Two Books That Should be in Every Library Media Center

Day of Tears by Julius Lester

This is a story about the largest slave auction in US history. The story takes place on a plantation in Georgia in 1859. A gambling slave master sells a number of slaves to pay off his debts. Emma, a house slave, is the main character of the story. She cares for Butler’s (the master) daughters and is given the promise to never be sold. On the last day of the auction, however she is sold to a woman from Kentucky. She eventually marries and runs away to Canada where she gains back her freedom. This story portrays the sadness and anger that slaves felt during these trying times. This story contains historical events throughout.
This book should be included in every school library because of the facts and emotion it contains on teaching children the effects that slavery had on our nation. Diversity is addressed throughout the story. Students will learn the dehumanizing effects of racism and will become more educated of historical events by reading this touching story.

The Other Side by Jacqueline Woodson, illustrated by E.B. White

This is a story about two little girls who develop a friendship despite a racial divide. The young African-American narrator, Clover is instructed by her mother to never climb over the fence that she lives beside. This fence is what segregates her town and her mother tells her that climbing over the fence is unsafe. She plays in the yard next to the fence everyday and one summer morning she notices a little girl looking at her from the other side. Throughout the story the reader sees how curious the little girls become of one another and eventually the two young girls gather the courage to introduce themselves. In order to follow the rules of the fence, they decide to just sit on top of it with one another rather than climbing over to one side and risking getting in trouble. Other children see this and stare at Clover because she is sitting next to a white child. Clover pretends not to notice the other children's strange reactions and over time the fence is out of place, not the friendship.

This book should be in every library media center because of the message it sends to children of all cultures. It is critical that children be taught at a young age not to "judge a book by its cover." Children should realize that just because someone looks differently than they do, they should still open up their mind and heart and get to know them. This book is such a heartwarming story about diversity to include in the library for elementary students.

Journey Home by Yoshiko Uchida, illustrated by Charles Robinson

This is a story about a Japanese American family who travels from a concentration camp back to their home in California during World War II. The little girl, Yuki, and her family suffer hardships during their journey. When they arrive Yuki feels scared and very unwelcomed because of the prejudices that people have toward Japanese Americans. Not only is Yuki unwelcomed, but she is also dealing with sadness from her brother's injury in the war as well as her best friend's change in attitude toward her. She longs to go back to the times before the war. Yuki is a prime example of a child with courage and determination.

I really like the fact that this story is such a heartwarming culturally diverse story, but also that it teaches children some history about one of the most difficult times that our world has ever seen. World War II changed the world and along with that changed people, families, and the feelings and relationships the human society had on one another. This story reflects the hatred and fear in some and the love and support in others.

My reaction to this book was influenced by my interest in history and historical events such as World War II. I have always been interested in reading stories about the Jews, Adolph Hitler, and the sadness that the war brought on so many people around the world. I had never read a book about the effect it had on the Japanese community until I read this particular story. I gained much insight into the hardships and challenges that this particular community had to overcome.

Yoshido Uchida has written several children's books. Some of the books he has writen are as follows: The Sea of Gold: And Other Tales from Japan, The Rooster Who Understood Japanese, The Bracelet, and A Jar of Dreams. Yoshiko Uchidna's stories reflect the Japanese society in a positive light. Her books tell Japanese folk tales as well as the events in history that have helped mold their culture. Journey Home is no exception. This story along with her other pieces provide historical content regarding her culture not only as a Japanese member of society but also as a Japanese American.

I learned much information about the Japanese American culture through reading Journey Home. This book would be a great book to read to younger students about diversity, but also to older elementary students about the history of our society and the critical role that events such as World War II have played on our society.

The Patchwork Quilt by Valerie Flournoy, illustrated by Jerry Pinkney

This is a story about a little girl and her grandmother bonding through the creation of a patchwork quilt. The story begins with a little girl named Tanya complaining that she was ready to get rid of her cold so that she could go outside to play. When her mother told her that she would just have to be patient she decided to go talk to her grandmother. She immediately notices her grandmother sitting in her favorite chair with little scraps of fabric all around. When she asks her grandma what she is going to do with all of the stuff her grandma tells her that she is going to make a patchwork quilt. Throughout the story the little girl and her mother work hard to help her grandmother complete the quilt. When her grandmother gets sick it is up to young Tanya to work to help finish the quilt for her grandma.

