The illustrations in this book are different but beautiful. When it’s just the King and Queen by themselves, the illustration is black and white. But when the little boy shows up to the castle with his friend, the illustrations are filled with color that jumps off the page. The shading in the illustrations gives great detail and makes you feel like you’re in the story. 

The story is a wonderful for children, especially ages 4-7. The story is a great visual for them and they are also learning about different animals while going through the pages. 

This book was released in 1964 and I believe the story is true to that time. Artists like Andy Warhol and Roy Litchenstein were emerging at this time and changing the way we saw art. This book is a depiction of just that with its different colors and sense of detail. 

 

I loved this quote in the book. Marvin is a little boy in 1960’s who goes to the brand new restaurant and sees a sign, “Seating for Whites Only,” above the seating at the diner. After ordering his burger and fries with his mother and sitting by the counter, Marvin is told by an older white man that “…your kind ain’t supposed to be sitting down in here.” Marvin is confused and doesn’t understand why they won’t let him and his mother sit. His mother tells him that some people don’t like the color of their skin. After returning home, Marvin’s family get the opportunity to attend a pray in at the new restaurant that weekend. Marvin and his mother decide to go. When at the pray in, Marvin sees the young white male that was with the older white man at the diner walking towards them. Marvin gets anxious and is ready to fight, but then the young white male surprises him and asks him to pray with him. I love this quote because both sides had presumptions about the other without really knowing them. Both sides want change, but change cannot happen without laying down our presumptions and loving each other. Change had begun when they put aside differences, like race and background, and decided to come together to pray and make a change. We could take a note or two from this book on how to make a change. I believe reading this book to my students could not only teach what happened so many years ago, but what still happens today. This would be an opportunity to teach love with reckless abandonment, and how change is possible if we come together, not divide.

Pattan and his wife, Kanni, live on the banks of the Sahyadri Mountains with nature. One day, a pumpkin starts growing in the valley, and it grows so much that it is the size of a mountain. Rain starts to flood the land and Pattan decides to leave the mountains and take all the birds, animals, beetles and bugs with him and his wife. Pattan then has the idea to cut a big hole in the pumpkin and hollow it out for the animals and his family to fit into. After filing into the pumpkin, the pumpkin bounces into the river and carries it along. Everyone stays in the pumpkin while it rains, and then finally, the pumpkin bumps into dry land and the rain is gone. Patta and Kanni and all the animals file onto the land and restart their lives. The couple has many children and their family remains in the valley even to this day. 

The illustrations in this book are colorful and filled with detail. There is much attention to detail and the illustrations help the reader follow what's happening in the book. Especially with the rain scene, the reader can see the turmoil Pattan and Kanni are in and how they were trying to survive and take the animals and insects with them. The illustrations are also very simple, which make them easier for children to relate and take them in. 

I personally do not like this book. Although a traditional tale, I believe it could give children, especially young ones, the wrong idea about creation and how we came to be. Children soak everything in and I believe they would do the same with this book. I think it’s an entertaining tale to read, but I would not read it to my children. The story and how everything happened does not make sense to me, and may be a hard story to follow for some children also. 

When reading this book, I really didn’t know what to expect. As I continued through the book, I realized that this was a story about a Vietnamese family who were immigrants and didn’t have very much. Even though they’re in poverty, the father uses this opportunity to provide for his family while bonding with his youngest. It’s such a simple story but a memorable one that the author, Bao Phi, wanted to tell over and over again: a fishing trip with his father. This story tugs at the heartstrings and teaches children about families who were and are immigrants had/have to go through. I would recommend this book because it also touches on cultural differences, immigration and war. This was a real life event and a story that could start a conversation about all the topics listed. The illustrations also added life to the story. As a visual learner, I loved seeing the story drawn with detail that easily flowed with the words. Children would love to see this story and hear about it, and as a future educator, I would read this in my classroom. 

 

This traditional tale is one that many children will enjoy and find entertaining. The story starts out as happy and then quickly takes a turn for the somber. In the book, we see the difference between good and evil and what can happen sometimes when people are left out. This book teaches that evil does not prevail, and that good always overcomes. Time is also an element this book highlight’s at the beginning and at the end. 

