b.     
Bibliographic Data:
 Title - And Tango Makes Three
Author - Justin Richardson, Peter Parnell
Illustrator - Henry Cole
Published by Simon & Schuster 2005

 

c.      Summary:
A story based on true events about two male penguins in Central Park Zoo, NY that do everything together. A zoo-keeper notices the two are inseparable and appear to be in love. He gives them an egg to hatch and raise. Tango is born and they live together as a modern family of three, with 2 dads.

 

d.     Analysis:
The illustrations and flow of the book with two panes on some pages showing the progression of the story are engaging with a playfulness the characters depicted in the book.  This book looks at a touchy topic that provides an opportunity to help both parents and teachers to explain what may or may not be the norm of explaining all kinds of love in our world.

 

e.      Connections:
I would use this book during our winter unit for the month of December. We organize weekly long mini-units about snow, penguins, and holidays to include language arts skill based content, science content about penguins and weather, and author studies. This book would be included in our week of Penguins. When I briefly introduce the book, and complete a picture walk, I will hint on the topic of love, non-traditional families, and allow students to draw their own conclusions to the penguins role. If they realize that the two penguins are both males, they would likely think it is not unusual. We have a very accepting and diverse community in the Florida Keys and interracial, adopted, and/or homosexual parents raise many students. At their young age, they are experts at acceptance and I believe they will know how to politely address the family infrastructures of these penguins while I help them remain focused on the scientific facts of male penguins’ roles in raising the egg while the mother looks for food. 

 

f.      Awards: ALA Notable Children’s Book Nominee; Gustavas Meyers Outstanding Book Award, 2006-- for the study of bigotry and human rights;  Lambda Literary Award Finalist-- Lambda Literary, the nation’s oldest and largest literary arts organization advancing LGBTQ literature. 

 

g.     Picture of the book cover: 

b. Bibliographic data Pancakes for Breakfast by Tomie DePaola. Harcourt Publishers. NY: 1978.

c. Brief plot summary 
An encouraging account of a little old lady who demonstrates perseverance and determination as she attempts to make pancakes but is thwarted by a series of events due to the lack of involvement of her dog and her cat, and other comedic challenges. 

d. Critical response and analysis. 
This charming book walks readers through the deep-rooted process of making pancakes including collecting eggs, milking a cow and churning butter. Initially the pictures are deceptively simple and reveal the emotions of the elder woman beautifully. A second reading reveals the impending mischief of her pet dog and cat.

e. Connections.  
               This book is perfect for preschool and kindergarten age students. It can be used for instruction on the sequence of events reading skill, listening and speaking goals when retelling or telling the story from their point of view, pre-reading skills, and to teach lessons based on themes of character building like perseverance and tenacity. An enrichment or extension activity may include actually making pancakes in class, with a cross-curricular connection to math. 

f. Awards won 

none

g. Photo of the book cover. 

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

c. Brief plot summary.
Flora and the Flamingo is the story of an unlikely friendship that develops among a young dancer, Flora, who wants to learn to dance like the flamingo she marvels at. The wordless story is told entirely through captivating illustrations. 
 
 

d. Critical response and analysis. 
In her second career as an illustrator/author, Molly Idle uses talents from a Dream Works animation job to create children’s books. The plot begins showing how the flamingo appears to be annoyed by Flora's imitation, but soon changes as the flamingo realizes and seemingly appreciates the child’s admiration.

 

Using wordless books for instruction with emergent readers is a means to help students develop pre-literacy skills like print awareness and plot development, without the need to focus on phonemic awareness. Wordless books allow young readers to imagine and respond as they create their personal journey on the road to literacy. 

 

e. Connections.  I would use this book with my non-literate or struggling EL students. It will allow for instruction on listening and speaking skills for English Language Development (ELD) as well as teach early literacy skills like forming a plot, and other story elements. 

Another connection could be for teaching social skills like unexpected friendships, and acceptance of awkward developmental stages.
 
 
 f. Awards Won: Caldecott Medal The Caldecott Medal is an American literary award presented each year for outstanding illustration in a picture book
 
g. Photo:

b. Bibliographic data Title: The Patchwork Quilt Written by Valerie Flournoy, Illustrated by Jerry Pinkney. Publisher Dial Books for Young Readers, 1985.

c. Brief plot summary This book tells a story of a family bonding over a tradition that is passed down one generation after another. 

d. Critical response and analysis. 

After Tanya has been locked up inside with a winter cold for several days, she becomes restless and looks for something fun to do. She walks into the living room to find her grandmother working on a patchwork quilt, or a masterpiece, as Tanya’s grandmother calls it.   When Tanya’s grandmother falls ill, Tanya finishes the quilt as a surprise for her grandmother. Gathered around a Christmas tree, you can feel the warmth block the cold winter out through the expression of color, and texture. The entire family pitches in sharing stories as they create a beautiful and colorful quilt. 

e. Connections.  

This book would be a great read aloud around the holidays. African American cultural diversity could be addressed when introducing different traditions among heritages. The class could create a patchwork quilt, with each student creating a construction paper or fabric square of something that is important to them. 

f. Awards won. Coretta Scott King Award are given annually to outstanding African American authors and illustrators of books for children and young adults that demonstrate an appreciation of African American culture and universal human values

g. Photo of the book cover.