Final Reflection

I have always greatly enjoyed reading and writing, and I can honestly say I had a lot of fun in this class and learned a great deal about children's literature. I really liked how we were given the opportunity to read a wide variety of children's literature (everything from graphic novels to poetry). Personally, my favorite aspect of the class was doing my API Study on Chris Van Allsburg. I enjoyed having the chance to research, read, and study one of my favorite authors. Also, I really liked the paired texts activities where we read So Far From The Bamboo Grove and The Year Of Impossible Goodbyes. I feel that the paired texts and the API Study helped to keep the course fresh and interesting, and it was enjoyable and engaging to use children's literature in that sort of way. I feel as if I gained a great deal of knoweldge about children's literature from this class, and I never thought I would have learned so much about children's literature through this class. However, by critically reading and discussing 45 picture books and 9 novels I feel as if I was able to attain a strong knoweldge base on children's literature that I will take with me into my career as a teacher.

Love That Dog by Sharon Creech

At first glance, I was very uninterested in reading this book and I did not think I would enjoy it very much at all. However, I was quite wrong, and this ended up being one of my favorite books I read all semester. One of the things I really enjoyed about this book is that I feel as if certain sections of it stand alone and could work by themselves, outside the context of the overall story. Also, the book was extremely fun and easy to read, and I read it from cover to cover in one sitting. I really enjoyed the inclusion of some of Jack's favorite poems at the end of the book as well (such as Love That Boy and the apple poem). I really liked how Jack comes to love poetry, and really enjoys writing it and uses it as an outlet for himself. Overall, I thought this was a wonderful book and I would certainly use it in my classroom. I think this book has some great potential to facilitate discussion and questioning about poetry and what poetry means to different people.

Hop On Pop by Dr. Seuss

The first thing that struck me about this book was how simple and easy it was to read. This book is certainly geared towards very young readers, as the rhyming scheme and story are both extremely elementary, yet fun. Throughout the book, there are many rhyming words used (such as day and play, night and flight, etc.). I think this book would be perfect to use to introduce the idea of poetry and rhyming to very young readers. The illustrations are very lush and colorful, in typical Dr. Seuss form. Also, like most Dr. Seuss books, the characters are simply drawn up straight from the author's imagination. The story is very short, and this books is a very quick read. However, I would certainly recommend this book to young readers (especially as an introduction to poetry and rhyming).

Oh, The Places You'll Go! by Dr. Seuss

The first thing that struck me about this book were the extremely vivid, colorful, surreal illustrations (such as the purple elephant). Also, I really enjoyed the theme, and message, that this book had to offer: that a any person's journey through life will have trials and tribulations, but success can be achieved if it is worked for. I think this is a wonderful message for children, and I liked the way Dr. Seuss went about presenting the message in the book. Like most Dr. Seuss books, the story is extremely easy and fun to read, and has a classic rhyming scheme that makes it read like a simple song and/or poem. My favorite part of this book is how the main character, simply called "you", perseveres in the face of challenge and rises above defeat. I really enjoyed this book, and I would recommend it to any reader. I think this would be a perfect book to use as a read aloud in the classroom.

One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish by Dr. Seuss

I have always considered Dr. Seuss to be an extremely original and engaging poet and author. He has produced some of the most beloved and respected children's book of all time, and this one is no different. The first thing that struck me about this book is the author's relentless use of non-words, that somehow work perfectly to tell the surreal story in a rhyming scheme. For example, some of the names of the characters are the Yop and the Yink. Children will love the strong sense of imagination and freedom in the writing, and I greatly enjoyed everything this story had to offer. The illustrations, in typical Dr. Seuss book form, are extremely colorful and a joy to look at. The book is quite short and easy to read, but it would be perfect for younger readers (especially as an introduction to poetry).

How The Grinch Stole Christmas! by Dr. Seuss

I have always been a fan of Dr. Seuss, and this is one of my favorite picture books of all time. I really enjoy the different take on a common theme: Christmas. The Grinch has long been one of my favorite characters, and I really enjoyed re-reading this book for the first time in a while. The illustrations are very stark, yet have a wonderful and original look and appearance to them. I'll never forget the first time I read this book or saw the cartoon version of the movie. I have always adored the original movie, and make it a point to watch it at least once during the holiday season. However, upon re-reading the book I realized just how excellent, and in most respects better, the book is than the movie. Dr. Seuss' sometimes bizarre, yet interesting and fun , creations of characters and settings help to lend the book a surreal feeling that works perfectly in this book especially. I also love the ending, and The Grinch is one of my favorite characters in all of literature. This is an excellent book that I would recommend to any reader.

Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown

POETRY PICTURE BOOK

The first thing that struck me about this book was the very simple, effective, and fun to read rhyming scheme. The book is perfect for younger readers, and is extremely enjoyable and easy to read. The story line is very simple: a bunny is saying goodnight to a number of objects and things. The illustrations have a very soft, washed over appearance that work perfectly for this pre-bedtime story. I remember reading this book when I was a young child, and it is one of the first books that I can recall reading or having been read to me. This book is perfect for younger readers, and works excellently as a story for a child to read before bedtime.

API Reflection

For my API study I chose my favorite children's book author, Chris Van Allsburg. I've always been a big fan of all of Van Allsburg's work, and greatly enjoy reading his books. I read many Van Allsburg books for this course, and I can honestly say that I enjoyed all of them. Some of my favorite Van Allsburg books are the following: The Stranger, The Polar Express, Ben's Dream, and The Wreck Of The Zephyr. His books tend to have very surreal and dream-like settings and themes. Most of his books also have a child as either the main character or a secondary character. Van Allsburg's illustrations are always extremely surreal and complement his strange and mysterious stories perfectly. I really enjoy the variety in his illustrations as well, as most of his books tend to have a very original and singular look and theme to the illustrations. I greatly enjoyed reading Van Allsburg's books, and I would certrainly recommend the author to any reader (young or old).

