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My first blog response for the realistic-fictional novel Stargirl.

https://sincerelyyoursstargirl.tumblr.com/

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One Potato, Two Potato by Cynthia DeFelice

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One Potato, Two Potato by Cynthia DeFelice

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My first summary for the Bluebonnet Winner One Potato, Two Potato.

An elderly couple by the names of Mr. and Mrs. O'Grady live on their own out in the hills after their kids leave the nest. Poor in money but rich in love, the two of them share many things with one another - a single potato for all three of their meals, a single chair, a single coat, and a single old blanket. They also saved a candle and a coin for a rainy day. However, after coming upon their last potato, the husband also finds a pot. When he arrives home to tell his wife the news of what he found, the two quickly discover that there a two potatoes in the pot. They experiment putting all of their things in the pot in order to duplicate their wares, only to find that the pot is indeed magical and can clone things. The wife falls in one day and soon there are two Mrs. O'Grady's. In order to fix this mistake, they clone Mr. O'Grady, and become friends with one another, peacefully living out the rest of their day together.

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My fourth summary for the Bluebonnet Winner Whoosh!

A young boy by the name of Lonnie Johnson finds himself with a dilemma - he does not have enough room in his home to keep his rocket kits. Lonnie wanted his own workshop to not only keep his rocket kits in, but also to create and invent other projects in as well. He loved using a variety of different everyday objects to make something unique. He wishes to be an engineer, and, after taking a test that proved he would not be a successful one otherwise, decides to finish improving upon his robot, Linex, to enter into a science fair. After taking home first place, Lonnie enrolls in college where he became a successful and productive student, which allowed him to go on to become an engineer. He assisted NASA with its orbiter and probe by the name of Galileo. He helped devise a plan to help supply a constant source of power for the orbiter, which worked despite the doubt of others. When faced with the problem of finding an alternative cooling system for America’s fridges and air conditioners, as a result of his testing, he came to find that his research could also be used in creating a prototype for a water gun toy. However, his luck fell short when his plans for investment in his ideas fell apart - although he didn’t give up. When given another opportunity to show off his water gun, he took it. It was a smash hit, and he became a super successful engineer who could now work on whatever he pleased as a result of the money that he profited through his hard work.

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My first defining quote for the Pura-Belpre Award Winner Esperanza Rising.

"Look at the zigzag of the blanket. Mountains and valleys. Right now you are in the bottom of the valley and your problems loom big around you. But soon, you will be at the top of the mountain again. After you have lived many mountains and valleys, we will be together."

In this scene from the novel, Esperanza and her Abuelita are discussing Esperanza's crocheting. She has been struggling with completing the blanket, and Abuelita offers her some insight to not only her crocheting work, but to life in general. The zigzag pattern, or rather, the "bottom of the valleys" and the "top of the mountains", is meant to represent the ups and downs of life, and that when Esperanza makes it through the difficulties that lie ahead in life, she and her family can be together in peace.

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My sixth book review for the Caldecott Award Winner A Ball for Daisy.
One day, a little white dog by the name of Daisy is given a red ball to play with by her owner. She plays with it, and rolls it around everywhere, even on the couch. Daisy even falls asleep on the couch with the ball. Her owner comes in and decides to take her out on a walk along with her toy, where Daisy continues to throw it around and have fun with it. However, things go awry when Daisy first loses the ball when it goes over a fence. Although her owner gets it back for her, it's not long before another dog gets a hold of it and later pops it. Daisy's sad, but luckily the owner of the other dog brings her a new ball to play with. I think this book’s lack of words is obviously made up for by the beautiful and colorful illustrations that successfully convey the emotions of each character even without text. Readers should take the time to fully digest the pictures they’re looking at, so to make sure that they can gather the context for the story.

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My second summary for the Caldecott Award Winner The Snowy Day.

A young boy by the name of Peter awakes one morning to see that it had snowed over night, and that it blanketed everything in white. He dresses up and prepares to go outside to explore. Once outside in the snow, he does a variety of things out of sheer curiosity, like playing around with the direction of his footprints as he walks along the path. Peter also finds a stick, which he uses to smack a tree who's branches are heavy with snow. He also attempts to join in on a snowball fight, makes a snowman, and lays down to create snow angels. When he arrives home, he sneaks a snowball into his pocket to save for the next day. However, it melts, which leads Peter to dreaming that the rest of the snow will melt as well. Luckily, it snows even more the next morning, and heads out to play again.

