful to have two people that were the "same." Those that don't measure up to strict standards are released (ah, the sweet release of having a needle stuck into the middle of your forehead...).

The fact that kids are known by their numbers and become adults at 12 seems very sterile and impersonal. Having sameness keeps the community working: family units with one boy and one girl, bikes for the Nines, mandatory volunteer hours, the daily pill for adults (to stop stirrings), and prepackaged food. We do catch little glimpses of imperfection from the characters: Lily's untied ribbons, Jonas' feelings towards Fiona, Father sneaking a look at the Naming List, and the Giver being unable to save his daughter Rosemary from being released. In a Utopia, transgressions are unwelcome, just as in this community.

Having the important job of The Giver comes with many strings. I wouldn't want to have such an all-consuming job that alienated me from the community. Being held in high respect is great, but having no one to confide in makes for major mental health issues. Lowry gives a startling description of The Giver's responsibilities and outlines the loneliness that comes with the title. Having all of the communities memories would be great--if they were all pleasant. Since the general population had no experience with pain or happiness, they didn't know what they were missing.

The worst part of holding the memories is not the pain. It's the loneliness of it. Memories need to be shared. (pg. 154 The Giver)

I think this book would give young teenagers a good idea of what life could be like if they truly lived in a "prison." Many times we rebel against our parents to be independent, only to find that the outside world isn't as glitzy or kind as we would hope. Jonas and his friends were not given the chance to explore except if they made the ultimate decision as Jonas did--to escape with no chance of returning. It is hard to wrap my mind around absolutely no color, music, books, memories, or real feelings. They are such a part of my everyday life that I have always taken them for granted.

Into The A, B, Sea by Deborah Lee Rose

This was a beautiful book! The illustrations, done by Steve Jenkins, must have taken a long time to make. Using cut paper collage gave the illustrations a striking, unique look that made the text even more enjoyable. This ABC book used the illustrations along with little rhymes to highlight animals of the ocean for each letter. The text on each page was short and fun to read. I liked the rhyme "Where Octopuses hide and Penguins glide" for O and P.

One of the first sea creatures, the jellyfish, captures the reader (as well as the title on the title page) and makes them read on. There was a lot of movement, texture, and bright colors to keep illustrations fresh and exciting. Changes in perspective occur rapidly from page to page, but maintains a definite sense of proportion for each set of pages.

One of my favorite parts of this book was in the very back. The author took the time to give a thumbprint picture of each sea creature and then a little description about it. Not only do kids get to have fun with the rhyming and pictures, but also with the informational facts at the end. Using this book for the beginning a unit on the ocean could be a great way to draw students in and get them excited. Also, this would be a great book for kids to read together because they would love pointing out details in the pictures to each other. They could even sing the rhymes, as there can be a definite musical undertone to them.

Room for Ripley by Stewart J. Murphy

I have read and used several of Murphy's mathematical themed books in my classrooms. The pairing of story with a sometimes hard-to-conceptualize topic has helped children understand in a more authentic manner. I also like that the author is from Evanston, Illinois (not far from the Quad-Cities). Murphy has written a whole series of books centered around mathematical concepts and are "leveled" to help match a subject with reading ability (levels 1-3)--which of course these are subjective.

He also adds end activities to do to learn more about the concept the book was concentrating on and sometimes more books with similar concepts. The illustrations by Sylvie Wickstrom are well done and add to the explanations and story. The characters are believable and talk like kids getting a fish for the first time would. Murphy manages to integrate the measurement information without simply listing a chart of conversions. Children can make concrete connections with a better idea of what a cup looks like compared to a gallon, etc. There are really two stories that can be read here: one about a boy getting a new fish and sharing it with his older sister and one about the mathematical concept of measuring capacity with nonmetric units. Students in the past have enjoyed these books and I believe that as much quality literature as possible should be used in our classrooms--whether about math, reading, social studies, or science topics. Kids love stories and slipping in some math never hurts…

Mahjong All Day Long by Ginnie Lo

This is a great book about a Chinese family who loves to play Mahjong. The name Mahjong means "sparrow" because the moving of the tiles sounds like sparrows chirping. I thought that was interesting. I have to be honest that my only exposure to Mahjong has been through reading and watching a favorite, The Joy Luck Club.

There really weren't a lot of Chinese families in Davenport as I was growing up. My mother was an international adoption social worker, so we sometimes got to see interesting artifacts from trips abroad. I have always been fascinated by other cultures and how people live. I like that a game like Mahjong can be played by people of all ages--also a great way for families to spend time together doing culturally enriching activities. The tiles teach Chinese characters, counting, and building winning combinations.

The book was beautifully illustrated by Ginnie Lo's sister, Beth Lo. She used handmade porcelain plates for each illustration--giving the book an exotic feel to this native Midwesterner. I noticed that the characters usually had slightly larger heads than is typical in American illustrations. The bodies were littler with the emphasis on the face, which was interesting. The sisters were careful to create a simple story that concentrated on the family component being strengthened by this game. Each page was black with white text, so it was very striking. Chinese characters were used in the illustrations by characters with the meanings on the opposite page. Such a different language as Chinese can be hard to read, so I think kids would like to know maybe one character to impress their friends with. The illustrations were humerous (the kids interacting with each other sometimes away from the game, making silly comments). A beautiful way to express the love each family member has for another and a great way to spend time together each week.