I absolutely loved this story because it reminded me of my grandmother and me when I was a little girl. I'll never forget the Sundays we spent together after church working on the doll quilt and pillow that she helped me make. We used scraps of a red and white blouse to make the little quilt for my favorite doll. I was always very close to my grandmother, but I can remember in those hours spent making that doll quilt and pillow we had some of the best conversations together. Maybe it was because I was excited and eager to make that the best quilt ever or maybe it was just simply because that was a time in my life when I began to really appreciate my grandma and loved hearing stories about her and her grandmother. I still have that little quilt and pillow today and I can honestly tell you that when I look at those pieces I realy do feel like they tell the story of my grandmother and me.

There are many books written to tell the relationship a young child can have with an elderly person. One story that comes to my head immediately is Mr. George Baker. This is a story about a young boy who sits on the porch and talks with an elderly man each day. The two develop a strong bond and Mr. George Baker helps to mold the little boy into the person that he will become. This story, like The Patchwork Quilt teaches children that some of the most memorable moments in their lives can be of the most simplistic times in their lives such as sitting on a porch talking with a loved one or making a quilt with a grandmother.

One thing that I learned from reading this book was that children's literature is an excellent way to not only teach underlying themes, but to also include culturally diverse characters and story plots to express this theme. Throughout this story the author does an excellent job at representing this particular family's traditions and cultural diversity through the language used throughout.

The Lorax by Dr. Seuss

The Lorax by Dr. Seuss, published in 1971 is a story that chronicles the destruction that human society can have on the environment. The Lorax which is a mossy man like creature speaks up for the trees against the selfish and greedy Once-ler. The book is symbolic in that the Lorax represents the environment and the Once-ler is a representation of the industrialized society.

This book is considered one of his best by Dr. Seuss himself. However, it did not go over very well when it was first published. In fact, according to Wikipedia, it is still controversial today. In 1988 a small school district in California kept the book on a reading list for second graders, though some in the town claimed the book was unfair to the logging industry. Eventually several timber industry groups sponsored the creation of a book called The Truax. This story presented a "logging-friendly" perspective to a tree known as the Guardbark. This book, just as in The Lorax, presents an argument between two people. The logging industry representative expresses their efficiency and re-seeding efforts whereas the Guardbark, a personification of the environmentalist movement much as the Once-ler is for big business, refuses to listen and repeatedly causes problems.


The line "I hear things are just as bad up in Lake Erie" was removed more than fourteen years after the story was published after two research associates from the Ohio Sea Grant Program wrote to Seuss about the clean-up of Lake Erie. The line, however, still remains in the DVD release of the special.

The Lorax is most definitely a didactic book. The dictionary defines this as "teaching or intending to teach a moral lesson." This book was written by Dr. Suess to clearly teach a lesson to society about protecting the environment. The personification and representation used throughout the story with the characters definitely presented an underlying theme. This theme is what made this book so controversial. Didactic literature can also be described as the author trying to teach the readers too much. In this case, I definitely do not think the author was trying to go over board or teach the public too much about this environmental issue. This book can be used in conjunction with the book sponsored by the logging company to distinguish the difference between using the Earth's resources wisely compared to being wasteful with the Earth's resources. It presents a very critical issue in the world today in a kid friendly manner that is easy for a child to understand.

There are still some didactic children's books published today, but I think the number has decreased dramatically over the years. When trying to brainstorm some recent children's book titles that use didactic literature, I kept coming to the conclusion that most of the books today that have underlying themes and lessons, do not have the same effect as Dr. Seuss's The Lorax. That may be the difference between his books such as this one that uses strong didactic literature and literature written today with underlying themes and lessons to be taught. It seems like books today take on a more "open-minded" less forceful side when trying to prove a point or teach a lesson to children. Dr. Seuss was an amazing author and one thing that made him such an amazing author was his ability to write books such as The Lorax and The Sneetches that taught important morals to children in a fun and humorous way.

The Cat in the Hat by Dr. Seuss

This is probably one of Dr. Seuss's most memorable pieces of work. It was written in 1957 after an article was written in Life magazine by a man named John Hersey. The article focused on the problems associated with children's literature and the readers used in public schools at that time. Hersey presented the idea that schools should use readers that have pictures that "widen rather than narrow the associative richness children give to the words they illustrate."

