Charlotte's Web

     Charlottes's Web written by E.B. White and illustrated by Garth Williams is an a adventure filled book that make you laugh and cry.  This is a excellent chapter book for students to read.  Charlotte's Web is a fantasy book that tells the story of a pig named Wilber and the friends he meet throughout his farmlife journey.  Charlotte is a spider who encourage and uplift Wilber by spinning messages on her web.  She also teaches him manners and gives him advise.  Throughout the story Charlotte is the conscious character that provides the strength and wisdom to the other characters, especially Wilbur.  This is a great story of how such the smallest character can make such a big difference in the story.

     According to page 24 in Literature and the Child, fantasy is "believable, consistent, logical world, clearly defined conflict, and strong characterization".  Charlotte's Web adheres to those terms.

 Charlotte's Web is one of my many favorite childhood books.  This book has a great message and keeps the reader wanting to read more.  Wilber starts out as a helpless runt and ends up a strong confidant character.  The storyline is excellent and the book has a great message.

Motivational Activities:
1.  Have the students write an acrostic poem about Wilbur.  Begin each line with a word that starts with Wilbur: W, I, L, B, U, R

2.  Use a worksheet. Have the students name the parts of a spider.

3. Using a worksheet.  Have the students create the life cycle of a spider.

4. Using a created worksheet.  Have the students list the descriptions with the correct character.

5. Have the students act out their favorite scene in the book.


Reader's Response Questions:
1.  Who is Charlotte?

2.  Why was Zimmerman going to kill Wilbur when he was a baby?

3.  Name all of the characters who lived in the barn.

4.  What did Wilbur when first place in?

5.  What do you think is the authors purpose? Why?

6.  Did you like the story? Why or why not?


References:

Galda, L., Cullinan, B.E., & Sipe, L.R. (2011).  Literature and the Child.  (7th ed., pp. 12, 24).  Belmont:  Wadsworth Pub Co. 

White, E.B. (1974).  Charlotte's Web. New York, NY:  HarperCollins Children's Books.

Escape of the North! The Story of Harriet Tubman

     Escape of the North! The Story of Harriet Tubman written by Monica Kulling and illustrated by Teresa Flavin is an inspiring historical fiction book to share with students.  This book is an autobiography of Harriet Tubman written by Monica Kullings that tells a story of how she help to free slaves.  Harriet Tubman was a "conductor on the Underground Railroad".  She was born a slave on a tobacco plantation. As a young child working in the fields, she promised herself that one day she would be free.  Around the age of twenty-eight, Harriet made her escape for freedom.  She made it to Philadelphia, which was a free state.  During the time there, she found out that "her sisters family had escaped and needed help to be lead to safety.  This is the time where Harriet became a conductor to help lead others to freedom.  Over the course of her life, Harriet has helped to free thousands of slaves.

     The illustrations in this book are colorful and neatly drawn.  There are a lot of detail and texture within the pictures.  The drawings accurately reflect the cultures presented within the book.  The pictures are colored in color pencil.  They help to assist in bring the story alive.

     According to page 257 in Literature and the Child, it gives examples of quality in historical fiction.

     
Historical Accuracy

-Events and attitudes are consistent with historical evidence and appropriate to the time period.

-Social issues are pot rayed honestly, without condoning racism and sexism.

Literary Quality

-The work meets the criteria of all good narratives.
-The setting is integral to the story and invokes a vivid historical time consistent with    historical and geographical evidence.
-Characters are well developed- with feelings, values, and behavior that reflects the historical period.
-The plot is based on authentic facts that are subordinate to the story itself.
-The theme echoes larger historical concerns.

      Escape of the North! The Story of Harriet Tubman adheres to all of the guidelines for a quality historical fiction book.

      Escape of the North!  The Story of Harriet Tubman was written for students in the second and third grade level.  I agree that this is an appropriate range for such readers.  This book is great for building fluency and introducing new vocabulary.  Also, Monica Kulling does an excellent job on presenting the history of Harriet Tubman.

