Another great quote from A.A. Milne

I was babysitting this summer and saw this quote hanging in the room of one of the kids I was watching. I instantly loved it!

"Promise me you'll always remember...

You're BRAVER than you believe,

and STRONGER than you seem,

and SMARTER than you think."

~ Christoper Robin to Pooh

Check out this link!

Ahhh so good to finally get back to my blogging. While my summer months have been crazy and extremely busy, and I haven't had time to do much reading outside of summer class reading material, I have been able to do some late night web searching.

Doreen Rappaport, an extremely talented children's book author, has a wonderful website. Her book Eleanor, Quiet No More is one of the books featured on my blog. I have also had the pleasure of reading some of her other masterpieces. Below is a link to her website. Check it out, and take a few minutes to read some of her amazing books! You will love them just as much as I do. I would especially recommend Martin's Big Words which now has an audio version that can most likely be found in any local library.

http://www.doreenrappaport.com/index.html

Happy reading everyone! :)

Final reflection, yes. end of blogging, NO!

Well, this blogging assignment has been one of my memorable engagements since entering the college of ed. When times were rough (and there were many of them this semester), there was one thing I always knew I could turn to...my blog! It was relaxing, fun and most of all, inspiring.

It was exceptionally refreshing to be able to write from my heart without having to worry about making silly grammatical errors. To be honest, having a blog motivated me to write better. Throughout the semester, I wrote sincere, thoughtful critiques about books while also focusing on grabbing the attention of readers. Additionally, my blog is a representation of my personality, whereas a piece of white paper with black letters is not. It forced me to truly evaluate the types of assignments we present students with. There is no point in making children do something that they won't get anything out of. Rather, we need to give them the opportunity to be creative and put their heart into something that reflects who they are as a person; it is in such an environment where their full potential will shine through.

I look forward to my continuation of blogging throughout the rest of my time in the College of Education and am excited to keep with it when I have a classroom of my own!

Madeline and the Bad Hat

Ah Madeline is fully recovered and back in action in this fun book! When the Spanish Ambassador moves in next door to the twelve little girls in two straight lines, they sat and marveled at the scene. He had a son Pepito, and all the girls are pleased except of course, Madeline. She quickly became aware of his unpleasant behavior and nicknamed him "the Bad Hat." She is fearless and not about to sit back and let Pepito get away with murder. She called him a "horrid brat" and said she was keeping an eye on him.

Lucky for us, there's 4 more Madeline books in the collection, all of which are entertaining and hilarious!

Mad About Madeline!!

There is only one thing that pops into my head when I think about being read to as a child...MADELINE! Actually, Madeline books are the only books that I remember from my childhood, besides for an occasional Dr. Seuss read-aloud here and there. My bookshelf at home in Wisconsin has become extremely boring to me after being in this class. It is full of my parents' old college textbooks and uninteresting adult novels...it's majorly lacking some great children's books! When I went home over spring break, I was on a mission to find some old picture books from my childhood tucked away in closets or in the basement. What I found was so depressing..there weren't any!! Even worse was when I discovered what happened to them. My Mother was pleased to tell me that they were sold in recent rummage sales. She thought it was great, all the "clutter" from around the house was gone, she said. My old picture books were CLUTTER?!! THEY WERE SOLD IN A RUMMAGE SALE?! AHHH! :( Well, I was still determined to find at least one straggler that got left behind.

Thankfully, after tearing apart the closet in my bedroom, I found an amazing surprise. Me and my sisters' "Mad About Madeline" anthology, complete with all 6 original Madeline stories. Words can't really describe how excited I was! It is in perfect condition, as if we just bought it yesterday! This goes to show how special it was to us. I know for a fact that my twin Ang and I did not treat our old books the best. We would scribble all over the pages, stain them with juice drippings, and probably tear out a page here or there. This has been mentioned in some of my other postings, but just as a reminder, we were DESTRUCTIVE! Anyways, my point is that we adored everything about Madeline and would have never done anything to scruff up our Madeline anthology.

I have to start with the first book in the collection, "Madeline," Ludwig Bemelman's work of art. I turned to the first page and there it was, that crooked old house that I loved so much. Then came the twelve little girls in two straight lines, along with their teacher, Miss Clavel. I used to get the biggest kick out of Miss Clavel, the way she is always running all over the place completely frantic. It goes without saying that Bemelman's poetic writing style immediately captures the attention of young and old readers alike. His short, beautiful lines keep the reader engaged and wanting more. His illustrations are bold and energetic. Madeline's character is completely brilliant; there has to be one little rascal among the twelve girls. Her mischievous personality is hilarious. If you look carefully at the pictures, you will most likely catch her doing something that would give her teacher a heart attack. Madeline coming down with appendicitis midway through the book was unexpected. It was a genius idea by Bemelman because it leaves the reader anxious for the next Madeline story in which we can see her back in action.

All in Just One Cookie By Susan Goodman

This book was included in my text set because of its creative appeal and successful incorporation of interesting information. Grandma sets out to make a delicious batch of chocolate chip cookies, with her 2 sidekicks (her pet dog and cat) assisting her along the way. She puts the ingredients in the mixing bowl one by one, with an explanation of where each ingredient came from quickly following. It reminded me of making cookies with a little kid. Kids are extremely curious about every little thing and want to know exactly what you are putting in the bowl, why it's going in and why it's called what it is. I would love to buy this book and have it laying out on the counter the next time I go to make cookies with my little cousins or the little kids I babysit. They would absolutely love it!

Did I forget to mention that the cat and dog are the ones providing the info?! Isn't that clever?!

Tony's Bread by Tomie dePaola

Although this book is known to be a classic, I had never read it before. In fact, I didn't even know it existed until I was searching for books to include in my text set. Being almost full blooded Italian, it is not surprising that I fell in love with this book. An Italian Folktale about the creation of panettone?! How could I not love it! Every aspect of the book was pleasing, starting with dePaola's "Note About The Story." He included some history about the Italian bread "panettone" and gave a brief intro of the story. What I enjoyed most about the book was his incorporation of Italian vocabulary and the humorous gossiping "zie" (aunties). His skillful illustrations depicting the Piazza del Duomo in Milan enhanced my intense desire to take a trip to Italy!