Dr. Seuss took this idea into his own hands and saw it as a challenge that he would work on. Nine months later he had completed the famous book called The Cat in the Hat. This story has so many clever elements. First of all, it is a very catchy story line with interesting characters to excite any child. This story also uses 236 distinct sight words to teach children phonics through rhyme and repitition. This book not only uses sophisticated rhyme and rhythm, but it also manages to keep the vocabulary simple enough for young readers.

This book was revolutionary to its time and remains a favorite among children to this day. This is probably because of the tension between the fun of the imagination and the anarchy of the main character himself. There are not many books that come to mind that truly have the wit and tension that this book contains. However, the closest book to having this type of tension happens to be from Dr. Seuss himself and that is the book How the Grinch Stole Christmas. In this particular story the Grinch is the anarachist character who is constantly doing wrong throughout the story. His goal in life is to make others miserable but then, just as the Cat comes around in the end of the story to do right, he too comes to the conclusion that he doesn't want to behave badly anymore. His heart warms up and he actually tries to do good.

How the Grinch Stole Christmas: Children's book produced as a feature film review #1

This story, which was originally written in 1957 by Dr. Seuss is about the Grinch who hates Christmas so he devotes his life to ruining Christmas for all of the Whos in Whoville. In 1966 a TV movie was created based on the book. Then in 2000 a feature film was made. Because the film is based on a children's picture book many additions had to be made to the storyline to bring it up to feature-length.

The original Grinch featured in the book was actually not green. Like everything else in the book, he was black and white with some red and pink splotches. In the movie, however, the Grinch is featured as a bright green character who is played by the hillarious Jim Carrey. The Grinch costume was actually created by sewing yak hairs, which were dyed green, onto a spandex suit. The hairs were sewn on one by one.

Although Max, the dog, was somewhat of a minor character in the book, he was made into a more significant character in the feature film in order for him to "represent the audience... the one you wanted to rescue."

The original book, set in the 1950's, in many ways, celebrates the joys of simple living. The costume director of the feature film did indeed go for the 1950's look, getting ideas from old cookbooks and decorating the Who's costumes with vintage buttons. The detail of the costumes in the movie along with the vivid set however, symbolizes the change in our society from simple living to complexity in that it cost more than $115 million to make! The live-action movie actually features more than 52,000 Christmas lights, about 8,200 Christmas ornaments, and nearly 2,000 candy canes. As for the costumes and make-up, no other movie has featured so many characters and heavy make-up since the Wizard of Oz in 1939.

Adults and children around the world have considered the book to be one of Dr. Seuss' most well-known stories of all time. When the feature film was created in 2000, it actually received mixed critical reaction, but did end up spending four weeks as the #1 film in the U.S., eventually earning $260 million at the US box office.

Jumanji: Children's book produced as feature film review #2

Jumanji by Chris Van Allsburg was originally written and illustrated as a children's picture book in 1981. In 1995 it was made into a film with the same name. Both the book and the movie are about two children who find a magical board game that makes animals come to life and cause trouble in their house while their parents are gone. The book and the movie do contain some minor differences in the storyline. One difference is that in the beginning of the book Judy and Peter, two young children, whose parents are away at an opera, decide to go for a walk in the park. While they are there they find the magical game and decide to bring it home. They begin playing the game and quickly realize this is no ordinary game. It is full of life and wild animals! In the movie, however, the plot begins with two children burying a game deep into the earth, years later to be discovered by Alan Parrish, the young boy of an (seems to be) uncaring shoe factory owner. No sooner does Alan get home and get the game set up, his friend Sarah comes over to see Alan and they decide to play the game. Alan rolls a 13 and is immediately drawn into the game. Sarah cannot explain what she has seen to anyone. The next scene is 26 years later and two children, Peter and Judy move into a huge old house. After settling in, the two children go up into the attic to explore, and this is where they find a board game named Jumanji. Peter sets the game up and Judy reads the directions aloud. The directions were almost word for word from the book. When Peter tosses the dice, the game pieces move along the board by themselves. Judy and Peter hear a noise from downstairs in one of the rooms. This is where the magic begins.

