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Week 6: Poetry - Poisoned Apples: Poems for You, My Pretty

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Week 6: Poetry - Poisoned Apples: Poems for You, My Pretty

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a. Genre/text type
Genre - Poetry
Type - Book of Poems

b. Bibliographic data
Title -Poisoned Apples: Poems for you, My Pretty
Author - Christine Hepperman
Published by - Greenwillow Books, 2014

c. Brief plot summary
This book of poetry is aimed at young women. It is about the uglier side of femininity with topics like bullying, sexism, abuse, anorexia, and self loathing.

d. Critical response and analysis
I found the poems dark and disturbing. There are no uplifting themes or happy endings and it seems to resonate with teen angst. There is truth in the poems, but they fail to offer a light at the end of the tunnel so I would hesitate to recommend it to young girls. If a young woman was having a hard time she may like the darkness and despair of the poems, but they would do nothing to uplift her spirits or give her hope that things may be bad now, but they can get better. I would not add this book to my library or recommend it to others.

e. Connections
The poems could lead to inquiry and wonder as suggested by Johnson & Giorgis in The Wonder of it All. If you have not been through the negative experiences spoken to in the poems, you might wonder how you would deal with it. They could also be used to build community amongst girls who have or to create empathy for those girls from people that have not.

f. Awards won
none

g. Photo of the book cover

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Week 6: Nonfiction Nerdy Book Club - Muddy: The Story of Blues Legend Muddy Waters

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Week 6: Nonfiction Nerdy Book Club - Muddy: The Story of Blues Legend Muddy Waters

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a. Genre/text type
Genre - Nonfiction
Type - Picture Book

b. Bibliographic data
Title - Muddy: The Story of Blues Legend Muddy Waters
Author - Michael Mahin
Illustrator - Evan Turk
Published by - Atheneum Books For Young Readers, 2017

c. Brief plot summary
This book tells the story of McKinley Morganfield aka. Muddy Waters a famous blues musician. It follows him from childhood in the Delta to adulthood in Chicago's South Side where he got his big break as a musician.

d. Critical response and analysis
This book is beautifully illustrated in a gritty graphic style mixing an etched look with bold high lighting and neon colors using oil pastels. The text is written using informal English and utilizes Southern dialect and the euphemisms of the place and time they are depicting. At times the flow was easy and at others was difficult because of the phrasing and vocabulary. This book would be well suited for upper elementary students.

e. Connections
Johnson & Giorgis recommend in The Wonder of it All using texts to inspire students to wonder about and want to learn more on a particular subject. This text would certainly do that for anyone that loves blues music. I was interested in learning about his life and was impressed with his fortitude and confidence. It inspired me to listen to his music to better understand what the text was describing. I would happily recommend this book.

f. Awards won
2017 Nerdy Non-fiction Picture Book Award

g. Photo of the book cover

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Week 6: Poetry by Nikki Grimes - A Day With Daddy

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Week 6: Poetry by Nikki Grimes - A Day With Daddy

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a. Genre/text type
Genre - Poetry
Type - Picture Book

b. Bibliographic data
Title - A Day With Daddy
Author - Nikki Grimes
Illustrator - Nicole Tadgell
Published by - Color-Bridge Books, LLC., 2004

c. Brief plot summary
This story is about a little boy whose parents do not live together and the day he gets to spend with his father.

d. Critical response and analysis
Scholastic's Book Wizard listed this boo at a DRA 20 making it appropriate for 1st - 2nd graders. That also matches the interest level listed Pre K - 2nd grade. Since so many students have divorced or single parents and only see the parent they do not live with on weekends, I think this book would resonate with many readers. Even students that live with both parents can relate to spending a day with their dad and the fun activities in the book. This book has large type and is easy to read. The illustrations are well rendered and help bring the story to life. I would recommend this book!

e. Connections
This book can lead to students making connections through inquiry. A discussion post read aloud would allow students to share their experiences with each other using the text as a spring board.

f. Awards won
none

g. Photo of the book cover

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Week 6: Poetry - Choral Reading - Very Short Fables to Read Together 

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Week 6: Poetry - Choral Reading - Very Short Fables to Read Together 

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a. Genre/text type
Genre - Poetry
Type - Picture Book

b. Bibliographic data
Title - Very Short Fables to Read Together
Author - Mary Ann Hoberman
Illustrator - Michael Emberley
Published by - Little Brown and Company, 2010

c. Brief plot summary
This book is a You Read to Me, I'll Read to You book meant to be a back and forth reading of two people. The story of the fables are set in poetry form.

d. Critical response and analysis
I love the You Read to Me, I'll Read to You series. It is a really fun way to have students read with each other and to the class. The fables are rewritten so the characters tell the story as it happens first person as they interact with one another. The cadence and rhythm of the poems are superbly done making them easy to follow and fun to read. There are parts the students read independently to one another and parts they read together chorally.

e. Connections
When students interact with literature and each other it brings the words to life in a new and exciting way. Johnson & Giorgis stated that "choral reading has many benefits including promoting articulation, expression and fluency" in The Wonder of it All, 2007.

f. Awards won
Poetry Foundation Children's Poet Laureate 2008-2011

g. Photo of the book cover

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a. Genre/text type
Genre - Poetry
Type - Picture Book

b. Bibliographic data
Title - Honey, I Love
Author - Eloise Greenfield
Illustrator - Jan Spivey Gilchrist
Published by - Amistad, 2003

c. Brief plot summary
A little girl describes all of the things that she loves and enjoys.

d. Critical response and analysis
I was not able to find a reading level for the Honey, I Love poem on it's own. I would estimate it is around a DRA 18-20 for independent reading and that would match the interest level of 1st - 2nd grade, which I also feel is appropriate for this book. I think it is relatable to a young child and speaks to their experiences, activities and feelings. The poem has a nice cadence and rhythm and the beautiful illustrations in the book help to bring the text to life.

e. Connections
This book is an excellent example of descriptive writing. Since it is so relatable to children it would be a great book to build community in the classroom using literature as suggested by Johnson & Giorgis in The Wonder of it All. After reading aloud the book aloud I would ask students to share some of their favorite activities and encourage them to describe them in detail so we can all imagine what it is like.

f. Awards won
none

g. Photo of the book cover

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Week 5: Historical Fiction - Rose Blanche