The Bake Shop Ghost by Jacqueline Ogburn

I picked this book up on my way into the Curriculum lab. It was featured in the "library use only" section and turned out to be a great read. As a matter of fact, it was so good that it made its way into my text set! The story was quite unique, as were the illustrations (take a look at the cover to see for yourself!). It had a freshness about it which was appealing; it was also quirky and humorous. Mainly, I enjoyed the fact that it was "different," which is also something children appreciate.

The story sets out describing an old woman, named Cora Lee Merriweather, who ran the best bake shop around. Her desserts were the best, from her layer cakes to her "glistening" fruit tarts. Then sadly, Cora Lee dies. She didn't' have any family members resulting in her bake shop being put up for sale. Pastry chef after Pastry bought, then quickly sold the little shop. The place was haunted by none other than Miss Cora Lee herself; she was determined to keep her prideful kitchen "chef free." But then, skillful pastry chef Annie Washington came along, and she was ready to take on Cora Lee. After much conflict and an extremely messy kitchen, Annie and Cora Lee become good friends.

I thought that the ending of this book took on a truly magnificent concept. What little kid doesn't find ghosts to be fascinating? Rather than run away in fear, Annie stuck around to do everything in her power to win Cora Lee over. It definitely took a lot of effort, but it was worth it in the end. Now, Annie has a wonderful role model constantly looking after her in the kitchen. Little do the customers know that there is a pinch of Cora Lee in all of their tasty desserts.

Controversial?

The book, "Happy To Be Nappy" by ( insert) is one that I think children would embrace, whether they are White, Black Asian etc. Because "nappy" is a term that has been used derogatorily over the years, I can see why people might view the title of this book as controversial. However, there is really nothing controversial about the book. The message is that we should embrace what god gave us and come to accept our natural beauty. I can remember admiring my older sister's long, beautiful chocolate brown hair when I was younger. It was always so silky and straight. Mine tended to be frizzy and all over the place. Once I reached junior high, I began sitting in my bathroom for hours with a curling iron trying to straighten my hair. Unfortunately, this was my only option since flat irons were non-existent at that time (or too expensive for me to know that they existed). Thank goodness for the day I decided that my curly hair was beautiful! It saved me so much time. This is such a common battle that young girl's go through. For this reason, a book like "Happy To Be Nappy" would be a great read for young children!

Take 2!

How could I read Sook Nyul Choi's first picture book, and then not pick up the second one about Yunmi and Halmoni? "Yunmi and Halmoni's Trip" was just as I expected...lovely story, powerful characters, and gorgeous illustrations. The illustrator, Karen Dugan, added a spectacular artistic feel to the book. She did a fine job of representing Asian culture in her illustrations...I was specifically intrigued with the small symbol-like images she had underneath or above the text and the fabulous borders she included around the illustrations which must be some sort of Korean design. It was her careful attention to fine detail that set this book apart from others.

I suppose I enjoyed this book more than the first one for a couple reasons. First, it was interesting being able to read about the different places Yunmi's cousins took her sightseeing in Korea. Second, this book exposes readers to some of the common Korean traditions and customs. Finally, the author did an amazing job representing the pure excitement an immigrant experiences after traveling back to their native country for the first time. Before my Nani (Great-Grandmother) passed away, she always told us stories about coming to the United States from Italy when she was a young girl. My Nana (Grandma), just recently told me about the time she and her sisters planned a special trip to Italy with Nani after her husband passed away. It was her first time returning to Italy and Nana said that Nani's reaction was absolutely indescribable. She said the that the trip was a lifesaver because it was the only thing that helped to lift Nani's spirits after Nanu's death. Apparently she was like a little kid in a candy store, and this is exactly the feeling that Halmoni experienced after returning to Korea for the first time.

Halmoni and the Picnic by Sook Nyul Choi

After reading "A Year of Impossible Goodbyes" I was curious to see if Sook Nyul Choi had written any picture books. After entering a search in the curriculum lab, I found this book! Halmoni is the Grandmother of Yunmi and had recently moved to New York City from Korea. Yunmi is extremely close with Halmoni, and worried about how lonely and unhappy she seems to be when Yunmi is away at school all day. When Yunmi's teacher announces that they will need a chaperon for their class picnic at central park, her 2 friends ask if Halmoni can come. The 3 girls think it will be exactly what Halmoni needs.

The story is quite predictable and lacks energy at certain points. However, I thought it was satisfying and genuine. And, as far as I know, it is not very common to come across picture books that tell the tale of an elderly Korean woman's immigrant experience. It is important to present children with literature that has differing perspectives. With this one being from the Korean-American perspective, it would be the perfect book to have on a classroom book shelf. It is tremendously rich in culture, from the clothes Halmoni wears to the "kimbap" and barley tea she prepares for the picnic. The incorporation of Korean vocabulary nicely distributed throughout the book is a great touch.

Eleanor, Quiet No More by Doreen Rappaport

This book, which is newly published, is a fantastic read! When I was passing through the Curriculum lab one day, I saw it featured in the "new" section. I spotted it because of the dramatic cover, which consists of an illustrated portrait of Eleanor. It didn't have any words written on the cover, just the illustration. Rappaport definitely got her point across with this tactic; she was making a powerful statement and went about it in a successful way. With the fantastic illustrations and awe-inspiring quotes that fill every single page, it was impossible to put the book down. There was a perfect amount of text which nicely complimented the illustrations and quotes. This book was so impressive that I am going to be on the look out for other works by Rappaport!

Here are two of the quotes from Eleanor that I found to be the most captivating:

"Do something everyday that scares you."