I am assuming that because the film is based on a children's picture book more detail was needed in the plot in order for it to be feature length. In an attempt to do this the producer added the characters, Alan and Sarah, along with more background information and events about the game.

Like much of Chris Van Allsburg works, the book's illustrations are detailed and exciting but do not jump out at the reader with vivid color. The film, however, takes on a much different approach. Expensive, state of the art computer graphics and animatronics were used for the special effects sequences. Vivid colors and action are in much contrast to the original story in its book form. Did the use of extreme special effects pay off? I'll let you decide....The production budget was $65,000,000. The total US gross in the box office was $100, 458, 310.

Both the book and the film were successful pieces of work. I think that the magic of the book is more effective in the book because a lot is left up to the reader's imagination.

The Polar Express: Children's book produced as a feature film review #3

The Polar Express is a 1985 children’s book written and illustrated by Chris Van Allsburg. It was made into a feature film in 2004. Both the book and the movie tell the story of a young boy who gets to take a ride on the Polar Express one Christmas Eve night. Once the boy gets there, he along with the other children from the train, are greeted by hundreds of elves. The little boy is handpicked by Santa to receive the first gift of Christmas. Realizing that he can pick any gift he wants in the world he chooses a beautiful bell off of Santa’s sleigh. When he arrives home that night he notices that the bell is gone. It had fallen out of a hole in the pocket of his night coat. The next morning when he and his sister are opening their presents they discover that Santa has delivered the bell to him. They are enchanted by the beautiful sound of the ringing bell. His parents cannot hear the bell. Both the book and the movie end with the famous Polar Express quote, "At one time, most of my friends could hear the bell, but as years passed, it fell silent for all of them. Even Sarah found one Christmas that she could no longer hear its sweet sound. Though I've grown old, the bell still rings for me, as it does for all who truly believe."

The film expands on the story from the original book. It maintains the visual style of the book, but some scenes such as the "Hot Chocolate" production number was derived from a single sentence and a single illustration. Some of the characters such as The "Hobo," "Lonely Boy," and "Know-it-All" characters are all new to the film. The scenes on rooftops and on the locomotive, and the runaway observation car sequence were all new to the film as well.

The film received good reviews overall with the exception of a few critics commenting on the “creepy” appearance of the characters. The “creepy” appearance is blamed on the decision to use motion capture technology. This film was not the first to use this type of technology but was deemed as being the one with the most noticeable “dead-eye syndrome” in its characters. Many thought that this technology made the characters “soul-less.” I do have to admit that the first time I watched this movie I had the same reaction. I was used to the illustrations of the characters in the book where my mind brought the characters to life rather than a new type of technology. I remember thinking that some of the parts were probably a little scary for some very young children. After watching the movie several times now I honestly do not even notice the characters looking creepy. I think all of the action, special effects, and the heartwarming storyline take precedence over this. In my opinion both the book and the movie are true pieces of art.

A Year Down Yonder: Newbery Review #1

A Year Down Yonder by Richard Peck is a heartwarming story about a 15 year old girl named Mary Alice. The story is set during the Great Depression. Mary Alice is sent to live with her grandmother in the south while her parents try to sort through the financial problems at home in Chicago. Mary Alice is not too happy about this change. She views Grandma as a "no-nonsense country gal." The year that Mary Alice thought was going to be the worst ends up being a year full of adventure and excitement. From playing tricks on the town bully to catching sneaky trick or treaters Mary Alice forms a bond with Grandma that she could have never imagined.

I was definitely drawn into this book because of the childhood I experienced growing up in a rural town. There were so many events that took place in this story that caused me to flashback to my own life and adventures I had growing up. Grandma Dowdel actually reminds me a lot of my Grandma Waddle. She raised nine kids and is probably the toughest lady I have ever met. But on the inside my Grandma has the biggest heart and is always ready to make others laugh. She has taught me so many things over the years. From how to make a quilt for my dolls to how to just how to enjoy the small things in life. She has also dedicated so much of her life to helping others just as Grandma Dowdel did in this story.

This book reminds me a lot of The Little House on the Prarie series by Laura Ingalls Wilder. It also reminds me of Sarah, Plain and Tall by Patricia MacLachlan. All three of these books bring a new spin to country living. They teach children who live in a developed city that there is much to appreciate in a rural community. They teach children who already live in a rural community to be proud of their upbringing and appreciate the simple things in life.

