https://padlet.com/leslie1597/ila8lp6ay2wl Leslie Nelson's Book List en-us 2019-08-31 15:30:30 UTC 2023-10-12 13:49:13 UTC hello@padlet.com leslie1597 https://padlet.com/leslie1597/ila8lp6ay2wl/wish/378892231 This book has roots in the Pacific Northwest with the mythological story and totem inspired illustrations.  The story attempts to explain the reason one always feeds the Raven.  The answer is that the Raven stole the sun and placed it in the sky for all the people.  This book is beautifully illustrated with a background of water colored paintings with the superimposed colorful line drawings of the Raven and his journey to steal the sun.  The juxtaposition of styles is very appealing, and one can see why this was a Caldecott honor book at one time.  The downside of this story, in my opinion, is that the myth is quite complicated whereby Raven transforms himself into a pine needle and floats down from a tree into the drinking water of the Sky Chief’s daughter so that she could drink the needle and become quasi-impregnated by the Raven.  The Raven is so charming as the baby boy of the Sky Chief’s daughter that the entire clan will give the baby Raven whatever he wants. Ultimately, Raven’s entire goal has been to infiltrate the headquarters of the people holding the sun and keeping it for themselves, find the sun, steal it, and give it to mankind.   Beautiful illustrations, complicated tale.

]]> 2019-08-31 19:27:08 UTC https://padlet.com/leslie1597/ila8lp6ay2wl/wish/378892231 leslie1597 https://padlet.com/leslie1597/ila8lp6ay2wl/wish/378892579

]]> 2019-08-31 19:32:52 UTC https://padlet.com/leslie1597/ila8lp6ay2wl/wish/378892579 leslie1597 https://padlet.com/leslie1597/ila8lp6ay2wl/wish/379456260 This book was new to me and I chose it initially because I am a huge fan of William Joyce.  He wrote the Guardian series which became a movie that my children adored.  There are a few elements to this book that make it quite fascinating and bit more interactive than the usual.  The orientation of the book switches so the reader needs to turn the book a few times and this will surely keep the attention of a child who may be listening or reading it himself.  The premise is that there is a whole society that does not have an alphabet or colors but uses numbers to describe everything and everyone.  A band of five friends dismantles some of the numbers and tirelessly creates an alphabet whereby transforming all the society’s members, giving them all names and delicious food like pizza while also turning the landscape into vibrant hues that were once shades of gray.  There are several silly illustrations that will make a child giggle undoubtedly.  The book itself is artfully done and I highly recommend seeking it out if you are unfamiliar with the title or the author.

]]> 2019-09-03 14:04:20 UTC https://padlet.com/leslie1597/ila8lp6ay2wl/wish/379456260 leslie1597 https://padlet.com/leslie1597/ila8lp6ay2wl/wish/379460367 Carl is a rottweiler.  Carl has been assigned to babysit a one year old with the words, “Look after the baby, Carl, I’ll be back shortly” by a woman with a wildly derelict parenting style.  This opening sentence and the one at the very end of the book, “Good Dog, Carl,” are the only written words.  Other than that, the pictures are hysterical with Carl and his charge dancing, swimming in a fish tank, sliding down laundry shoots, playing dress up, and preparing sandwiches.  Carl, without thumbs, can take care of the baby and change his diaper as well as clean up the huge mess the duo left behind.  This is definitely the kind of book that forces a lot of question and answer from a reader and a child. ]]> 2019-09-03 14:11:46 UTC https://padlet.com/leslie1597/ila8lp6ay2wl/wish/379460367 leslie1597 https://padlet.com/leslie1597/ila8lp6ay2wl/wish/379461733 Bob is a rooster who does not know how to crow, only cluck.  Henrietta the barn cat encourages Bob to go out into the world and discover how to crow in a sort of coming-of-age book about a rooster who needs to find himself.  Upon his 24-hour travels, Bob meets a dog and learns to woof, a frog and learns to ribbet and hop, a cow and learns to moo, and finally another rooster (Fred) and learns to crow.  After this exhausting journey, Bob returns to the henhouse where he attempts to slip back into his old life with his new language.  When Bob encounters a fox trying to sneak into the henhouse and the fox is not impressed with his masculine rendition of “cock-a-doodle-doo,” Bob belts out his newfound repertoire of animal noises and scares the fox whilst saving the hens and making sure no one is injured. Bob is a hero and comfortable with language identity theft.   