"Do what you feel in your heart to be right--for you'll be criticized anyway."

Simply put..but great advice!

Year of Impossible Goodbyes by Sook Nyul Choi

This book is from the complete opposite perspective as So Far From the Bamboo Grove. Sook Nyul Choi writes about her experience as a Korean child during WWII and the mistreatment her and her family experience from the Japanese military occupying Korea. I have to admit that this book was hard to get into after reading So Far From the Bamboo Grove. I kept waiting for something extreme to happen and felt that the beginning dragged on and on. I found myself feeling bad at times because of the way my heart was so touched by Yoko's story and not Sookan's. It was terrible! On the other hand, I realized that this was most likely a natural effect of reading the 2 books back to back and probably something my future students will experience when faced with the same situation. This will hopefully lead to great discussions in the classroom!

The Bus Ride by William Miller

It would be impossible not to recommend this book for a social studies lesson on civil rights and the fight for freedom. It was modeled after Rosa Parks' bus incident and even includes an introduction by Rosa Parks. In the book, a young African American girl named Sara and her mother ride the bus every day. They sit in the way back because only the more privileged white passengers are allowed to sit in the front. Sara's school stop is farther than her mother's work destination, so she stays on the bus longer. One day, she decides that she wants to see what's so special about sitting up in the front. The bus driver grows angry and demands that Sara move to the back of the bus, where she belongs. She refuses and ends up getting carried off the bus by a police officer and taken to the police station where her mother picks her up.

I would consider it extremely influential for children to witness Sara's perspective of the bus controversy, although I'm not suggesting that Rosa Parks is any less significant. I do think that children would become more passionate about Rosa's story if they see it happen to a child. We usually can identify more with people that are the same age as us.

Goldie Locks Has Chicken Pox by Erin Dealey

I absolutely adored the author's creativity in using a fairy tale icon to introduce children to the chicken pox. Other fairy tale and nursery rhyme characters pop up in the book too! Henny Penny, Jack be Nimble, Little Bo Peep and her sheep and Little Red Riding Hood all come over to Goldie's house to pay her a visit. Goldie's pesty little brother cracked me up throughout the book. He had no clue what was coming for him! Reading this story instantly reminding me of my Mom's stories about her experience when my twin sister and I had the chicken pox at the same time. She says it was a lovely experience..NOT! Apparently, we were running all over the house, being just as destructive as usual and assisting each other in scratching the itching spots. For the most part, we were unfazed. Nothing could stop us from getting into trouble. What's crazy is that we looked almost identical to Goldie. We had blonde hair that was so light it almost looked white and huge, bright blue eyes, only ours weren't innocent like Goldie's.

White Wash by Ntozake Shange

My heart ached after I read this book. I am well aware that there is racism, gangs and violence in the world, but do things like this really happen? Could such a horrible, terrifying, racist act be done to a little, innocent girl on her walk home from school?

In the book, little Helene-Angel and her brother Mauricio are on their way home from school when they get attacked by a white gang called the Hawks. There is no other explanation for the cause of this besides for the color of their skin; Helene-Angel and Mauricio are African American. The gang beats up Mauricio and pours white paint all over Helene-Angel's face and neck. In addition to being severely humiliated, the paint burned the little girl's skin. The event had a lasting effect on Helene-Angel, as she locked herself in her room for days not wanting to be seen.

It wasn't until I started writing this entry that the thought popped up in my head: Yes, there is no doubt that what happened to this girl was terrible. But if you think about it, there are other things that are just as bad. For example, more subtle forms of racism are ignored all the time. It usually takes something extreme to happen in order for attention to be drawn. Is this ok? Sometimes it is the little things that can cause the most damage.

Frida Maria, A Story of the Old Southwest by Deborah Lattimore

I'm glad that this was a story of the "old" southwest and that times have changed. Frida, a vibrant, energetic little girl is anxiously awaiting the big Fiesta. Everyone is busy preparing for the big day and Frida can't seem to do anything right; at least nothing that is pleasing to her mother. Her mother is constantly on her about being "proper" and "lady-like". But that is not Frida's personality, she is active and tom-boyish and can only think about riding her uncle's horse, Diablo, at the Fiesta. While it is true that this is a story of the "old" southwest, it doesn't mean that children today aren't faced with this same parental conflict. Some parents have such high expectations of their children that their kids grow up to think they might never be good enough. Also, there are situations where a parent simply cannot identify with their child or vice-versa. Frida's story turned out happy because her mother was able to accept Frida for who she was. Unfortunately, not all stories turn out this way. Many people go on to face this problem their entire lives.

Grandpa and Bo by Kevin Henkes

So, my love for Kevin Henkes is obvious; every few books I have to advertise one his works. He is certainly known for his spectacular mouse books, however, I have been intrigued by some of his other books without mouse characters. Grandpa and Bo is one of them. He created a story line and characters that so many of us can identify with. Bo is a little boy that lives in the city while his Grandpa, his best pal, lives in the country hundreds of miles away. It is often that one is in this same situation, living far away from a family member that is dearly loved and worshipped. Bo's relationship with his Grandpa reminded me of my Grandpa and I. Spending time with him was one of my favorite things to do. It wasn't until college when I realized just how close I was with him. After all, I got to see him every day if I wanted to. Words can't describe how difficult it was to go off to college and not be able to see him all the time.

Read the book and see what kinds of connections you make. Pay attention to his black and white illustrations in which he used pencil to make. They are amazing and will evoke emotions, no doubt.

The Art Lesson by Tomie dePaola

This biography from dePaola was entertaining and heart-felt. The young, driven character Tommy, shows young readers that people of all ages have talents and it is never too early to set goals. Starting at the beginning of the book, he identifies his strong interest and talent for drawing, then goes on to practice every chance he gets. His birthday happens to fall at the onset of first grade, the year he finally gets to have real art lessons with the art teacher, Mrs. Bowers. Tommy receives a box of brand new 64 Crayola crayons as a gift from his parents, and boy is he eager to use them in his art lessons. His first grade teacher, Miss Landers, quickly sets him straight as she angrily instructs him to bring his crayons home and leave them there. He will use the SCHOOL crayons like all the rest of the kids in the class, despite his feelings that REAL artists don't use school crayons.