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Week 5: Historical Fiction - Rose Blanche

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a. Genre/text type
Genre - Historical Fiction
Type - Picture Book

b. Bibliographic data
Title - Rose Blanche
Author - Christophe Gallaz & Roberto Innocenti
Illustrator - Roberto Innocenti
Published by - Creative Education. Inc., 1985

c. Brief plot summary
This story is about a young German girl named Rose Blanche and how she experienced WWII.

d. Critical response and analysis
This beautifully illustrated picture book shows WWII through the eyes of a young German girl. Her lack of understanding about what was happening made a book about a difficult topic more accessible to young readers. Scholastic's Book Wizard listed the book as being appropriate for readers in Pre-k - 5th grade and at a Lexile Level of 430 which would correspond to a 1st - 2nd grader being able to read it independently. Even though the topic is a heavy one, the book averages one short paragraph per page and I think more advanced readers may not be interested in reading it unless they were drawn to the topic. I think most intermediate elementary students view picture books as too "babyish" for them. Even though the book shows some of the sad events that took place from the innocence of a child's point of view it was not difficult to read. The author alludes to the death of Rose, however, it is never stated so younger primary readers may not understand the inference and be upset by that.

e. Connections
To really understand what is happening in the book would require some background knowledge. However, the book could be read as a stand alone to highlight human compassion and empathy since Rose is determined to feed the people starving behind the fence. In primary grades I would use it to illustrate those character traits rather than to talk about WWII.
Another book about a child that wants to help feed people is Mallory Makes a Difference by Laurie B. Friedman. The two stories could be used together to encourage students to think of others. After reading the books I would use the literature as an opportunity to build community in the classroom and extend it by asking the children what we could do to help people that are hungry. That would be a great kick off for a food drive for Thanksgiving.

f. Awards won
1985 American Library Association Notable Children's Book

g. Photo of the book cover

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Week 5: CLA Notable Book - The Day the Crayon's Quit

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Week 5: CLA Notable Book - The Day the Crayon's Quit

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a. Genre/text type
Genre - Fantasy
Type - Picture Book

b. Bibliographic data
Title - The Day the Crayons Quit
Author - Drew Daywalt
Illustrator - Oliver Jeffers
Published by - Philomel Books, 2013

c. Brief plot summary
A little boy gets letters at school from his crayons complaining to him in an effort to get him to use all the colors and stay in the lines.

d. Critical response and analysis
The book is witty and really cute. Duncan finds a bunch of letters written by each crayon color. Each one has complaints about how they are used or the fact that they aren't used. Scholastic's Book Wizard listed this book as being of interest from PreK - 2nd grade. I completely agree. I think that the book is perfect for primary students. The DRA level is a 24, making this book a read aloud prior to 2nd grade. I enjoyed the book and would love to have this in my classroom.

e. Connections
This book would be an excellent read aloud in a primary classroom. It reminds me of The Legend of Rock Paper Scissors by the same author because inanimate things become living characters. Both books are really imaginative and great fun. I highly recommend this book. It is a subtle reminder to consider other peoples feelings and delivered in such a way that children can relate to it.

f. Awards won
none

g. Photo of the book cover

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Week 5: Historical Fiction - Henry's Freedom Box

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Week 5: Historical Fiction - Henry's Freedom Box

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a. Genre/text type
Genre - Historic Fiction
Type - Picture Book

b. Bibliographic data
Title - Henry's Freedom Box
Author - Ellen Levine
Illustrators - Kadir Nelson
Published by - Scholastic Press, 2007

c. Brief plot summary
This story is about  a slave named Henry Brown. It chronicles his life growing up as a slave and how he escaped to freedom.

d. Critical response and analysis
This book points out the sadness and injustice of slavery and it's impact on the people that are enslaved. It is also a book of hope, that for every problem there is a solution, sometimes you just have to "think outside of the box" to find it. Scholastic's Book Wizard listed the DRA at level 40, but an interest level of grades 1st-5th. I think this book would not be appropriate for independent reading until 4th and 5th grades. The topic of slavery and children being sold is not addressed in the Social Studies standards until 5th grade, so this book might serve as an introduction to the topic if utilized prior to then.

e. Connections
I think this would be an excellent book to promote wonder and inquiry suggested in The Wonder of it All by Johnson & Giorgis, 2007.  Students could learn more about escaping slavery in America by comparing Henry's Freedom Box  to another book about hope, and the road to freedom called Night Boat to Freedom by Margot Theis Raven. By utilizing the two books the students would be better able to understand the plight of the slaves and what they had to go through to be free.

f. Awards won
2008 Caldecott Medal Honors

g. Photo of the book cover

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Week 5: Historical & Realistic Fiction - Saturday's & Teacakes

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Week 5: Historical & Realistic Fiction - Saturday's & Teacakes

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a. Genre/text type
Genre - Realistic Fiction
Type - Picture book

b. Bibliographic data
Title - Saturday's and Teacakes
Author - Lester L. Laminack
Illustrator - Chris Soentpiet
Published by - Peachtree Publishers, LTD., 2004

c. Brief plot summary.
This story details a 10 year old boys Saturdays spent with his grandmother (Mammaw). It is set in a small rural town the 1960's.

d. Critical response and analysis.
This book follows a boy that spends his Saturday's with his grandmother. They have a fantastic relationship and both love spending the day together. The text has a good cadence that is almost poetic in nature at some points. The book is illustrated really well and follows the text. You can look at the picture on the page that the text is on and pick out everything mentioned in the words. That is fairly unusual and I really liked it. Scholastic's Book Wizard lists this book as being of interest to Pre-K through 5th grade and at a DRA level 24 which equates to a 2nd grade reader. The reading level would make it a read aloud below 2nd grade, but both 2nd and 3rd graders should enjoy the book and be able to read it independently. I do not know that a picture book would have broad appeal in 4th - 5th grades but I am sure that some older elementary students would enjoy it. I would recommend this book and would like to have it in my classroom library.

e. Connections.
This book presents a great opportunity to build community with literature as suggested in The Wonder of it All by Johnson & Giorgis, 2007. It could be read aloud  in conjunction with A Day With Daddy by Nikki Grimes to hi light the special activities a child might do with a family member. I would follow the readings by initiating a class discussion and allow the students to ell about the days they spend with someone special to them.