Because of Winn Dixie: Newbery Honor Review #2

Because of Winn Dixie by Katie Dicamillo is a touching story about a young girl named Opal. Opal finds a stray dog in a Winn Dixie Supermarket parking lot. She decides to name him after the store and call the dog her own. Soon after "adopting" this dog, the young girl finds her life changing for the better. She begins learning a lot about the mother who abanded her because of Winn Dixie. Because of Winn Dixie she begins making friends in her unfamiliar new town. And because of Winn Dixie Opal begins to truly find her place in the world.

I really like the themes behind this book. Opal's character is a character that readers are likely to fall in love with. She is charming and down right honest. This story is one about the relationship between a girl and her dog, but much deeper, it tells the story of lonliness, friendship, and acceptance in this world.

My reaction to this book comes from memories I had as a child with our beloved dog Rusty. Rusty reminds me a lot of Winn Dixie. First of all, HER name was Rusty. Yes, you heard it... I named our GIRL dog Rusty and thought it was the best name in the world for her! Like Winn Dixie, she too was, I guess you could say, "adopted." She was not the most appealing to the eye considering her tail was cut off, she was straggly, and seemed to always have things stuck in her long fur. However, just as Opal saw through Winn Dixie's appearance I too could see the beauty in our family dog. I'll never forget the day my brother and I brought her home from the dog pound. Our summer babysitter had gotten the bright idea to take us there to just look at the animals. Clearly we saw something in little Rusty since day one because we came home with her in our arms. When my mom came home from work that day she was absolutely appalled. Not only did she not want us to have a dog, I remember her saying that was by far the ugliest dog she had ever seen. She told us that when Dad got home from work we better say goodbye because we were not keeping her. Two weeks later she was a member of our family and loved with all of our hearts. We got Rusty when I was in first grade. She died when I was a sophomore in college. She was the best friend a kid could have ever had and a lot of things in my childhood happened "because of Rusty."

I would compare this book to Old Yeller by Fred Gipson and Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls. All three of these stories tell heartwarming tales of adventures and friendships with a dog. They open the hearts of the reader through the freedom of childhood on every page. They connect with the reader through relationships built between a human and an animal. And they touch readers through the commitment and friendship each character has with their beloved companion.

What is the difference between the Newbery and Caldecott Awards?

The Newbery Medal and Caldecott Medal are both awarded by the Association for Library Service to Children, which is a division of the American Library Association. The Caldecott Medal is named after the illustrator Randolph Caldecott. This medal is awarded each year "to the artist of the most distinguished American picture book for children published in English in the United States during the preceding year." The Newbery Medal is named after an English bookseller John Newbery. This medal is awarded each year "to the most distinguished contribution to American literature for children published in English in the United States during the preceding year."



Both of these awards are extremely notable awards. The Newbery Medal was actually the first one of the two to be established when in 1921 Frederic Melcher proposed to the American Library Association that a medal should be given to the most distinguished children's book of the year. According to the 2006 edition of A Guide to the Medal and Honor Books by the Association for Library Service to Children, this idea was widely accepted and viewed as an opportunity for educators and librarians "to encourage original and creative work in the field books for children." Several years later in 1937 after many people had become concerned that the artists of children's books were getting overlooked, the Caldecott Award was created. Both awards are equally important and notable, however, the Newbery will probably always be the one most discussed mainly because it was the first children's book award in the world.

Martin's Big Words: Corretta Scott King Award

Martin's Big Words by Doreen Rappaport, illustrated by Bryan Collier is an inspirational story about Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. This story begins with Martin as a child. The readers are introduced to him through childhood experiences such as walking through the city with his mother and going to church to listen to his father preach. The book then takes the reader on a journey through his adult life beginning with him becoming a minster followed by his studies of freedom. The beauty of this book comes from the author's ability to not only familiarize the reader with Martin and his personality, but also to familiarize the reader with events that changed history. Some of the events mentioned in the story were Rosa Park's refusal to give up her seat, the bus boycott, the marches for freedom, as well as the many acts of violence toward African Americans. Throughout the story certain texts are in bold print to provide emphasis to the meaning behind these specific words. All of the words put into bold print are actually quotes from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. himself.

