LIS 617 Literature Immersion Picture Book Soak Fall 2024 by

The Tree by Karen Gray Ruelle

jordynajenkins — 2024-09-02 23:41:53 UTC

I really enjoyed reading this children's book. It is a short story about the history of an elm tree and what has happened throughout its 250 year lifetime. As the the tree takes root and grows, present day Madison Square Park in New York City is developed. This story would be a good connection to teaching about the importance of preserving nature and could also serve as a useful story for helping students develop background knowledge on the history and development of New York City and New York City/US history. This short story would also be a creative way to help teach about how animals and nature impact growth and how nature has a way of preserving itself over time. This book also lends itself to exposing students to Tier 2 vocabulary words. It provides a timeline on the history of events that occured since the time the seed of the Elm Tree took root 250 years ago to today's modern world, so it would be a useful and visual way to teach students about timelines and their use in organizing information and text. This book also lends itself to teaching students cause-effect scenarios such as what happens to nature and plants/animals when natural disasters occur and how cities and towns develop.

Boycott Blues: How Rosa Parks Inspired a Nation by Andrea Davis Pinkney and Brian Pinkney

jordynajenkins — 2024-09-02 23:46:21 UTC

This book would serve as a great read aloud for introducing or providing background knowledge to students to the Civil Rights Movement and how Rosa Parks and other individuals bravery led to the Montgomery Bus Boycott. This book helps teach students the importance of standing up for what you believe in as well as the rights of others. It is full of figurative language and literary devices and would be a useful tool in providing students examples of personification, repetition, how text can be written in free verse and also provides exposure to Tier 2/Tier 3 vocabulary words.

Little Witch Hazel: A Year in the Forest by Phoebe Wahl

jordynajenkins — 2024-09-02 23:53:10 UTC

I highly enjoyed reading this whimsical and and enchanting tale of a young girl, Little Witch Hazel, who lives in the forest and spends her days among nature with animals. It is a collection of four short stories that each take place in a different season. The first short story, titled "The Orphaned Egg" takes place in the spring and has elements of onomatopoeia. In just a few pages, it teaches students the importance of having respect for nature and animals and their need to be in the wild. The second short story 'The Lazy Day' takes place in the summer and teaches the reader the importance of taking time to enjoy life and engage in leisurely activities or rest. Each short story paints powerful themes to the reader in an engaging and imaginative way. Readers of all ages will enjoy reading this book for the characters, illustrations and writing. It would be an excellent exemplar text for teaching author's message and theme as well as setting and characterization.

I am a Dragon by Sabrina Hahn

jordynajenkins — 2024-09-02 23:57:03 UTC

This children's book was a cute story about learning how to stand up for yourself and not being afraid to be who you are. It would the perfect read aloud for character education and helping students who may be struggling with being themselves or accepting others who are different from them. I enjoyed reading the story as it sends a powerful message in a cute, humorous way. The illustrations are vivid and engaging to the reader as well. This book could also be used to teach students the importance of forgiveness and friendship.

Aloha Everything by Kaylin Melia George

jordynajenkins — 2024-09-03 00:01:37 UTC

This children's book was a beautiful, vibrantly illustrated story about being proud of one's heritage, culture and who you are. The poetry throughout the entire story is beautifully written. Teachers can use this short story to not only teach students about elements of poetry but also about the history and background of the Hawaiian islands and the people who live there. By diving into the rich culture, history and traditions of the Hawaiian islands, this short story strongly conveys the message that it's important to respect nature, Mother Earth and always take care of the environment.

The Matchbox Diary by Paul Fleischman Illustrated by Bagram Ibatoulline

jordynajenkins — 2024-09-03 00:11:27 UTC

This beautiful children's book could be used when teaching about US History when individual immigrated from european countries, specifically Italy, to America. Throughout the entire story, the author's writing delivers the message that we all have a story to tell. Due to not being able to read or write early in life, a young girl's great-grandfather, kept artifacts inside matchboxes as a record of his travels and journey to a new life, from Italy to America. Inside the matchboxes are artifacts that symbolize parts of his life and what he and his family experienced as they migrated from Italy to America (an olive pit, bottle cap, and ticket to his first baseball game, are the artifacts kept within the matchboxes). Eventually, the young girl's great-grandfather learns to read and write because he wanted to be able to tell his story. This book delivers a strong message to all readers about the importance of literacy and how having the ability to read and write allows individuals to express themselves and pass down their stories from generation to generation. This story was beautifully told. Young elementary students will enjoy reading this story and being provided with a glimmer into the past and world history. It is also full of beautifully, detailed illustrations that enable the reader and audience to visualize what life was like for the young girl's great grandfather as he journeyed from Italy to America, in search of a better life and fresh start with his family.