# data[].attributes.headline
A BAD CASE OF STRIPES      by David Shannon

# data[].attributes.subject
A BAD CASE OF STRIPES      by David Shannon

# data[].attributes.body
A Review on the Fantasy book A Bad Case of Stripes
Camilla really loves lima beans, but won't eat them because none of the other children like them. It's her first day of school and Camilla comes down with the most terrible illness. A bad case of Stripes! At first she is rainbow striped, then red white and blue striped, then polka dotted, and checker board. It just keeps changing as the students keep making fun of her and change her stripes at their command. Doctors try to treat Camilla, but it doesn't stop. She is still changing! She begins to look like the remedies she is given and he ailments she is diagnosed with. She changes until she is unrecognizable from sprouting roots and berries to looking like the walls in her own bedroom. An old lady comes along and gives Camilla some lima beans. Camilla finally admits she likes lima beans and is cured, finally looking like herself again. She eats all the lima beans she wants, and never has stripes again.
The wonderful illustrations in this book make it fun to look at and follow along with. It conveys a message of individuality. It's ok to have different opinions and likes. It's ok to not follow the crowd.

# data[].attributes.headline
Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak

# data[].attributes.subject
Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak

# data[].attributes.body
Infographic for the Fantasy book Where The Wild Things Are

# data[].attributes.body
Book Review for the Historical Fiction Back of the Bus
Discussing segregation and the Civil Rights movement is never easy, especially with young children, but it is a part of American history and our children should know it existed. Back of the Bus, is a story about Rosa Parks and the bus ride that made history as told by a young boy riding in the same bus with his mother on the way home from work and school. It's December 1,1955 and a young boy playing with his marble, rolls the marble down the aisle of the bus. Rosa Parks is there to catch it and rolls it back with a smile. His mother tells him to hide that marble.  As the bus stops, people start climbing in and packing the aisles of the bus. The bus driver yelling at the people to move, some gettng up, while new people come onto the bus. The boy knowing that they are supposed to sit in the back of the bus, wonders why the bus does not move. It is stopped.  He asks his momma why they are not going anywhere. His mom tells him to hush because somebody is talking back. Still the bus goes nowhere. He notices the people giving them dirty looks. He hears people whispering and as he looks around he sees Ms. Rosa Parks sitting up at the front. She acts like she belongs up there, making him think she does too. The police arrive asking Ms. Parks why she doesn't move. Refusing to move, with her strong chin, she tells the officer she doesnt believe she has to move. Rosa Parks is arrested. Momma doesn't seem worried, saying this will all be forgotten tomorrow. Neither does the little boy, feeling a strong sense. He takes out his marble. Holding it against the sun proudly, because it doesn't have to hide anymore.

# data[].attributes.body
Book Recommendation for the Historical Fiction book The Wall
I really like the way this book is put together and the meaning it contains.  The Wall is a sad, but touching story. Just as it is in real life when one goes to visit this memorial. You see a little boy and his father looking for the little boy's grandfather's name. The author describing the scene in detail from the innocent eyes of the little boy sees a Veteran in a wheelchair missing his legs, a sad couple crying, and the gifts left along the wall in rememberance. The little boy waiting patiently as he watches his father look for his grandfather's name. He respectfully watches as his father rubs his grandfathers name on a piece of paper for a keepsake. The little boy sees a man and a boy walking past. The little boy asking the man, his grandfather,  to take him to the river. The man tells him yes, but he needs to button his jacket because it is cold. They leave. A group of school girls arrive, carrying small flags. The girls put their flags in the dirt alongside the wall. They leave. The father then places a picture of the little boy along the wall to add to the gifts already posted. The little boy wonders if his grandfather will know who he is.  As they finish their visit, the little boy talks about how sad it feels. The father agrees, but that he is glad, because it is a place of honor.
The little boy agrees and says he is glad too, but he would rather have his grandfather there, taking him to the river, telling him to button his jacket, because its cold. This is a touching tribute to our military soldiers who sacrificed their lives. The symbolism of The Wall explained in a respectful way to our young readers. This would be a great book to read for Veteran's Day, teaching children about war, and it's effects on the families.