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Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan

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Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan

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My fifth book review for the fantasy novel Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief.

Rick Riordan’s novel revolves around the adventures of a boy named Percy Jackson, a kid who's been bounced from school to school as a result of trouble always brewing wherever he goes. One day, on a field trip, Percy's life changes - one teacher turns into a monster to attack him, and another turns into a centaur. From here on out, his life isn't the same, and on vacation one day, he is attacked by a minotaur, which prompts his friend Grover, who's secretly a satyr, to bring him to Camp Halfblood, a refuge for kid demigods, or kids who are half human, half god. This is where Percy learns he is a son of Poseidon, and is given a quest to find Zeus's missing lightning bolt, which has apparently been stolen from him. The rest of the novel details his quest, along with Grover, and his new friend, Annabeth, who's also a daughter of Athena. The novel was pretty much your typical YA book, and featured a pretty linear story line. My only advice to readers would be to maybe stop every now and then to look up the Greek mythological references mentioned throughout the story. Riordan does a pretty good job explaining most of them, but there are some minor ones that may fly over the reader's head.

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My first story map for the realistic-fictional novel Holes.

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A Pizza the Size of the Sun by Jack Prelutsky

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A Pizza the Size of the Sun by Jack Prelutsky

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My first sticky note response for the poetry book A Pizza the Size of the Sun.

Transcripts of some of my favorite sticky notes:

"Haha, a poem about eyeballs. Classy. Can't say I'd be willing to buy any of the eyeballs for sale, though."

"Oh, so it's like...one of those silly inception type stories haha. I get it, he keeps finding the paper with writing, he reads it, it says what he's been doing, so on and so forth."

"I've never had a gerbil before, but I did have a hamster. Haha, it kept having babies I guess?? I mean for the sake of the novelty of the poem I guess a lot can happen over night. Obviously there can't be new babies every day, but I digress."

"Oh. Oh wow. I can't say I'm much of a fan of these soups they're talking about haha...'rudabega bacon' is fun to say, though. 'The aromas are unique', yeah, I'm sure they are, by the names of them."

"Haha, this gloop sounds like whatever they have at lunch at my little sister's school. I'm sure that it also devours the trays and toys at school, too."

"'Bugs. Bugs. I love bugs.' Truly the best way to lead into a poem. I like bugs, but I can't say I'm a fan of touching them. I like ladybugs and butterflies."

"Wait, so you're sailing on half a ship?? That doesn't sound very safe not gonna lie, especially if you're sailing around on half of the seven seas. That's still like. Three and a half seas to sail, dude."

"'Improbable Imporium' this reminds me of that one room from Harry Potter?? What is it called I don't remember but like...it appears whenever you need it and can have anything you need at the time in it. I can't for the life of me remember right now but I'm too lazy to look it up on my phone ROOM OF REQUIREMENT IT'S CALLED THE ROOM OF REQUIREMENT AHA"

"I wish I was also an invisible man, not gonna lie. I've felt invisible for most of my life, why not look the part too, am I right?? Haha"

"Dexter mixing his elixirs only makes me think of Dexter's Laboratory. Man, I miss that show. It was good, although the dude in the poem seems like he's getting in as much trouble as the cartoon character haha."

"This dude who hates everything in the sky and snowy weather?? Poor dude. Oh wait, he said bananas are annoying. That's actually something I can agree with. I actually really, really hate bananas. They're nasty."

"Ohhh, I've heard this poem before haha. Where have I heard it though, if not from the book itself?? 'I often I often repeat myself, I often repeat repeat' will continue to haunt my dreams, I guess."

"Doing everything at once sounds like a burden rather than a good way to save time, more than anything. Although I do draw as I read and think when I read."

"'Rat for lunch'? Hard pass. I'll leave that kind of cuisine to Fear Factor contestants. Or Donald Trump."

"A year and a half to bake?? What if I want my pizza now haha, they made the pizza sound so good when they described the toppings (I'm more of a veggie lover pizza kind of gal myself.)"

