A. Charlotte's Web
B. E.B. White
C. Garth Williams and Rosemary Wells
D. Harper Collins Publishers, 1952
E. Chapter book, animal fantasy
F. 4-6
G. Charlotte's Web is a story about a runty pig who is saved from death by a farmgirl named Fern. Fern raises Wilbur until he is about a month old, when he is sold to Fern's uncle and goes to live on his farm. Wilbur meets all the animals in the barn and becomes acquainted with a very eloquent spider named Charlotte. When Wilbur hears from one of the geese that he is certainly going to be killed and eaten for Christmas dinner, Charlotte promises that she will save his life. Soon, words such as "some pig" and "radiant" appear in Charlotte's web. The farmer sees it and assumes that this is a miracle from God and decides to take Wilbur to the fair. At the fair, Wilbur wins a large prize and his life is saved. However, Charlotte dies at the fair, leaving behind an egg sac that Wilbur takes home with him for the eggs to hatch.
H. This book continues to be a classic in children's literature. I loved the book when I was younger and it still hasn't lost its appeal to me. There are many issues within the book that are relevant to young readers such as loyalty and the circle of life. Also, it was very easy for me to relate to the characters in the story. The human characters were very realistic and the animals even exhibited emotions that were easy to relate to.
I. This book offers many lessons in life. It is an excellent example of friendship and loyalty. Also, it's a good introduction into the circle of life. It's never easy to lose a friend but the way that Wilbur handles it shows class and maturity. Readers might also benefit from an explanation of farmlife. For most kids these days, life on a farm is something very removed from the realm of their everyday lives. After reading the book and discussing the farm-related events and elements, it would be great to take students on a field trip to a working farm to let them see all these things up-close and personal.
Writing prompts
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Monday, February 18, 2008
Eats, Shoots & Leaves Reader Response
A. Eats, Shoots & Leaves
B. Lynne Truss
C. Bonnie Timmons
D. Penguin Group Inc., 2006
E. Picture Book, concept book
F. 2-4
G. This book is a concept book about commas. It begins with the statement that gives the book its name. “A panda walks into the library. He eats a sandwich, then draws his bow and shoots two arrows.” When asked why he does that, the panda responds that that’s what it says he does. The librarian then looks at an entry in a reference book that says that a panda is a “large black-and-white beat-like mammal, native to
H. I am a bit of a grammarian so this book was right up my alley. In addition to being a great informational text on the use of commas, this book provided entertainment as well. The hilarious look at misplaced and misused commas provides a different avenue to teaching grammar than traditional textbooks. Each page provides a statement using a comma with the opposite page showing the same statement but with the comma in a different place. The illustrations are comical pictures of the meaning of each statement.
These illustrations, naive art, are seemingly very simple at first glance, just showing slow children crossing the street or a big, hot dog. However, taking a closer look, you see a lot more detail. On the teacher’s wall, the homework assignments are posted as 1. Skip to the loo, 2.Hum, 3. Kiss a sardine, and many other unconventional homework assignments. My favorite is grandma skipping through the park with her walker held over her head.
I. This is a great way to teach the concept of commas. As the book says, commas are one of the most commonly misused elements of punctuation. After reading the book and explaining commas further, I would have students practice writing sentences using commas and then look into things they had written previously to see if there were places where they need commas.
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
Where I'm from, Jenny
I am from biscuits and gravy,
from Massey Ferguson, and dandelions.
I am from the breeze on the sun porch
(sweet, warm, it smelled like happiness)
I am from the crabapple tree and
Gumballs in the grass,
whose Prickles still sink into my feet on a hot summer day.
I am from homemade Christmas cookies
And long chins,
from Big’un, From Sweet Pea, and from Hoss.
I am from the hand-me-downs and the jabber-jaws
From Sit Up! And Take it outside!
I’m from Now I lay me down to sleep
I pray the Lord my soul to keep
And hymns for every woe.
I’m from Brushy Hollow,
Sweet tea and hotdogs.
From the top secret missions of my Grandfather
And the time my Grandmother
knew the culprit before he did.
I am from the box of “keeps” on the coffee table,
Containing pictures of more people
I was related to than I could shake a stick at.
I am from those people,
alive hundreds of years before
I was a gleam in my daddy’s eye.
from Massey Ferguson, and dandelions.
I am from the breeze on the sun porch
(sweet, warm, it smelled like happiness)
I am from the crabapple tree and
Gumballs in the grass,
whose Prickles still sink into my feet on a hot summer day.
I am from homemade Christmas cookies
And long chins,
from Big’un, From Sweet Pea, and from Hoss.
I am from the hand-me-downs and the jabber-jaws
From Sit Up! And Take it outside!
I’m from Now I lay me down to sleep
I pray the Lord my soul to keep
And hymns for every woe.