# data[].attributes.body
(Infographic)
The Boy Who Loved Math is a children's book apart of the Non-Fiction Genre.

# data[].attributes.body
(Story map)
Brave Girl is a children's book apart of the Non-Fiction genre.

# data[].attributes.body
Poetry Read Aloud for the Poetry Book Hi, Koo!
http://vocaroo.com/i/s0IMRmlCUMWs

# data[].attributes.headline
The Giving Tree                      By Shel Silverstein 

# data[].attributes.subject
The Giving Tree                      By Shel Silverstein 

# data[].attributes.body
Letter to a Friend on the Poetry Book The Giving Tree
Dear Friend,
I came across a book today that I hadn't read in quite a while. You may remember reading The Giving Tree when we were younger.  It didn't take me long to read. The words were simple and the pictures very  thought provoking. I seem to have gotten another view reading it now than I did when I was younger.
To refresh your memory the book is about a boy and his tree. The tree selflessly gives the boy shade, an apple, and even lets the boy climb its trunk and limbs. As the boy grows and needs more, he cuts the trees limbs and eventually cuts the tree down to a stump. The boy, now a man, sits on the stump as that is all the tree has left to give.  It is at this point that he is finally grateful.
It reminds me about giving as well as receiving. It reminds me about unconditional love. I hope you receive as much out of it as I have.
Sincerely,
Mary Mathis

# data[].attributes.headline
THE GINGERBREAD MAN retold by  Eric A. Kimmel      (Review)

# data[].attributes.subject
THE GINGERBREAD MAN retold by  Eric A. Kimmel      (Review)

# data[].attributes.body
The Gingerbread Man is a children's book apart of the Traditional Tales genre.
This traditional story has several different versions, but this one I believe is most suited for preschoolers. The tale of the gingerbread man is easy to follow as he escapes from the oven pan and out the door. He is chased by the old man and woman who baked him. He runs down the road past a pig who runs after him too. As he goes down the road, past the dog barking after him, then a cow, and a horse, he shouts "I'll run and run as fast as I can. You can't catch me.  I'm the gingerbread man!  I ran from the woman. I ran from the man. I'll run from you. See if I can!"
He runs and runs until he comes to a river and no where else to go. Out comes a fox offering to help the gingerbread man. So the gingerbread man climbs on the fox's tail.  As the water gets deeper, he climbs onto back, then his head and finally his snout. When the fox throws his head back the gingerbread man falls into the fox's mouth. It encourages the reader not to be sad, as there are more gingerbread men to be made.

The pictures are pleasing with just enough words to keep a child engaged. This story is also easy to work into themes in the classroom.

# data[].attributes.headline
The Ugly Duckling by Jerry Pinkney                                   (Review)

# data[].attributes.subject
The Ugly Duckling by Jerry Pinkney                                   (Review)

# data[].attributes.body
The Ugly Duckling is a children's book apart of the Traditional Tales genre.
The ugly duckling, was born into a family of ducks that did not look like him. He was much lighter and with a longer neck. Still, with his awkward appearance, mother duck knew he would make his way in the world. The other  ducks made fun of him, and even the little girl that fed the ducks was mean to him. One day he was tired of being made fun of and decided he was going to run away. He found a grassy moor full of marshy places, but then sportsmen came and chased of all the geese. He fled from the marsh and came upon an a cottage. There in that cottage lived an old lady, a chicken, and a cat. He stayed for a bit, but he missed swimming in the water. The cat and the chicken did not seem very interested in that. He left to find his "home". On his journey he happens to see a flock of birds flying high, as white as the snow. They had long stretched knecks, much like his, and were headed southward for the winter. He wished he could go with them, but he didn't think he would make a very good companion. The ponds freeze, and not knowing, the growing duck falls into the ice and gets stuck. He was rescued by a man who takes him home to his children. Where they keep him warm, fed, and try to play with him. The little duck, a stranger to their playfulness, gets scared and runs away again. Its a miserable, cold winter for the duck. Then spring arrives and he notices how much he's grown and changed with longer and much stronger wings.  He notices a flock, that looks much like him as they float on the water so quietly.  He decides to follow them. Stretching his wings he lifts himself into the air and flies onto the water, finally feeling like himself.
This book helps teach how you cannot and should not judge anyone or anything by how they look or how they are different from you. We each have our own unique qualities and bring about our own gifts to the world we all live in.