There are two elements that I absolutely love about this book. One of these is the author's clever ability to intertwine her lyrical text with Dr. King's very own words. The story remains very kid friendly because of her words and simple text, but very inspirational because of his "big words." Another element of the story that stands out to me is the beautiful illustrations. The illustrator uses a mixture of collages and watercolor. He also uses much symolism and metaphors throughout his illustrations. I have read this book several times and each time I read it I notice something new about the pictures. Many of the pictures are what makes that particular part of the story so emotional. They really help the reader to get lost within the historical events that took place during Martin Luther King, Jr.'s life.

One thing that really influenced my response to this book my interest in American history. Having knowledge about events that took place throughout our history is so important. I try to teach my first graders even at such an early age the importance of understanding our nation's history. This book is such an excellent tool to have in an elementary classroom to teach students about Martin Luther King Jr's life. Unlike many informational autobiographies, this book is extremely easy for childeren as young as Kindergarten to understand. The beautiful illustrations help the children understand the emotions of the people in the story and allow them to relate to their feelings throughout the book.

The author of this story, Doreen Rappaport, was actually a high school student in 1955 during the Montgomery bus boycott. She was a teacher in the 1960's during the Southern sit-ins and even went to the march on Washington in 1963 to support the movement. She even went on to actually teach at a Mississippi freedom school in 1965 where she saw firsthand the hardships African Americans were facing at that time. This author is not only extremely knowledgeable about this time in the history of America, but extremely passionate as well. I think this carries over into her book and helps make it that much more of an inspiration.

This book addresses diversity. It discusses terrible things such as racism, bombings, murders, and assassination. Yet also discusses wonderful things such as love, peace, harmony, pride, and determination. This story sends the message to the reader that despite all of the hardships and happiness in life and despite all of the differences people in our society have between one another, we all have one thing in common. The one commonality is that we are all human with the same need to be loved.

Kitten's First Full Moon: Caldecott Review #1

Kitten's First Full Moon by Kevin Henkes is a story about a curious little kitten who sees the moon in the sky as a bowl of milk. The story is humorous and suspensful. Children stay connected to the story because of the strong story elements Kevin Henkes uses. The illustrations are black and white which lends focus on the text and the story line itself.

I have to honestly say that I would probably have enjoyed the book a little more had the illustrations been more catchy and colorful. I understand that the illustrations were presented like this to serve a sort of luminous view in terms of a midnight sky. And this book did win the Caldecott Award However, based on my experiences as a first grade teacher, I think young children would be even more drawn into this story if more colorful or shimmery illustrations were used. I did, however, love the story itself.

This book in comparison to other Kevin Henkes stories is much more subtle in terms of the illustrations. Many of his books such as the Mouse Book Series have very colorful exciting illustrations. This book, however, as explained above is simply black and white throughout. Despite the differences in the illustrations there are some similarities between this book and the other books he has written. This book is very similar to his other stories because of his ability to use wit and emotion within his story elements.

Rosa: Caldecott Review #2

Rosa by Nikki Giovanni, illustrated by Bryan Collier is a story about the life of Rosa Parks and her influence on American history. This story tells the account of this American hero taking the reader back in time to when segregation ruled the South. The illustrations portray Rosa as the amazing person she was and the extreme emotional pain she went through to lead African Americans to freedom. The book is a powerful read for students of all ages. It is a small reminder of the appreciation and gratitude Americans should feel for all the men and women involved in the Civil Rights Movement.

I really liked how Rosa's personal journey leads into a summary of the Civil Rights Movement in this book. The author did a wonderful job at using key terms and vocabulary throughout the book while still maintaining the heroic story of this woman in the history of our country. The beginning of the story begins by introducing Rosa in idealistic terms. The author explains some of the everyday deeds she did to care for others. The reader quickly becomes familiar with the care and love this woman possesses toward others. The story then moves on to Rosa's struggle on the bus. The reader is then brought back to the characterization of Rosa and becomes familiar with not only the care she gives but also the determination to make the world a better place with equality for everyone. The author explains the response of the Women's Political Caucus, which led to the bus boycott in Montgomery. A few events of the movement are even included throughout the story such as the Supreme Court decision in Brown v. Board of Education, the reactions to the murder of Emmett Till and the aftermath of this event, as well as the role of Martin Luther King, Jr. Students not only become familiar with Rosa Park's personal story but also historical events in American history.