The book has multiple strong themes and important messages for children: be true to yourself; share your interests with others and be proud; stand up for yourself-don't let others get in the way of your dreams, but always be respectful; never give up, always keep trying; learn to compromise. On top of this, dePaola demonstrates his artistic talents by creating illustrations that tell a story. I would consider it a difficult task to find readers that don't immediately fall in love with delightful book!

Roberto Clemente, Pride of the Pittsburgh Pirates by Jonah Winter

This was a fantastic book about the life of Roberto Clemente, a deceased player of the Pittsburgh Pirates. Winter starts the book out by talking about Clemente's life as a young child in Puerto Rico, during which time he had no money but possessed a lot of determination, many dreams and was very resourceful. It shows his progression from a young child practicing on a muddy field with a baseball glove (made from a coffee sack) and a bat (made from the branch of a guava tree) to an adult when he became one of the most admired major league players of all time. Winter included details about the prejudice Clemente faced from the media- they called him "lazy," a "Latino hothead," and made fun of his Spanish accent. Finally, the book ends with the story of his death. He died trying to help earthquake victims in Central America. Not only does the author want us to remember Clemente for his unbelievable baseball skills and strong work ethic, he wants us to remember him as a great person. The illustrations were amazingly impacting and perfectly complimented the brilliant writing style of the author.

The Misfits by James Howe

When I first started reading this book, I thought to myself, "how could I possibly get away with incorporating this book into my classroom?" After all, some of the language, content and characters are controversial and the last thing I want to do is upset parents and the principal. As I continued reading, however, I began to realize why a book like this is important to be used in the classroom and what I could do and say to support my decision for choosing it. The bottom line is that the content, language and characters are realistic. Why would we try and hide students from something that they are going to face when they enter junior high? Don't we want to present children with books they can identify with?

All of us have been called names in school, witnessed others being called names, or were guilty of calling people names. What do most of us do when we are called a name? Probably roll our eyes and move on. If you do decide to tell someone about it, then you are a baby and tattle-tale. Skeezy, Bobby, Joe and Addie, who have labeled themselves "the misfits," are sick of being called loser, geek, fairy, beanpole, fatso, and know-it-all to name a few, and decide to take a stand. They come up with the motto, "sticks and stones may break our bones, but names will break our spirit," and decide to form the No-Name Party. Regardless of them winning the student council election or not, their effort was admirable and they really did make a difference.

The Donut Chef by Bob Staake

This newly published book is absolutely spectacular! Staake, the author and illustrator, has created a book full of animation, fun, rhyming, and most of all, a great message! In my opinion, it would be appropriate for readers of all ages; of course the amazing, quirky illustrations and playful rhyming would certainly be of appeal to young children.

The hilariously over-sized, jolly donut chef decides:

"Once upon a summer's day

A donut chef was heard to say:

On this street where people stop,

I'll open up my donut shop!"

He then works effortlessly to get his shop ready to open. It turns out to be a great success! But then, another donut chef decides to open a store right next door, and the two go over board in their attempt to win over the customers with the most creative donuts.

Not only should this book be read to children for just pure enjoyment, but it also introduces them to what business is like and teaches a great lesson that sometimes, the most simple things are the most successful.

So Far From the Bamboo Grove by Yoko Kawashima Watkins

Where to even begin with this book?! I simply could not put it down. I tried reading a couple chapters before bed which did not work out so well; I found myself turning on the lights to keep reading because thoughts about the book were swimming through my head and I couldn't sleep. It was so interesting reading about Yoko and her family's experience in Korea during WWII. This is a perspective that most of us never come in contact with when learning about WWII. I had never thought about what the Japanese families went though or been asked to reflect on anything other than the American experience during that time. Further, I never even realized that there was such conflict between the Japanese and Koreans. It's true that I'm no history buff, but I'm pretty sure that this can be attributed to me not learning about it in school. I certainly do not want this to happen with my future students, and therefore, will do everything in my power to present them with stories like Yoko's. I want them to have the chance to express their feelings and and be able to respond to the Japanese experience during this time.

What Yoko and her family went through is by no means pleasant. Many grueling and graphic details were revealed on account of the author's honesty and openness about the events that occurred. Students do not need to be sheltered from these details. It needs to be accepted that students can handle such content; keeping it from them means keeping them from the truth.

She Come Bringing Me That Little Baby Girl by Eloise Greenfield

I'm not quite sure how this book is perceived as "controversial." A little boy is at home awaiting the arrival of his brand-new baby brother. He asked his mother to bring home a baby boy and experiences much disappointment when she ends up having a girl. In addition to disappointment, he begins to resent the baby girl. There are constantly people coming over just to see the new baby, bringing her gifts and not even paying any attention to the little boy. Eventually, things do turn around after his mother takes the time to talk to him.

I think it is pretty normal for an older sibling to feel resentment toward the new baby in the family, whether the baby is a boy or girl. Also, it seems natural that a young child would hope for a baby that is the same sex as they are. I would consider the book controversial if one of the parents or one of the visitors shows disappointment that the baby is a girl instead of a boy. In such a case, the male gender is being preferred and valued over the female gender. However, this is not at all the message of the book. I'm glad that there is a book like this out there to read to children in a similar situation as the boy in the book. Going off the topic a bit, I thought the illustrations were pretty spectacular; they are unique and different from any other book I've read before.

"Never underestimate the value of doing Nothing, of just going along, listening to all the things you can't hear, and not bothering."

~ Winnie The Pooh

I love this quote! Just thought I'd share it with you all!