# data[].attributes.body
Storymap

# data[].attributes.headline
A FINE DESSERT by Emily Jenkins and Sophie Blackall

# data[].attributes.subject
A FINE DESSERT by Emily Jenkins and Sophie Blackall

# data[].attributes.body
Book Review for the Bluebonnet Award Winner A Fine Dessert
From cover to cover you will find this book is about how to make this fine dessert, but it also contains a history lesson. With its repeated patterns, it shows how the times change throughout the ages. It spreads through four centuries beginning in an English town in 1710. A young girl and her mother pick wild blackberries from a bush to make a dessert for the family using cream from a cow's milk, soft twigs for a whisk, muslin to drain the berries, and sheets of winter ice to chill the blackberry fool. It then goes into 1810 on a  South Carolina plantation garden. This time the  milk is delivered on a horse-drawn wagon from a dairy, a metal whisk from a blacksmith, water from a well,  a tin sieve to drain the berries, and finally chilled in a wooden box with block of ice. This century shows the of period slavery, but it is approached humanely, with mother and daughter working together.  Next we have Boston, Massachusetts in 1910 where blackberries are found by mother and daughter in an open air market. After the milk is delivered to their door in glass bottles, the mother using her recipe book and a cast iron rotary beater beats the cream. The little girl then uses the sieve to drain the berries and use the wooden box with blocks of ice they have delivered each day to chill the blackberry fool. Finally in 2010, San Diego, California, a boy and his dad bought all their ingredients at a supermarket. Blackberries and carton of pasteurized organic cream. As dad prints out a recipe from the internet, his son beats the cream with a more modern electric mixer. Then they rinse the berries in a colander, crush them in a food processor, push them through a sieve, and put it in the refrigerator to chill.
At the end of the book, the authors include the recipe for BlackberryFool, so you too can enjoy this Fine Dessert!

# data[].attributes.body
(Story Map)

# data[].attributes.body
Defining Quote from the Bluebonnet Award Winner Circle Unbroken

"And when your fingers talk just right that circle will go out and out again-past slavery and freedom, old ways and new, and your basket will hold the past."
Through the eyes of a grandmother, a young girl learns the story of a basket and the lives that were woven from it. The story begins with an "old timey grandfather" as a young boy, who was taught how to make baskets. As time passed, he was sold into slavery and worked in the fields. Still, the grass in those fields brought him comfort. He made baskets and he remembered from where he came. That young boy married, had children, and granchildren and who were taught the skill of basketmaking with its knots and coils to make a circle unbroken. When they were freed from slavery, and the men went off to work the women in the community continued making baskets as they talked about the past and the future. As those children grew, they put up wooden stands and sold their beautiful baskets on the roadside. People would stop to look at the old baskets as if they were something new.
This quote brings to mind the history of African-American people and the baskets they wove tightly enough to hold the rain.

# data[].attributes.headline
Separate is Never Equal           by Duncan 

# data[].attributes.subject
Separate is Never Equal           by Duncan 

# data[].attributes.body
Defining Quote for the Pura Belpre Award Winner Separate is Never Equal
“Cuando la causa es justa, los demás te siguen.” “When you fight for justice, others will follow.” pg. 33
The story of Sylvia Mendez and her family in California, and their fight for equality in education shows us the movement in this quote.
The family moves to a new farm, where her they went to work as laborers, and the children were to begin school after the summer was over. When they were told they could not enroll because they had to go to the "mexican" school, their questions of "why?" were only answered with "because that is how it has always been". That was not good enough for Sylvia's father who knew his children deserved a good education in the same schools as the other children. Nobody wanted to get involved for fear of revenge. Despite numerous attempts and different avenues, he met a man who suggested he file a lawsuit, but first he had to collect signatures for a petition. He was able to collect signatures and eventually, people started trusting his ambitions. It was long and tedious, but knowing his children would benefit from this he kept fighting. This case helped bring an end to segregation in California in 1947. Sylvia did face racism at school, but in the end she realized what it was her father was fighting so hard for.