f. Awards won
none

g. Photo of the book cover

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Week 5: Realistic Fiction - Ezra Jack Keats Book - Jennie's Hat

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Week 5: Realistic Fiction - Ezra Jack Keats Book - Jennie's Hat

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a. Genre/text type
Genre - Realistic Fiction
Type - Picture Book

b. Bibliographic data
Title - Jennie's Hat
Author - Ezra Jack Keats
Published by - Penguin Group, 2003

c. Brief plot summary
A little girl named Jennie gets a new hat but it is plain and she wants a beautiful decorative hat.

d. Critical response and analysis
This picture book is aimed primary readers. The story is relatable since Jennie receives a hat as a gift but it is plain and not what she wants. She dreams of having a beautiful interesting hat like others that she sees. Scholastic's Book Wizard listed the interest level as Pre-K to 2nd grade, and the DRA level at 18. Since the DRA is an 18, students would most likely be able to read this book independently in 1st or 2nd grade. The topic and illustrations of the book will interest girls more than boys. The book is ok, but not one that I would add to my library or would say is a must have.

e. Connections
This book would be a fun opportunity to incorporate a craft extension and have the students create their own hat bringing the book to life.

f. Awards won
none

g. Photo of the book cover

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Week 5: Free Choice Realistic Fiction - Terror at the Ghost Town Mine

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Week 5: Free Choice Realistic Fiction - Terror at the Ghost Town Mine

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a. Genre/text type
Genre - Realistic Fiction
Type - Beginning Chapter Book

b. Bibliographic data
Title - Terror at the Ghost Town Mine
Author - Michael Teitelbaum
Illustrators - Olga & Aleksey Ivanov
Published by - Bearport Publishing Company, Inc., 2016

c. Brief plot summary
The Lockley family visits Hardstone, an abandoned town haunted by the miners of the Gold Rush.

d. Critical response and analysis
This book follows 12 year-old Jacob and his 11 year-old brother Rich on an adventure in a gold mining ghost town. The beginning chapter book has a lot of color pictures that correspond nicely to the text making it a great transition from reading picture books to chapter books. The story is entertaining and the mystery component will keep the readers engaged. The book includes a glossary that corresponds to words that are bolded in the text giving young readers an opportunity to learn new words and enhance comprehension of the story.
There was no reading level listed, but given the vocabulary, topic and length of the book I think it would be interesting to and appropriate for 2nd - 4th graders graders.  I thoroughly enjoyed the book. It is a part of a series called Cold Whispers, marketed on Amazon as "Spine-Chilling Horror" for 7 - 10 year old readers. I personally am not a fan of horror books and would not have viewed this as one. It was not scary at all and I would feel confident about adding it to my classroom library.

e. Connections
This would be an excellent book to promote wonder and inquiry as suggested in The Wonder of it All by Johnson & Giorgis, 2007. Whether it is read aloud to a whole class or read independently, if the student enjoys the topic he or she would most likely wonder about the Gold Rush and the abandoned "ghost" towns left when the 49ers left.

f. Awards won
none

g. Photo of the book cover

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Week 4: Free Choice Fantasy - Dr. Critchlore's School for Minions 

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Week 4: Free Choice Fantasy - Dr. Critchlore's School for Minions 

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a. Genre/text type
Genre - Fantasy
Type - Chapter Book

b. Bibliographic data
Title - Dr. Critchlore's School for Minions
Author - Shelia Grau
Illustrator - Joe Suthphin
Published by - Amulet Books, 2015

c. Brief plot summary
Runt Higgins attends Dr. Critchlore's School for Minions; a boarding school where young humans, vampires, mummies, werewolves, ogres, sirens, monsters and magical creatures of all types train to be the henchmen and minions for the evil overlords that rule the world. This year everything is going wrong though and the school may close if Runt can't stop whoever is behind the sabotage.

d. Critical response and analysis
This book is in the Juvenile Fiction section of the Pinellas Liibrary and is listed by them to be a Lexile 640 which would make it appropriate for 3rd graders. That said, I read it and did not feel at all that it was too easy or boring. It was an excellent book. In fact, it was a "page turner" that I could not put down. I read all 276 pages in one sitting and have ordered the second book in the series (there are four books at this point). The characters are relatable despite being of a fantastic nature and the action and mystery keep the reader engaged. The book offers periodic illustrations in black and white, but is primarily text relying on the imagination of the reader to visualize the action. Shelia Grau did an excellent job creating a new and exciting fantasy world. I give this book my highest recommendation without hesitation!

e. Connections
This book could be used for a read aloud and would certainly grab the interest of the students and possibly introduce them to  a new genre, author or book series that they would love.
The Wonder of it All suggests that giving students time to enjoy books independently and this would also be an excellent book for that. (Johnson & Giorgis, 2007) This book is wonderful and I would highly recommend adding it to your classroom library.

f. Awards won
none

g. Photo of the book cover

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Week 4: ALSC Notable Childrens Books - The Book of Mistakes

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Week 4: ALSC Notable Childrens Books - The Book of Mistakes

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a. Genre/text type
Genre - Realistic Fiction
Type -  Picture book

b. Bibliographic data
Title -  The Book of Mistakes
Author - Corinna Luyken
Published by - Dial Books for Young Readers, 2017

c. Brief plot summary
Mistakes can inspire us and give us ideas that lead to good things.

d. Critical response and analysis
The book starts with a half drawn face in a sea of white giving the reader a sense of starting from scratch. As the story continues the illustration is added to a little at a time, but not all the additions are good ones and the text points out the mistakes. Rather than being a bad thing, each mistake leads to a new idea that improves the illustration. In the end, all of the mistakes lead to a beautiful detailed drawing. This book teaches the reader that making a mistake does not have to be a bad thing. It reminds me of the idiom: when life gives you lemons, make lemonade. The book is not leveled, but I believe it would be appropriate in grades kindergarten through third. I like both the artistry and message in this book and would recommend it as an addition to a classroom library.

e. Connections
I would use this book to inspire my students by having them actively participate in the story as recommended in The Wonder of it All (Johnson & Giorgis, 2007). Each time Corinna Luyken makes a mistake you have to turn the page to see how she fixes it. The students could come up with their own ideas of how it could be fixed and try to predict what she will do to fix it.