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The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare

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The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare

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My third summary for the historical fiction novel The Witch of Blackbird Pond.

A young girl by the name of Katherine Tyler, who goes by "Kit", leaves Barbados after living there her entire life. She has lost her grandfather, and seeks her other family in New England, although they're unaware that she'll be visiting. She boards a ship, stirring trouble along the way by jumping into the water to retrieve a girl's doll, which raises suspicion of Kit being a witch. When she arrives in Wethersfield, she meets her Uncle Matthew, his wife Rachel, and their children Mercy and Judith. Initially growing up familiar with luxury, Kit has to adjust to her new life, which involves wearing plain clothes and doing chores, although later on she goes on to run a schoolroom with Mercy. After Kit runs into trouble with the school, she meets Quaker Hannah Tupper, a woman branded upon her forehead. The two get along well, although Kit's Uncle forbids her from seeing Hannah. Soon enough, though, the town is plagued with a horrible fever in which the townsfolk blame Hannah for, and they decide to burn her house. Kit and Hannah's mutual friend whom she met on the ship to New England, Nat, helps the older woman escape, although the town's attention immediately turns to Kit, who is soon accused of being a witch. Nat comes to help her, successfully proving her innocent with the help of a girl named Prudence. Soon, everything falls into place, with Kit's cousins marrying and Nat returning on his boat, where he and Kit plan to marry.

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Inside Out and Back Again by Thanhha Lai

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Inside Out and Back Again by Thanhha Lai

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My fourth book review for the realistic-fictional novel Inside Out and Back Again.
Thanhha Lai's Inside Out and Back Again is a story about a girl named Hà and her family who live in Saigon. However, Vietnam is currently embroiled in the war between the divided north and southern sides of the country, and as a result, have to make the decision to flee. When they do make it out, they ride aboard a boat to seek out refuge elsewhere. Upon reaching said refuge, the family must decide on where to live from then on out. They decide upon America, and are taken in by a host family in Alabama. It is here that they must try and fit in with their neighbors, and Hà and her siblings have to try their best to survive in school, all the while trying to preserve their culture from their home. This novel deals with heavy themes of death and racism, and so I would advise readers to approach this material cautiously, and to take it slow while reading it. It can be tempting to read through the novel quickly as a result of its formatting, but I think one should take their time.

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The Princess and the Pea by Lauren Child

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The Princess and the Pea by Lauren Child

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My first recommendation for the traditional tale The Princess and the Pea.

A favorite of mine as a child and a favorite of mine now, Lauren Child's work continues to completely steal my heart. I grew up loving her books and her TV show, and so it was a privilege to get another chance to read one of her stories. Her take on the Princess and the Pea follows pretty closely to the original tale, although the book is positively overflowing with her own personality. Each page is filled with incredibly stylistic representations of the characters and settings, using everything from paper cutouts to actual textures. The book is rich with color, and has a variety of different schemes that correspond to the different emotions found in each scene in the tale. I wholeheartedly recommend Child's version of The Princess and the Pea, as well as checking out her other works as well.

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My second defining quote for the Auto-Biography Ruby Bridges.

"Please, God, try to forgive those people.

Because even if they say those bad things,

They don't know what they're doing.

So You could forgive them,

Just like You did those folks a long time ago

When they said terrible things about You."

In the novel, Ruby Bridge, a little African-American girl is able to attend a mixed school - although she's on her own in class, and there are mobs every morning waiting for her. This quote is a prayer that Ruby says for the angry mobs each day, and it goes to show the strength of her character, and her kindness as a person. Even though the people in the crowds are angry and chant racist ideology, Ruby keeps her head held high and her faith close to her heart.

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My first response in poetry for the non-fictional book The Pumpkin Book.

Be it big, be it small,
Pumpkins come in shapes all

Seeds are planted in patches long
So in each row, grows a pumpkin strong.

Water comes to help them grow
And soon, leaves sprout from each row

Stems and vines follow them after
And the kids, elated, break out into laughter

Next comes bright yellow flowers
As a result of the warm rain showers.

Small green bulbs soon arise,
Later becoming the colors of a sunrise.

After many days, the pumpkins are done,
And the kids are ready to have some fun.

Pumpkins can be entered in state fairs,
Or made into pies for familial affairs

Or turned hollow in order to decorate
On Halloween, when each lantern looks great.