The Year Of Impossible Goodbyes by Sook Nyul Choi

This is an engaging book that takes place at the tail end of World War II. I really enjoyed this book, although it can be quite hard to read at times due to its mature, and sometimes depressing, themes and plot. For example, the main character Sookan works in a sweatshop sock factory while her brothers work in Japanese labor camps. Another very interesting aspect of this book is when the Russians occupy the village Sookan lives in and attempts to convert to their language, customs, and communism. The most engaging and interesting part of the story is when Sookan and her family attempt to escape South Korea. The young girl and her brother are separated from their mother and forced to try to escape by themselves. Overall, I thought the book was extremely well written and a worth while read. I would certainly recommend this book to older readers such as 6th graders, and I think it would work perfectly in connection with a history unit about World War II.

The Composer Is Dead by Lemony Snicket

One really interesting thing about this book is that is packaged with a C.D. of an audio recording of the story by Lemony Snicket himself, and music performed by the San Fransisco Symphony. This was the first Lemon Snicket book I had ever read, and I was quite excited to read a book by renowned children's author. I really enjoyed the original, unique illustrations which worked well with the eccentric story line and plot. There were also a lot of introductions to a wide variety of orchestra instruments such as woodwinds, bass, strings, percussion, etc. The book has some very well done, subtle humor as well. For example, one line that made laugh out loud was the following: "The inspector was a very handsome and intelligent person, not unlike myself." There are also some very detailed descriptions of instruments and their role in an orchestra. The violas state bitterly that "We play crucial counter melodies nobody hears." This was a very enjoyable and funny book that would be perfect for older readers such as 4th or 5th graders (due to the amount of text).

Jazzmatazz! by Stephanie Calmenson

The first thing that struck me about this book was the way it was written in a sing-aloud format. For example, one of the lines in the book is the following: "You'll scoot him away, but he's got pizzazz, he jumps on the keys...and starts to play jazz!" The very colorful and simple illustrations work to complement the easy reading story written for younger readers. A mouse sneaks into a family's house and starts playing jazz on the piano. Before long the whole family has joined in and are playing music. This book works well to provide a basic introduction of instruments to young readers (piano, drums, fiddle, etc.). Overall, this book was very fun and easy to read and would be perfect for younger readers.

Chuck's Band by Peggy Perry Anderson

This simple story for younger readers is about a boy, named Chuck, who forms a band with his barnyard friends. The illustrations and story introduce both the characters, or musicians, and instruments> For example, Tuck the dog plays guitar and Nip the cat plays harmonica. The very simple, colorful, bright illustrations that appear as if they were done in crayon perfectly complement the simple story geared towards younger readers. The story has a very simple rhyming scheme that makes it fun to read in a sing along format ("Here she came, the old goat Flo, she heard Chuck play his new banjo."). There are lots of instruments introduced throughout the book such as a mandolin, fiddle, bass violin, etc. Overall, this was a very simple, enjoyable book that introduces a wide variety of musical instruments to children.

Forever Young by Bob Dylan

I immediately fell in love with this book because I consider Bob Dylan to be one of my all time favorite musicians and I have listened to him and immensely enjoyed his music for years. The book is the artist Paul Rogers' interpretation of Dylan's classic 1974 song Forever Young, which he penned about his own son. The illustrations are inspired by Dylan songs and pieces of his life and career. I really enjoyed all the subtle winks to Dylan's songs and life in the illustrations (such as Woodie Guthrie records, a Highway 61 sign, etc.). Fans of Dylan will not be disappointed by this engaging and colorful homage to a truly great song and artist. The story itself is quite simple: it is the lyrics to the song Forever Young. I've always enjoyed the extremely uplifting message of this song ("May you always do for others, and let others do for you"). My favorite part of the book is a section at the end titled "Illustrators Notes." This afterword has a list of some of the images found in the illustrations and how they were inspired by Dylan's songs and life. I loved this book, and it was one of my favorite children's books I read all semester.

When Louis Armstrong Taught Me Scat by Muriel Harris Weinstein

This books is an engaging, fun to read tribute to Louis Armstrong and the singing style he invented known as "scat." The illustrations are very colorful and exaggerated and perfectly complement the story about jazz and scat. Also, a lot of the text and story is written in scat, so readers are given a first hand account of what scat sounds and looks like. I really liked how Louis Armstrong was an actual character in the book. This inclusion of one of the greatest jazz musicians to ever live helped to make the book a very fun and interesting read. There are lots of rhyming schemes in the book as well. For example, one of the lines in the book is the following: "Hey, you wanna scat? Scat like a purring cat?" In the end, music has a widespread effect on the community as the main character, a little girl, gets everyone in the neighborhood scatting and singing. My favorite part of the book is a section at the end of the book (after the story) with facts and information about Louis Armstrong and scat. I found this book to be an extremely enjoyable and fun read.

So Far From The Bamboo Grove by Yoko Kawashima Watkins

I found this to be a well written novel that can be hard to read at times. The story takes place during World War II, and is about a young Japanese girl named Yoko who is forced to leave her home in Korea and travel with her family to Japan. I really liked the character Hideyo, Yoko's brother. In fact, I thought the best parts of the novel were the sections that told of Hideyo's struggles in attempting to reunite with his family. The book has some very intense moments and contains some mature themes. For example, Yoko learns of her grandparents death on the same day that her own mother dies. The book is centered around the themes of the brutalities of war and loss of family. The book does have a somewhat uplifting ending, with Yoko winning an essay contest and being published in a newspaper. Overall, I found the book to be a good, yet difficult, read. I would reccomend this book to older readers such as fifth or sixth graders, and I believe it could be used best in conjuction with a history lesson on World War II.