Fly Away Home by Eve Bunting

In this book, a little boy and his father are homeless and living in an airport. They move around the airport constantly, wearing the same blue pants and blue jackets and carry the same blue bags, trying as hard as they possibly can not to get noticed. It is terribly sad when the boy becomes fed up with his situation towards the end of the book and gets upset with all the "normal" families he sees in the airport, living "normal" lives when he cannot. When a bird flies into the airport and becomes trapped, the boy tells it to not give up. Eventually the birds gets out and the boy is given hope that maybe someday, he too might get out.

This book bring awareness to children that not all people have homes. Many children know nothing about this topic until they start moving into the upper elementary grades and talk about economics in social studies class. I admire Bunting for writing such a book, as many children's authors do not even think about writing anything besides what life is like for the perfect American family. This book will be read in my classroom, no matter what grade I am teaching.

Children's Literature so far..

Exploring various children's literature has been a great experience for me. Obviously, because I am going into the field of teaching, becoming familiar with different books,
genres, authors etc is really important to me. Reflecting back on my grade school experience, I only remember teachers reading novels (Charlotte's Web and The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe), never picture books. I have been in search of picture books and novels that will be great read-alouds for my future classroom. Many of the books reviewed on my blog will serve this purpose. Coming into this, I was basically in the frame of mind that I needed to find books that would appeal to children of all different ages..I did not realize that so many of the books would have such a strong effect on me!

Come Look With Me, Discovering African American Art for Children by James Haywood Rolling, Jr.

This is just one of the books in the "Come With Me" series created by Gladys Blizzard. Each book in the series introduces children to 12 works of art.

The book starts with a page on "how to use this book"; it gives tips on how to use the book with children and explained some of the dynamics of the book. There are 12 works of art presented in this book, along with a page of background information on the artist and a set of invigorating questions that can be asked to children as they are exploring the image. It goes without saying that the images are beautiful and striking. The questions are thought-provoking and sure to generate great conversations. The information that is provided is meaningful and interesting. While this book is educational, it is not boring. I learned about African American artists I did not know existed, and think it is important for children to learn about them as well. This book would be a great resource for a social studies lesson!

The Moon Over Star By Dianna Hutts Aston

In this book, a little girl named Mae is anxiously awaiting the first spaceship to land on the moon. On July 20, 1969 the Eagle landed and astronauts Neil Armstrong, Edwin Aldrin, Jr. and Michael Collins walked on the moon. Mae is a special little girl with big dreams and aspirations; her heartfelt passion about the events taking place and her dreams of someday going to the moon, convinces her gramps to value the space program rather than think it is a waste of money. Read this book to your children, to your students, and especially, read it for yourself!

Oh yeah, isn't this a FANTASTIC cover?!

Madam President, The Extraordinary, True (and Evolving) Story of Women in Politics by Catherine Thimmesh

This book was an inspiration for me. From Abigail Adams, who asked her husband to "remember the ladies" when writing the constitution (he didn't), to Sandra Day O'Connor and Hillary Rodham Clinton. This book offers brief profiles of politically influential woman throughout American history intertwined with pages of pictures and dialogue among contemporary children discussing if it is possible for a girl to become president. Because the book covers over twenty influential women, I think it would be best to skip around and choose a small amount of women to read about in one sitting, if reading aloud to a class.

This book was a wonderful representation of what women were capable of achieving and how far women have come, despite all of the barriers we have had to cross.

Magic Pickle by Scott Morse

Morse has created an out-of-the-ordinary superhero in this fabulous graphic novel, a Magic Pickle! I had this book recommended to me by a woman at Prairie Lights and decided to buy it. After reading it, I'm going back to buy the other 2 Magic Pickle books, Magic Pickle and the Planet of the Grapes and Magic Pickle vs. the Egg Poacher. The 2 second-grade students I work with have been in the process of making comic strips with me. Because of Morse's amazing technique and successful animation, the children often pick up this book to study some of the characteristics of comics. Also, they think it is hilarious and look up to Morse as a creator of comic books.

Magic Pickle likes to be referred to as "Weapon Kosher." Magic Pickle, a.k.a Weapon Kosher, came about after the scientist Dr. Jekyll Formaldehyde accidentally dropped the vegetable from his lunch into an experimental particle confabulator. The pickle gained superpowers, and "dill justice became his only desire." With the help of his sidekick, Jo Jo Wigman, Magic Pickle sets out to save the world from the Brotherhood of Evil Produce: Peashooter, Phantom Carrot and Chili Chili Bang Bang, Squish Squash and Romaine Gladiator.

Morse included a bonus story, Magic Pickle & The Loconut in Nuttin' But Crazy', and a how-to-draw guide for creating produce characters. This is a great book to have accessible to children of all ages, even though there is some advanced vocabulary. The second grade student I work with didn't seem to mind; he picked it up, read to himself and cracked up at almost every page.

A Good Day, A Great Book!

Props to Kevin Henkes on his wonderful book A Good Day! It is simple, yet satisfying. This book will without a doubt be on my classroom shelf no matter what grade I am teaching. It teaches a great lesson that no matter how bad things may seem, change is right around the corner. It teaches us to not stress out about the little things in life and to focus on what is truly important. If you have a bad day that doesn't seem to improve, tomorrow will be better. This book was calming and comforting, leading me to read it everyday for about a week. It is just one of those books that you can turn to when you need to relax and remind yourself to take a deep breath. I particularly envisioned myself reading this to students with special needs on a daily basis. Because I am studying special education, I have been searching for simple books that are motivating. A Good Day fits this description! Finally a book I've been looking for!

The Vegetables We Eat by Gail Gibbons

YAWN. I hate to be so blunt, but I truly did not enjoy this book what so ever. Personally, I love vegetables and have an obsession with cooking, so I thought this would be an interesting book for me. I am really disappointed. There are so many fun and creative ways one could write about a topic like vegetables to make it appealing to children (and adults alike), but this book certainly did not accomplish this in the least. I was expecting playful illustrations, rhyming, fun facts etc. Instead I got, "Vegetables are good for us to eat. They are nutritious. They grow to be different shapes, sizes and colors. Corn is a seed vegetable that does not have a pod. It has a husk." I don't think anyone, except maybe a botanist, would find anything in this book amusing. It makes me want to write a children's book about vegetables!