     I enjoyed reading Escape of the North! The Story of Harriet Tubman.  I actually learned more about Harriet Tubman than I actually knew.  This is an easy to read story and the illustrations are complementing to the story.  I love all of the detail and color the illustrations have to offer.

Motivational Activities:

1. Have the student s discuss how they think Harriet Tubman felt as she was running away to escape from slavery.

2.  Before reading the story, ask the students what they know about the Underground Railroad.

Reader's Response Questions:
1.  Was there a train in the Underground Railroad?
2.  What was the purpose of the Underground Railroad?
3.  When the clouds covered the stars, how was Harriet able to tell which way was the North?  Explain.
4.  Who were the Quakers?
5.  How did the Quaker woman help Harriet Tubman?
6.  What did you find interesting from the story?  Explain.


References:

Galda, L., Cullinan, B.E., & Sipe, L.R. (2011).  Literature and the Child.  (7th ed., pp. 12, 24).  Belmont:  Wadsworth Pub Co. 

Kulling, Monica. (2000).  Escape of the North! The Story of Harriet Tubman.  New York:  Random House.

Joan of Arc

      Joan of Arc written by Shana Corey and illustrated by Dan Andreasen is a excellent historical fiction book to read with the students.   This book has some nice illustrations and is a well developed book.  Joan of Arc is about a a young girl named Joan, who wanted to bring victory for France.  She won her first battle at the age of seventeen against the french army.  Joan did a lot of things according to a voice she heard.  She was known to many as either a savior, herione or witch.  At the age of nineteen she was burned at the stake because people believed she was a witch.  

     The illustrations drawn by Dan Andreasen  help to bring the story alive.  The illustrations were relevant to different scenes in the story.  I found it interesting to know that Dan based some of his work on his own children.

     This is a great book to use in the classroom.  Joan of Arc consists of short paragraphs and challenging vocabulary.

 
   According to page 257 in Literature and the Child, it gives examples of quality in historical fiction.

         
Historical Accuracy

-Events and attitudes are consistent with historical evidence and appropriate to the time period.

-Social issues are pot rayed honestly, without condoning racism and sexism.

          
Literary Quality
-The work meets the criteria of all good narratives.

-The setting is integral to the story and invokes a vivid historical time consistent with   

 historical and geographical evidence.
-Characters are well developed- with feelings, values, and behavior that reflects the 

  historical period
-The plot is based on authentic facts that are subordinate to the story itself.

-The theme echoes larger historical concerns.

     
Joan of Arc follows the guidelines as described.

     I like the book Joan of Arc because it makes learning history fun.  The book was carefully put together so that a lot of information is revealed in the book.  I dislike reading a history book, but this was a interesting book to read.

Motivational Activities:
1.  Have the students pick a word that describes Joan:  witch, saint, heroine.  Have the students to write a letter to priest to state why or why not Joan should burned at the stake.  Give example to support your response.

2.  Have the students create a play of the story Joan of Arc.  break the class into groups so they each group is responsible for a different scene.  The students need to make props and have costumes.

Response Questions:
1.  In the 1400's, why did many people believe that Joan was a witch?
 2.  Who did Joan Share the prediction of her life with?
3.  Around 500 years after Joan of Arc's death, who named her a saint?

References:

Corey, Shana, 2003.  Joan of Arc. New York:  Random House Children's Books

Galda, L., Cullinan, B.E., & Sipe, L.R. (2011).  Literature and the Child.  (7th ed., pp. 12, 24).  Belmont:  Wadsworth Pub Co. 

Step Gently Out

     Step Gently Out written by Helen Frost and illustrated by Rick Lieder is a beautifully created nonfiction picturebook for children to explore.  This story is written  in a lyrical poetic language.  Step Out Gently provides the reader with a close up view of the world outside of your house.  The author introduces the reader to the a honeybee, calipillar, cricket, praying mantis and more.  The story reveals what we will see if we take the time to be still and look closely you will discover the amazing small creatures that live amongst us.

     Rick Lieder is a painter, illustrator and photographer.  The illustrations for Step Out Gently are actually photographs taken of the small creatures.  He has done an excellent job in capturing the images of the creatures in their native habitat.  The photos are very rich in color and the images reflect lots of detail.

