July 16, 2010

1985 - The Realtives Came

Author: Cynthia Rylant

Illustrator: Stephen Gammell

Publisher: Atheneum Books for Young Readers

ISBN: 0 689 84508 1

When I was asked to select a book on a "Memoir", I was unsure of what type of genre that exactly was. Once explained to me in class, I immediately thought of "The Relatives Came." I closely personally relate to the warmth, chaos and love that comes with the extended family coming to visit as told in this wonderful book. I too remember the days of having to travel to Greece in that long airplane ride with layovers just waiting and anticipating to see my grandparents and great grandparents and all those aunts and uncles and cousins in that tiny village of Agios Antonios. I still remember that distict smell of these particular sweet flowers, the large gatherings at the table with endless food, my whole family gathered in one little bedroom sharing beds and all the wet kisses that I had to keep wiping away when no one was looking! Yep! Those were the days!

Just as these were the days for two sides of a family coming together in this hilarious book. The illustrations being a Caldecott medal winner, is what I feel really brought this book to life. The way the characters are depicted and portrayed pulls you into feeling exactly what they are feeling. You feel the emotional closeness, feel the fun, and even hear the breathing when its time to sleep. The anticipation of the drive coming in from Virginia at 4:00 o'clock in the morning to somewhere on the other side of the mountain left me on the edge of my seat and then so comforted with all the family hugs (for hours of hugging that is) once the two families unite! What an experience!

This close knit American family comes together on a summer vacation to help eachother out. They spend their time fixing broken things around the house, they garden, they eat and boy do they eat, and sleep all together filling every nook and crany in the house. They spend many weeks together and later depart in the same way they came at 4 in morning. They leave and go back home to Virginia only to realize how much they miss each other and decide to compensate for the sadness by going back again next year.

This book discusses family time and how the importance of helping each other out enhances each others lives. It is important to note and take into consideration that there may be children that can't make this connection with an extended family. So as an educator you can tell the children about an experience that you had with your family and then ask them to share theirs, enabling them to make a connection to the theme in this story.

You can use this engaging story on a thematic unit on family, discuss descriptive writing bringing forth visuals i.e. "Then it was hugging time. Talk about hugging. Those relative just passed us all around their car, pulling us against their wrinkled Virginia clothes, crying sometimes. They hugged us for hours." You can just see it all with this one paragraph. The children can act out the physical actions and sounds of the story, and even might want to take turns acting out the familiy members. They can draw and discuss their personal family experience. This all enhancing their literacy skills.

This book was a joy to read and really enjoyed the animated illustrations. Brought back a lot of memories for me. A definite read and can't wait to share it with my new set of students in September.

July 12th, 2010

2005-Who Swallowed Harold?

Author: Susan Pearson

Illustrator: Davis Slonin

Publisher: Marshall Cavendish

ISBN: 0 7614 5193 5

What a wonderful engaging book of childrens poems! Just caught my attention instantly as it was being read as a read aloud in my literature masters class. Both the title and the illustration on the cover made me want to know who Harold was and what happened to him? His face on the cover tells it all! Both the author and illustrator have done a phenomenal job with the writing of the poems and matching the text to the illustrations. It really brings out the sense of humor and makes you chuckle with every read. This book needs to win the next Newbery and Caldecott awards!

This is a fun book with 18 poems in it portraying children and their pets. It is a great read aloud to introduce poetry to the little ones. Especially with the funny connotations it makes that children can definitely relate to. It begins with a poem about a little boy that builds every pet house imaginable but has no pet to fill any house with, continues with a guinea pig named Popcorn that has many poses and goes on to make you think twice about going back into the ocean, because if goldfish pee then just imagine what happens in the sea? Also you find out what happens to Harold! Why Gerrald the rabbit doesn't want to play and the mystery of a turtle in the toilet so "Please don't Flush!" Plus many more... All written with a rhyme, rhythm and a sense of humor.

Poetry can be used to motivate children into a fun way of literature along with reinforcing comprehension, critical thinking skills and enhancing vocabulary. It can also help children with fluency and to appreciate language in a different way. You can incorporate poetry into the classroom by having the children recite a poem to practice their oral speaking skills, you can incorporate cause and effect and have them predict what happens next? For example, have them draw and write or discuss what happens to the boy that swallowed Harold, or what happened to Harold? Have the children explain/discuss the main idea of a poem and then have them fill in a cloze (fill in the blank) part of the poem. Have them pick a favorite poem and have them try and conjure up/write their own along with a drawing. Great way to teach word families and introduce metaphors or similies.

Overall a fun way to learn literature, very captivating book, and a good read!

Sunday July 4th, 2010

1987 - Goldilocks and Three Bears

(Fairytale)

Retold and Illustrated by: Jan Brett

Publisher: Scholastic Inc.

ISBN: 0 439 70185 6

This version of the fairytale of "Goldilocks and the Three Bears", caught my attention because of the bears on the cover, looking more like real bears contrasted with their Bavarian looking outfits. I feel like a child would find the humor in this that bears don't really wear clothes. And the beautiful picture of Goldilocks up on the border looking so peaceful, makes you wonder, "what could she possibly be dreaming about?"

This book gives the traditional telling of a classic story with a lot of visual details. It's about a curious little girl who brings herself into a bears home, without anyone's permission and starts to explore and makes herself comfortable by eating their food, sitting on their chairs, and sleeping on their beds until.... the bears discover her! The bears go on a walk into the woods waiting for thier porridge to cool down just enough to eat it. But when they return to their home they find a few unexected surprises!