Yellow Unbrella by Jae Soo Liu, Music by Dong II Sheen

This wordless picture book is accompanied by a CD to be played while reading the book; a break in the music indicates when to turn the page. The beginning opens with a single yellow umbrella venturing down the street, with the assumption made that a child is underneath carrying it. Gradually, more and more colored umbrellas appear and fill the pages. Nothing can be seen except the top of the umbrellas and the background of the pictures. All of the umbrellas are going to the same destination, following together in a pack. Along the way, they cross a bridge, pass through a park, get stuck waiting at a railroad crossing and then finally arrive at their school, which is when little legs and rain boots are revealed underneath the umbrellas. The strong message that the illustrator is portraying is that underneath the umbrellas are children that are all created equal, despite the physical differences they may possess. While I didn't mind this book, I'm not sure it is one I would use in my classroom. The colors are beautiful but I didn't find the music to be very effective. Additionally, the illustrator's message is a great one, however, I do not think that children will make a connection with this book. Perhaps I was looking for a bit more action along with the wonderful statement being made by the illustrator.

William's Doll by Charlotte Zolotow

This book really touched my heart. There are lots of little boys that gravitate towards dolls when they are in a room full of toys, like the Character William in the book. In my three-year-old classroom, I witnessed this sort of thing all the time. Not only did the boys like playing with dolls, but they often liked to join the girls in playing dress-up. I'll never forget the look on one father's face when he came to pick up his son who, at the moment, was walking around the play centers with dress-up princess shoes on and a baby doll clenched tight in his hands. He rushed over to the boy totally embarrassed, scooped him up, threw off the shoes and took him over to the tool set. He sternly told him that this is where he should be playing, "not over there with the girl stuff". My heart sank. It is a perfectly natural thing for boys to have a desire to play with dolls, barbies, dress up etc. Masculinity is a learned concept, something that parents teach their children the second they begin interacting with them so that they will grow up to fit in with the rest of society and not be made fun of at school.

The fact of the matter is that we need to embrace what is natural for children. Me and the three and four year old students in my class thought nothing of the boys playing with what one would consider "feminine toys," it was the parents that couldn't handle it. Consequently, I am sad to say that there is no possible way I could ever have put a book like this in my classroom library. Parents often skimmed the book shelf, looking over what was being read to their children. Catching a glimpse of a book like this would have caused an uproar, no doubt.

All About Lilly

Chester's Way

My friend had recently asked me if I liked the "Lilly books" and said that she adored Lilly. I was interested and went and checked out the book, Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse by Kevin Henkes. In the preview on the front dust jacket flap, it said that Lilly was the star of the book Chester's Way. I went right back and picked up Chester's Way to read first, and am glad I did. Lilly was definitely the STAR of the book, with her two friends Chester and Wilson always at her side. The three characters remind of me, my twin sister and our best friend since kindergarten. The three of us were inseparable, but each unique in our own little way. Lilly, Chester and Wilson are quite a group, but one thing's for sure...Lilly still shines! She always has on her bright red cowboy boots and yellow crown. It only makes sense that Henkes decided to feature Lilly in her own books.

Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse

Before opening the book, we are immediately reunited with Lilly and her diva personality. The cover is filled with several different pictures of Lilly posing wearing her trademark yellow crown and sassy red cowboy boots. But there has been an addition made to her personal repertoire...Lilly is now carrying around a glistening, new purple purse. The beginning of the book was just as expected, Lilly was back in action. Only now, we get to see her at school, obsessing over her new spectacular teacher, dominating the classroom, and excited to show off her brand new purple purse and green movie star glasses. Things take an interesting turn when her beloved teacher, Mr. Slinger, takes away Lilly's purse for the day. Her emotional side is at once revealed and the reader gets to see a different side of her.

I would read this book to young students for a couple reasons. First off, I am confident that children will fall in love with Lilly and be quite amused by her character. Second, the book represents how writing can be used as a way to express one's feelings, something that children need to be introduced to at a very young age. Don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to say that it is right for kids to write insulting letters to their teachers. I'm focusing on the bigger picture. Lilly's first letter conveyed her strong feelings about what happened in school and revealed how much the purse meant to her. After Lilly went home and thought about what she had done, she turned to writing again. This time she wrote a story about Mr. Slinger indicating how sorry she was and even included illustrations. As a future teacher, I really value this book and think it could be used to teach multiple lessons.

Lilly's Big Day

That's right. I couldn't get enough of Lilly and had to go back for more. This book is hilarious and brought me right back to my childhood. As soon as Lilly catches wind of it that Mr. Slinger is going to get married, her wheels start spinning and there is only one thing on her mind...She must be the flower girl! I wouldn't expect anything less from Lilly. She is driven and determined to get what she wants. I can remember dreaming of getting to be a flower girl when I was little. I recall begging my uncle to please get married so that I could be the flower girl in his wedding. My wish didn't come true, unfortunately.

This book did not disappoint. What would Mr. Slinger's wedding have been like without Lilly there as the center of attention? This book made me really appreciate Henkes' talents as an illustrator. His detail is outstanding and every page is filled with his lively, playful illustrations.

Check out this book!

The Angel and the Soldier Boy is yet another AMAZING wordless picture that I read. Peter Collington does a great job of capturing the imagination of young children. I have never experienced a book like this before. It is fun and creative and has over 100 adorable pictures!