The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg

I really enjoyed this book because I found it be a very original Christmas story that is unlike any I have ever read before. The story is about a boy who boards The Polar Express train bound for the North Pole on a Christmas Eve night. The illustrations are extremely lush and vivid, and are a joy to look at. They work perfectly to convey the atmosphere of a snowy Christmas Eve night. I really liked how the boy's friend insists "there is no Santa", but the boy believes his friend is wrong. I also enjoyed how the children go to the North Pole and actually meet Santa and his elves. Interestingly, the boy receives the "first gift of Christmas" from Santa himself, yet he loses it short afterward. I found the ending to be a perfect and uplifting message of the power of believing in something. This is an extremely enjoyable book that is also perfect to read during the holiday season.

Ben's Dream by Chris Van Allsburg

Chris Van Allsburg is my favorite children's author, so I was excited to read this book. It is a very surreal story about a boy named Ben and a dream he has when he falls asleep while studying for a Geography test. The illustrations are extremely unique, and unlike any other illustrations in any Van Allsburg book I have read thus far. All of the illustrations are done in black and white, and are very detailed with lots of texture and lines. Over half the book, the entire dream sequence, is told strictly through illustrations without any text whatsoever. I found this to be an extremely original and interesting way to convey a dream, and I was extremely impressed with the illustrations (some of Van Allsburg's best work). For example, there are some incredible drawings of a sinking Statue Of Liberty and Golden Gate Bridge that perfectly communicate the surrealism of a dream. Overall, I thought this was an excellent boook with some great imagery and illustrations.

The Magic Rabbit by Annette Le Blanc Cate

This story is about a friendship between Ray the magician and his best friend, a bunny assistant. The illustrations are extremely detailed, yet they have a cartoon aspect to them that complements the simple story about friendship perfectly. The illustrations are done in almost all charcoal pencil, and there is a very sparse use of color throughout the book. For example, the only colored objects in the entire book are yellow stars, otherwise the rest of the illustrations are done in black and white. The story itself is about when Bunny gets lots from Ray downtown in the city while they are performing their magic show together. The story is very simple and short, yet quite enjoyable. It would be perfect for younger readers such as second or third graders.

Music Over Manhattan by Mark Karlins

The first thing that struck me about this book were the very descriptive, original illustrations done in what looks like colored pencils. The illustrations make excellent use of light and shadows to convey the mood and theme of the story. The story is about a young boy, named Bernie, who is intimidated and feels under-appreciated compared to his "perfect" cousin Herbert. However, Bernie eventually learns to take solace and find individuality in music. He begins to play the trumpet and take lessons from his Uncle Louie. Being a huge fan of all types of music, I really enjoyed how this book was about the magic and importance of music. For example, in one scene Bernie and his Uncle Louie float over the city while playing the song "Moonlight Over Manhattan". Overall, I found this to be a very enjoyable book about the power and importance of music.

Cat, You Better Come Home by Garrison Keillor

This is an interesting and unique picture book because the story is a fable. I enjoyed how the story had a very simply rhyming scheme that made it fun and easy to read. For example, the last words of each line rhyme (cried and outside, etc.). The illustrations are very rich, lush paintings that work to complement the story perfectly. The main character of the story, Puff the cat, leaves home because she is "dissatisfied" with her owner. Puff moves to Greece and proceeds to become a very diva-like cat who dates owls and dumps dogs. The story is quite humorous and very entertaining to read. The lesson of the fable is made clear by the ending of the story: it's better to be yourself than try to be someone else. I found this book to be a very enjoyable read with an important theme.

The Misfits by James Howe

CONTROVERSIAL BOOK

Prior to reading this book I had read some of James Howe's picture books before, but this was the first novel of his I have read. I really enjoyed how all five of the "misfits" (the main characters of the book) were engaging, realistic, and well fleshed out characters. In fact, nearly all of the characters felt quite real to me, and I rarely felt as if the characters or the story was unrealistic in any way. I also enjoyed how the characters took a stand for what they believe in throughout the story. For example, when Addie refuses to stand for the Pledge of Allegiance because she believes America doesn't respect minorities rights. I also liked how the "Freedom Party" was created to run in student government and perfectly paralleled a real third party. My favorite part of the book, however, is when Joe reveals to Skeezie and Bobbby that he is gay, and he gets a very subdued and undramatic reaction to the news. I liked how James Howe showed a completely different side of what it is like to be a homosexual in high school, rather than a typical portrayl. I would think this booko would be considered controversial because the main character is gay and it's a realistic representation of the social context of school. I really enjoyed this book, and found it quite enjoyable to read. I would certainly use this books with grades 5 and above.

Nappy Hair by Carolivia Herron

CONTROVERSIAL BOOK

I found this book to be very interesting and fun to read because of the style of the story. The story is told in the way an African American family talks to each other and has a very loose and rhythmic feeling to it. For example, one of the lines in the book is the following: "It's your hhair, Brenda, take the cake yep. And come back and get the plate. Don't 'cha know." The story itself is about a little girl, Brenda, and her unbelievably "nappy hair." The story also deals with issues of slavery and reflects on the way "mothers and fathers were sold for a nickel and a dime." The illustrations complement the story perfectly, as they have a very original and loose look to them and appear to be done in chalk. I would think this book would be considered controversial because it deals with isses of slavery and the story is written in slang. However, I found the book to be very fun to read an would certainly reccomend it for 4th or 5th graders.

Sami And The Time Of The Troubles by Florence Parry Heide and Judith Heide Gilliland

CONTROVERSIAL BOOK

This book is about a ten year old boy, Sami, and his family who live in Beirut, Lebanon during "the time of the troubles" (war, guns, bombings, etc.). It is revealed early on in the story that Sami's father died in a bombing at a market. The plot is very serious and contains quite a few mature themes and ideas. For example, in one scene Sami and his friend Amir play with pieces of wood that look like guns and "...pretend to shoot, we pretend to die." The family has been forced to take reguge in the basement of Sami's uncle home from all of the bombings and gunfire. The illustrations are extremely rich, expressive paintings that complement the story perfectly. I think this book would be considered controversial because it deals with the brutality of innocent casualities of modern day war. However, I enjoyed this book and would certainly use it with older grade levels like 5th or 6th graders.