f. Awards won
none

g. Photo of the book cover

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Week 4: Modern Fantasy - Jon Scieszka - The Spooky Tire

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Week 4: Modern Fantasy - Jon Scieszka - The Spooky Tire

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a. Genre/text type
Genre - Fiction / Fantasy
Type -  Picture book

b. Bibliographic data
Title - Trucktown: The Spooky Tire
Author - Jon Scieszka
Illustrators - Juan Pablo Navas, Isabel Nadal & Gabriela Lazbal
Published by - Aladdin Paperbacks, 2009

c. Brief plot summary
On a dark and stormy night Melvin a cement mixer truck has a flat tire. He goes to find a replacement in the junkyard but is chased by a spooky ghost.

d. Critical response and analysis
This easy to read and brightly colored picture book is sure to appeal to young readers. Scholastic Book Wizard lists it at a 140 Lexile which makes it appropriate it for kindergarten readers. There are words that would be challenging for a kindergartner though such as: Melvin, spooky, golden voice, called, found, worried, scared, something, bumped and heard. I actually think this book would be more appropriate for a 1st grader. I think the book is mediocre and it is not one that I would personally want to add to my library.

e. Connections
This book would be great for shared reading. There are simple words that the students could read, but the teacher could help with the difficult words. In The Wonder of it All Margaret Mooney stated that "shared reading provides opportunities to introduce new, memorable and more complex language".(Johnson & Giorgis, 2007)

f. Awards won
none

g. Photo of the book cover

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Week 4: Modern Fantasy - Where the Wild Things Are

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Week 4: Modern Fantasy - Where the Wild Things Are

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a. Genre/text type
Genre - Fiction / Fantasy
Type -  Picture book

b. Bibliographic data
Title - Where the Wild Things Are
Author - Maurice Sendak
Published by - Harper Collins, 1963

c. Brief plot summary
Max was having a wild day and was sent to bed without supper. He journeyed to a magical land where he became king of the wild things but was lonely and missed his family.

d. Critical response and analysis.
This award winning picture book is sure to appeal to all children with a wild side. Scholastic's Book Wizard leveled it at a DRA16 which makes it appropriate for 1st graders. I think the book would hold the interest of students in Kindergarten and first grade. Max's imagination takes flight when he is sent to bed without supper and he journeys to a magical land. The stylized illustrations bring the wild creatures to life as they romp and play. Max becomes their king, but it is not enough to make him happy. He misses his family and leaves the imaginary world behind as he sails back home. All children can relate to wanting to be wild and free of rules, but in the end freedom can not replace the love and comfort of your family. This book has been popular for many years but it is not one of my personal favorites.

e. Connections.
This book would work well for read alouds in kindergarten and first grade. It's popularity makes it probable to be in most school libraries. It is an easy to read book and would also work well for independent reading. As students become familiar with the story and text their confidence will increase with practice helping them to become more proficient readers as suggested in The Wonder of it All (Johnson & Giorgis, 2007).

f. Awards won
1964 Caldecott Medal

g. Photo of the book cover

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Week 4: Polk Library Modern Fantasy - The Bear Ate Your Sandwich

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Week 4: Polk Library Modern Fantasy - The Bear Ate Your Sandwich

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a. Genre/text type
Genre - Fiction / Fantasy
Type -  Picture book

b. Bibliographic data
Title - The Bear Ate Your Sandwich
Author - Julia Sarcone-Roach
Published by - Alfred A. Knopf, 2015

c. Brief plot summary
In a very detailed and imaginative story a dog explains to a little girl that a bear ate her sandwich.

d. Critical response and analysis
This is a beautifully stylized watercolor picture book. A bear tempted by berries in the bed of a pickup truck falls asleep and finds himself transported away from the forest to an urban jungle. The bear explores the city unabashed by the change in his surroundings. As bears are prone to do he is searching for food only to find that the local inhabitants have already staked their claim. Then he happens upon a lunchbox on a park bench and enjoys the sandwich inside.... so says the dog when a little girl is looking at him. It is a cute story even without it being a tall tale told by the dog who probably ate the sandwich himself but it requires making inferences that a young child may not be capable of on their own. The book is cute, but it is not one that I would add to my library.

e. Connections.
If you have enough copies this book would make an excellent book to read chorally. The story is entertaining and it is rich with adjectives that will help build vocabulary.  According to The Wonder of it All "choral reading has many benefits including promoting articulation, expression and fluency".(Johnson & Giorgis, 2007)

f. Awards won
Ezra Jack Keats Honor Book 2016

g. Photo of the book cover

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Week 3: Wordless Book 2- Flora and the Flamingo

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Week 3: Wordless Book 2- Flora and the Flamingo

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a. Genre/text type
Genre -Fiction
Type -  Wordless picture book

b. Bibliographic data
Title - Flora and the Flamingo
Author - Molly Idle
Published by - Chronicle Books, LLC 2013

c. Brief plot summary.
A girl is enamored by a flamingo and seeks to emulate how it looks and moves. The flamingo is not interested at first but joins in at the end.

d. Critical response and analysis.
Molly Idle was a Dream Works animation artist before authoring/illustrating children's books. This book despite it's lack of words was really enjoyable. The illustrations were not only well rendered, but the story unfolded literally as the incorporation of lift flaps made the book interactive to see what happens next. It was very easy to follow what happened based solely on the illustrations and text was not necessary. This is a great example of illustrations telling a story! I would highly recommend this book.

e. Connections.
It is suggested in The Wonder of it All that students draw inspiration from literature.  (Johnson & Giorgis, 2007) This book requires no text and can be used as an example of how an author can create a story using just pictures. I would have my students create their own wordless story using the prompt "I would like to be a ...... ( student's choice of any animal except a flamingo)". They could draw themselves imitating the animal.

f. Awards won
2014 Caldecott Medal Honor

g. Photo of the book cover

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Week 3: Banned & Challenged - And Tango Makes Three

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Week 3: Banned & Challenged - And Tango Makes Three

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a. Genre/text type
Genre - Nonfiction
Type -  Picture book

b. Bibliographic data
Title - And Tango Makes Three
Author -  Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell
Illustrator - Henry Cole
Published by - Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2005

c. Brief plot summary
Roy and Silo are homosexual chinstrap penguins in Central Park Zoo. A zoo keeper gave them an egg to hatch and they became a family.