The story starts out with a little girl falling asleep after her mother reads a treasure ahoy book to her before bed. Her soldier boy toy and angel doll are resting on the pillow next to her as she sleeps. Suddenly, the toys come alive as the pirates from the book climb up the girl's night stand and steel her piggy bank. Soldier boy comes to the rescue and attempts to threaten the pirates with his sword. Completely unthreatened, the pirates take Soldier boy and hold him hostage. The Angel doll goes in search for Soldier boy, finds the pirate ship where he is tied up, releases him and together, they break into the treasure chest and recover to girl's stolen piggy bank.

So many children fantasize about their toys coming alive; Collington did a fantastic job creating a story that gives children the chance to watch it in action.

LOVE THAT BOOK!

Love That Dog by Sharon Creech is worth 30-60 minutes of your time. I promise that you won't be disappointed! Not only was this book funny, sincere and extremely touching, it could be a great teaching tool. It opened my eyes to bringing poetry into the classroom and have it be pleasant and inspiring, rather than hated. I think it is a pretty common phenomenon that poetry is not favorable to children. My own experience with poetry in school was far from pleasant. All I remember was sitting in class as my teacher stared at 25 blank faces, expecting us to interpret a poem without any prior knowledge or experience in doing so.

Miss Stretchberry found a way to reach out to Jack by presenting her class with motivating poetry that was not way over their heads, yet required the students to analyze the poems. Jack, the head-strong main character, tried with all his might to not give poetry a chance. In his attempts at resisting it, however, he was actually making meaningful responses which eventually led to him identifying with some of the poems. Jack's love for his dog and genuine admiration for the poet Walter Dean Myers, makes the book hard to put down.

While reading Love That Dog, I laughed and I cried. NEVER has a book made me cry! I found myself wishing I was Jack's teacher. Getting children to realize that THEY too are poets seems like such a daunting task, but in reality, it just has to be gone about in the right way.

One Scary Night by Antoine Guilloppe

I was utterly taken back by this book! The suspense is unbelievable and the black and white illustrations are breath-taking. One Scary Night is about a young boy who finds himself alone in the dark woods on a cold winter night. A thick, heavy snow begins to fall but the boy keeps pressing on as he realizes that something is following him. The boy starts sprinting when a fierce wolf is after him, but it is too late. The wolf leaps after the boy, grabs hold of him and tackles him to the ground. At the same time that the wolf lunges after the boy, a giant tree collapses and come to find out, the wolf actually rescues the boy. The wolf prevented the tree from coming down on the boy, therefore saving his life.

The book ends with the boy hugging the wolf and then getting escorted out of the woods into safety by his new friend. This is a lovely story about friendship and looking out for others. Something that appeared to be so scary, ended up saving a little boy's life. Don't judge a book by its cover (or by its title in this case) definitely applies here.

I used this book as a read-aloud with two second-graders that I work with. I was interested to see how they would react to reading a wordless book. They were just as intrigued as I was the first time reading it; their little eyes were glued to the pages wondering what was going to happen next and commenting with every turn of the page. After this experience, they have a much greater appreciation for illustrations and truly understand how powerful illustrations can be.

I was not expecting to be taken on such a wonderful journey. Of all the books I've blogged about thus far, this is by far my favorite! I cannot wait to buy this book for my classroom. Yah!

Invisible by Katja Kamm

In this book, items and people appear and disappear as they blend in with the color of the background. The bright, flashy colors reappear as you turn to the next page. Something that really surprised me was that there is no plot development or main character. I have NEVER come across a book with no plot or main character! The sole purpose of this book is to teach children what invisible means, and the illustrations do accomplish this task. It was entertaining flipping from page to page watching to see what would be invisible next. If a 21 year old can be entertained by this visually pleasing book, I'm sure a little kid could be too! However, you have picked up the wrong book if your intention is to dive in and find a story within the pictures. I will admit to flipping through the pages a few times thinking to myself, "What am I missing here?"

Mouse Colors, a very first book by Jim Arnosky

This book is whimsical and wonderful! This little, tiny book is not just about colors, there is a much bigger message here. The small mouse, who is able to manipulate an extra-large paintbrush and paint cans which are bigger than he is, is determined and ready to show what he has the potential to do.

The mouse artist playfully explores and experiments with the three primary colors - blue, yellow and red. Mouse starts off with only a table, paintbrush and can of blue, yellow and red paint, and his imagination takes off from there! Mouse creates a blue sky and sea of blue water; a bright yellow sun drawn up in the sky, with the help of the extra long paintbrush and table to stand on; a big red boat painted onto the water. Just when it seems like there is nothing left to paint, Mouse goes on yet another adventure. With the blink of an eye, the colors orange, green and purple are discovered allowing Mouse to put the finishing touches on his boat, add fish and shades of green to the water and create a green island far off in the distance.

This book shows what a little mouse with a lot of determination and imagination is capable of doing. The small size of the book and beautiful colors painted all throughout the pages makes this a great book to have in classroom libraries for young children. It is non-threatening (and wordless!) and will surely capture a child's attention!

Blood Song by Eric Drooker

After quickly skimming through the pages of this novel with no words, I didn't think this was a book for me. I had experienced a couple short wordless picture books before, but a novel without words?! It was hard to grasp; the fact that there wasn't much color didn't help. Little by little, my opinion changed...

I decided to take an open-minded approach and give the book a chance. A great decision on my part, I urge all other readers who take on this book to do the same! First off, it is important to read the three page introduction written by Joe Sacco (he's a famous cartoonist & journalist, I had to google him to find this out). He gives some necessary background info on Drooker and offers insight about the book; it's well constructed, grabs your attention and really does help. It's impossible not to take a second look at the book after reading the introduction.

Blood Song by Eric Drooker is intense and powerful. The book is about a young female protagonist's journey through a harsh life with themes of resistance, brutality and the struggle against oppression. The setting starts out somewhere in southeast Asia where the female protagonist and her family are introduced. They are living a simplistic lifestyle, the old-fashioned way - fetching pales of water, catching fish for dinner. Everything is happy and content until things rapidly turn dark and ugly. The girl and her dog are in the woods getting a bucket of water when army helicopters and armed soldiers land in their village, shoot down civilians and take it over. The girl and her dog flea deep into the woods and escape, everything is striped from her. They end up finding their way to a big city but come across the same problems.