Smoky Night by Eve Bunting

CONTROVERSIAL BOOK

This story is about people, and cats, that are brought together in a city during a nigh of intense rioting. The book displays the violence of riots, as people are raging in the streets setting fires and looting. In the story the mother attempts to explain a riot to her son Daniel by telling him "It can happen when people get angry." The book also deals with issues of race and racism. For example, the mother and child don't go to Mrs. Kim's marker because, as the mother explains to Daniel, "...it's better if we buy from our own people." Finally, a fire breaks out in the family's apartment building and they are forced to stay in a shelter for a few days before being allowed back in the building. The illustrations are extremely original and unique, and they are expressive paintings that could easily stand alone as art work. I think this book would be considered controversial because it deals with race and rioting in an urban environment. However, I really enjoyed this book because it had an excellent story and wonderful illustrations. I would certainly use this book with 4th or 5th graders.

Faithful Elephants by Yukio Tsuchiya

CONTROVERSIAL BOOK

The first thing that struck me about this book were the extremely stimulating and colorful illustrations of Japan that resembled water colors. Also, I immediately realized that this book has an involved and complicated story with quite a bit of text. This book deals with a controversial aspect of history, and centers around a time when Japan was at war and being bombed. The Japanese army commanded zoo-keepers to poison and kill animals so they would not escape if bombs were to wreck the zoo. This book has some very dark aspects and themes. For example, in one scene zoo-keepers are starving an elephant to death over the course of seventeen long, painful days. However, eventually the zoo-keepers take a stand and begin feeding the remaining two elephants. The books is obviously controversial because it deals with war and the intentional, and brutal, killing of animals. I would use this book with 4th or 5th grade readers (perhaps in connection with a History lesson), as I found it to be a very informative and well written and illustrated book.

Fly Away Home by Eve Bunting

CONTROVERSIAL BOOK:
This books is about a young boy and his dad who are homeless and living in an airport. The story has some very somber and serious themes and characters. For example, there are a pair of homeless drunks that get caught living in the airport and are kicked out. Also, the boy's dad is a janitor who is only currently working on the weekends and making very little money. The family used to have an apartment before the boy's mother died, and the boy wishes for life to be back to "the way it was, before mom died." The very simple illustrations work well to convey the serious subject matter and airport setting. I really enjoyed the use of light and shading in the illustrations. I believe this story would be considered controversial because it centers around a homeless family and the death of a mother. However, I found this book to be very engaging and would certainly use it with grades 4 or above.

The Giver by Lois Lowry

Like most students, I can recall reading The Giver in 5th or 6th grade. Since then I've heard and read, on several occasions, about how great of a book The Giver is, so I was looking forward to reading it again. As soon as I started to read it again, I remembered that this was the first novel I ever read that was set in the future. Upon beginning to read the book it instantly reminded me of Brave New World, another futuristic utopian style novel that I read a few years ago and immensely enjoyed. I thought it was interesting how in both books people take pills in order to suppress feelings and/or emotions. I think The Giver is an excellent book to get students to think about the structure of society and the impact people's lives have on society. I also found it very interesting that the main character, Jonas, has such a responsibility and a massive burden to shoulder throughout the novel by being chosen the next Receiver. There are some very dark themes and issues in the book, and I think it would work best with grades five and above. For example, the idea of "Releasing" and the extremely disturbing scene of a father killing a baby and then disposing of the body systematically like trash. Overall, I think The Giver is a wonderful novel. I enjoyed it greatly and would certainly recommend it to older readers.

At Daddy's On Saturdays by Linda Walvoord Girard

The first thing that struck me about this book was that it was the first picture book I've ever read that addresses and directly deals with the issue of divorce and it's effect on a family (specifically a young daughter named Katie). The illustrations look as if they were done with watercolors and are very simple and light looking. I like how the book works to depict the emotional roller coaster Katie is going through in attempting to deal with her parents divorce. For example, Katie throws away her favorite doll in an attempt to cope with the news and says of the divorce "it seemed like somebody was throwing somebody else away." I also liked how Katie tends to miss the simple things about her father after he moves out and gets his own apartment. For example, Katie misses not having her dad at the breakfast table in the morning. These sorts of scenes in the book help to give the impact of the divorce on Katie a very realistic feel. Eventually, Katie gets used to going to visit her dad in his new apartment and even learns to enjoy it. I would certainly recommend this book to all readers, and I enjoyed it thoroughly.

First Painter by Kathryn Lasky

I thought this was an excellent and very enjoyable picture book, especially for older readers. It is extremely original and unique, and I was immediately drawn to both the story and the illustrations. The main character is a girl named Mishoo, and the story is set in prehistoric times. Eventually, Mishoo becomes the first painter ever, and the story chronicles how this comes to be. It is worth noting that the book has lots of text and some mature themes such as death and starvation, so I wouldn't reccommend the book to very young readers. Mishoo's people are starving and dying because of an intense drought, and as the dream catcher it is her responsibility to bring rain to her people. The illustrations are wonderful and very reminiscent of cave drawings, which works extremely well to accompany the story. In the end, there is a positive and uplifting end to the story and I really enjoyed the book as a whole.

Mr. Panda's Painting by Anne Rockwell

I really enjoyed this fun picture book about art, colors, and painting. The illustrations are very colorful and painted in a simple way that works great for a story about a painting panda. I really liked how Mr. Panda is an artist that is inspired by everyday objects such as yellow flowers and red cars. I thought it was great how the author included some insight into the process behind art and showed what drives the main character to create his art. I also liked how the entire story stresses creativity and art. This books is also a great tool to stress the difference in colors and how colors are used in both art and everyday life. Like many picture books, Mr. Panda's Painting has animal characters with human characteristics. The story was very direct and effective and worked perfectly with the illustrations. Overall, I thought this was a great book and would certainly recommend it to students and for any teacher to have in the classroom (especially an art teacher).