d. Critical response and analysis
This beautifully illustrated picture book tells the tale of two chinstrap penguins, Roy and Silo. It gives us  a glimpse of their lives and most importantly teaches us that other than the fact that the couple consisted of two male penguins they were no different than the other penguins at the zoo. When another penguin couple had more eggs than they could care for a zoo keeper gave the extra egg to Roy and Silo. They cared for it and became a family when baby Tango hatched. I wholeheartedly recommend this book!

e. Connections
This book would make a fantastic read aloud book and I would  follow it with a student led discussion about it to encourage active participation as recommended in The wonder of it All (Johnson & Giorgis, 2007). It would be interesting to see what the children thought about the book on their own without prompting from an adult. Of course I am hopeful that there would not be prejudice but instead understanding and empathy. However, if there was not, it would be a great opportunity for those students to see other perspectives about same sex parents and families.

f. Awards won
2006 American Library Association Notable Childrens Book
2005 ASPCA Herny Bergh Award
2006 Gustavus Myer Outstanding Book Award

g. Photo of the book cover

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Week 3: Wordless Book 1- The Boy and the Book

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Week 3: Wordless Book 1- The Boy and the Book

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a. Genre/text type
Genre - Fiction
Type -  Wordless picture book

b. Bibliographic data
Title - The Boy & the Book
Author - David Michael Slater
Illustrator - Bob Kolar
Published by - Charlsbridge, 2015

c. Brief plot summary.
A little boy and his mom visit the library. The boy is so excited and happy but the books are afraid of him because he treats them badly.

d. Critical response and analysis.
Though this story is wordless, it is extremely easy to understand. The fact that it is wordless actually lent to my understanding of the story because I believe that Boy was very young and had not learned how to take care of books yet. The child would have honestly been better suited for board books because of how roughly he handled them and the damage he was doing. One thing I did not like was the fact that they child is depicted as defacing the books in a library and neither the mother or the librarian correct or reprimand him. I am personally particularly protective of books and can't stand to see them damaged so I was disappointed that in the story they let it go on. The books which are depicted as alive ran from the boy and tried to hide. When the boy cried, his favorite book went to him and the boy was happy and treated the book better. Although I see the moral clearly with no pictures and it would be a fun way to teach kids to take care of books I would not recommend reading it to young children. There were no consequences for the bad behavior and destruction of library property, and that is not realistic nor does it teach them about the expectations in a library.

e. Connections.
It is suggested in The Wonder of it All that students draw inspiration from literature.  (Johnson & Giorgis, 2007) Being wordless, this book can serve as a catalyst to help young writers figure out what to write about. The pictures in my mind tell one story, but everyone brings to a wordless book their own interpretation. By allowing the children to write the story using the illustrations as a springboard they are given inspiration and freedom at the same time.

f. Awards won
none

g. Photo of the book cover

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Week 3: Corretta Scott King Award - Gone Crazy in Alabama 

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Week 3: Corretta Scott King Award - Gone Crazy in Alabama 

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a. Genre/text type
Genre - Realistic Fiction
Type -  Novel

b. Bibliographic data
Title - Gone Crazy in Alabama
Author - Rita Williams-Garcia
Cover Art - Frank Morrison
Published by - Harper Collins Publishers, 2005

c. Brief plot summary
Three young sisters travel from Brooklyn, New York to Alabama to spend the summer with their grandmother and great grandmother on the farm. While there they discover things about their family that they never knew.

d. Critical response and analysis
This book follows three sisters ages 12, 10 and 8 on a journey from Brooklyn, New York to a farm in Alabama. It is told using first person narration as the 12 year old, Delphine. The journey is less about the distance and change of scenery than it is about the time it takes place, 1969. Williams-Garcia did not reference the year, but the moon landing let the reader know when it was taking place. Even though it is fairly well written it has a soap opera quality of high drama about it. I felt like Williams-Garcia was intentionally trying to tie the three children to every cultural/social/political high drama event that was taking place at the time. Their birth mother left them and became a member of the Black Panthers. Their step-mom was a "womens libber". Their uncle returned from Vietnam mentally and emotionally scarred and a drug addict. The sisters found out they were descendants of a runaway slave and a native American (whose Indian brothers sold the "blacker" children as slaves), and a white slave owner along with their African ancestors. Their great grandfather was a bigot with two wives and families living across a stream from one another. The KKK came riding in too, but for more high drama their leader the sheriff is blood related to them through the white slave owner. There was even a tornado and the 10 year old Vonetta having runaway was missing, bringing all the estranged family members  together under one roof in the end. The drama was at every turn and I lost interest long before the conclusion. I would not recommend reading this book.

e. Connections.
I would not assign this book or read it to students unless I was required to. I believe that it won an award for touching on slavery and racial injustice themes. However, I think the book was designed to sensationalize the issues and agitate the reader because the author threw in everything but the kitchen sink in an effort to do so. That said, if I did use the book I would use it as a contrast and compare based realistic fiction and nonfiction. This book was written from the point of view of a 12 year old girl and a work of fiction. The book I would like to use for a comparison is

Heart and Soul: The Story of America and African Americans by Kadir Nelson. That book is also a Corretta  Scott King Award winner (2012) and tells the story from the point of view of a 100 year old woman. In this way the students could compare not only fact vs. fiction, but also the point of view and voice of vastly different narrators.

f. Awards won
2016 Corretta Scott King Award

g. Photo of the book cover

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Week 2: Traditional Literature - Myth - Hercules the Strong Man

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Week 2: Traditional Literature - Myth - Hercules the Strong Man

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a. Genre/text type
Genre -  Mythology
Type -  Graphic Novel

b. Bibliographic data
Title -  Myth Men: Guardians of the Legend - Hercules the Strong Man
Author - Laura Geringer
Illustrator - Peter Bollinger
Published by - Scholastic Inc., 1996

c. Brief plot summary
This book tells the story of Hercules and his attempt to get three golden apples from the garden of Hesperides.

d. Critical response and analysis.
The pictures are full color and despite this being a graphic novel, the layout is non traditional. It almost looks like a cross between a picture book and a graphic novel because some of the pictures are large, and it is not crowded with text. I liked the lay out and it was easy to follow and read. This version of the story is an adaptation and shortened. However, the big events and major characters are all there. The Myth Men: Guardians of the Legend series would appeal to young readers that are interested in larger than life characters who perform heroic deeds.

e. Connections
This book would be perfect for readers that are interested in heroes and mythology but are not yet ready for books like Riordan's Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightening Thief. Some other books that may interest young readers in mythology are the Heroes in Training Olympian Collection books by Joan Holub and Suzanne Williams.

f. Awards won
none

g. Photo of the book cover.