“Many see Time as a friend, and many see time as a foe. But for a sleeping beauty, Time was a promise.” 

“Life returned to the sleeping palace, where happiness had always been waiting. It just took Time.” 

This book can be a great lesson on God’s greatest blessings taking time. Time was a promise for Sleeping Beauty. Without the curse, she would’ve never met her Prince Charming. Without the hundred years of sleep, she would’ve succumbed to the original curse. This book shows children that there will be trials in this life but good will always come out of it. 

Magic gives the story a sense of wonder and bewilderment that changes Sleeping Beauty’s course for life. Reading this story makes me remember my childhood days and the pure innocence of it all. I believe reading this story will jump start children’s imagination and enhance their wonder. 

The pictures in this book are clear and easy to follow. The colors are different hues of blues and pinks and give a great visual to follow throughout the story.

This book would be appropriate for ages 4-8. Overall, this book is put together nicely, visually appealing, and appropriate for classroom use.

I highly recommend this wonderful book. First, this book’s colors and lines capture the island’s, Cuba, essence and culture. The reader feels as if you’re experiencing the story with the drum dream girl. This book also teaches about Cuba’s culture and gives insight to what the country is like. This picture book would be great to teach about multicultural differences and gender roles of Cuba. I also love this book because it shows children that through hard work and perseverance, dreams are possible. Drum dream girl did not give up and eventually her dream came true. Not only would children learn so much, but also be enthralled by the book’s captivating story. Drum dream girl is fun and simple for children to follow and love. 

I know that you are a lover of great children’s books and I believe you would love this book as well. The Giving Tree is about a boy who befriends a tree. The boy loves the tree for the tree’s apples, branches to swing from and its trunk that he often climbs. As the boy gets older, he starts looking to material things like money, a house and a boat to make him happy. Although the tree is none of those things, the tree selflessly gives her apples, trunk and branches so he can have money, a house and boat. When the boy finally reaches old age, he comes back once more to the tree. The tree tells him that she has nothing left to give him because she’s just a stump now. It’s then that the boy realizes that he doesn’t need anything else except to come back to the place that brought him so much happiness and rest. Although this book has been banned because it’s been deemed “sexist” because the boy continually takes from the female tree without ever giving anything in return, I truly believe the story is about so much more. This book is not about getting but selflessly giving, especially to those that you love. In this live, we are called to serve and love and that’s exactly what this tree did. This book also teaches that material things don’t make us happy, they only leave us wanting more. When the boy finally realizes that he doesn’t need anything is the point in the story he just comes to the tree for rest. This book would be great addition to read in any classroom to teach about giving and being content with what God has given you. I don’t believe this book should be banned but should be read more often in the classroom. I hope you read this book and find the beauty in it like I did.                                         With all love and hope,  Madeline Moreno

                                                                                                                                   

Children’s literature has become so important to me lately and gotten me to read different books to extend my repertoire. During my search, I read an amazing book that would teach children about colors, the importance of caring for them but also subconsciously teach them about being creative. The Day the Crayons Quit is the 2015 Bluebonnet Award Winner and it's about a young boy named Duncan. He goes to take out his crayons and finds a stack of letters from his crayons. From blue to green, each color writes a letter about their grievances. Some crayons only get to color certain animals or things, some have been stripped of their paper and are naked… while others are being used so much that their practically stubs. At the end of the story, Duncan has an idea to make all of the colors happy. Duncan colors his next picture with unlikely colors for the animals and sky and uses all of the colors in his picture. All of the colors are satisfied and he gets an A+ for creativity from his teacher. This story gives each color a voice and allows children to see their side. Through Duncan’s abuse of his crayons, children can see how to treat their crayons with care. At the end, they will see that coloring how you see things is the most important. This book would develop a sense of creativity for children and let them be entertained with a gripping but hilarious story. I do hope you can read this book and maybe even show it to your children. They would absolutely love it!                                                               With all love and hope, 

                                                                                                                                                  Madeline Moreno