An Evening At Alfie's by Shirley Hughes

I found this picture book to be a bit ordinary and quite uninteresting. Firstly, the illustrations are extremely simplistic and have the look of drawings. The story itself revolves around two very young characters: a toddler named Alfie and a baby named Annie. The children's parents go out to a party for the evening and the children are left at home with a babysitter. One part of the book that I did find interesting was that the babysitter reads Alfie the Noah Arc story before bed. I was a bit surprised that the author chose to use a religious story instead of just a random children's book. Overall, I found the book to be very simple and would reccommend students read something more engagin and interesting.

City Night by Eve Rice, Pictures by Peter Sis

The first thing that stands out about this picture book is the very simple rhyming scheme that makes the story read like poetry. I really liked the very soft and lush illustrations of the city at night. The color scheme of the city is very blue and dark and works perfectly to show the way a city looks at night. I also enjoyed how the author portrayed the city as having a personality and being alive at night. For example, there are scenes and illustrations of people at a nighttime concert. The plot of the story is quite simple, and there are very little words in the story. It is a very quick and short read, but I think it would work well for younger readers such as 2nd or 3rd graders.

Who's Got Game: The Ant Or The Grasshopper by Toni and Slade Morrison

This book is a graphic novel based on the classic Aesop Fable about the ant and the grasshopper. I was immediately drawn to this book because it was written by Toni Morrison and I've always enjoyed her novels. The illustrations and layout of the pages are very reminiscent of a comic book. In fact, I would probably argue that the only thing that actually separates this graphic novel from a comic book is the amount of text in the book. The text itself has a very loose rhyming scheme that is very similar to a simple melody or piece of poetry. Also, the story is told in a very laid back way that resembles actual talking. For example, the book begins with the line "Foxy G and his ace Kid A..." The story is actually quite sad, and the main character Foxy G is homeless. At one point in the story Foxy G is even living in a cardboard box in the park in the dead of winter. Foxy G, homeless and hungry, goes to his best friend Kid A for food and a place to stay. The narrative is extremely complicated and may not be appropriate for younger students. For example, some of the themes I found in this book were the integrity of being an artist, betrayal, selfishness, etc. Overall, I really enjoyed this graphic novel and found it to be a very original, unique read. I would certainly recommend this graphic novel to an older reader.

Pinky And Rex Get Married by James Howe

This was a very short picture/chapter book that was classified and sorted in the picture book section of the curriculum library. The entire book is comprised of only five chapters and forty pages The two main characters in the story, Pinky and Rex, are a young boy and girl who are best friends and decide to "get married." I thought it was interesting that the name of the boy in the story was Pinky and the girl's name was Rex. When i first picked up this book to read I thought for sure that the girl's name would be Pinky, but I was wrong. The book is certainly more narrative based than illustrated, and there are only some very simple illustrations about every other page or so. After Rex gets home from a wedding Pinky has an idea and tells her the following: "Let's get married." Rex agrees, and her and Pinky go about some steps of setting up a wedding. They invite their friends (stuffed animals), get music (a C.D. player), and even obtain rings (made out of grass). I thought the story itself was not very engaging or interesting, and there was almost no use of humor whatsoever (something I always enjoy in picture books). In summary, I don't think I would reccomend this book to many readers because I found it quite dry and not very enjoyable.

Spuds by Karen Hesse

I really enjoyed this particular picture book because it is so much different than any children's book I have ever read. The story is extremely unique and original: it is about a family in poverty and without enough food. I'm positive that this is only one of a few picture books I have ever read where the main characters face such struggles. Specifically, the mother character is much different than most picture books. In Spuds the mother is a single mom who works the night shift, and simply can't properly provide for her three children. Usually, picture books are extremely idealistic and stereotypical, but Spuds is quite the opposite. The dialogue of the characters is written and spoken in a sort of slang that helps convey the particular situation the family is in. For example, in one part of the book the narrator says "Me and Maybelle, we layered on a heap a' clothes." The story is sincere and touching, and there is a part of the book where the three children decided to to steal potatoes from a farm because they don't have enough to eat. They even refer to themselves as "tater-snatchers." To complement the dark narrative, the illustrations are very simple and refined, and made up of mostly earth tones. Overall I thought the story was quite sad, but I would definetely recommend the book to any reader due to the fact that it is such a different type of story and certainly worth reading.

Lilly's Big Day by Kevin Henkes

As an aspiring teacher I found the premise of this book to be very interesting. The main character, Lilly, has a teacher named Mr. Slinger who is marrying the school nurse. I thought it was very intriguing that the author would choose to make a picture book about a teacher marrying another member of the faculty. I immediately wondered if this is an appropriate topic for students. The illustrations are very simplistic, and I can understand why this book would be classified in the Fantasy genre. All of the characters are mouses, yet they display human characterisitics such as wearing clothes, getting married, and talking. Another part of this book I found interesting was the way Lilly's father was depicted. There is a particular illustration in the book where her father is holding a bottle of red wine, two wine glasses, and wearing a purple yin-yang shirt. Lilly's father is portrayed as a very modern and laid back dad in this story. Admittedly, this book does have a good sense of humor. For example, there is a particular scene where Lilly dreams of being a flower girl, draws a self portrait, and then claims to be "Better than the bride!" In the end, the story is very encouraging and has a theme of being a good person. I would recommend this book to all readers because it was quite entertaining and a fun read.

Come Fly With Me by Satomi Ichikawa

This book is definitely part of the Fantasy genre, as only two characters in the book are a talking stuffed dog named Woggy and a talking wooden plane named Cosmos. The story itself is about two best friends, Woggy and Cosmos, and the adventure they have in Paris. The illustrations are very soft and colorful and work to complement the story perfectly. The story is extremely simplistic and childish, and would be perfect for younger children and extremely young readers. My personal favorite part of the story were the lush illustrations of the city of Paris. I also enjoyed how on some pages the text is laid out to complement the narrative. For example there is a page when Woggy and Cosmos are in a tailspin and flying towards the ground, and the text goes vertically down the page. The book has a very predictable, yet cheery, ending. In summary, the narrative itself is extremely simplistic and is all about friendship. I would recommend this book only to young readers, as fluent or advanced readers would most likely find it too simple for their taste.