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Week 2: Traditional Literature - Fable - Aesop's Fables

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Week 2: Traditional Literature - Fable - Aesop's Fables

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a. Genre/text type
Genre -  Fable
Type -  Picture Book

b. Bibliographic data
Title - Aesop's Fables
Illustrator - Charles Santore
Published by - Sterling Childrens Books, 2010

c. Brief plot summary
Aesop's fables come to life in this beautifully illustrated picture book. Each fable is followed by the lesson and moral it is meant to teach making it easier for the young reader to understand.

d. Critical response and analysis
Aesop, said to be a slave in ancient Greece wrote these fables using animals that have the characteristics of humans in order to teach lessons or morals. Each fable in this book is short, between one and four paragraphs. Despite being written so long ago the language used in this book was English and was easy to follow despite the use of some more formal older English that is in disuse today. I think that inferring the meaning of some fables is easier than others.  It was a good idea to list the lesson / moral after each story because it made it easier to understand the main point of each story. Charles Santore's detailed illustrations give the reader a point of reference for each fable making them easier to visualize and understand as well.

e. Connections
To get a better feel for the book I also read the Scholastic book Aesop's Fables as retold by Ann McGovern. I was surprised how different the books were. The Santore glossy hardcover version only featured stories about animals and had beautiful full page illustrations; it was certainly more visually appealing and seemed a better quality book. In contrast the paperback Ann McGovern version had small simple two-three color line drawings and was not impressive at all from a visual standpoint. However, it contained many more stories, and half of them featured human characters which I enjoyed and felt more connected to. I was surprised to find that the $4.99 Scholastic book in my opinion far surpassed the $21.99 Santore version. In the classroom the two versions could be used for differentiation with lower or mid level students using McGovern's version while advanced readers used Santore's version to determine the main point (lesson to he learned) of the fables.

f. Awards won
none

g. Photo of the book cover

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Week 2: Traditional Literature - Anansi the Spider

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Week 2: Traditional Literature - Anansi the Spider

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a. Genre/text type
Genre - Folk Tale
Type -  Picture Book

b. Bibliographic data
Title -  Anansi the Spider
Author -  Gerald McDermott
Published by - Landmark Production, Inc., 1972

c. Brief plot summary
This folktale is from the Ashanti people in Ghana, Africa. The story about the folk hero Anasi the spider explains how the moon came to be.

d. Critical response and analysis.
This picture book gives us an opportunity to experience an African culture through the illustrations and the story about the Ashanti folk-hero Anansi. The book is very easy to read and understand even if you are unfamiliar with the character or culture. The illustrations use bold lines, bright colors and geometric patterns that add excitement and life to the story. According to Scholastic's Book Wizard the DRA level for this book is 20, and the interest level is listed for primary students from kindergarten to second grade. I think the book is likely to appeal to 1st and 2nd grade readers who would be able to read and understand the story of the book. The only stumbling block for a young reader  may be that you need to infer that the white globe in the story is actually the moon.

e. Connections
In the classroom this book could be used to encourage "active reading" and participation as described in The Wonder of it All.  (Johnson & Giorgis, 2007)  A fun activity in the primary classroom would be to show the students how Anansi named his sons by their character traits and special abilities. The students can come up with names for themselves if they were in the Anansi book with the stipulation being that they .are able to explain why they chose the name based on their character trait or ability.  I think it would be not only a fun way to integrate the book, but also a wonderful activity that allows the teacher to "partner with literature" and "build community" in the classroom.  (Johnson & Giorgis, 2007)

f. Awards won
1973 Caldecott Medal Honor

g. Photo of the book cover.

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Week 2: Orbis Pictus Award - The Right Word - Roget and His Thesaurus 

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Week 2: Orbis Pictus Award - The Right Word - Roget and His Thesaurus 

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a. Genre/text type
Genre - Nonfiction
Type -  Picture Book

b. Bibliographic data
Title - The Right Word: Roget and His Thesaurus
Author - Jen Bryant
Illustrator - Melissa Sweet
Published by - Eerdmans Books for Young Readers, 2014

c. Brief plot summary
This book is about the life and accomplishments of Peter Mark Roget known to the world as the man that wrote the Thesaurus. While that in and of itself was a major accomplishment, he actually did much more than just that and in this book we follow his journey and get to know him.

d. Critical response and analysis
This informational picture book offers the reader a glimpse of the life of Peter Roget and explains how he came to author the Thesaurus. It is colorfully illustrated in an old world style that lends itself to a trip back in time.  The reader will follow Roget and learn about his many accomplishments. Even having long been a fan of the Thesaurus I had no idea what an extraordinary man Roget was. In the back of the book there is also a timeline listing the main events of Roget's life and the big world events that were happening as well to give the reader a sense of what was going on in that time period. The exile level was listed at 590 on Scholastic's Book Wizard . This book should be appropriate and appeal to students in 1st - 3rd grade.  It was a great read and I would highly recommend it.

e. Connections
This nonfiction book would be a great addition to any elementary library. One of the things I like the best about this book is that it is such a good example of how a child is capable of doing great things. Roget was very young when he developed his interest in words and began creating what would later become the Thesaurus that we are now all so familiar with. In the classroom it can be used to encourage children to follow their interests and to believe that they are capable of greatness. I love to introduce students to the Thesaurus and the use of synonyms to make their writing more descriptive. That is how authors make stories come to life. This book could also be used to write a biography, and to teach about timelines.

f. Awards won
2015 Obris Pictus Honors Award
2015 Robert F. Sibert Medal

g. Photo of the book cover

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Week 2: Traditional Literature - Folktale - Walt Disney's Uncle Remus Stories 