I teach a unit every February on African American history. I integrate famous Americans such as Harriet Tubman, Rosa Parks, and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. This book is such an excellent tool to accompany this unit. I think my reaction to this story is influenced by my feeling of importance toward American history on society today. I realize how critical it is as a teacher to teach my students, even as first graders, to know how their country has become what it is today and to appreciate the freedoms we have.

Another book that could be compared to this one is Rosa Parks: My Story by Jim Haskins. This is an autobiography geared toward upper elementary students, grades 4-6. This book also tells the heroic life of Rosa Parks but is told as an autobiography with black and white photos from this time in history. This book contains a lot of historical information, but can be somewhat overwhelming with all of the names in which she makes reference to. I think both books are exemplary in teaching children about the history of the Civil Rights Movement, but I think Rosa by Nikki Giovanni is much more appropriate for younger readers.

Rosa by Nikki Giovanni is not only an interesting and informational read but it also opens up a whole new world for young readers through the use of new vocabulary. A key factor in great children's literature is its ability to get students thinking and asking questions about what they read. This book is geared for young readers but does not take away the challenge of comprehending new key vocabulary terms and concepts throughout. Students will walk away from this book not only understanding the life and influence of Rosa Parks, but also the journey our country has gone on to get to where we are today.

When Sophie Gets Angry- Really, Really Angry...: Caldecott Review #3

When Sophie Gets Angry- Really, Really Angry... by Molly Bang is a story about a little girl who has a temper. She gets very upset when her sister grabs the gorilla she was playing with. Sophie gets angry when her mother yells at her for this. She gets absolutely enraged when she falls over the fire truck because of her sister pulling at her gorilla. She screams and kicks and even says she wants to "smash the world into smithereens!" She decides to just run. She runs and runs until she cannot run anymore. She begins to cry. Finally she climbs a tree and notices the beauty of the outdoors. She begins to feel better and returns home comforted by nature.

My favorite part of this story is the strong message this story sends to young children. Anger can be very emotional and frightening for a young child. The author does an excellent job connecting with children's emotions throughout this story and uses bright colors and flames to express anger. She provides comfort through her story by allowing readers to see that all individuals have emotions and they are not alone when they are having feelings like Sophie. In fact, she lets the reader know that it is okay to feel upset and angry sometimes. She teaches children that different people handle anger in different ways. It is up to us as individuals to decide what we can do to calm ourselves when we get angry. I love how this book lends itself to open discussions about emotions and children's feelings.

My reaction to this book were influenced by childhood memories of me getting very angry with my older brother. I can remember times when I really did feel like Sophie with so much anger built up when we were arguing that I thought I was a volcano too, getting ready to explode! I think as a child I always felt alone when I would feel this way. I definitely didn't like the feeling of anger and I think for years, just like most children, struggled to find a way to deal with it. I usually got so upset that I would be the one to get in trouble even if it was something I didn't do, simply because of the temper tantrum I would throw! I eventually learned that I deal with anger by simply walking away from the situation and taking a few deep breaths to calm myself down. Children need to learn that nothing is worth throwing a tantrum over. Almost anything can be resolved through a calm conversation.

Molly Bang has written a variety of children books. She began her career just writing books that she enjoyed. However, once she had her daughter she became influenced in another way. She began writing books that taught children certain concepts or themes such as Ten, Nine, Eight and Dawn. In the past 10 or 15 years, she has become more concerned about American children's lack of knowledge about even the most basic scientific principles, so she has written four books about science in an attempt to help change this. Her science books in comparison to the book discussed in this blog also teach children useful concepts. As an author it seems that her goal is to not only entertain students but to teach them about everyday feelings and concepts in the world around us.

I read this book to my first graders for the Second Step program one day. We did a follow-up activity that allowed students to make a web of things that made them angry. Then they chose one thing that made them angry from their web and they drew an illustration. On the back they wrote a complete sentence identifying what they could do to calm themselves down in a situation such as this. I think books like this are extremely important in children's literature because children need to learn at a young age how to deal with their emotions properly. This book uses vivid colors and a character that they can relate to in order to portray such an important message to children.