My Friend The Starfinder by George Ella Lyon

Immediately after I finished reading this book I was positive that it had the my favorite illustrations of any picture book I have ever read. The illustrations are a joy to look at and I even went back through the book a couple of times looking at just the pictures without even reading any of the text. The illustrations are extremely colorful and rich, done in watercolors, and seem to be dripping off the page. However, there is some very nice contrast in the illustrations as well due to the fact that some of the illustrations are done in a very stark black and white watercolor theme. The story/narrative itself is a very touching story about a young girl who befriends her neighbor who is an old man and lives by himself. Interestingly, there is very little actual text in the book, and the story seems to revolve around the illustrations. Much of the text is extremely descriptive and rich though (i.e. "glassy, blackish green like puddles around a coal pile."). The story is very surreal and I would definitely classify this book as falling in the Science Fiction or Fantasy genre. Overall, I would definitely recommend this book to any reader. Also, this book would be great for classrooms, where there seems to be a real shortage of Science Fiction and Fantasy books.

Mary Marony Hides Out by Suzy Kline

Mary Marony Hides Out is a short novel/chapter book that is about eighty pages in length. The narrative is about a young student, Mary Marony, who loves reading and finally gets a chance to meet her favorite author, Jan Berry, when she comes to visit Mary's school. The main character, Mary, has a stuttering problem and sometimes gets made fun of at school. I thought this was an interesting aspect of the story because so often the main character in childrens books is a completely unflawed "perfect" boy or girl. Mary, however, struggles with her speech impediment and has to deal with getting made fun of at school. Also, Mary sees a speech therapist at school. I also liked this portion of the book because so many children receive special education and/or extra help at school. However, childrens books so rarely depict that side of education and children. The book also makes good use of simplistic black and white illustrations to help compliment the storyline. I also enjoyed the fact that the book reolves around Mary's love of reading and her favorite author. I think it helps to encourage children to read when they themselves read about a character in a book that already has a passion for reading and literature. The ending of the novel is very encouraging and fit well with the story. In summary, I would definetely recommend this book and I throughoughly enjoyed it.

Dear Fish by Chris Gall

The first thing that struck me about this book were the illustrations. They have a very textured look and feel to them that is very unique for a picture book. The illustrations are also very colorful, and use lots of lines, shading, and depth to give them depth. The storyline of Dear Fish is extremely surreal and definitely based in fantasy. It is also worth noting that this is by far the funniest picture book I have read in a long time. The premise of the narrative is that a young boy throws a message in a bottle into the ocean inviting fish to his house. By the time he is getting ready for school the next day there are fish in the bathtub, whales in the neighbors front yard, and sharks at the local rodeo. The story is also written very rhythmically and tends to have a flow that is reminiscent of poetry. For example, on every page that describes the fish there are four very descriptive words (i.e. "dripping, flipping, flopping, gurgling"). Overall, the story and illustrations are very entertaining and the story has a wonderful twist ending. I would definitely recommend this picture book to young readers with an imagination.

June 29, 1999 by David Wiesner

June 29, 1999 is certainly one of my favorite picture books I have read so far. The narrative revolves around a young girl who conducts a complicated science experiment for school involving "extra-terrestrial conditions" and seedlings. Soon after this phenomenon all the gian vegetables float down from the sky and settle safely on the ground. Interestingly, the gian vegetables "become very big business." In one of the funnier and more interesting parts of the book houses are made out of gaint pumpkins, and New York is given a new nickname. As a result of the young girl's experiment giant vegetables such as turnips, lettuce, and broccoli begin to fill the sky all over the country. The illustrations are typical of a Wiesner book: they are extremely rich and descriptive and complement the story perfectly. The end of the book is extremely satisfying and very funny. I would certainly recommend this book to a young reader and I enjoyed it immensly.

Flotsam by David Wiesner

Flotsam is a wordless picture book that I found to be quite enjoyable. Admittedly, I usually don't really like wordless books and I tend to find them tedious, boring, and without a real narrative. However, Flotsam is probably my favorite wordless picture book I've ever read. The storyline has a very mysterious vibe to it and it immediately reminded me of a Chris Van Allsburg book. For example, the narrative revolves around an underwater camera that washes ashore on more than one occasion. The illustrations of landscapes such as the beach and ocean are extremely realistic and rich looking. The illustrations in the book really help to put the reader in the story and are very engaging. Also, the illustrations are extremely surreal. For example, there are mechanical fishes, domesticated octopi, partying aliens, and gigantic star fish. Finally, there is a very strange theme throughout the book of a picture within a picture that further lends the book a mysterious and strange feeling. In summary, I enjoyed the illustrations of this wordless picture book and thought the narrative was interesting enough to follow without any text.

Olivia Forms A Band by Ian Falconer

I decided to read this book after greatly enjoying the first Olivia book I read. I was immediately drawn to this title because of my love of anything related to music. The first thing that stood out about this book was the difference in the illustrations. In comparison to the first Olivia book, this title had much more colorful illustrations. Whereas Olivia was illustrated in only black and white with very little red, this book used many other colors and had some very interesting background illustrations as well. For example, towards the end of the book Olivia and her family attend a fireworks show and the there are some gorgeous illustrations of the setting sun and the fireworks going off. The narrative of the book revolves around Olivia wanting to start her own band. My personal favorite part of this book is a fold out section in the middle where Olivia is marching under transcribed sheet music and notes. Also, I really enjoyed the last page of the book when Olivia is finally sleeping and dreams she is sitting on the Supreme Court. In summary, I greatly enjoyed this book and found it just as enjoyable as the first Olivia book.