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Week 2: Traditional Literature - Folktale - Walt Disney's Uncle Remus Stories 

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a. Genre/text type
Genre - Folktale
Type -  Picture Book

b. Bibliographic data
Title - Walt Disney's Uncle Remus Stories
Author - Marion Palmer, Adapted from Joel Chandler Harris
Illustrator - Al Dempster and Bill Justice
Published by - Golden Press, 1972

c. Brief plot summary
This book was released as a follow up to the Disney movie Song of the South. It introduces readers to Uncle Remus and the American Folklore stories about Brer Rabbit, Brer Fox and Brer Bear.

d. Critical response and analysis
This beautifully illustrated picture book of American folklore stories adapted from Joel Chandler Harris's book Told by Uncle Remus written in 1905. The character Uncle Remus is described as a "great Negro storyteller". The book is written using affected phonics, poor grammar and incorporates the euphoniums and dialect of the rural Georgia storyteller during the civil war. It can be a challenging and difficult read aloud because of that, but it is much easier to read to yourself. In the forward of the book Walt Disney stated that "in the more picturesque language one may enjoy more fully the rhythm and the poetic fantasy that have made these stories classic". The language used certainly sets the story apart and lends authenticity as to the time and place. The stories are very entertaining and timeless in their appeal to readers both young and old. The movie Song of the South movie has been the subject of some controversy because of the fact that Uncle Remus was a slave. However, in my opinion Joel Chandler Harris's recording of the African American folklore stories allowed their preservation for generations to come and highlights their contributions to American culture and society.

e. Connections
In the classroom this book would be an excellent example to use in contrasting and comparing formal and informal language. As with all folklore there is a lesson to be learned in each story. The use of animal characters that have human characteristics give these stories broad appeal. This would be an excellent opportunity for the teacher to promote "active reading" as is recommended in The Wonder of it All  by encouraging students to respond to the text. (Johnson & Giorgis, 2007) This particular set of stories would offer students the chance to predict, infer and to make connections. Beyond using the Uncle Remus Stories to entertain and interest children, it can also be used to get them to interact with one another helping to "build community in the classroom". (Johnson & Giorgis, 2007) I also like the suggestion of a quick write with the prompts "I wish.. I was surprised by... and This reminds me of...." as a great way to allow students to really think about the story and how they felt about it. (Johnson & Giorgis, 2007)

f. Awards won
none

g. Photo of the book cover.

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Week 1: Alphabet Book 1- Down in the Garden Alphabet Book

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Week 1: Alphabet Book 1- Down in the Garden Alphabet Book

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a. Genre/text type
Genre -  Alphabet Book
Type -  Picture Book

b. Bibliographic data
Title - Down in the Garden Alphabet Book
Author - Anne Geddes
Published by - Cedco Publishing Company, 1997

c. Brief plot summary.
Anne Geddes, a professional photographer of children, created an alphabet book featuring pictures of children dressed up as or posed with items for each letter of the alphabet.

d. Critical response and analysis.
The images are interesting and children would be able to make connections between the letter, words and the photographs depicting them. It accurately introduces each letter of the alphabet and gives a corresponding word (for all but z). However, I think that they could have done a better job in some instances with making phonic connections. For example: she used Gnome for g, but the g in gnome is silent. She also used Urn for u which does not make the short or long u sound being an r-blend and she used Extra for x instead of a word starting with the letter. She did not give a word at all for z and mixed short and long sounds for vowels.  If you want an alphabet book that helps children make phonic connections, this would not be one that I recommend.

e. Connections.
This book could be used as an instructional inspiration to guide young students to create their own alphabet book using a letter, a corresponding word and an illustration under the guidance of the teacher. It could be a really fun project, but teacher involvement would be necessary to make the phonemic connections between sound and letter and helping young children to spell or write the words.

f. Awards won
none

g. Photo of the book cover.

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a. Genre/text type
Genre -  Nonfiction Alphabet Book
Type -  Picture Book

b. Bibliographic data
Title - ABC Dentist
Author - Harriet Ziefert
Illustrator - Liz Murphy
Published by - Blue Apple Books, 2008

c. Brief plot summary.
This alphabet book uses words related to the dentist and dental hygiene along with images to help the reader make real life connections to things that they may be familiar with.

d. Critical response and analysis.
For an alphabet book the vocabulary is of a very high level and features words that a young child would not be able to read or understand on their own like hygienist, examination, plaque, and orthodontist. That said, it is very interesting and informational especially given that they define and explain each word. On Scholastic's Book Wizard it is listed at a DRA level 34 which would equate to a 3rd grade reading level. I would agree with that. I teach 2nd grade and my higher readers could read and understand most of this independently though they may have to ask about some of the more difficult words.

e. Connections.
This book would be a great cross curriculum resource for health, or could be used for writing an informational paper on teeth, dental hygiene or dental careers. I also think it would make a great addition to the classroom library grades 2 to 4 and would interest a variety of students. As recommended in The Wonder of it All, this book can also be used to "partner with literature and build community" . The teacher could do that by connecting with the students that may have a fear of the dentist if used as a read aloud. The teacher should also share their fears before visits and hopefully positive experiences.

f. Awards won
none

g. Photo of the book cover.

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Week 1: Caldecott Medal Honors - Grand Canyon

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Week 1: Caldecott Medal Honors - Grand Canyon

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a. Genre/text type
Genre -  Nonfiction Informational
Type -  Picture Book

b. Bibliographic data
Title - Grand Canyon
Author - Jason Chin
Illustrator - Liz Murphy
Published by - Roaring Book Press, 2017

c. Brief plot summary.
This informational book follows a boy and his father as they explore and learn about the Grand Canyon. This text  offers information about the landscape, plants and animals found there.

d. Critical response and analysis.
The illustrations in this book are beautifully rendered. Even a child that was not able to read the text would enjoy the book for that reason. For the child that is able to read and comprehend the text is offers a plethora of information. It describes the history of the area and its formation, the landforms, plants, and animals that live there and the food chain that is sure to spark their interest. The Lexile level was listed as 1,000 making it a book that would be appropriate for readers in grades 5 & Up. However, there are many parts of the book that a high reader in 2nd grade would be able to read and understand. I highly recommend the book as an excellent informational book where the facts are presented in an interesting and easy to understand way.

e. Connections.
This book can help teachers "partner with literature" and "build community" as recommended  in The Wonder of it All. (Johnson & Giorgis, 2007) One way that could be done is to make connections to trips the teacher has taken to the Grand Canyon or other parks and talk about their experiences and what they learned and encourage the students to do the same. The book could also be used to research and write an informational paper about the Grand Canyon, landforms, and food chains.

f. Awards won
2018 Caldecott Medal Honors
2018 Orbis Pictus Award
2018 Robert F. Sibert Medal, Honor

g. Photo of the book cover.