# data[].attributes.headline
A Sick Day for Amos McGee   Written by Philip C. Stead  Illustrated by Erin E. Stead

# data[].attributes.subject
A Sick Day for Amos McGee   Written by Philip C. Stead  Illustrated by Erin E. Stead

# data[].attributes.body
Story Map

# data[].attributes.headline
David Goes to School                by David Shannon

# data[].attributes.subject
David Goes to School                by David Shannon

# data[].attributes.body
Story Map

# data[].attributes.headline
Roller Girl by Victoria Jamieson (Sticky note response

# data[].attributes.subject
Roller Girl by Victoria Jamieson (Sticky note response

# data[].attributes.headline
Inside Out and Back Again by Thanhha Lai

# data[].attributes.subject
Inside Out and Back Again by Thanhha Lai

# data[].attributes.body
Response in Poetry on Newberry Honor Book
Inside the images of my father are real
Out  of nowhere the lavendar comes
Back to the bombs piercing the sky
Again the night falls towards a new Tết

Inside, parts of me grieve yet some parts hope
Out of my comfort, yet into a new world
Back in our home, Could father await?
Again, we must learn to fly by faith.

# data[].attributes.headline
Voices in the Park by Anthony Browne (Recommendation)

# data[].attributes.subject
Voices in the Park by Anthony Browne (Recommendation)

# data[].attributes.body
'oices in the Park' by Anthony Browne is a picture book that is interestingly, a little different. You will find four different narrative voices. The main characters are all gorillas, but seem very human. There are two different parents, each with their child arriving at the park who all have a brief encounter with one another.  They’re voices, at first seem simple, but then become more involved into each individual character’s feelings and personalities.  It also brings in adult issues such as unemployment in a simpler way. The language and issues covered could be could be somewhat difficult to explain but could also provide some discussion in the classroom. This postmodern storybook has some very vivid illustrations. When looking at the pictures, pay close attention to the detail as you find hidden messages.  This wonderful story book can be used to teach children about our differences  and understanding one another on a personal, social and emotional level.

# data[].attributes.headline
Who is Michelle Obama?   Written by Megan Stine and Illustrated by John O'Brien  (Book Review)     

# data[].attributes.subject
Who is Michelle Obama?   Written by Megan Stine and Illustrated by John O'Brien  (Book Review)     

# data[].attributes.body
This Children's book on Michelle Obama's life is apart of the biography genre.
Michelle LaVaughn Robinson, was born into a middle class family on January 17, 1964.  Her parents, Frasier and Marian Robinson raised Michelle and her brother Craig in a one bedroom apartment on Chicago's South Side.  Michelle's parents were strict, but valued education, hard work, and a close-knit family.  From her early years in Elementary through High School, Michelle studied hard, persevered, and thrived through her adversities. In Elementary, she was accepted into a gifted program which allowed her to skip second grade. She graduated from her Public Elementary School as a top student and applied at a magnet school in Chicago. Magnet schools pull good students from all over the city. It was the first one in Chicago that had an even mix of black and white students.  Even though it was an hour and a half away from her home, she rode two city buses to get there, all by herself.  Not only did she stay focused on her studies, she made time for dance lessons, her position as treasurer of the student council, and being a member of the National Honor Society all while maintaining straight As. It was not easy.  She studied hard, but still had trouble taking exams. That made her work even harder. She was eventually accepted at Princeton and then went on to study at Harvard Law School. It was during her summer break from Harvard, that she met the young Barack Obama at a law firm where they were both worked. The friendship led to marriage and eventually a family with daughters Malia and Sasha being born. When Barack decided to run for the Senate and eventually the Presidency, Michelle continued to stay involved and work in jobs promoting community, service, and families. She made history by becoming the first African American First Lady, and she worked hard to create programs that helped veterans and promoted physical activities and healthy lunches for children. She is loved by many for her openness and honesty.  This book is easy to understand for young readers. It portrays a good example on how educating girls can make a difference and lead to the American Dream.