Olivia by Ian Falconer

The first thing that struck me about this book was the very minimal style of the illustrations. The entire book is illustrated in a very stark black and white theme with some red color to accentuate certain items such as a toothbrush, jump rope, etc. Personally, I really enjoyed the illustrations. The characters were drawn very simplistically, but it is very effective and works well for the simple story line. The narrative itself is about a small pig named Olivia that is very energetic and wears herself and other people out (most notably her the rest of her family). Olivia is portrayed as a female character and often has accessories such as a purse, dress, etc. One thing that stood out for me in this book was the excellent use of humor. For example, there is a scene in the book where Olivia gets very good at building sand castles and proceeds to build a sand castle sky scraper. My favorite part of the book is when Olivia goes to the art museum with her mom. She observes a painting that is very similar to a Jackson Pollack, and claims she could paint the same thing in about five minutes. Overall, I really enjoyed this book and am excited to read the rest of the Olivia series.

Horrible Harry and the Green Slime by Suzy Kline

This novel is part of the "Horrible Harry" series, and I enjoyed it quite a bit. The book is separated into four different stories all featuring Harry (Secret Pals, The Deadly Skit, Invasion of the Cobwebs, Demonstrations). All four stories are narrated from the perspective of Horrible Harry's friend Doug. Throughout the book Harry is portrayed as being mischievous at times, but still a good person and friend. There are some really good illustrations throughout the book that help to give the narrative life. For example, in the first story "Secret Pals" there are handwritten notes from Harry to his friend in child's handwriting. Interestingly, "The Deadly Skit" is about the dangers of cigarettes and smoking. This is a topic I haven't come across often in childrens books and I think it's great that Suzy Kline chose to write about it. Also, Harry is a well fleshed out character with real depth and emotion. For example, in "Invasion of the Cobwebs" Horrible Harry cries when his teacher reads aloud Charlotte's Web and Charlotte dies in the end. Harry's teacher then goes on to discuss death with her class and tells the class that "dying is a part of life." Overall, I throughly enjoyed this book and found it very engaging to read. Kline deals with some real life issues such as the dangers of smoking and death that make the book appllicable to teacher and student. I would certainly recommend this book to older readers.

The Wreck of the Zephyr by Chris Van Allsburg

Like most Van Allsburg books the rich, detailed illustrations drew me to this book immediately. Some of Van Allsburg's best illustrations can be found in The Wreck of the Zephyr. Specifically, his paintings of landscapes scenes such as the beach and the sea are extremely well done. The story is about a boy who is a sailor and his boat the Zephyr. The boy believes himself to be a great sailor, and one night risks sailing in dangerous conditions. The boy is knocked out and stranded on a beach he has never seen or heard of before. Like most of Van Allsburg's books, The Wreck of the Zephyr has a very mysterious and strange vibe to it. Also, this book in particular has an extremely surreal feeling to it. For example, there is one scene where the boy witnesses boats sailing above the water. The ending is typical of a Van Allsburg book: the reader is left wondering and encouraged to draw his or her own conclusion. Overall, I really enjoyed this book and would recommend it to anyone. This is definetely one of my favorite books by Chris Van Allsburg.

Kitten's First Full Moon by Kevin Henkes

The first thing that struck me about this book were the wonderful illustrations. All of the drawings in the book are done in very sparse black and white/charcoal pencils. The story itself is about a kitten who mistakes the moon for a bowl of milk in the sky and tries to find ways to drink it. The text of the book has a very simple scheme. For example, whenever the kitten tries to reach the moon and fails the last line of the page is "Poor Kitten!" However, the text is extremely repetitive and may be a bit boring for older children. Towards the end of the story the kitten mistakes the reflection of the moon in a pond for an even bigger bowl of milk. I particularly enjoyed the ending of the book where the kitten finally finds some milk and is a "Lucky Kitten!" rather than a "Poor Kitten!" Overall, this book is extremely simplistic and I would only recommend it to very young readers due to the extremely repetitive nature of the book.

Into The Forest by Anthony Browne

Into The Forest is another children's bok that makes very sparse use of text. Rather, the focus of the book and story seems to be mostly on the illustrations. The story itself is a bit disconcerting, and may be unsettling to some younger readers. A young boy wakes up one morning and his dad is gone. Interestingly, the boy's mother has no idea where his father is and doesn't seem to know when he'll be coming back. The boy then goes to take his sick grandma a piece of cake and is warned by his mother not to go into the forest. However, the boy decides to take the forest route anyway because it is quicker and he wants to be back at home in case his dad comes back. The forest illustrations are very interesting and the best part of the book. Throughout the forest scenes, only the boy is in color, while the forest and the characters he runs in to are in a stark black and white/charcoal. The ending of the book is encrouaging and a bit surprising. Overall I found the book to be interesting yet confusing at times. For example, there are some random characters in the forest that seem to have nothing to do with the narrative. I might recommend this book to older children looking for a challenging and intriguing read.

Wemberly Worried by Kevin Henkes

The first thing that struck me about this book was the text. It is placed in a very unique way throughout the story and gives the book a flow that is reminiscent of a poem or children's song. The illustrations in the story are very basic and clean, and go well with the simple nature of the book. The main character, Wemberly, is constantly worrying throughout the story. For example, Wemberly always worries the most about her doll named Petal. Like many children, Wemberly has a nervous habit when she worries: she rubs her doll Petal's ears, which causes her to worry more because she believes the doll's ears may fall off some day. Wemberly is a mouse, but she has many human characteristics (this is a recurring element in much of children's literature). This is a very good book for children who are just starting school. For example, Wemberly worries more than ever about the start of school, but everything works out fine for her. Wemberly ends up meeting a friend named Jewel the first day of school and they get along great. I think this is an excellent message for children who are nervous about starting school. Overall, I thought this was a very well made children's book and would certainly recommend it.