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Week 1: Elements of Design - Picture Book 1- No Dogs Allowed! 

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Week 1: Elements of Design - Picture Book 1- No Dogs Allowed! 

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a. Genre/text type
Genre -  Realistic Fiction
Type -  Picture Book

b. Bibliographic data
Title - No Dogs Allowed!
Author - Sonia Manzano
Illustrator -  Jon J Muth
Published by - Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2004

c. Brief plot summary.
A family, their dog and some of their community members  from New York decide to travel to a state park for a picnic. They have quite an adventure along the way and when they arrived the sign read "No dogs are allowed" so they had to figure out what to do.

d. Critical response and analysis.
This book is a very enjoyable example of realistic fiction. It is told from the point of view of a 7 year old, Iris. Not only do the images bring the story to life, but the characters are not just named but also given a description that helps you relate to them and make connections to people in real life or in other books or movies you are familiar with. It is well written and holds your interest from beginning to end. I was unable to find a level, but based on the vocabulary, text complexity  and topic I believe it is appropriate for grades 1 to 3. This is a fantastic book that I highly recommend and would love to have in my classroom library.

e. Connections.
This book has multiple uses beyond reading for pleasure. It is a great example of writing from 1st person perspective. It can be used as an example of how to write a realistic narrative. It can be used to teach about recalling details and sequencing events. I think my favorite activity based on this book would be to have students develop interesting and informative ways to describe characters of their own. As recommended in The Wonder of it All, teachers could also use this book to "build community" (Johnson & Giorgis, 2007). One way to do that would be for the teacher to connect to their students by sharing their own experiences on family trips and inviting the students to do the same.

f. Awards won
none

g. Photo of the book cover.

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Week 1: Elements of Design - Picture Book 2- Deep in the Forest

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Week 1: Elements of Design - Picture Book 2- Deep in the Forest

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a. Genre/text type:
Genre: Fiction Folktale
Type: Wordless picture book

b. Bibliographic data:
Title - Deep in the Forest
Author - Brinton Turkle
Published by - Dutton Children's Books, 1976

c. Brief plot summary.
This book is a reversal of the familiar children's story Goldilocks and the Three Bears. In this case it is a human family's house that is investigated and damaged by a young bear.

d. Critical response and analysis.
There is no text at all so the book is completely reliant on the imagery to tell the story. The use of bland colors and the clothing the people are wearing indicate to the reader that it is not a modern day tale. In my opinion it is our familiarity with the story Goldilocks and the Three Bears that helps this book come to life. It follows the exact story line - finding the house, tasting and eating the porridge, testing and breaking the chair of the baby, testing and falling asleep in the baby's bed and being chased from the home.

While the imagery is very clear and makes the story/events really easy to follow and understand, I personally believe it is reliant on the connection to the story that we are all so familiar with to make it interesting. However, a young child would probably still be amused with the images and they require little if any explanation as to what is happening in the story.

e. Connections.
This book could be used in the classroom as a contrast and compare with Goldilocks and the There Bears if you were teaching kindergarten. However, I would probably not use it in higher grades. I think a better choice for that would be The Other Side of the Story by Lowen. The point of view used by the illustrator was static and stayed 2nd person with the reader as an onlooker but some images were featured in a frame like a picture while others were on a background. The images featuring the characters on a white background with no frame or other background evoked more feeling of movement and life than the others.   It is a good example of how a story can be told with only using images, but I personally was not overly impressed with the book and would not add it to my classroom library.

f. Awards won
none

g. Photo of the book cover.

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For each book you are required to post (highlighted aqua on calendar), you will need to include the following components:

a. Genre/text type-Gather this information from the Reading Calendar (e.g., alphabet book, folktale, Caldecott Medal Winner, etc.)

b. Bibliographic data (title, author, illustrator (if any), publisher, and publication date)

c. Brief plot summary. Please keep these concise- appx. 2 sentences.

d. Critical response and analysis. This is where you should respond to the text read and reflect on important and/or difficult ideas. Appx. one paragraph. The following information from Leland, Lewison, and Harstie's (2013) Teaching Children's Literature: It's Critical! may help guide your critique:

Graphic Novels and Picture Books: These texts can be studied in terms of how graphic images impact the story being told. These works are often rich with multiple ways of interpretation due to the juxtaposition of images and texts. Examine how illustrations are used to set a mood or tone, or how they create messages.

Folktales, Fables, and Fairy Tales: Think about how these texts support discussions about the norms and values of society. Folktales often arise out of an oral tradition and usually have real people as characters.  They often tell how things came to be the way they are, drawing on the human need for explanation.  Fables are often animal stories that teach us how to behave in life.  Fairy tales also point to how one ought to behave, but, often with kings, queens, and dragons as characters.

Fantasy and Science Fiction: This genre can expand students' thinking and help them imagine new worlds and possibilities.  These texts also have the potential to foster explorations into why our world is the way it is, what new technologies may have to offer us, and what purposes our current institutions serve compared to those in order worlds.

Historical Fiction: These texts can make history come alive as authors place fictional characters in real times and places.  In a critical curriculum, these books also serve as a starting point for critique by asking whose story gets told and whose is left out of particular accounts of history.

Realistic Fiction: These texts focus on real-life social and personal issues.

Informational Texts: This genre serves to inform us about the world. These books can open new worlds by presenting current knowledge on a wide variety of subjects.

*Additional evaluation criteria specific to genres will be provided in weekly VoiceThreads.

e. Connections.  Make brief connections to professional texts read in this course, as well as related books, instructional connections, ideas for enrichment activities, etc. Appx. one paragraph.

f. Awards won (if any).

g. Photo of the book cover.

Citing:  The Wonder of it All (Johnson & Giorgis, 2007)