ABC USA by Martin Jarrie

I thought this introduction to the alphabet had a good twist by using American icons as the illustrations. Each letter had an example (theme) and were represented in interesting ways. Jarrie did a great job of creating whimsical paintings that are appealing to the eye. The colors were bright and the style was different from what we typically see in children's illustrations (a more square, hard-edged painting instead of softer lines and shapes with watercolor). There really wasn't much to read, so a very young reader would enjoy looking through this book.

I was a little surprised at one of the letters. H is for Hollywood and the paintings are of women with their chests half hanging out of their dresses. I thought this was an interesting and sly way to insinuate that there is a "trashy" side of Hollywood. I compared the depiction of women from the H page to others and none of the others had such large chests or were uncovered. I thought it was funny and don't know if it would slip by a casual reader. Since having an expert in class talk about all the hidden meanings and symbols in picture books, I have been looking longer and more critically at illustrations. There really wasn't anything that made this book stand-out more than the next ABC book besides the afore mentioned Hollywood observations.

Knights of the Lunch Table: The Dodgeball Chronicles by Frank Cammuso

I have never really gotten into graphic novels besides Garfield when growing up. Sure, I read the funnies everyday, but a whole book of them never seemed quite up my alley. Graphic novels have drastically changed since I was a kid because now the panels aren't merely separate strips put together in book form.

The graphic novel I read was really good and I think kids would love it. The author was very creative and got me hooked right away. I thought it was very clever how he incorporated various aspects relating to "King Arthur and The Knights of The Round Table" mythology into this story. I'm not sure an elementary aged child would catch all of the references, but I thought it was fun. We start with Artie (Arthur) King who loves to read Valiant Blade graphic novels. The dragon in a cave that must be slayed turns out to be a stray dog that was stuck and howling for help, the kingdom of Camelot becomes Camelot Middle School, and the witch figure Mrs. Dagger (the evil principal). Mr. Merlyn is the hip, truth-saying guidance counselor and Gwen a girl who helps win the dodgeball challenge (war between good and evil). Infamous Locker 001 XCL portrays the Sword in the Stone (this locker also has some magical powers to aid our main character through his journeys).

To keep the visual interest of the reader, the illustrations were made up of various sized panels. This format was not hard to follow and flowed nicely. Emotions and movement were created using placement of objects, shading, and facial expressions. The characters are relatable to anyone who was the new kid at school or picked on for not being super athletic. This was a very fast, enjoyable read!

Here is a fun website with a game to play (I played it and it is really fun and surprisingly addictive): http://www.scholastic.com/knightsofthelunchtable/

Mr. Lincoln's Way by Patricia Polacco

Mr. Lincoln is an elementary principal who everyone loves, except the school bully "Mean Gene." Ever positive, Mr. Lincoln refuses to give up on Eugene and tries to find common ground. Mr. Lincoln notices Gene's interest in birds and forges an alliance with him to work in the school atrium to attract birds. I know we can all think of a student we've had or been to school with who was a bully. I'm going to bet nine times out of ten, that they were unhappy with themselves and choose to pick on others to feel a sense of accomplishment.

I had a student who was like this for the first quarter of school. Once he figured out that I wasn't going to put up with it and that I cared about him, he became one of the sweetest boys in the class--he was just putting up a front so others wouldn't know how lonely he was. Especially now, with more and more working families and different kinds of families, students are dealing with all sorts of situations that they might not know how to handle. Going on the defensive and being "feared" sometimes seems better than the alternative of being rejected.

This is a refreshing look at how administration can have a big impact on students' lives when the proper time is taken. Too often principals are only seen by "problem" students and there is a negative connotation. Breaking this barrier is important, because teachers can't do it all--we need support from other caring adults.

Polacco's themes of trust, loneliness, and new life are explored in a reflective way with timeless illustrations that help create a homey atmosphere and sense of caring. Polacco has a unique way of telling stories in believable ways and accompanying them with fabulous illustrations. I like the fact that this book is based on a school in Michigan where mallard ducks roost annually. This book is yet another reason why Polacco is one of the most beloved children's authors.

No Dogs Allowed! by Sonia Manzano

This is a whirlwind romp with an energetic family trying to relax at the beach. The author has played Maria on Sesame Street for over 20 years, so she is pretty recognizable to children and adults alike. Aside from the charming story, the illustrations by Jon J Muth are magical. There were so lots of interesting formats for the text and illustrations that help impress upon the reader a strong sense of movement.

This family is on their way out the door, but it takes a lot to make it happen. The story demonstrates the importance of family--everyone seemed to be included: the Wise Old People (grandparents), cousins, neighbors, etc.--enough to make quite a caravan of cars. Instead of wallowing in what they couldn't do once they reached the beach and became aware of the No Dogs Allowed Policy, they used problem solving to make the day still amazing. I liked that they were able to use the limitations on where El Exigente (a valued family member, too) could relax.

I know that these characters have a lot of interesting traits that children would love to know about. There is quite a lot of text, so a more advance reader of picture books would better enjoy this story. I think Manzano could write an entire library of fun books based on some of these newly introduced personalities.