     On page 24 in Literature and the Child, the rules for poetry are clear.  The text should be compact with elegant language and the illustrations should go beyond the surface of the poem's meaning.  Step Out Gently also meet other guidelines such as; easy to follow structure, include interesting and easily comprehendible works, and use of creative syntax that utilizes poetic devices effectively.

     I enjoyed reading and looking at the pictures within this book.  The story is reflected from the photos.  I like how the author was able to come up with the perfect phrase to relate to the picture.  I enjoyed the story, Step Out Gently, so much that I had to go outside and watch the ant travel through the dirt and grass.

     This book is recommended for children three to five.  I believe this book is valuable for all ages.  So much can be learned by reading Step Out Gently.  This book opens the eyes of the readers and encourages observation of the creatures that we share the world with.  This book should be shared with students around spring time.



Motivational Activities:
1.  After reading the book, take the students outside for five minutes to observe their surroundings.  Have the children share their observation of one small creature.

2. Share the, Just Garden Insects, video with the students. http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=fkZOnOfidMs
Next, have the students name the different insects and describe what they were doing.


Readers Response Questions:
1.  What small creature was crawling on "a single blade of grass"?
2.  Does a moth rest with its wings open or closed?
3.  What creature was "splashed with morning dew"?
4.  Why do you think the author chose the title, Step Out Gently?
5.  Did you like the book? Explain.


References:

Frost, Helen. (2012).  Step Gently Out. Somerville, MA, Candlewick Press.

Galda, L., Cullinan, B.E., & Sipe, L.R. (2011).  Literature and the Child.  (7th ed., pp. 12, 24).  Belmont:  Wadsworth Pub Co.

Pilarchik,  Gary.  Just Garden Insects. You Tube. http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=fkZOnOfidMs

The Complete Collected Poems of Maya Angelou

 

     The Complete Collected Poems of Maya Angelou written by Maya Angelou is a very inspirational collection of poems.  The poems within the book cover a wide variety of topics that give an insight on life.   Some of the poems deal with beauty, passion and struggles.  Maya Angelou use a wide variety of styles and themes.  Her poems are a mixure of gentle rhymes and free verse.  There are no pictures in the book with the use of imagination you will quickly develop a picture of your own.

     This is a great collection to share with students.  I think this collection would be good for student in grade six and above.  Students would benefit by becoming familiar with the different forms of poetry.  They also will learn how to read poetry.  

                                                     Still I Rise

     Still I Rise is one of my personal favorites poems by Maya Angelou.  This poem give hope to the hopeless and encourages those seeking for encouragement.  The message of this poem is powerful.  The message I gained is to not let anyone or anything get you down,  stand up and stand tall, keep pressing forward and always remain strong.  While growing up, I loved to memorize her poems and recite them.

     On page 144 in Literature and the Child, the criteria for poetry is very clear.  

            -The text should be compact with elegant language

            -Poetry should include interesting and easily comprehendible works

            -Should use creative syntax that utilizes poetic devices effectively

            -Easy to follow structure

            -A wide array of styles of poems

All of these requirements were meet in accordance to the guidelines.
  

Motivation Activities:

1.  Put the students in groups.  Have each group select a poem.  Next, each group needs to recite the poem with the correct tone.  Then explain the meaning or message behind the poem.

2.  Have each student create their own poem and share with the class.

Reader's Response Questions:

1.  What is the tone of the poem?

2.  What is the message the author is trying to get across?

3.  How many stanzas are in the poem?


References:

Angelou, Maya. (1994) The Complete Collected Poems of Maya Angelou. New York: Random House

Galda, L., Cullinan, B.E., & Sipe, L.R. (2011).  Literature and the Child.  (7th ed., pp. 12, 24).  Belmont:  Wadsworth Pub Co. 

Space Guys!

     Space Guys written and illustrated by Martha Weston is a cute science fiction book to share with students.  This book is about a little boy who was trying to go to sleep but instead he  witnesses a spaceship land in a tree near his bedroom window.  Three space robots come in through his window and go on an adventure throughout the house.  In the morning the parents wonder why the house is messed up.  Do you think they will believe their son's story?