I’m from Brushy Hollow,
Sweet tea and hotdogs.
From the top secret missions of my Grandfather
And the time my Grandmother
knew the culprit before he did.
I am from the box of “keeps” on the coffee table,
Containing pictures of more people
I was related to than I could shake a stick at.
I am from those people,
alive hundreds of years before
I was a gleam in my daddy’s eye.
Friday, February 8, 2008
Because of Winn Dixie Reader Response
A. Because of Winn Dixie
B. Kate DiCamillo
C. n/a
D. Candlewick Press, 2000
E. Novel, realistic fiction
F. 3-6
G. Because of Winn Dixie begins with the main character, India Opal, going into Winn Dixie, the grocery store, for a few things. When she gets inside, she sees that the store is in a state of complete chaos, caused by a stray dog whom she claims as her own and names Winn Dixie. She takes the dog home with her and convinces her father to let her keep it. Opal's relationship with her new dog leads her into many new relationships and wins her many friends which is terribly important since she had just moved into Naomi, Florida and had no friends. Throughout the book, she is plagued by a feeling of loneliness and emptiness. It is not until the culminating scene at a neighborhood party, that she feels that her heart is full and she is truly happy.
H. Melancholy and reflective are the best words to describe how I felt while reading Because of Winn Dixie. I lost my grandfather suddenly when I was twelve, and as I get older, I feel the memory of him beginning to fade. I was close to my grandfather and like Opal, there are things that I know would delight him if he could just see them. I know exactly how Opal feels, and as she discovered at the end, closure and love help bring things into focus.
Kate DiCamillo did a fantastic job of creating setting and characters. Having been raised in a small town in the South, it did not take me long at all to step into this book. I felt as though Opal could have been one of the many kids that lived down the street from me where I grew up. I remember riding my bike just about everywhere and I remember those terrifying storms that seem to creep up out of nowhere on humid summer nights. I became completely engrossed in the story and didn't put the book down until I had finished it. My favorite element of the story were the Littmus Lozenges. They were such an beautiful and imaginative metaphor for the ups and downs of life. I would love to taste one!
Culturally, I feel that I am very much like Opal. I grew up in a small southern town with a love for animals. I was naturally inclined to being outdoors and I was not shy by any means. I grew up with a Gloria in my neighborhood and a Miss Franny in my church. However, I almost wish that I hadn't been raised in such a similar environment for the purpose of reading this book. I feel that I miss out a little bit on the representations of everything and the charm of the town and its people because they are all so familiar to me.
I. In terms of teaching, this book would be a good way to expose children to a new culture or new area, if they are not from rural or Southern backgrounds. It's also a good tool for teaching the importance of being resilient or, as Gloria says, "You can only love what you got while you got it." (159).
B. Kate DiCamillo
C. n/a
D. Candlewick Press, 2000
E. Novel, realistic fiction
F. 3-6
G. Because of Winn Dixie begins with the main character, India Opal, going into Winn Dixie, the grocery store, for a few things. When she gets inside, she sees that the store is in a state of complete chaos, caused by a stray dog whom she claims as her own and names Winn Dixie. She takes the dog home with her and convinces her father to let her keep it. Opal's relationship with her new dog leads her into many new relationships and wins her many friends which is terribly important since she had just moved into Naomi, Florida and had no friends. Throughout the book, she is plagued by a feeling of loneliness and emptiness. It is not until the culminating scene at a neighborhood party, that she feels that her heart is full and she is truly happy.
H. Melancholy and reflective are the best words to describe how I felt while reading Because of Winn Dixie. I lost my grandfather suddenly when I was twelve, and as I get older, I feel the memory of him beginning to fade. I was close to my grandfather and like Opal, there are things that I know would delight him if he could just see them. I know exactly how Opal feels, and as she discovered at the end, closure and love help bring things into focus.
Kate DiCamillo did a fantastic job of creating setting and characters. Having been raised in a small town in the South, it did not take me long at all to step into this book. I felt as though Opal could have been one of the many kids that lived down the street from me where I grew up. I remember riding my bike just about everywhere and I remember those terrifying storms that seem to creep up out of nowhere on humid summer nights. I became completely engrossed in the story and didn't put the book down until I had finished it. My favorite element of the story were the Littmus Lozenges. They were such an beautiful and imaginative metaphor for the ups and downs of life. I would love to taste one!
Culturally, I feel that I am very much like Opal. I grew up in a small southern town with a love for animals. I was naturally inclined to being outdoors and I was not shy by any means. I grew up with a Gloria in my neighborhood and a Miss Franny in my church. However, I almost wish that I hadn't been raised in such a similar environment for the purpose of reading this book. I feel that I miss out a little bit on the representations of everything and the charm of the town and its people because they are all so familiar to me.