Pumpkins can be used for anything,
And are fun to grow, so the children sing.

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My second recommendation for the non-fictional book Frogs.

Gail Gibbons' book on the life cycle of frogs proves to be both informational and fun to read. Each step of the cycle, from the tadpoles to frogs in their adulthood, the book presents this information clearly, and includes colorful illustrations to help explain to the reader what each stage in the cycle looks like. Gibbons also talks about how frogs eat, how they hibernate, and how they are important to the ecosystem. I liked this book because I happen to like frogs, and I remember studying their life cycle as a kid as well. I would definitely recommend this to young readers who take an interest in science, or about learning of the world around them, or maybe even just frogs. Not only does this book provide accurate information, but it also presents the material in an attractive way for kids to enjoy.

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Where the Sidewalk Ends by Shel Silverstein

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Where the Sidewalk Ends by Shel Silverstein

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My first poetry read aloud about the poetry book Where the Sidewalk Ends.

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My first story map about the historical fiction novel Johnny Tremain.

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My second infographic about the Corretta Scott King Award Winner Firebird Book.

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My first blog response about the Newbery Award Winner Walk Two Moons.
https://salamancatreehiddle.tumblr.com/

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My first letter to a friend about the Caldecott Award Winner No, David.
Dear Leah,

When reading No, David! by David Shannon I couldn't help but think of you. I know you are my little sister, and I love you, but I can't help but think that you and David have a lot of similar qualities! While you both are very cute, I also believe that the both of you can misbehave and get yourselves into a lot of trouble. You both run around the house, you both leave your toys out, and you both make huge messes. At the end of the day, though, I know you are a good kid. Growing up, you are still learning from your mistakes, and that's why I think that not all of your actions should define who you are as a person.

Love, Haley.

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My first infographic on the Bluebonnet Winner The Last Kids on Earth.

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My third book review for the traditional tale The Three Little Pigs.
The Three Little Pigs by David Wiesner is a refreshing take on an age-old classic tale, incorporating a variety of new elements to the story. Starting out as a simple rehashing of the original dilemma of three little pigs building their own houses and being terrorized by a wolf one by one, the story quickly diverges from the mundane to a fourth wall breaking narrative. The pigs quickly escape the "pages" of their story, and find themselves exploring many different tales. I thought that this was an incredibly fun twist Wiesner decided to create, and I think that the different art styles explored as a result of it was nice, too. I would advise the readers to study the pictures closely, and appreciate the difference in the art work that aids the idea this isn't another conventional retelling of the three little pigs story.

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My second book review for the post-modern picture book Voices in the Park.

Anthony Browne’s Voices in the Park is a book that spans the length of a single day, but is stretched between multiple perspectives. From a young boy's point of view to a mother's, what seems like one story quickly branches out into several different ones. This unique take on narrative allows for a multifaceted tale, and presents the reader with the idea of taking into account the feelings and thoughts of others, rather than just their own. When reading a book like this, I think it is important to stop and empathize with the characters. Voices in the Park already lets the audience peek into the minds of different people, so why not take it further and try to put yourself in their shoes? It would be an interesting experience for all readers alike.

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Diary of a Fairy Godmother by Esme Raji Codell

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Diary of a Fairy Godmother by Esme Raji Codell

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My first recorded book talk for the fantasy novel Diary of a Fairy Godmother.

https://flipgrid.com/4051dd

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My first book review for the Graphic Novel Roller Girl.

Roller Girl is the product of both visual imagery and narrative text, a combination that ultimately creates a multifaceted story in the sense that a variety of points of views, as well as different emotions and different relationships, are explored thanks to the flexible design of the novel. Rather than having the pictures and words separated, as is found in traditional picture books, the two elements are integrated within each other, giving rise to a more fleshed out narrative. Thanks to this specific choice of format, we are able to not only view the events of the story as the main character, Astrid, sees them, but we are also given a look into her thoughts and her emotions. While reading this comic, as well as any other of the kind, I would suggest maybe taking notes at the end of each chapter, instead of each page, so as to really focus on the story itself, and to digest the pictures and text without constant distraction. Readers will want to be able to truly appreciate a book as wonderful as this.