]]> 2019-09-03 14:14:19 UTC https://padlet.com/leslie1597/ila8lp6ay2wl/wish/379461733 leslie1597 https://padlet.com/leslie1597/ila8lp6ay2wl/wish/379462533 This is a retelling of the classic Goldilocks and the three bears with Mo Willems' signature illustrations and sense of humor.  Instead of porridge there is pudding, and instead of Goldilocks stumbling upon the home by accident the dinosaurs actually set a trap to ensnare a child.  Very cute story.

]]> 2019-09-03 14:15:49 UTC https://padlet.com/leslie1597/ila8lp6ay2wl/wish/379462533 leslie1597 https://padlet.com/leslie1597/ila8lp6ay2wl/wish/379466139 This book is the first of a series of books in which a small girl named Trixie is wildly attached to a doglike rabbit stuffed animal named Knuffle Bunny. I say the name Knuffle with a hard “k” sound although I have heard it with a silent “k” from others.  Later in the series Trixie and her family go to the Netherlands to visit grandparents who are Dutch so with this in mind I surmised the hard “k.”  But maybe one of the readers in this discussion will enlighten me.  The illustrations are beautiful as they are photographs with Mo Willem’s signature egg-like eyed drawings superimposed upon them.  And without fail, the pigeon from his other series of books makes a cameo.  To summarize, Trixie runs an errand with her father to the laundromat and her father inadvertently leaves the bunny behind.  Much humor can be found in Trixie’s pre-verbal theatrics when trying to tell her father that her rabbit has disappeared.  Spoiler alert:  The family finds the bunny in the washing machine.

]]> 2019-09-03 14:22:58 UTC https://padlet.com/leslie1597/ila8lp6ay2wl/wish/379466139 leslie1597 https://padlet.com/leslie1597/ila8lp6ay2wl/wish/380201274 Charlotte's Web is a classic novel of barnyard friendship.  This is a sort of coming of age book about a runt piglet that is mentored by a spider named Charlotte.  Not for the faint of heart, this story is a "must read" however.  

]]> 2019-09-05 01:16:52 UTC https://padlet.com/leslie1597/ila8lp6ay2wl/wish/380201274 leslie1597 https://padlet.com/leslie1597/ila8lp6ay2wl/wish/383606188 This is a brilliant story of a little dinosaur who is going to school for the first time but decides to eat her classmates (because they are delicious) and is consequently having a difficult time making friends. Very good story about empathy....highly recommended.]]> 2019-09-13 03:08:55 UTC https://padlet.com/leslie1597/ila8lp6ay2wl/wish/383606188 leslie1597 https://padlet.com/leslie1597/ila8lp6ay2wl/wish/391281474 An enchanting story about a girl named Maddy who visits her Grandmere in the bayou.  While there she discovers the magic inside of herself and becomes a hero to all her new friends and family. Maddy has a preternatural gift of conjuring mermaids and saves the bayou from an ecological disaster. ]]> 2019-09-30 12:19:26 UTC https://padlet.com/leslie1597/ila8lp6ay2wl/wish/391281474 leslie1597 https://padlet.com/leslie1597/ila8lp6ay2wl/wish/391282213 A story about two friends, Lily, a transgender boy wishing to be a girl, and Dunkin, a boy suffering from manic-depression. Each boy is going through transformations in a coming of age saga about very timely issues. Not for the feint of heart....contains discussions about suicide and anatomy. ]]> 2019-09-30 12:20:56 UTC https://padlet.com/leslie1597/ila8lp6ay2wl/wish/391282213 leslie1597 https://padlet.com/leslie1597/ila8lp6ay2wl/wish/395518346 A beautiful story about a boy named Jack who discovers his love of poetry with the help of a rescue dog and the poet Walter Dean Myers.  Can be a very complicated or simplistic analysis of poetry as the book is written in deceptively simple free-verse poetry form. Potential for a psychological analysis of the student for older kids.  ]]> 2019-10-09 11:39:25 UTC https://padlet.com/leslie1597/ila8lp6ay2wl/wish/395518346 leslie1597 https://padlet.com/leslie1597/ila8lp6ay2wl/wish/399283009 A compelling story set in 1776 through January of 1777. Isabel is a slave in New York during turbulent times while the Patriots and Loyalists come to terms on the Colonists' demand for independence. The irony of the story is that independence is really just for the select few. Regardless of the outcome of the war, slavery is still an option while the white population looks for freedom from Great Britain. Beautifully written....for an older audience. ]]> 2019-10-17 21:03:10 UTC https://padlet.com/leslie1597/ila8lp6ay2wl/wish/399283009 leslie1597 https://padlet.com/leslie1597/ila8lp6ay2wl/wish/399284678 The story of Charlie and his sister Lilly as they help Dr. George Livingston find ghost orchids throughout the Florida Everglades. The story is actually about the professor's surreptitious
behavior in actually trying to find the Fountain of Youth. A great story for 4th graders who would enjoy a novel of historical fiction while learning about the rich history of Florida.]]> 2019-10-17 21:08:37 UTC https://padlet.com/leslie1597/ila8lp6ay2wl/wish/399284678 leslie1597 https://padlet.com/leslie1597/ila8lp6ay2wl/wish/399286684 The dreamlike story of Cassie and her little brother BeBe as they voyage on the Underground Railroad to freedom. An historical picture book that would be a great introduction to a lesson on slavery. Illustrations in a folklore style with Caribbean undertones. Downside is that it has too much of a dreamlike undertone and the story is not as believable as others of the genre. Upside is that there is a nice appendix with a more "history book" account of the real underground railroad and the meanings behind the metaphors.]]> 2019-10-17 21:15:01 UTC https://padlet.com/leslie1597/ila8lp6ay2wl/wish/399286684 leslie1597 https://padlet.com/leslie1597/ila8lp6ay2wl/wish/399288725 The story of the procession that Martin Luther King Jr. took while in Atlanta after his assassination. The cart was borrowed from an antique store and pulled by two mules Ada and Belle. A fantastic story to read-aloud before Martin Luther King's birthday in January. Certainly the story has somber tones.  