I. In terms of teaching, this book would be a good way to expose children to a new culture or new area, if they are not from rural or Southern backgrounds. It's also a good tool for teaching the importance of being resilient or, as Gloria says, "You can only love what you got while you got it." (159).
Monday, February 4, 2008
Knuffle Bunny Reader Response
A. Knuffle Bunny
B. Mo Williams
C. Mo Williams
D. Hyperion Books for Children, 2004
E. Picture book, fiction
F. pre-K, K-1
G. Knuffle Bunny is the story of Trixie, a little girl, and her excursion with her Daddy. She goes along with him to the laudromat and helps him do the laundry. However, much to her dismay, she leaves her favorite stuffed animal, Knuffle Bunny, behind. She screams and cries to go back to the laundromat to find her bunny but her Daddy can't understand her. It is only when she gets home and her Mommy realizes Knuffle Bunny is missing that the family races back to the laundromat where Daddy finds Knuffle Bunny and Trixie says her first words: Knuffle Bunny.
H. This book is a fantastic story of the importance of a stuffed animal to a little girl. It's a classic story because we have all been there: the child with the lost animal, the parent/ guardian/ babysitter trying frantically to find the toy. I loved the illustrations! The mixture of vintage photos and cartoon-like characters was something that is different and interesting.
I. This book would be good to lead a discussion about a time when students had lost something really important to them and the lengths they went to to get it back. I think this would be a great book for right before naptime, just a little something to get the kids focused and ready to go to sleep.
*Caldecott Honor book*
B. Mo Williams
C. Mo Williams
D. Hyperion Books for Children, 2004
E. Picture book, fiction
F. pre-K, K-1
G. Knuffle Bunny is the story of Trixie, a little girl, and her excursion with her Daddy. She goes along with him to the laudromat and helps him do the laundry. However, much to her dismay, she leaves her favorite stuffed animal, Knuffle Bunny, behind. She screams and cries to go back to the laundromat to find her bunny but her Daddy can't understand her. It is only when she gets home and her Mommy realizes Knuffle Bunny is missing that the family races back to the laundromat where Daddy finds Knuffle Bunny and Trixie says her first words: Knuffle Bunny.
H. This book is a fantastic story of the importance of a stuffed animal to a little girl. It's a classic story because we have all been there: the child with the lost animal, the parent/ guardian/ babysitter trying frantically to find the toy. I loved the illustrations! The mixture of vintage photos and cartoon-like characters was something that is different and interesting.
I. This book would be good to lead a discussion about a time when students had lost something really important to them and the lengths they went to to get it back. I think this would be a great book for right before naptime, just a little something to get the kids focused and ready to go to sleep.
*Caldecott Honor book*
Moses: When Harriet Tubman Led Her People to Freedom Reader Response
A. Moses: When Harriet Tubman Led Her People to Freedom
B. Carole Boston Weatherford
C. Kadir Nelson
D. Jump at the Sun/ Hyperion Books for Children, 2006
E. Picture book, historical fiction
F. 3-6
G. This book tells the story of Harriet Tubman as she is a slave and then the greatest Underground Railroad conductor in history. The story begins with Harriet on her plantation talking to God and asking him to make her free. With God's strength, she leaves her plantation and makes the ninety-mile journey north to Pennsylvania where she is free. There, she works to make money and she learns the secret routes and code words used along the Underground Railroad and thus becomes a conductor. She goes South many times and frees over 300 slaves, including her own parents.
H. I love this book. It is so inspirational. It was also very heartwarming and uplifting to hear a story about a real person who overcame such incredible odds to save herself and others from something so horrible. My favorite thing about this book is the attention to Harriet Tubman's religion. In the world now, it is almost taboo to publish literature laced with religious undertones, much less overflowing the pages, as this book is. But religion exists and it is nothing to be ashamed of.
As far as picture books go, this one takes the cake. The text and the pictures are so intricately connected that they seems as if they are the same thing. The words give facts and a bit of emotion but to truly understand and feel how Harriet felt, the reader must look at the illustrations which are beautifully executed oil paintings. The double page spreads express everything that words cannot. The dark colors and lines on Harriet's face teem with worry, doubt, and the looming presence of danger. Once Harriet has made her way to freedom, the pictures become lighter, as does the expression on her face, although she still carries the ever-present look of determination. It's almost hard for me to call this a picture book, it seems more to me like a work of art, both in terms of illustration and in text.
The forward and author's note provide some great background information about Harriet herself, and about slavery and the Underground Railroad to provide the reader with a context for the story. The added information makes the story much more incredible and fascinating. It was great to see a story about Harriet Tubman that took into account the way she must have felt escaping instead of just giving facts about all the people she freed.
I. This book is a great way to teach about slavery, the Underground Railroad, Harriet Tubman, and many character lessons. With younger students, I would teach all about slavery and the Underground Railroad, but I would also use this as a chance for them to talk about a time when they were really scared or were afraid. Then we could talk about ways to overcome the fear and have perseverance to do whatever it is that they are afraid of doing.