Click, Clack, Moo: Cows That Type: Caldecott Review #4

Click, Clack, Moo: Cows That Type by Doreen Cronin, pictures by Betsy Lewin is a hillarious story about a group of cows that find an old typewriter and begin to type. They type all sorts of messages for Farmer Brown. The barnyard becomes quite literate and begins to annoy Farmer Brown. The cows lead the other animals is typing out signs and posting them throughout the barn to let Farmer Brown know problems they are having or things that need to be done around the farm. One of the best elements of this particular story is the strong story sequence that it follows. There is a distinct setting, plot, main idea, and order of events. This book is a perfect example of great children's literature. I absolutely love the comedy behind this story and the clever twist in the power of authority is the underlying catchiness that makes this book such a hit with young readers.

Childhood memories definitely influence my reaction to this book. I grew up on a farm and absolutely loved animals as a kid. I remember my dad taking me out to the barn to pet my pony or to the field to feed a baby calf. Those animals were personified in my young mind. I felt like they could understand things just like a human. I always had a big heart for animals and thgouht it would be so neat if they could tell us what they were thinking or feeling. I obviously do not have these juvenile thoughts toward animals now, but I do know that many of my first graders who live on farms remind me a lot of when I was a child. This story appeals to them, because just like me, they have personified the animals in their minds. Because this book adds a twist to the characters' power at the farm, the children are very intrigued by this book and find it extremely funny.

Doreen Cronin has written a variety of children's books. All of her books are centered around animals. One of my favorites is Duck for President. This story, like Click, Clack, Moo: Cows That Type also puts a clever twist on the main character of the story. Duck works his way from just a duck in a pond, to farmer, to govenor, to president. The charcters in this story are personified and it is a wonderful book to read to young students around election time.

By reading Doreen Cronin's Click, Clack, Moo: Cows That Type it is clear to see that children's literature should not only appeal to children, but have clear story elements as well to aid in the development of young readers. This book not only keeps children entertained and motivated to read, it also teaches them about fantasy vs. realism and uses repitition of the story line to allow young readers to follow along with the verse "Click, Clack, Moo. Clickity, Clack, Moo." The author also has a great website to accompany her books. I have used this site with my first graders. We explored her site using the ActivBoard. The website is as follows: http://www.doreencronin.com/doreen.html.

There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly: Caldecott Review #5

There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly by Simms Taback is an old folk tale retold to catch the attention of young readers. This is a tale of an old lady who at first swallows a fly. Because she swallowed the fly, she decides to swallow the a spider to catch the fly. The story continues with the old lady swallowing one thing after another in hopes of curing herself of a stomach ache. The author uses clever illustrations and a die cut hole to allow children to see inside her stomach. I absolutely love the illustrations and the use of rhyme and rhythm throughout the story. Young readers find this story extremely humorous and it is a story that even preschool and kindergarten beginner readers can read and retell.

My response to this story is definitely influenced by the reactions from my first grade students when I read this book to them. I chose to read this story during our insect unit. The students found this book exciting and extremely humorous. As a first grade teacher, I have realized the importance of rhyme when teaching new sight words and blends. This book was perfect for this particular age group in the development of their reading skills.

Simm's Taback is known for his acclaimed picture books, posters, his line of greeting cards, as well as his Smithsonian Calendars. Another well known book written by this author is Joseph had a Little Overcoat. This particular story won a Caldecott as well. When comparing the two stories, it is clear to see that Simms Taback is an extremely talented artist. He uses vivid colors and movement in every illustration. He integrates humor and personality into the stories he writes. Both stories have imbedded themes, however I do believe that Joseph Had a Little Overcoat possesses a more serious moral behind the story. This story teaches students that you can always make something out of nothing.

Simm's Taback is a wonderful author to include in any children's library.

There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly can be used for a variety of content in the primary grades. In reading this book to my first grade students, I quickly learned that one of the most important elements of children's literature is the motivation it gives kids to read and the confidence a child can gain from reading a story. This particular book uses rhyme and rhythm. Students can learn blends and use the repition to build their reading confidence. Many of my most struggling readers were able to follow along with this story building their confidence and excitement to read.