]]> 2019-10-17 21:21:16 UTC https://padlet.com/leslie1597/ila8lp6ay2wl/wish/399288725 leslie1597 https://padlet.com/leslie1597/ila8lp6ay2wl/wish/399289981 An unbelievably beautiful book with some of the most gorgeous watercolors I have ever seen. The book deserved its Caldecott Medal undoubtedly. This is a story of a Japanese boy who recounts the journey his grandfather took to the United States. During this trip, the Grandfather fell in love with California. World War II drove a wedge for Japanese to travel to the United States. This would be a great book when discussing WWII and the personal conflicts that fell upon the people from both sides of that conflict. ]]> 2019-10-17 21:25:22 UTC https://padlet.com/leslie1597/ila8lp6ay2wl/wish/399289981 leslie1597 https://padlet.com/leslie1597/ila8lp6ay2wl/wish/402326667 A charming version of Goldilocks with the protagonist fleeing her strict mother with a dog and cat and flying to Mars. While she is on Mars, she finds herself in a Martians home where she is almost eaten. In a hurry, she flees the planet and returns home because there is where it is "just right."]]> 2019-10-24 22:52:24 UTC https://padlet.com/leslie1597/ila8lp6ay2wl/wish/402326667 leslie1597 https://padlet.com/leslie1597/ila8lp6ay2wl/wish/402330055 A very cute version of Goldilocks which begins traditionally but ends with Goldilocks cleaning her mess and helping the bear family return order to their home. This is a very good book to teach about consequences.]]> 2019-10-24 23:06:09 UTC https://padlet.com/leslie1597/ila8lp6ay2wl/wish/402330055 leslie1597 https://padlet.com/leslie1597/ila8lp6ay2wl/wish/402330502 One of my very favorite variations on Goldilocks and the Three Bears. In this adaptation, Goldilocks has been lured into the dinosaurs' home and fattened up with chocolate pudding. The dinosaurs' hope is that she will be made in bon-bons. The plan is foiled because they are quite loud and she leaves in a hurry out the back door. ]]> 2019-10-24 23:08:20 UTC https://padlet.com/leslie1597/ila8lp6ay2wl/wish/402330502 leslie1597 https://padlet.com/leslie1597/ila8lp6ay2wl/wish/402331235 A version of Goldilocks where a naughty little girl violates her mother's wishes and purposefully goes through a forbidden forest.  This is a more modern take on a classic story without too much deviation but a bit more vocabulary.  This book was written and illustrated by the author of the Mrs. Nelson series.