     The illustrations for Space Guys  are colorful and have a smooth texture.  The smooth texture gives the story a sense of innocence.  The illustration is similar to cartoon drawings.  Color pencil, watercolor and pencil were used to create the pictures for the book.  The illustrations provide a lot of support to the text.

     On page 209 in Literature and the Child, guidelines of fantasy and science fiction include;
             -the fantasy world is detailed and believable within the context of the story.
             -story events are imaginable,  yet logically consistent within the story world.
             -the characters are multidimensional, with consistent and logical behavior.
             -the writing is rich and the structure is clear.
     Space Guys follow all of the guidelines as required.       

     I like the book mainly for the illustrations.  If there were no words, the illustrations would be able to tell the story.  In my opinion, the text of the story assist the drawings.  This is a book that will make you chuckle by simply admiring the illustrations.


Motivational Activities:
1.  Have the students write about something the space guys had done at the little boys house.  Next, draw a picture to share with the class.

2.  Have the students make up a story of what they would have done if the space guys came to their house.  Share with the class.


Reader's Response Questions:
1.  Where did the spaceship land?
2.  How many space guys were there altogether?
3.  Do you think the parents believed the bot story at the end of the book?  Why or why not?


References:

Galda, L., Cullinan, B.E., & Sipe, L.R. (2011).  Literature and the Child.  (7th ed., pp. 12, 24).  Belmont:  Wadsworth Pub Co.

Weston, Martha. (2000).  Space Guys!.  New York:  Holiday House

The Name Jar

     The Name Jar written and illustrated by Yangsook Choi is a wonderful book to share with children. This is a 30 page multicultural picture book.  The Name Jar provides the children with an opportunity to meet a character from a different country  and get a inside look of what it is like to try to fit in. The illustration is also an enhancement to the book.  This story is about a young korean girl named Unhei, who moves to America with her family.  At her new school, she is considering to use a different name because no one can say her name correctly and others pick on her.  So the class came up with the name jar.  This jar was filled with lots of american names for Unhei to choose from.  Does Unhei choose a new name?  Read the book to find out.

     The illustrations in the book resemble the image of the Americans and the Koreans characters.  The colors help associate the images to reflect the accurate culture of each character.  Also the hair and clothing were created careful to represent the correct culture.  The illustrations are very colorful and has lots of detail.

     According to Literature and the Child, the culture roles in the story "should be accurate, authentic, and free from stereotypes, portrays what is unique to an individual culture and do not distort or misrepresent the culture it reflects".  The Name Jar adhere to the guidelines as described.

     I enjoyed reading The Name Jar by Yangsook Choi.  This book gave a excellent insight on how someone from another county feels when they are trying to fit in with the American culture.   I love the illustration and the soft appearance that is shown throughout the different drawings.

     The Name Jar is recommended for children age three through seven.  I believe this book should be extended to the fifth grade.  I believe it is important for the children to read this book and have many discussions in the classroom regarding the topic addressed within the book.  This is a book that should be shared with the students during the first month of school.


Motivational Activities:
1.  Develop a discussion with the students on how what should should we do when we have difficulty pronouncing other peoples' names.  Also ask the students if it is important to say the name correctly.

2.  Have a class discussion on how we should respond to to people who are different than us and why.

3.  Have the students write a paragraph describing how they would feel if they moved to Korea and had to go to a new school. Would they change their name? Why or why not?


 Reader's Response Questions:
1.  Why did Unhei choose not to tell the class her name on her first day in school?
2.  Why does Unhei's class create the name jar?  What is it for?
3.  How does Unhei feel about the Jar?  How can you tell?
4.  How does Joey and the class support Unhei as she thinks about choosing a new name?  Do you think this was important?  Why or why not?
5.  Have you ever had and experience like Unhei's

References:

Choi, Yangsook. (2001).  The Name Jar.  New York:  Random House

Galda, L., Cullinan, B.E., & Sipe, L.R. (2011).  Literature and the Child.  (7th ed., pp. 12, 24).  Belmont:  Wadsworth Pub Co.