This is a story about the real world and what life is really like in the big city. Drooker does not lie to us, he has no intention of painting a pretty picture of the world. He sends a tough message that destruction is everywhere. The images in this book are amazing, weaving us through a story of desperation and when we least expect it, surprising us with an image painted in bright colors rather than the black and blue color scheme that fills the pages, giving hope that better times are to come. It took a few times reading Blood Song to really appreciate it, but by about the 3rd or 4th time I found myself exceptionally engaged and entertained by each page. I found something new each time reading it and have come to respect Drooker for his honest perspective of the world.

The Class Artist by G. Brian Karas

The Class Artist by G. Brian Karas is a fun and inspiring book. The main character, Fred, goes home after the first day of school upset about his drawing abilities. Other kids in the class were picking on him and the little confidence he might have had with drawing is now gone. His teacher assigns an art project to the class, giving them an entire week to make whatever they want. Fred is excited and decides to go all out making an extravagant tipi that is sure to impress his teacher and classmates. Come Friday, the day the project is due and the students will be presenting to the class, Fred has nothing to show; his big plan majorly fell through and Fred was upset. At the last second he was able to throw something together, and as it turns out, Fred's art project was the best.

While the book was quite predictable, I still enjoyed it and feel that many children can relate to Fred. It is so rare for kids to feel confident about their artistic abilities, and this is something that develops early on in elementary school. Either you can draw, or you can't, period. This is the message that most young kids receive and it's really sad. I was one of those kids that knew I couldn't draw and therefore HATED art. This stigma followed me into my adult age and and is something I struggle with to this day. Fred's teacher assigned an art project that had absolutely no requirements, it was completely up to the students to choose what they wanted to do. So many times teachers assign art projects that must be done a certain way, which ultimately doesn't allow any creativity or choice on the students' end. When teachers have a particular vision of what the end product should look like and identify this to their students, the students are being set up for failure. My art projects never looked the way they "should" have, and as a result, I was extremely turned off by art.

While this book would be more than appropriate for children of all ages, I would use it specifically with 2nd, 3rd and 4th graders; this is usually when the "my art doesn't look like theirs" stage starts to happen. I think that children in this age group will appreciate this book and be inspired by Fred's confidence to move forward with art and just enjoy it, not hold back in fear of what others' reactions may be.

"Woolvs In The Sitee" by Margaret Wild

Reading Woolvs In The Sitee by Margaret Wild, was definitely an interesting experience. The book was eerie, yet intriguing. I was spooked instantaneously after turning to the first page and before reading a single word of the text, due to the large, black, spider-like object that clung to a crooked black tree in Spudvilas' opening illustration. Woolvs In The Sitee is about a young boy named Ben, who is left alone and confined to his basement after wolves take over the city in which he lives. He has one friend to turn to, his neighbor Missus Radinski, but she doesn't believe him about the wolves.

The first thing to be noticed when reading this book is the use of misspelled and made-up words, along with the intense illustrations. For the most part I found myself curious and confused, however, there was one thing in which I was certain, the theme; the theme that "no one is spared" is introduced immediately and remains throughout the book. The pictures are deep and dark, with scary depictions of the sky, wolf eyes peering through the backgrounds, possessed-looking human faces staring out the windows and shadows of blurry unspared faces.

As the reader, there is an instant feeling of desperation and helplessness for the worried and lonely main character, Ben. There is a sense of hope when Missus Radinski gets introduced, becoming aware that Ben is not alone. It leads one to wonder if there is something seriously wrong with the young boy, if he is disturbed in some way, or if he is truly experiencing something tragic.

After finishing the book, I am left a bit dismayed and certainly not without questions. How long was Ben cooped up in the basement? In the end Ben makes it out into the world and escapes the Wolves. Does this mean that Ben is brave? I am suspicious of the ending and feel like the whole thing is twisted. Is it possible that Ben is the wolf...

"The Trouble with Twins" by Martha Freeman

The Trouble with Twins by Martha Freeman, is a book that I thoroughly enjoyed reading and would absolutely recommend for teachers to read to their students. Coming across this book in the curriculum lab instantly excited me, considering the fact that I am an identical twin. Freeman's depiction of a set of energetic two-year-old twin boys and their older sister was spot on! With the twins, Jeremy and Dylan, being at the terrible age of 2, their older sister, Holly, offers to throw them a birthday party so that her exausted mom and stepdad can have a break. This was no easy task, and Holly had to overcome many challenges along the way.

Freeman's writing was extremely humerous, as the book went from one funny thing to the next. I found myself laughing out loud as the twins constantly requested to watch their potty videos, got into the toilet paper resulting in a toilet paper confetti war, and dumped cake batter on Boo Cat's head. The cats were always attentive and prepared for escape mode, in order to avoid the brutality of the twins.

I formed a connection with this book and could closely relate to it. Just as my twin sister and I have opposite personalities and characteristics even though we are identical, so did Dylan and Jeremy; one twin is the instigator, and the other twin, while naughty, can be cuddly and sweet. I have an older sister whom I'm sure would relate to Holly. When there are two twin toddlers running around the house, it is easy for parents to overlook the needs of the older sibling. I felt stressed and sad for poor Holly at times, especially when she referred to herself as the "invisible big sister," and when attention from her parents was scarce. The trip to the grocery store with the boys particulary sticks out in my head. When they got out to the car, Holly and her mom celebrated "surviving another trip to the grocery store". My Mom said that the grocery store was her worst nightmare when my twin sister and I were little.

The book ended nicely with the birthday party turning out to be a success and Holly's parents surprising her with her favorite dinner to celebrate what a great big sister she is. I hope that others will appreciate this book and be as entertained as I was when reading it!