*Caldecott Honor book*
*Multicultural*
B. Carole Boston Weatherford
C. Kadir Nelson
D. Jump at the Sun/ Hyperion Books for Children, 2006
E. Picture book, historical fiction
F. 3-6
G. This book tells the story of Harriet Tubman as she is a slave and then the greatest Underground Railroad conductor in history. The story begins with Harriet on her plantation talking to God and asking him to make her free. With God's strength, she leaves her plantation and makes the ninety-mile journey north to Pennsylvania where she is free. There, she works to make money and she learns the secret routes and code words used along the Underground Railroad and thus becomes a conductor. She goes South many times and frees over 300 slaves, including her own parents.
H. I love this book. It is so inspirational. It was also very heartwarming and uplifting to hear a story about a real person who overcame such incredible odds to save herself and others from something so horrible. My favorite thing about this book is the attention to Harriet Tubman's religion. In the world now, it is almost taboo to publish literature laced with religious undertones, much less overflowing the pages, as this book is. But religion exists and it is nothing to be ashamed of.
As far as picture books go, this one takes the cake. The text and the pictures are so intricately connected that they seems as if they are the same thing. The words give facts and a bit of emotion but to truly understand and feel how Harriet felt, the reader must look at the illustrations which are beautifully executed oil paintings. The double page spreads express everything that words cannot. The dark colors and lines on Harriet's face teem with worry, doubt, and the looming presence of danger. Once Harriet has made her way to freedom, the pictures become lighter, as does the expression on her face, although she still carries the ever-present look of determination. It's almost hard for me to call this a picture book, it seems more to me like a work of art, both in terms of illustration and in text.
The forward and author's note provide some great background information about Harriet herself, and about slavery and the Underground Railroad to provide the reader with a context for the story. The added information makes the story much more incredible and fascinating. It was great to see a story about Harriet Tubman that took into account the way she must have felt escaping instead of just giving facts about all the people she freed.
I. This book is a great way to teach about slavery, the Underground Railroad, Harriet Tubman, and many character lessons. With younger students, I would teach all about slavery and the Underground Railroad, but I would also use this as a chance for them to talk about a time when they were really scared or were afraid. Then we could talk about ways to overcome the fear and have perseverance to do whatever it is that they are afraid of doing.
*Caldecott Honor book*
*Multicultural*
What Do You Do With a Tail Like This? Reader Response
A. What Do You Do With a Tail Like This?
B. Steve Jenkins and Robin Page
C. Steve Jenkins
D. Houghton Mifflin Company, 2003
E. Picturebook, Informational/ Nonfiction
F. K-3
G. This book gives interesting facts about 30 different creature ranging from crickets to giraffes. It tells how animals use their senses to survive. In the back of the book, there is a section with more information on each of the animals featured.
H. I'm very impressed by this book. It is an excellent way to introduce younger readers to animals they may have never heard of before and teach older readers important facts about animals. The content of this book was great. There were things in there that I didn't know, even after over fourteen years of schooling. Even my Dad, a self-proclaimed genius, said that there were things in there that he didn't know. Who knew a cricket's ears were in its knees?
I. This book is an excellent introduction into many different subjects. For younger children, it is a good way to expand on their knowledge of the animals in the world. Younger readers can also benefit from learning about the five senses from this book. A good follow-up would be to take the students to the zoo where they could see a lot of the animals featured in this book that they wouldn't be able to find in their backyards. Older children can use this book as a preface for a biology lesson on a variety of animals or types of animals (mammals, insects, etc.).
*Caldecott Honor book*
B. Steve Jenkins and Robin Page
C. Steve Jenkins
D. Houghton Mifflin Company, 2003
E. Picturebook, Informational/ Nonfiction
F. K-3
G. This book gives interesting facts about 30 different creature ranging from crickets to giraffes. It tells how animals use their senses to survive. In the back of the book, there is a section with more information on each of the animals featured.
H. I'm very impressed by this book. It is an excellent way to introduce younger readers to animals they may have never heard of before and teach older readers important facts about animals. The content of this book was great. There were things in there that I didn't know, even after over fourteen years of schooling. Even my Dad, a self-proclaimed genius, said that there were things in there that he didn't know. Who knew a cricket's ears were in its knees?
I. This book is an excellent introduction into many different subjects. For younger children, it is a good way to expand on their knowledge of the animals in the world. Younger readers can also benefit from learning about the five senses from this book. A good follow-up would be to take the students to the zoo where they could see a lot of the animals featured in this book that they wouldn't be able to find in their backyards. Older children can use this book as a preface for a biology lesson on a variety of animals or types of animals (mammals, insects, etc.).
*Caldecott Honor book*
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