Jan Brett does a wonderful and beautiful job with her illustrations. They enhance the story by telling you more about the story without the words. All the furiniture has hand carved features, their porridge bowls look hand made and her use of borders through the book contains segments of what is occuring with the characters in other places. I also enjoyed the fact that she doesn't use the traditional wording of referring to the bears as "Papa, Mama and Baby".

Children can definetly relate to this story by empathizing with the 'little small wee bear' and get them thinking about "how what you do, can affect others", especially without their permission. Fairytales are a great way for young preschool children to connect with the story being told as for their stage of development is at the fantasy/make believe level. They can't distinguish the difference between fantasy and reality quite just yet, and find it fascinating as to what happens in these tales. It keeps them dreaming...

With this story you can have the children dramatize the story using simple props while it is being read to them. Have them say the parts of the bears as they go along. You can use it for math lessons for seriation and sequencing, and for science by looking at and investigating real bears to find out where they really live, eat and sleep. You can also make the chidlren write a letter from Goldilocks apologizing for her actions or journal, "If I were Goldilocks, I would have done things this way..."

A great classic fairytale that has been one of my favorites for as long as I can remember. Teaching morality, curiosity, and discovery. Jan Brett does a extraordinary job recreating the story and bringing it alive with the real looking bears and angelic face of Goldilocks! A 'must' to read and look at for yourself!

June 30th 2010

2007 - Knuffle Bunny Too

A Case of Mistaken Identity

Caldecott Honor Book

Author/Illustrator: Mo Willems

Publisher: Hyperion Books for Children

ISBN: 978 1 4231 0299 1

This book caught my interest right away with the illustration on the cover. I found it quite interesting how the illustrator combined a natural black and white photogragh with the color illustration of a little girl an her father. This type of illusration is unusual for a childrens book, but makes you want to look and try to figure out where this might be taking place. I also liked the little girls face with her great big eyes. I wanted to know what they were up to? So I had to read the book.

As it turns out a wonderful story of a little girl named Trixie and her excitement of wanting to share her "one of a kind..." Knuffle Bunny with all her friends at school. But to her dismay after getting to her classroom she is shocked to see that Sonja has the exact same Knuffle Bunny. How could this be? Now all the excitement turned into controversy and their teacher Ms. Green grove had to take the bunnies away. Leading the girls into a "not" such a great day! Their day did get better (so they thought) at the end of their school day when their bunnies were returned. Till....the middle of the night, 2:30 a.m. to be exact, Trixie realizes that that was not her Knuffle Bunny. She wakes her parents and has her father call Sonja's house. Sonja's father answers and... YOU have to read the book yourself to find out what happens to the two girls and their Knuffle Bunnies? Do they meet up and excahnge in the middle of the night? Do they wait for the next day of school? Does the night end up peaceful?

Mo Willems does a terrific job in illustrating both with his pictures and his story in discussing friendship, sharing and disagreements amongst preschool children. He does it a way that they can definitely relate to. He displays how children actually think and feel. You get that real sense of disappointment in Trixie's face when she sees that other Knuffle Bunny. You actually feel for her and want to know what she will do next. He captivates actual moments and moods of 4 year olds and what parents might have to possibly deal with at this point and time of a child's life. I have to admit, I didn't notice right away that the bunnies had been switched, till it was pointed out. It made me wonder what could have possibly been wrong? It gave an element of surprise.

Overall, a very funny, touching and captivating story that we can all relate to. Especially being a parent and an early childhood educator.

This book can be used in the classroom for many themes: Teaching cooperation, how to deal with our feelings/ emotions, making text to self connections and how to use art in diferent ways. A must read to all!

1996 - The Empty Pot by Demi (Multicultural)

June 27 2010

1996 - The Empty Pot

Author/Illustrator: DEMI

Publisher: Henry Holt and Co. (BYR)

ISBN: 0805049008

This book captivated me instantly as soon as I saw the picture on the cover with the little boys face looking so distraught. I wanted to know what had happened to this child to make him look this way. As I read the story I found out that Ping had very good reason to have felt the way he felt.

This is a wonderful story that takes place in China and teaches children about the traditions of this country and most importantly the moral of honesty. Ping is a boy that has a love for flowers and plants and is an expert at growing them. Ironically the Emperor loves flowers just as much. He has a garden of his own that he tends to everyday. But as the Emperor is getting old, he proclaims for "a new successor". He calls for all the children of the land to come to him to recieve flower seeds and in a years time whomever brings forth the best plant, "would succeed him to his throne. After a year poor Ping had gone through many triumphs to try and make his seeds grow, but to his dismay and hard work nothing had grown. An unbelievable moment to Ping, his family and friends. Regardless of his embarassment of an "empty pot", he finds courage and brings it forth to the Emperor. The Emperor is quite impressed with his honesty for all the others had been dishonest. You need to read the book yourself to find out why the dishonesty, and what happens to Ping in the end. You will be pleased with the enjoyable surprise.

This book brings forth the importance of honesty and how it will prevail in the end. You need to be yourself and portray yourself just as you are regardless of the impression you might leave on others.

With this book you can introduce Chinese culture and tradition, use the beautiful illustrations to give students an understanding of history (how people authentically dress in China, learn what an Emperor is etc.), and learn the importance of honesty. As honesty is a wonderful moral to learn and know that it can be rewarded in the end.