]]> 2019-10-24 23:11:01 UTC https://padlet.com/leslie1597/ila8lp6ay2wl/wish/402331235 leslie1597 https://padlet.com/leslie1597/ila8lp6ay2wl/wish/402332184 2019-10-24 23:14:42 UTC https://padlet.com/leslie1597/ila8lp6ay2wl/wish/402332184 leslie1597 https://padlet.com/leslie1597/ila8lp6ay2wl/wish/404146049 An entertaining graphic novel that is autobiographical. The story involves a young 4 year old's foray into deafness after a bout with meningitis. As Cece goes through elementary school, she experiences loneliness because of her disability. She concocts an alter-ego which is a super-hero named El Deafo with the power of super-hearing. A great book for 4th graders or those that love the graphic novel format. This was a Newberry Honor Book from 2014.]]> 2019-10-29 20:46:14 UTC https://padlet.com/leslie1597/ila8lp6ay2wl/wish/404146049 leslie1597 https://padlet.com/leslie1597/ila8lp6ay2wl/wish/414329978 A beautifully illustrated story about a girl imagining herself winding down a river from the city all the way into the ocean. She winds through the country, hills and valleys, the jungle, and through the mangroves to the vast solitude.]]> 2019-11-20 21:21:57 UTC https://padlet.com/leslie1597/ila8lp6ay2wl/wish/414329978 leslie1597 https://padlet.com/leslie1597/ila8lp6ay2wl/wish/414333168 A Caldecott Honor book depicting toys looking out the window waiting patiently for new friends and excitement or just enjoying the waiting process. Done well in watercolor paint and colored pencils. Although the lexile level is 440L it really should be in the Adult Directed section. ]]> 2019-11-20 21:28:57 UTC https://padlet.com/leslie1597/ila8lp6ay2wl/wish/414333168 leslie1597 https://padlet.com/leslie1597/ila8lp6ay2wl/wish/414335335 An adorable story about a little mouse who is wildly attached to his yellow blanket. He does not want to give it up when he goes to kindergarten. He discovers with the help of his parents an ingenious way to feel safe but also be a big boy.]]> 2019-11-20 21:33:52 UTC https://padlet.com/leslie1597/ila8lp6ay2wl/wish/414335335 leslie1597 https://padlet.com/leslie1597/ila8lp6ay2wl/wish/414351094 A story about a little llama at bedtime who becomes panicked and needs a glass of water. The illustrations of the eyes are particularly telling as to the theatrical expressions that the little llama possesses while he waits for his mother.]]> 2019-11-20 22:12:31 UTC https://padlet.com/leslie1597/ila8lp6ay2wl/wish/414351094 leslie1597 https://padlet.com/leslie1597/ila8lp6ay2wl/wish/414352699 An entertaining story about a group of people and animals that fall asleep on each other only to be awakened with a start by a bite from a flea. A great story to read-aloud.]]> 2019-11-20 22:17:04 UTC https://padlet.com/leslie1597/ila8lp6ay2wl/wish/414352699 leslie1597 https://padlet.com/leslie1597/ila8lp6ay2wl/wish/414354302 A patchwork elephant disguises himself with mud and scares the rest of his herd by hiding from them. Elmer's differences from everyone else makes him very special and loved. ]]> 2019-11-20 22:20:51 UTC https://padlet.com/leslie1597/ila8lp6ay2wl/wish/414354302 leslie1597 https://padlet.com/leslie1597/ila8lp6ay2wl/wish/414355663 An absurd story about what will ensue if you give a cat a cupcake. The cupcake will lead to sprinkles, that will lead to heated cleaning, that will to the beach, that will lead to swimming, that will lead to building, that will lead to seashells, that will lead to the gym, that will lead to the park, that will lead to rowing, that will lead to the museum, that will lead to sandy pockets, and ultimately leads to sprinkles and a cupcake. ]]> 2019-11-20 22:24:29 UTC https://padlet.com/leslie1597/ila8lp6ay2wl/wish/414355663 leslie1597 https://padlet.com/leslie1597/ila8lp6ay2wl/wish/414357726 The little red hen does all the work for herself when creating bread from the wheat she planted, threshed, milled, and cooked. All the other barnyard animals lazily refused to help so in the end she ate the bread with her little chicks while everyone salivated in despair.]]> 2019-11-20 22:28:51 UTC https://padlet.com/leslie1597/ila8lp6ay2wl/wish/414357726 leslie1597 https://padlet.com/leslie1597/ila8lp6ay2wl/wish/414360623 One of my favorite stories about a little girl who dislikes her new baby brother because she feels her parents obsessively dote on him. Her perceptions are skewed but the illustrations are priceless.]]> 2019-11-20 22:36:55 UTC https://padlet.com/leslie1597/ila8lp6ay2wl/wish/414360623 leslie1597 https://padlet.com/leslie1597/ila8lp6ay2wl/wish/414361961 The story of Mr. Morris Lessmore and his love of books through his entire life. He is a young man and becomes fascinated with books, writing his own story in a journal. He ultimately dies but leaves his story behind so that others can enjoy all of his books and his story. It's a somber story but written beautifully with gorgeous illustrations and magical fonts. ]]> 2019-11-20 22:40:42 UTC https://padlet.com/leslie1597/ila8lp6ay2wl/wish/414361961