Willy The Champ by Anthony Browne

This book is quite short and focuses more on the illustrations than the text. For instance, there is usually only a sentence or two per page. However, the illustrations are very vibrant and colorful and pleasing to the eye. The main character, Willy, is a chimp who is extremely mild mannered. He enjoys reading, listening to music, movies, and walking in the park. Interestingly, Willy is portrayed as being inept at sports. For example, he is shown failing at soccer, bicycling, and swimming. It is intriguing that Willy is portrayed as a sort of nerdy character who likes to read, but is bad at soccer. This seems to send a message to kids that people fall in categories such as jocks, smart kids, etc. Also, there is a sentence in the book that "Everyone laughs at Willy, no matter what he does." The ending of the book is also worth noting, as Willy "stands up" to a bully named Buster Nose. Overall, I did not enjoy this book very much and thought it sent loaded messages through the text and illustrations. I would not recommend the Willy series by Anthony Browne.

Seedfolks by Paul Fleischman

Seedfolks is a wonderful novel by Paul Fleischman. The story is told from the perspective of thirteen different characters. This is a very unique and interesting way to tell a story in a children's book, and it's extremely effective for this particular novel. The different vignettes give the story a very fleshed out and realistic feeling because the reader gets the perspective of so many different characters. My two favorite characters in particular are Curtis, a man who is trying to win back his ex-girlfriend, and Maricela, a pregnant teenager trying to cope with the pressures of her new life. It's also worth noting that sometimes characters will contradict each other throughout the story, which makes all of the narrators feel very human and realistic. The story itself is extremely engagaing and has a very hopeful, human theme to it: an abandoned lot is turned into a garden that unites a community full of people who were once untrustworthy and skeptical of each other. I would reccomend this book to both children and adults alike as it is very well written and a fun, interesting read.

The Stranger by Chris Van Allsburg

I'm a huge fan of Chris Van Allsburg's work and have always considered The Stranger to be one of my favorite books of his. In particular, I have always enjoyed the way the book is illustrated. Every picture is a very rich, colorful, warm illustration that is a bit atypical for Van Allsburg. The story itself is about a farmer, Mr. Bailey, who hits a stranger with his truck. Mr. Bailey then decides to drive the stranger back to his own house to care for him until he recovers. Mr. Bailey assumes the stranger is a hermit without a home. Like many of Van Allsburg's books, The Stranger has a very foreboding and creepy feel to it. For example, the stranger has memory loss and has no idea what his name is or where he is from. Also, when working in the field with the farmer, Mr. Bailey, the stranger never tires or breaks a sweat. These details help lend the book a very mysterious feeling. I really enjoy this book and would reccomend it to anyone. It's definetely one of my favorite books by Chris Van Allsburg.

How Do Dinosaurs Eat Their Food? By Jane Yolen. Illustrated by Mark Teague

This book is part of a series and very similar to the other book I reviewed titled How Do Dinosaurs Say Good Night? by the same author and illustrator. Again, this book uses a very simple rhyming scheme that makes it very easy and enjoyable to read. Also, like the other Dinosaur book, this one has the names of the specific dinosaurs written somewhere on the page they appear (for example, Cryolophosaurus is written on a table cloth on one page). The illustrations are very rich and give the dinosaurs a life and personality all their own. There is also a wide variety of dinosaurs included in this book. There are some very obscure dinosaurs that I had never hear of before such as Polacanthus and Gorgosaurus. This is a good thing because it allows children the opportunity to be able to identify and see drawings of dinosaurs they have never been exposed to before. This book also has a very similar ending to the other Dinosaur book. Overall I found this book to be very enjoyable and humorous.

The Mysteries Of Harris Burdick by Chris Van Allsburg

I've always enjoyed Chris Van Allsburg and consider him to be my favorite childrens' author. This book in particular has always been on of my favorite of Van Allsburgs'. The book is a collection of fourteen drawings that are pieces of a puzzle which is left unsolved. The book encourages the reader to draw their own conclusion about the illustrations and the sparse "story" which is comprised of titles and captions for each drawing. An example of the very short titles and captions is: Another Place Another Time; If there was an answer, he'd find it there. All of the illustrations are black and white with charcoal. The illustrations are very detailed, soft drawings that are very pleasant to look at. Also, nearly all of the illustrations make use of light in some way. The titles and captions are extremely vague and mysterious and lend the book a very creepy feeling and vibe. I really enjoy this book because it is so open ended and mysterious and allows the reader to draw their own conclusion about The Mysteries Of Harris Burdick.

Chato and the Party Animals by Gary Soto. Illustrated by Susan Guevara

This is a great book for bilingual students, or any students interested in both Spanish and English. The story is about a cat named Chato and his best friend Novio Boy. Novio Boy came from the pound and has never had a birthday party before. Chato, being a party animal, decides to throw his best friend a birthday party. The book starts with a glossary of twenty Spanish words that are used throughout the story and their English translation. In the story itself the Spanish words are italicized so that the reader knows to refer to the glossary for the English translation. This book is excellent for Spanish speaking students and/or Spanish speaking ELL students. Also, this book would be perfect for English speaking students who are learning Spanish. One thing that really stuck out for me were the extremely vibrant, rich, colorful illustrations. The illustrations are paintings and they really jump right off the page at the reader. The book has a very hispanic/Spanish flavor to it. Overall, this was a very enjoyable book that can be used to stress bilingualism in the classroom.

How Do Dinosaurs Say Good Night? by Jane Yolen, Illustrated by Mark Teague

I really enjoyed this book a lot. It was very entertaining and the rhyming scheme throughout the book made it very readable. Also, the book was very informative. For example, every dinosaur's name is written somewhere in their respective room so that children can learn and make connections between the classification of dinosaur and the drawing of what it looks like. The book has great illustrations, and I especially enjoyed how the dinosaurs were drawn very large to show just how big they are in comparison to humans, a dog, house, bed, etc. I also enjoyed how the book showed many different dinosaurs before bed time. For example, dinosaurs such as a T-Rex, Stegosaurus, and Pteranodon are all in the book. It was also every entertaining to see how the dinosaurs might behave when told it was time to go to bed. The ending was very entertaining and added a bit of a twist and surprise to the story. Overall, great picture book!

First post