# data[].attributes.body
Infographic for the Realistic Fiction The Thre Pigs

# data[].attributes.headline
There An Old Lady Who Swallowed A Fly By Simms Taback

# data[].attributes.subject
There An Old Lady Who Swallowed A Fly By Simms Taback

# data[].attributes.body
Blog Post over the 1998 Caldecott Honor Book
There Was An Old Lady Who Swallowed A Fly

This book has always been one of my favorites not only to read, but to sing along to, as well. It is a fun book about an old lady who swallows a fly, a spider, and each time the animals become increasingly larger.  This keeps the children engaged, wondering what this lady is eating next and how much can she fit into her stomach?

This rhyme and song,  with its repetitive verses are funny and help  children remember its content.  It’s an excellent way to create feedback and discussion.  This could also be used to teach children to predict , as the child could predict what will happen each time an animal Is swallowed and also  to compare the predictions that were made.

In the end, the lady dies after eating a horse. It becomes clear of course, that this is both silly and absurd, much to the child’s enjoyment.

# data[].attributes.headline
THE GREAT PET ESCAPE                        BY VICTORIA JAMIESON

# data[].attributes.subject
THE GREAT PET ESCAPE                        BY VICTORIA JAMIESON

# data[].attributes.body
A Bluebonnet Award Book (Book Review)
“GW” BETTER KNOWN AS GEORGE WASHINGTON  IS THE KINDERGARTEN HAMSTER AT DAISY FLUGELHORN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.  HE  HAS BEEN COLLECTING CLASSROOM ITEMS FOR A FEW MONTHS NOW,  TO BUILD A CONTRAPTION THAT WILL HELP HIM ESCAPE HIS PRISONED CAGE.

ONCE  HE DISCOVERS THE LAST PIECE HE NEEDS TO MAKE HIS CONTRAPTION WORK, THE HAIRY HOUDINI ESCAPE-O-MATIC.  HE  WAITS UNTIL THE LAST STUDENT IS GONE FOR THE DAY TO MAKE HIS GRAND ESCAPE.

HIS FIRST PRIORITIES ARE TO FREE HIS OLD FIELD BUDDIES BARRY THE BUNNY WHO IS BEING HELD IN THE FIRST GRADE.  THEN BRAVELY TRUDGE THE HALLS TO KINDERGARTEN TO SAVE BITER, THE GUINEA PIG.  BITER HAS GONE SOFT AND IS NOW NAMED SUNFLOWER. HE IS NOT WILLING TO LEAVE HIS LOVING COMMUNITY OF HAPPY SINGING AND AFFECTIONATE KINDERGARTENERS.

AS THEY ARE FIGURING OUT HOW TO MAKE THEIR ESCAPE TO FREEDOM, A GROUP OF WHITE MICE , FROM THE UPPER GRADES TAKE THEM HOSTAGE.  THESE MICE MINIONS, WHO ARE LED BY THE HEAD MOUSE HARRIET,  HAVE CREATED AN EVIL PLOT.  THEY ARE PLANNING A “LUNCHTIME SURPRISE” THAT WILL SURELY HAVE THE SCHOOL IN A CONFUSION.  IT IS UP TO GW, BARRY, AND BITER TO SAVE THE SCHOOL. THE BOOK’S ILLUSTRATIONS ARE VIBRANT, AND THE SHENNANIGANS OF THIS DECEPTIVELY CUTE HAMSTER WILL HAVE YOU LAUGHING.

# data[].attributes.body
By Pat Shewchuk and Marek Colek
(Book Talk)
In Lucia's Neighborhood  by Pat Shewchuk and Marek Colek is apart of the Realistic Fiction Genre.
Click on the link below to listen to my book talk.
http://vocaroo.com/i/s0k1dpVEjOWV